A26892:5766
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 3 › Chapter 11: Directions about our Communion with the Holy Angels.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 16. Direct. 3. Understand our near affinity or relation to the Angels, and how they and we are concerned 1in each others condition and affairs. As to our Nature our Immortal souls are kin or like unto the Angels, though our Bodies are but like the Brutes. Those souls that are created after the Image of God, in their very Natural Essence (as Rational and Free agents) besides his Moral Image of sanctity, Gen. 9. 6. may well be said to be like the Angels: He made us little lower than the Angels, Psal. 8. 5. And God hath made us their charge and care; and therefore no doubt hath given them a special Love unto us, to fit them to the due performance of their trust. As Ministers have a special paternal Love to their flocks, and as Christians are to have a special Love to one another to enable and engage them to the duties appointed them by God towards each other; so these excellent Spirits have no doubt a far purer and greater Love, to the Image of God upon the Saints, and to the Saints for the Image and sake of God, than the dearest friends and holiest persons on earth can have. For they are more holy, and they are more perfectly conformed to the mind of God, and they love God himself more perfectly than we, and therefore for his sake do love his people much more perfectly than we. And therefore they are more to be loved by us than any mortals are; both because they are more excellent, pure and amiable, and because they have more Love to us. Moreover the Angels are servants of the same God, and members of the same society which we belong to. They are the Inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, of which we are heirs: They have possession, and we have title, and shall in time possess it. We are called to much of the same employment with them: we must love the same God, and glorify him by obedience, thanks and praise, and so do they. Therefore they are Ministers for our good, and rejoice in the success of their labours, as the Ministers of Christ on earth do, Heb. 1. 14. There is not a sinner converted, but it is the Angels Joy, Luke 15. 10. which showeth how much they attend that work. We are come to Mount Zion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of Angels, &c.