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: Eusebius [Page 2]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 o­pened [Page 3]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

[Page 4]1.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.

[Page 5]6. 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-hood [Page 6]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,The 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:

[Page 7]3. 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,Point 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.

But 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. 1 to 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 desires ‘If 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.’

Again, Reas. 2 the 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. 1 How 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.

So then, Ʋse. 2 let 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.Point from the Coherence.

Secondly, Somtimes the deliverances [Page 11]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 three [Page 12]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 when [Page 13]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. 1 because 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 been [Page 14]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. 2 much 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 ad [Page 15]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,Point 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, [Page 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. 1 1. 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. 2 2. 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 more [Page 17]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. 2 why 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. 3 why 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 and [Page 18]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 be [Page 19] 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 De­putation [Page 20]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.The 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 by [Page 21]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 made [Page 22]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 where [Page 23]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 ut­tered [Page 24]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. [...]; 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,The 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 yet [Page 25]another Circumstance, The Record­ing it by Saint Lukes Golden quill;The 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. 2 He 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 Pe­ter [Page 27]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, bound [Page 28]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 whenMat. 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 [...] then [...],) 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 had [Page 29]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 thisLeighs 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 anSo 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 from [Page 30]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. Not [Page 31]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, [Page 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 theTertulli­an. 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 the [Page 33]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 assigned [Page 34]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 con­solation [Page 35]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,Conces­sion. 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 before [Page 36]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 w^th 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 in1 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, and [Page 37]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:

[Page 38]2.Concessi­on. 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:

[Page 39]3.Conces­sion. When I say one Angel chiefly and constantly attends the elect Person in an ordinary course; It cannot be deny­ed but in an extraordinary wayPsal. 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 attendPsal. 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, [Page 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 must [Page 41]shew you; 1.The 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 dimSee 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;Stocke 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;Burges (ut ante) 72.73. For reason makes men [Page 42]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 andGrotius 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 his [Page 43]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 Altar [Page 44]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 Inscripti­onGenius 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. [Page 45]Much 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 SanctuaryTrapps 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; but [Page 46]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 Canoni­callHoc 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 moun­taine [Page 47]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.

To 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 720 Loquitur 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. 1 bles­sed 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; [Page 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 blessings [Page 50]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. 2 This 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 bless [Page 51]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. 3 How 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 old [Page 52]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. 4 it 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 him [Page 53]instrumentally and ministerially from those temporal evils, that otherwise had befaln him.

The second Scripture Proof that I shall urge for this truth,Scripture 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 are [Page 54]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 from [Page 55]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. 1 Not 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. 1 This 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. 2 If they be their Angels, then it fol­loweth, that when all those Disciples [Page 56]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. 2 If 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. and [Page 57]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. 3 Let 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, [Page 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, let [Page 59]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 able [Page 60]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.

—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 theirQui 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 Christians [Page 62]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 unto [Page 63] 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 know [Page 64]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,The 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 thatSee Iohn Daille of the right use of the Fathers. Antiquity, the opinion [Page 65]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: [Page 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.

[Page 67]5. Their difference in lesser things, is so farre from abating the weight of their Testimony, as that on the con­trary it addesJo: 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 OrthodoxAthana­sius 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, [Page 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 mul­titude [Page 69]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 Gods [Page 70]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.

And 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 hu­manae [Page 72]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.

Peter 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 [...], 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 e­lecto [Page 74]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 E­lect [Page 75]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.

Mr.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.

And 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, [Page 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.

[Page 79]2. 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: [Page 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.

But 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. 1 is 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 support [Page 82]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 he [Page 83]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.

For 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.

[Page 85]1. 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. 6.2 They were the white Horses on w^ch 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. 2 some 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 said [Page 84] [...] [Page 85] [...] [Page 86] I 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 most [Page 87]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 ubi (que) Bucan. 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 the [Page 88]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. & 11.15 In a word, it is said that all Nations shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord [Page 89]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 726 [Page 90]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, [Page 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. 19 What 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 able [Page 92]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 An­gel [Page 93]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 inMat. 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 Christ [Page 94]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 the [Page 95]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 with [Page 96]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, [Page 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 answering [Page 98]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. 3 Some 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.

A 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 the [Page 100]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. 4 some 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. 1 I 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 of [Page 101]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 condemnedDanaeus 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 hathIrenaeus, 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 Adam [Page 102]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. 2 whether 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 would [Page 103]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. 5 Some 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.

Now 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.

[Page 105]3. 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; TheFuller 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 ChristCol. 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 ChristsIncarnato 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 So­ciety [Page 106]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 should [Page 107]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 ca­sting [Page 108]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. 6 When 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.

[Page 109]2. 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: [Page 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 requiring [Page 111]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 shall [Page 112]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 toEph. 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 between [Page 113]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 thee [Page 114]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, [Page 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 many [Page 116]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 Occurrences [Page 117]for the safety and preservation of Root and Branches.

Seventhly, Quest. 7 some 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 [...],Piscator in Joan 9. p. 654. or transani­mation of souls; yet nothing hinders, but with Lombard wee may believe a Transmigration of guardian Angels, [Page 118]from one man dying off, to another conceiving in the womb:

Eightly, Quest. 8 a 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. 1 1. 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 hand [Page 119]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 effects [Page 120]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 unto [Page 121]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 orSi 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 pro­bably [Page 122]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: [Page 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 fetch [Page 124]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 saithBishop 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 Gods [Page 125]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 to [Page 126]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 an [Page 127]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 Angel [Page 128]guardian conveys the believingHoc 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 leave [Page 129]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. 9 The next question may be this, are our Angels greived at our falls and miseries? Doe they sympa­thize [Page 130]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 for [Page 131]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. 10 How Believers can fall into dangers, that are still thus attended by the wise and powerful care of their Angels. Mephibosheth a child of five [Page 132]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 sayd [Page 133] 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 not [Page 134] 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: So2 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 whatsoe­ver [Page 135]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 of [Page 136]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. 11 It 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 lay­ing [Page 137]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 about [Page 138]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 certainHeb. 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 good [Page 139]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. 12 How can Elect Angels be happy [Page 140]in Heaven, if they be thus disperst and busied and employed on Earth?

To this I answer.Answer 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.

But 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. ByEph. [...].3. [...]ohn 14.2.3. plain and positive Scrip­tures.

2. By Names and Titles given to HeavenHeb. [...]. [...]6. Mat 5.8. a Kingdome anIohn 14.2. Isa. 63.15 House, anLuke 23.43. Rev. 2.7. Eden, or Garden of Plea­sure.

3. By the Inhabitants that dwell in Heaven. 1. Spirituall asMat. 6.9. Ioh. 3.13. 1 Ioh. 5.7. God, [...]at. 2 25. Angels,Luke. 23.43. the Soul of just men made perfect. 2. Corporeall; There is the body ofGen. 5 24. Enoch 2. Reg. 2 11. Elias andMark. 16.19. Ep. 1.20. Christ; and as his body went thither, so there it1. 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 a [Page 142]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 ofGreenhill 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 the [Page 143]Seat of Angels and blessed Souls is at an huge distance from us, Tis in the Psal. 104.3. highest Heavens. 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. 2 which 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 some­times [Page 144]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 wayLeighs Body of Di­vin. lib. 3. cap. 7. answerable to that in hea­ven which makes them no loosers by this Employment: Seeing it is an Hea­ven [Page 145]to Angels to be doing theDr. 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, inter­nis [Page 146]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 last [Page 147]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. 1 here 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.

[Page 148]1. 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) [Page 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, [Page 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. 1 Joshuah 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. 2 Baalam 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

Thirdly, they urge Rev. 8.3. Arg. 3 Dr. 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. 4 Gen. 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 instrumental­ly [Page 152]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 toPsal. 50.15. Mat. 4.10. God.

2.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 our1 Joh. 2.2. Only and All­sufficient Advocate, no need of other Mediators.

4. John fell down to theRev. 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 vo­luntary [Page 153]humility, and worshipping of Angels, &c.

Sine Au­thoritate Scriptura­ram Gar­rulitas non habet fi­dem. Hie­ronan cap. 1. ad Ti­tum Observe 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,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 cutsDavenant 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 of [Page 154] 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 say [Page 155]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 2 here 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,It 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 the [Page 156]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.

Secondly,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 somethingIn 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.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, [Page 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. 65.24 The Saints then are joynt­heyrs, Co-heirs with Christ, Heaven is indeed their Inheritance; This is the time of their minority: And hee that [Page 159]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 Angels [Page 160]to be presidential over them, and that each Republick hath an Angel to be its protector: some say that Angels are set over the severallRev. 14.18. & 16.5. Elements, for which Scriptures are urged; but Pa­reus will none of it. Learned Mede thinkes,Medes Diatribae. p. 172. that there be seven Arch-Angels that rule & govern the whole world, which also he provesZech 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: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 bring [Page 161]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 est [Page 162]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. 1740 10. 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 Ʋ ­nius, 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.

Bullinger 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 Pro­vinces [Page 164]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 earthly [Page 165]kingdoms in w^ch 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 of [Page 166]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.

[Page 167]2. 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 to [Page 168]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 unto [Page 169]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, [Page 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 ofDeus 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, as [Page 171]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, [Page 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 the [Page 173]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 ofJam 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 ofJam Se­ges est ubi Troia fuit. Troy, 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 Idolatrous [Page 174]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,That 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 I [Page 175]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 oneBucan 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 lateMr. 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 therforeDan. 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 Saint2 Cor. 12.7. Paul, There was given to me a Messenger of Satan to [Page 176]buffet me; And that curse of thePsal. 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 areEph. 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 strange [Page 177]and fearfullSee 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 inSee Thea­tre of Gods Iudgments. 431. to 437. for­mer times of darkness these things were very usuall, although now (bles­sed be God) the veryCamera­rius 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 thirst [Page 178]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. 3 here 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,Banish 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 asked [Page 179]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 fromGen. 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 by [Page 180]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 saithSaepius 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 soon [Page 181]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,Despise 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 lit­tle [Page 182]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, Am [Page 183]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 tram­ple [Page 184]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,Make 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 the [Page 185]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.

Fourthly,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 wor­shipping [Page 187]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. As [Page 188]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 pos­sunt [Page 189]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 at (que) inver [...]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, [Page 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.Ʋt 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 in [Page 191]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 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, [Page 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. 252 Let 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 guar­dianship [Page 193]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 especi­ally [Page 194]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, [Page 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. 89 Res inventu dif­ficilis; but being found, he is Angustia­rum Solatium, miseriarum fomentum; a choise support in the time of trou­ble.

Secondly,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 mainte­nance [Page 197]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 inte­stine [Page 198]Mutiny: Hear whatDr. 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. 'Twas [Page 199] 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. 1 or be [Page 200]well hatcht, but under the wing of pretended piety; Therefore that must not be a cover to the monstrous brood of errour.

2. Arg. 2 Qui 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. 3 Of 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. 4 This 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, [Page 201]That he brake down the Altars and I­mages of Baalim. 2 Chron. 34.

5. The Mr. Arg. 5 of 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. 6 Magistrates 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. 7 Heathens 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 wor­ship [Page 202]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, [Page 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 Arrius [Page 204](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 the [Page 205]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. 2 The 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 upon [Page 206]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 greivousSee 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.

[Page 207]4: They wonderfully enrich the Places where they are suffered to live, As Holland, Portugall, &c.

5. They shall undoubtedly beRom. 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, and [Page 208]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,To Mi­nisters. This speaks to Ministers, who areRev. 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; [Page 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 e­very [Page 210]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 20 Let 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 fromJoh. 1.6. God and Commission from men.

2. Angels arePsal. 104.4. Spirits, their na­ture, Communion, Food, Delights are [Page 211]SpiritualGal. 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.

[Page 212]6. Angels are veryMat. 25.31. holy Crea­tures;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 thePsal. [...]1.11. Elect, and so the Mini­sters of the Gospel are chiefly sent to [Page 213]call home, and build upEphes. 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 are [Page 214]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 ne­ver [Page 215]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 fromDefend­unt nos ad­versus Di­abolos & impios ho­mines. VVende­lin. Theol. lib. 1. cap. 8. many Dangers; There is a daily conflict be­tween good and evill Angels about [Page 216]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.