As Men govern Beasts, so by the same reason of proportion the Angels, which are invisible Spirits, and are all Spirits, have an influence upon Men, which are partly Spirits, and partly Bodies.
4. It may be to show what Honour he is pleased to confer upon his Saints, he will spare them his own Courtiers out of Heaven; they shall ride in his own Chariots. This he may do to honour his ⟨p. 108⟩People, to raise their Glory. Sirs, could the ungodly but see what an Host of Angels does attend upon the poorest Saint as he passes along, they would say, Who is this? what noble and honourable Person is this that has such a Guard, such a Retinue? The greatest Monarch in the World hath no such Attendance as the poorest and meanest Saint hath.
5. Another reason why God useth the Angels for the good of his People, or to attend on them and minister unto them, may be, because they are the Spouse of Christ, the Lamb's Bride: Certainly great Honour of right belongs to the Queen, considering her near relation to the King. And hence she has the like noble Retinue, her Life-guard as well as he; and so upon the same foot of account, Angels may be the Attendants of the Saints, their Guard and Retinue.1 Believers are the Bride, they are the friends of the Bridegroom, and of his noble Consort the Church:2 Certainly in this the honour of the Saints doth exceed the honour of the holy Angels; as Chris• took our Nature upon him, and not theirs; and in that his Church is his Spouse, his Wife, and not they, the glory conferred on us seems to excel, tho in respect to their Nature, Wisdom and knowledge, they may excel the Saints.
6. God may do it f•r the safety of his Saints. Some observe, t•at were it not for the good Angels, the Devils would even tear the very Bodies of the Saints into pieces: such is their malice and rage against them.
7.That there may be much love and acquaintance grow between us and the holy Angels,3 with whom we must live for ever, and whom we shall be made like unto. Now Love grows by mutual Offices, as it is seen in the love of Mothers to their Children, which increases by fostering and tending them. O how ⟨p. 109⟩happy is every Saint of God in having the tutelage of holy Angels! This honour have all Believers, and none else; for the wicked have no Angels to look to them, to care for them; the Angels of Christ are enemies to God's enemies, and friends to Christ's friends.
As Men govern Beasts, so by the same reason of proportion the Angels, which are invisible Spirits, and are all Spirits, have an influence upon Men, which are partly Spirits, and partly Bodies.
4. It may be to shew what Honour he is pleased to confer upon his Saints, he will spare them his own Courtiers out of Heaven; they shall ride in his own Chariots. This he may do to honour his ⟨p. 108⟩People, to raise their Glory. Sirs, could the ungodly but see what an Host of Angels does attend upon the poorest Saint as he passes along, they would say, Who is this? what noble and honourable Person is this that has such a Guard, such a Retinue? The greatest Monarch in the World hath no such Attendance as the poorest and meanest Saint hath.
5. Another reason why God useth the Angels for the good of his People, or to attend on them and minister unto them, may be, because they are the Spouse of Christ, the Lamb's Bride: Certainly great Honour of right belongs to the Queen, considering her near relation to the King. And hence she has the like noble Retinue, her Life-guard as well as he; and so upon the same foot of account, Angels may be the Attendants of the Saints, their Guard and Retinue.1 Believers are the Bride, they are the friends of the Bridegroom, and of his noble Consort the Church:2 Certainly in this the honour of the Saints doth exceed the honour of the holy Angels; as Chris• took our Nature upon him, and not theirs; and in that his Church is his Spouse, his Wife, and not they, the glory conferr'd on us seems to excel, tho in respect to their Nature, Wisdom and •nowledg, they may excel the Saints.
6. God may do it f•r the safety of his Saints. Some obs•rve, t•at were it not for the good Angels, the Devils would even tear the very Bodies of the Saints into pieces: such is their ma•ice and rage against them.
7.That there may be much love and acquaintance grow between us and the holy Angels,3 with whom we must live for ever, and whom we shall be made like unto. Now Love grows by mutual Offices, as it is seen in the love of Mothers to their Children, which increases by fostering and tending them. O how ⟨p. 109⟩
- 1Joh. 3.29. 2 Cor. 11.1, 2.
- 2Rev.21.9.
- 3Matt. 22.30. Luk.2•.36.
