THE DEPUTATION OF ANGELS.
IN this Chapter you ſee that King Herod ſufficiently vexed the Jews,Lightfoot on the Acts. and killed Iames the Brother of Iohn with the Sword;Euſeb. hiſt. Eccleſ. lib. 2. cap. 8. This hapned in the dayes of Claudius Caeſar: Euſebius2 ſaith, that the Accuſer of Iames ſeeing his conſtancy to the Death, confeſſed the faith, and was Martyred with him; Saint Iames crying, Pax tibi, and kiſſing him. Well, Iames his death was ſeconded by Peters Impriſonment, but his time of Martyrdom was not yet come; Agrippa having ſeized on him deferred his Execution till after the Paſſover; either becauſe he would not defile that holy Feaſt with mans blood, or rather that he feared a Tumult, if he ſhould have ſlain him in that concourſe of people at the Paſſover time: In the mean time Peter lay guarded with 4. Quaternions of Souldiers, bound with two Chains, and as ſome ſay, his two Keepers were tyed in the ſame Chain with him for ſureties ſake. That night which preceded Peters intended Execution, he being faſt aſſeep between his Keepers, was awakned, ſuddenly looſned, and ſtrangely delivered by an Angel: Peter and his Angel (being thus looſned) paſſed quietly through the firſt and ſecond Watch, and afterwards came to an iron Gate which opened3 to them of its own accord: Peter cleared of the Danger, and his Angel diſ-appearing, betakes himſelfe to the houſe of Mary the Mother of Iohn Mark, where the Diſciples were gathered together to pray for his Deliverance, whilſt Peter knocked at the door, a Damſel (Rhoda by name) came to hearken and gather who it was, and when ſhe heard Peters Voice ſhe opened not the door for gladneſs, but ran in amazed and told them Peter was at the Gate; They charged her with madneſs, but ſhe conſtantly affirmed that it was no Deluſion: Then ſaid they, It is his Angel: The upſhot was this, Peter was received joyfully: And there was no ſmall ſtir among the Souldiers when they miſſed him; King Herod was ſo offended with this eſcape, that he cauſed the innocent Keepers to be examined and put to death.
Thus you have the whole Adventure and Eminent Deliverance of Saint Peter laid before you; And from the whole Hiſtory we may obſerve many things. As
41. Ten Obſervations from the whole Story.Perſecutors rage is not eaſily ſatisfied, and the blood which they ſhed is but Oyle to feed the flames of their Revenge. Iames being ſlain Peter is to follow.
2. The Churches Enemies are full of policy in the midſt of cruelty: Peter was not preſently muthered, for fear of a Tumult: They ſuck in the craft of the old Serpent, they lean upon their wiſdom; and as little Boyes they ſtand upon their heads, and ſhake their heels againſt Heaven.
3. Cloſe Impriſonment is a ſore effect of Perſecution, and he that peeps through the iron Grates doth beſt eſſpy the beauty of Liberty.
4. Beleevers can be ſecure in the midſt of dangers; You ſee Peter being in Priſon ſlept ſweetly between two Souldiers bound with Chains; a good Conſcience is ſurely a continuall Feaſt: It turns a Priſon into a Pallace.
5. God hath uſed the Miniſtry of Angels to effect deliverances for his people: You ſee an Angel delivered Peter.
56. When the Lord intends to beſtow a Mercy, he ſtirs up his people to wreſtle for it: So Prayer was made without ceaſing by the Church unto God for him.
7. Moſtly the people of God will have religious Servants; ſee how Rhoda rejoyced at this deliverance.
8. Zeal is oftentimes miſtaken for Madneſs; They took Rhoda to be frantick: So twas ſaid to Paul, Much Learning hath made thee mad!
9. The Saints will readily own and receive a perſecuted Member: The Diſciples received Peter joyfully, although it might have coſt them their lives: A friend is born for adverſity.
10. And laſtly, Wicked Perſecutors are mightily enraged when their crimſon Purpoſes are diſappointed: Hered was ſo highly diſpleaſed with this unlookt-for Fruſtration of his bloody Deſigns, that he cauſed the Keepers firſt to be examined, in all likely-hood6 by Tortures, and then to be put to death.
But to come neerer to our Text, It is his Angel.
In theſe words you may obſerve with me, 1. The Coherence. 2. The words themſelves.
Firſt,11The Coherence opened. the Coherence of the Text with the foregoing matter, and there are in it three Points obſervable.
1. Whilſt Beleevers have been faſting and praying for a Mercy, the Lord many times hath ſent them a quick and unexpected Return, and very gratious anſwer: Here whilſt they were praying for Peters deliverance, the Return of their prayers ſtood knocking at the door for entrance; Poor Rhoda was accuſed of madneſs, and they concluded twas an Angel, not Peter, ſo quick and unexpected was the anſwer of their prayers.
2. Sometimes the deliverances of Gods people out of imminent and emminent dangers are ſo wonderfull, and attended with ſuch a croud of Improbabilities, that they have much ado to beleive though they ſee and heare them:
73. Angels have aſſumed the ſhape of men; you ſee they all thought it was an Angel that had put on the Shape, Habit, Knock, and Voice of Peter: Of theſe briefly;
Firſt,11Point from the Coherence. Dr. Goodwins return of prayers. Whilſt the Saints have been at prayer, the Lord hath many times ſent them a quick and unexpected return: Thus to aſſure Hezekiah that his praier was heard, God ſent the Prophet unto him whilſt he was praying and weeping: So Iſaac going out to meditate and pray in the fields, meets his Rebeka then a coming; That requeſt for a good Wife, being ſurely the chief earthly thing he was then in treaty with God for. As the Ruler in the Goſpel found,Iohn 4. See Dan. 9.20, 21. that in the ſame hour, wherin he deſired help for his Son of Chriſt, he began to mend; So hath it been often with the people of God, He hath anſwered their prayers in the very hour that they put them up. Luther having prayed earneſtly to God in his Chamber for the Churches ſucceſs, came down ſaying, We have overcom, we have overcom; And ſo accordingly it prov'd.
8But laſtly,Acts. 12.5.12. Hugo Card. Tom. 4. how plain an inſtance is this in our Context; Whilſt the Diſciples were praying to God for him, Peter knocks at the Gate. So true is that ſweet and precious Promiſe; Iſa. 65.24. And it ſhall come to paſs, that before they call I will anſwer, and whilſt they are yet speaking I will hear. By which Hugo layes that parallell Scripture, He will be very gracious unto the at the Voice of thy cry, Iſa. 30.19. Qui timide Rogat docet Negare; But the fervent ſupplications of the Saints do peirce the Heavens, and have a glorious Eccho from the Clouds: Whilſt Moſes held up his hands Iſrael prevailed.
Now this the Lord doth,Reaſ. 1to put the greater honour upon his Ordinance, to convince us that he heares and obſerves our prayers and bottles up all our Tears, and that he is not deaf to our deſiresIf Chriſt ſtopped not his eares when he was blasphemed, will he ſtop them when he is intreated? If he turned not away his face from thoſe that ſpat on him, can we think he will turn it away from thoſe that pray unto him.
9Again,Reaſ. 2the Lord doth this the more to endear himſelf to us, and engage us in his Service; And that the Mercy which is won by prayer, may be worn by thankfulneſs.
How doth this reprove the ſluggiſh and incredulous prayers or bablings of the moſt? Ʋſe. 1How can they expect God ſhould hear them, ſaith Cyprian,Cyprian. Ser. Sext. de oratione Dominica. when they ſcarce hear themſelves? Quae autem ſegnitia eſt alienari & capi ineptis cogitationibus & prophanis, dum Dominum deprecaris, quaſi ſit aliud quod magis debeas cogitare, quàm quod cum Deo loquaris? Quomodo te audiri a Deo poſtulas, cum te ipſe non Audias? Vis eſſe Deum memorem tui cum rogas, cum tu ipſe memor tui non ſis? Hoc eſt quando oras Dominum, majeſtatem Dei negligentiâ orationis offendere; Hoc eſt, vigilare oculis & corde dormire cum debeat Chriſtianus, & cum dormit oculis, Corde vigilare, ſaith divine Cyprian. In prayer therfore, Surſum Corda, riſe up and take hold upon God; To let fall a Prayer is one thing, to poure out the Soul is another thing.
10So then,Ʋſe. 2let us carefully hear our ſelves in prayer, and God hears us; let us liſten, and well heed and mind the Anſwers and Ecchos of our prayers, and the inward ſealings and whiſpers of the Spirit, after that we have wreſtled with the Lord in prayer,1 Sam. 1.16. going to him in the name of Chriſt. Hannah after ſhe had prayed and Eli had ſeconded her requeſt, found ſuch an inward anſwer to her deſires, that her ſpirit was cheered, and ſhe looked no more ſad. So the Pſalmiſt, I will harken what the Lord will ſpeak,Pſal. 85.8. for he will ſpeak Peace unto his people. Any mercy that comes as an anſwer of prayer is a double mercy, but that which comes in the time of prayer is a trebble Favour, and heaps a multitude of inviolable bonds upon us; Of this we have had many experiences in theſe daies,April. 7. 1654. one very lately; For on our day of Humiliation for the late Drought, it rained very ſweetly, twas like a ſhour of Roſe-water, coming as an immediate anſwer, and in the very time of ſeeking God. 22Point from the Coherence.
Secondly, Somtimes the deliverances11 of Gods people out of imminent, emminent dangers, are ſo wonderfull, and attended with ſuch a Train of Miracles and Improbabilities, that they have much ado to believe them, although they hear and ſee them. The Diſciples took that for the Eve of Peters Execution, and they well knew he was guarded with four Quaternions of Souldiers, was bound with two Chains, and that if he could eſcape out of Priſon, and paſs the firſt and ſecond watch, there was yet a Gate and that of Iron, that would obſtruct his aime; Therfore when he was delivered and ſtood knocking at the Gate, through incredulity, they let him ſtand ſo long, that he might have been re-taken at the door, and the ſhip ſink in the Havens mouth: Rhoda though ſhe heard his voice, is charged with madneſs for ſaying ſo,Calvin in Locum. and at laſt they ſaid it was his Angel; in Summe, any thing rather then the Apoſtle. Hinc colligimus Petri liberationē minime fuiſſe ab illis ſperatam, ſaith Calvin on the Text; They little dreamt of Peters deliverance. When the three12 Children were preſerved in the hot fiery Furnace, and Daniel ſafe in the Lions Den, their Enemies who ſaw it could hardly beleeve it. Nay, Beleevers (as well as others) have been at a loſs in this thing; when Chriſt, that great Anſwer of prayer was come in the Fleſh, how few did beleive in him? when he came to his Diſciples in the Ship, to ſave them from the Tempeſt, they cryed out for fear, ſuppoſing he was a Spirit; And when he was riſen from the dead, the Apoſtle Thomas though he ſaw him and conferred with him, could not beleive but muſt put his Fingers into the prints of the Nails. The Jews when they had long prayed for the return of the Babylonian Captivity,Pſal. 126.1. at the receipt of that mercy they were as men in a Dream. Admonemur ſic ſuccurrere Deum pijs, dum affliguntur; ut ex improviſo liberentur; & ſe non liberari ſed ſomnium videre Putent,Muſculus in explan. Pſal. 126.1 P. 1005 Gen. 45.26, 27. ſaith Muſculus on that place: So Jacob when he was told that his Son Ioſeph liv'd and had great power in Aegypt, Old Jacobs heart fainted, for he beleived it not, but when13 he ſaw the Waggon which Joſeph had ſent for him, his Spirit revived. Thus in our Text, the Diſciples could hardly credite the Deliverance of Peter, or Teſtimony of Rheda that heard his voice, and knew it full well; Nay, Peter himſelf had little faith in this reſpect; For firſt,Act. 12.6.11. He was faſt aſleep juſt before it was begun, and was very far from plotting or hoping this eſcape. 2. When he was perfectly awakened and in the midſt of his deliverance, himſelf ſaw not ground of beleiving it; For Luke ſaith,Act. 12.6.11. He followed the Angel and wiſt not that it was true which was done by him, but thought he ſaw a Viſion: and when he was come to himſelf he praiſed God.
This may be ſo,Reaſ. 1becauſe God is often myſterious in his working, and many times he ſeems to deſtroy when he comes to deliver; As in the caſe of Ioſeph ſold and put into a Pit: The Iſraelites entring into the Red-Sea, and Chriſt being deſtroyed and murthered of the Jews, when all the hopes of the Diſciples were buried with Chriſt. We thought that this had been14 he that ſhould have redeemed Iſrael! The Lord uſeth very ſtrange Methods of deliverance;Pſal. 65.5. As one that had an Ulcer in his body, being ſadly (yet ſweetly) wounded by his Enemy, had his Ulcer opened and his life ſaved:Hag. 2.7. By terrible things in Righteouſneſs will thou anſwer us. Pſal. 99.8.I will ſhake all Nations, and the deſire of Nations ſhall come. Thou anſweredſts and forgaveſt them, although thou tookeſt vengeance of their Inventions. When God comes to deliver a people,Pſal. 97.2. Gen. 32.24. and execute vengeance on his Enemies, it may be clouds and darkneſs are round about him; Although he anſwered the prayer of Iacob, yet firſt he put his Thigh out of joynt.
Again,Reaſ. 2much of this wonder may be charged upon our great unbelief; we are apt to meaſure the All-ſufficience power and purpoſes of God, by viſible Appearances, by humane Probabilities, and rationall Expectations: But the vaſt circle of his power and goodneſs excells the Epicicle of our faith. Ʋnde quod nunc factum eſt illis videtur incredibile, ut magis ad15 celebrandam Dei virtutem excitentur,Calvin in Locum. ſaith Calvin on the Text: Ionah was in two deeps, yet at the bottom of the Sea and entomb'd in the Whale he deſpaired not, he ceaſed not to call upon God for deliverance;The uſe. What ever our ſtreights be, oh let us never ceaſe to beſiege Heaven with our prayers and lett our Bullets be Tears, our Guns Groans: In the loweſt ebb of affairs let us know a ſpring tide of comfort may be at hand;Eph. 3.20. God can and will do for his people aboue all that they can ask or think: For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth, ſo are Gods thoughts above our thoughts.
Thirdly,33Point from the Coherence. Elect Angels have aſſumed the ſhape of men: Here you ſee the Diſciples took Peter to be an Angel in his ſhape, It is his Angel. Now that the Angels have appeared in viſible forms of men,Iudg. 6. & 13 Chap. and for a while ſo converſed with Mortals, walking, eating, and drinking, and talking familiarly of the matters wherabout they were ſent, is full evident in Sacred Records Abraham entertained Angels unawares, ſo alſo did Lot, Daniel,16 Hagar, Zachary, the Virgin Mary, Saint Iohn in the Revelation, Peter in the Priſon.
Angels have appeared in Dreams, in Viſions, and laſtly in aſſumption of bodies, as here to Peter.
But how could this be? Qu. 1
I anſwer;Anſ. 11. Some have thought there hath been no Aſſumption of bodies, but only an appearance to our Fancy and ſtrong imagination: But this cannot be ſo, becauſe they did eat and drink, and were ſeen of many as well as of one. Anſ. 22. The Learned hold they took reall bodies formed by Divine Power into the ſimilitude of men; Angels were united to thoſe bodies, not as mans Soul to his body, nor as Chriſt to our Nature; but they aſſumed Bodies as a Cloak or other Veſtment to be taken up and laid down upon occaſion. Angeli fuerunt in Corpore per intimam, ſubſtantialem Praeſentiam;Suarez. de Angel. lib. 5. cat. 36. tanquam Motor ad mobile, cum particulari Reſpectu ad Peculiarem ejus uſum, ſaith Suarez. This body ſo aſſumed may be compoſed of the Elements, and they are not more17 eaſily aſſumed then depoſed, being again reſolved into their former Principles; And in caſe they were by God created of Nothing, then they utterly vaniſh by Annihilation.
Here again it may be demanded,Qu. 2why Angels have ſomtimes appeared in Bodies. I anſwer.
1. Anſw. That they might familiarly confer with men and leave on them no impreſſions of terrour and dread. Lawrence of Angels P. 14.
2. Such Apparitions were uſed of old to inure and prepare the people for the Incarnation of Chriſt, the Angel of the Covenant.
3. Aquinas adds that they might give men an entrance into that Communion, which they expect with them in Heaven.
3. Once more it may be asked,Qu. 3why Angels appear not in our daies; I anſwer,Anſw.
Heathens aſcribe this to the ſins of men, that therfore God will no longer converſe with them; But the true reaſon is this, that God would now be Worſhip'd in Spirit and in Truth; His whole mind is now written and18 recorded. So ſpirituall ſhould we now be under the Goſpel, that we are taken off from the Bodily preſence of Chriſt Jeſus. 2 Cor. 5.16. Now know we Chriſt no more after the fleſh. There is now poured forth a greater meaſure of the Spirit; So God would have us to converſe with him in the Spirit, and with thoſe holy Spirits in a more inviſible way, as we ſhall above. The Church needeth not now thoſe viſible & ſenſible confirmations, as formerly in the Infancy of the Jewiſh or Chriſtian Church; For which reaſon alſo Miracles are now ceaſed.
Well then,The uſe. ſee the care that God hath of his Church at all times, and how he doth condeſcend and apply himſelf in a ſutable way to his people; And ſee the Dignity of Saints, that have had Angels aſſuming bodies to ſerve them, and make known the will of God without terrour unto them. But why do we wonder at the Apparition of Angels in the ſhape of men? Let us rather be aſtoniſht at the love of Chriſt In that he abhorred not (though Angels worſhip him) to be19**See Stephanus Paris de Incarnatione; And Nieremberg. Theopolit. Part 1. lib. 2. cap. 25. An Decorum ſuerit Deum fieri Hominem? P. 264. Dr. Sibbs. Light from Heaven. P. 50. unto 70. 2ly. Of the Text it ſelf. clothed in the rags of our fleſh, that he might be capable of bleeding and dying for us. Into this Myſtery Angels pry; GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH! That he who ſpanned the Heavens ſhould become a Babe of a ſpan long; That he who thundred in the Clouds ſhould cry in the Cradle, and when Angels laid aſide their aſſumed bodies, Chriſt hath not depoſed our fleſh, but hath carried that as a Pledge into Heaven, and hath left with us the earneſt of the Spirit: After this let us wonder at nothing. And ſo much of the Coherence.
Secondly, We come now to the words themſelves, IT IS HIS ANGEL. I am not to diſcourſe of Angels in generall, or of Elect or Reprobat Angels in particular: I am not to treat of thoſe glorious Creatures, that ſing and chant their joyfull Halelujas before the Lamb, for then I ſhould write of their Creation, Confirmation, Place, Nature, Number, Amity, Offices, and Degrees: All which is performed by very many Authors; But I am to treat diſtinctly of The Deputation20 of Angels, which by few hath been performed, and for that end I have choſen this Text, which I ſuppoſe is very clear for the Point: For obſerve, it is not ſayd, an Angel, or his Angels, but his Angel.
Now beſides the marrow and ſubſtance of theſe words,4 Notable circumſtances about the Text. there are four circumſtantiall Obſervations, that like Harbingers do blow their ſilver Trumpets to make way for this Text, to ride with the greater triumph into our hearts; viz.
1. The perſons ſpeaking.
2. The time. of ſpeaking.
3. The manner. of ſpeaking.
4. The recording of the thing ſpoken by Saint Lukes Evangelicall and Golden Quill, among the Acts of the Apoſtles and Primitive Chriſtians. 11The Perſons ſpeaking.
Firſt the perſons ſpeaking are very conſiderable, if either you eye their quality or quantity.
1. Their quality, they were not ſuperſtitious Heathen, but the Diſciples of Chriſt; They had bin tutor'd and inſtructed in the Principles of Religion either immediatly by Chriſt or elſe by21 his Apoſtles: In Scripture are ſometimes Recorded the ſpeeches of vaine and fooliſh men; as the vile ſpeech of Jobs wife, curſe God and Dy; of the whoriſh woman Perſonated in the Proverbs by a Proſopopaeia; our Saviour uſeth the ſaying of Socrates and Plato;Mart. Day on 1. Cor. 15. P. 132 133. and Saint Paul quotes Menander and Epimenides, two heathen Poets: Nay in the Scripture there is mention of things uttered by the black mouth of Sa•an himſelfe;Qui Plebeios & vulgares Homines putant cum haec dicerent, ex vulgi opinione Locos, vereor ne dubitent an ſint Angeli. Beza in Act. 12.15. P. 332. But our Text was uttered by Chriſtians, not only Nominall, but Reall; Perſons knowing and fearing God; being much in Prayer, and reſolved to endure Perſecution for the Truth.
2. Their quantity or Number is obſervable; had it been only Rhoda's fancy, we ſhould have paſt•t over, as an impertinent ſpeech; But marke the context; Then ſaid THEY it is his Angell: It ſeems it was their generall Vote: And who, or how many theſe (THEY) were,Act. 12.5.12. you may gather by comparing the fi•t & twelfth verſes together: Peter therefore was kept in Priſon; but Prayer was made22 without ceaſing of the Church unto God for him. So that thoſe many gathered together in Prayer (verſe the 12) were doubtleſſe the Church at Jeruſalem where were very many Chriſtians: They met indeed together in a private houſe, becauſe they had not the Liberty of any Publique Aſſemblies. Let this be weighed, and twill follow that many did either ſpeak, or Agree to this perſwaſion of the Angel Guardian; you read not that any did contradict it. Publicus Rumor non eſt omnino fruſtra, ſaith Ariſtotle.
The Generall conſent and Harmony of people (cheifly if knowing and good) is very much to be heeded; For oftentimes. Vox populi eſt Vox Dei: I am ſure that which Primitive Chriſtians, untainted with Hereſy, ſo neer the Fountaine of Truth maintained as Orthodox, with unanimous conſent; is not by us to be ſlighted, but carefully obſerved.
Secondly an other circumſtance is the time and place,2 The time & place. when and where23 it was ſpoken: Not at the Table,Semel in Anno ridet Apollo. or Recreations, when the Bowſtring is looſned; For there is a Time when the moſt ſerious and Religious may be cheerfully pleaſant: But this was ſaid at a time of Prayer; in all likelyhood joyned with faſting for Peters deliverance; And in a Place, where the Church was gathered together,Acts 12.5.12. for that end: Now certainly Traditionall Fables, and inconſiderat Fancies would little become ſo many Chriſtians in a time of Prayer, and in a place, which though private in it ſelfe, ceaſed to be private, fo long as the Church was there and then aſſembled. Solomon ſaith, There is a Time to weep and a time to laugh; ſo I may affirme, There is a time to be merrily diſpoſed, and declare the conceipts and fancies of men; And a time to watch over the Tongue, and buckle the Heart to all gravity and ſoberneſs. Senec.Feſtis convenit Hilaritas, even Seneca could ſee and ſay by the light of morality. Let ſuch therefore beware of Temerity, that account and vote our Text, a merry word; a frothy Tradition uttered24 at Randum by ſome Ignorant or Inconſiderat Diſciple; when neither the time, nor place would ſuit with ſuch Frolicks. The old ſaying was, Inter prandendum hilaris eſto; not inter orandum. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; unſeaſonable things are abſurd, and will diſpleaſe God and good men. We gather then from the time and place of uttering the Text; that it was the received judgement and Doctrine of the Primitive Chriſtians.
Thirdly,33The manner of ſpeaking. an other Circumſtance may be drawn from the Manner of ſpeaking it, which was not conjecturall or doubting, but poſitive and expreſs; in few,Bernard. not many words; It is his Angell. Nil tam cito manifeſtam facit veritatem quam brevis Narratio; ſaith a Father. Things that are not ſo Generally received, are attended, with peradventure, it may be, who can tell? And the like Heſitant ſpeeches.
They ſay not, perhaps men have Tutelar Angells, but It is his Angell: And dare the people of God be ſo confident in things which they doubt?
Fourthly and laſtly, There is yet25 another Circumſtance, The Recording it by Saint Lukes Golden quill;44The recording is by Luke. without which, though the Church did ſpeak and beleive it, We had not known their beleife in this Point.
'Twas I ſay Recorded by Saint Luke; an eminent and holy Evangeliſt; who did not record all things that paſſed, but the moſt weighty and materiall, both in the Goſpell and Acts of the Apoſtles: Though he was not an Apoſtle yet Apoſtolical; ſaith Tertullian. Tertul. Adverſ. Marcion. lib. 4. cap. 2He whoſe prayſe is in the Goſpell, throughout all the Churches (for Hierom thinks that Brother was Luke) He, ſo eminent in grace,Beza in 2 Cor. 8.18. learning of Wiſdome, was immediatly inſpired by God, to tranſmit the Deputation of Angells, as the Primitive Doctrine unto us, on whom the ends of the World are come.
Let the Reader put all this together, and Note it well.
Having thus viewed the circumſtantiall attend•nts on this Text,The ſeverall Expoſitions of the Text. (which are as Grains of allowance to make our Goulden Truth current) we now begin to ſettle on the Marrow and ſubſtance of the words:
IT IS HIS ANGELL.
There are five ſeverall Expoſitions (chiefly) of this Text. See Salmeron and learned Dr. Hamond on the Text.
1. Some underſtand it of a Meſſenger which the Diſciples ſuppoſed Peter27 had ſent unto them on ſome Meſſage or errand: But (with the leave of thoſe Expoſitors, and after the payment of that Tribute which is due to their learning) How doth this agree with the context? And with Rhodas owning of Peters voice? Men are diſtinguiſhed by their voyces, as much as by their Faces. 'Tis like his very knock, we known to her,Note. Corbet in a Sermon on 1 Cor. 1.27. P. 11. but much more his Voice. Act. 12.14. It is ſaid that Rhoda knew Peters voice: And at the 15 verſe, ſhe conſtantly affirmed that 'twas even ſo. It is an eminent outgoing of Divine Providence to give ſo many millions of millions a Diſtinct Face and Voice; by which the Husband knowes his wife, The Father his child, the Creditor his Debtor and the Magiſtrate the Delinquent: in a word, by which we know our friends from our enemies, and without which Treaſon, Inceſt, Parricide, and confuſion would overwhelme the World.
Again, Peter was now a cloſe Priſoner, under many Guards bound with Chaines, His Keepers ſay ſome, bound28 in the ſame chaine with him, And this was the Eve before his intended execution. Tis probable then, He was not in a condition of ſending Servants and Meſſengers to his friends, or of hearing from them: Such impriſonments as ſo ſuddenly expire in the death of Traytors, ſeldome give ſo much liberty to the Reſtreyned.
Laſtly, although the word ANGEL ſignifies a Meſſenger, and ſo hath bin uſed when††Mat. 11.10. Rev. 2.1. not applyed unto an Angell, yet the Diſciples in caſe they had diſcented from this Truth, would have uſed another word for Meſſenger: (rather〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉then〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ) on Purpoſe to bolt out this Received opinion:Hyeronymits in Iſa cap. 6. Roberts Key of the Bible. P. 160. or at leaſt Saint Luke in relating it would have done it, ſeeing not only Saint Hierom on Iſaiah, but his very ſtyle (ſay the Learned) do evidence he was exactly skillfull in the Greek tongue, and ſaith Cauſabon obſerved a more pure Helleniſme then the reſt of the Evangeliſts. I ſay Saint Luke, ſo excellent a Grecian, could have uſed an other word for Meſſenger, if the Deputation of Angells had29 not ſuited with his judgment eſpecially conſidering and well knowing (as Grotius ſaith) that this opinion was generally received among Jews and Chriſtians. Grotius in Acts 12.15. p. 314.
A ſecond Interpretation of the Text is this**Leighs Treatiſe of Div. lib. 3. cap. 7. Some ſay the men ſpake according to the Vulgar ſaying and tradition; not according to the truth, or as themſelves beleeved. As an inſtance is given concerning the blind man; when they asked whether he or his Parents had ſinned that he ſhould be born blind? How could he ſin Actually before he was born? What a ſtrange Queſtion was this? But you muſt know there was an**So Beza Grotius, Diodati, and others tell us. Aug. de Civ. Dei lib. 9. cap. 11. Opinion that found generall reception, which all the Platonicks held, as alſo Origen and others; That the Soul was created before it was put into the Body, and as it did good or ill, ſo it was put into a well-tempered or defective Body: Auſtin declares that this was the Platonicks Opinion: And Piſcator beleives, that that Queſtion of the Blind mans ſinning related to the Pythagoricall Tranſmigration of Souls from30 one body to another after death:
Now unto all this I anſwer, That although it is very probable that queſtion touching the blind man, was according to the Vulgar Opinion of Tranſmigration, yet it from thence followeth not that our Text here was uttered in the like manner; in regard of the forementioned circumſtances of time, place, and manner of ſpeaking it: For the Diſciples being now employed in ſo ſolemn Devotions, could not probably be ſuppoſed guilty of ſo much Freedom, if not Levity, at ſuch a time and in ſuch a place as we have obſerved already.
Beſides that Vulgar opinion (of the blind mans ſinning before he was born) was checked by Chriſt himſelf,Note. Joh. 9.33.Ezek. 18.20.when he ſaid, that neither he nor his Parents had ſinned; that is, He had not ſinned himſelf, nor his Parents ſin ſhould not be charged upon him. Diodati on John.Chriſt did put by this diſcourſe, ſaith one, as vain and frivolous: But this Doctrine of the Guardian-Angel received no check. 1. Not from any of the Church there aſſembled. 2. Not31 from Peter when he came in; to whom (among other Congratulations) tis likely this Conception was declared: 3. Not from Luke that relates it, though the Evangeliſts relating a thing doubtfull or fictitious do uſe to put a ſpoke in the wheel that turns it off,John 11.13. & 21.23. as in Iohn 21.23. Then went this ſaying abroad among the brethren, that that Diſciple ſhould not dye;Eccle. 12.7. Luke 23.43. Ezek. 18.2, 20. yet Ieſus ſaid not unto him he ſhall not dye, but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Nor 4. from any other Text of Scripture, or rationall conſequence therfrom: But that opinion of the Tranſmigration of Souls is often confuted in Gods word.
A third Interpretation is this;Atetius in Locum. Tis ſaid that the Diſciples concluded, that an Angel by his knocking and voice came to give notice that Peters death was at hand: For ſecret Murthers have been detected by ſuch Revelations and Apparitions as theſe.
But this Gloſs is rugged and unwarrantable; For although the Jews in their Writings make frequent mention of Samael the Angel of Death,32 yet they called him ſo for inflicting and not fore-telling of Death.
4. Calvin Inſt. lib. 1. cap. 14. Sect. 7.Calvin thinks it was an Angel peculiarly deſtinated to Peter only for that time of his Impriſonment; But in caſe it was peculiar to Peter, how or whence did ariſe that generall Tenent among the Jews and Chriſtians? And if an Angell was appointed to attend him in the time of his Impriſonment, why not alſo at other times, when the Apoſtle might com into the ſame or like perils? unleſs it can appear that Saint Peter had never need of an Angel but then, Pſal. 91.11. The Angels are charged to keep us in all our waies; viz. Which way ſoever we move or walk in every turn of our life.
5. And laſtly, The opinion which the**Tertullian. Origen. B•ſil T•••doret Hi•••. C•ry•oſ•om〈…〉. Ancient Fathers and moſt Learned Expoſitors follow, is this, That the Primitive Chriſtians beleived that every Elect Servant of Chriſt hath one particular Angel to guard and guide him: And they are ſo many who give this interpretation, that it would be almoſt endleſs to muſter them, as all that have the leaſt acquaintance with Antiquity and the33 Volumes of the Fathers will confeſs. A ſmall Taſt you ſhall find in this Tract, in its proper place.
Having given the Reader the ſeverall gloſſes and chief interpretations of this Text, we come now to our Doctrinall concluſion from the words.
Every Elect perſon hath his Guardian-angel,Theſis. who by particular Deſignation is allotted to be his faithfull Keeper, and Tutor, and vigilant Aſſociat to his lives end.
I ſay Elect perſons, and ſuch only, ſaith Origen, as are Praecogniti a Deo,Heb. 1.14. They are to attend the Heirs of Salvation: All ſuch are dear to God, and there be Angels enow to guard them.
Every Elect perſon hath the preſence and tuition of confirmed Angels to ſhield him, and to ſtave off evill Spirits from him.
Every Elect hath one particular Angel that watcheth over him, God hath a generall care of the World, but a more particular care of his Saints, who are his Jewels, the Apple of his eye, the Signet on his hand.
This Angel is allotted and aſſigned34 by God to his particular charge, every Angel knows his Office and his Place: They all act by Commiſſion, for God is the God of order and not of confuſion.
This Angel is to be his Keeper, his wiſe Counſellor, his faithfull and ſtrong Defender; his moſt loving and friendly Aſſociat.
Moreover, the Angel is not utterly to depart from him, till his Pilgrimage and Warfare be ended.
Now the main Branch which requires confirmation, and in treating of which the reſt will fall in, is this; That every Elect perſon hath one particular Angel to guard him.
But firſt to ſhut out all Prejudice, three things will by us all be moſt eaſily granted.
1. That many rich Myſteries are lockt up in the Nature of Angels, which by degrees will break out.
2. That we abhor with greateſt Deteſtation the Adoration of Angels.
3. That we muſt not exclude a multitude of Angels from extraordinary attendance for our greater conſolation35 in ſome ſtreights: And theſe things will eternally ſtop the mouth of moſt Arguments againſt this Truth.
The firſt is to ſatisfie the Ignorant, who will ſtumble at this Point, becauſe they are in darkneſs and never heard it before.
The ſecond is to ſilence our Adverſaries of Romiſh Intereſt, who may hope that the Needle of this diſcourſe inclines to draw in the rotten Thred of Adoration.
The third is to prepare the Godly, Learned, and Orthodox, who chiefly in oppoſition to Rome have denyed this point; That they would be pleaſed to ſuſpend their Objections, and meekly to conſider what is here written.
The firſt Conceſſion is this,11Conceſſion. that many Myſteries are lockt up in the Nature of Angels, which by degrees will break forth. Among all the Creatures that God made in the ſix daies, Moſes doth not once mention the Angels of Heaven; ſhall we therfore be Sadduces and believe there is no Angel nor Spirit? Twas a long time before36 thoſe great Myſteries of the Nature, Offices, and Degrees of Angels did break forth; before the Headſhip of Jeſus Chriſt over them, and their happy confirmation by him (after ſo many fell as Lightning from Heaven) was the uſuall talk and diſcourſe of the church of God: ſtrang things are mentioned of Angels; as their Languages, Names, Songs, Battels, their converſe wth one another; viſions of God, their Motions, Number, and Ranks. What means the receiving of the Law by the Depoſition of Angels? Or the Angels ſtriving with the Divell about Moſes his body? Their deſire to pry into our Redemption by Chriſt? and the making known by the Church ſomwhat unto them? In a word, the Voice of the Angel at the laſt day? All this is hinted unto us in**1 Cor. 13.1. Col. 1.16. Job. 38 7. Matth. 18.10. Iſa. 6.2, 3. Heb 12.22. Act. 7.53. Judges 9. 1 Pet. 1.12. Eph. 3.10. 1 Theſ. 4.15. the Scripture; Here are great Deeps wherin the hugeſt Elephants may ſwim, and Leviathans tumble: And in the expoſition wherof the moſt Learned are like liſping Children; God will peece-meal and in his due time diſcover all to us, very much here, and37 the reſt in Heaven: Then all Miſts as well as Tears ſhall be wip'd from our eyes: Now we ſee darkly, we know but in part: Melius eſt dubitare de occultis, quam litigare de incertis; Pliny the younger was ſwallowed up of a ſmoaking burning Gulph, approaching too neer to find out the cauſe of the Eruption. Let us hear what Learned Hienſius ſaith on the Myſterious Book of the Revelation;Dan. Hienſius in Sacr. Exercitat. ad Nov. Teſt. lib. 20 cap. 4. p. 597. Non quaedam Ignorare tantum, ſed & Ignorare quaedam velle, Humilitatis Chriſtianae Partem non exiguam exiſtimamus; Ne parum reverenter abdita Scrutemur. This ſhould cool in us the uncomly Itch of Curioſity, in Divine things: But on the other ſide, we muſt be deſirous to know what God hath revealed in his word, and in order therunto to beleive that we know nothing; to be ſenſible of our darkneſs and blindneſs in Spirituall things:1 Cor. 8.2. The Lord knows, we have weak Eyes, ſtammering Tongues, and trembling Quills; if we go about to ſpeak or write of the deep and ſublime things of God; And ſuch, without all peradventure, is the Doctrine of Angels:
382. 22Conceſſion.Whilſt we plead for thoſe glorious Creatures, thoſe loving and lovely Spirits, and their care which is extended towards us; from our Souls we do abhor and deteſt as moſt impious, the Adoration of Angels; with a deſire it may be as heartily, as themſelves alſo do it: For as nothing pleaſeth them more then our converſion and gracious converſation,Rev. 19.10. & 22.9. ſo nothing is more abominable to them, then to be adored: Origen ſpake to fvourably of it; but the Lord hath moſt expreſly forbidden it,Pſal. 50.15 Col. 2.18. Col. 2.18. Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility and worſhiping of Angels: Divine Adoration is neither due nor pleaſing unto them, nor honourable to God, nor any way profitable to our ſelves. Mendoza in Reg. Vol. 2. p. 25.Tertullian in Mendoza obſerves, that ſome men, namely Magiſtrates, are called Gods; But ſo are not Angels, who yet are more excellent; and all to hinder our Adoration of them. Matth. 4.10. Heb. 1.13.Take heed therfore Chriſtians, that yee do not ſo cry up Angels as to derogate from Chriſt in the leaſt:
393. 33Conceſſion.When I ſay one Angel chiefly and conſtantly attends the elect Perſon in an ordinary courſe; It cannot be denyed but in an extraordinary way**Pſal. 34.7. Exod. 14.19. One Angel may attend many Saints, as the Noble Generall, and Valliant Captain of the Huge Troop of their particular Angels (as we ſhall ſhew hereafter.) And alſo that many Angels may attend**Pſal. 91.11. Luke. 16.23. 2 Reg. 16.17. One in ſome Eminent and Arduous Imployment, for our greater conſolation.
But from hence to conclude that a Beleever hath not one conſtant or uſuall Guide, carrieth with it ſuch a kind of Argumentation:Note. One Generall belongs to many Regiments and Companies, therfore no Souldier hath a Captain in particular: or (on the other ſide) thus; One Generall hath an whole Army round about him to defend him, therfore he hath not an Alter Fgo, or Animae Dimidium, that above all the reſt doth watch over him, will ſtick to him, and dye with or for him, if need require. Have not young Studients, beſides their generall Officers, as Chancellor, Vicechancellor,40 Proctors, Preſident, Vice-preſident,Bucan. Loc. Com. de Ang. Loc. 6. pag. 70. Deanes, particular Tutors to read to them and watch over them? And thus it is in the Doctrine of Angels; Many Angels look to the Church and belong to each particular Beleever: And yet ſaith Bucan,Cal. Inſtit. lib. 1. cap 14. one Angel may be his ordinary Tutor, and more eſpeciall Guardian: So that Calvins, Pro certo Habendum, is ſtill very true: This ſaith he, is to be held for a certainty, That not only one Angel hath care for every one of us, but that all of them with a common conſent do watch over our Salvation and Good.
I have given you the Preparatory Conceſſions, and am come at laſt to demonſtrate our Theſis, and to prove that every elect Child of God hath one particular Angel to tutor and defend him. We ſhal prove this Point by the Dim Light of Nature, clear Beams of Scripture, and the conſent of many Ancient and Modern Writers, untainted with Popiſh Leven.
Firſt, this may be proved by the Dim Light of Nature, where I muſt41 ſhew you; 1. 11The Point proved by the dim Light of Nature. 1 That the Light of Nature is Well to be heeded. That the light of Nature is well to be heeded though not reſted in. 2. What the light of Nature hath taught us in this Point.
For the former, it will appear by theſe Mediums.
1. It is a Relict or Remnant of the Image of God; Although this Light be not able to prepare us for Grace, or bring us unto Chriſt: And although compared with Faith, it is but as a Gloworm to the Sun; Yet though the Taper be ſmall and burn very dim**See Melanchton de Lege & Peccato. Antony Eurges vindiciae Legis 7. Lect. p. 67. Rom. 1.20. Act. 17.27. Pſal, 19.1. Act. 14.17. ſome Light and Irradiation flows from it, enough to leave men without excuſe, and wherby we may gueſs at our Primitive knowledge in Paradice: Even as the bigneſs of Hercules body was gathered by his Foot, of a Lion by the Claw;aaStocke of Divine knowledg. p. 11. And the ruines of ſome ſtately Pallace do ſerve to declare its former Magnificence: Much is read of God by the Light of Nature and in the volume of the Creatures.
2. The Light of Nature is neceſſary though not ſufficient in civill and morall things;bbBurges (ut ante) 72.73. For reaſon makes men42 in a Paſſive capacity of Grace, of which a Stone or Beaſt is not receptive or capable.
3. Many Points in Divinity do not croſs the Truth of Nature; as Grotius andccGrotius de ve••t. Relig. Chriſtianae Mornaeus etiam;•nd Dr. Hammond of the reaſonableneſs of Religion. See Tertul. de Carne Chriſti. lib. 5. cap. 5. others do abundantly ſhew in divers particulars, too many here to recite; Although Bleer-eyed Nature cannot pry into the Trinity, Incarnation, and Reſurrection.
4. The ſame Object may be known by the Light of Nature and by Faith: I may know there is a God, and but one, by Nature and Scripture Revelation: And yet for all that hath been ſaid, we dare not affirm (with Socinians) that Reaſon is the Rule and Pillar of faith: For in many things, Ideo credendum, Quia Incredibile.
You ſee what is taught by the Light of Nature in Religion is not to be neglected,2 What the Light of Nature ſaith to our Point nor reſted in.
I am now to ſhew you what the Light of Nature hath ſeen and ſaid to our Point? I anſwer, It is well known to the Learned, that Heathens have talked much of ones good Genius, which waits on every man from his43 Cradle to his Grave: And perhaps Plato's Genius differed little from Ariſtottle intellectus Agens: For the Peri-pateticks write much of immateriall Subſtances, Intelligences, abſtracted and ſeparated forms. Servius ſaith, that the Genius was given to be a Guide and Conductor of thoſe that were born. **Camerarius. lib. 4. cap. 15. Stoici Singulis Cenium & Junonem dederunt. That is, ſaith Lipſius, Viris Genii attribuebantur; Foeminis Junones. Seneca in Epiſt. 110. p. 640.Cenſorius ſaith, that we have a Genius given to us for a continuall Controller and Aſſiſtant, and that he never with-draws a Minute from us, but doth alwaies accompany us from the time we are committed to his charge, which is at our firſt coming into the World, to our laſt Gaſp: Socrates, Empedocles, & Plutarch held the ſame: In a word, The Heathen Poet? Menander is moſt expreſs; Cuique homini ſimul ac Natus eſt ſtatim aſſiſtit Daemon; Ductor vitae bonus. This Euſebius thinks they learned of the Jews; But others ſay they read it by the Light of Nature. In the ancient Coins of Trajan and Adrian; there is ſeen a Genius, holding in his right hand a Cup, which he reaches out over an Altar44 ſtrewed with flowres; And in his left hand a Whip or ſuch like thing. In the Coins of Diocleſian there is ſeen in the left hand of the Genius a Cornucopia, or Horn of plenty, and in the right hand a Cup, with this Inſcription**Genius Populi Romani. Camerarius lib. 4. Plutarch in vit a. M. Ant. GEN. P. R. Alſo Cities and Nations had each of them a ſpeciall Genius, ſaith Camerarius in his Learned Hiſtoricall Meditations. Plutarch ſaith, that an Aegyptian adviſed Antony not to contend with Auguſtus any longer, becauſe the Angel or Spirit that had him in keeping (as he found by caſting their Nativity, if we may beleive him) did fear and redoubt the Angel of Caeſar; and being couragious and lofty when he was alone, became Timerous by approaching the other: This good Genius they called Lares: Apulejus writes much, De Deo Socratis,Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 8. cap. 14. of Socrates his God; which, ſaith he, ever attended upon him as his freind, and forbad him to proceed in any Action that was to be unfortunate in the end: Now there (ſaith Auſtin) he plainly affirms, that this is no God but an Aiery Spirit. 45Much more might eaſily be written of this ſubject, if it were needful: Tis ſufficient that Heathens have this truth from the breaſt of Nature; From thence they ſucked it; though pulling indeed ſomewhat hard, they have drawn blood with the milk; yet who doubts but the good Genius of the Heathen, and the Chriſtians Angelguardian, are one and the ſame thing?
Secondly,2 The point proved by the clear beams of Scripture. As the Doctrine of Angels Deputation was ſeen by the dim light of Nature, ſo alſo is it evident by clear beams of Scripture: I ſay not only by Heatheniſh conjecture, but Scripture Revelations: And here I ſhall premiſe three things.
1. That all Doctrines muſt be brought to the beame and ballance of the Sanctuary**Trapps Treaſury, p. 103. See Doctor Whitaker of the Scripture againſt B•llar. And Reynolds, de ſacra ſcriptura & Eccleſia,: The Chineſes uſe to ſay of themſelves, That all other Nations ſee but with one eye, they only with two; ſo I may ſay, poor Heathens ſee but with one dim eye of R•aſon, Chriſtians with two Eagle eyes, The Old and New Teſtament. Sinne and Death have defaced, & very much blotted the volume of Creation; but46 the Bible is a Fountaine clear and unmudded: Let the Jew go to his Cabala; The Mahumetan to his Alchoran, and the Papiſt to his ſimple Legend: But Proteſtants muſt go to the Scriptures as a well of Life.
2. That many things are firmly believed which the Scripture doth but touch in a few places; As the creation of Angels, and fall of one moiety of them, Chriſt, the believing Jewes Saviour, and Heaven (as wel as Canaan) their portion after this life, which is ſeldome mentioned in the Old Teſtament: The famous Doctrines of the Trinity, Lords Supper, Infant-Baptiſme, the Chriſtian Sabbath, and Lotts, but touched in the New: God not once named in the book of Eſther, yet who doubts but it is Canonicall**Hoc non vult de mo le Librorum, ſed quod ſpiritus ſanctus noſtri babuerit Rationem, &c. Auſt? Iohn 21.25. If all the things that Chriſt did were recorded, how vaſt a volume would they make? So if all Truths in the Scripture ſhould be largely treated of, not the Pocket but a Cart ſhould carry the Bookes. The Rabbins ſay, that on every ſillable or tittle of the Law hangs a mountaine47 of ſenſe and holy Doctrine: And a good ſervant will minde what his Maſter once bids him do, without expecting a ſecond command: The rarity of Pearls and Jewels makes them the more precious.
3. That which is mentioned in both Teſtaments, is not only a Truth, but eminently ſo: And that which in the New Teſtament was expreſſed by the lips of Chriſt, the way, truth, and life, you muſt account written not with Inke, but a Sun-beam, or in letters of Diamonds.
To apply theſe Rules to the comfortable Doctrine of Angels Deputation: It is clearly expreſſed in Gods word: It is not much or very often mentioned therein, yet of equall authority and tru•h as if it were: It is in both Teſtaments, and in the New Teſtament was uttered by Chriſt Jeſus himſel•, Hunc audite.
Letting paſſe ſome others that are urged, we•hall chiefly inſiſt on three Texts of Scripture Gen. 48.16. Mat. 18.10. And our Text, Acts 12.15.
48To begin with Gen. 1 Scripturt proof, Gen. 48.16.48.16. Jacob bleſſing his ſon Joſeph, ſpeaketh thus to him, bleſſing both him and his two ſonnes,Chryſoſt. Hom. 7. in Laudem Pauli. Ephraim and Manaſſeh, The Angell which redeemed me from all evill, bleſſe the Ladds! Chryſoſtome quotes this very Place for the Deputation of Angels:Baſil contra Eunom. lib 3. And Baſill ſhewes from this Scripture, That an Angell is preſent with every one as a Pedagogue and Paſtor, ordering and directing his life. Rivius, de Praeſid. Ang. p 720Loquitur Patriarcha de eo Angelo quem peculiariter ipſi tutorem, & cuſtodem, comitemque addiderit Deus; ſo Rivius writing on that place.
Now becauſe ſome modern Writers are very confident this makes not for our Turn, let us ſee and weigh their Objections.
It is ſayd this is ſpoken of God,Object. 1bleſſed for ever.
I anſwer,Sol. God is named as a diſtinct perſon in the foregoing verſe, Gen. 48.15. And he bleſſed Joſeph, and ſaid, God before whom my Fathers, Abraham and Iſaac did walke, the GOD which fed me all my life long to this day;49 The Angell which redeemed me from all evill, bleſſe the Lads. Behold he firſt mentioneth God, and after that an Angell; ſo that 'tis evident he ſpeakes not of one and the ſame perſon here: In caſe he had, he would not have varied the Terms, much leſſe have called Jehovah (God bleſſed for ever) by the name of an Angell.
Jacob could diſtinguiſh between the Potter and the clay; and put a difference between God, the Perſon ſending; and an Angell, the creature ſent.
If it be replyed that Chriſt is called the Angell of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. I anſwer,
1. Chriſt is indeed called an Angell in Scripture, but ſeldom without a note of Difference; To let you know he is more then all Angells; ſo he is called the Head of Angells, and the Angell of the Covenant.
2. Richard Stock on Mal. 3.1. p. 165.God the Father is never in the Scripture called an Angell; Chriſt is called an Angell, b•cauſe ſaith Auſtin, he is the Meſſenger of the New Teſtament wherein heavenly bleſſings50 are promis'd. Aug. de Civ. Dei.Chriſt was to reveale his Fathers will to his people: But how God the Father (of whom Jacob ſpeaks) can be called an Angell, I ſee not, what perſon is there to ſend him.
Again it is objected,Object. 2This Angell mentioned by old Jacob is joyned in Bleſſing with God, therefore it is Chriſt, not an Angel: Beſides the Angel with whom Jacob wreſtled in prayer,Gen. 31. 'tis like was this Angel. I anſwer,
God bleſſeth and redeemeth efficiently; Angels and Men inſtrumentally: If this were ſpoken of eternall Redemption, it were peculiar to Chriſt; but Jacob here ſpeaketh of Redemption and Deliverance from temporall Evils, which is confeſſed to be a main office of Angels:Pſ. 91.11. Therefore Mercerius ſaith, it was an Angel to whom Jacob aſcribeth his Deliverance as to Gods Miniſter. Who is there that doubteth whether Miniſters or Paſtors may bleſſe their people, Parents their children? (as old Jacob here bleſſeth Joſeph) If ſo, then certainly Angels may inſtrumentally be ſaid to bleſs51 and do us good, as well as men.
But how doth it appear that this Angel was he with whom Jacob wreſtled long before? when it is plain that he was prayed to by Jacob, and was called, The God of Bethel:Gen. 31.13 32. But this Angel is neither prayed to, nor ſtiled God: Only in bleſſing Joſeph, he wiſheth that God and his Angel may alſo bleſſe them; The one in commanding a bleſſing, and the other in the execution of Gods will.
'Tis again objected;Object. 3How was this Angel peculiar to Jacob, when Jacob wiſheth that he may bleſſe and help Ioſeph, and the Lads, his ſonns? I anſwer,
1. Although that Angel did principally attend Iacob, yet now alſo he might be helpful to Ioſeph & his ſons, being locally as well as morally neer unto him.
2. At Iacobs death (he being now very old) that Angel of his would wholly be free, and at liberty to help them.
3. Iacobs Angel by further looking to him, and cheriſhing him in his old52 age and weakneſſe,Secundus in ſentent. p. 89. and in the Dreggs of his time (for old age is Viva mors, Cadaver ſpirans, Mobile cadaver) might therein not onely do good to him, but alſo to his children; that hee might have ſtrength to give them a more particular bleſſing, as afterward in Gen. 49.22.
Laſtly,Object. 4it is objected, that Iacob met an Hoſt of Angels ſent for his defence, and he accordingly called the place Mahanaim,Gen. 32.1 (that is, two Hoſts, or two Camps) Therefore ſome haſtily conclude, Iacob had not ONE Angel to guard him.
But this is no conſequence; For as a King ſometimes appeareth with a vaſt or ſtately Retinue, and at other times is alone with a ſpeciall Favourite: So it was with Iacob; in extraordinary caſes two hoſts of Angels were about him, and yet he might have one Angell for ordinary and hourly attendance, which was ſufficient; of which more in its place.
So that you ſee (the Objections being removed) that an Angel was Iacobs Guardian, for he redeemed him53 inſtrumentally and miniſterially from thoſe temporal evils, that otherwiſe had befaln him.
The ſecond Scripture Proof that I ſhall urge for this truth,22Scripture proof. Mat. 18.10. is that illuſtrious paſſage of our Saviours, Mat. 18.10. Take heed that yee deſpiſe not one of theſe little ones; for I ſay unto you that in Heaven THEIR Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Obſerve it.
1. Not their ANGELL, but their ANGELS: Every one hath his Angell.
2. Nor the Angels in generall, but Their Angels in particular.
3. Chriſt ſaith not, the Jewes and Heathens have ſuch Obſervations: But I, who am truth it ſelf (and at the coming of which Sun, all the ſhadows of Error and Superſtition muſt flye away) I ſay unto you, that this doctrine of Angels Deputation you muſt receive as an indubitable truth. 4. Then he chargeth the world not to goe about to moleſt or trouble his People; becauſe their particular Angels are54 not onely titular, but tutelar; Their Angels watch over them, and will protect them.
Grotius,Hugo Grotius in Mat. 18.10. P. 314. although hee be not very zealous for the Deputation of Angels as to particular perſons, yet was forced to write very favourably of it from that cleare Scripture; Probabile admodum eſt eam ſententiam hic a Chriſto approbatam: It is very probable ſaith he, that Chriſt doth here approve of that commonly received opinion. P. Lomb. lib. 2. Diſt. 11.The Maſter of the Sentences doth chiefly inſiſt on that place, for the proof of this Point; Angelos dicit eorum eſſe, quibus ad cuſtodiam Deputati ſunt: And the place is ſo clearly for it,Rivius P. 717. that with Rivius we may demand, Quid clarius? Quid Apertius? Etiamne firmius aliquod, ad hujuſce Rei fidem, Argumentum quaeris? What can be clearer or plainer? Will you after this ſeek for any Argument to prove it?
And Bullinger thus;Bullingeri D•cad. 4. ſerm. 9. Clare dicit puellis additos eſſe Angelos; hand dubie cuſtodes: In a word, Auſtin, Chryſoſtome, and Zanchy ſay the ſame from55 this clear Text of our Saviours.
But becauſe ſome endeavour and bend their wits to blunt the edge of this Scripture alſo, and unpin the wheel of this Charret, that it may drive the more heavily, whilſt they eſcape it: I ſhall anſwer their Objections and Nicities, tending to corrupt this Text.
1. It is thus gloſſed by ſome:Object. 1Not their Angels, as if every one had an Angel, but theirs in common; As divers Children of a rich & great Man may have three or four ſervants to attend them in common, and yet each child may not have his particular ſervant.
I anſwer. 1. Sol. 1This moſt ſlender Objection doth ſufficiently grant the Deputation of Angels: For the objectors do confeſſe, that thoſe Angels mentioned be their Angels, not the Angels in generall of Gods Church. There is then a peculiar Deſignation and Deputation of ſome certaine Angels to their attendance. 2. If they be their Angels, then it followeth, that when all thoſe Diſciples56 were dead, except one, there ſtill remained one Angel to attend the ſurviving perſon:Note. who was ſo his Angel, that he was not anothers, which clearly proves the particular deputation of Angels: For if it can ſo clearly appear that one Diſciple (out-living the reſt) had Angels peculiar to him, then I pray what falſe Divinity is this to ſay each Believer hath one Angel at leaſt to guard him: For Omne majus continet in ſe minus, the greater comprehends the leſſe. We doe not affirme that an Elect hath never more then one Angel: For in arduous and difficult caſes, a whole troop of thoſe Angels that attend the Church in generall, or ſuch as worſhip before the Throne, do flye to our relief; But this we may ſay, that every Believer hath one at leaſt to be near him.
It is thus alſo objected by ſome:Object. 2If theſe Angels did attend the Diſciples on Earth, as a ſhadow the body, how do they behold the face of God in heaven?
'Tis the heaven of Angels to ſee Gods face who is omni-preſent,Sol. and57 to be doing and fulfilling his will; This doth not eclipſe the happineſſe of Angels: To retain their Primitive excellency: To attend on the Church which is part of Chriſt Myſtical: To be free from all diſtraction ſinne, and miſery: To ſee, know, and love God, to do his will readily, faithfully, and cheerfully; Oh this is an heaven to elect Angels, whilſt they are diſperſed, buſied, and employed upon earth.
Laſtly 'tis objected,Object. 3Let the ſcope of Chriſt be well obſerved; what doth he drive and aime at? Was he before talking of Angels, or their Deputation? No, but he would not have his Diſciples offended, deſpiſed, or injured: Now how doth the Doctrine of Angelical deputation contribute any light or vigour to that diſcouſe and deſign of our Saviour. Sol.
I anſwer much every way, in foure reſpects.
1 Offend them not, do not deſpiſe or undervalue them:††Ab homine mortali deſpici vel pro Nihilo duci, quos Deus in tanto pretio habet nimis abſurdum feret. Mart Bucer in Mat. 18.10. Becauſe each of them, though never ſo poor & mean in the world, and voyd of external pomp and glory, or humane aſſiſtance,58 hath an Angel of Light, glorious in power and wiſdome, deſign'd to his particular attendance: For as the children of Noble men are diſcerned by this, that each one hath particular Servants, ſo it is with the people of God. You have no reaſon to deſpiſe or vilipend them whom God hath thus owned and honoured.
2 Offend them not in any place, though alone; for in all places God is preſent with them, and a Believers Angel is his faithful Aſſociate.
3 Offend them not at any time; For though extraordinary guards may with-draw, yet their Guardian Angel will not forſake them.
4 Theſe particular Angels are placed by God, and are daily accountable to him for their charge: They always behold the**Id eſt aſtare Deo tanquam Regi, obſervantes ejus nutum ut capeſſant ejus Mandata de ipſis emittendis ad cuſtodiam Puerorum Piſcator Annal. & Schol. Mat. 18.10 p. 182, 185 face of my father which is in heaven. So that you ſee the Doctrine of Angels deſignation did moſt directly advance the ſcope and deſign of Chriſt in this place, namely, why his little ones ſhould not be deſpiſed or offended.
The objections being removed, let59 us be careful how we deſpiſe the Doctrine of Angels Deputation: For if it be unſafe to deſpiſe the Chriſtians ſo attended, it will be more dangerous to contemn the Doctrine whereby they are ſecured: For in ſlighting this Doctrine, take heed leaſt yee be found among the ſlighters of Chriſt, who delivered it. Shall the ipſe dixit of Ariſtotle be of force in our ſchools? How much more the Ipſe dixit of Chriſt in our hearts. Let theſe words of our Saviour (I SAY ƲNTO YOƲ) be as a clap of Thunder, moſt hideous for ſound, to awaken and ſtartle the contemners of this Truth: yet ſo, as that it may be accompanied with harmleſſe Lightning, and flaſhes of Divine conviction, that they may no longer ſuſpect, or queſtion what is here uttered by Truth it ſelf.
— I — who am the King and Law-giver of the Church; who am Truth it ſelf, and ſo cannot lie or countenance the lies and errors of others: Wiſdom it ſelfe, and ſo do not ſpeak raſhly: Holineſſe it ſelf, and ſo do it not partially: Power it ſelfe, and ſo am able60 to puniſh thoſe that will not believe me. I that am your Redeemer, and ſhall ſeale all my Sermons and ſayings with my blood: Finally, I that am the Head and Captain of Angels, and beſt know what Orders and Inſtructions I have given them.
— I SAY — I doe not only and inwardly ſee and know it (who know all things) but I think it fit to ſpeake and promulgate this truth to you: Heathens and Jewes have ever ſaid it, but now remember Chriſt the Eternal Son of God hath confirmed it to you: Many things I know that yet ye are not able, nor fit to heare; but this I will reveal from the Father unto you, as a Doctrine doubted by ſome, but of rich conſolation to all the Elect.
— ƲNTO YOƲ — My dear Diſciples I ſpeak it, unto you my hearers, as before many Witneſſes, as before thoſe that muſt record and publiſh this Truth to the world, and all its nations and ages: For what is ſpoken to you in obſcure corners, ſee that ye trumpet and proclaim it on the houſe top.
61— THEIR ANGELS DO ALWAYES BEHOLD THE FACE OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. Which words (as you have ſeen) do moſt clearly hold forth with both hands, the particular Deputation of Angels; For he ſaith not, The Angels that attend Gods Elect, but THEIR Angels. Nor is it ſayd their Angel, as if one were allotted to many; but their Angels, each of theſe little ones that belong to me; whether little in ſtature as this Childe here before you; Or little in grace, parts, and eſteem, as ſome of my Diſciples; Or little in their**Qui depoſita altitudine, ſe ad Modeſtiam & ultroneam ſubjectionem compoſuerint. Marlorat. in Mat. 18.10 own eyes, as all my Elect, I ſay each of them is great in the eyes of God, and hath a particular Angel to attend and guard him.
The third Scripture Proof for the Guardian-Angel is this in the Text,3 Scripture proof, Acts 12.15. Acts 12.15. Behold what Chriſt himſelfe taught, the Primitive Chriſtians do believe and declare, It is his Angell. They were not Heathens that ſpake this, but Chriſtians well inſtructed in the faith; Not Chriſtians62 infected with Errors: But ſound Chriſtians in the moſt pure and Primitive Times: Not ſpoken raſhly by the Maid-ſervant Rhoda, but by the Church at Ieruſalem, and that at a time, and in a place of worſhip, for they were aſſembled to pray for Peter: Then it was not a conjecturall,**Loquantur de petri Angelo, ut de re minime nova, aut ambigua Beza in Acts 12.15. p. 332. but poſitive ſpeech: And the golden quil of St. Luke recorded it among the grave Acts and ſayings of the Apoſtes and Primitive Chriſtians, without the addition of any diſlike or diſſent (as you have ſeen already); To all which let me add, that this Doctrine of Angels Deputation was not only believed and declared by the Church at Ieruſalem; but alſo it was confirmed by St Peter himſelf, that great and famous Apoſtle, one of the Life-guard of Chriſt, one of his boſome Diſciples, one that was preſent at his Transfiguration, and one that Chriſt had a very ſpeciall eye of favour upon; On the doctrine of whoſe reaſonable and brave confeſſion hee reſolved to build his Church, and to whom the Lord did ſhew ſingular kindneſſe next unto63 Iohn, Mar. 16.7. Tell his Diſciples (& Peter) that he is riſen, and goeth before you into Galile: And laſtly, Peter that was chiefly concerned in this affair; For they ſpake of his Angel; If therefore Peter himſelf will be ſo farr from checking them for this ſaying, as to ratifie and confirm it; who can any longer demur his ſealing of this point? But Peter did acknowledg the Deputation of Angels. Acts 12.11. Acts 12.11.When Peter came to himſelf, he ſaid, Now I know of a ſurety that the Lord hath ſent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod.
1. One Angel came to him, ſhall wee queſtion but it was his Angelguardian? 2. 'Twas by deputation and appointment, the Lord hath ſen•him. 3. 'Twas to comfort and deliver him out of priſon, and give him in to the prayers of the Church. 4. That he might be aſſured it was his Angel, the Angel aſſumed a bodily ſhape, a light ſhining in the Priſon, and he ſpake to Peter, and ſmote off his chaines. 5. He was herein much confirmed in our point: Now I know64 for a certaine it is ſo and ſo: Oh that ſuch as out of zeal againſt Rome, & in pangs of miſtaken zeal, do oppoſe with ſome bitternes this truth, would pauſe, ponder, and conſider the forementioned Scriptures; Then would we ſay with Peter, Now we know for a certain that God ſends unto his ſervants, and to each of them a tutelar Angel to defend and direct them. Now the objections againſt this laſt Scripture, were anſwered in the ſeverall expoſitions of this Text, and therefore here we ſhall paſſe them over.
Thirdly and laſtly,33The Point by conſent of ancient & modern Writers. we come now to give you the confirmation of this point, by the joynt aſſent of many ancient and modern Writers, untainted with Popiſh leven: And here we ſhall conſider two things. 1. That this evidence is not vain. 2. That of theſe evidences there are ſtore.
1. That the judgment of Antiquity, viz. of learned, pious, and Orthodox Writers in ſeverall ages, doth tend very much to the right underſtanding of Scripture-truth: We doe not ſay that**See Iohn Daille of the right uſe of the Fathers. Antiquity, the opinion65 of the Fathers, and humane tradition are infallible ſigns & pillars of Truth, or that they are equall with the Scripture, or that Generall Councels cannot erre; Or finally, that there is not ſuch a thing as Antiquity of Errour: But this wee ſafely may affirm, That the judgment of holy, learned, and unbyaſt men is not a little to be heeded, and doth exceedingly conduce to the clearing of Scripture-truth, tending to ſettle and eſtabliſh us in the true meaning of Gods word. 1 Tim. 3.15.The Church is called The pillar and ground of truth: Not ſo much a Marble pillar to ſupport the Truth, as a pillar on which is Paſted the Proclamation of Divine Truths. That the judgment of the Learned and Orthodox is not to be neglected, will thus eaſily appear unto us.
1. The tranſlation of the Bible into ſeverall Languages hath ſtill beene highly valued in Gods Church: The generality of Gods People have no other Bible to peruſe but that which is cloathed in their Mother tongue; on this Bible they build their ſalvation:66 Nay, the moſt learned Linguiſts doe know the ſignification of Greek and Hebrew words only upon credit of their Teachers and Authors: Therefore alſo the Expoſition of the Scriptures by the ſame, or like-learned, or ſound men, is not to be ſuſpected or vilipended in Gods Church.
2. They have ſtrong and ſollid proofs of the things that they hold, well back'd with Scripture & Reaſon, and intermixt with fervent exhortations to Piety.
3. 1 Theſ. 5.20.If we muſt regard the Sermons, Expoſitions, and Writings of the Living, then ſurely much more of the Dead, ſince the Living may recant and depart from their preſent perſwaſions; but the other have conveyed that to us which was their Belief both in life and death: Surely the experiences of Gods people, whether here, or in heaven, are of marvellous uſe and rich benefit to the Saints.
4 Their joynt conſent, unity and harmony in things fundamentall, declares that they were acted, and aſſiſted by the ſame ſpirit.
675. Their difference in leſſer things, is ſo farre from abating the weight of their Teſtimony, as that on the contrary it addes††Jo: Daille of the Fathers, book 2. p. 186. rather much unto the ſame: For this clears their conſenting in things Fundamental from all ſuſpition of proceeding from Combination, or Mutual Intelligence, and the thing which is now ſtiled Intereſt: For when you find them diſagreeing in many leſſer things, it is an evident argument that they have not altogether ſucked their knowledg from one another, or combined together to deceive us: But according to their beſt underſtandings they drew all from the Fountaine, hewing out each particular point from the rich quarry of ſacred Scripture, ſo far as God did reveale his will to them.
6. Many eyes ſee more then two: But the OrthodoxaaAthanaſius had ſo high an eſteem of Conncels, That writing of the Nycene Councell, he ſaith thus: An non igitur Peccant iſti, ſi vel cogitent tantum contradicere tam celebri totius orbis Synodo? Athan. De Decret. Nicen. Synod. p. 318. Councels conſiſted of many eminent Lights, and a conſtellation of many gliſtering Suns,68 gathered from Remote parts, earneſtly ſeeking God by Prayer and Faſting: And ſo by their Learned and Orderly Diſputations (as from the colliſion of ſeverall flints) many ſparkles of Truth and Light did breake forth.
7. And laſtly, Many did not only Preach, but diſpute for, and pen down what the Lord had revealed unto them; ſome of them uſing Red inke, and ſealing the Truth which they atteſted with their blood; As Ignatius, Policarp, Cyprian, Origen, Huſs, and many others, who amidſt all their tortures would not let go the Truth, as well knowing that the Vine of Gods Church doth bravely flouriſh after it hath been well watered with blood: Perſecutors that burned their bodies, could not utterly conſume their Writings.
Thus I have endeavoured to prove that the judgement of Learned and ſound Writers is of great uſe for the clearing up of Scripture-truth.
2. I now proceed to ſhew you that of godly and learned Authors, a multitude69 have pleaded for the Guardian Angel; beſides ſuch as are tainted with Romiſh intereſt.
Tertullian,Tertul. de Baptiſme. who flouriſhed about the year of our Lord 200. in his book of Baptiſme, doth fully declare himſelf to be of this perſwaſion.
Clemens of Alexandria (about the ſame Time) ſaith thus;Clem. Alex. ſtromat. lib. 6. Per gentes & Civitates ſunt diſtributae Angelorum Praefecturae; Fortaſſe autem etiam ex iis ſunt Deputati ſingulis. Nations and Cities have their Angel-guardian, and it is likely alſo particular perſons.
Origen, about the ſame time,Origen in Hom. 66. in Numer. a moſt ſtiffe Champion for this Truth; and one that levelled ſome objections againſt the ſame: Adeſt unicuique Noſtrum, etiam minimo, qui ſunt in Eccleſia Dei, Angelus Bonus, Angelus Domini, qui Regat, qui Moneat,Idem. in Lucam. qui Gubernet, &c. And again thus; Ego non ambigo & in caetu noſtro adeſſe Angelos, non ſolum generaliter, ſed etiam ſigillatim: He ſaith, that not only particular Churches, but Perſons, even the leaſt and meaneſt in Gods70 Church have the preſence, warning, and overſight of a good Angel from God: And of this, ſaith he, I do make no queſtion at all.
Baſil the Great,Baſil contra Eunom. in Libr. 3. who lived about 370. thus, Ʋnaquaeque Anima Angelum habet ad ſui cuſtodiam Deſignatum; Every Soul hath an Angel appointed for his Keeper.
Gregory Nyſſen,Greg. Nyſ. in vita Moſeos. who flouriſhed about 380 ſaith thus, There is given to every man one of the Angels as an helper and Protector: This is a true ſpeech that hath deſcended unto us, and the which we beleive.
Theodoret,Theodoret. Or•t. 11. p. 715. who flouriſhed about 390. thus; Ʋnicuique noſtrum unus Deſignatus eſt Angelus; To every one of us is an Angel aſſigned.
Hierom,Hieronymus in Matth. 18. Lib. 3. who lived about the ſame time, thus, Magna Dignitas Animarum, ut unaquaeque habeat ab Ortu Nativitatis, in cuſtodiam ſui Angelum Delegatum: Full great is the Dignity of our Souls, when as every one at the firſt coming into the world hath an Angel deputed to defend him.
71And again,Idem in Pſal. 33. Haud dubium eſt Timentes Dominum ab Angelis cuſtodiri, ſicut ipſe Dominus docet, Mat. 18. It is not to be doubted but the Angels keep ſuch as fear God, even as our Lord himſelf teacheth.
Chryſoſtom,Chryſoſtom in Act. 12.15. who flouriſhed about the year 400. writing on our Text, ſaith thus, Every Saint hath a particular Angel allotted to attend him; which Poſition plainly ariſeth from this place.
The ſame Father writing on Matthew ſaith thus,Id. Hom. 60. in Mat. Singuli Sancti ſuos habent Angelos, Every individuall Saint hath his Angel.
The moſt Learned Auſtin who flouriſhed much about the fame time,Auguſtinus lib. 1. Medit. cap. 12. ſaith thus, Hoc etiam Maximum exiſtimo beneficium; quod ab Ortu Nativitatis mea, Angelum Pacis ad me cuſtodiendum, nſque ad finem meum, dedit mihi Dominus. I account this a very great bleſſing, that the Lord hath given me an Angel of Peace to be my Keeper, from the time of my Birth to the end of my life.
Iſidore,Iſidor. de Sum. Bono. who lived about 630. faith thus, Boni Angeli ad Miniſterium humanae72 ſalutis Deputati ſunt: Singulae Gentes Praepoſitos Angelos habere ereduntur; Omnes homines Angelos habere probantur: Tis beleived that all Nations, but tis certain all men have their Angels guardian.
Theophylact,Theophylact. Enar. in Mat. 18. fol. 48. who flouriſhed about 1070. ſaith thus, Omnes enim Homines, & maxime fideles, ſuos Angelos habent: All men, but eſpecially the Faithfull have their Angels.
Bernard,Bernard de Conſideratione lib. 5. who flouriſhed about the year 1130. thus, Angeli creduntur ſingulis Hominibus dati de quibus ſalvator Mat. 18. It is beleived every man hath his Angel; of which our Saviour in the 18. of Matthew; where alſo he doth not barely approve this Opinion himſelf, but declares it to be the received Doctrine of the Church in thoſe dayes:
John Rivius,Ioha: Rivius in libro de Praeſidio Angelico. p. 717. who wrote about 1540. is of all men the moſt zealous for our Point, and at laſt confirms it thus, In eadem nunc ſententiâ perſto, nec deduci inde me unquàm patiar: I am now fully of that judgment, nor will I ever ſuffer my ſelf to be withdrawn from that perſwaſion.
73Peter Martyr, about 1562.Peter Martyr. Com. in 1 Cor. 11.4. fol. 151. wrote thus, Angeli deputantur ſingulorum Hominum obſequijs; juxta illud ſalvatoris, Mat. 18. Every man hath an Angel appointed to give him diligent attendance, as our Saviour tels us.
Theodor Beza, in the year 1564.Theodor. Beza in Mat. 18.10. p. 62. wrote thus, in his Comment on the Teſtament〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Id eſt, Angelos ipſis peculiariter adhibitos cuſtodes, adverſus Satanam, & impuros spiritus; ut ex Plurimis Veteris Teſtamenti Teſtimoniis liquet. Their Angels, ſaith Chriſt; that is, the Angels peculiarly deſign'd to be their Guardians againſt Satan and all impure Spirits, as is evident by many places of the Old Teſtament.
And writing on the Text,Beza in Act. 12.15. p. 332. he ſaith thus, They who think the Speakers of this (it is his Angel) to be common and ordinary fellows, repeating meerly the Vulgar Opinion; I am affraid leaſt with the Sadduces they ſhould doubt, If there be any Angel or Spirit.
Zanchy, who flouriſhed 1580.H. Zanchius Tom 3. is firm and zealous for us: Cuique electo74 ordinarè certum propriumque Angelum, qui perpetuus eſt ejus Cuſtos & Comes, jam indea Nativitate uſque ad finem Vitae, a Deo Aſſignari; Extra Ordinem vero plures etiam nonnunquam ad eum pro Dei beneplacito, Majoris conſolationis cauſâ, mitti; vero ſimile eſt, & cum ſacris literis conſentaneum, &c. Ʋniverſa Eccleſia ſemper ſic ſenſit. It is moſt like to be true, for it agreeth with the Scripture, and the whole Church hath in all Ages held it, that God doth allow every ſingle Elect ordinarily a particular Angel to be his Keeper and Companion from his Birth to his Buriall, from the Womb to the Tomb; And in extraordinary caſes, he ſends many Angels to his help, and for his richer Conſolation as ſeemeth good unto him.
Buchan,Gu. Bucan. Loc. Com. De Angelis Loc. 6. p. 70. who wrote about the year of our Lord God 1600. is expreſly alſo for it: Ordinarie cuique electo certum quendam bonum Angelum a Deo Deſtinatum eſſe ad cuſtodiam colligi poteſt ex Verbis Chriſti, Mat. 18.10. Item ex Act. 12.15. It may be gathered from the Scripture, that every Elect75 perſon hath ſome one good Angel aſſigned of God for his Preſervation.
To theſe Teſtimonies let me add ſome of our latter Writers,Salkelds 44. Chap. of Angels. Salkeld in his 44. Chapter of Angels, is very cleer for his Guardian-angel.
Mr. Joſiah Shute (a late Eminent Preacher in London) writes thus:Ioſiah Shute his Hagar. p. 105. It cannot be denyed, but moſt of the Greek Fathers and many of the Lattine, and all the School-men; yea, ſome of the late Writers, and thoſe of the Proteſtant Party, have been for the Guardian-angel.
Mr. Fuller thus,Fuller of Chriſts Temptations p. 100. THEIR ANGELS, that is Angels deputed to their Protection: The Pages and Servants which wait on the young Children of great Perſons, are commonly called the Childrens Servants, although their Parents hired them, and give them Meat, Drink, and Wages: Angels are Gods Angels as he employes them; OUR Angels as employed about us.
76Mr.Mr. Lawrence, of our Communion & War with Angels. p. 20. Mr. Greenhill on Ezek. 9. p. 207. Lawrence (writing of Angels) declares for it, ſaying, Tis probable that every Elect hath his proper and peculiar Angel.
Reverend Greenhill on Ezekiel, ſuppoſes that ſeverall Angels have the care of Cities, Kingdomes, and Communities committed to them; for which he urgeth Dan 10. and Clemens Alexandrinus. And why not by the ſame reaſon each Beleever his Angel?
Mr.Mr. Leighs Body of Divinity in 4to. lib. 3. Cap. 7. p. 98. Leigh therfore (though he doubts this Doctrine) may well Lace his Margent with this confeſſion: Ʋnde concludunt tum Patres, tum Scholaſtici, ſingulis pueris atque adultis etiam certos Angelos eſſe attributos: From whence the Fathers and Schoolmen do conclude that both Children and men have particular Angels aſſigned them.
Thus I have given you a Taſte of ancient and modern Writers (untainted with Popery) who have eminently appeared for the particular Deputation of Angels: So that you ſee it is no Novel Opinion, or that which hath been only embraced by the Sea of Rome.
77And now having written thus much to free this Perſwaſion from ever being clogg'd with the Imputation of Novelty;A Digreſſion of Novelty in opinions. I ſhall by way of Digreſſion ſay ſomwhat of Novelty in Opinions before I quit this Head.
One hath layd down theſe Diſtinctions of Novelty in Doctrine. Mr. Samael Bolton of Errors.
1. Things may be ſayd to be new in reſpect of Gods Preſcription, or of mans Invention, Mat. 15.9.
2. In reſpect of Inſtitution or Reſtitution, John 13.34.
3. In reſpect of Creation or Apparition; So the Moon may be new, though long ſince created.
4. In reſpect of Being or Obſervation: And ſo eſpecially this Doctrine of Angels may happly appear new to the vulgar Reader.
Now from theſe Diſtinctions I ſhal raiſe two Concluſions.
1. Daille of the Fathers. p. 188.That all Doctrines coyned and invented by men, unwritten in the Scriptures, and unmentioned by the ancient Fathers, muſt needs be reputed no better then Errors. That which the ancient Fathers do not touch,78 conclude it was never preached by Chriſt or his Apoſtles: For what probability is there that thoſe holy Doctors of former Ages, from whoſe hands Chriſtianity hath been derived down to us, ſhould be ignorant of any of thoſe things which had been revealed, and concern our Salvation? Take heed therfore of Curioſity and inordinate deſires of Novelty in Religion;Brinſley's Sermon on 2 Tim. 3.2. 1 Cor. 4.6. that curſed Athenian humour and temper, of loving to hear and tell ſome new thing. Let us think and ſpeak ſoberly, and not be wiſe above that which is written. He that quits the Bible and goeth after unwritten Revelations, forſakes the Sun to follow an Ignis Fatuus that will lead him into Bogs of Error; Or at leaſt deſpiſing the Fire on Gods Altar, he lyeth warming his hands at the Glo-worm of ſome vain Opinion, that rends not unto Edification or Conſolation. New-lights many times prove to be old Errors; But remember Pauls Reſolution; Though an Angel from Heaven ſhould preach any other Doctrine then that which you have received, let him be accurſed.
792. That Doctrines which are new, not in themſelves, but as to Reſtitution, Apparition, or Obſervation, are very pretious Truths, that muſt be embraced by the Church of God: And ſuch is the Doctrine of Angellicall Deputation; For it is not new in it ſelf, the Scripture and ancient Fathers have it: But this Orient Pearl hath lien hid in the Rubbiſh of Roman Errors; Let not any ſay they never heard or obſerved it before; for the brighteſt Starrs of Divine Truth do oft diſ-appear: But bleſs God, this Pearl was not utterly loſt,Note. this Star not quite extinguiſhed. Auſtins Doctrine of converſion meerly of Grace, and without preparations in the Creatures: Luthers Doctrine of Juſtification only by Faith; Calvins Doctrine of Predeſtination only of Grace and not of Faith, or fore-ſeen Works: Theſe Truths ſeemed new when deliverd by them; But we know the Scriptures are full of them, and they are now generally received; except by a few Turbulent Spirits, that reſolve to walk contrary to all men:80 And hold Arminius by one hand and Socinus by the other. Well, towards the end of the World, theſe Truths ſhall grow more Refulgent; God will vindicate and diſcover many things that as yet do ſeem dark in the Scriptures; The way of Diſcipline ſhall grow plain, and many Propheſies ſhal not be fully underſtood till unveyl'd by fulfilling. In a word, where the Fathers have ſeen a little, the Future Ages like a Dwarf upon a Giants ſhoulders ſhall ſee further; Not into new Truth, but into a clearer and more ample and bright Diſcovery of things that have been held & known; For,Hab. 2.14. Iſa. 30.26. Knowledge ſhall cover the Earth as waters the Sea. The Light of the Moon ſhall be as the Light of the Sun; and the Light of the Sun of one day, as the Light of the Sun of many daies.
And ſo much of the Proof and Confirmation of the Point by Dim Light of Nature, cleer beams of Scripture, and joynt Harmony of many ancient and modern Writers, never charged with Popery.
81But that this Point may yet further be enlarged; The Offices of the Angel-guardian hinted, and no ſcruple remain unobſerved and unanſwered. There are twelve Queſtions or Objections to be reſolved and untyed, that are (or may be) raiſed againſt this Point, of Angellicall Deputation.
Firſt, Some may ask,Queſt. 1is not God able to defend his Church, what need then of Tutelar Angels? He is infinit in Power and Wiſdom; By his Immenſity and Ubiquity, he filleth Heaven and Earth with his Preſence; what neceſſity is there that Angels ſhould guard his Church?
Rivius hath Learnedly and at large anſwered this Objection:Anſw. Rivius de Praeſidio Angelico. lib. pag. 709. ad 717.By the ſame reaſon (ſaith he) we may ſay, what need of Magiſtrates or Miniſters in State, or Church? What need of Food, Fire, Apparel, Sleep, or Phyſick for our Preſervation? What need of Armes to defend us in time of danger? Or in ſumme, of any Secondary means for our good? God is able to ſupport82 and help us without all theſe, &c.
We ſay therfore with Reverend Dr. Dr. Sibbs Light from Heaven 1. Treat. p. 107.Sibbs; It is true, the Creatures that God hath ordained in their ſeverall Ranks, are not for any Defect in God, or to ſupply his want of power; But further to enlarge and demonſtrate his Goodneſs: He is Lord of Hoſts, therfore he will have Hoſts of Creatures one under another, and all ſerviceable to his end; His end is to bring a company to Salvation; To a ſupernaturall end, to happineſs in Heaven; And he being Lord of all, maketh all Creatures to ſerve for that end: He could do it of himſelf, but he uſeth the Creatures for the manifeſtation of his power and of his goodneſs: He could I ſay do all by himſelf; He could have been content with his own Happineſs, and never have made a World, but he made the World to declare his Attributes to the Creatures: So he will have Angels to attend us, though he watch over us by his own Providence. This takes not away from his care; But hereby he83 declares and conveys his care and love to us. Quanquam enim per ſe ipſe omnia Poteſt Deus;Rivius lib. de Praeſid. Angelico. p. 709. Nec propter praeſtantiſſimam Virtutem atque infinitam Potentiam, ullo prorſus ad agendum inſtrumento indiget, tamen it a Sanctiſſimae ejus voluntati viſum eſt (cujus ſunt rationes,See Bullengeri Decad. 4. Serm. 9. fol. 250. Conſiliaque occulta nobis) uti ad miniſterium ſuum, atque ad efficienda ea quae ipſe vult, rebus a ſe conditis uteretur, ſaith Rivius on this occaſion. Though God is able to do all things by himſelf, being infinite in power and needeth not the help of inſtruments,See Nierembergii. Theopolit. part. 1. lib. 2. cap. 28. yet it ſeemeth good unto him (his Reaſons and Counſels being unſearchable and paſt finding out) to call unto his Service for the accompliſhment of his great and holy ends, the feeble Creatures that himſelf hath made out of nothing. He will thus far honour the Works of his hands; Magnifie his own power in doing great things by weak and unlikely means, and teach us not to diſdain the ſervice and help of his meaneſt Creatures.
84For a Gyant to raiſe up a weight of Lead with his hand is no marvellous nor ſtrange thing:Note. But for a man to faſten an haire to the Lead, and by that haire to lift up the weight, would be no leſſe then a miracle? 'Twas nothing for God mediately to make the World with a few words:2 Reg. 19.35. 'Twas wonderfull for God immediately by one Angel in a night to ſlay an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand Aſſyrians in defence of Hezekiah: At this we very much marvell, becauſe he uſed the Miniſtry of a creature; he took up the weight of Lead by a very ſmall hair.
Iohn 14.12. John 14.12 opened. You read, that our Saviour having done many wonderfull Miracles, ſaith, that his Diſciples ſhould yet be enabled to do Greater things. Some may ſay, can there be greater things then to cure the Blind, raiſe the Dead, and caſt out Devils? All this and much more was done by Chriſt; Yet greater things (ſaith Chriſt) ſhall be done by his Diſciples after his Aſcention.
851. Calvin ſaith, hee ſpake of the wonderfull converſion of ſoules upon the effuſion of the Spirit;Calvin in Joan. 14.12. which is probable, becauſe he adds, I goe to the Father, viz. to ſend the Spirit unto you: Chriſt never converted five thouſand ſoules at a Sermon (as the Apoſtles did) though he could have done it.
2. Chryſ. ſaith thus,Chryſoſt. apud Grotium. Maximum ſignum Gloriae Chriſti, quod per abſentem fierent quae praeſens non effecerat, That Chriſt being abſent, ſhould work ſo powerfully by weak men; This it was that ſo much advanced the glory of Chriſt. Revel. 6.2They were the white Horſes on wch the Lamb rode about the world, conquering, and to conquer. And thus you have ſeen why the Omnipotent uſeth the Miniſtry of Angels and other creatures, to accompliſh his own bleſſed and glorious ends.
Secondly,Queſt. 2ſome doe ask why we ſo much plead for one Particular, Tutelar Angel, when ſo many Angels doe attend Gods Elect, which by all is believed; Yea each particular Elect as by ſome is affirmed, becauſe it is ſaid84〈1 page duplicate〉85〈1 page duplicate〉86I wil give my Angels charge concerning thee:Pſal. 91.11. Gen. 32.1 2 King. 6.17. One Iacob met an Hoſt; And the mountain was full of Horſes and Chariots about Eliſha. I anſwer.
This Objection hath been toucht at already:Anſw. Zanchy and Bucan declare that this Doctrine excludes not the extraordinary attendance of many Angels, if need require: But is it probable that each ſingle Believer hath alwayes an whole troop of Angels about him, that yeeld moſt particular attendance, I mean that ſo attend on him, as not to attend on another, nor ever to with-draw from him? If ſo, yet notwithſtanding it is a comfort,Luk. 2.13. that one is eminently placed as the Captain of the reſt, to diſpoſe, conduct, lead, and trayn them about us in Martiall and moſt exquiſite order, the better to oppoſe evill ſpirits that ſhall aſſault us.
I ſhall lay downe ſeven particulars that may give light to this Diſcourſe, and make it probable that many Angels doe not ordinarily attend and inviron one Believer: And that in caſe they do, yet ONE of them may moſt87 eſpecially heed and mind us, place and lead forth the reſt for our preſervation.
1. The nature of Angels is ſuch, that although they be Spirits, yet they are not, cannot be Omnipreſent, or in more places then one at once:Aquinas. Sic ſunt in uno Loco ut non ſint in Alio, ſay the Schoolmen: They are undoubtedly ſo in one place, as not to be in another. **Angeli ſunt in loco, non circumſrciptive, quia non commenſurantur loco; ſed definitive, &c. Non ſunt ubiqueBucan. loc. com. de Ang. loc. 6. ſect. 17.That the Angels are in a place is certain out of Scripture; They are ſaid ſometimes to be in Heaven, and ſometimes to be on Earth: Gabriel was ſent into a City of Galilee, Luke 1.26. Therefore when Gabriel was in Nazareth, he could not be ſaid to be in Ieruſalem, or any other City. Angels are not in a place as bodies by circumſcription, or contiguity; For a Legion was in one man, yet they are ſo here, that they are not there; The ſame Angels cannot be in many places at once, their motion indeed is very ſpeedy and quick, and therefore they are pictured with wings, but their motion cannot be in an inſtant: And doth not this make againſt the88 ordinary attendance of many Troops of Angels (much more of all the Angels) upon one ſingle Perſon? ſeeing all Believers are promiſed the preſence of Angels; And if ſo many (or all) be preſent with one, what ſhall become of the reſt? ſhall one have many Troops, and another farre diſtant have none? Gods elect are not all in a cluſter, but ſcattered and diſperſed o're the world; One in a Family, two in a Tribe, in all Nations God hath ſome that feare and ſerve him.
2. Let us conſider (not only the diſtance, but) the great number of Believers: In the dayes of Iezabel, when the Church was under ſore perſecution, there were ſeven thouſand left that had not bowed the knee to Baal;1 Reg. 19.18. How great then is the number of Believers ſince the Goſpel, when the ſilken Drag-net is ſayd to draw in five thouſand at a draught? Act•4.4.And the number of thoſe that ſhall rejoyce at Antichriſts ruine is ſaid to be an hundred forty and four thouſand? Apoc. 14.3. & 11.15In a word, it is ſaid that all Nations ſhall become the Kingdomes of our Lord89 and his Chriſt. From all which wee gather, that though few be ſaved, in reſpect of that vaſt throng and innumerable ſpawn of the wicked that crowd into Hell, yet the quantity of Believers is in it ſelf very conſiderable and glorious:Heb. 11.12, 13. Such as dye in the faith are as the ſtars of the skie in multitude, and as the ſand which is by the Sea-ſhoar innumerable; Such a Progeny had Abraham, Heb. 11. Well, the number of Believers on earth being ſo conſiderable as to paſſe all the known rules of Arithmatick to tell them; From hence let us gather, whether it bear a face of probability that each one of ſo great a company have many troops of Angels ſtill to attend him?
3. Add to this, the number of Reprobate and falne Angels, that kept not their ſtation, whereby the ſociety of Angels is much maimed & leſsned. You read that in one man there was a legion of Devils, Luk. 8: 30. Vegetius de Re Milit. lib. 2. cap. 6.Iſidore ſaith, a legion among the Romans was ſix thouſand armed Souldiers; but Vegetius ſaith, 6100. Footmen, and 72690 Horſ-men: but here a certain number I ſuppoſe, is put for an uncertain; A legion of Devils in him, that is, very many: Our Saviour compares them to the Fowls of the Ayre in the parable of the Sower;Luke 8.5. To ſhew us there be not ſo many birds flying in the Aire, (although ſometimes the Ayr will be black with them) as wicked ſpirits in the world: Satan is the Prince of the Ayre, and Beelzebub the chief of Devils, to ſhew us the greatneſſe of his Train, and multitude of his Subjects. Beelzebub ſignifies the Lord of Flies, there be not ſo many Flies in the world as there be Devils.
If then the number of faln Angels be ſo great, it muſt needs follow, that the ſociety of Angels is very much broken and maimed, and therefore it is not probable that whole troops are allotted to each particular Believer.
4. One is often mentioned in Scripture to attend one man; There are threeſcore Places, where mention is made of one Angel having to doe with one Believer (too many here to be inſerted) ſometimes named, as Michael,91 and Gabriel:Dan. 10.13. Luke 1.19 On the other ſide it is a rare thing, and in very extraordinary caſes that many Angels are recorded to be about one man, or one woman; ſhall not theſe things be carefully heeded? When the Lord ſaith, One Angel, ſhall we ſay many Angels? Let us acquieſce in his word, and take heed of adding to, or diminiſhing from it.
5. One Angel ſufficeth for ordinary Attendance; The body is actedby One ſoule which gives it a Naturall life; The ſoule of a Believer by one ſpirit which gives it a Divine life: And one Angel will ſuffice to guard and defend one man. 2 King. 19What havock did one Angel make in defence of Hezekiah? 'Twas one Angel that ſhut the Lions mouths, inſomuch that they touched not Daniel. Dan. 6.22 & 3. •5.One Angel hindred the violence of the flames, that they could not hurt the three Children: And one Angel ſmote off the Chains of Peter, and made the priſon doors and iron gates to open unto him.
One Angel ſaith a Writer,**Maſter Leighs body of Divinity in 4to. lib. 3. cap. 7. p. 90. is able92 to deſtroy all the Men, Beaſts, Birds and Fiſhes, and all the Creatures that be in the world, by overturning the whole courſe of Nature, if God ſhould permit it: One Angel is able to drown the Earth again, and cauſe the waters to over-flow it; To pull the Sun, Moon, and Stars out of their places, and make all a Chaos: Angels can move and ſtir the earth;Mat. 28.2. Nay one Angel did it, Mat: 28.2. And behold there was a great Earth-quake, For the Angell of the Lord deſcended from heaven.
Laſtly, the very voyce of an Arch-Angel is ſo loud and terribie, that at laſt it ſhall awaken all that are dead,1 Theſ. 4.16. Pſal. 103.20. 1 Theſ. 4.16. Thus you ſee an Angel is of incredible power; The Angells ſaith the Pſalmiſt, do excell in ſtrength. I might ſay as much of their admirable wiſdome, Agility, and Fidelity: But I refer you to thoſe that write of the Nature of Angels,See Aquinas, Zanchy, and Saikeld. and to the ſubtle and large Tracts of the Schoolmen thereupon. By this time you ſee, that one Angel ſufficeth for our daily and ordinary attendance, ſeeing one Angel93 hath done, and can do ſuch great and wonderfull things.
6. Yet further to ſhew,Principio ſerviunt ipſi Deo, eundem concelebrant laudibus ſempiternis, Adorantes, Glorificantes, & exultantes in Ipſo. Bullingeri decad 4. Ser. 9. fol. 251. that multitudes of Angels do not in an ordinary courſe attend one Believer; It is evident from the Scripture, That the mayn Hoſt, or chiefe body of the Angels are in Heaven above, waiting before the Throne, yeelding perſonal attendance on their Head and our Husband Chriſt Jeſus, continually lauding and prayſing God; skreening their faces with their wings, and crying Holy, Holy, Holy, ſtanding ready preſt to execute his Will; Therefore there is in**Mat. 22.30. 2 Theſ. 1.7. Scripture ſo frequent mention of the Angels of Heaven: Heaven is the Palace and Throne of God, Angels are his guards; Elect Angels do continue there, unleſſe they be ſent and otherwiſe employed by God to execute his will upon Earth, or in the Aire, or in the deep waters. Iacob in a viſion ſaw a Ladder reaching up to Heaven, and Angels continually aſcending and deſcending on it: That Heaven is a PLACE we need not doubt, for the body of Chriſt94 is there; And that the main hoſt and corporation of Angels in that place wil evidently appear from the ſacred Text,Dan. 7.10 Dan. 7.10. The Ancient of days did ſit, his throne was like the fiery flame; A fiery ſtream iſſued and came forth from before him; Thouſand, thouſands miniſtred unto him, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtood before him. It ſeems that Daniel in a Viſion ſaw the glory of God in Heaven, and his full Court of Angels about his Throne. The like expreſſions are in Rev. 5.11. And I beheld and heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne, &c. Now if the main knot and corporation of Angels be in Heaven, then it is not probable that each Believer ſhould have Troops upon earth; Or that all the bleſſed Angels watch over every Believer, as ſome have affirmed.
7. Rev. 12.7 opened. And laſtly, let us grant that many Angels attend each particular Saint; Yet it would not be a vain or fruitleſſe Doctrin, that one of them is chiefly intruſted with his preſervation, to place, conduct, and excite the95 reſt as need ſhall require; for 'tis certain the good Angels fight with the evill in our behalf. Rev. 12.7. Aug. Hom. 9. in Apoc. Michael and his Angels fought againſt the Dragon and his angels.
1. Auſtin, Tertullian,Tertul. de carne Chriſti. and our Modern Writers do by Michael underſtand Chriſt Jeſus, the head of all Principalities and Powers, The Noble Captaine of our ſalvation.
2. Brightman and Trap on Rev. 12.7.Some by Michael and his Angels underſtand Conſtantine and his Armies, as learned Brightman and others.
3. Others affirm that Michael is to be taken literally; For Michael the Arch-Angel being commanded of the reſt in the viſion, which is not altogether improbable.
1. Becauſe Michael is ſtiled an Arch-Angel in the ninth verſe of St. Iudes Epiſtle.
2. 'Tis likely an Angel there was called an Arch-Angel, as being Captain in the skirmiſh with Satan: So ſaith Baſil very fully to our purpoſe;Baſil. adverſ. Eunemium, lib. 3. A celeſtial ſpirit is called an Arch-Angell, when being accompanied with96 many other Angels in the work of the Lord: he is guide and leader to the reſt; for inter Angelos eſt Ordo; among the Angels (and eſpecially in Battail) there is very great Order.
3. Mark well the oppoſition; Michael and his Angels againſt the Dragon and his Angels: Who queſtions but the DRAGON is Beelzebub, the chief, the Prince of Devills? Therefore alſo by MICHAEL may be meant an Arch-Angel; ſince it is plain there are Degrees among the bleſſed Spirits: And if there be Order in Hell, ſure there is no confuſion in Heaven.
I might mention other places where an Angel in chief is mentioned,Joſh. 5.14 and other good Angels with him; ſee only two places, Joſh. 5.14, 15. There you ſee the Captain of the Lords Hoſt appeared and ſpake to Ioſhuah. Gods hoſt of Angels that came to the relief of Ioſhua, had over them a Commander or Chieftain, and this Captain appeared and ſpake to Ioſhua. See alſo Luke 2.Luk. 2.9.13. at the ninth verſe, The Angel of the Lord appeared unto the Shepheards,97 to convey unto them the news of a Saviour: Now obſerve, when the meſſage of this chiefe Angel or Ambaſſadour was ended, Then ſuddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hoſt prayſing God, and ſinging, ver. 13. One Angel ſang of Chriſt as the chief Muſitian, and a full Quire bore the burden of the Song, Glory to God in the higheſt, on earth peace, and good will towards men. Luk. 2.16.It is ſaid that the Angels went into Heaven; that is, the Quire of them went, but 'tis likely the firſt Angel continued with one of the Shepheards, to conduct them to the place where the babe lay.
So then, if a man have many Angels about him, 'tis a comfort that one (who is chiefe) will be his guardian to guide, counſell, and order the Angels that are ſent, and to abide with him when the reſt are disbanded, and depart; Perhaps for ſome other expedition, as Providence ſhall diſpoſe; or elſe to joyne in the Halelujahs above.
I have been the larger in anſwering98 the ſecond doubt, becauſe I find that it is generally urged againſt our point by the Antagoniſts thereof; A believer hath many Angels, hath all the Angels; what need we confine his ſafety to One?
Thirdly,Queſt. 3Some may aske, is not this a Popiſh and Antichriſtian point, maintained chiefly by Jeſuites and Papiſts, and rejected by Proteſtants and ſober men?
To this we anſwer. Anſw. 1. There are many points in Divinity wherein the Romaniſts and wee doe agree: We do not think the worſe of Foundationall Truths, if we find them owned by the Pſeudocatholick Church: But rather we ſay, theſe things are ſo, Our enemies themſelves being Iudges: They have the main body of truth, ſo are called Chriſtians, only the pearl of divine Truth is hid in the endleſſe rubbiſh of humane Traditions: But whilſt we have their Blindneſſe, Idolatry, and Superſtition, let's not extend our hatred to their perſons (but pitty and pray for them) nor to the many Truths which they hold, but cleave to them ſtill.
99A man will not reject a piece of Gold though he find it on the Dunghill; and a Mother will love and take up her Child, although bemired in the ſtreet among rude Play-fellows: So it muſt be here, we muſt love and embrace the truth wherſoever we find it.
2. Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen (and many others) who approved of the Guardian Angel, and breathed in the three firſt Centuries after Chriſt, could not be infected with Popery, which then had no being: For as wee prove the Sabbath to be more then Ceremonial for being conſtituted & obſerved from the beginning,Gen. 2.2. Exod. 16.23, 30. before the promulgation of the Law: So it is as eaſie to prove that the Doctrine of Angels Deputation is not Popiſh, becauſe it was maintained by the Primitive Chriſtians, as the Text declares: And by the ancient Fathers that breathed in the pureſt ayre of Primitive times, before the plague of Popery brake out.
3. It hath been, and is maintained by divers of the Orthodox ſince the100 man of Sin was revealed: Not only Chryſoſtome, Auſtin, Bernard, and others of the Fathers, but alſo by our Modern Divines and ſoundeſt Proteſtants, as Bullinger, Peter Martyr, Beza, Zanchy, Bucan, and by divers yet living. Let not this Doctrine therfore any longer be clogged and branded with the odious name of Popery: 'Tis the ſubtlety of Satan thus to diſfigure the Truth, and beget a prejudice in us: For as Errors do often paſs when they have the trimming of Truth, ſo Truth is often pelted under the Vizard of errour.
Fourthly,Queſt. 4ſome ask whether Adam in the ſtate of Innocency had an Angel Guardian?
Here are two queſtions. 1. Whether Adam had a tutelar Angel. 2. If ſo, whether before or after his Fall?
To the firſt,Anſwer. 1I anſwer; All Gods elect have ſuch communion with Angels: And 'tis moſt likely that Adam was elected and ſaved,Dr. VVillet on Gen. 3.47. becauſe the Promiſe was made to him concerning Chriſt. Gen. 3.15. That the ſeed of101 the woman ſhould break the Serpents head. From whence Dr. Willet concludes, That though our firſt Parents finned, yet they were reſtored and ſaved by faith in the Meſſiah, and not utterly condemned**Danaeus ſuper Aug. de Haereſibus, cap. 25. p. 107., which was the uncharitable hereſie of the Tatianes, ſaith Danaeus: concerning whom thus he writes, Primus & eorum Maximus proprius error, Quod Adamum, Primum Hominem Damnatum; Nec exlapſu ſuo ſaluti reſtitutum putant & Docent.
But Irenaeus hath**Irenaeus, lib. 2. cap. 39. Reſutat Tacianos. well confuted them: And generally the Auncient Fathers doe think more charitably of our firſt Parents, hoping and affirming that they were ſaved, from three Texts of Scripture, viz.
Gen. 3.15. That there ſhould be enmity between the ſeed of the Woman and the Serpent.
Luke 3.38. Adam is called the Son of God; but ſurely after his fall and before faith, he was the child of Hell and Perdition.
2 Cor. 15.45. The firſt Adam was made a living Soul, the laſt Adam102 was made a quickning Spirit.
We may here mention (as an humane teſtimony) Wiſdom 10.1. Where it is ſayd,See Coll. of Doway's Annota•ions. Tom 2. p. 356. that Wiſdom preſerved the firſt Father of the World, and brought him out of his Offence. So then, if Adam was elected and ſaved as tis probable by that which hath been ſayd; what ſhould hinder but that he (as well as others) had a Guardian-Angell?
To the ſecond part of the Querie,Anſw. 2whether this Angel did attend him in the time of Innocency in Paradice? Aquinas is for the Affirmative;Tho: Aquinas Parte prima Quſt. 113. p. 239. Homo, in ſtatu Innocentiae, non patiebatur aliquod Pereculum ab interiori quia interius erant Omnia Ordinata; Sed imminebat periculum ei ab exteriori, propter inſidias Daemonum (ut rei probavit eventus) & ideo indigebat cuſtodia Angelorum. Though there was an Harmony within yet there were Tempters without: Though he ſtood he might fall; He had a Poſſe non Mori, but never a Non poſſe Mori: His danger was great becauſe many Angels were become Apoſtates, and would103 ſtill be laying ſnares for him, as the iſſue declared. This Guardian-Angel peradventure counſelled him when he had ſinned to hide and cloath himſelf: Glorious was the Communion between man in Innocency and Elect Angels.
Fifthly,Queſt. 5Some do ask whether Jeſus Chriſt had a Guardian Angel? The School-men anſwer warily in this Point:Anſwer. Tho: Aquinas ut ante in Artic. 4.Chriſtus Ratione Paſſibilitatis erat Victor & ſecundum hoc non debebatur ei Angelus cuſtos tanquam ſuperior, ſed magis miniſter tanquam inferior: Chriſt in regard of his Humanity and ſufferings was a Pilgrim upon earth; yet the Angel that therfore attended him was not his Superior, or Ruler,Hugo Cardin. Tom. 6. & fol. 262. but meerly his obedient Vaſſall, truſty Squire, and diligent Servant. Therfore when the Angel is ſayd to ſtrengthen him, Hugo doth thus expound it; Confortans eum; id eſt, Ad modum confortantis ſe habens; Forte aliqua verba conſolatoria dicendo: after a manner he is ſayd to ſtrengthen him, perhaps by ſpeaking comfortable words to him.
104Now here we ſhall endeavour to prove two things unto you: 1. That the Angels were much about Chriſt. 2. That one Angel eſpecially did belong to him.
1. Mat. 4.11. & 26.53. John. 20.12. Mat. 13.41. 1 Tim. 3.16.For the former, it is evident, Elect Angels were very buſie about Chriſt in the dayes of his Pilgrimage; their Miniſtrations was uſed upon all occaſions: They did comfort him in the Deſert after his Temptations, in the Garden after his Agony; They were buſie about the Sepulcher, and gave attendance at his Reſurrection: They treated with divers about Chriſt, they brought news of his Birth to the Shepheards, of his Reſurrection to the Women, and of his Aſcention to the Diſciples. Upon all occaſions the Heavenly Hoſt came and miniſtred unto him; of which divers Reaſons may be given.
1. Jeſus Chriſt is their Head and Generall; all Angels, Arch-angels, Seraphins, and Cherubins are ſubject unto Chriſt.
2. Where the King, is there is the Court kept, though in the meaneſt Village.
1053. By attending on Chriſt in the Fleſh, they declared his Divinity: From the greateſt abaſements of Chriſt, certain ſparkles of Glory and Divinity flew out.
4. They came to comfort and ſtrengthen his Humanity, when the Divinity was hid and ecclipſt in his Sufferings which were very great, not only from men but God. See Luke 22.43. Twas the Humane Nature that received ſtrengthening here from an Angel; The**Fuller of Chriſts Temptations. Angel (ſaith one) being in a Calme, & Chriſt in the Tempeſt of an Agony; no wonder if the Meaner give ſupport to the Superior.
5. The Angels attend Chriſt**Col. 1.20. & 2.10. Eph. 1.10. & 3.10. 1 Pet. 1.12. becauſe of their Intereſt in his Mediation, for in that Glaſs they read their confirmation in grace and happineſs; So that now there is no fear nor poſſibility of their Apoſtacy and falling: This makes them to pry into the Myſteries of Chriſts Mediation.
6. By Chriſts††Incarnato Chriſto Angeli Deum laudaverunt, quia viderunt Numerum corum impleri. Hugo Cord. Tom. 1 p. 447. Col. 2. Redemption; The vacant and empty Rooms of fallen Angels will be ſupplyed by Saints, ſaith Hugo, to make their maimed Society106 compleat; For Chriſt ſaith, that Beleevers ſhall be as the Angels of Heaven: So the order of Angels will be repleniſhed, and the Gap filled up, not with Thorns and Rubbiſh, but very pretious Jewels. You ſee there are many reaſons why the Angels were ſo officious about Chriſt Jeſus.
2. For the latter, that one Angel did eſpecially belong to Chriſt, may appear probable to us. Luke 22.43.It is ſayd, Luke 22. That there appeared an ANGEL unto him from Heaven ſtrengthening him. Tis probable his name was GABRIEL: For even the Servants of Emperors and great Monarchs are renowned, and their names Recorded, Luke 1:Luke 1.26.30. & 2.21. The Angel Gabriel came to Mary & told her ſhe ſhould conceive a Child: Then Luk. 2.21. His name was called JESƲS, which was ſo named of the Angel, before he was conceived in the Womb. Tis likely that this Angel upon Conception was peculiar to Chriſt; Comming here as his Harbinger to take up Quarters for him; and declaring from God what his Name ſhould be, and how his great Maſter ſhould107 be called. The people alſo conceived that Chriſt had an Angel belonging to him, John 12.29. When they heard a voice the people that ſtood by ſaid, it thundred, others ſayd an Angel ſpake to him.
Laſtly, This Angel for a while forſook his dead body, attending his Soul into Paradice, and again returned with his Soul at the Reſurrection, Matt. 28.2. And behold the**Non Chriſti cauſa venit Angelus tanquam ſine illo non poſset exire Sepulchro; ſed ut fides fieret mulieribus & Apoſtolis, Chriſtum reſurrexiſſe, ſaith Calvin. Angel of the Lord (that is of the Lord Chriſt) deſcended from Heaven and came and rolled back the Stone from the door, and ſat upon it, his Countenance was like Lightning, and his Rayment white as Snow, and for feare of him the Keepers did ſhake and became as dead men. I ſuppoſe that this was ſtill the firſt Angel Gabriel, that gave attendance at his Conception, ſtrengthened him in that Garden-Agony; and leaving his Body at Death, returned again at his Reſurrection; ſtill it runs in the ſingular number, the Angel, and the Angel of the Lord.
This I ſuppoſe, will alſo appear probable to others who ſhall weigh it in the Ballance of Reaſon without caſting108 in the black Grain of Carping Prejudice into the contrary Scale. But however if any one can prove that Chriſt had every moment upon Earth many Legions of Angels about him (which he ſayd he could call, for but did not.) We ſtill ſay, this doth not weaken our Aſſertion, that each Beleever hath an Angel; For Chriſt being an extraordinary Perſon might have extraordinary attendance.
6. Queſt. 6When an Elect Servant of Chriſt hath his Tutelar Angel placed by him? I anſwer,Anſw. Some think at the time of Converſion; others at Baptiſme; Some think at our Birth, and others at our Conception in the Womb: To the two laſt I incline.
1. Origen. Tract. 5. in Mat.Some think at the time of Converſion: Cum fuerint per Regenerationem renati; Tutores dati ſunt converſis, ſaith Origen on this occaſion; of which two Reaſons are given.
1. Becauſe the Angels know not the Decrees, nor who are elected and choſen of God; Before that Election be declared in Converſion: But we anſwer God can ſoon reveal it unto thme.
1092. Becauſe, In tempore Infidelitatis Homo eſt ſub Angelis Satanae. In the ſtate of Nature a man is under the wrath of God, and is vexed with evill Spirits that hurry him to ſin, and rule in the Children of diſobedience. I anſwer, Although this cannot be denyed, and that Elect Angels do not delight in mens ſins, nor in communion with the wicked; yet God is reſolved that all his Elect ſhall have inviſible ſupports againſt Satan, to preſerve them charily as choſen Veſſels, againſt the time that he ſhall manifeſt himſelf unto them: And then it is ſufficient to Angels that God wills their attendance, and that hereafter they ſhall diſcern ſome fruit of their care, when they come to rejoyce at the converſion of thoſe whom they attend: And in the mean time as the Sun is not polluted by looking into Sinks; ſo Angels are not polluted or diſquieted with the ſin of men.
2. Others think the Guardian Angel is placed at Baptiſme: Origen recounting many opinions doth mention this, which is very improbable:110 For then the Penitent Theef who never was Baptiz'd had no Guardian Angel to watch over him: And beſides it is then in the diſcretion of Parents (who ſet the time of Baptiſme) when the Angel ſhall begin his Office o're the Child. The Elect are pretious and dear to God before as after that Ordinance, which is a Seal but no cauſe of Gods love: The contempt of it is dangerous, but the obſervation of it, is not meritorious. Away then with that egregious miſtake of Auſtin, that Children dying unbaptized do periſh eternally. Baptiſme is either Flaminis or Fluminis; of the Flame or Flood, of the Water, or its Author: Elect Infants cannot want the Baptiſme of Fire, and of the Spirit. Out of Chriſts ſide came water and blood; and he that hath Chriſt, hath both Sacraments.
Laſtly, Millions are baptized with water that neither have Angel here, nor Heaven hereafter.
3. Moſt think it is done at the Birth of an Elect; God revealing to the Angels who are ſuch, by requiring111 their attendance on them that are his. Of this opinion Origen ſpeakes among others. The Rhemiſts ſay,Aquin. Sum Part 1. Queſt. 113. p. 240. Drex. Horolog. Hora. 7. cap. 1. p. 165. Aug. Medit. lib. 1. cap. 12. that the Angels charge begins at our Nativity; Zanchy ſaith the ſame, Aquinas ſaith, Statim a Nativitate, Drexelius ſaith, Angelus Tutelaris naſcentes nos in ſuam Fidem recipit: And Auſtin ſaith expreſly, It is done; Abortu Nativitatis: At the firſt comming into the world.
This alſo is mentioned in two places of Scripture, Gen. 48.15.16. The God which fed me all my life long unto this day,Gen. 48.15.16. the Angel which redeemed me from all evill, bleſs (or keep) the Lads: So he mentions Gods feeding him from the Womb, and ſo the Angels keeping him from his Nativity; for otherwiſe it had not been linkt to it. Mat. 18.2.5.10.And in his Infancy he was freed from many dangers as well as in his Man-hood: But he ſaith, That Angel redeemed, or inſtrumentally kept him from all evill. The other place is that of our Saviours, Mat. 18. Jeſus called a little Child to him and ſet him in the midſt of them, ſaying, whoſoever ſhall112 receive one ſuch little Child in my name receiveth me. Take heed that you despiſe not one of theſe little Ones; For I ſay unto you that in Heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father. **Dr. Prideaux and Perkins on Mat. 18.10.Expoſitors agree that by Children our Saviour means, not only his Diſciples little in Gifts, or in the eye of the World; But alſo little Children, even Babes and Sucklings: Such a little Go-by-ground as he ſet before them:Leigh in Nov. Teſt. Even Infants have their Angels; Angels ſaith one, are their Rockers, and Kings Sons muſt have their Guard, ſaith Dyke,: Some think that Angels do help them to ſpeak and go: Elect Infants are in Covenant with God; he hath not denyed them his Angels, and ſhall we deny them his Seal? Infants were received under the Law, and ſhall they be rejected under the Goſpel? When Chriſt himſelf ſaith, ſuffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not? The Goſpel came to**Eph. 2.14. This expreſſion convinced an Officer of the Army. break down partition Walls, then ſurely not to build up new ones: But of old, under the Law there was no partition-wall between113 beleiving Parents and their Children, to exclude them from Circumciſion;See Mr. Marſhall Sermon of this Subject: And Mr. Halls Font-guarded. Wo be to thoſe that ſhall now build up a Wall to ſhut out Children from Baptiſme, coming in its room: And can we ſuppoſe that under the Goſpel, whole Houſholds, nay, whole Nations were without Children? The Apoſtles are often ſayd to baptize the Former, and are impowred to baptize the latter: One Goſpel ſaith, teach and baptize, and another ſaith, baptize and teach.
This only by the way: (To return to our buſineſs) Even poor little Infants have their Guardian-Angels: Were it not ſo, into how many dangers would they fall? They would be disfigured and lamed with bruiſes, and fearfull miſcarriages; cutting and burning themſelves as opportunity is offered. Angels are very diligent and handy to look to them and keep them out of harms way: We may well ſay with Dauid,Pſal. 22.9.10. Thou O Lord art he that took us out of the Womb, thou didſt make us to hope when we hung upon our Mothers breaſts; We were caſt upon thee114 from the Womb, thou haſt been our God from our Mothers belly. And herein eſpecially doth his goodneſs appear, in appointing Angels to watch over us when we would not watch over our ſelves. When you paſs through fire and water I will be with you, ſaith the Lord. Poor Children would ſoon periſh by thoſe Elements, but that Angels are ſo handy to catch them up. When Father and Mother forſake you, the Lord takes you up! This methinks is the Voice of God to Infants dear to him: When Parents are without naturall affection, when Nurſes and Tenders are careleſs, and Children of reſtleſs, ſtirring and climbing diſpoſitions: Then doth the Guardianſhip of Angels eſpecially appear; for how many dangers do they eſcape that others know not of, when alas, there is but an hairs-breadth between them and the Grave? Let us hear Chemnitius on this Subject:Chemnitius in Hamm. Evan. cap. 92. pag. Maxime autem quoad Infantes res ipſa teſtatur; illos tot & tantis periculis obnoxies eſſe, ut nulla Parentum ſolicitudo, nulla famulorum cura ipſis ſervandis ſufficere poſſet,115 niſi Angeli cuſtodes adeſſent. Children are obnoxious to very many and great dangers; ſo that no Anxiety of Parents, or diligence of ſervants can ſecure them without the Tuition of Angels. This is the third thing that the charge of Angels begins at our Nativity, or in our childhood.
4. And laſtly,Lawrence of Angels. p. 21. ſome goe further yet, and ſay this is done at the conception of elect Infants; immediately upon the infuſion of a Rational ſoul; And 'tis then very probable that Angels doe begin the execution of their charge. For although the child be a part of the Mother, yet hath it a diſtinct being of its own, conſiſting of ſoule and body. And it may be the Mother is not Elect, and ſo hath no Angel to look to her. Some thinke that the preſence of an Angel with Iohn,Luk. 1.41.44. made him leap in Elizabeths womb at Maries ſalutation; an Angel making of that little Embrio to rejoyce and leap, that otherwiſe had been uncapable of ſuch affections and motions, according to the courſe of Nature: Who queſtions but many116 have gone to heaven dying in the womb? and ſurely ſuch are guarded by Angels into Abrahams boſome.
What hinders then but an Angel may attend upon a Childe unborn? Dr. Boys his works, p. 878.Pſal. 8.4. Out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings haſt thou ordained (or founded) praiſe. The Tranſlation of Abenezra, initium feciſti, Thou haſt begun praiſe, cannot be ſo good as that of our Saviours, Perfeciſti, Thou haſt perfected (or finiſhed) praiſe,Note. in Mat. 21.16. For as Martin Bucer very well obſerves, Almighty God begins his power and providence towards Infants in the Mothers womb, and when they be Sucklings their praiſe is perfected; for then they quickly cry Ab. Ba. and ſo call the Lord Abba, Father, in their innocent Language. How ſtrong a conſolation is this to godly women bearing of children, to conſider, that holy Angels attend them, and thoſe little pieces and pictures of themſelves, their little children? So that a Believer bearing Twins may poſſibly have three Angels to attend her Motions and all Occurrences117 for the ſafety and preſervation of Root and Branches.
Seventhly,Queſt. 7ſome will further object and aske; If every Saint hath his particular Angel, what doth that Angel, and where doth he abide, before his Man is born, or after he is dead? and what employment and office hath he?
I anſwer, either 1. Attend on that vaſt Quire that worſhip at the Throne, Revel. 5.11. Or 2. Anſwer. be among thoſe that have generall inſpection o're the Church, and are ſome of Michaels hoſt that reſiſt the Dragon. Or 3. Attend on ſome other perſon as Providence ſhall diſpoſe: For as Lombard ſaith, one Angel may be Guardian to many ſucceſſively coming, and dying off:Pet. Lombard, lib. 2 Diſt. 11. Angels can never want employment, that have ſuch a God to worſhip, ſuch a Chriſt to follow, ſuch a Bride to attend, and ſuch a hoſt of Dragons to ſubdue. Finally, though we do not with Pythagoras hold a〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,Piſcator in Joan 9. p. 654. or tranſanimation of ſouls; yet nothing hinders, but with Lombard wee may believe a Tranſmigration of guardian Angels,118 from one man dying off, to another conceiving in the womb:
Eightly,Queſt. 8a conſiderable queſtion may ariſe, whether the Tutelar Angel is able to reach, help, and comfort the ſoule of man? 'Tis confeſſed he keeps us from bodily dangers, but can he reach, and ſupport the ſoule?
I anſwer,Anſw. 11. By way of Negation; Angels cannot certainly know our Thoughts, though they gueſſe at them: They cannot change the nature, infuſe or increaſe grace; They may hint and ſuggeſt comfort, but they cannot bow the heart to receive it; All this is the peculiar work, and prerogative Royall of the Spirit of God, the third Perſon in ſacred Trinity: Angels have no effications power o're the heart, God only can overrule,Note. melt, and new-mold us. Therefore it is a very wicked opinion of ſome, to give God no more efficacy in moving the heart to converſion, then good Angels have; that is, onely by counſell and perſwaſion: We believe then, that God onely can ſo work as to ſpeak unto us with a high hand119 in the Scripture phraſe; that is, ſo to ſpeak as to ſpeed, to charm, turn, or captivate a ſoule: 'Tis he that can effectually inlighten the underſtanding, and determine the will, he can melt, and bend, and form, and turn it which way he pleaſeth, and put a new Bias on the heart, that it ſhall run and wind heaven-ward. He hath a Throne in every mans ſoule, he can tame, and rule, and govern the whole Man, till it ſtoop and buckle to his work; Angels are but Miniſtring ſpirits, and cannot prevail without his bleſſing, as all other helps, and ordinances, and means cannot of themſelves do us good.
2. By way of affirmation;Lawrence of Angels, p. 49. we ſay that Angels, although inviſibly and inſenſibly, do guard and counſell the ſoule; They are of wonderfull uſe to us, and the things communicated to our inward man are ordinarily the adminiſtration of Angels; The evill Angels have not ſo much power to hurt the ſoule, as good Angels to ſupport, defend, and do it good: The Sun and Stars produce their effects120 upon the earth, and the Minerals and deepeſt bowels thereof; Why ſhould not the bleſſed Angels have effects upon our hearts? Pſal. 104.4.Pſal. 104 Who maketh his Angels ſpirits, his Miniſters a flaming fire. This ſay ſome, is in relation to their working on us by ſome meaſure of enlightning and warming the heart.
But how far doth the Miniſtration of Angels relate and reach unto the ſoule?
1. Dr. Goodwins Child of light walking in darkneſſe, Chap. 8.In generall, they do gueſſe very much at our thoughts, affections, and deſires. Counſell in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of underſtanding will draw it out, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 20.5. Now all thoſe methods and Advantages which one man hath of knowing another, Angels have over us moſt eminently, they can goe one room neerer to the ſoul, becauſe they are ſpirits, & they do very much conſider and ſtudy us. To ſome men is given diſcerning of ſpirits; That is, the diſcovery and finding out the ſincerity or hollowneſs of the heart: How much more is this given unto121 Angels? If the Wiſe that hath been forty years in thy boſome is able in great meaſure to know thee, to gueſs at thy thoughts, and trace thee in thy wayes: And know when thy tongue and heart do not agree, how much more thy Angel Guardian that hath ever been with thee? Angels do heare our Vocall confeſſions in private Prayers, eying us when moſt retired; obſerving us in all Places, Poſtures, Companies, and Employments, which no other Friend or Foe can do. Our neereſt Relations are ſometimes diſtant from us; The Angels can ſoone collect by obſervation, and laying things together what paſſion is prevalent and ſtirring in us: And if men by a ſlight caſt or**Si quis corporis oculos conſideret, eos admodum cſse Garrulos quamvis ſine voce comperiet; Affectus evulgant. Drexelius de Recta Intentione, lib. 2. cap. 9 glaunce of our eye, throw off the Arme, or other bodily Geſture, doe ſoon underſtand us before in words wee uncaſe our mind, and unmask our Thoughts; queſtion not but Angels are much quicker in reading of us, and ſpying out the deſign of our hearts: Angels may know our thoughts or affections either certainly by divine Revelation, or probably122 and conjecturally (which ſeldome miſſeth) by externall ſignes; They are extreamly ingenuous in gueſſing; Great is their naturall wiſdome,Lawrence of Angels, p. 32. long and vaſt alſo their experience: If Phyſitians by the pulſe and temper can ſpell your affections and paſſions, and tell you that you are in Love, or take care; the Angels knowing ſo much by Nature, and having the kernell of all Arts and Sciences, after more then five thouſand yeares experience, cannot but eaſily pierce into things that men (who are but of yeſterday, and full of infirmities) underſtand not. Angels d•pry into our bodily humours, and view (as by a glaſſe) the interiour ſenſes: As for inſtance.
Anger is thus defined, Ebullitio ſanguinis circa Cor. Anger is blood perplext into a Froth, whileſt malice is the wiſdom of a Wrath. Anger then is eaſily eſpyed by Angels; malice not ſo unleſs by the effects: Men read our Faces, and by ſudden Paleneſs do judg of our Anger; they underſtand the Language of our ſighs and bluſhes:123 But Angels can trace us much further; they ſee the moſt ſecret boylings of the blood in Luſt, anger, or fear, although the Countenance bewray us not, but be cloathed with a contrary Temper: Where men ſmile and laugh very loud;Note. Angels can ſee through thoſe Tiffany Pretenſions and ſubtle Vailes, if the hearts be Penſive (for Salomon ſaith, in Laughter the heart may be ſad) Becauſe though they do not abſolutely know our hearts, yet our Thoughts do ſoon make impreſſions on the body, which Angels preſently diſcern: And if our Angel Guardian could not thus gueſſe at us, how could he apply himſelf to us in a ſutable way? We ſay when Diſeaſes are known, they are halfe cured.
2: Angels cannot only read, but coyn impreſſions on our fancy and imagination: They have ſecret wayes of treating and dealing with us; No time is free, waking and ſleeping they have the key, and can come to us when the ſenſes are lock'd and barrd, as appears by our dreams; They need not (ſaith one) goe about, and fetch124 the compaſs of our eares and eyes, as we are fain to doe: Therefore our communion is exceeding great with the Angels. Do we not waking and ſleeping ſee impreſſions in our Fancy, of things that we thought we had forgotten? This is done by the Angels good and evill, who can make Compoſition rare and wonderfull of what they find in us; Though they cannot (ſay the Schoolmen) put in any thing that is purely De novo, yet they ſtrangely and ſtrongly work on the matter which they find.
3. The good Angels doe often obſtruct & impede evill actions; as our good endeavours are often hindred by Satan, ſo are our evill by the Angels elect, elſe were not our protection equall to our danger: A good Angel oppoſed Balaam in an evill way, and ſpake in the mouth of an Aſſe, to reſiſt the madneſſe of his Maſter. If an heavenly ſpirit ſaith**Biſhop Halls Contemplat. one, obſtruct the courſes of the evill, and ſtand in the way of a Sorcerers ſin: how much more ready are all thoſe ſpirituall Powers to ſtop Miſcarriages of Gods125 deareſt children? When thou art going (Remigiis Dedalis) to diſhonour the Lord, and haſt a full gale of opportunity to ſin, thy Angel Guardian doth often prove a Remora inviſibly to ſtop thy deſign: How often would the Saints relaps and fall into miſchief, if their Angels did not pull them back, hedg, and block up their way unto evill by with-holding the occaſions of ſinne? Traps Decad of Angels.Michael oppoſed Satan about the body of Moſes, ſo do the Angels ſtill oppoſe the Kingdom of Darkneſſe about the bodies and ſoules of the Saints,Rivius de Praeſidio Angelico, p. 723. whilſt they live, and after death. When Satan hath beſieged us, our guardian Angel, vim oppugnantis repulit, vires debilitavit, patefecit inſidias, fraudem detexit, ſaith Rivius. Hee hath reveal'd their ſleight, and repel'd their might. The Angels do watch over us, ſaith Greenham, yet all ſee it not;Greenhams Workes, p. 3. and when they ſee it, tis by the effect of their Miniſtrie. They watch over us and preſerve us from many dangers of ſoule and body.
4. The Angels have been uſed to126 declare and trumpet out the will of God to his People: The Angel reveaſed to Mary the Incarnation of Chriſt: an Angel admoniſhed Hagar of her duty: an Angel inſtructed John that God only is to be worſhipped; The name Angel ſignifies Meſſenger, becauſe God hath by their Miniſtration conveyed many Meſſages to Men. Nay,
5. The Angels do not only declare what is good,Dr. Sibbs Myſtery of Godlineſse, p. 108. but they adviſe us to it: So Dr. Sibbs,if the Devils can ſuggeſt ſinne; Angels are ſtronger and wiſer then Devils, whatſoever they can do in evill, the elect Angels can in good; therefore they ſuggeſt many thoughts that are good.
Lombard ſaith of the guardian Angel,Lombard, lib. 2. diſt. 11. Hortatur ad Bonum; He doth admoniſh and perſwade us on all occaſions to that which is good. The way how this is done is very myſterious, let us not pry into that.
6. They encourage and comfort us in doing our duty: So an Angel comforted Hagar, another comforted Paul in the ſtorm at Sea,2 R•g. 1.3 and an127 Angel encouraged and ſtrengthened Eliah to his worke; And although now they doe not appeare in bodily ſhapes, yet the ſame offices are by them (although more ſpiritually and myſteriouſly) performed to us:Mendoza in Reg. vel. 1 cap. 1. ſect. 2. p. 244. Nay Mendoza ſaith, they further excite & quicken the ſoul in Prayer; But we ſhall not proceed ſo far, leaſt we think of them above that which is written.
7. The Angel guardian helps us in our ſufferings, and afflictions: Thus the Angels have appeared unto the Martyrs a little before their death, to cheer and encourage them; When Chriſt was in an Agony (juſt before he was betrayed) the preſence of an Angel did ſtrengthen him:Lu 22.43. And Peters Angel appeared to him in the priſon, and delivered him: When the child Moſes was layd among the flags, and Joſeph put into a pit, then did their guardian Angel ſtand them in good ſtead, or elſe the one had been deſtroyed of Water, and the other ſtarved to death, or made a prey to wild Beaſts.
8. And laſtly, at Death, the Angel128 guardian conveys the believing**Hoc munus non fruſtra Angelis aſſignat Chriſtus, quos ſcimus datos eſse fidelibus Miniſtros; ut eorum ſaluti ſua ſtudia operasque impendant Calvin in Luc. 16.22 ſoul into Abrahams boſome, through the Devils Territories, and in ſpight of him; for he is the Prince of the Ayre: Some think that to the Angel guardian are joyned certain other Angels to ſcour and cleer the paſſage for us; They are our convoy to Bliſſe: And in this march they are continually fighting for us, and thus with much ſpeed and triumph they convey us into our Fathers houſe, which is the laſt office this Angel ſhall do for us, unles it be to call, & gather our very bodies to Judgment at the laſt day: And in heaven we ſhall have perfect knowledg of that Angel that was our keeper, as alſo of all other Angels and Saints there.
Some may ſay,Object. If Angels do all this for us, gueſſe very much at our hearts, make powerful impreſſions on our Fancy and Imagination, impede and hinder evill actions, declare and perſwade Gods will, hearten and encourage us in ſervice and ſufferings, and convey us at laſt into our haven of Heaven; Then what will you leave129 unto God, and the holy ſpirit of Grace?
We leave unto God all in all,Solut. which is, 1. The Commiſſion. 2. The Inſpiration. 3. The Benediction; From him they have their warrant, meſſage, and bleſſing. Angels are but his ſervants; Ceſterns are they, not Fountaines: God only can renew and ſanctifie the ſoul, and bleſſe all the means and methods of our good; why ſhould aſcribing to Angels ſome work upon the ſoule, derogate from Chriſt, more then their tuition of our bodyes; for we deny not to Chriſt the care alſo of our outward man? So then let the Miniſtry of Angels as to our bodies and ſoules, raiſe and elevate our thoughts to admire & adore the great Lord and Maſter of thoſe Servants, and breed in us a high eſteem of theſe heavenly Tutors; That having gained them, wee may converſe with, and ſuck all the good we poſſibly can from them.
Ninthly,Queſt. 9The next queſtion may be this, are our Angels greived at our falls and miſeries? Doe they ſympathize130 with us? Mourn with them that mourn? Are they touched & grieved when we fall into ſin, or when trouble falls upon us?
I anſw. Anſwer. with Hugo,Hugo Cardinalis, Tom. 7. p. 246. Angelus ſcire poteſt infirma noſtra ſed non compati quia nec Pati; The Angel may know our infirmities, but cannot ſuffer with us, becauſe he cannot ſuffer at all. The Schoolmen therefore do upon good grounds deny the fellow-feeling of Angels, by ſuffering and grieving with us in our tryals: For though they unfeignedly deſire our good, yet they cannot diſ-roab themſelves of their own happineſſe. Rev. 21.4.When we come to Heaven, there is no more death nor wayling, Revel. 21. No man in heaven ſhall mourn or ſigh for the damnation of his deareſt friends: So alſo the Angels (inſtated in ſo much happineſs) are not capable of griefe and ſorrow:Tho: Aquinas, Prima parte Queſt. 113. Artic. 7. The Reaſon, ſaith Thomas is this, They are brimfull of happineſſe, and their wils are ſo clearly wheel•d about by the ſupream will of God, without which nothing comes to paſs, that they cannot grieve or mourn for131 that, which God is reſolv'd ſhall work together for the good of Believers. 'Tis ſufficient they earneſtly wiſh and deſire our good, and do rejoyce at our converſion, let us not be troubled that they grieve not at our Deviation:Note. Exceſſive griefe hath made friends to be uſelſſe to us, and piniond their arms that they have not bin able to help us: Angels will ſtrive to pull us out of evill, that is better then if they ſate ſtill to ſigh and mourn over us. Chriſt is ſaid to be Toucht with the feeling of our infirmities: Nay in all our afflictions he is afflicted. Not that he can ſuffer or mourn in heaven; but that ſuch is our Union with him, and his Remembrance of our frailty, becauſe he hath our fleſh, that he is ready to own and help us in our ſtreights: In this reſpect Angels alſo may be ſayd to ſympathize with us, for they will ſtand by us and ſupport us in a time of need.
10. Queſt. 10How Believers can fall into dangers, that are ſtill thus attended by the wiſe and powerful care of their Angels. Mephiboſheth a child of five132 yeares old, ſonne to a good Father, and afterwards a good man himſelfe, was lamed by a fall from his fleeing Nurſe; Innumerable examples might be brought of the ſame kind; Are the Angels of Believers abſent, impotent, or ſullen and careleſs, when Believers do thus miſcarry under their hands? and ſuch miſchances befals them?
One anſwers,Anſwer. No miſchances can befall them that are godly:Fuller of Chriſts Temptations, p. 100 101. Not chances, becauſe all things are ordered by divine Providence. Nor miſchances, becauſe all things worke for their good. Therefore we ſay.
1. The promiſe of Angels protection,Mat. 4.6. Mat. 4. (as all temporall promiſes) runs with this tacite Reſervation and condition,Alwayes prouided, that God in his infinite wiſdome, for Reaſons best known to himſelf, doe not judge the contrary more conducing to his glory, and our inward good:Hee ſeeth, that many times Afflictions humble us, awaken us, & do us good,††Schola crucis ſchola lucis. teaching us his will, and our duty.
2. Angels are to keep us in all our wayes, Pſalm 91.11. It is not ſayd133 Our wandrings: And who in this wilderneſs-condition is free from wandring? Who can ſay, I have made my heart cleane? Sinn muſt have ſorrow here or for ever; Your ſinnes have hindred good things from you.
3. God is above the Angels, and they all move and act by Divine Appointment: As the Primum mobile moves all the other Sphears, ſo Angels and all creatures are ſwayed, moved, and ordered by the Lord:Note. he can countermand Angelical protection, and give Inſtructions to thoſe powers (in ſome caſes) to ſuſpend their Attendance and care of us: Hee alſo gives ſcope to evill Angels to moleſt us lengthening out their chaine certaine links, by enlarging their Commiſſion to exerciſe and prove us, as in the famous caſes of Iob & Paul, Satan was permitted to deſtroy the goods, children, & health of the one, & to buffet the mind and conſcience of the other, and give him a thorn in the fleſh. 4. When believers do thus lie under the laſh of a Father, Angelical attendance doth mitigate the evil, that they do not134 ſuccumbere, deſpair and utterly miſcarry: As if a Limb be bruiſed, that the Life be ſpared: Let us hear the Apoſtle,2 Cor. 4.8, 9. We are troubled on every ſide yet not diſtreſſed, we are perplexed but not in deſpair; Perſecuted but not forſaken,1 Cor. 6.9. caſt down but not deſtroyed; and elſewhere, as dying yet behold we live. Angels are not alwayes to keep us from,Primum ac praecipuum genus conſolationis eſt Animum triſtem conſolari, etiamſi Res Adverſae adhuc durent. Muſculus in Pſal. 94.19 p. 729. but ſometimes in troubles; which ſaith Muſculus is the chiefeſt Point of conſolation: So**2 Cor. 1.3. Rom. 5.5. Saint Paul. He comforteth us in all our tribulations; & again, As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us ſo our conſolations alſo abound in Chriſt. Now theſe Cordials and Conſolations in and under ſufferings, are chiefly adminiſtred by God the holy Spirit; Inſtrumentally alſo by Angels: Chriſt could have prayed that many Legions of Angels ſhould have kept him from ſuffering; this he did not, yet the Angels Miniſtred unto him in the Wilderneſs, in the Agony and other ſufferings of his from time to time.
5. Beleevers are ſo defended by God and Elect Angels, that whatſoever135 temporall things they ſuffer they ſhall not eternally miſcarry; though the miſeries and croſſes of this life prevail againſt them, yet the Gates of Hell ſhall not. Though the Lions do roar, God will not caſt them his Children to feed them; that Tormenting Flame ſhall not touch one hair of their head. Is this all their Conſolation, that the Oven of Hell is heating but not for them? No, Heaven is preparing and perfuming for them: Though thy Angel therfore do ſuffer thee to trip, he will ſupport and raiſe thee up again; He is not to leave thee till thou art ſafe within Heavens Gate.
6. And laſtly, This objection, that Beleevers have not their Guardian Angels, becauſe of their ſinnings and ſufferings is not ſo conſiderable, if you remember that each Beleever alſo is acted by the holy Ghoſt, who is intempled in the Saints, and yet the people of God have many failings and infirmities; ſin in them is dejected but not ejected. The body is acted by a Raitionall Soul, yet in the time of136 fancy and ſleep it cannot counſell and watch over us. The Sun is ever in the Heavens, yet ſomtimes his face is ecclipſt, or muffled with Clouds. Though our Angel be never ſo wiſe, faithfull and Potent, yet the Lord of Angels and men may ſuſpend and ecclipſe his Protection for a time, that we may the more depend upon himſelf;Note. As the Nurſe gets behind the Skreen that the Infant may go into the Mothers armes, without crying: If Angels do not help us tis that we may call upon God for aid.
Eleventhly. Qu. 11It may be asked, if the Tutelar Angel doth at any time really and utterly depart, and leave thoſe deſtitute and forelorn, with whoſe Guardianſhip they are intruſted? Tis ſayd of Peters Angel,Acts 12.10. when the Iron Gate was opened and one ſtreet paſſed, That forthwith the Angel departed from him.
I anſwer,Anſw. that departing of the Angel was only his diſappearing, or laying137 down that bodily ſhape that was aſſumed:Mat. ult. ult. So Chriſt is ſaid to leave and not to leave the World. We affirm therfore that good Angels are our conſtant Aſſociates till death: Though their Influence may be ſuſſpended, yet their preſence is continued; and they never throughout our life do utterly and totally ſorſake us. Mat. 18.10. Their Angels do alwayes behold my Fathers face. They are their Angels not for a ſpirit, or in a good Mood, but alwayes theirs; alwayes expecting new commands for their good: And Pſal 91.11. They are charged to keep us and be with us in all our wayes. As a ſhaddow followeth the body without leaving it or lagging behind, ſo do the Angels accompany Beleevers in all their walks and wayes. Oates on Jude 9. p. 216.Oates in his Comment on Jude writeth thus, The Angels attend on us, ride and journey with us. Tis moſt neceſſary and evident that they never totally forſake us in our Pilgrimage, in this wayfaring and warfaring condition: Satan goeth about138 ſeeking whom to devoure; If therfore he ſhould find us alone, and without the tuition of Angels, we were but one morſel for him; He ſpareth the wicked becauſe they are his and muſt do him ſervice: As God is ſayd to leave us for a time when ſins and afflictions overtake us: So the Angels (his Meſſengers and Miniſters) may be ſayd to withdraw, when ſome hurt befals us, to return again for our greater advantage; but it is certain**Heb. 13.5. Pſal. 27.10. that God never leaves nor forſakes us, therfore nor the Angels really or totally: But ſaith one, they are often with us as Phyſitians are with thoſe that have filthy Ulcers,Note. they ſtop their Noſes and adminiſter the Medicine: So do they, our vanity and ſins extreamly offend them (as alſo God) yet their obedience to God and love to us chains and keeps them ſteddily to us; They will not, dare not, cannot utterly forſake us, till we be got into Heaven:
If it be objected that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul,Object:1 Sam. 16.14.and an evil Spirit from the Lord came and troubled him. Sol. I anſwer, By that good139 Spirit that departed, you muſt either underſtand, the holy Spirit of God in his common (not ſanctifying) gifts and graces; Or a good Angel that for a time was ſent to him, but not to abide. Good Angels may be ſent unto the bad, as to Saul and Baalam, but they abide only with the good;Heb. 1.14. The Heirs of Salvation: Such, ſaith Origen as are Praecogniti a Deo, foreknown of God.
Then by the evil Angel that ſucceeded and ſeized on him, is meant Satan taking fuller poſſeſſion, as he is ſayd to enter into Judas after the Sop, who had a litter of Divels in his heart before. So ſaith Chriſt, the Devil may ſeem to depart, and takes with him many other Spirits worſe then himſelf to repoſſeſs a man, that his latter end ſhall be dolefull, and the very Map of all miſery and deſperation: And on the other ſide, if good Angels ſeem to withdraw from the Saints, tis that they may return with the greater Triumph and Conſolation.
The twelfth and laſt Queſtion is this,Queſt. 12How can Elect Angels be happy140 in Heaven, if they be thus diſperſt and buſied and employed on Earth?
To this I anſwer. 11Anſwer which is confuted.
Firſt, Some affirm that Heaven is not at any diſtance from us, but conſiſts in the fruition of God, ſo that Heaven may be on Earth:Chemnit. Harmon. Evangel. cap. 92. p. 1741. Thus Chemnitius in his Harmony reſolves this doubt; Obſervandum eſt quod Angeli qui puſillis miniſtrant, Haec officia omnia in Terris expediunt; & nihlominus Faciem Patris in Coelis videre dicuntur: Ʋnde manifeſtiſſimum eſt, Coelum, in quo Deus cum Majeſtate ſua reſidet, non per tot Myriadas Milliarum, ultra ſupremum hoc aſpectabile Coelum abeſſe; ſicut Calviniani de co Nugantur. That becauſe the Angels of little Children on Earth behold the face of God in Heaven, therfore Heaven is not a place at ſuch diſtance from us as Calviniſts imagine. **Coelum itaque Terra & In fernus non locorum intercapedinibus, ſed Beatituditudiuis & tius Ibid. Infoelicitatis Reſpectu, diſtinguuntur. Chemni•And that therfore it is moſt manifeſt, that Heaven, Earth, and Hell are only diſtinguiſhed by a greater degree of happineſs or miſery; not Locally or any diſtance of place.
141But that Gods Throne and the Seat of Elect Angels and glorified Saints is a Place and at a great diſtance from us, will full eaſily appear. And that therfore Angels cannot be here and in Heav•n at the ſame time, I mean the ſame Numerical Angels.
Firſt, I will prove unto you that Heaven i•not only happineſs or content, but a place, which will•hu••ppear: (I refer the Reader to the Scriptures in the Margent.)
1. By(a)(a)Eph. •.3. •ohn 14.2.3. plain and poſitive Scriptures.
2. By Names and Titles given to Heaven(b)(b)Heb. •. •6. Mat 5.8. a Kingdome an(c)(c)Iohn 14.2. Iſa. 63.15 Houſe, an(d)(d)Luke 23.43. Rev. 2.7. Eden, or Garden of Pleaſure.
3. By the Inhabitants that dwell in Heaven. 1. Spirituall as(e)(e)Mat. 6.9. Ioh. 3.13. 1 Ioh. 5.7. God,(f)(f)•at. 2 25. Angels,(g)(g)Luke. 23.43. the Soul of juſt men made perfect. 2. Corporeall; There is the body of(h)(h)Gen. 5 24. Enoch(i)(i)2. Reg. 2 11. Elias and(k)(k)Mark. 16.19. Ep. 1.20. Chriſt; and as his body went thither, ſo there it(l)(l)1. Acts 3.21. abides; wherupon Auſtin ſaith thus, Ʋbi corpus ibi locum eſſe neceſſe eſt, where there is a body, there muſt of neceſſity be a142 place. It is evident then that there is a Locall Heaven.
Secondly,**Nam quum aſſumptus in Coelum dicitur Chriſtus; Certe aperte notatur Locorum Diſtantia, ſai•h Brentius. Heaven is at a great diſtance from us, which Brentius concludes from Chriſts being taken up out of ſight; they followed him with their eyes ſo long as ever they could. Tis at leaſt an 160 Millions of**Greenhill on Ezek. Vol. 1. p. 104. miles high from Earth to Heaven; So far it is by the Rules of Aſtronomers: If this aſcending Line could be drawn right-forward, ſome that have calculated curiouſly have found it five hundred years journey unto the Starry-heaven for an ordinary Traveller.
Ob. How could the Soul of the converted Theef trace and travel it then in one day? This day ſhalt thou bee with me in Paradice, ſaid Chriſt.
Sol.Leighs Body of Div. in 4to. lib. 3. cap. 3. p. 28. This was done by the conduct and celerity of Angels that conveyed it. A Bullet from a Musket flyes very ſwiftly; it will fly an 180. miles an hour, according to its motion: But the Sun moveth ſwifter, 1160000. miles in one hour. Now the Throne of God is very much above the viſible Heavens; therfore certainly the143 Seat of Angels and bleſſed Souls is at an huge diſtance from us, Tis in the(m)(m)Pſal. 104.3. higheſt Heavens. (n)(n)Eph. 4.10.Chriſt is aſcended far above all Heavens, ſaith St. Paul. **Magirus lib. 2. cap. 2. p. 120.From the height of the Stars you may gueſs at the vaſt diſtance of Coelum Empiraeum, which is ſedes Beatorum, according to that of Eliphaz; Is not God in the height of Heaven? and behold the height of the Stars how high they are, Job. 22.12. Compare now the judgment of Eliphaz with that of Chemnitius.
The ſecond Anſwer to the Queſtion then is this,Anſ. 2which is confirmed.That whileſt Angels are on Earth, Heaven is ſtill their Country, their Home, their Inheritance: And that a main part of Heaven which is the fruition and viſion of God, Elect Angels may and do enjoy whileſt they are on Earth with us; This is our concluſion, for ſeeing Heaven is at ſuch a diſtance, and Angels are not Omni-preſent;Damaſcen. lib. 2. Orth. Fidei cap. 3. We muſt ſay with Damaſcen, Angeli cum ſunt hic Nobiscum, non ſunt in Coelo: Angels cannot be in Heaven and on Earth together; That they are ſometimes144 on Earth who denyeth, for here they have appeared by Aſſumption of humane bodies? Angels do not then ſuffer by with-drawing from Heaven, for here they enjoy the preſence and favour of God, which ſupplies the want of Heaven unto them. Their condition is ſo happy here that figuratively they are ſaid to be in Heaven, Mat. 18.10. The Angels of Chriſts little Ones are ſaid to behold the face of God in Heaven; viz. Their communion with God is not eclipſt, God fille•h every place with his preſence: This made Mount Tabor ſo glorious at the Transfiguration of Chriſt. We ſay then that Elect Angels (not only ſometimes, when they be in Heaven, but alwayes ſaith Chriſt, namely when on Earth alſo) THEIR Angels (by reaſon of particular attendance) do ſtill continue to behold the face of God: Elect Angels even whileſt they are on Earth with us, have a fulneſs of Gods preſence and joy, ſome way(o)(o)Leighs Body of Divin. lib. 3. cap. 7. anſwerable to that in heaven which makes them no looſers by this Employment: Seeing it is an Heaven145 to Angels to be doing the(p)(p)Dr. Gouge his Guide to God. p. 79. will of God, and ſeeing his face, and rejoycing in his Service. For although they go up and down in their Miniſtry here below, yet this they perform without Regret or Diſtraction; and their happineſs is not therby obſtructed: As the Souls in Heaven are not hindred from happineſs by deſiring their bodies again, ſo Angels continue happy though they be a while from Heaven, their uſuall home:Note. And as Noble-men do joyfully go Ambaſſadors into a meaner Country then their own not ſo much diſliking the coldneſs of the Climat, as approving the honor of the Embaſſage, and high employment wherein they do ſerve their Prince and publick good: So Angels do not greive but rejoyce to come as Ambaſſadors and Agents from Heaven to Earth, as knowing they muſt ſhortly return in Triumph to their Native Country. In the mean time they here below do fully enjoy the face and favour of God, and are freed from all manner of diſtraction and miſery: Et ſi foris exeunt, internis146 contemplationis gaudiis non Privantur,Gregory. ſaith Gregory moſt truly: Although for a time they leave their own home, they want not the inward joyes of contemplation. Luke 2.13.A full Quire of Angels ſang Carols over a few ragged Shepheards and their Flocks; which declares that their abſence from Heaven and their attending poor Worms upon Earth, doth not cut them off from their heavenly contemplations and ſweet rejoycings in God. As a General rejoyceth to be in the Field,Note. and glorieth in his Spoyl and Enſigns of Victory; ſo do the Angels in skirmiſhing and routing the evil Spirits. Chriſt himſelf was well pleaſed with being on Earth, accounting it meat and drink to do the will and buſineſs of his Father: He ſubmited to a mean life and curſed death for our ſakes, and was emptied of all Glory for us: Therfore let us conclude Elect Angels do not repent their Attendance on us. Princes are not alwayes in their Palaces, ſomtimes they make excurſions into Forreſts,Note. Villages, and deſolate Places, and at laſt147 retire home with renewed ſatisfaction: So Angels ſhort excurſions on Earth, do but ſet out unto them the Glory of thoſe Celeſtiall Habitations.
Having anſwered all the Objections that I ever yet met withall, or can poſſibly think of; The way is now ſufficiently layd out, that we may paſs unto the profitable Inferences of this Diſcourſe, for our further inſtruction and edification.
Firſt,Ʋſe. 1here will be matter of confutation, as to certain Romiſh additions and miſtakes about this very Point of the Guardian-Angel: Although I do not remember that Conradus Vorſtius in his Index errorum Eccleſiae Romanae; Or Ameſius in his Bellarminus enervatus, do touch at the Errors of the Romiſh Synagogue in relation to Angels or their Deputation, yet Dr. Dr. Andr. Willet. Vis Synapſis Papiſmi.Willet (who omits nothing) in his Synopſis Paptiſmi doth write particularly of them, although ſo ſmartly and vehemently, as withall to reject the Guardianſhip of Angels; the Romiſh Errors wherabout are theſe four.
1481. The Papiſts ſay that Michael is the Pr•tector and Keeper of the whole Church of Chriſt: This we reject for Jeſus Chriſt is the HEAD of Angels ▪ the Protector and Defender of his Spouſe, the Church: All power is given unto him in Heaven and Earth; He is the Crowned King of aints: Tis true, there are Degrees among Angels, ſome are Angels, and others Arch-angels, but Chriſt (not Michael) is the Head of them all, and ſole Saviour and King of his Church.
2. Romaniſts do hold that every man hath his Guardian-Angel from God; So Clictoveus, Cuique Hominum ſigillatim, and Deſignatus eſt Angelus:Doway. Expoſ. Gen. 18.16. And our Doway men affirm the very ſame; We beleive (ſay they) that this Priviledge belongs not to Gods Elect only. But Heb. 1 14. tis moſt expreſly affirmed that Angels are to attend the Heirs of Salvation. Scil. Such Poſitively, and excluſively; Such and no other, not Reprobate Heirs of Perdition. Good Angels may have treated with evil men (as with Baalam)49 And ſo the holy Spirit doth often ſuggeſt good things to them; but all this is for their conviction and greater confuſion at the laſt: We cannot from hence affirm that either the holy Spirit, or elect Angels do abide with and watch over them.
3. The Pontificians hold that each man hath two Angels allot•ed him by God, one to vex and puniſh him,Bucan Loc. Com. de Angelis Loc. 6. Sect. 35. p. 74. the other to guard and comfort him: But this is abſurd, God appoints not an evil Angel conſtantly to attend his Elect, and if Satan Depute him, the Elect Angel ſet by God will continually expel and vanquiſh him; So that though the evil Angels do very often aſſault the Righteous, yet no one evil Angel can quietly and conſtantly be neer unto him that fears God: Therfore Satan bad particular Commiſſion to moleſt Iob for a time; and to give a BUFFET to Saint Paul: Now a Buffet is a ſudden blow or ſurpriſe; No evil Angel can long be neer Gods Elect, becauſe Michael is ſtronger then the Dragon: There is no communion between Light and Darkneſs,150 Chriſt and Belial, Elect Angels and Reprobate; and there is not a ſyllable in the Book of God, that ſpeaks of two Angels the one good the other bad, about a Child of Light.
4. And laſtly, moſt of them hold Invocation and Adoration to be due unto the Guardian-Angel; and many Arguments they urge to this end, here take the chief.
Firſt,Arg. 1Joſhuah fell down before the Angel and worſhiped. Joſh. 5.14.
We ſay,Origen. 6. Homil. in Joſh. he Worſhipt non an Angel but Chriſt their Captain: But Origen thus expounds it, Joſhua non adoraſſet niſi Agnoviſſet Deum, He would not have Ador'd, if he had not known him to be God.
Secondly,Arg. 2Baalam adored the Angel, Numb. 22.31.
1. We ſay, this might be an exceeding great Reverence, and no Adoration,1 Reg. 1.23. as Nathan bowed down to David, where the ſame word, Shacha, is uſed.
2. Tis but a weak Argument that is taken from the example of a falſe Prophet and Sorcerer, that was accuſtomed to proſtrat himſelf before his evil Spirits
151Thirdly, they urge Rev. 8.3. Arg. 3Dr. Willets Synop. Pap. in the 8. Gen. Cantr. Queſt. 3. p. 395.I ſaw another Angel that came and ſtood before the Altar, and much Odors were given unto him, to offer with the Prayers of the Saints, upon the Golden Altar. We anſwer.
1. Though the Angels ſhould preſent our Prayers to God, yet it is not in their own name, but Chriſts. Much Odors were mingled with the Prayers, i. e. Chriſts Merites. It follows not that therfore we may Invocate Angels, For the Saints on Earth may and do invocate God for us, yet are not to be Invocated by us.
2. This place is better expounded of Chriſt himſelf, the Angel of the Covenant, who offers up our Prayers unto God; which is Auſtins judgment on that Text.
Fourthly,Arg. 4Gen. 48.16.They ſay Iacob ſeems to pray unto the Angel, Gen. 48. But we anſwer, He is not there praying at all, but bleſſing his Children, and wiſhing all good unto them: And in caſe his Bleſſing comprehend Invocation, he prayeth only to God to bleſs them, and that his Angel may inſtrumentally152 be employed to do them good.
Theſe be the Arguments of Romaniſts which they ſharpen and boaſt of: For the Adoration and Invocation of our Guardian-Angel.
We Proteſtants have many weighty reaſons againſt it, as,
1. Divine Worſhip is due only to(a)(a)Pſal. 50.15. Mat. 4.10. God.
2. (b)(b)Heb. 1. •. Aug. de Ver. Relig. Cap. 55.Angels do worſhip God; Quod ergo colit ſummus angelus, id colendum etiam eſt ab Homine ultimo, ſaith Auſtin truly: That therfore which is worſhiped of the higheſt Angel, the man of loweſt degree ought alſo to worſhip.
3. Chriſt is our(c)(c)1 Joh. 2.2. Only and Allſufficient Advocate, no need of other Mediators.
4. John fell down to the(d)(d)Rev. 19.10. & 22.9. Angell, but the Angell ſuffered him not, ſaying, See thou do it not, I am thy fellow Servant, worſhip God.
5. Tis moſt expreſly forbidden of God: A man would bleſs himſelf to think how Romaniſts can ſwallow and digeſt that Text, Col. 2.18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary153 humility, and worſhipping of Angels, &c.
**Sine Authoritate Scripturaram Garrulitas non habet fidem. Hieronan cap. 1. ad TitumObſerve firſt, Tis Voluntary or Will-worſhip, no where appointed in Gods word; for which Chriſt will not thank you at the day of Judgment, but ſay,(e)(e)Iſa. 8.20. Who required this at your hands?
2. It hath in it a ſhew or pretence of humility: No Hook is c•ſt among the Fiſhes without a Bait: Tis common for Vice to go clad in the Robe of humility.
3. It is flatly forbidden; Let not any man (not he in the Porphiry Chair in his triple Crown, nor any one elſe) beguile and deceive you in this Point.
4. The Puniſhment is hinted if you do it, you looſe your reward. If you worſhip Angels here you ſhall not ſing with them in Heaven. The Papiſts do know that this Scripture cuts**Davenant Expoſ. Coloſ. 2.18 p. 238. very deeply, and they would fain either evade it quite, or blunt the edge if they could: To that end,
1. Caranza unworthily reads it, De ijs qui Angulos colunt (inſtead of154 Angelos) that prize and meet in Corners, not in Publick Aſſemblies, well knowing how much this prace makes againſt him.
2. Rhemiſh Annot. on Col. 2.18. Vol 3. p. 540.The Rhemiſts ſay, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks here againſt the wicked Doctrine of Simon-Magus, who affirmed that the Angels both ill and good were Mediators for us unto God. We anſwer, Theodoret ſufficiently declares, that in that place, all Wilworſhip is forbidden, and the Worſhip of good Angels as well as bad, what fear or likely-hood was there, that the Primitive Chriſtians ſhould be ſo unreaſonably ſottiſh as to worſhip the Divel? This therfore is a very Cobwebb excuſe, a very ſlender and pitifull evaſion for ſuch Learned men to offer unto the World.
I conclude this Point with a Golden Saying of Auſtin, and an humble confeſſion of Cajetan, no ſmall one among them.
Honoramus Angelos Charitate non Servitute,Auguſtinus de vera Relig. cap. 55. ſayth Auſtin: We Honour the Angels with ſincere love, not ſervile Adoration. What ſhall I ſay155 more? Cajetan himſelfe confeſſing, Certa ratione neſcimus an noſtra vota cognoſcant: We cannot certainly ſay, that the Angels know or heare our prayers: And ſo far of the neceſſary confutation of Romiſh Additions and Errors about this Point.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2here wil be matter of Information about ſeveral other truths, as
1. The great number of Angels.
2. The goodneſſe of God in allottingus ſuch Aſſociates and Tutors.
3. That hence it will follow (as a moſt probable truth) that Cities, Counties, Iſles, Provinces, and Kingdomes have their particular Angels.
And 4. by the rule of contraries, That perhaps wicked men have their evill Angels to follow them.
Firſt,11It informs us in the vaſt. number of Angels. Mat. 26: 53. Revel. 5.11. It may ſerve to inform us in the vaſt number of elect Angels, ſeeing every Believer hath one at leaſt to defend him, and upon extraordinary occaſions many troops to guard him, beſides thoſe that look to Cities and Provinces, and the main body all this while is reſident in heaven, before the156 Lamb, Revel. 5. and Iude 14. doe expreſſe their multitudes by the greateſt and roundeſt numbers in uſe among men:Dan. 7.10 ſo alſo Dan. 7. Thouſand thouſands miniſter unto him, and ten thouſand thouſands ſtand before him. Heb. 12.12 Pauperis eſt numerare pecus. But the Author to the Hebrews aſcends higher yet; The innumerable company of Angels. How ſurpaſſing glorious will the Throne of Chriſt be, when he ſhal come riding in the clouds of heaven,Mat. 25.31 & all his holy Angels with him. Not an Angel ſhall be left in heaven that ſhall not attend him. This Doctrine of the multitude of Angels doth marvellouſly tend to the Churches comfort and terrour of her enemies: For how truly may we ſay, There be more with us then againſt us! Thou that haſt few friends on Earth, maiſt have many friends in Heaven. Iob 38.7.Iob 38. when the morning Stars ſang together, and all the ſons of God ſhouted for joy. The Angels are there called Stars for their great number and gliſtering perfections; They all ſing with one mouth, and Nightingale throats, their Halelujas to the Lamb that ſits upon the Throne for ever.
157Secondly,2 In the goodneſs of God. it may ſerve to inform us in the goodneſſe of our gracious God towards us, for allowing us (who are worms, and no men) the ſociety and tuition of Angels. Lord what is Man that thou art mindfull of him! Tygers and Dragons might deſervedly be our companions, when lo! Angels come and miniſter unto us, (But of this ſubject ſomething††In my Spirituall•aſt, on Pſal. 34 8. p. 11, 12. I have ſpoken elſe where): So then briefly the free grace of God doth eminently ſhine in the guardianſhip of Angels.
1. In regard of our meanneſſe and ſinfulneſſe, that God ſhould paſſe over that, ſend his Son to bleed for us; and charge all his Servants in heaven and earth to ſhew tender love and reſpect to us. (g)(g)Rom. 5.10.
2. In regard of Angelicall excellency;**Pſal. 104 Creat miniſtros flammam•g•is; Quia Diaphaenia, Pulchritudine, incorruptibilitateque, Agilitate item, Celeritate, puritateque, ſunt Ornatiſſimae & Praeſtantiſſimae creaturae. Bullingeri. Deead. 4. Serm '9 fol. 249. Angels are in Chriſts School of an higher form then man: So when Angels attend us, 'tis as if Men (perhaps) ſhould be ſent to wait upon the Beaſts. Man in his greateſt honour,158 nour, and advanced on the higheſt pinacle of happineſſe, was, and ſhall be very much below the bleſſed Angels; For even Chriſt (in reſpect of his humanity) was made a little lower then the Angels, Heb. 2.7.
3. In regard of the freeneſſe of this life, it was beſtowed on Man unmerited, undeſired; placed on him in the Infancy, yea in the dark womb.
4. The conſtancy of this favour; Angels muſt not leave us till Death; We ſhall be ſure of one Angel at leaſt till we launch into the harmony of millions.
5. This gift is an earneſt of further kindneſs: If one of the Nobility place Officers and ſervants of all kinds about a Child of meane birth, it preſages he will breed him up, and make him Heir of all that he hath. And thus the Lord deales with his Elect (as in that notable place Heb. 1.14.) The Angels do miniſter to the HEIRS of ſalvation. Iſa. 65.24The Saints then are joyntheyrs, Co-heirs with Chriſt, Heaven is indeed their Inheritance; This is the time of their minority: And hee that159 conſiders this, that God hath ſent his Angels to attend & tutor them, muſt needs conclude, That certainly God hath ſome further Deſign, then that his Saints ſhould be born (and thus bred) only to be under hatches, to be hated and vilified in this world.
6. And laſtly, this is a ſingular kindneſſe and priviledg, that belongs only to the Elect; He hath not dealt thus with all Adams children.
In theſe reſpects the glorious free grace of God doth appear in the Guardianſhip of Angels over us.
Thirdly,3 That Communities have their Angels. Angeli ſunt Principes & Moderatores hujus Mundi, non futuri. Gerhard. Notae in Heb. 2.5. p. 48. It may inform us that Communities alſo (where there be any belonging to the election of Grace) have their Angels guardian placed by God over them. Hath the Lord care of Oxen, and not Paſtors? is the reaſoning of the holy Ghoſt: So ſay I, hath the Lord care of particular perſons (to allot them their Angels) then much more of all Chriſtian communities and Religious Societies: It is therefore moſt probable, that Cities, Shires, Provinces, Iſlands, Churches and Kingdoms have particular Angels160 to be preſidential over them, and that each Republick hath an Angel to be its protector: ſome ſay that Angels are ſet over the ſeverall**Rev. 14.18. & 16.5. Elements, for which Scriptures are urged; but Pareus will none of it. Learned Mede thinkes,(i)(i)Medes Diatribae. p. 172. that there be ſeven Arch-Angels that rule & govern the whole world, which alſo he proves(k)(k)Zech 4.10. Rev. 5.6. out of Scripture. One thing you may obſerve, that divers who do queſtion the Deputation of Angels o're particular perſons, do yet believe that Communities have their Angels that are allotted them. The Scripture is not altogether ſilent in this point:(l)(l)Mr. Lawrence of Angels, p. 22, 23. That place of the tenth of Daniel is famous, where mention is made of the Prince of the Kingdome of Perſia, and of the Prince of Greece; and of Michael their Prince. So Dan. 10.13.20, 21. verſ. The Prince of the Kingdome of Perſia withſtood him, and Michael their Prince came to help him. The ſame may be ſaid of CHURCHES, which are Communities very deare to God, They have their Angels: Some of the Fathers were of this mind, and bring161 thoſe places of the Revelation,Apoc. 2.1.8.12.18. To the Angell of the Church of Epheſus, &c. which they underſtood to be mentioned of the Guardian Angel, much cannot be ſaid againſt it: And that place, 1 Cor. 10.11. may as probably be urged, where the women were to have Power over their heads, becauſe of the Angels. And we may frame an argument from the leſſe to the greater; Doth the Lord take care of Kingdomes, and not for Churches? If civil Communities have their particular Angels, then much more, Religious.
Now here that you may ſee this is no Novel or Heterodox opinion, I ſhall ſpread before the Reader the judgment and aſſent of very learned Men:
Clemens Alexandrinus ſaith thus,Clem. Alexand in. Stromatum lib. 6. Per gentes & Civitates ſunt diſtributae Angelorum Praefecturae; The guardianſhip of Angels is diſtributed by Nations and Cities.
Theodoret thus;Theod. 11. Orat. p. 715. Sicut unicuique noſtrum deſignatus eſt Angelus; Sic unieuique Provinciae unus praeſertim eſt162 Archangelus: As every one of us hath (by deſignation) his Angel, ſo every Province his Arch-angel.
Jerom writing on Dan. Hier onymus apud, Lawrence of Angels, p. 22. Chemnit. Harm. Evang. cap. 92. p. 174010. ſaith thus; Hence it appeares that Angels are deputed to the care of Provinces and Countreys.
Chemnitius ſaith thus, Sufficit nobis in hac Regione mortalium hoc ex Scriptura noviſſe, quod non tantum Regionibus & Populis, Angeli a Deo ſunt cuſtodes & Tutatores conſtituti; ſed etiam Pii de Praeſidio Angelorum, ſive Ʋnius, ſive plurium, certi eſſe poſſunt. He ſaith that ſeveral Nations and People have their Angels, as alſo particular Believers one or more.
Peter Martyr on 1 Cor. 11.10.Pet. Mart. Com. in 1 Cor. 11.10. fol. 151 ſaith thus; Nec vetat quidpiam, ut per Angelos bonos ſpiritus accipiamus, quos ex Daniele ſcimuus Provinciis ac Regnis praefici; quin & Eccleſia illos habet ſe tuentes, ſuique Defenſores: Nothing hinders, but that by Angels we may underſtand good ſpirits, who as we know out of Daniel, are placed over Provinces and Kingdomes; yea Churches alſo have them for their Guardians.
163Bullinger thus; Dominationes,Bullingeri Decad. 4. Serm. 9. & Fol. 250. & 252. Principatus & Poteſtates nuncupari videntur, quod Deus Imperium ſuum per Angelorum Miniſterium in mundo adminiſtrat, ſuamque potentiam exercet. And again thus; Apud Danielem inducuntur Angeli Regnorum Principes aut Praeſides; Ʋt Michael cum Gabriele, Regni Iſraeliti; Alius autem quidam Regni Perſici, & alius quidam Regni Graecorum. Angels are called Dominions, Principalities and Powers, becauſe God doth rule the world by the Miniſtry of Angels: In Daniel the Angels are brought in as having the government of Kingdoms, &c.
Calvin thus;Calvin. Inſtit. lib. 1. cap. 14. Sect. 7. fol. 47. Caeterum an ſingulis Fidelibus ſinguli Angeli ſunt Attributi ad eorum Defenſionem, pro certo Aſſerere non auſim: Certe quum Daniel Angelum Perſarum, & Graecorum Angelum inducit, ſignificat certos Angelos Regnis ac Provinciis quaſi Praeſides Deſtinari. He will not be confident that each Believer hath his Angel; But he ſaith, for certain Daniel declares, that Kingdoms and Provinces164 have Angels ſet over them, as Preſidents or Rulers.
Grotius,Hugo Grotius in Annot. Mat. 18.10. p. 314. who writing of particular Believers, ſaith only, Singulos donare videtur cuſtode Angelo, writing of humane Societies and Common-wealths, he ſaith thus: His autem ſingulis ſuos attributos eſſe Angelos ex Daniele, Magno conſenſu & Judai & Chriſtiani veteres, colligebant; Illud vero extra omnem Controverſiam ponit Clemens Alexandrinus.
The Ancients, both Jews and Chriſtians gather out of Daniel by joynt conſent, that to every one of theſe certain Angels do belong, and tis put out of queſtion by Clemens Alexandriuus.
Bucan having declared that each Believer hath his Angel-keeper,Bucani Loc Com. de Angelis, loc. 6 p. 71. doth add this: Idem de ſingulis Provinciis ſentiendum: The very ſame is to be thought of Provinces, which he there proves out of Daniel.
Let me adde to this ſome late Engliſh Authors.
Paul Bain ſaith,Paul Bain on the Epheſ. pag. 374. That Angels have a great ſtroak in ſwaying theſe earthly165 kingdoms in wch we live: God dothuſe the miniſtry of Angels, and give them a Preheminence under him, & a power in ordering theſe inferiour things:Dan. 10.12. Iſa. 37.36 The Angels are therefore called great Princes, Dan. 10. Angels reſcued Ieruſalem from the force of the Aſſyrians, Iſa. 37. And an Angel created, led the people into Canaan, as is gathered by comparing the 20. and 21. of Exod.
Wilſon ſaith,Wilſon in Chriſtian Dict. that Angels are preſent with, and preſident over, as countries, ſo Churches.
Mr. Lawrence ſaith,Lawrence of Angels, p. 22. that Provinces, Communities and Churches have their Angels-guardian, that cleare place of Dan. 10. may ſuffice to confirm it. I will conclude with the Teſtimony of Reverend Mr. Greenhill;Mr. Greenhils 2 vol. on Ezek. 9. p. 207. Angels (ſaith he) have the care of Cities, Kingdoms, and Communities committed unto them; Angels were employed in the government of the world. Deut. 32.8. He ſet bounds according to the number of the children of Iſrael. The Septuagint hath it, According to the number of the Angels of166 God; As if they had the Land firſt divided among them, and then the people were ſetled according to thoſe diviſions: That in Dan. 10. is more clear and full, where the Angel tels Daniel that he would fight with the Prince of Perſia, hee would prevent his hindering their return to Jeruſalem: And when he ſhould go forth and leave the care of that Country, the Prince of Grecia ſhould come, namely Alexander the Great, and overthrow that Monarchy: Epiphanius ſaith,Five deductious. Regna & Gentes ſub Angelis poſitae ſunt; Thus far Mr. Greenhill. Well, if it be thus, that Cities, Kingdoms, and Republicks have Angels to Protect them, then five things will follow.
1. That we owe much to them that are deare to God; It is for their ſakes that God aſſigned Angels to defend any Nation: Believers are the marble Pillars of a State. The whole ſhip, and all the wicked Saylors in it were preſerved for St. Pauls ſake; If there had been a few righteous men in Sodome, it had not been deſtroyed.
1672. This conſideration may ſerve to comfort us; If at any time we ſee the foundations of the earth out of courſ, the pillars of Kingdoms to be ſhaken, and the wicked ſtriving to bear ſway, and trample Religion, Order, and Government (according to Law) under foot. There are yet in ſuch Kingdoms more and greater with, then againſt the Lords People.
3. P. Bain on Epheſ. p. 374.We muſt acknowledg then ſaith Bain, That when things are tollerably carried in theſe evill Times, that it is not effected without the Miniſtry of Gods Angels.
4. We muſt pray to God, that he would cauſe his celeſtiall Principalities and Powers to encircle thoſe who ſit at the ſtern, to keep them from lawleſſe liberty and Libertines, and to encline them to act faithfully and vigorouſly for the uſe of Church and State.
5. And laſtly, This may quiet us in the many great mutations and changes in the frame of civill Adminiſtrations: Let us hope the Lord is yet bringing great and good things to168 paſſe for us. Let not any repine and murmure, and hanker after the Garlick and Fleſh-pots of Aegypt, and turn arrant Unbelievers & Apoſtates, as do too many, the more is the pitty; Miſtruſt not the continuation of Divine Providence over us; God is emptying the Nation from veſſell to veſſell, till our filthy dregs be purged out: If the motions of a little Sparrow be ordered by Providence, then much more the mighty turnings of Nations and Kingdoms are diſpoſed and over-ruled by Chriſt and his holy Angels. In the tenth of Ezekiel,Ezek. 10.10.12. Greenhill in Locum, p. 305. & 311. you read of a wheele within a wheele, and that the wheels were full of eyes round about. The workings of Providence are very myſterious: By wheels you may underſtand all the motions and Turnings here below; And the four wheels are all the foure parts of the world. All things in the world have dependency on higher cauſes: The wheels are by the Cherubims; That is, the Angels do move and order them, next under God: Things may ſeem to be confuſed, but the Cherubims are neer unto169 the wheels, and the Angels have no ſmall influence upon them. The Lord is Methodicall in diſpoſing the affayrs of the world, for each one of the Angels hath his wheel to govern. Note. The foure Angels do not promiſcuouſly look to the four wheels; But (God is the God of Order) each wheel hath his Cherubim; They act methodically, & look to their wheels in their ſeverall quarters. Man is not able to judg of Gods works and wayes, which are past finding out. There is a wheel within a wheel: Ezekiel ſaw one wheel intangled in another: Or thus, A wheel within a wheel; one change follows upon the neck of another; There may be a ſucceſſion and concatenation of puzling Providences in the world: Bees make a confuſed humming, and a thouſand croſſe motions when they ſwarm: The little Ants run confuſedly up & down and over one another, yet every Bee in the Hive, every Ant on the Mole-hil hath his place and work; There is a ſweet harmony in thoſe Common-wealths: So it is among the Nations, in the midſt of confuſion,170 quoad nos, there is exact order as to God: Obſerve, Theſe wheels were full of eyes round about. The motions of all cauſes and creatures here below is not caſual or diſorderly as to God: Both the wheels and Cherubims are full of eyes, they ſee and know their way, and the work they have to do: The glorious eye of Divine Providence that never ſlumbers: And the eyes of**Deus enim per Angelos Regit & Moderatur Orbem; Sicut Dominus per aurigam Regit & Moderatur Equos & Currum. Corn. A. Lapide ad Apoc. 7.1. p. 143. Angels are over and in all creatures and all Motions; and in all the ſudden windings and myſterious turnings of the wheels: Things appear to us to be caſuall and diſorderly, but, There be eyes in the wheels: No motion is injudicious or out of courſe to God. Theſe eys of Angels do ſparkle with Divine luſtre, they are cleare, open, and intent, nothing eſcapes their obſervation. Laſtly, ſee the beauty of Divine providence; All the wheels and Cherubims were full of eyes; The bodies, backs, hands, and wings of the Cherubims are ſayd to be full of eyes: So alſo Rev. 4.8. They are full of eyes within. Mans eyes adde not ſo much glory and beauty to his face, as171 theſe eyes do to Angels & the wheels: The Peacocks Train (which is full of eyes) how beautifull and glorious is it when expanded and ſhaken in the Sun? It is far ſhort of the beauty and glory of elect Angels, who (as it was feigned of Argus) are full of eyes, gliſtering like ſtars: And the ſame is affirmed of the wheels, viz. the Acts of Divine Providence in the world: How blind then, and ſottiſhly perverſe are we, that have not an eye to ſee theſe eyes, and patiently to wait and hope, and expect great things from God, when his ſet time is come? Well, let the ſerious beliefe of this Truth, that Republicks and Kingdoms are over-ruled and diſpoſed by Angels, ſilence and huſh all our peeviſh and mutinous complaints amidſt all our changes, and after all our ſufferings: By conſidering there have been eyes in the wheels, and that all the croſſe and rugged providences of our God ſhall work together for the good of his Church and People.
As for Cities, that they alſo have their Angels, why ſhould we doubt,721 when Jeruſalem was deſtroying, a voyce was heard, Fly to Pella, Fly to Pella! Who doubts but this was the laſt ſummons of her Guardian Angel, calling and bidding the faithful to depart with him? ††See Paul Bain on Epheſ. pag. 374.Let us ſee, Iſa. 37.35, 36. I will defend this City Ieruſalem to ſave it for my owne Names ſake: Then the Angell of the Lord went forth and ſmote the Aſſyrians: Mark, The Angell; It was one Angel, and he went forth, namely out of Jeruſalem, to ſlay her Enemies: This then was the Angel Guardian of that City Ieruſalem, as is moſt probable. Great and populous Cities are as it were the eyes of the earth (as Athens and Sparta were ſayd to be of Greece) and there is no queſtion but Divine Providence hath a ſpecial eye upon them for their preſervation, and that Angels take care for them: Witneſſe that excellent Government, and exact order that is in thoſe gallant Cities, which elſe would crumble into confuſion and deſolation in one hour.
Let London therefore lift up her head, and not be caſt downe at the173 fooliſh Propheſies of her Aſtrologers; But know and follow the things that belong to our peace: The Lord hath much honoured that City, and made it an Aſylum, and City of**Jam Seges eſt ubi Troia fuit. Refuge to his perſecuted Miniſters and People in our late Troubles; many thouſands are therin to God as the Aple of his eye; And therfore we have reaſon to hope that the Lord will not remove her good Angel from her.
Indeed Magnificent Cities rebelling againſt God have been brought to deſolation; As in the caſe of**Jam Seges eſt ubi Troia fuit. Troy,(a)(a)Theatre of Gods Iudgments. cap. 50. p. 407.408. Niniveh, Babylon, and Carthage; Yea, that great and everlaſting City of Rome (as one calls it) ſhall become as other Preſumptious Cities; A dwelling for Hedghogs, an habitation of Owls and Vultures; Thorns ſhall grow in her Palaces, and Nettles in her ſtrong Holds: The voice of Harpers and Muſitians ſhall no more be heard in thoſe dwellings.
But as Rome was not built, ſo neither will it be pulled down in a day; The Lord is now (as it were) undermining the Walls of that Idolatrous174 City and Neſt of Images: And our Song ſhortly will be this, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; Amen Halelujah! Thoſe evil Angels that are in and over Rome, ſhall not be able to ſhield her from the wrath of God, and the power of his Angels. And ſo much of the third thing, that 'tis very probable that not only Perſons but Communities have their Angels.
Fourthly,44That wicked men have their evill Angels. Tertullian ſaith, That thoſe Lemures were Daemones. It may inform us, that wicked men have their evil Angels to draw them (on all occaſions) into ſin and miſchief; For Eadem Ratio contrariorum, If good men are under the Tuition of Angels, Reprobates are under the power of Devils. The Heathen did not only ſpeak of Lares, that were good Angels, but alſo of the Lemures, or evil Spirits, that vexed and purſued men, and ſtirred them up unto evil: Satan is evermore Gods Ape, and in Imitation of his Providence o're the Elect; In a ſutable way will he apply himſelf to his Vaſſals and Veſſels of Wrath. This evil Angel is permitted by God, but placed by Satan the Prince of Devils; And I175 ſhall eaſily confeſs (with Bucan) that as one evil Angel hath moleſted and plagued many men, and many evil Angels (even a Legion) have tormented one**Bucan de Angel. Loc. 6. p. 71.. So it is not abſolutely expreſſed in the word, that every evil man hath an evil Angel ſet over him; And yet it is probable that Satan poſſeſſing the Caſtle of a wicked heart, will never utterly and willingly withdraw, but leave (at leaſt) one evil Spirit to ſecure it:1 Sam. 16. Thus a Devil entred into Judas, and Saul was often vexed with an unclean Spirit. You ſhall hear what a late**Mr. Lawrence of Angels. p. 80.81. Writer ſaith to this diſcourſe; Some diſtinguiſh the Miniſtry of Devils as to Vices; Therfore you read of an unclean, a lying, a dumb, and a ſeducing Devil: others divide their Miniſtry according to the Object of it, Perſons, Families, Societies, and States, and therfore(b)(b)Dan. 8.20.21. quote thoſe places in Daniel, where mention is made of the Kings of Perſia and Grecia, which oppoſed Michael their Prince; And ſo alſo they take that place of Saint(c)(c)2 Cor. 12.7. Paul, There was given to me a Meſſenger of Satan to176 buffet me; And that curſe of the(d)(d)Pſal. 109.6. Pſalmiſt, Let Satan ſtand at his right hand! There is no doubt of Satans wil for this Method (which he ſeeth ſo advantagious for the Saints in the other Miniſtry, of which we have treated.) If his power fail him not, if God permit it, he wants not Diligence, Malice Wiſdom, and Inſtruments for that Work.
Wicked men and Reprobates are(e)(e)Eph. 2.2. 2 Cor. 4.4 2. Tim. 2.26. then in a very ſad condition, voyd of the favour of God and preſence of his holy Angels, but grievouſly moleſted and captivated by evil Spirits: The Devil works in them mightily, they are hood-winkt and beſotted and blinded by the God of this World, led captive by his will, having no power ſo much as to groan or wiſh for deliverance. But now if Satan direct his Angels to Beleevers, they dare not, they cannot long abide with them; Their good Angel expels and chaſes them away, they ſoon retire routed and confounded. Here alſo I might declare how wicked men have been hanted with evil ſpirits in moſt ſtrange177 and fearfull**See Baxters Reſt. Edit 2. p. 271. Apparitions: Sozomen writes of Apelles, a famous Egyptian Smith who was tempted to uncleanneſs by a Divel in the ſhape of a woman. Ludovicus Vives ſaith, among the Indians in America, nothing is more common then to ſee and hear Spirits in bodily ſhapes day and night: And Sleidan tells of a Popes Legat that was feared into a deadly ſickneſs, by a ſtrange Apparition in his Chamber. We read alſo in the Scriptures of divers that have been actually poſſeſſed of Divels:Zanchius 3. Tom. lib. 4. cap. 10. Zanchy thinks it was the very ſubſtance of Divels that entred men. Camerarius and others do ſhew us, that in**See Theatre of Gods Iudgments. 431. to 437. former times of darkneſs theſe things were very uſuall, although now (bleſſed be God) the very**Camerarius his Hiſtoricall obſervat. lib. 4. cap. 15. p. 288. Relation therof is ſo terrible unto us. The Divel makes a ſecret compact with a World, but an open one with Witches and ſuch as have familiar Spirits but eſpecially ſome one reſorts to them: A Witch gives an Angel of Darkneſs full power over Body and Soul for ever; Satan doth not thirſt178 for a few drops of blood from the body, but hereby doth contrive and ſeal the ruine of the Soul: He doth not only (as Porphiry imagined) aime at Honour and Principality, and to have ſome to worſhip him in the world, but he undermines the Salvation of many Souls: And every Witch is a ſworn Vaſſal and Factor of Hell. And ſo much of the ſecond Uſe.
Thirdly,Uſe. 3here will be matter of Admonition unto many Duties. 1. To baniſh all ſlaviſh and baſe fears. 2. Not to deſpiſe the pooreſt and meaneſt Spirit. 3. To make ſure of Chriſt the head of Angels 4. To depend on God chiefly. 5. Greive not your Guardian Angell. 6. Let us imitate the Angels in owning and protecting, and cheriſhing the Saints (this chiefly ſpeaks to Magiſtrates and Miniſters.)
Firſt,11Baniſh all ſlaviſh and baſe fears. Let the people of God be admoniſhed to baniſh all ſlaviſh, improfitable and ſinfull fears, ſeeing Elect Angels are their Keepers. Alexander the Great, was obſerved to ſleep very ſoundly one night, when the Enemy was neer him, and being asked179 how he could do it, he anſwered,Weems of the Cerem. Law. cap. 9. p. 39. becauſe Parmenio waked: So may the people of God lay them down in peace and ſafety, becauſe the Vigilant Angels that keep them are ſtill awake; None ſleep ſo ſoundly and ſecurely as the people of God. King Salomon ſlept with ſixty valliant men by his ſide, having Swords becauſe of fear in the night. But one Angel is ſtronger then ſuch a Guard: Angels keep the Elect from**Gen. 19.16. &. 18.12. & 25.7. & 32.1, 2. Pſal. 34.7. & 91.11. 1 Reg. 19.7. 2 Reg. 6.16. Exod. 26.1. & 34.24. many dangers of Soul and body, both in the Curtains of the Tabernacle, and Wall of the Temple, Cherubins were painted up and down; To ſignifie what Protection we may expect in Gods Service from the bleſſed Angels: If the Peſtilence rage in the City. Angels often keep it from the Tabernacles of the Righteous; yea, the Angels and Stars in their courſes do ſight for us againſt the Churches Enemies: Fear not men, Diſeaſes, Poverty, Death or Divels: But learn to fear the mighty Jehovah, Let him be your Dread, Timor, Timore, ut clavus clavo pellitur: Fear is expelled by fear, as one Nail is driven out by180 another. Mat. 10.28.Fear not man whoſe breath is in his Noſtrils, and who can but kill the Body with Permiſſion; not touch an hair of your head without leave from Heaven; But fear him, who is able the next Moment, To caſt thy body and ſoul into Hell-flames, Away then with idle, pannick, and unprofitable fears to which many are prone. Zeno,Diog. Laert. being askt why he feared the barking of a Dog? returned this anſwer, Perdifficile eſt hominem prorſus exuere: No man is ſo ſtout, but ſomtimes he ſhews himſelf to be a man in weakneſs: There are more things ſaith**Saepius opinione laboramus quam Re. Seneca in Epiſt. 13. Pſal. 56. 2 Reg. 6.16. Seneca that do affright then aſſault us. What David ſayd to Abiathar, that, thy Angel-Guardian ſaith to thee, Abide thou with me and fear not, for with me thou ſhalt be in ſafe-guard! Hear the Pſalmiſt, I truſt in the Lord and fear not what man can do unto me! Feare not thou Worme Jacob, I will help thee, ſaith the Lord. All his attributes, all his Angels are engaged for our good: When Eliſha prayed, and ſaw the Mountain full of Horſes and Charriots of fire, he ſoon181 revived his Servants by ſaying, Fear not, for they that are with us are more then thoſe that are againſt us. So then the preſence and tuition of Angels ſhould baniſh and diſcard all unworthy and degenerate fears, which ſhrivel up the ſinews of good Endeavours to ſecure our ſelves.
Secondly,22Deſpiſe not the meaneſt Saint. Mat. 18.10. Deſpiſe not the pooreſt and meaneſt of Gods Children; So our Saviour applies this Doctrine of Angellical Deputation, Mat. 18. Deſpiſe not one of theſe little ones, for in Heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father. q. d. Take heed that you do not ſlight and undervalue the bleſſed Heirs of Salvation, on whom the Lord hath caſt ſo much honour as to ſend Angels to be their Tutors, and on whom Elect Angels do not diſdain to attend. Deſpiſe not then the little ones of Chriſt: Not ſuch as are little in years and ſtature, ſcornfully to think them unworthy of the Seal; Not ſuch as are little in the world, love Grace in Ruſſet before Vice in Velver; God is no Reſpecter of perſons: Nor laſtly ſuch as are little182 in gifts and graces; You may not deſpiſe the day of ſmall things, The very filings of Gold are pretious; And beſides true Grace cannot be at a ſtand.
O deſpiſe not theſe little Ones of Chriſt;Dr. Sibbs Fountain opened. p. 110.111. Voſſius Inſtitut. Orat. lib. 4. cag. 7. p. 166. Why? Becauſe Angels more Glorious Creatures then you do not, dare not; and Chriſt more Glorious then they, will not. Angels are willing to tend the meaneſt Saint, to provide things needfull for us: Therfore ſaith Voſſius is Manna called Angels food, Quia Angelorum Miniſterio fuerit Productum: Angels had a hand in the Production. Well to comfort, and feed, and releive one another is the work of an Angel: Shall any one think himſelf too good to hear or help any poor Chriſtian? or to ſettle and reſolve his doubts? O the pride of our Nature! When Angels diſdain not to tend and rock little Babes; To viſit and cheriſh Job full of Sores: What Deviliſh qualities are Pride and Envie? They make us to neglect others, advance our ſelves; we know it was the ſpeech of wicked Cain, Am183 I my brothers Keeper? Shall I ſtoop to him; Fleſh and blood begins to take ſtate upon it: Let us bluſh and be aſhamed of this churliſh Humour, when we ſee Angels attending poor Beggers and Orphans; and Chriſt himſelf, waſhing and wiping his Diſciples feet! When the great God became MAN, ſhall we wonder that Angels ſhould attend the Nature that God had ſo honoured? rather let's ſuppoſe that the Devils left their firſt Stations, being proud Spirits and diſdaining their Calling; For the good Angels do humble themſelves to this work: What Deviliſh ſins then are Pride, Envie, and Diſdain, that ſtand a Tiptoe and over-look the poor Members of Chriſt? The Angels rejoyce in the Salvation of Souls, ſhall we ſlight the Image of God? Shall the well-fare of others and their thriving ſpiritually, or outwardly be cauſe of joy to the Angels, and yet matter of trouble and griefe to us? Shall we envie the proſperity of Gods people, & look a ſquint on their enjoyments? and ſhall we dare to ſcorn and trample184 on thoſe who are caſt down? This be far from us: Let us rather honour thoſe whom God hath ſo loved, and reverence thoſe whom Angels attend, You value men for externall Pomp, the glory of their Apparel, Chariots, and Retinue; The Number and Gallantry of their Pages and Servants: O conſider this, that Beleevers have Elect Angels for their Servitors and daily Attendants. **2 Kings 6.16.Poor Eliſha had a Mountain full of Horſes and Chariots of fire.
Thirdly,33Make uſe of Chriſt. make ſure of Jeſus Chriſt, who is the LORD and head of the Angels; Him they worſhip, and at his diſpoſal are they,Col. 2.10. Col. 2. The head of all Principality and Power. There is a vaſt difference ſaith Lactantius between this Son and other Angels;Magna inter hunc filium caeteroſque Angelos, differentia eſt. Lactant: Inſtit. lib. 4. cap. 8. You muſt chiefly apply your ſelves unto Chriſt, He was that Iacobs Ladder which touched Earth and Heaven, and joyned them both together by his Mediation; And on him Elect Angels deſcend upon us, becauſe of our Relation to him: They attend us as the Kings Daughter, and as the185 Royal and Loyal Spouſe of Chriſt Jeſus. Clear up then your Ingrafture into Chriſt and bleſſed intereſt in his Propitiatory Mediation and Merits, if you deſire to be aſſured of Angelical Attendance. Ʋt Angeli noſtri ſint,Calvin. Angeli ſine Dei ipſius irradiatione obire per ſe Proprium munus intelligentiae nequeant. Pi•rius in Hieroglyph. lib. 33. cap. 6. Calvin Harmon. Evang. Chriſti Membra nos eſſe oportet, ſaith Calvin: That Angels may be ours, it concerns us that we be Members of Chriſt; Which way the Meſſiah goes that way go all the Promiſes and Angels: If Chriſt be ours, we need not to queſtion the love of his Servants: Angels ſaith Pierius without a new Irradiation of God upon them can do nothing: And Calvin in his Harmony ſaith thus; That Promiſe, He ſhall give his Angels charge ouer thee, doth indeed appertain to all the faithfull, but eſpecially to Chriſt, who as he is the head of the whole Church, ſo in his own right he governeth the Angels, giving them chargeover us. Let it therfore be our particular care to get a part in Chriſt, to be able to ſay, Chriſt is mine; is beter then a Mine of the Gold of Ophir.
186Fourthly,4 Admire and truſt chiefly in God. Let us chiefly admire and truſt in God: As Angels can do nothing without him, ſo he can do all without them: In the midſt of their encampings, eye Jeſus Chriſt their Lord and Captain, who hath all power given him in Heaven and Earth. If Angels be ſo ſtrong, ſo wiſe, ſo beautifull, how glorious is God that made and maintains them? Oh, if theſe ſtars of the morning be ſo bright and gliſtering, how full of light and ſplendor is the Sun of Righteouſneſſe? Iob 38.7. Mal. 4.2.All that hath or can be ſaid about Angels, ſhould ſerve as a glaſs to diſcover unto us the glory of God: We doe not goe about to extoll the creature, and derogate from the Creator; God forbid! Calvin. Inſtit. lib. 1. cap. 14. ſect. 10.Let us heare Calvin; Videmus Chriſti gloriam ſuperioribus aliquot ſeculis fuiſſe multis modis obſcuratam, quam immodicis elogijs Angeli Praeter Dei verbum cumularentur. We ſee (ſaith he) that Chriſts glory was many ways darkened in former Ages, by reaſon of thoſe high prayſes heap'd upon Angels beſides the Word. Therfore St. Paul declared againſt worſhipping187 Angels, Coloſ. 2. A ſinne, it ſhould ſeem, that ſome in thoſe pureſt times were leaning unto: Now God forbid that this Fly ſhould fall into our box of Oyntment! Let us rather climb up to God by the ladder of his creatures, the uppermoſt round whereof is the Doctrine of Angels: How ſhould we joyne in that Angelicall employment of prayſing, adoring, and admiring for ever that God whom we love and honour, and in compariſon of whom we muſt vilifie and nullifie all things that we may magnifie, omnifie Chriſt Jeſus? Oh that this might be the fruit of our Meditations on this ſubject; Truſt not in Man, no nor in Princes, ſaith the Pſalmiſt: So may I go on, Truſt not in Princes, no nor in Angels, or Arch-Angels abſolutely, but ſtill in ſubordination to God: Look not ſo much on the Angel Gabriel, as on the glad tydings that he brought: Look not on the Arch-Angel Michael, ſo much as Chriſt his Maſter. In a word, Look not on any Angel ſo much, as Chriſt the Angell of the Covenant. As188 a Stranger that comes to the Courts of Princes, obſerves the Nobility, the Favourites, and all the Followers; but yet chiefly enquires for the Prince, and ſtill looks through them all, to receive a fuller Idea of the King. So it muſt be here; we may look upon the Angels and Saints, and admire the image and graces of God in them; but we muſt chiefly look at Chriſt the King of his Church, before whom the Angels fall down and worſhip, the 24. Elders piling up their Crowns at his feet. Thus God in Chriſt by the Spirit muſt be all in all with us.
Fifthly,5 Grieve not your Guardian Angell. grieve not, offend not your Angel by doing any thing unworthy of his preſence: As it is wondrous humility that Angels will ſtoop to us, being of a meaner and inferiour nature: ſo it is marvellous patience, that after ſo many ſinns and miſcarriages, they will continue their preſence with us. Theophilact ſpeaking on that Text, Their Angels behold the face of God,Theoph. Enar. in Mat. 18. hath this Obſervation, Peccatorum tamen Angeli, quaſi propter nos confuſi, minus fidentes ſunt; neque ipſi poſſunt189 tam libere videre Faciem Dei. The Angels (ſaith hee) of them that do ſin do even bluſh, and are aſhamed to look in the face of God, Namely, that they can give no better account of their charge.
Would you not grieve your Guardian Angel?Chemnit. Harm. cap. 92. p. 1741 then you muſt doe five things, viz.
1. Cavendum eſt ne tam fidelem cuſtodem, tam amantem noſtri Paedagogum noſtris delietis atqueinver•cunda pos candi libidine a nobis alienemus. 〈◊〉de Praeſidio Angelico, p 724.Beware of inordinate and libidinous affections, as of Luſt, Envy, & Wrath, that give place to the Devill: Caveamus ne vel ſermonibus obſcaenis, vel vitae impuritate hoſce ſanctos cuſtodes a Nobis abigamus: We muſt beware, leaſt by obſcenity of ſpeech, and impurity of life, we chaſe away theſe holy keepers from us, ſaith Chemnitius: And we muſt take heed, ſaith Rivius, leaſt by our ſinnes and luſts we breed a kind of ſtrangeneſs in our Angel-keeper and Tutor towards us: Let us not live as the Sadduces that denyed the Reſurrection, and would not believe there was any Angel or Spirit.
2. Take heed not only of open and ſcandalous ſin, but even ſuch as be ſecret, and under the view of men: ſay,190**Drexel. Ʋnus mihi Angelus, unica conſcientia, Deus unus; Pro urbe pro orbe toto, pro omnium oculis & auribus. There is one Angel, one Conſcience, one God that ſees, and that is as much as if an whole City, or the whole world beheld me. When thou art alone, or in the dark, and no eye of man can diſcern thee, know God and the Angels are ſpectators and witneſſes of thy carriage. Thy moſt ſecret ſins are as irkſome to the Angels, as ſmoak to Bees. bbƲt fugat apes fumus, & abigit columbas fae tor; Ita Angelum vitae noſtrae ſe gregat Faetens Peccatum. Baſil. Chemnitij Har. cap. 92.How ſhould theſe Meditations awe us, when ſolicited ſecretly to ſin againſt God? Cavendum ne coram his cuſtodibus dicamus vel faciamus, quod coram hominibus honeſtis pudere poſſet, ſaith Chemnitius: Let us forbear to ſpeak or do that before our Angels, that we would not be found doing in the ſight of honeſt and grave men: A wall may preſerve from the eyes of men ſaith another;Rivius de Praeſid, Ang. p. 724. But whither canſt thou flee from the piercing eyes of God and his Angels? This ſhould make us to abhorre ſecret ſins, and never to neglect Cloſet duties.
3. Be not irreverent and remiſſe in191 the publique Aſſemblies of Gods people, ſeeing many Angels eyes are then and there upon you:Medes Reverence of Gods Houſe, Sect. 2. p. 18. Not onely your own Angels, but the Angels of others there aſſembled, beſides the Angels that belong to the whole Congregation. Learned Mede thinks that Gods extraordinary preſence in the publick Aſſembles doth conſiſt in his Train or Retinue of Angels. Pſalm. 138. 1. I will praiſe thee in the preſence of the Gods. The ſeventy read it thus,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In conſpectu Angelorum pſallam; I will ſing unto thee in the preſence of the Angels. The apprehenſion of Angels preſence will make us ſing, and pray, and hear with Devotion. 1 Cor. 11.10. The woman ought to have power on her head (viz. to be modeſtly veyled) Becauſe of the Angels. Elect Angels are exact and carefull obſervers, and eye-witneſſes of our Behaviour and Deportment in the publique Ordinances. This was ſhadowed of old; for you read in Exod. 31. That the Curtains of the Tabernacle were pictured full of Cherubims: To ſignifie, that about our ſolemn meetings,192 whole troops of Angels take notice of our carriage. Therefore looke to your feet, when you come into Gods houſe, I mean your Affections, for there you ſet your ſelves in the preſence of the great God and his mighty Angels. Surely if this were conſidered, we ſhould be a little more ſerious in Gods worſhip; Not ſit unconcerned under the Word, nor caſting our ſelves into variety of ſluggiſh and irreverend poſtures as do too many, unbecoming the preſence, of Angels ſhall I ſay? Nay even of Men, Miniſters, and fellow-Chriſtians.
4. See Bullinger decad. 4. ſer. 9 f•o. 252Let us not grieve our good Angels by thinking of them above that which we ought: See thou doe it not, ſaid the Angel to John, I am thy fellow ſervant, worſhip God. How was Paul troubled, when the Heathen came and would have ſacrificed unto him? Cannot Angels be loved, but they muſt be grieved? Nothing is ſo grievous unto them as to be adored.
5. Note. Let us not only not diſpleaſe, but let us ſtudy to pleaſe and rejoyce the Angels, that the end of their guardianſhip193 and ſolemn Deputation thereto, may be attained. Laetantur Angeli Caeleſtes quod vident cuſtodiam ſuam, quam impendunt in eos qui hereditatem capiunt ſalutis, non male eſſe collocatam; Et quod in Coelo, loco deficientium Diabolorum, plures recipiunt ſodales, ſaith Chemnitius ſweetly: When you reap good by Angelical attendance, then thoſe bleſſed Spirits rejoyce; for that their Vacant ſeats out of which the fal en Angels were caſt, are like to be repleniſht with new aſſociates: And ſo much of the fifth admonition, not to grieve your Angels.
6. Let us imitate the Angels,6 Let us imitate Angels. as in other things, ſo principally this, of guarding and regarding the people of God. This ſpeaks to all, but chiefly to Magiſtrates and Miniſters, who are to be a Fence and wall to the Church.
Firſt, this ſpeaks to all,1 This ſpeaks to all. that we ſhould endeavour to imitate the Angels,**In Angels ſervice there is, 1. Sincerity. 2. Integrity. 3. Alacrity. 4. Sedulity. 5. Ardency. 6. Humility, and 7. Conſtancy. Dr. Gouge his guide, 89, 90. as in their ſwift, conſtant, and moſt cheerfull obedience, ſo eſpecially194 in comforting and protecting the Saints. Angli tanquam Angeli, was the old Obſervation; Oh that it might be verified of this Nation! Let all our delight be in them that excell in vertue: And let us do good to all, but eſpecially to the houſhold of Faith. Oh let us aſpire to Angelical work! Wee have Angels to guard us, why ſhould we not be guardians of one another? How ſhould we inſtruct the ignorant, reduce the Erronious, confirme the Weak, comfort the feeble-minded, & relieve the neceſſities of the Saints? In a word, on all occaſions take part with them againſt the violence and oppreſſion of wicked men? But chiefly,
Let every Chriſtian have one particular faithfull friend to watch over his ſoule,Note. to deale ſincerely and moſt impartially with him. The word calls for it, Two is better then one; Let us conſider and obſerve one another; Let us watch over one another, and provoke to good works. Ineſtimable is the fruit of this courſe as the experience of Saints can witneſſe. Auſtin had his Alypius,195 Bernard his Gervaſius, Baſil his Nazianzen, Jerom his Heliodorus, Euſebius his Pamphilius. David his Jonathan, and Paul his Barnabas, for this end. Among the properties of a ſpeciall boſom friend this is the chief; To imitate our Guardian Angel in watching over us, and not ſuffer ſin to paſſe unreprooved; This is true, durable and profitable Friendſhip. Laſtly as good Angels take part with us againſt the evill, ſo we muſt ſide and take part with the Church againſt all her Enemies: When the wolfe comes, all the ſheep run together: We muſt own the Righteous not only in proſperity, but in their Troubles and Oppreſſions from men:Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur, ſaith Tully. Many uſe their Friend like a Diall, they paſſe by him if the Sun of Proſperity do not ſhine upon him. Amicos res opimae parant, adverſae probant, A friend is born for Adverſity, and to ſtand by when others forſake one: Such a friend may be neerer then a brother. **Secundus, p. 89Res inventu difficilis; but being found, he is Anguſtiarum Solatium, miſeriarum fomentum; a choiſe ſupport in the time of trouble.
196Secondly,2 To Magiſtrates. this ſpeaks to Magiſtrates; That they eſpecially doe imitate the bleſſed Angels, and be Defenders of the Faith, and Protectors of the Faithfull: Here I ſhall declare, 1. That the Godly and Orthodox muſt by them be protected and cheriſhed in Gods wayes. 2. That the blaſphemous and Hereticall, (though they call themſelves Saints and People of an high Adminiſtration) muſt not be protected in uſurping the Ephod, diſperſing and divulging their damnable Opinions.
1. The godly, Orthodox, and Peaceable muſt be protected, encouraged, and cheriſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate in wel-doing: Magiſtrates muſt feed, and defend, and provide for the flock of God, and be a wall and fence to the godly; If any do injure them, they with the Angels muſt take their part. The Magiſtrate muſt provide for their ſouls, by ſetting up lights in the dark corners of the Land, by building and cauſing to be well repaired the places of Publicke worſhip; By ſetting up a convenient maintenance197 for the Diſpencers of the word, by contending for the Sabbath, and ſubduing all known Prophanations, by their cauſing all of all ſorts ſomewhere to heare the word; By defending and encouraging the publique Aſſemblies of Gods people; by providing for Provinciall and Nationall Councels to be called and held for the preſervation of Truth, Order, and Peace. In a word, by ſuppreſſing houſes of Rioting, and all kind of wickedneſſe and prophaneſſe, which gets the upper hand. Then, as the Magiſtrates muſt look to the Soules, ſo alſo to the Bodis, Eſtates, and properties of men: That Righteouſneſſe run down as a ſtream: That the poor be employed and maintayned: That Corn in plenty be layd up againſt a time of dearth: That ſuperfluous Comodities be ſent abroad in Ships, and other needful things brought home in their room: By ſetting up Judges and Magiſtrates as at the firſt:Exod. 18.21, 22, 23. That juſtice may runne down by our doors: Finally, that the Nation be able to defend it ſelfe from invaſion, or inteſtine198 Mutiny: Hear whataaDr. Featly his Sermon, p. 817 one hath ſaid to this point; Angels are our Guardians, Magiſtrates, Parents, Tutors, and Maſters, Keepers in a time of Peace; Generals, Captains, and Souldiers in a time of War: but if you ask with the Poet, Quis cuſtodes cuſtodiet ipſos? We anſwer, Cuſtos Iſraelis:Iſa. 49.23 That God which hath ſaid, Kings ſhall be thy nurſing Fathers, & Queens thy nurſing Mothers, will certainly ſtand by his Ordinance of Magiſtracy. 'Twas one of the ſeditious Lawes enacted at Munſter;Note. Magiſtratibus ac Principibus nullus ſubjiciatur: Let no man be ſubject to Magiſtrates and Princes. There are a world of theſe Caterpillars now abroad upon every green leafe, and therefore it concerns us to be the more vigilant and unanimous againſt them.
2. See twenty Reaſons in Dr. Cheynell of the Trinity, 461. & 480.Hereticks muſt not by Magiſtrates be protected in uſurping the Ephod, running unſent, divulging and diſperſing their damnable Errors, which wil eaſily appear by Scripture and ſound Reaſon.
1. By Scripture. Rev. 2.20. 'Twas199 Thyatira's ſinne to ſuffer Iezabel to teach and ſeduce the people. Jobs Wife bid him curſe God and dye;Job 2.9. intimating that if he did curſe God, he ſhould ſoon be put to death for his paines. Under the Law the Blaſphemer was ſtoned to death; And the Goſpel ſaith his mouth muſt be ſtopt, Tit. 1.11.
Firſt by ſollid Reaſons and Arguments.
Secondly (if that will not ſerve the turn) by Baniſhment or Impriſonment.
Thirdly, in ſome extraordinary caſes by Death; If the Magiſtrate ſhall judg the blaſphemy ſo heynous. Gal. 5.12. I would they were cut off that trouble you; A corpore Chriſti, ſaith Piſcator; But Peter Martyr compares with it, Pſal. 55.15. Let Death ſeize on them, and let them goe quicke downe into hell.
2. This alſo may be cleared by ſound reaſon, grounded on the word of God, and experiences of the Church.
1. No Hereſie can thrive,Arg. 1or be200 well hatcht, but under the wing of pretended piety; Therefore that muſt not be a cover to the monſtrous brood of errour.
2. Arg. 2Qui non vetat, jubet: He that having power forbids not evils, commands them. Tacit. Hiſt.Othoni nondum authoritas inerat ad prohibendum ſcelus, jubere jam poterat, ſaith Tacitus; He had not yet full power to forbid an evill, command it he could. Let fire fall into tinder it needs not blowing; Not hindering an evill is ſufficient Approbation.
3. Arg. 3Of old they were not to plough with the Ox & the Aſs,Deut. 22.10, 11. nor to wear a garment of divers colours, or one made of linnen & woolen; all this God forbad in relation to diverſities of worſhip, & to declare how he hates an impure medly and mixture in Religion;Zeph. 1.5. Hee will cut off thoſe that ſwear by the Lord and by Malcham.
4. Arg. 4This was a grievous blot on Solomon and moſt of the ſucceeding Kings of Judah,1 Reg. 15.14. That the high places were not remooved: But 'tis recorded to the everlaſting honour of good Ioſiah,201 That he brake down the Altars and Images of Baalim. 2 Chron. 34.
5. The Mr.Arg. 5of the feaſt in the Parable ſent into the high wayes and hedges,Luke 14. and compelled men to come in to the Feaſt: So ſhould Magiſtrates conſtrain men to come to the Word, and give an account where they hear:Auguſt. in Luc. 14. Find not fault (ſaith Auſtin) that they be haled, but ſee whether they be haled into the Sheep-fold of Chriſt.
6. Arg. 6Magiſtrates are bid to keep the flock of Chriſt from Wolves, & that the Garden of Gods Church may be ſecured,Cant. 2.15. To catch the little Foxes that nibble the Vine: For peſſimi canis ne catulus relinquendus.
7. Arg. 7Heathens have beene ſenſible of the honour of their Gods; The Romans enacted that no man ſhould have a private Religion to himſelfe: The Athenians baniſhed Protagoras, and put Socrates to death for diſhonouring and changing their Religion: And Nebuchadnezzar who had newly puniſhed thoſe that would not worſhip202 his Goulden Abomination, being at laſt convinced about the true God,Dan. 3.16 Enacted, That if any Man did ſpeak againſt That God, himſelfe ſhould be cut in Peeces, and his houſe be made a Dunghill.
8. The Renowned Examples of Godly and zealous Magiſtrates, who have oppoſed the Inundation of Hereſyes and Atheiſme, are very many: Hezekiah and Aſa demoliſh Idols and ſtampt them to Powder: Conſtantine the Great defaced all the Temples of Hereticks, and would not let them Aſſemble in Publick or Private; Theodoſius fined the Lord Deputy an hundred pound if he permitted Hereticks to meet any where, day or night.
9. A boundleſſe toleration would be the occaſion of many euills, and a World of miſchiefs in the Church of God; as Atheiſme, Prophaneſſe, Rebellion, and all confuſion. Tolleration of divers Religions; like Pandora's Box, is full of deadly Poyſons; From thence, (like the Trojan horſe) innumerable and incurable evills,203 have iſſued on the Church of God; Tearing and mangling the Seameleſſe Coat of Chriſt, and treading under Foot all that is ſacred.
1. They make all callings common; by declaring firſt againſt the Miniſtry, and next the Magiſtracy.
2. They proceed and make all dayes common; by ſaying every day (which in effect is no day) a Sabbath.
3. They go on to make all Books common, by Ʋndervaluing the very Charter of eternall life; And whilſt they be taken up with unwritten Revelations, all ſober men are ſtyled Litteriſts, and Vowaliſts.
Principiis obſta; cruſh the Cockatrices Eggs, before they break out to be flying and ſtinging Serpents.
10. And laſtly, Magiſtrates muſt uphold Peace, and Order; But there can be neither, in a Generall tolleration. Jerom ſaith, Becauſe Arrius204 (who was but a ſpark of fire in Alexandria) was not quenched, but ſuffered to Run and ſpread in the Tinder of the multitude; he kindled ſuch a fire as devoured almoſt the whole Chriſtian world.
Therefore Mecoenas adviſed Auguſtus to puniſh innovators in Religion not only in regard of Piety, but for reaſons of ſtate, and to ſettle the Foundations of Civil Government, that elſe would be ſhaken.
But here let me adjoyn two neceſſary cautions. Note.
1. Circumſtances in the true Religion may be borne withall: They ſay, Diſcords in Muſick (binding wiſe) do increaſe the Harmony; A Garden is rendred beautiful by Variety of flours and colours; ſo in things circumſtantiall and that do not raze the foundation, ſome latitude muſt be given to Peaceable ſouls:Jud. 22.23. ver. Of ſome making a difference, ſaith Jude. Call not every Diſſent in Doctrine or Schiſme in Diſcipline, by the ougly Name of Haereſie; He is blinder then Midnight, that cannot put a difference between the205 Foundation and Tyling or Painting of the houſe; between the Garment and the Lace, or Fring.
Therefore if foundationall ſtones be ſecured, and all neceſſary truths maintained; both Magiſtrates and Miniſters muſt wink at all Leſſer diſſentings; waiting untill the Lord ſhall reveale the reſt unto them: Elſe we ſhall be of a Rigid and Ungoſpell ſpirit. I have heard of a certaine Tyrant,Note. that ſaid eminent Priſoners on his Bed, and in caſe they were ſhorter then his Bed, he cauſed them by Engines to be ſtretched out to it, but if longer he ordered that ſo much as exceeded the Bed ſhould be cut off. A Meek and humble deportment is better then an Over-rigid and humerous zeale, that gives no latitude to others, although in very ſmal things; though the Gold be true, they will not give one Graine of allowance.
2. Caution. 2The Poor Jews muſt be conſidered, That they may peaceably live among us, and enjoy their Worſhip, (ſacrifices excepted) in their private Synagogues; ſo they do not upon206 paine of death, either 1. Openly blaſpheame Jeſus Chriſt: Nor 2. Suffer Chriſtians to come unto their Worſhip, unleſſe ſuch as are Authorized by the Magiſtrate to ſee it:See Weems 1. Vol. 2. Book. Traps treaſury cap. 7. Sect. 2 Hilderſham on John Lect 38. Nor 3. So Privatly to ſeduce any Chriſtian from the Faith; to which may be added, in the fourth place; That if any Chriſtian turn Jew he ſhall be put to death.
Theſe Proviſos caſt in; why may not the poor Jews (that have a vayle ore the head and heart) be permitted to live among us? conſidering,
1. They were formerly Gnammi, My people, Therefore now Ruchama, A people to be pitied.
2. They carefully preſerved the Scriptures uncorrupted for us; To them firſt were committed thoſe lively Oracles; and by them they were tranſmitted and brought ſafe to us.
3. They have bin greivousccSee Joſephus de Bello Judaico. lib. 6. & 7. ſufferers ſixteen hundred yeares, and have groaned under unſpeakable miſeries; being Vagabonds over the Face of the Earth to this day.
2074: They wonderfully enrich the Places where they are ſuffered to live, As Holland, Portugall, &c.
5. They ſhall undoubtedly beddRom. 11.25, 26. Reſtored and converted in Gods due time:
6. The ſame ſhall be effected, not by Miracles which are ce•ſed;Theod. Beza's Prayer for the Jews. but by ordinary means; looking upon Jeſus (whom they peirced) in the Word. Lord ſaid Beza. Remember thy covenant, and look upon thoſe wretches for thy Names ſake; Let not us be Inſtruments of thy wrath againſt them, But rather grant that by the Knowledge of thy Word, and our good Converſation, they may at laſt be brought home unto thee.
7. They wiſht our converſion and prayed for it. Cant. 8.8.We have a little Siſter that hath no breaſt, (a plaine deſcription of the Gentiles that had no Ordinance) What ſhall we do for our Siſter in the day that ſhe ſhal be ſpoken for?
8. And laſtly. Their converſion will tend very much to the Glory of God and comfort of his Church; To the compleating of Chriſt Myſticall, and208 the unveyling of many Truths; God ſhall then be more purely worſhipt; The fulneſs of the Gentiles ſhall come in and ſo all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved.
Thus you have ſeen that though Magiſtrates muſt protect the Good, & therin imitate our Guardian-Angels, yet they muſt not give like Protectiont to Wolves and Foxes; where yet we have ſhewed, that Diſſenters in things circumſtantiall; And the poor Jews ſhould be conſidered, in order to their converſion.
Thirdly,33To Miniſters. This ſpeaks to Miniſters, who are**Rev. 2. & 3. chap. See Laurentii Homil. 8. in Apoc. p. 76. called Angels of the Churches; They are like unto Angels in name and employment, for they carry Meſſages from Heaven and Glad-tidings to men; They ought therfore to ſhine and ſparkle as Angels in ſound Doctrine and holy converſation, and carefully look unto the Flock over which God hath made them Overſeers. He that is properly a Paſtor hath a particular Flock to attend: Tis likely when the Apoſtles had command and commiſſion from Chriſt to preach the Gospel to the whole World;209 They accordingly divided their walks, not at all adventures, but according to the four parts of Heaven; Each Apoſtle had his walk, and ſo each Paſtor muſt have his Flock; It is ſayd the Galathians received Paul as an Angel of Chriſt. Gal. 4.14.Every City and Town muſt have one Paſtor at leaſt to deal out unto them the bread of life: Angels keep cloſe unto their charge, and ſo muſt Miniſters unto their people. If Mothers (being able) do not nurſe & ſuckle their Children; They are judged proud & unnaturall: And much more are thoſe Miniſters to be blamed, that neglect their people and live far from them, committing them to any one, perhaps a dry Breaſt. Let our ſtately and covetous Non-reſidents look upon the Angels, who attend their charge as a ſhaddow the body: And oh that we might ſee the day, that as every Province, City, & Town hath its Angel: So every golden Candle-ſtick might have a bright burning Tapor in it; And every leaden Candle-ſtick be made a Golden One by additionall means; That every210 Gloomy corner may not only have a Miniſter, but one that is faithfull and watchfull. Note. Satan well knowing how much this undermines his Kingdoms, doth alſo imitate God in his Deſigns; He will have his Factors and moſt buſie and truſty Agents diſperſed into all places: Some have obſerved, that every Pariſh or conſiderable Town hath one at leaſt that is ſuſpected of Witchcraft: Satan will have no place free from his Imps and Emiſſaries; To countermine the Miniſtry, the chief Underminer of his Kingdome. Let therfore the man of God beſtir himſelf, let the Watchmen of Iſrael cry aloud, lift up their Voice as a Trumpet, To tell Judah of her ſin.
**See Mr. Fenner of Chriſts Alarm to drouzy Saints. p. 7. ad 20Let Miniſters be like Angels ſet over the Churches of Chriſt, in twelve things.
1. The name Angel, ſignifies Meſſenger; God the ſender. Let Preacher be ſure of Miſſion from**Joh. 1.6. God and Commiſſion from men.
2. Angels are(a)(a)Pſal. 104.4. Spirits, their nature, Communion, Food, Delights are211 Spiritual(b)(b)Gal. 6.1. Miniſtri Eccleſiae dicuntur Angeli, quia ad mandata Dei annuncianda ab co legantur, & Debent in eodem ſtatu Iuſtitiae ſtare, & converſatiouem in caelo habere Gerhard. Not. ad Apoc. 1.20. p. 13. every Chriſtian and much more every Miniſter ſhould be ſpiritual; A formal and dead Miniſtry, is like a Carkaſs without a Soule.
3. Angels are the higheſt Rank of Creatures, and the Miniſtry is (of all other) the moſt honourable Function: Such are worthy of double honour as labour in the word and Doctrine. What ever ſome do ſpeak in Derogation, and Vituperation of ſo high a Function, of old the ſame man was King and Prieſt.
4. Angels are Creatures of another World, though they move up and down in this: So Miniſters ſhould not be delving and rooting in this, nor intangled in the Thicket of Secular Affairs; But their hearts and minds ſhould be in Heaven, and at leaſure for Divine Contemplations.
5. The Angels ſtand before God, and ſo ſhould Miniſters, to enquire and know his will, Jer. 15.19. Jer. 15.19.They muſt be very much in Prayer, every Sermon ſhould ſmel of Heaven; And look like a Child of Prayer: John wept and the Book was opened.
2126. Angels are very(c)(c)Mat. 25.31. holy Creatures;(d)(d)Pſal. 50.16, 17. unholy Miniſters pull down in ſtead of building up; They make the offering of God to be abhorred. It is ſayd of Chriſt, our Type, Caepit facere & docere. Act. 1. So the Miniſter muſt firſt Do, then Teach, being unreproveable.
7. Angels are winged in Gods Service, and Miniſters muſt be ready preſt to every good word and work.
8. 2. Tim. 4.16.Angels are to gather the Elect, and is not this alſo the work of Miniſters? 'Tis better to convert one, then civilize a thouſand: Miniſters are Chriſts Paranymphs, who muſt not ſpeak two words for him, and ten for themſelves.
9. 1 Theſ. 2.19, 20.Angels rejoyce at the converſion of a ſinner; So Paſtors in the ſeale of their Miniſtry: Ye are, ſaith Paul, Our glory and joy.
10. The chiefe charge of Angels is over the(d)(d)Pſal. •1.11. Elect, and ſo the Miniſters of the Goſpel are chiefly ſent to213 call home, and build up(e)(e)Epheſ. 4.11, 12. 2 Tim. 2.10. the Elect of God, and for the perfecting of the Saints; 'Tis then a very dreadfull thing if any Miniſters ſhall count ſuch the worſt of their Flock, as doe too many.
11. Angels doe mainly heed their Deputation,Note. and watch over thoſe Cities, Provinces, and perſons committed to them (as you have ſeen in this Tract) And ſo faithfull Miniſters will attend their owne Flock, and employ their chief care at home; They'l be fixed ſtars, and gliſter in their own Orbes; They may be called to help deſolate corners, and are not denyed the liberty of journeying, but ſtill their hearts be at home, and they dare not in body be long abſent, leaſt Wolves in ſheeps cloathing enter the Fold, weary and worry Chriſts Lambs. Of all things they abhorre idleneſs, and the people ſhall not only have their preſence, but pains and ſweat, and teares. The Angels on Iacobs Ladder were ſome aſcending, others deſcending, none ſtanding or ſitting ſtill: So faithfull Paſtors are214 ever ſtirring, watching, and contriving (by all meanes publick and private) the peoples good; I ſay deſiring their good, rather then their goods.
12. And laſtly, the Meſſages of Angels have ſtill been heeded, and ſo ſhould the Sermons of faithfull Miniſters, for ſuch ſhould be received, As an Angel of God,Gal. 4.14 yea even as Chriſt himſelfe. They are Ambaſſadors, and muſt be heard; of good tydings, and ſo ſhould the rather be heeded.
We ſhall end all with a uſe of conſolation to the Saints;Ʋſe 4:Every Believer hath invincible guards of Angels to help, and relieve him in his ſtreights; but one hath ſpeciall Commiſſion ſtill to be with him, and watch over him: Whereſoever thou goeſt,See Dr. Sibs Light from Heaven, of the myſterie of godlineſse, p. 103. this Angel moveth, marcheth after thee, ready to counſell and comfort thee, reſolved to ſtay by thee in the greateſt extreamities: Perhaps the time may come that the world will deſert you, and friends may forſake you: You may come into ſtreights, and no body neer you; yet a true Chriſtian is never215 alone, for God and his are with him: Kings are never without their Guard, nor Believers without their Angels. Here is rich comfort for you in health and ſickneſſe, in Life and at Death; For then Angels are moſt buſie to be our convoy to Chriſt, and to lodg us in Abrahams boſome; Therefore let us never be diſconſolate, let us never deſpaire, whatſoever our eſtate or condition may prove; Though our Carkaſſes be tumbled and crumbled into Earth, be not diſmayd, Angels ſhall gather up our bones & duſt, not any part ſhall be miſſing at that day. Sweet and myſterious is our communion with elect Angels here, glorious and eternall ſhall it be with them in heaven, lauding and prayſing God ſo long as the circle of Eternity ſhall laſt.
To wrap up all, here is comfort for you, for your Children, and for the Nation.
1. For your ſelves, your whole Man ſhall be ſhielded from††Defendunt nos adverſus Diabolos & impios homines. VVendelin. Theol. lib. 1. cap. 8. many Dangers; There is a daily conflict between good and evill Angels about216 you, but Michael is ſure to prevail againſt the Dragon.
2. For your Children, if they belong to God:Dr. Sibbs ut ante. In our Infancy, in our tender years (ſaith Doctor Sibbs) we are committed to the cuſtody of Angels.
3. For the Nation, God hath hitherto wonderfully appeared, witneſs our Peace and great plenty, That a ſtranger cannot find the foot-ſteps of War; Wee truſt a ſtop is ſet to that Confuſion (in things ſacred) which was over-flowing the Land; Therefore let us ſtill truſt and wait upon our gracious Father for the perfecting of our mercies for us, that our good Angels may not depart from us, and that England**Diu deſiderata, dulcius obtinentur. at laſt may be made a moſt glorious Church.