Answ. No more doth he need the Ministration of M•n, nor the Use of Ordinances, yet he is pleased to make use of both for the Good of his Church.
1Fifthly, This may administer much Comfort to Believers. Reprobates, tho Princes on Earth, have no such Guards to attend them as you have: Are they not all Ministering Spirits, 2sent forth to min•ster to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation?
O! what a Glorious Retinue have you? Your Way is full of Angels, who go to and fro therein. The Wicked are left to the wide World, but Christ is pleased to give his Saints Tutors, Governors and Guardians to Preserve, Protect and Wait upon them; the Holy Angels wel• know their Charge who they are to keep and b•ar up in their Hands, and save from danger.
2. See how dear and precious you are to God; yea, how honourable in his Sight every Elect Person is: He hath his Guard. Multitudes of Angels to attend him at all times; for your sakes they have received their Charge, their Commission; He hath given his Angels charge over thee. You are weak, but they are strong; you sleep sometimes, but they are always awake and sleep not: Sirs, God sends his own Guards to watch over you, to protect and keep you; he knows what a Multitude of Devils would gladly destroy you, and therefore (as you have heard) he has sent a Multitude of Angels to defend and save you; you have not only Ministers on Earth, the Angels of the Churches, but the Angels of Heaven to be your Servants.
And the End why God sends them and employs them is expressed; not that we should worship ⟨p. 113⟩them, (no, no, they disclaim this utterly:3 See thou do it not (saith the Angel) I am thy Fellow-Servant, and of thy Brethren the Prophets, that have the Testimony of Jesus, Worship God;) it is to keep us in all his Ways, and they exactly and diligently observe their Charge:4 They shall bear thee up in their Hands, lest at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone. These, O Child of God, accompany thee, minister unto thee, encamp round about thee, go before thee, and wait upon thee; but take heed you go not out of God's Ways, it is in all his Ways they are to keep thee, do not venture on the Devil's Ground; the Angels are always upon this Ladder that reacheth to Heaven, which goes through Satan's Territories, the Air, where there are Multitudes of Devils, who strive to push thee down as thou climbest up;
Answ. No more doth he need the Ministration of M•n, nor the Use of Ordinances, yet he is pleased to make use of both for the Good of his Church.
1Fifthly, This may administer much Comfort to Believers. Reprobates, tho Princes on Earth, have no such Guards to attend them as you have: Are they not all Ministring Spirits, 2sent forth to min•ster to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation?
O! what a Glorious Retinue have you? Your Way is full of Angels, who go to and fro therein. The Wicked are left to the wide World, but Christ is pleased to give his Saints Tutors, Governours and Guardians to Preserve, Protect and Wait upon them; the Holy Angels wel• know their Charge who they are to keep and b•ar up in their Hands, and save from danger.
2. See how dear and precious you are to God; yea, how honourable in his Sight every Elect Person is: He hath his Guard. Multitudes of Angels to attend him at all times; for your sakes they have r•ceived their Charge, their Commission; He hath given his Angels charge over thee. You are weak, but they are strong; you sleep sometimes, but they are always awake and sleep not: Sirs, God sends his own Guards to watch over you, to protect and keep you; he knows what a Multitude of Devils would gladly destroy you, and therefore (as you have heard) he has sent a Multitude of Angels to defend and save you; you have not only Ministers on Earth, the Angels of the Churches, but the Angels of Heaven to be your Servants.
And the End why God sends them and imploys them is expressed; not that we should worship ⟨p. 113⟩them, (no, no, they disclaim this utterly:3 See thou do it not (saith the Angel) I am thy Fellow-Servant, and of thy Brethren the Prophets, that have the Testimony of Jesus, Worship God;) it is to keep us in all his Ways, and they exactly and diligently observe their Charge:4 They shall bear thee up in their Hands, lest at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone. These, O Child of God, accompany thee, minister unto thee, incamp round about thee, go before thee, and wait upon thee; but take heed you go not out of God's Ways, it is in all his Ways they are to keep thee, do not venture on the Devil's Ground; the Angels are always upon this Ladder that reacheth to Heaven, which goes through Satan's Territories, the Air, where there are Multitudes of Devils, who strive to push thee down as thou climbest up;
- 1Use of Consolation.Ʋse of Con••lation.
- 2Heb. 1.14.
- 3Rev. 19.1•.
- 4Psal. 91.11.
