A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

1. Above the Angels. I do not mean the bad Angels, with whom God entered not into Treaty, he dealeth with them in Justice, not in Grace; but even the good Angels. In some respects we have more cause to bless God than even the good Angels. Thankfulness and Gratitude looks to the freeness and graciousness of the Gift, rather than the greatness of it; it looks not to the benefit so much as the good-will of the Giver. It is true, God hath been exceeding good and bountiful to the Angels, in creating them out of nothing, that they are the Courtiers of Heaven; but mark, how good and gracious he is to us above them! The Angels never offended him, but he is bountiful and gracious to us notwithstanding the Demerits of our Sin; his wronged Justice interposed and put in a Bar, yet Grace breaks out, and is manifested to us unworthy Creatures. There was nothing that hindered God from doing good to the Angels. A holy God hath a blessed, righteous, holy Creature; but Justice must be satisfied as to us, we are a Generation of sinful Men, the wretched Children of Apostatizing Adam; we had forsaken God and cast him off, which the Angels never did, that had a long Experience of God's Goodness and Bounty: The very Angels wonder at the Grace showed to us, especially at that by which Justice is satisfied; 1 Pet. 1.12. Which things the Angels desire to look into.

1. Above the Angels. I do not mean the bad Angels, with whom God entered not into Treaty, he dealeth with them in Justice, not in Grace; but even the good Angels. In some respects we have more cause to bless God than even the good Angels. Thankfulness and Gratitude looks to the freeness and graciousness of the Gift, rather than the greatness of it; it looks not to the benefit so much as the good-will of the Giver. It is true, God hath been exceeding good and bountiful to the Angels, in creating them out of nothing, that they are the Courtiers of Heaven; but mark, how good and gracious he is to us above them! The Angels never offended him, but he is bountiful and gracious to us notwithstanding the Demerits of our Sin; his wronged Justice interposed and put in a Bar, yet Grace breaks out, and is manifested to us unworthy Creatures. There was nothing that hindred God from doing good to the Angels. A holy God hath a blessed, righteous, holy Creature; but Justice must be satisfied as to us, we are a Generation of sinful Men, the wretched Children of Apostatizing Adam; we had forsaken God and cast him off, which the Angels never did, that had a long Experience of God's Goodness and Bounty: The very Angels wonder at the Grace shewed to us, especially at that by which Justice is satisfied;