the apoftle, but against spirits, yea, against spiritual wick• edaeffs in heavenlies.' And yet as great as the power and policy of devils are, they are lefs in power than the holy angels: There was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought • and his angels, and prevailed not. And I faw an angel ' come down from heaven, having the key of the bottom• lefs pit, and a great chain in his hand, and he laid hold on the dragon, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,' Rev. xii. 7, 8. and xx. 1, 2. Now here is the encouragement to our duties, not only God and Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith, but even fpiritual fubftances of good angels, proportionable to the other of bad angels, contend with them, and fland most valiantly on our fide.

But what are thofe duties of communion we owe the angels in this refpect? I answer, 1. In general. fpecial.

2. lo

1. In general: As is their miniftration, fo is our duty of communion with them. Now in feveral ways do they administer to us, and fo in feveral refpects do we owe duties to God and them. There is a proportion, (if we can find it out) betwixt their miniftration and our duty, and they answer one another as in a glafs, face anfwers face. If they ferve us, certainly there is fomething of service that we owe God and them. As the Lord could fay, If I be · a Father, where is mine honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Mal. i. 6. So if the angels ftand in any fuch relation towards us, it cannot be, but proportionable or fuitable duties are to be performed by us.

2. In fpecial: As the kinds of their miniftration differ at feveral times, fo are we to observe their ministration at these times, and to return suitable duties. At first, they minister in one kind, and anon they minifter in another kind; as our feveral needs are at feveral times, fo are their several ministrations in thofe times. Ex. gr. When I was in my mother's womb they minifter thus; and when I was born, and but yet an infant, they miniftred thus; and when I was grown, and come to riper years, they miniftr ed thus; and when I die, and go out of the world, they minifter

minister thus; and when 1 fhall rife again, and come to judgment, they will minifter thus. Now here is my duty. 1. To confider their feveral ministrations at those several times. 2. To return fuitable duties at times feafonable, as I am in their feason to perform all other du

ties.

A

SECT. IX.

Ufe of Direction.

ND this is that special use which I aimed at, and which I had first in my eye when I begun this work; it is an ufe of direction, wherein I fhall first lay down the office of angels, and then our office. First, what they do in their times, and then what we must do in our times, in answer to them and their ministrations. And that the Lord would blefs this work to thee that readeft! Oh that he, on whofe errand I come, would speak himself to thy foul. For he is able to inftruct, yea, when he teacheth, all are scholars.

T

The Second B O O K.

CHAP. I.

SECT. I.

Of the Time when the Angels first begin their Miniftration: HE first period wherein the angels minister to heaven's heirs, it is from their quickning in the womb till their birth. Come then, and, 1. See the miniftration of angels at this time; and, 2. Learn and practise we those feveral duties that especially concern the faints in that respect.

1. For the miniftration of angels in that period, most probable it is, that then they begin their miniftration. The exact beginning is indeed questionable: Some would have it to begin at the first hour of conception. They have ever graciously attended me, faith bifhop Hall, without intermiffion from the first infufion of the foul. Their care begins, fay they, as affoon as the child is quickned in the womb, for that they have then another diftinct charge

to look after.' Others at the birth of the elect; God revealing to the angels who are fuch, by requiring their attendance on them then. From their birth to the end of their life, faith Zanchius, angels are affigned of God to wait on the elect Others at the baptifm of infants: 0rigen recounting many opinions doth mention this; which is very improbable, for then it is in the power of parents, who fet the time of baptifm, to say, when the angels fhall begin their office over their children, but the elect are precious and dear to God before, as after the ordinance of baptifm. Others at the time of converfion. Of which two reasons are given.

1. Because the angels know not the decrees before that election be declared in converfion. But this we deny.

2. Because in the ftate of nature a man is under the wrath of God, and is vexed with evil fpirits that hurry him to fin, and rule in the children of difobedience; but altho' this cannot be denied, yet God is refolved that all his elect fhall have invifible fupports again ft Satan, to preferve them carefully as chofen veffels, against the time that he fhall manifeft himself unto them; and it is fufficient to angels that God wills their attendance, and that hereafter they fhall difcern fome fruit of their attendance. For my part, amidst all thefe differences I clofe only with them, who fay, that the angels begin the execution of their charge when the foul is infufed: And the reafons are solid.

1 Because the child hath then a distinct being of his

own.

2. Because then it is a perfon confisting of foul and body.

3. Becaufe God's providence over foul and body, (of which the angels are fervants) taketh date thence. Thou haft covered one, faith David, in my mothers womb, Pfal. cxxxix. 13. The Lord in framing our bodies, and creating our fouls in our mother's womb, did then cover his tender work with his mighty power from all inconveniencies as with a fhield; and therefore then did the angels begin their ministration.

SECT.

SECT. II.

Of the manner of Angel-miniftration at that Time. UT how do the angels minifter at fuch a time? I apfwer, They keep, preferve, defend, deliver, fuftain and ftrengthen babes, even in the womb. I cannot think that they have only one office at fuch a time, but that fometimes they attend them for good, and fometimes they deliver them from evil. The cafe ftands thus; In the cre ation or infufion of the foul (which is all one, for creando infunditur, et infundendo creatur) the angels receive their commiffion, as if the Lord fhould fay, Come bleffed angels, here is a creature that shall at last fill up the room of fome fallen angel, and then it shall be like to yourselves, and you fhall love it as you love yourselves, but in the mean time, it is my pleasure, that you hould minifter unto it, and keep it fate. Which no fooner faid, but they are prompt and ready to do God's will

We may wonder at this, that the angels fhould thus minister to man after his fall, which they never did before. In that collation, betwixt innocent Adam, fecond, Adam, renewed Adam, and old Adam, it is faid that the angels did neither minifter unto, gor keep the firft Adam before the fall, because he was in no danger, only they loved him, The angels indeed miniftred to Chrift, the fecond Adam, and loved him, but did not keep him, for he was Comprebenfor as well as Viator, Chrift is the head of angels, and therefore he is not kept by them. The angels now mini. fter to the renewed Adam, yea, they love him, and keep him, and yet this argues not any prerogative that the faints have above Chrift, but rather their weakness and wants, that they have need of the angels to preferve them, as young children ftand in need of nurses to wait upon them. But as for old Adam or wicked reprobates, the angels noither minifter to them, nor love them, nor keep them in refpect of any special and particular keeping. It may be the angels are fometimes minifters of outward things even to the wicked, as the angels brought down manna in the wilderness to the bad Ifraelites, as well as good: but they have not that particular care of the wicked, as they have of elect of God; they come not up and down upon

der, Christ, to miniftring to them, as they did to the left. Now this keeping of the elect, is not only in this life, but all the while that they are in their mothers womb.

SECT. III.

Experience of this truth.

F this, as of all the reft, I would give in fome experiences for further clearing.

An ancient matron having many children, and having left bearing for the space of about twelve years, the Lord then unexpectedly gave her to conceive; the wondred, and apprehending nothing but ill health, purposed on fuch a day to take phyfic; but the night before (if I miftake not) fhe felt the child ftir in her womb, and then the brake out as Sarah did; What! after I am waxed old, * fhall I bear a child, my lord being old alfo?' Gen. xviii. 12. Hereupon the phyfic was removed, the child preferved, and rightly called Ifaac in imitation of old Abraham and Sarah, who laughed at the news of the angel, that they should have a fon in their old age, Gen. xvii. 19. and xviii. 12.

2. Three godly women in the ifle of Guernsey were condemned to be burnt for their religion, and tho' one of them was great with child, yet found fhe no favour. As they were all three in the fire, the belly of the woman breaking with the vehemency of the flame, the infant (being a fair man-child) fell into the fire; which being caught and carried to the bailiff, he commanded it to be had back, and thrown into the fire; whereby after it was born, and preferved by the angels, it died a martyr. Clarke.

2.

SECT. IV.

Of the Duties that concern us in this refpect.

HE duties that concern us in this refpect, are

Teither parents duties or childrens.

parents.

1. For the

1. Parents may rejoice at this, that the holy angels attend them, and thofe little pieces and pictures of themfelves. You that are mothers great with child, are not you fometimes in trouble, fear, and peril? Be not difcouraged, for the angels attend your motions, and all occur

rences