VI. If we would always Behave our selves as before the Face of Angels, we should at length obtain the Face of an Angel, by the Exactness, the Circumspection, the Accuracy of our Behaviour. It was a Good Memento, written upon a Study-Wall, Angeli adstant; or, The Angels of God stand by! Did men Remember the Eye of the Invisible Angels upon them, in all their ways, how grave, how cautious, how pious would they be; and at Last, how like unto those Angels! If a man, were ⟨p. 25⟩as bad as Balaam himself, yet the bare suspicion of having the Eye of some Angel upon him, would be enough to stop him from Rushing on to Sin. Why shouldest thou Sin, says the Wise man, in Eccl. 5.6. Before the Angel? If we were Wise, we should often think, I am now before some Angel! and that Thought would make us Wise. The Aged Apostle said unto a younger Minister, I charge thee before the Elect Angels: from whence 'tis infallibly sure, That the Elect Angels take notice, how we Acquit our selves, each one in his Charge. Said the Psalmist, in Psal. 138.1. Before the Gods I will Sing praise unto thee: The LXX translate it, I will sing praise unto thee, before the Angels. Christians, The Angels take Notice of us, in all our Employments, yea, in our Closest Retirements. We give no Praises to God, we Perform no Duties, we Endure no Troubles, we Resist no Temptations, but the Angels of God, are the Witnesses of what we do; we are a Spectacle to Angels in all of our Encounters. Well, Now Let our Deportment, be mightily under the Influence of this Consideration; The Angels take Notice; What Report will the Angels of God, give of my Behaviours! It has been propounded as a Rule of Prudence, for a man, wherever he comes, to Imagine, that there is present some Eminent, Wise, and Good man, to see and hear all that passes. Man, There is an Angel to see and hear all that passes, wherever thou comest; This is no mere Imagination. Could we, like the Servant of the Prophet, in the Mount, see the unseen Regiment ⟨p. 26⟩of the World, by the Subordinate Government of Angels, what an Awe, what an Awe, what an Awe would it strike us with! The Angels of the Lord see, how men are Disposed, and Employed, for the Service of Their Lord, and gladly contribute their unknown Assistances unto that Service. But it cannot be any other than a Grief unto those Angels, to see Enormities, in those, for whose welfare they are concerned.
VI. If we would always Behave our selves as before the Face of Angels, we should at length obtain the Face of an Angel, by the Exactness, the Circumspection, the Accuracy of our Behaviour. It was a Good Memento, written upon a Study-Wall, Angeli adstant; or, The Angels of God stand by! Did men Remember the Eye of the Invisible Angels upon them, in all their ways, how grave, how cautious, how pious would they be; and at Last, how like unto those Angels! If a man, were ⟨p. 25⟩as bad as Balaam himself, yet the bare suspicion of having the Eye of some Angel upon him, would be enough to stop him from Rushing on to Sin. Why shouldest thou Sin, says the Wise man, in Eccl. 5.6. Before the Angel? If we were Wise, we should often think, I am now before some Angel! and that Thought would make us Wise. The Aged Apostle said unto a younger Minister, I charge thee before the Elect Angels: from whence 'tis infallibly sure, That the Elect Angels take notice, how we Acquit our selves, each one in his Charge. Said the Psalmist, in Psal. 138.1. Before the Gods I will Sing praise unto thee: The LXX translate it, I will sing praise unto thee, before the Angels. Christians, The Angels take Notice of us, in all our Employments, yea, in our Closest Retirements. We give no Praises to God, we Perform no Duties, we Endure no Troubles, we Resist no Temptations, but the Angels of God, are the Witnesses of what we do; we are a Spectacle to Angels in all of our Encounters. Well, Now Let our Deportment, be mightily under the Influence of this Consideration; The Angels take Notice; What Report will the Angels of God, give of my Behaviours! It has been propounded as a Rule of Prudence, for a man, wherever he comes, to Imagine, that there is present some Eminent, Wise, and Good man, to see and hear all that passes. Man, There is an Angel to see and hear all that passes, wherever thou comest; This is no meer Imagination. Could we, like the Servant of the Prophet, in the Mount, see the unseen Regiment ⟨p. 26⟩of the World, by the Subordinate Government of Angels, what an Awe, what an Awe, what an Awe would it strike us with! The Angels of the Lord see, how men are Disposed, and Employed, for the Service of Their Lord, and gladly contribute their unknown Assistences unto that Service. But it cannot be any other than a Grief unto those Angels, to see Enormities, in those, for whose welfare they are concerned.
