visible Protectors and good Angels are invisible Protectors of Sion under God The King of Glory can never want forces for he hath a Militia of Angels thousands and ten thousands of Angels are his Chariots to ride in These heavenly Hosts are the horse-men and Chariots of Israel It is desperate to provoke a General marching in the head of a puissant and numerous Army The Angels observe their Rank and File they wait but for the word Nec boni Angeli nisi quantum Deus jubet nec mali Angeli injusta faciunt nisi quantum justè ipse permittit Aug. de Trinit l 3. c. 8. and they immediately take wing either for the comfort of Sion or confusion of her Enemies God sent one Brigade of Angels to help Elisha 2 King 6.17 another Brigade to aide Lot against the Sodomites one Squadron to help Jacob against Esau another to help Hezekiah against Zenacherib Gen. 32.24 Isa 37.36 Gods heavenly Forces quarter up and down about all the afflicted Churches in the World An Army of Angels Gen 32.2 was sent to convoy Jacob and therefore he called the place Mahanaim that is two Hosts or Camps either because the Angels appeared in two Bands and so made as it were a guard for Jacob to pass between them or because the great Angelical and Royal Army quartered and marched with Jacobs little Army and so two confederate Armies appeared in the field together so say Rivet and Caryl Our strongest Militia is either of Angels that are Spirits or of Angelical Spirits Psal 88.17 Angels Ezek 1. have the face of a Man to signifie their knowledge Wings to signifie their swiftness they cannot pass from one place to another in a moment because all motion is from one term to another term by a middle Angelus est nomen officii no◠naturae ex eo quod est spiritus est ex eo quod agit Angelus est Idem in Psa 111 yet Psal 10.4 they are compared to a flame of fire The Cherubims have wings on their feet which is strange they cannot foot it fast enough and therefore must speed their Race with flight Thirdly They represent an Ox to signifie their obedience to God Hence we pray Let thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that is freely as the Angels obey God without reluctancy And fourthly they are compared to a Lyon for their strength One Angel killed an hundred fourscore and five thousand in one night 2 King 19.35 One Angel wants neither hands nor weapons to rout and ruin an whole Army The good Angels stopped the Lyons mouths when Daniel was shut up in the Den restrained by Gods allowance the force of the fire when the three children were cast into the furnace The Angel of the Lord encamps about Sion Psal 34.7 That is the Angels for he speaks of an Host and the Criticks observe that in the Hebrew one is put for a multitude as the inhabitant for the inhabitants 2 Chron. 11.4 Quail for Quails Psa 105.33 40. When Christ is set forth by the name of an Angel it is in Scripture with some additions as the Angel of the Covenant and when you read of the Angel of the Lord it is meant of Christ unless there be some contradictions of that interpretation in the context as is apprehended Angels are Sions Centinels at home and File-leaders abroad As there are good men against evill so there are for Sion Angels against Angels Rev. 12.7 The Ethiopians supposed that Angels attended on Judicatories and therefore were accustomed to leave twelve Chairs empty in the Judgement place which they say were the Seats of Angels When Sion is in distress Faith and Prayer is able to press the Angels and to bring them into the batlet but they are Voluntiers not Mercenaries The Stars fought against Sisera that is say some the Angels in the Stars as in their War-Chariots as if the Angels according to the odd old proverb of Intelligences did inform the Stars but they are heavenly wide as one saith In the first of Zechary vers 8. the Mirtle trees in the bottom signifie the low estate of the Church or the Church in a low estate The divers coloured Horses were Angels appointed for divers Offices says Junius the red Horses for Judgement the white for Mercy the speckled for mixt actions being sent out at once to help Sion Non tribuere Angelis audeo quod forte non possunt nec debeo derogare quod possunt and oppose her Enemies An Angel smote bloody Herod two Angels defeated Zenacheribs Host and Angels by name if not by nature saith Mr. Caryl poure out the seven Vials of Gods wrath in the Revelation In Luke they are called the Host of Heaven These Armies are all of one mind no difference of Colours though possibly different Orders yet no difference in their Orders They on the Ladder ascend and descend they give place one to another there is no justling between them The Rabbies suppose on what ground I am careless of inquiring four Angels to be the Presidents of the four quarters of the World Michael of the East Raphael of the West Gabriel of the North and Uriel of the South The Barbarians had once taken Constantinople but that in the night season they were frighted by the appearance of armed Angels Socrat. l. 6. c. 6. Wherefore as Alexander the Great slept soundly though the enemy was at hand and being asked the reason of such security replied that Antipater his Captain was awake so may the Saints sleep in peace in these stormy times because they have Dan. 4. Guirin vigilantes the watchful ones about them Solomon Cant. 3.7 had sixty valiant men all with swords to defend him for fear of the night but the Saints are incompassed with Guards of Angels and as Elisha said 2 King 6. to his fearful Servant there are more with us than against us we need not regard the Malicia of Devils for we have the Militia of Angels This is spoken in subordination to Gods presence who useth them not as Princes that need their Guards but for the glory of his Majesty and for the support of our weakness but to testifie his great love to us in imploying such honorable creatures for our service and to maintain amity and correspondency between Saints and Angels untill they both walk arm in arm in Heaven 9 Angels attend on the Saints at their deaths Angels are the Protectors of Sion while they live and their Porters when they die They are as careful of the Saints as Nurses of their Babes God puts his children when they are born out to them to tender and tutor and at their death they bring them home to him again Lazarus Luk. 16. was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom It is probable the Devils attend on dying men if possibly to tempt them to despair the less time they have to reign the more they rage and therefore good Angels attend too to
facilitate the death of the Saints ready with their arms to receive the souls of Gods Jacobs En fratres quamrerum lamentanda mutatio fuâ—â—s divitis antecedit lugubris tu ba Servorum feretrum pauperis antecedit Angelorum psallentium multitudo Chrysol and carry them up the Ladder to Heaven Lazarus was carried not by one Angel but in the plural number by Angels At the funeral of a Prince or Emperor it is accounted an honor to help bear his Hearse to the Grave so the glorious Angels willingly condescend to carry the souls of the Saints to Heaven Many Angels carry one Lazarus as if they had been ambitious to carry him every Angel striving which should carry a limb This was greater state than the King of Egypts Chariot drawn by four Princes We are a delightfull and lightsome armful to the Angels while we live and at death they do the last and best office as we say for us Lazarus who living was licked by Dogs is now dead guarded by Angels thus they condescend to handle such filthy creatures as sin hath made us while they remember our necessity they do as it were forget their own honor Whereas some plead for topical Angels and personal Angels that is for the presidency of one Angel over a Country and over a particular man according to the conceit of the good and bad Genius I judge it more for a Saints honor and safety to have a Guard of Angels then a Guardian Angel To conclude Angell vocantur quod funguntur munere ordinario Arch-Angeli quod extra ordinario we have always with us invisible Friends and Enemies let the consideration of our Enemies keep us from security and the consideration of our Friends keep us from distrust Had wicked men their eyes open as Balaam once had they would at every turn see an Angel to stand in their way ready to resist what they go about as he did for this is one of those noble imployments of those noble Spirits to give a strong though invisible opposition to wicked Enterprizes True they appear not ordinarily what then no more do the evill Angels had we but spiritual eies we should see with Moses the invisible God and not that onely but with Jacob the invisible Angels Many a treacherous act have they hindred without the knowledge of the Traytor yea many are the dangers wee see and fear innumerable those we neither see nor fear from which Providence makes Angels instruments to deliver us Good Angels support the Ministers of God in the Throne and in the Pulpit As Jacob in the Vision said The Lord was in this place and I knew not of it So how often are the Angels with us and we do not consider it Angeli sunt media sed non mediatores though we see not Angels yet we must beleeve them we are not Jacobs not Christians if our faith be not as sure as our sense Wherefore let us honor Angels not adore them much less invocate them they are not the Ladder but go on the Ladder From the explication of Jacobs Ladder and having shewed the sufficiency of Providence take these Conclusions First Lean on Gods Ladder Trust his All-sufficiency for your selves and for the Church 1 In particular for your selves Quid haesitas super possessionibus caelum Dominum cum habeas When we see a child carping and caring for himself surely say we either this child hath no Father or his Father cares not for him either it is Fatherless or Loveless Cast your care on God Heb 13. Why for God cares for you What need you care and God care too Is God sufficient for the journeys end and shall we distrust him for the way Shall we trust man upon a peece of Parchment with two or three hands and seals and not the Lord who daily proves himself Debtor to us in volumes of love Distrust slanders God to his face Some are all for Faith I beleeve I beleeve but nobody is for Holiness and on the contrary some Christians are very careful against Prophaneness they will not part with a good Conscience for all the goods in the world and yet nourish doubtings and distrusts of Gods Love to them as if Unbeleef were no such great matter as if God would easily dispense with that The Lord saith he that provides not for his own Si Deus sic custodit superstua tua quomodo animam tuam is worse than an Infidel and shall man ever be able to write Infidel on Gods door How many say they trust God for their Souls and yet dare not trust God with their Bodies Whereas Nature hath often said God never sends mouths but he will also send meat and grace If God take away my food he will also take away my appetite How reasonable is it to trust God when we have so often tried him and yet how happy were many a man if he could but trust God as far he can see him God is not bound to give us necessarys and yet we are not content with abundance We cannot be merry without cates and delicates when Providence might make us to be without bread The Saints may be without many things but they want nothing if they should want any thing yet they want no good thing They may want the favor of man but shall not want the smiles of their Father Psal 34.10 How sweetly may a Beleever view the Heavens and say this is my Fathers Palace and say of the Sun Moon and Stars These are the lights that my Father hangs up and say of the Beasts of the Field and Fowles of the Air These my Father feeds and fills to maintain his Houshold Worthy Mr. Hern lying on his Death-bed his wife made much womanish lamentation what should hereafter become of her little ones Peace Sweet-heart said he That God who feedeth the Ravens will not starve the Herns Omnia famulantur famulanti Deo Meat and drink and the Gospel are good Chear said the Martyr Let them distrust that have not a God to live on said Luther Having food and rayment says the Apostle not dainties but food not Velvets but Rayment Let us therewith be content The young Ravens are fed of God Non licet de fortuna quaeri salvo Caesare Senec. Psa 147. being forsaken of their Dam for out of their dung ariseth a worm which creepeth into their mouths and feeds them Oh that we could depend on Providence for our subsistence if we could but find Faith to beleeve it God would find Means to effect it The Mariner never murmurs though his Cabbin be not gilded if it carry him but safe to his Port. When we have not strength to work we have liberty to lye down with Jacob at the foot of the Ladder and sleep Vides sed non invides Secondly Trust God and fear not man Wicked men Psal 129.6 sit as it were in a golden Chair on the ridge of
Gospel Surfet And might not the Lord justly take us down and make us know the worth of the Gospel by the want of it Since we have plaid with the light of Truth might he not make us feel the fire Might not God lay down his Basket and take up his Ax and because we are not fit for fruit and building make us fit fuel for burning Have not the Ambassadors of the everlasting Gospel had as hard lot in England as they had in Sodom Who cannot but admire that when England is as chaffy as Sodom that we ave not the same flames as Sodom had Is not this salvation that when wee have been weary of God that yet God is not weary of us That when we have refused to be a holy Nation that yet we are a Nation That when our sins are the sins of Sodom that our sufferings are not the sufferings of Sodom God hath lighted up a flaming Candle of Justice in Sodom the Lord grant that luke-warm England may yet see to read her salvation by it Mercy always swims in Justice but with us Justice seems to be drowned in Mercy 2 From this Ladder admire that we are not made an Egypt God lately turned our waters into blood our Sea was then a red Sea indeed What a mercy is it that English darkness is not a proverb as well as Egyptian darkness England of old was called Albion from the white Rocks and Scotland as some Criticks fancy signifies a Land of darkness But how quickly can the Lord turn Albion into Scotia England into Scotland and Scotland into England we are their neighbors already We have much liberty to bless God Oh that there we not so much liberty to blaspheme God! We have more liberty than either we have deserved or been thankful for There was a time when the Saints in England had Conscience without liberty we have now much liberty of Conscience the Lord grant the time may never come that we should have liberty without Conscience Liberty and nothing else but Licentiousness and Atheism We had once hearts to bless God but wanted opportunity Oh that now we have opportunities we did not want hearts As when a doubting Christian complained that he had no interest in God he was such a stranger to God a Preacher of the Gospel replied But what will you take for that interest though as you think little you have in God not a thousand worlds said the doubting Christian Saints in England what will you take for that liberty you have Now your eyes see your Teachers what if they were all shut up in corners now the doors of the Congregations q.d. are open what if it were past Sermon-time and past Repentance-time what if the silver bell of the Gospel should no more sound in England Oh that we had as much conscience of liberty as we have liberty of conscience That of Omnium Deorum among the Romans of Omnium Sanctorum amongst the Papists of Omnium Sectarum here in England are monstrous Every variation from unity is a step to nullity If ever England should come from one Religion to all and we are in the high way we shall quickly go from all Religion to none 3 From this Ladder admire that we are not made a Germany Instead of the sword of War you have the Scepter of Peace instead of Garments rowled in blood and the noyse of Arms you have the blood of Christ sprinkled on your Garments Oh trample it not under feet Instead of the roaring Cannons you have the sweet sound of Gospel-Ordinances God hath but shaken his rod over us while he hath broken their backs while we have been let blood he hath even let them bleed to death God bid David chuse which of the three plagues of War Famine Pestilence he would have but God puts it to our choyce which of those three plagues we will not have inflicted on us Though God hath sheathed up his sword yet he holds it still in his hand therefore fear What salvation is this that parents are not drinking the blood of their ch ldren to quench their thirst and eat the flesh of their children to satisfie their hunger 4 From hence admire that we are not made a Babylon Pray pray that the Bibles may be opened in Spain and yet bless God that there are not Pad-locks hung on them in England Pray mightily that Antichrist may fall abroad and forget not to bless God that though there be much of Rome in England that yet England is not Rome that none can go to Market that none can buy or sel without the mark of the Beast Revel 13.17 either in their right hands or on their foreheads It is the opinion of some good men that the Protestant Profession shall be over-spread with Antichristianism again and that then the Lord will extraordinarily awaken them from their sleep and actively engage them against Babylon But I wish though we have looked on Babylon that we may not so lust after Babylon Spiritual longings in this kind are dangerous but I hope God will prevent Sions miscarriage in the birth of Reformation The Lord grant if we go to Rome it may not be to dote on her but to destroy her There is an old Prophecy that Antichrist shall never overcome Paris nor Venice nor London Let us not be secure for if his Soul have entertainment here his Body will not tarry long after But some may say What Salvation hath the Lord wrought for us what fruit is there of all the blood shed in England is not our condition as bad as ever nay in some sense worse the Saints were united are they not now divided how many Professors are turned Apostates nay Persecutors and Prophane This is sad indeed and to be lamented yet as the Disciples did not wish the blood in Christs veins again though they were distressed by his death So I dare not say though in our Distractions and among the Blasphemies of this age Man hath lost his way that God hath lost his end This is the support That as God hath laid the Foundation so he will carry on the Building that as the Great Turk makes a Bridge of the Bodies of his Souldiers to scale the wals of a Garrison So the Lord knows how to make his glory to rise by the fall of ours and to give life to his Cause by the death of his followers Secondly From this Ladder we may take many sweet Prospects forward on what God will do more apparently for Sion in the world There are eight famous Prospects The first Prospect from Jacobs Ladder is Gods Jacobs may foresee the abundance of knowledge yet to be poured out Isa 36 26. Isa 52.8 Isa 11. Knowledge shall abound as waters do upon the Sea Knowledge is now but at a low Ebb in comparison of that high Tide that shal flow hereafter Knowledge shall abound as the Sea intensively and extensively it shall more increase and be more clear As
according to the Greek pronunciation Phanouel Jacob tels us the meaning because I have seen God face to face that is not in a dream but waking not that Jacob saw the essence of God for that is invisible but he saw him more clearly than ever he did before Jacob saw God face to face Moses spake with God mouth to mouth that is they saw and spoke with God as one friend to another As before when Jacob had the Vision of the Ladder he called out of thankfulness the place Bethel so now he calleth this place Peniel that his posterity by that name might call to remembrance this heavenly Vision in that place shewed to their Father Jacob Where-ever the Saints prevail with God there is Peniel Sometimes they may call the Congregation Peniel there they hear the voyce of God their Closets Peniel there they see the face of God Oh how comfortable is it to reflect on the times and places of Gods appearances to his people For Caleb and Joshua to look back on the Red Sea and to say There we were Israel for Israel to look back on Ai and to say there was Peniel How sweet to consider there was the place where God softened my Conscience there was the Bethel where God revealed his love to me The second Circumstance is the observation of the Jews They eat not of the sinew that shrunk which is upon the hollow of the Thigh which custom was not taken up out of any Superstition which that simple age was given to but of a reverent remembrance of this Providence which befell Jacob according to the Pedagogie and Rudiments of that time who can shew in the Bible where the Lord blamed this custom But may some doubting Christians say what is all this to us This was Jacobs Victory and as there was never such a Victory before so there is like never to be such a Victory hereafter We have not the person of Jacob we are not Jacobs and how then shall we prevail with God as he did To which I answer This story of Jacobs wrestling is not incredible but a daily experience Jacob hath been wrestling with and prevailing over God these three thousand years Jacob also prayed for us and we prayed in Jacob before we were born his Vow was our Vow and his Victory was our Victory If I might have assurance of this may a Christian say I should be a Conqueor even while I think I am conquered and made when often in mine own sense I am undone Whose hand and seal is that what ever was writ afore time was writ for our instruction and comfort But rather whose language is that Hos 12.4 Jacob found God in Bethel and there the Angel spake with us with us Hosea notwithstanding many centuries of years passed from the death of Jacob to the birth of Hosea yet the Prophet speaks as if he had been alive when the Patriarch was alive as if he wept when Jacob wept and prevailed when hee prevailed And there he spake with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Saints are the Of-spring of Father Jacob and he contained them not onely exemplarily but also virtually in his Faith as the root doth the several branches according to the Hebrew Proverb That those things which God wrote to the Fathers are as copies to the Children And I remember somewhere I have read that of old Praying Christians were termed Jacobines those that have the nature may well have the name of Jacob. Those that would be Israels to prevail with God must first be Jacobs for prayer unto God How often hath God found his people in prayer lamenting and left them rejoycing despairing and left them triumphing How oft have they come out of their Closets crying with Luther Vicimus vicimus and on better ground than the confident did saying Now let Satan do his worst Oh! that we were so willing to prevail with God as God is willing to be prevailed on by us How doth our Father desire to be desired and wrestle with his Jacobines till they wrestle with him Neither hath he his will unless we have ours Hath God forgotten to be gracious Psal 77. No If he forget any of his he hath forgot his old wont Whoever can nominate one Jacob that ever came with a lawful suit and received a repulse Deus non negat se petenti quod sponte se obtulit non petenti Aug. God sent a challenge of old to Israel Amos 4 Prepare to meet thy God as if the Lord had said you have often challenged me I now challenge you Israel meet me in the field gird on your Swords bring forth your Artillery plead your cause I say you are a rebellious people not Israel but Jacob not Jacob but Esau try who is righteous I or you if you can prove you are not a proud hypocritical people I le never challenge you more thus God seems ironically to jeer them what you contend with the Almighty you dwell with everlasting burnings But I rather judge the sense thus q.d. Israel you have often provoked me I now accept of your provocation I now take the field to vindicate my Glory yet I am not so angry but I may be appeased come saith the Lord with sackcloath on your backs with ropes about your necks acknowledge your unworthiness come with tears in your eyes supplications in your mouthes sacrifices in your hands give me the glory of my Justice meet your God with righteousness and repentance and I will spare you How often doth the Lord as it were cast his Glove to his Jacobs and challenge them to enter the Lists with him Quid Deus non filiis petentibus cum hoc ipsum dedit ut filii ipsi essent None taketh hold of me crys the Lord none will wrestle with me none will pray to me Go saith the Lord into your Closets to morrow there you and I will wrestle together you say you want peace of Conscience a bleeding heart sense of my love now meet me there if you dare muster up your Faith produce the Promises pray and plead weep and wrestle with me prevail with me and you have prevailed over all But alas may a gracious heart say how shall I prevail I have neither knowledge how to contend nor strength if I contend to conquer the Lord. Oh! look not on your weakness but on Gods strength The Lord deals with Saints as some potent people have done to their adversaries lends them Arms and Armor Powder and Shot to fight against himself Cannot you pray says God come I le teach you to pray take unto you words and say unto me Lord take away iniquity and receive us graciously and we will render unto thee the calves of our lips Say Father pardon my sins and I will love thee speak peace to my distressed Conscience and I will praise thee Methinks I hear the Lord say Sinners though you cannot pray with your tongues yet have you not