8. At all times and feasons, let us think and carry, as in the prefence of God, and fight of his angels. If i may inftance in fome times: As, I. In time of temptation, let us, think of it then. Seneca gave Lucilius this counfel, Whatever he was doing, that he fhould imagine fome of the Roman worthies did behold him, and then he would do nothing dishonourable. Surely if the eye of God and of his angels were ever in our eye, this would be a fuperfedeas and counter-poifon against all fin: Tell me, how dare you fin in their prefence, or do that in their view, which you would not dare to do in the fight and prefence of fome earthly man? I charge you before God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect angels, faith Paul 1 Tim. V. 21. q. d. Confider God's prefence and Chrift's prefence; or if they work but little with you, confider the prefence of the elect angels. Surely the nearer that things come to the manner of our prefence, the more they will affect us; and therefore confider, that the angels are prefent with us in the very room where we are acting our very wickednefs. I blush to think, faid the author above cited, how often I have done that whereof the angels were afhamed for me, I abhor myself to recount their juft diflikes, and do willingly profefs how unworthy I am of fuch friends, if I be not hereafter jealous of their just offence. 2. In time of public fervice and public duty, think on it then,, For this caufe, faith the apostle, ought the woman to have power over her head, that is to fay, to be modeftly veiled, be caufe of the angels, 1 Cor. xi. 10. Elect angels are exact and careful obiervers and eye-witneffes of our behaviour and deportment in the public ordinances. To this end were the curtains of the tabernacle pictured full of cherubims, to fignify, that about our folemn meetings, whole troops of angels take notice of our carriage. Surely if this were confidered, we should be very ferious in God's worship: Yea, how fpiritual and heavenly fhould we be, if our hearts were but fixed on thofe glorious angels? O ye bleffed fpirits, faid a faint, ye are ever by me, ever with me, ever about me, but especially in God's house I do as good as fee you, for I know you to be there, I reverence your glorious perfons, I blefs God for you, I walk awful. ly, ly, because I am ever in your eyes; I walk confidently be cause I am ever in your hands. My brethren, we are even now at this time of public meeting amidst watchful and waking overfeers; we are look'd and look'd thro' in all our ways as if heaven were all eyes round about us: Oh then with what fear and trembling, with what reverence and devotion should we stand, or wait here before God and his holy angels. 9. In reference both to others and ourselves, let us learn to imitate angels. 1. For others, let us imitate thus, they are as our guardians, physicians, purveyors, tutors, inftructors, foldiers, quickners, encouragers, comforters; fo let us in our feveral ftations and places afpire to angelical work; if the angels guard us, let us be as guardians of one ano. ther; if they ftudy our health, let us with health, and endeavour it as we may one for another: If they purvey for us, let us relieve the neceffity of the faints; if they tutor us, let us acquaint one another with the mysteries of grace; if they instruct us, and persuade us to our duties, let us confider one another to provoke unto love, and good works, Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day: If they fight for us, and take part with us against evil angels, let us take part with the faints against the op preffions and violence of all wicked men; if they quicken, encourage and comfort us, let us quicken the flothful, confirm the weak, and comfort the feeble-minded. Sure ly the way to have angel's reward, or to fee the face of God, is to do the work of angels. Olet us improve this piece of the creation to our ufe, as well as all the rest. 2. For ourselves, let us imitate thus: 1. Reverence the majefly of God as they do, Ifa. vi. 2. 2. Stand rea dy preft to execute the will of God, as they do; they are of a moft holy nature, and therefore are they called holy angels, Mat. xxv. 31. Luke xx. 36. So be we holy, even as they are holy. It is but equal that we who expect to be like the angels in glory (fangeloi) fhould be like them in grace: Many would ftrive to be like them for gifts and parts, but not for holiness, which yet is the fpecial thing propounded to our imitation: When we fay, Thy will be done done in earth as it is in heaven, no queflion this principally is intended, that we should lead here angelical lives; that as in heaven they are ever doing God's will, there is no fin there, fo we should keep harmony with the angels of heaven, and do his will there. 10. To conclude. In all our duties, as in reference to the angels, let us lock unto Jefus, the author and finifber of our faith, Heb. xii. 2. They are as the means and intruments of our good, but he is the author and finisher, and all the efficacy flows from him. Hence it is that we muft chiefly apply ourfelves to him, Truft not in man, no nor in princes, faith the Pfalmift, Pfal. cxlvi. 3. So may I go on, Truft not in princes, no nor in angels, nor archangels abfolutely, but ftill in fubordination to Jefus Chrift. This ufe the Pfalmift teacheth us of angel-protection; The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. Pfal. xxxiv. 7, 8. And what then? O tafte and fee that the Lord is good; bleffed is the man that trusteth in him; not in them, but in him. Our chief confidence must be in none that is on this fide God. When God promifed Mofes that an angel fhould go before Ifrael, and yet withal threatned the fubduction of his own prefence, (I will fend an angel before thee, but I will not go up in the midst of thee, Exod. xxxiii. 2, 3.) no marvel if Mofes were no, lefs troubled, than if they had been left deftitute, and without a guard; and that he ceafed not his importunity, till he had won the gracious engagement of the Almighty for his prefence in the whole expedition: If thy prefence go not with us, carry us not up hence. For what is the greatest angel in heaven without his Maker? O then let us eye God, and eye Jefus Chrift in all, above all, and be yond all angel miniftration. It was a fweet faying of one we mentioned before, Bleffed be God for the angels, as the author of them, and their protection; and blessed be the angels under God, as the means ufed by him for our protection, and other bleffings. Let the angels have their due, but let God in Chrift be our All in all: For as by him the angels were created, fo were they created for him, And he is before all things, and by him all things confift Col. i. 16, 17. CHAP CHA P. IV. SECT. I. TH even until death; and yet they have not done, for no fooner death feizeth on the elect, but they minister to them, and in fome refpects continue their miniftration till the refurrection day. In order to this, we shall first observe their ministration, and secondly, our duties. 1. For their ministration, that known place is most ob vious, Luke xvi. 22. And it came to pass that the beg gar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bofom. And we read of Michael the archangel contend. ⚫ing with the devil about the body of Mofes,' Jude 9. Whence fome observe, That angels have a care, not only of the fouls, but of the bodies; yea, even of the dead bo dies of the faints. Dr. Manton. SECT. II. Of the manner of Angel-miniftration at that Time. OR the manner of their miniftration, it relates both FOR Fto bodies and fouls. 1. For the bodies of the faithful. 1. In the very agony of death they help and ease them: Thus was Chrift refreshed in the midst of his agony by an angel. In like manner are they ferviceable to the faints; for if ordinary physicians have their electuaries, how much more can the angels minifter cordials in their way? 2. After death they guard the bodies of the faints. The devil would have abufed the dead body of Mofes, but Michael the archangel contended with him, and rescued the body out of his hands. Satan's malice is without end, and therefore hath he flirred his inftruments to abuse the dead bodies of martyrs; he loves not that duft wherein the hoJy Spirit dwelled; but the angels take care of every duft, fo that not one fhall be loft at the general day. Suppose them fcattered up and down the world, yet are they but thrown and fown in the earth, that they may fpring out again to a glorious incorruption; and in the mean time the angels are a guard, and have a regard to them in their fleep till the morning of the refurrection day. 2. For the fouls of the faithful. 1. The angels, in the very article and point of death, are vigilant over them, and oftentimes infpire the parting fouls with a spirit of divination or confolation, furpaffing all human knowlege. Thus Gregory could fay, That fometimes fouls before their departure came to the knowlege of things by revelation, and fometimes by heavenly inspiration they penetrate with their fpiritual eyes the very fecrets of heaven itself. Do we not fee by experience, that when the foul is drawing into a feparate condition, it is in a great part delivered from bodily operations, and from the business of the outward fenfes, and from the commerce with external and worldly matters, which puts it as it were, into a kind of Sabbath, or state of rest? Now the more quiet the foul is, and the more fequeftred from earthly and outward things, the more apt it is to enjoy the benefit of internal light, and the better fitted for fpiritual commerce with God himself, or with angels, which (faith one) may also lead us to understand fomething towards a reason, why men drawing near their departure, are observed to be difpofed to prefage and prophecy, or to be full of comfort, as if heaven entred into them, before they entred into heaven. Dr. Warmftry. 2. The angels ftand ready to receive fouls feparate from their bodies into their embraces. Macarius, a learned monk, could fay, that immediately after death, the quires of angels received the fouls of faints into their own side, into the pure world, and fo brought them unto the Lord: Wicked men when they die, fhall have a black guard of angels to receive them, and to hale them down to hell, but the godly fhall have a white guard, the fame angels that were faid before to bear them up in their hands, will then receive them into their arms, and fall upon them with kiffes and embraces. 3. The angels convey fouls in their hands, or on their wings, thro' the air and middle region, up into heaven. We cannot go from earth to heaven, but we must needs pafs thro' the devils territories, or thro' the air, for fo is Satan called, The prince of the power of the air, Eph. ii. 2. that is to fay, of the airy dominion or princedom; thither were the devils with Satan their prince exiled from heaven, whence |