A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger CatechismRidgley, Thomas
Religion
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
2. The praise and glory of all their ministry is not to be ascribed to
them, but to him, who makes use of them; nor are we to pretend, at all
times, to determine, that this or that particular dispensation of
providence is by the immediate hand of God, and another by the ministry
of angels; since it is enough for us to say, that, though God does not
need their assistance, yet he sometimes sets forth the sovereignty of
his providence, and evinces his right to employ all his creatures at his
pleasure, as well as gives an additional instance of his care of his
churches, by employing them in extraordinary services for their good;
though we cannot, at all times, distinguish between what is done by the
immediate hand of God, and other things performed by their ministry.
3. Whatever we assert, concerning the ministry of angels, we must take
heed that we do not regard them as objects of divine worship, or
exercise that dependence on, or give that glory to them, which is due to
God alone. Nor are we to suppose, that God employs them in those works
that are the effects of his supernatural or almighty power, in which he
deals with the hearts of his people, in a way more immediately conducive
to their conversion and salvation.
Footnote 40:
_Some think, that those expressions, which we find in scripture, that
speak of the_ devil, and his angels, _and the_ prince of devils,
_import as much; but this we pretend not to determine_.
Footnote 41:
_This was the opinion of most if the fathers, in the three first
centuries of the church, namely, Justin Martyr, Origen, Tertullian,
Clemens, Alexandrinus, Lactantius, Irenæus, Cyprian, and others. Some
of them appeared to have taken the hint thereof from some MS. of the
LXX translation, which rendered the words in Gen. vi. 2. instead of
the_ sons of God, the angels saw the daughters of men, &c. _This
translation being used by them, instead of the Hebrew text, which they
did not well understand; though others took it from a spurious and
fabulous writing, which they had in their hands, called_ Enoch, _or_,
the prophecy of Enoch, _or rather_, Liber, παρα εγρηγορων, de
Egregoris, _a barbarous Greek word, used to signify angels, and taken
from the character given them of watchers, in Daniel. Of this book, we
have some fragments now remaining, in which there is such a ridiculous
and fabulous account of this matter, as very much, herein exceeds the
apocryphal history of Tobit. It gives an account of a conspiracy among
the angels, relating to this matter; the manner of their entering into
it, their names, the year of the world, and place in which this
wickedness was committed, and other things, that are unworthy of a
grave historian; and, the reckoning it among those writings, that are
supposed to have a divine sanction, is little other than profaneness
and blasphemy. Some of the fathers, who refer to this book, pretend it
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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