Angelographia, or A discourse concerning the nature and power of the holy angels, and…

2 Consider, if we fear God, the Angels will not forsake us at death. They will be with us all our lives long; yea, and at and after death too: when we must forsake all the World; when our Bodies and Souls must part for a time; when our Souls forsake our Bodies; the blessed Angels will not leave us, until they have brought us into the presence of Christ in Glory. The very Heathen Philosophers, some of them had sentiments concerning this thing: They did not only believe, that the Souls of men are Immortal, but that at the time of Death, Evil Angels do carry away the Souls of wicked men, into a place of Torment: and that Good Angels carry the Souls of good men into a better World than this is: Doubtless, they had that knowledge from the Jews, as they had many notions (though they corrupted them) concerning the Invisible World from them, and the Jews from the Patriarchs & Prophets of old. The blessed Scriptures of God are exceeding clear concerning this: When Elijah was Translated, there appeared a Chariot of Fire, and Horses of Fire; that is to say, Angels in that form, to carry him up to Heaven, 2 King. 2.11. So when Believers leave this World, there is a Chariot and Horses of Fire prepared to conduct them to Glory: Hence is that Luk. 16.9. Make to your selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into Everl••••ng Habitations: When ye fail, that is, when you dye, or cease to be in this World; ⟨p. 91⟩they may receive you, that is to say, that they whose office it is to receive you, namely, the Holy Angels, that they may receive your Souls into their Arms, and carry them upon their Wings into Everlasting Habitations: and therefore in the Parable concerning the Rich man and Lazarus, it is said of Lazarus, that when he dyed, he was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom, Luk. 16.22. that is, to a place of blessed rest and repose: for, the words evidently allude, as to the History of Abraham and his faithful Servant Eleazar, so to the Jews manner of Feasting, who as they sat at meat, one did lean on the Bosom of another. Dives, notwithstanding all his grandeur, never had such Attendants, as poor dying Lazarus had: Dives never had a guard of Angels to surround him, and to conduct him, where he should find rest, as we see dying Lazarus had.