Evil Things in this Life and their Good in the next Short Misery on Earth and long Felicity in Heaven Some live and die possest of a good Estate and in a State of Grace These have their Good Things here and better hereafter Now some Earnest then actual Possession It is better to live and die in the Depths of Poverty and have the Soul Everlastingly saved than in the Heigths of Prosperity and the Soul Eternally lost The worst Condition of a Child of God be it never so bad is better than the best Condition of a Wicked Man be it never so good In the Words of the Text Five Things may be observed 1. The Passage of a Believer to the Place of his Eternal Abode He is carried or transported to it 2. What of the Believer is carried to that Place or State And that is the Soul He was carried his Soul not then his Body His Soul was transported his Body was left behind The Soul is carried at his Dissolution the Body not till the Resurrection 3. Whither was the Soul carried what was the Place or State to which it was transported Into Abraham 's Bosom 4. When As soon as he died that Minute it was separated from the Body it began its Journey to its Eternal Home 5. By whom By the Angels he was carried into Abraham 's Bosom Not by one but many Angels Several great Articles of Faith affording great Support and Comfort to Believers are taught by Christ in these Words 1. Observation That the Soul doth exist after its Separation from the Body Otherwise it would not be capable to be carried to another State of Blessedness and Glory In Man's Mortal Body there is an Immortal Soul Death turns the Soul out of the Body and the Man out of this World Death deprives the Body of Life and leave it a Lump or Mass of Breathless Clay but in Death the Soul escapeth Death Death that conquereth all Mens Bodies kills no Man's Soul The Life and Being of the Soul cannot be destroyed either by Outward Violence by Inward Principles First Not by Outward Violence No Finite Power can make the Soul to cease to be The most Powerful Cruel and Enraged Persecutors who may torture kill or burn the Body cannot touch nor reach the Soul Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell Tho' they had a Will to kill the Soul yet they want Power If they would they are not able They can neither kill it nor damn it Luke 12. 4. I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do When they have taken away the Life of the Body they have done their worst their most their all so that there is no more that they can do for the Soul escapes their Fury and their malicious Rage And as Creatures cannot so we are assured that God will not cause the Soul to cease to be and this we know 1. From the Promises he hath made to sincere Believers to give to them Eternal Life Joh 3. 16. For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life That they shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. That they shall be Eternally Saved Heb. 5. 9. That they shall have a Crown incorruptible that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4 5. If these Eternal Things shall be enjoyed by Believers then their Souls must exist to all Eternity for that which is nothing can enjoy nothing 2. From the Threatnings of God recorded in his Word of the Everlasting Punishment they shall be tormented with in the other World to all Eternity that leave this World in a State of Sin Rev. 14. 10. The same shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God which is poured out without Mixture into the Cup of his Indignation and they shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the the Presence of the Holy Angels and in the Presence of the Lamb. V. 11. And the Smoak of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest Day nor Night If Souls shall lie under the Punishment of Sense for ever they must exist for ever for that which is nothing by ceasing to be can have no Sense of Punishment Secondly The Soul cannot die or cease to be by any Internal Principles such as contrary Qualities in the Body which after Conflicts and one consumed by the other cause the Death of the Body as Fire in the Lamp licking up all the Oyl causeth the Lamp to go out or if too much Oyl be poured in and overflows the Fire it also is extinguished Neither can the Soul dye with old Age as the Body will for time is not the measure of the Duration of the Soul as it is of the Body but Eviternity and Beings measured thereby tho' they have a Beginning yet shall have no Ending Let this awaken all to provide a Lodging for their Souls against the Hour they shall be separated from their Bodies Now our Souls dwell in Houses of Clay and these have their Foundation in the Dust and will shortly fall and the Soul be dispossessed and turned out of this House in which it is a Tenant at Will of the great Landlord of all the World who might Seal a Lease of Ejectment at his Pleasure when you cannot remove from one House to another in the same Parish in the same City or in the same Nation no nor yet in the same World but will be such a Remove as never yet you made from one World to another Since then the Soul after Death will be in Being it must be some where for that which is no where is nothing but where shall it be There are but Two Places in the other World where Souls shall be Heaven or Hell Do you know in which Or do not you think nor care in which your Soul shall live and lodge for ever If in Hell your Lodging will be so uneasy that in it you cannot rest A Bed of Flames a Lodging in boiling Lead or Oyl or burning Brimstone will cause you to cry out I am uneasy I am uneasy in my Lodging I cannot rest upon this Bed I cannot take one wink of Sleep May I not change my Lodging I am weary of being here May I not go back again from whence I came I thought my sick Bed was uneasy but this is worse inconceivably worse beyond Expression more painful and uneasy But if I may not go back to my old Lodgings in that World from whence I came Let me seek a cooler Lodging where I am Let me rove from one side of Hell unto the other if I might find some easy Corner where I may a while be free from
Pain and Torment But alas I cannot Wo is me I cannot Every Nook is Hot is Hot is exceeding Hot. The Justice of God pursues me wherever I go My enraged Conscience doth accompany me and tormenting Devils follow me and the Fire burns me to what Place soever I hasten and there is no Hope O Desperate Case there is no Hope either of Deliverance or Mitigation of my Misery Die I would but cannot cease to be I would but must not Cursed Caitiff that I am in this Extremity I must lie and lodge to all Eternity Secure then your Title to an House Above to Mansions in Heaven that when your Soul shall be turned out of this it may be received into that How comfortable would this Knowledge be on a dying Bed when you shall say This Tabernacle must be taken down this Earthly House is going to Ruins it can be repaired no more it can stand no longer Food I cannot eat to patch it up Medicines cannot remove that Sickness from me which will remove my Soul out of this Earthly House But I know blessed be God I know that I have a Building of God an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens 2. Cor. 5. 1. II. Observation The Souls of Believers after Death are transported into an Eternal State of Blessedness The Body is carried and lodged in the Bosom of the Earth the Soul is carried and laid in the Bosom of Abraham This Figurative Expression denotes a Place of Love and dearest Affection Christ is God's dear Son or the Son of his Love Col. 1. 13. and said to be in the Bosom of the Father Joh. 1. 18. John the beloved of the Lord is found nearest Christ lying in his Bosom Joh. 13. 23. and There was leaning on Jesus his Bosom one of his Disciples whom Jesus loved The Bosom is also a Place of Ease and Rest and sweet Repose So God comforting and giving Rest unto his People is said to carry them in his Bosom Isay 40. 11. Thus Lazarus wearied with Affliction want and Poverty was received up to Everlasting Rest There are Conjectures why Abraham's Bosom is mentioned rather than the Bosom of Moses or David or any other that were in Heaven 1. Because he was on Earth given to Hospitality Gen. 18. he entertained Three Angels and the Angels carried the Soul of this Beggar who could not obtain the least Alms at the Rich Man's Gate into Abraham's Bosom where his Wants were all presently supplied The Rich Man was a Churl Abraham was Charitable The Poor Man was carried from the Churl 's Door to the Charitable Man's Bosom 2. Because he was the Father of the Faithful and the Father's Bosom is the Child's Place 3. Because the Promise of Canaan the Type of Heaven was made to him and his Seed for ever But I conceive the plain meaning is That he was carried into Heaven where the Faithful with Abraham the Father of all the Faithful shall be gathered sit down rest and be comforted for Ever as Mat. 8. 11. I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Saved Souls possest of their Mansions in Heaven shall have perfect and perpetual Rest from all Evils that afflict molest and burden them and cause them here in the Place of their Pilgrimage and Travel to their Eternal Home to sigh and sob to grieve and groan to weep and Mourn when lodg'd above they shall rest for ever 1. From the In-dwellings of Corruption While the Soul dwells here in the Body Sin will dwell in the Soul While the Believer is here a Sojourner Sin will be his constant disquieting molesting Inmate When Body and Soul do part then Sin and the Soul shall also part and tho' Body and Soul at length shall meet again yet they and Sin shall meet no more 2. From all Troubles arising from ungodly Men These shall persecute imprison disturb their Peace no more for ever 3. From all Temptations of Satan The Devil got into the Earthly Paradise and and by his Subtilty beguiled our first Parents but is cast down from Heaven to return and enter no more nor shall be a Tempter to any in the Celestial Paradise any more for ever He might follow his tempting Trade with us on Earth but must leave it off as to all in Heaven 4. From the Imperfection of their Graces Here our Faith is so feeble our Love to God and Christ so little our Delight so small our Knowledge so short our Desires so faint our Hope so wavering and all our Graces in such low Degrees that we often call all into Question doubt of our Sincerity fear Hipocrisy and think our Attainments great if we mourn the more because we love no more and have more Desires to desire more and sorrow the more because we delight in God and Christ and Fore-views of the glorious State Above no more And these make us more restless on our Sick Beds because our Souls are Sick as well as our Bodies and our inward Man as Weak as our outward Man is And too many instead of departing in Triumph with Assurance of Salvation breath out their Souls with mourning Complaints and Fears concerning their future Eternal State leaving the World with these piercing Questions Is God mine Is Christ mine Shall Heaven be mine I am going but I know not whither I must I must leave all my dearest Friends in this World but what will be my Company in the next But when these Holy Souls shall be carried into Heaven all these Mists shall be dispell'd these Clouds shall be scatter'd this dark and gloomy Day shall end in a bright and glorious Sun-shine for evermore For when they are come to that which is Perfect and that which is Perfect is come to them that which is in Part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. For all the Spirits of Just Men carried thither are made Perfect Heb. 12. 23. 5. From any Desertion from God The Children of God in that Light shall walk no more in Darkness Nor question the Love of God to them nor their Love to God any more than we can question whether it be Day when we see the Sun to shine in its greatest Brightness or whether Fire be hot when it warms our Hands Not one shall there say My Lord hath forsaken me or my God hath forgotten me No such Question there Will the Lord cast off for ever Will he be Favourable no more Is his Mercy clean gon for ever Doth his Promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be Gracious Hath he in Anger shut up his tender Mercies When I was on Earth this was my Infirmity but now in Heaven I will meditate on all that blessed Work of God that hath brought me to this Glorious Place and resting in my Saviour's Bosom will talk with this Holy Company of all the Marvels and
active in resisting the violent Assaults of Devils in Conjunction with the Holy Angels 3. God's Love to and Care of his People is manifested in the Ministration of Angels in that they are charged to be their Keepers in all their Ways Psal 91. 11 12. Now the Way of Believers is Two-fold and they are to keep them in both or else they do not keep them in all 1. In the Way of their commanded Duty in this Life 2. In the Way to their promised Reward and they are in this Way immediately after Death till they enter into Heaven Is it likely God should charge his Angels with them to keep them from Dangers while they keep in the way of Duty and give them a discharge from keeping them on their way to their Reward especially when they are in Danger of Devils not only in the way of their Duty but also passing thro' their Territories on their Way to their Reward passing from Earth to Heaven Do not the Angels of the Lord encamp round about them that fear him to deliver them Psal 34. 7. Do not separated Souls on their Passage fear God with an holy reverential Fear as well as when they were in their Bodies and much more and so have still the Qualification of such as are the Objects of Angels Ministration Do they now encamp round about them on every side to deliver them from Danger while they are liable thereunto and will they decamp from them on every side to deliver them no more tho' surrounded with Dangers after Death till their Souls enter into Heaven Especially when their dearest Friends that take care of the Burial of the Body can be no help to the separated Soul in its Travel to Heaven Their Friends and Relations that ministred to them when sick and on their dying Beds till the Moment they gave up the Ghost from that Instant have no more that they can do unto or for their Souls no not so much as by their Prayers for them And will Angels then forsake them also and afford them no more Help on their way to Heaven than their Friends whom they have left behind can do 4. Holy Angels promote and rejoice at the Conversion of God's Elect because then they have a Right and Title to Heaven Luke 15. 7 10. And will they not be as careful of their compleat Salvation in watching over them till they are put into the actual Possession of their Mansions in Heaven 5. Christ will use the Ministration of Angels for the Salvation of all the Elect as to their Bodies as well as their Souls united to them at his second Coming and will they neglect the Conveying of the separated Soul while the Body till then is left behind Angels shall be Christ's Servants then 1. In gathering together all the Elect Mat. 24. 31. 2. In separating between the Righteous and the Wicked and severing the one from the other Mat. 13. 49. 3. In catching them up to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thes 4. 17. All the Elect that shall then be raised and found alive shall be caught up as in the Arms of Angels to such a Meeting with their Saviour as after it shall be no parting for they shall be with the Lord for ever Use I. Terrour Learn hence the woful Case of every impenitent Soul as soon as separated from the Body Every finally-unbelieving Sinner's dying Day will be a doleful dreadful dismal Day His expiring Moment will be the Beginning of such Horror as the Soul was never in before because that very Moment it shall be seized by Devils that stand waiting for it and shall lay hold on it as ravening Wolves as roaring Lions as enraged Tygers leap upon their Prey Luke 12. 20. God said unto him thou Fool this Night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that is Devils shall demand thy Soul of thee The word signifies to require ones own which is his due with Vehemency to call for it and to demand it from one tho' unwilling to give it yea as it were by Force and Violence to wrest it from another as owing to him This Fool sinned all Day and died at Night He served the Devil all Day and at Night the Devils came to reckon with him to pay him his Wages he took care where to lay his Goods and the Devils took care where to lodge his Soul at Night he reckoned of many Years but he had but that Day he was for taking of his Ease but the Devil took him and put him into Little ease yea carried him to a Place where he could have no Ease nor Rest to all Eternity he was for his Cups and Company and Mirth in both but at Night he had such a bitter Cup and frightful Company that spoiled his Mirth and turned it into Mourning If one Devil in some frightful visible Shape should appear to you in the deep and silent Night what Terrour would the sight thereof fill you with Would not such Fear and Trembling come upon you as would make all your Bones to shake and make the Hair of your Head stand up when your Heart and Courage would so fail you that you your self would be ready to fall down as when the Discipes saw Christ walking on the Sea they were troubled Saying it is a Spirit and they cried out for fear Oh then what Horror will the Sinful Soul be filled with next Moment after Death Oh What Fear What Trembling What Amazement shall possess it How may we imagine with what direful Shriekings it will cry out and say Who are all these What Black-Guard is this What is all this Host I am fallen into and am surrounded with I never saw such a sight as this I have often been in wicked Company but I never fell into such Company as this Oh! ye greedy Devils Ye furious Furies Ye hasty unclean Spirits What means your Rage Whither do ye hurry me Whither will ye carry me Carry thee First as Jaylors we will carry thee as our Prisoner to the Seat of Judgment to be Tried and being there condemned next as Executioners we will carry thee to the Place of Punishment Oh! My woful Case Oh! My remediless Misery Oh! My hopeless State Are these the Devils I did please Are these they I did so daily serve so readily yield unto They could not in my Body have forced me to Sin but now just out of the Body they do they do oh what shall I do they do force me to the Place of Torment to suffer for my Sin Wo is me Is there no Hope Alas for me Is there none to help Is there no escaping out of these Hands I am so suddenly fallen into Oh that Death had killed me as it hath my Body from whence now I am turned out Oh that I were without Life and Sense as now my Body is My earthly Friends are mourning weeping and groaning over my Breathless Carcass and these Hellish Fiends are rejoicing that I
to the lowest Hell It was he that was Taken Arraigned Accused Condemned and Crucified that Sinners might be released discharged and acquitted from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin It was he that delivered Men that were possessed with Devils rebuked them and cast them out and freed them from their Power O that Christ would Pity me O that he would have Mercy on me O that he would shew some Bowels of Compassion to me now even now before I am actually lodged in the Flames of Hell But this Cry Poor Wretch that I am this calling also is in vain for he did not die to save Finally-impenitent Sinners and cursed I was such an one He did not design to save such Souls that left their Bodies Unbelieving and Unsanctified and yet I did so cursed Caitiff I did so He would have stopped me in my Course and Way of Sin but I would and did go forward and now he will not stop me on my Way to Hell but I must go forwards Fourthly It will be much more vain for me seized by these Evil Angels to look to the Holy Angels of God for Succour and Relief For they are Ministring Spirits for the Heirs of Salvation but I am an Heir of Hell They are his Servants to execute his Will against the Servants of Sin and Satan and such an one I was all the time of my Life of Trial As they stood with flaming Swords which turned every Way to keep fallen Man from the Tree of Life so they stand as set by God with Flaming Swords turning every Way to keep unsanctified Souls from entring any Way into Eternal Blessed Life Nay they are to gather out of his Kingdom such as work Iniquity and to cast them into the Furnace of Fire Fifthly Still will it be in vain for me on my Way to Hell to look to Holy Souls lodged in Heaven as it was for the Rich Man in Torments to look to Abraham and Lazarus in Glory My Friends when I and they did live on Earth did often reprove exhort and counsel me did then pity me and mourn over me because they saw me walk in the Ways of Sin and longed for my Conversion and turning unto God they died before me and were carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom afterwards I also was separated from my Body and Devils are carrying me to Eternal Torments which they in Heaven do not know or if they do they are so far from pitying of me that they rejoice in the Righteous Judgments of God upon all his implacable Enemies how near soever they were related to them If I then on my Passage to my doleful Home am such a forsaken Soul forsaken of God forsaken of Christ forsaken of all in Heaven and on Earth and am surprized by this Host of Devils there is no hope the Way is bad the End will be worse without End O forlorn forlorn What a forlorn Soul am I I and all my Friends are separated my Body and I am separated my Hopes and I am separated my Body is left to be Meat for Worms and I am taken as a Prey to Devils my Body will be carried by Men to a cold Grave and I am carrying by Devils to an hot Hell exceeding hot where my Pain will be extreme intollerable and eternal Use II. Comfort That Angels are the Convoy of the Soul on its Passage to Glory administers Comfort to all those that are Heirs of Salvation God hath not only prepared such things for us in Heaven which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can we now conceive how great and Glorious they are set forth by a Kingdom a Crown an Inheritance Mansions in our Father's House a Paradise a City that hath Foundations an House not made with Hands a Weight of Glory Incorruptible Treasures c. But hath also secured our Way unto them by the Ministration of his Angels who are to conduct our separated Souls to the actual Possession of them I shall amplify this for our greater Delight and Joy in the Fore thoughts of it by such Considerations that do by immediate and necessary Consequence flow from the Convoy of Angels receiving the Souls of Believers at their Dissolution wherever they die and transporting them into the immediate glorious Presence of God in the Highest Heavens where when once lodg'd they will be happy for ever 1. The Excellency of their Company from Earth to Heaven 2. Their Safety in their Passage from the one to the other 3. Their Dignity before they are actually glorified in Heaven 4. Their Celerity and speedy Motion from and to such distant Places 5. The Exultancies of Joy both of the Transporters and the Passengers at their Arrival at the Haven of Happiness 1. The Excellency of the Company the gracious separated Soul is immediately received into doth cause abundant Delight and Joy unto it The Difference of the Company it had while in the Body and hath as soon as out of the Body doth presently shew it is got into another State into a New World It had often heard of the Heavenly Principalities and Powers but they never appeared unto it before Angels are such glorious Creatures that in this mortal State we could not without Fear Amazement and Trembling bear their appearing unto us But when the Gracious Soul is out of the Body the Presence Company and Vision of Glorious Angels shall transport it with Joy and fill it with great Delight Tho' we cannot tell the Names of Angels that shall be sent to convey our Souls to Heaven there being but one Proper Name in Sacred Scripture attributed to a Created Angel viz. Gabriel Dan. 8. 16. and 9. 21. Luke 1. 19 26. which signifieth a strong Man of God and might be a common Name to any Angel sent by God upon any special Message for every one is a strong Man of God yet the Titles and Properties ascribed to them all are sufficient Grounds of Satisfaction to us whoever of them shall be commissioned by God to Conduct us to the blessed State above Twice we read of an Archangel 1 Thes 4. 16. Jude V. 9. which is Michael signifying who as God or who is equal to God to be understood of Christ the Son of God the only uncreated Angel for it pleased God to send his Son as his Messenger to declare to Men his Holy Will and is often in Scripture called an Angel and he is that Archangel who is the Head of all Principalities and Powers Col. 2. 20. and all the other are his Servants and Attendants How much the separated Soul being then made perfect in Holiness will be delighted with the Sight and Knowledge of this new Company sent to convey it to Glory we might apprehend by Titles given to them setting forth the excellency of them 1. This Convoy sent for it are Holy Ones In Holiness they were at first created and their Holiness they still retain persevering in it Dan. 4. 13. 17.
diligently read them Also if any desired him to transcribe out of his Short Hand into Long any Sermon under which they were more than usually affected tho' he was fully imployed yet he would take time from his sleep and write it very fair and give them being ready to promote the Interest of Souls both by his Purse and Pains He was a singular Pattern of Dutifulness to Parents being very tender and careful of his very aged Mother both in respect to her Temporal and Spiritual State liberally assisting her as to both for tho' she was left a Widow in good Worldly Circumstances yet in her Old Age she enjoyed not that Plenty as before For Temporals she by his Care wanted nothing in Spirituals he was as forward to afford his Help for being Weak thro' Age and difficult in hearing could not attend as formerly upon Publick Ordinances to supply the Want whereof it was his constant Practice for many Years every Lord's Day in the Evening to go to her House and laying his Face near her Ear repeated the Sermons he had taken that Day to her and the rest in the Family He was not short in his Relation as a Brother to his Sisters Two that by Providence were brought from higher to lower Circumstances in their outward State he made comfortable Provisions for one of which being discomposed in her Head and not capable of caring for her self he like a loving Brother was exceeding kind unto her while he lived and hath left them what will be a good Stay and Support unto them now he is taken from his Mother and them He never was a talkative Man but the less he said the more he did not like many whose Tongues run faster in speaking Religiously than their Feet in walking Holily His Works did praise him more to the Observers of what he did than his Words did commend him to the Hearers of what he said tho' what he said was Savoury and his Words were weighty rather than many speaking but little tho' to good Purpose And as he was sparing in his Words when in Health so he spake not much when sick and on his dying Bed but told me he had good Hopes of his Spiritual and Eternal State and tho' he found Satan tempting to shake his Reliance on Christ yet there he placed his only Trust and Dependance for Salvation having consented to him and accepted of him in all his Offices as offered in the Gospel Concerning the last Sermon he heard which was about Love-sickness to Christ through the abundant Sense of Christ's Love to the Soul he said it was an excellent comfortable Frame of Spirit in such as have experience of it and this I thought he said from his own Experience as having found and felt how comfortable it was His Head being affected with his Distemper and much inclined to Sleep yet asked me to pray with him saying tho' I be drowsy yet will I not sleep while you pray but will join in the Prayers with you and when sick kept waking in his Bed during the time of Prayer when many in Health in Family and Congregation are sleeping when they should be praying and tho' he was so heavy yet would not be satisfied except the Duty were performed and striving against his Sleep that he might strive with God in Prayer said afterwards his Soul was refreshed and was the better for it Within the space of about Fifteen Days he was well and dead when Sickness did seize him Death made haste to remove him but tho' Death prevented him of longer Time he had prevented Death from hurrying him to Eternal Death by his timely spiritual Birth and Conversion unto God by his sound Repentance and unfeigned Faith in Christ which manifested it self by the Fruits thereof thro' the whole Course of his Life persevering therein to the End and when God gave Commission to Death to make such haste to have his Body carried to the Grave he gave Commission to his Angels to make as much speed to carry his Soul into Abrahams Bosom where it is in perfect Rest and Love and Joy and let us all prepare that our Remove by Death might be from Earth to Heaven Amen FINIS Luk. 16. 25 Gen. 2. 7. Eccl. 12. 7. Use Job 4. 19. Rom. 7. 17 33. 24. Psal 77. 7 8 9. Psal 16. 11. Mat. 6. 25. Rev. 7. 16. Mar. 9. 44. Heb. 11. 25. Mat. 16. 26 Luke 15. 16. Luke 16. 24 25. Heb. 10. 34. Mat. 26. 41. Rev. 4. 8. Job 31. 33. Deut. 13. 6 8. Psal 79. 12. Isa 65. 6 7. Prov. 19. 24 Mat. 11. 12. Gen. 18. 10. Judg. 13. 3 4 5. Luke 1. 11 13 to 18. Exod. 34. 28. 1 King 19. 8. Rom. 4. 23 24. Exod. 14. 9 28 29. Jude V. 9. Job 4. 14 15. Mat. 14. 26 Mar. 5. 9. Isay 6. 2. 6. Luke 16. 24 25 Psal 49. 7 8. Mat. 5. 25 26. Gen. 3. 24. Mat. 13. 41 42. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Mat. 25. 34 Jam. 1. 12. Col. 1. 12. John 14. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Mat. 28. 2 3 4. Luke 1. 12. Gen. 3. 24. Col. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 2 Cor. 2. 11. Eph. 6. 11. Isay 6. 2 6. Job 1. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8. 2. King 6. 16. 17. Gen. 45. 27. Isay 6. 2. Dan. 9. 21. Psal 127. 1 Isa 37. 36. Act. 12. 23. Luke 2. 10 11. Act. 1. 10. 11. Mat. 6. 10. Psal 119. 11. Heb. 3. 7 8. Mat. 13. 19 1 Cor. 11. 10. Rev. 22. 8 9.
THE Saints Convoy TO HEAVEN A DISCOURSE occasioned by and in Part Preacht upon THE DEATH and FUNERAL OF Mr. Benjamin Lindsey Who Deceased the 21st of February 1697. By THO. DOOLITTLE M. A. LONDON Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry over against the Compter 1698. THE EPISTLE TO Mrs. Rebeccah Lindsey Mother Mr. Joseph Lindsey Brother Sisters Mrs. Abigal Shipton Mrs. Sarah Pike Kinsmen Mr. John Hinde Mr. Morgan Hinde Mr. Richard Hinde Mr. Robert Hinde to Mr. Benjamin Lindsey lately Deceased Dear Friends ACcording to the several Relations nearer or more remote wherein ye stood to Mr. Benjamin Lindsey when he was living with you Nature and Reason dictates that ye must be differently affected as to Degrees by his being by Death removed from you yet being so much beloved and respected by you all it is easy to determine that his Death was Matter of Sorrow to you all but the Religion ye all profess and the Christian Doctrine ye all do own must be instructive to you that ye sorrow not as those that have no Hope either that his Soul being so Pious was not carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom or that his Body that ye carried and lodged in the Bosom of the Earth should not be raised again to a joyful Resurrection and be hereafter where the Soul at present is in Happiness and Glory Of which Two Things the believing Consideration should drie your weeping Eyes relieve your mourning Spirits and comfort your Sorrowful Hearts To the Mother I send this short following Advice 1. That you would not so much sorrow that your Son's Body is gone down to the Grave as rejoice that his Soul is gone up to Heaven Not so much mourn that he whom you did bear bring forth and bring up is taken from you as be comforted that God hath taken him to himself As knowing he is better pleased to be where he is and more Happy than if he had continued to be on Earth with you and that he would not be from thence to come again to you And let this make you the less Sorrowful in this World because his Soul is now triumphant in the other which is a better World for I suppose you loved your Son better than to grieve at his Preferment 2. That considering the Greatness of your Age you would clear your Evidences for Heaven and not have them to seek when you should have them to shew nor to get when you should have them to use for your more comfortable Departure that as you are sure your Body must go down to your Son's Body so you might be as sure that your Soul shall go up to his Soul that as he was where you are so you might be with God where he is 3. That you daily remember you are almost at your Journey 's End in a Course of Nature so near the Door of Eternity that you cannot be much longer in Time therefore when you cannot move so speedily in Natural Motion run more swiftly in your Spiritual Race that you might not fall short of the Joy and Crown that is set before you 4. That since your Son now gone from you hath made such competent Provision for you that you need not spend your Breath in asking What shall I eat or what shall I drink or wherewithal shall I be clothed Your Enquiries might be How shall I love God more please him better and be more prepared for my Eternal State Since now you need not cark for Earth take more Care for Heaven 5. That since you have more Benefit of your Sense of Seeing than of Hearing supply the Defect of Hearing by your diligent Reading and the less you can hear Men speak to you in Discoursing the more do you speak to God in Praying and the less Converse you can have with the Creature the more Communion do you desire get and maintain with God To the Rest of you let me be your Remembrancer that ye get a sanctified Improvement of this Breach by Death that God hath made amongst you that ye so mind Temporal as not to forget your Eternal Concerns to watch and be always ready because the Son of Man might come in an Hour that ye think not of to prepare to follow him and others that are gone before to keep up the Power of Godliness in your Hearts and to demonstrate it in your Lives Seriously and believingly to think of another world and every Day you live in this to stand in Time and look into Eternity To be Good and to do Good as he was and did that is taken from you whereof in Part ye have been Eye-witnesses To live Holily that ye might die not only Peacably but also Triumphantly as is his Prayer for you who desires it might be yours for him who is Affectionately Yours To his Power Tho. Doolittle Mugwel-Street April 8. 1698. THE Saints Convoy TO HEAVEN Luke XVI 22. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom SOME think it is not material whether the Discourse of our Lord Jesus concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar be taken as a Parable or an History or composed of both when it is confessed that under this Narration Christ describes the State of the Good and Bad in the other World and asserts the Existence of the Soul after its Separation from the Body and that it immediately passeth to Heaven or Hell before the Resurrection of the Body and general Judgment of the great Day Tho' there was a Disparity between Lazarus spoken of in the Text and our Friend whose Death is the Occasion of this Discourse upon it in regard of their outward Circumstances in this World yet if the latter be a Partaker of Felicity with the former in the other World I might easily be excused for choosing this as my Theme upon this sad but righteous Providence especially when there is no other so express to my Design as this is The Rich Man here spoken of was a voluptuous Sinner who while he lived did live in outward Pomp and when he died was buried in great State The Poor Man was full of Sores and Hungry while he lived and no mention is made of his Funeral when he died The one was Rich on Earth but now a Beggar in Hell The other a Beggar on Earth but now Rich in Heaven The Poor Man on Earth begged for some Crumbs at the Rich Man's Door but he could not obtain them The Rich Man in Hell begged for a Drop of Water but it was denied him Some live and die Poor and in a State of Sin These have their Evil Things here and hereafter too Misery on Earth and more in Hell Some live and die Rich and finally Impenitent These have their Good Things here and their Evil Things hereafter A short Heaven in this World and a long Hell in the next Some live and die Poor but in a State of Grace These have their
Wonders of his Grace in bringing me to this happy State of Life and Light and Love and perfect Rest for Ever 6. From all Discords and Divisions that were amongst believers on their way on Earth to this State in Heaven There they are all of one Mind of one Heart and Way There is no Diversity of Judgment no Alienation of Affection no rash and uncharitable Censures but all filled with Love to God and one another 7. From all ensnaring Allurements of this World These too often did deaden their Affections towards God interrupt their Communion with him and by the World's Smiles were sometimes brought under God's Frowns and when it was best with their Bodies it was worst with their Souls and the more they enjoyed of the World the less their Conversation was in Heaven But there they have got above all worldly Profits all fleshly Pleasures all carnal Joys and shall bathe themselves in those Rivers of Pleasures and be delighted in that fulness of Joy which is in the Presence of their Lord and Saviour to all Eternity 8. From all distracting Cares and disquieting Fears about the want of things necessary to bear their Charges on their Journey while on Earth to the Bosom of their Lord. They shall have no more need of such Cautions Take no thought what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewithal ye shall be clothed For in that Place and State they shall be hungry no more nor thirst any more nor feel any Want of any such things but shall live without these as Angels in Heaven do 9. From all Troubles and Remorse and Stinging of Conscience Conscience that shall still remain in the Bosom of the Damned shall Eternally torment and gnaw upon them and for very Vexation shall cause them to cry out What Fools were we for short Pleasures of Time to run into these Everlasting Pains What Madness did possess us for small Profits of the World to lose the Enjoyments of all the Happiness of Heaven What Distraction did seize us to come to this filthy loathsom Dungeon to this dark and dismal Prison for the fading Honours of a short and Transitory Life Cursed Caitiffs that we are that did prefer the good Things of our corrupt Flesh before the things that were really good for Body or for Soul Miserable Hell-hounds for so now we are and must for ever be to keep our Sins and lose our Souls to gratify our Lusts and for them to be cast out from the comfortable Presence of the blessed Lord To sell Heaven for a Merrybout to come short of Eternal Joys for an Ale-bench Song and there to drink and swill like Hogs at a Trough and now to lie in tormenting Flames and cannot obtain one Drop of Water tho' a River would not be enough to cool our Tongues But the Saints in Abraham's or rather in their Saviour's Bosom shall have a quiet sedate and rejoicing Conscience in their own that shall refresh and comfort them that they did deny themselves to save themselves that they did venture or sustain the Loss of Life to obtain Eternal Life that they took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods that they might have in Heaven a better and more enduring Substance 10. From all irksom Weariness in Holy Exercises While they are in the Bosom of the Church Militant they are too often weary in doing their Duty when they are not weary of doing of it and the better they do it the more weary they are in doing of it and if they are weary of it it is because they do it no better They are weary of a dull and lazy slothful Heart they are weary of their unbelieving hard and unaffected Heart they are weary of their distracting Thoughts and wandring Minds and roving Affections But the more Life and Liveliness the more activity and exercise of Faith and Love Desire and Delight of Joy and Hope they perform them with the less weary they are of them Much labour seemeth light long time seemeth short and the greatest Pains are pleasant to them and in so doing they find the Spirit is willing when the Flesh is weak The Damned in the Bowels of Hell and in the Devil's Bosom are weary of their Torments of their Pain and Punishment such a Bosom is no Place of Love or Rest and the more they are embraced in the Devil's Arms the more uneasy still they are and wish that he could hug them into nothing and Lamenting say Have our Bosom Sins brought us to such an uneasy Bosom Have our embraced Sins brought us to the Embracements of such cruel and merciless Tormentors We never hug'd our Sins so much but the Devil huggeth us as close We never kept our Sins so fast but the Devil will keep us now as long We are weary we are weary of this Place and Pain more weary than we were of Prayers and Sermons and Sabbaths upon Earth we were weary of them and Death freed us from that Weariness but now we are weary of these Pains which we were weary in praying against and never must be freed from them But when the Soul is carried into Heaven it shall be no more weary of the Praise Delight and Love it shall be imployed in for ever and tho' it shall not rest Day or Night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty yet it shall find sweet and pleasant Rest both Night and Day in sounding unwearied Hallelujahs to the Lord in the Saviour's Bosom Take some Corollaries from what hath been said 1. Let go your Bosom Sins as you would have your Souls carried into Abraham's Bosom Make no Sin your Bosom Friend neither hide it in your Bosom 1. by indulging and cherishing of it as a Mother the Child in her Bosom beware of that Sin which all other Sins are Servants to 2. By defending and pleading for it 3. By withstanding the Reproofs that are given to you for it 4. By pleasing your self in thinking of it 5. By not confessing of it to God who knows the most secret Things in your Bosom 2. Let no Bosom Friend draw you to sin not the Wife or Husband of your Bosom or any as dear to you as your own Soul lest when you are carried from them by Death you be not carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom 3. Let Christ have a Room in your Bosom now that you might be received into his Bosom hereafter Christ should lie nearest your Heart He that is in the Bosom of the Father is most worthy of the chiefest and choicest Room in your Heart Say and do as the Spouse Cant. 1. 13. A Bundle of Myrrh is my Well beloved unto me he shall lie all Night betwixt my Breasts Some say Myrrh betwixt the Breasts is an excellent Cordial Christ in our Bosom is a reviving Cordial for it is a Pledge that we hereafter shall be in his 4. When the Souls that shall not be carried up
to Heaven shall be dragged down to Hell they shall have the Recompence of all their Wickedness pour'd into their Bosom and of all their Reproaches wherewith they have reproached the Lord. God now saith That then he will not keep Silence but will recompence into their Bosom and will measure their former Works into their Bosom 5. Whatsoever Soul would be carried up to Abraham's Bosom must be laborious in Religion while he is here He must neither hide his Sins nor his Hand in his Bosom not the one from parting from it nor the other from working with it The slothful Man that hideth his Hands in his Bosom and will not so much as bring it to his Mouth again must starve because he will neither work nor eat And he that hideth his Sin in his Bosom and will not so much as bring it to his Mouth Penitently and with Brokenness of Heart to confess his Sin shall be damned for his Sin Angels will carry no Idle Slothful Souls to Heaven Abraham's Bosom is no Place for Loiterers It is those that Fight and Run and Wrestle and Overcome that shall have Repose and Rest in Abraham's Bosom For The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by Force III. Observation A gracious Soul separated from the Body is presently carried by Angels into a State of Happiness in Heaven At Death it is not annihilated nor doth it sleep with the Body neither doth it stay in any other supposed Place but is instantly on its Journey to Glory and immediately passeth into the Celestial Paradise The sure Word of God doth assure us of this and if we believe the one we must grant the other since it is so express and full in the asserting of this Doctrine that is so comfortable to sanctified and prepared Souls Designing Brevity in this I shall only alledge a few Texts that do confirm it Luke 23. 43. Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Where note 1. The Asserter Jesus said unto him the penitent dying Thief 2. The Manner of his Assertion Verily I say unto thee A Word of Asseveration commonly used by Christ in Matters of great undoubted Certainty and Moment 3. The Thing Asserted To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Where observe 1. The Place spoken of That is Paradise that is the Third Heaven where God doth manifest his Glorious Presence Thus Paul speaking of a Man caught up to the Third Heaven presently subjoins He was caught up into Paradise by Two Words intending one and the same Place 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. 2. Who should be in that Place of Paradise Thou that art now a dying Man Thou that is thy Soul for of his Body it could not be understood 3. With whom the penitent Thief should be in Paradise With Christ Thou that art with me on the Cross shalt be with me in Heaven 4. When his Soul should be with him in Heaven To day To day thou shalt die and to day thou shalt have Eternal Life To day thou shalt expire on the Cross and to day thou shalt have a Crown of Glory in the Highest Heavens The different Pointing of the Words corrupting the Sense is such a bold Attempt that should it be admitted in other Places as the Opposers of the Soul 's immediate passing into Glory sawcily do in this it would be such a mangling of the Scripture that we should be at a Loss to know the Meaning of many plain Texts What need had Christ to speak the Words thus Verily I say unto thee to day Did not he know Christ then spake to him Did not he hear him And did he hear him that Day and could not he tell that Christ spake to him that day except Christ added to Day I say unto thee What need Christ add his asserting Verily to these Words I say unto thee to day Could not the Thief trust his own Ears that he then heard Christ say to him except Christ add Verily I do asâ—ure thee that it is to day that I say this to thee Which is greater Ground of Support and Comfort to a dying Penitent to acquaint him I say unto thee to Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise but I do not tell thee when nor how many Thousand Years hence this shall be thy Happiness or thus Verily I say to thee to day this very Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise It is but a Dream that the Soul shall sleep when a Man dies A Second Text is 2 Cor. 5. 6. Therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord Ver. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Here note 1. While the Soul is in the Body we are in our Earthly Home 2. While the Soul is in its Earthly Home it is absent from its true Home which is in Heaven from the Vision and Fruition of God in Glory 3. When the Soul doth leave its Earthly Home it goeth to its Heavenly Home for when it is absent from the Body it shall be present with the Lord in the Glorious Enjoyment of him to all Eternity 4. The Opposition of these Two is immediate To be present in the Body is to be absent from the Lord To be absent from the Body is to be present with the Lord. 5. The Confidence of the Apostle that there is such a Glorious State which is the reason of our Willingness to leave the Body that from thenceforth we might be with the Lord in Heaven Deny the Souls immediate passing to God in Glory and you take away the Reason of the Choice rather to be absent from the Body than to be present in it The Third Text is Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a Straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Note 1. The Apostle's Straight Two things were before him to live or die Reasons swaying him sometimes to the one sometimes to the other For the Good of God's Church it would be better for him to live than die Ver. 22. For his own Advantage it would be better for him to die than to live Ver. 21. This was his Straight 2. His own Inclination and vehement Desire in respect to himself that he would chuse rather to depart than to continue upon Earth 3. The Reason of his Desire and Wilingness to depart that he may be with Christ But there would be no Reason in this Reason if by departing he should be nothing the sooner with Christ 4. The Preference of one State before the other or the comparing of the one with the other It is better to die and be with Christ There is an excellent Gradation in the Text It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far better It
is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far better by much But if a Believer die and the Soul is not the sooner with Christ than if he had lived longer it would not have been better but worse for while the Apostle lived he had himself much Communion with God but if he departed and not with Christ he had none While he lived he was useful and profitable to the Church on Earth but after his Departure he could not While he lived he did glorify God on Earth but if he departed and went not to Christ he could not glorify him neither on Earth nor in Heaven While he lived he knew God and loved him and delighted in him and was sensible of God's Love to him but if he departed and went not to Christ he was capable of none of these and so still it was worse far worse far worse by much to depart than live This might be largely improved by way of use which I hope you will practically use in all your Ways though I cannot stay to speak what ye should and I hope you will do if you keep in Remembrance that a pious separated Soul is presently on his Journey to the highest Heavens and who shall be his Convoy thither Which was my first Design in chusing this Text to entertain your thinking Minds upon this Occasion IV. Observation The Holy Angels of God are the Bearers that carry the separated Souls of Believers into Heaven Men take care for the Bearers of the Body when dead God takes care for the Bearers of the Soul when departed Men are Bearers that carry the Body to the Grave Angels are the Bearers that carry the Soul to Glory Men mourning follow the Corpse to the House appointed for all the Living Angels triumphing go along with the Soul to the Mansions prepared for all the Believing The Ministration of Angels for the Good of Believers is asserted in general in Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation Where may be noted 1. The Nature of Angels They are Spirits intellectual immaterial immortal and active Creatures the noblest and most refined Part of God's Creation more excellent than Man yet Servants to Christ their Lord. 2. Their Office They are Ministring Spirits 3. Their Number All of them are so if there be Degrees and Orders among them all and every one of them from the highest to the lowest are God's Servants waiting and attending upon him to go and come as he appoints for the Good of the People of God whose Fellow-servants they own themselves to be Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 9. 4. Their Commission Being sent before they go they must have their Warrant from God before they move Psal 103. 20. Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excell in Strength that do his Commandment hearkening to the Voice of his Word tho' they have Power to Act yet they must not nor do they stir without a Command from God 5. Their Execution They are sent and then they Minister They hearken to the Voice of his Word and then they do his Commands 6. The Object of their Ministration or the Persons they are charged with Such as shall be Heirs of Salvation Angel is a Word not so much to signify their Nature as their Office that is to say they are Messengers to go at the Command of their Sovereign Lord upon his Errands from Heaven to Earth and back again from Earth to Heaven Gen. 28. 12. And he dreamed and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the Top of it reached to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it The Ministration of Angels in the Behalf of those that shall be Heirs of Salvation from their Birth to their Death yea and sometimes before their Conception is copiously treated of in Scripture but from their Death to their Passage to Heaven and afterwards is more sparingly mentioned but one Saying of Christ as this concerning the Poor Man's Soul is sufficient Evidence of their conveying of them from the Place where they die to the Place where they shall live for ever It will be needful to more clear Procedings about the Angels conveying the Souls of Believers from their Death to the Place and State of Happiness to premise some Propositions which are 1. That God by his absolute Power is able to do those things which in the ordinary course of Providence he maketh use of second Causes to accomplish and bring to pass What he doth by Means he can do without any Means he hath tied us to the use of Means which he himself is not obliged thro' any need of them to make use of So by his Power he supported Moses and Elias Forty Days without Eating or Drinking yet in the ordinary Way of God's Appointment that we might live we must both Eat and Drink Therefore when we speak of the Conveyance of Souls by the Ministration of Angels to Abraham's Bosom it is not to be thought that he could not do it without them tho' he doth it by them 2. The Good Pleasure of God is the highest and most satisfying Reason why he that could safe-guard Souls to Heaven by his own Almighty Power will have them conveyed thither by the Ministry of his Holy Angels To the Querist that seeks for Reasons in the most sublime Mysteries of Religion as Election Special Redemption Effectual Vocation c. why one and not another is an Instance of God's Grace the Answer That it is God's good Pleasure is and ought to be satisfactory Mat. 11. 25 26. Eph. 1. 5 11. and this good Pleasure of God is extended to the Armies of Heaven as well as to the Inhabitants of the Earth Dan. 4. 35. 3. God's good Pleasure in his Government of Angels and Men is made known not only in his Word but also by the Events of his Providence In our present Case Christ relates it as a Matter of Fact done by the Angels that they did carry the Soul of Lazarus into Abraham's Bosom Now we know what Holy Angels do is God's Pleasure they should do for they do nothing but what doth please him That Angels should convey his Soul to Heaven was God's good Pleasure 4. As it is God's good Pleasure to give the Kingdom not to Men as Men but as believing sanctified Men and so to every one that is such to one as well as another So it is the good Pleasure of God that his Holy Angels should convey Souls to this Kingdom not as Souls but as believing sanctified Souls and so every Soul that is such one as well as another It might be thought by some that from this Particular Instance of Angels carrying Lazarus his Soul to Heaven an universal Conclusion cannot be gathered that they thus Minister to all other godly separared Souls But what may be spoken of one Individual under this Reduplication as such of any Kind may be spoken of every Individual
of the same Kind As this individual Person Peter as a Man is a rational Creature Therefore every one that is a Man is a rational Creature By which here I mean the same with Animal Rationale in Distinction on from Angels it being nothing to my purpose to debate whether they may be called Rational as well as Intellectual Creatures So this individual Person Abraham was Justified not as a Man but as a believing Man Therefore every Man that is a believing Man is Justified and thus the Apostle draws an Universal concerning all Believers from what was written in the particular Case of Abraham as a Believer For from a Particular as such the Consequence is good to all and every one that is such Which Axiom is commonly allowed In the Matter before us it is certain Holy Angels did not carry Lazarus his Soul to Heaven as a Soul for then they should carry all Souls thither But as it was an Holy Soul and if a Soul as Holy shall by Angels be conducted to Glory then every Soul that is Holy shall be so conveyed also 5. Angels conveying Holy separated Souls to Heaven doth not detract any thing from the Glory of God but doth rather make it the more manifest and is subservient thereunto For Christ is their only Saviour Angels their Carriers Christ is their Commander herein they his Servants to do it Christ by Angels brings Souls to possess that Happiness which so many Angels fell from Christ as Mediator is exalted above those Noble Creatures Christ manifests his constant Love to and Care of the Souls of all Believers till he puts them into the actual Possession of what he hath purchased for them Christ came himself from Heaven to procure it and sends his Angels from Heaven to fetch them to it And this will be made more manifest by considering the useful Service of the Ministration of Angels in conveying Holy Souls into his Presence 1. The Holy Angels are the Guides of separated Souls in their Journey to Heaven It is a long Journey from a dying Bed on Earth to the Heaven of Heavens The one being distant from the other some Millions of Miles and a Way the Soul never went before and to it an unbeaten Path it stands in need of a Guide to direct it in its Way which is well known unto the Angels that have so often gone to and fro from the one to the other Many Passengers in a Ship from hence to the East Indies thro' the vast and wide Ocean will need a Pilot to steer their Course or else might never arrive to their intended and desired Harbour So the Soul that is to pass through the vast Regions of the fluid Air in a longer Voyage in respect of Distance will need some to conduct it that it might not miss its Way It may be it goes out of the Body not knowing whither it is going and how then should it know its Way Therefore God that hath sent his Angels to direct and prosper the Way of his Servants on a Journey from one Place to another upon Earth Gen. 24. 7 40. will much more send his Angels to direct their Souls in their Travel from Earth to Heaven 2. Angels are sent to be the Guard of separated sanctified Souls They are to pass through the Devils Territories who is the Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2. 2 3. where are numerous and powerful unclean Spirits which are Principalities and Powers and Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places Eph. 6. 12. These would intercept the Holy Soul in its Journey Home to Heaven but Holy Angels are its Guard to conduct it through the Hosts of Devils and protect it as it passeth along This hath been the frequent Ministration of Angels for the Safety of God's People from their Enemies in this Life As when Jacob was to meet his Brother Esau who did resolve to kill him Gen. 32. 1 2. Jacob went on his Way and the Angel of God met him and he said this is God's Hosts and he called the Name of the Place Mahaniam i.e. Two Hosts or Two Camps the one to go before the other behind him or one on the one side and the other on the other to keep him safe from Danger every way If God send his Angels to guard his Servants in this Life when in Danger of their Enemies will he not much more to defend their separated Souls in their Passage to Heaven when they are to pass through the Air where Devils do swarm especially if these Things be considered First When the Host of Devils that the Soul is to pass through is far more numerous than Esau's Company against Jacob. Secondly When Devils are more implacable against the separated Soul than Esau was against Jacob for he was reconciled to him but Devils never will to Holy Souls Thirdly When Devils are more Powerful to act against the separated Soul on its way than Esau and all his Company were against Jacob when he was on his Way Fourthly When the Danger at the most that God's People are in from Wicked Men is the Life of the Body but without doubt such is the Malice of Devils against holy Souls separated from their Bodies on their way to Heaven that if not defended they would seize them to keep them from Eternal Happiness in Heaven Fifthly When this is the Last Season they shall ever have to make any Attempt upon the Holy separated Soul which when once entered into Heaven's Gates shall be assaulted no more for Ever Tho' the War with Devils in some Respects might be over as soon as the Soul is separated from the Body that it shall be no longer managed by the same Subtilties alluring Temptations Fleshly Enticements evil Suggestions sensible objective Snares yet I conceive in other Respects the War is not ended till the Soul is safely arrived in Heaven but is carried on in a different Manner to what it was in the Body When in the Body he assaulted the Soul not by Violence but Persuasion out of the Body he knows it will be in vain to assault by Persuasion therefore on its Way would seize it by Violence did not God by his Angels powerfully preserve it For as Pharaoh and his Host pursued the Children of Israel when they had escaped out of Egypt to the Red Sea where God opened the Waters to Israel to pass thro' and shut them upon Pharaoh so Devils will persue the Soul to the Gates of Heaven till God open to the Soul and shut them against the Soul's Pursuers For as there are Principalities and Powers of Hell that way-lay the separated Soul so the Principalities and Powers of Heaven are ready to secure it And if the Devil contended with the Archangel and the Archangel with the Devil about the Body of Moses why should we think there is no War betwixt the Principalities of Heaven and Hell about the Soul on its Way to Heaven or that the Soul is not
am come from those to them My Friends are mourning because they have lost me and these tormenting Devils are glad that they have found me Men on Earth are not in such haste to carry my Body to the Grave as these Devils are to carry me to Hell Oh Cursed Caitiff that I am What Difference hath one Hour made What a miserable deceived Wretch was I when in the Body and how convinced of my Self-deceiving Flattery as soon as separated from my Body When in the Body I did think all would be well as soon as cut of the Body I am sure woe is me all will be woe When in the Body I was amongst my Friends as soon as out of the Body I am amongst mine Enemies When in the Body I did dream of being Happy as soon as out of the Body I saw it was but a Dream When in the Body I did hope and till I parted from my Body I would not I did not part from my Hope that I should be carried into Heaven but as soon as I parted from my Body I parted from my Hope and my Hope from me for these infernal Spirits are carrying me to Hell and I cannot fain I would but cannot any longer hope for Heaven When in the Body the Devil and Sin did blind mine Eyes that I could not see the sandy Foundation on which I built my Expectation of Happiness in the Highest Heavens but as soon as Death and Friends had closed the Eyes of my Body then the Eyes of my Mind were opened to see all my Building on that rotten Foundation is gone to Ruine and I am going in this Company to the Lowest Hell Such-like bitter Cries such self-lamenting Groans we may conceive the separated sinful Soul to utter as it is on its way in the Company of Devils to the Place of Outer-darkness where there shall be Weeping and Wailing for Ever Yet if we consider the Circumstances that will farther aggravate the Sorrow of the Soul in its Journey to the Lake of Brimstone arising from the Company of unclean Spirits that are dragging it along to the Place of Torment which the distressed unsanctified Soul shall be apprehensive and sensible of it will pass our Thoughts to conceive and our Words to express how great its Horror will be and what Fear and Trembling it will be filled with when it shall find these Carriers of it to Hell to be 1. Exceeding Powerful and Strong that the seized Soul is not able so to resist as to rescue it self out of their Hands Their Strength is signified by their Names being called Principalities and Powers Eph. 6. 12. and known by the Effects which they have done in such as have been possessed as we read of one Mar. 5. 3 4. That no Man could bind him no not with Chains because that he had been often bound with Fetters and Chains and the Chains had been plucked asunder by him and the Fetters broken in pieces Neither could any Man tame him How then will this add to the Misery of the Soul seized by them when tho' it struggle it cannot get free tho' it strive it is to no purpose tho' it resist it cannot prevail O Miserable Wretch that I am when I was in the Body I should have resisted their Temptations and might now I would their Power but cannot I should have withstood their enticing Persuasions but did not I could but would not now I would withstand their Force and Violence but I cannot fain I wou'd but woe is me I cannot I must along with these dragging Devils I would not but I must for they are stronger than I. 2. This will aggravate the Evil of his Passage in that the Company of Devils is so Numerous A Legion of unclean Spirits possessed one Man's Body Mar. 5. 9. and will not a Legion of them be as ready to seize one Soul Which when the separated Soul perceives enquires Why so many Why so many to one Why so many so strong to one so weak Are all of one Mind Are ye all agreed to hurry me to Hell Is there not one amongst you all will stand my Friend Not one to take my Part to be on my Side Alas for me Tho' they are many they are as one How strange is this that a Legion of Devils should be so unanimous in my Ruine that all are called by one Name as if many were one As the Devil that possessed a Man being asked what is thy Name he answered saying My Name is Legion for we are many Never was a poor Debter on Earth carried to Prison by the Joint-consent and One-will of many Serjeants as I poor Debter am carried to the Prison and Dungeon of Hell by the Joint-consent and One-will of many Devils 3. This will aggravate the Sorrow the Soul in its Passage to its long and doleful Home will be filled with That these Carriers are so swift and active in their Motion which will increase the Horror of the Soul in its way upon these Accounts First Because by flight it cannot escape from them When we cannot resist an Enemy by the Strength of our Arm yet we may escape by the Swiftness of our Feet When we cannot get the Victory by Fighting we might prevent our Captivity by Running But this will give no Relief to the separated sinful Soul because evil Spirits are such agile swift and active Creatures that move so fast that the Soul cannot be more speedy than they Tho' Holy Angels as they are stronger so they are swifter than Apostate Spirits being more able ready and speedy to protect and defend us than Fallen Angels are to hurt and destroy us and therefore the Good are said to have Wings which as I remember is not spoken of the Bad yet these Infernal Spirits are so much speedier in their Motion than the Soul that it can have no Hope of preventing their transporting of it from the dying Bed to its Lodging in the Flames of Hell Secondly Because by them it will be brought so soon to the Place of Torment Men on Earth sin so much swear so fast and run in the Ways of Wickedness as tho' they could not get to Hell sure enough nor soon enough But when they have done sinning upon Earth and are on their Way to their Eternal Miserable State they will think Devils put them on too fast and carry them with too much speed to that Place where their Entertainment will be so bad We may imagine the separated Soul in the Devil's Arms to lament it self saying What! Is my Journey like to be so short when my Journey 's End will be so bad Am I going whither I would not and yet do these Carriers make such haste must I thus be posted to such grievous Torments whence I shall never be delivered Tho' the Way be so uncomfortable yet the Place will be so much more when I come thither therefore let me move more slowly to it Tho' I have an
and often called Holy Angels Mat. 8. 28. and 25. 31. 2. They are Men of God assuming the Shape of Men when sent to Men by God Judg. 13. 6 9. 3. They are Sons of God having still the Likeness of God in which they were at first produced Job 1. 6. 4. They are stiled Gods not that God that is Jehovah but such Gods as are called Elohim Psal 8. 5. comp Psal 97. 7. 5. They are God's Host Gen. 32. 2. by these God doth protect his People 6. They are twice called Seraphims because of their burning Zeal for God's Glory in executing of his Commands Isa 6. 2 6. 7. They are called Cherubims Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers implying their Vigour Dignity Government under God over Things and Persons in this World and the Right they have to the Government they take upon them Who can tell the Greetings the Salutations betwixt these Glorious Angels and the Gracious Soul at their first Meeting after its Separation from the Body All Hail O Blessed Soul Hast thou fought a good Fight We are come to carry thee in Triumph Hast thou run thy Race We are appointed to fetch thee to thy incorruptible Crown Hast thou finished thy Course We are sent to conduct thee to thy Eternal Rest The Soul might be conceived to reply what Joy am I filled with at this your Salutation O ye Holy Ones how glad am I to see you ye Men of God ye Sons of God how do I rejoice to meet you Are the Gods the Host of God come to guard me on my way to Glory Are these Seraphims flaming with Zeal for God burning in Love to me come to take me newly separated from my Body to convey me to my Mansion in my Father's House Are these Cherubims Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers come to defend me from the Principalities and Powers of Hell and from the Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places through whose Territories I am to pass unto the Place and Happiness purchased promised and prepared for me O how glad am I of your Company in this long Journey I am to go How am I rejoiced I shall have your Conduct in this Way I never went before And Blessed for ever Blessed be my God that hath sent his Angels to be my Guide and Guard I must Praise him I must Praise him before I get to Heaven who hath sent such a glorious Train to lead me to it This is the Host of that God that I did love and serve and Trust and hope in This is the Army of that God of Heaven to whom I committed my self and resigned my self when I was parting with my Body on my dying Bed He hath not forgot me nor his Promises that he made unto me when my Father my Mother and all my Friends forsook me because they could go no further with me he hath sent his Angels to take me up O the Difference betwixt the Company that I have lest and this which I have found In the Body I was in Company with sinful Men which were my Grief out of the Body I am in Company with Holy Angels which is my Joy In the Body I did converse with imperfect Saints now out of the Body with pure spotless Angels In the Body I was with mourning Friends out of the Body with triumphing Angels In the Body I was with weak tho' loving Relations that would have helped me but they could not out of the Body I am with these Angels that both can and will In the Body on my dying Bed I was with a few that watched with me Night and Day till I had made them almost weary but now out of the Body I have many Holy ones sent from Heaven to watch me on my way unto that Place where they and I never shall be weary O Blessed Company O Blessed change of Company I never was on such a Journey before I never was in such Company on any Journey before I never found such Pleasure in any Way I went in any Company I was ever in before and sure the Place I am going to I shall find to be such as I was never in before Come put on II. The Safety of the separated Soul by the Convoy of Angels will increase its Joy on its Way to Glory It shall be presently freed from all Fears of Danger In the Body it was not without its Fears Fears from without and within from above and below many Fears it was filled with 1. From a Tempting Devil that on his dying Bed endeavoured to disturb his Peace suggesting evil Thoughts representing the Evil of his Sin multiplying and magnifying them by the Aggravations that did accompany them 2. From In-dwelling Sin there being the Remains of Sin abiding in his heart I fear what this hard unbelieving Heart will expose me to 3. From the Imperfection and Weakness of his Grace I fear I do not love God I fear God loves not me I fear I am not sincere I am afraid all my Duties have been done in Hypocrisy and that I have not walked before God with an Upright Heart 4. From approaching Death Possest with Fear about the Pains and Pangs of Death how to bear them and go thro' them about his readiness and preparedness for Death about his Meetness for a Participation of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light 5. And therefore from the Want of his Evidences of his Title to Heaven and Assurance of Salvation For which Cause the departing Soul was filled with trembling perceiving it could not continue much longer in the Body and yet afraid to leave it saying what if I should be deceived What if I should make an Error in my Death about my Eternal State What if while I am in the Body I should suppose that I have the Truth of Grace and when out of the Body find that I had none This makes me afraid to think of Heaven least I should miss of it or of Hell least I should be doomed to it But as soon as the Gracious Soul is separated from its Body and beholds the Chariot and Horses which God hath sent for him all his Doubts are immediately resolved and all his Fears presently expelled and the Clouds that intercepted the Light of God's Countenance from him are forthwith scattered and dispersed Now the Safety of the gracious separated Soul and its Freedom from all Fears of Danger on its Travil to Heaven by reason of this Angelical Convoy will appear by these Circumstances or rather Qualifications of the Messengers sent for it First Because the Soul is guarded with such powerful Angels Evil Angels that will endeavour to way lay the Soul are strong and powerful Spirits but the Holy Angels that are to defend it on its way are stronger and more powerful than they not only in themselves compared with the other but also because Evil Angels oppose the Soul in their own Strength by meer Permission without Assistance from God but Holy Angels act not only
by that Power they are indued with from God but also by Commission and Assistance from him and therefore when we read of any Fight and Conflict between the Bad and Holy Angels the Good always overcame because Christ who is that Michael is the Lord General of the Heavenly Host and they fight under his Banner and he that is the Captain of our Salvation is the Captain Leader and Commander in Chief of this Heavenly Army Rev. 12. 7 8. And there was War in Heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels and prevailed not neither was there Place sound any more in Heaven 9. And the great Dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole World he was cast out into the Earth and his Angels were cast out with him Rev. 20. 1. I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the Bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his Hand 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a Thousand Years 3. And cast him into the bottomless Pit and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more Thus the Holy Angels are celebrated for their Power being mighty Angels 2 Thes 1. 7. and do excel in Strength Psal 103. 20. Their Power under God is the Soul's Safety on its Way from Earth to Heaven Secondly The Soul by this Convoy is safe because conducted by such knowing Angels Evil Angels though they have lost all that Holiness they were at first created with yet they retain great Measures of Knowledge therefore we read of the Subtilty of the Stratagems and Devices of the Devil yet the Holy Holy Angels are more knowing than they for when Devils are cast out the good Angels do always behold the Face of God in Heaven Mat. 18. 10. So that God revealing his Will to them about any Matter Message or Person they readily know and as readily execute what he reveals to them to be his Will to be done by them As to our present Purpose by God's Revelation to them 1. They know those that are sincerely Holy for they rejoice at their Conversion 2. They know when any Believer is dissolved by Death and when his Soul is separated from his Body else how should they know when to come for it 3. They know where any Believer dies at home or abroad on his Bed or in the Field by Land or Sea else how should they know where to come for it 4. They know the Soul separated which is the Soul of a sanctified Man and which of one unholy else how should they know which to take and which to leave which to carry to Heaven and which to leave to Devils to be carried to Hell and here thro' Divine Revelation they never make any Mistake 5. They know the Way from any part of this World to the blessed World above by their often coming and going and never miss their Way All which laid together shews the Safety of Believers Souls wherever they live wherever they die whoever they be that there is no fear that they should not be found by the ministring Angels or that finding them at Death they should lose their Way to Heaven So that the separated Soul at the first Appearance of Angels to it will see the Love and Care of God concerning it and with admiring Thoughts thereof may say hath God made known to you the Place where I did leave my Body and the very Moment when I parted from it and that I was sincere in Heart to God and gave you charge to come and guide me in my Way unto his Glorious Presence how chearfully will I go with you knowing that by your Power under God I shall not be seized by evil Spirits and by your Skill I shall not lose my Way Thirdly The separated Soul by Angels Ministration is safe because convoyed by such faithful Angels that are always true to their Trust If a Man be on a Journey in Company that is able to protect him and skilful to direct him yet if any in the Company be unfaithful they may betray him but here can be no Danger nor Ground of Fear in respect of this Convoy 1. Else Holy Angels would not be faithful to God the Father in betraying any one Soul chosen by him to Eternal Life 2. Nor to God the Son in losing any whom he hath redeemed and purchased by his most precious Blood 3. Nor to the Holy Spirit of God by dropping any by the Way which by the special Operation of his powerful Grace he hath prepared and made meet for Glory and had given to them the Pledge and Earnest thereof 4. Nor to the Soul committed to their Charge to bring to Heaven for wherein could greater Unfaithfulness to it be shewn than in what concerns its Eternal State 5. Nor to their own Office or Commission to them without fail to conduct such an one to the Happiness of Heaven Such Unfaithfulness is inconsistent with the Perfection and spotless Purity of Holy Angels which being confirmed cannot at any time fall into the least Error or Miscarriage for then would they cease to be Holy Angels What Joy then is this to the separated Soul that hath such a Convoy sent for it as shall not indanger it by Weakness or want of Power by Ignorance or want of Skill in the Way or by Unfaithfulness or want of Fidelity to their Trust O how happy am I on my Way to Happiness How sure am I my Way will be prosperous How certain is it I shall get safely thither Fourthly The gracious separated Soul will be safe because transported by such zealous Angels therefore called Seraphims because they have a burning Zeal in executing all that God gives them a Charge to do Devils are furious envious and malicious and are bent to destroy devour and damn as many as they can by watching by walking to and fro throughout the Earth by tempting and at last by dragging Souls to Hell when separated from their Bodies The Holy Angels are more for God's Glory the Interest of Christ the Good of Souls than Devils are against them for I suppose the Holy Angels do more exceed in Goodness than evil Angels as bad as they are are filled with Wickedness For in Devils there is something Materially Good besides their Being tho' it may be Formally or Circumstantially Evil as much of their Knowledge but in Holy Angels there is nothing that is Materially or Circumstantially Evil. Therefore the Holy separated Soul received into the Company of Holy Angels on its Way to Heaven may delight it self and say While in the Body I was assaulted with Satans Temptations Devils did endeavour to persuade me to sin but whatsoever Violence they may now assault me with they shall no more with any Hopes entice me from my God and the good Company I
am in will defend me from them What Zeal do these Holy ones shew in protecting of me What burning Love do I feel in their Embracements What Indignation and Anger do they discover as I go along against any evil Spirits appearing to endanger me What Assaults the Spiritual Wickednesses have made my Convoy hath secured me from when they did draw near these did beat them back they are repulsed and I surrounded with these go safely on Fifthly The gracious separated Soul will be safe because defended by numerous Angels Whether more Angels revolted than are confirmed is not needful to enquire sure we are there are multitudes of Thousands that did never sin but retain their Integrity Dan. 7. 10. A thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him Rev. 5. 11. And I beheld and I heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the Number of them was ten thousand times ten thousands and thousands of thousands So many that they are innumerable Heb. 12. 22. How many Angels may be sent to convey one particular Soul is more than I do know But we may be sure of this that a Guard of so many shall be employed as is sufficient to protect it against all the Principalities and Powers of Hell so that the Soul might pass without fear of Danger and say This Number God hath sent will see me safe in Heaven for every one of them is Mighty Powerful every one is Knowing and skilful in the Way and every one is Faithful to his Trust every one is Zealous for God's Glory in my Salvation and mine Eyes being opened I see there is more for me than against me III. The Convoy of Angels shews us the Dignity and Honour that God puts upon the separated Soul Lazarus was much despised slighted and neglected when Body and Soul remained united and whatsoever Contempt his dead Body was exposed to his separated Soul was honoured with the Company of Angels Strange Change one while lying amongst the Dogs and another while carried by Angels It 's said the Romans after their Victories in their Triumphs had their Charriots drawn sometimes with Elephants sometimes with nimble-footed Jennets sometimes with Pyde Horses and Amasis King of Egypt had his Chariot drawn with Four Kings whom he had conquered But the Soul of a Believer is carried in greater Triumph by Angels into Heaven When the King asked Haman what shall be done to the Man whom the King delighteth to Honour he supposing it should be himself said Let the Royal Apparel be brought which the King useth to wear and the Horse that the King rideth upon and the Crown Royal which is set upon his Head and let this Apparel and Horse be delivered to the Hand of one of the King 's most Noble Princes that they may aray the Man withal whom the King delighteth to Honour and bring him on Horseback through the Street of the City and proclaim before him thus shall it be done to the Man whom the King delighteth to Honour Esth 6. 6 to 12. Tho' we cannot see the Soul when it leaves the Body nor the Guard of Angels standing ready to receive it nor hear the Songs of Triumph as they pass along yet we may conceive what is proclaimed if not verbally yet really in the thing done in the Heavenly Host as they pass through the Air Thus shall it be done to the Soul whom the King of Glory delighteth to Honour We may also imagin how the Soul it self is transported with Joy and beats its Part in those Triumphant Songs and is revived more than Jacob's fainting Heart was when his Sons told him all the Words of Joseph and when he saw the Wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him so when the Soul seeth the Chariots that God hath sent to carry it to Jesus is comforted and filled with Admiration saying I have lived hitherto in a strange Land where God did set me to be prepared for a State of Glory to be taught and instructed in Christ's School by his appointed Ordinances to be made meet to be a Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light I have been a Pilgrim and a Sojourner in the lower World where I dwelt in an Earthly Tabernacle and Cottage of Clay where I looked for a City which hath Foundations whose Maker and Builder is God and now my Father hath sent lo what Glorious Angels he hath sent to fetch me home to possess the Mansion prepared for me in his own House and stately Palace in the highest Heavens I am going to a better Country than ever yet I was in I am on my Way to my Eternal Blessed Home and with what Honour am I conducted thither For The Noblest of God's Creatures are sent by him to fetch me to his Glorious Presence to the Place of Light and Life and Love The Courtiers of Heaven are my Attendants thither These Favourites of the great King are come to lead me to his Palace and to introduce me under Christ into his Presence These Morning Stars are to go before me which make me to rejoice with exceeding great Joy these are to go before me to guide me to the Place where Jesus is not lying in a Manger but sitting on his Throne at the Right Hand of the Majesty on high These that are to God what Gentlemen of the Bed chamber are to Earthly Kings are come down to fetch me up Never had an unbelieving Earthly King such a Life-guard as this nor such Attendants to wait upon him or to minister to him All his Lords and Nobles and Captains are far inferior to these Angels and it is the great God's good Pleasure that it should be done thus to all the Souls whom he delighteth to honour IV. The Celerity and speedy Passage of the separated Soul from Earth to Heaven is evidenced by its being carried by Angels from the one Place to the other Tho' the Distance from this Earth to the highest Heaven is conceived to be Millions of Miles and a further Voyage than from any part in this lower World to another most remote in point of Distance yet the Passage is not so long in respect of time tho' the Way be long between the Term from which and the Term to which the Soul is carried yet it is not long the Soul is passing through the intermediate Distance because it is helped by the spedy Motion of the Angels which that we may the better conceive let us consider 1. The Motion of Angels from Heaven to Earth and back again cannot be but through the Intermediate Distance of the one from the other For the Continuity of Angels Motion is not to be taken only from the Continuity of the Duration while they move but also from the Continuity of the Space through which they remove 2. The Motion of Angels from such distant Extreams as Heaven and Earth cannot be
properly and strictly an instantaneous Motion When an Angel is actually in Heaven the Term from which it is only potentially on Earth the Term to which Now if an Angel could move in one indivisible instant from one to the other it would be in Heaven and on Earth at the same Instant and so in the same Moment it would be actually in both the extream Terms when he was only actually in the one and potentially in the other which is to say he is actually in one and not in the other in the same Moment and yet in the same Moment he is in both which is a Contradiction 3. Angels being Spirits and not corporeal Substances are not hindered in their Motion by those things that Bodies are Bodies move more slowly or more swiftly according as the Medium is as they move swifter in the Air than in the Water because the Air being more thin and subtile doth not so much resist the Mover as the Water that is more dense and gross must needs do also because one Body cannot be penetrated by another as a Man cannot go thro' a Door when it is shut the one must hinder the other in its Motion But Angels being Spirits cannot be retarded in their Motion by the Solidity or Thickness of Doors or Walls to hinder them from coming into a Prison Castle or a Chamber where a Believer is a dying for the receiving of his Soul For though one body cannot be in the same particular Place where another Body is because then there would be a Penetration of Dimensions yet Angels by Bodies are not excluded because they are immaterial as appears by a Legion of evil Spirits which is Six Thousand Five Hundred being in one Man And tho' One Angel because Finite cannot be in Two distant Places at once yet many Angels because Immaterial might be in One where or Place together at once and so their Motion not hindred by the Presence of Bodies or the Presence one of another 4. The Motion of the Angels is exceeding Swift and to express it they are said to have Wings and that they fly swiftly more speedily than the Sun that moves Thousands of Miles in an Hour it might come near in resemblance to the Motion of the Eye that can so quickly turn and look up to Heaven or to Lightning that runs in a little time from one part of the Heavens to the other and so comes nearest to an instantaneous Motion But the Scripture that is the surest Rule to judge by doth teach us that an Angel can come from Heaven to Earth while a Man is making of his Prayer to God Dan. 9. 20. While I was speaking and praying and confessing my Sin and the Sin of my People Iâ—rael and presenting my Supplication before the Lord my God for the Holy Mountain of my God 21. Yea while I was speaking in Prayer even the Man Gabriel whom I had seen in the Vision at the Beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of the Evening Oblation 22. And he informed me and talked with me and said ODaniel I am now come forth to give thee Skill and Understanding 23. At the Beginning of thy Supplication the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee for thou art greatly beloved Where we might observe 1. The speedy Return that is sometimes made to Prayer while a Believer is praying the Answer is made While the Prayer is going up the Mercy is coming down 2. The Angels stand ready before the Lord waiting to be employed by him for the Good and Comfort of his People at his Pleasure 3. God doth but give the Word and Angels doth obey The Commandment or the Word came forth and I am come 4. Angels make Haste to execute God's Commands Gabriel was caused to fly swiftly 5. The Time of his coming was while Daniel was praying At the Beginning of his Prayer Gabriel was in Heaven before the Ending of it he was with Daniel That the Soul is not long in its Journey to Heaven is clear from Christ's Word to the Thief on the Cross Luke 23. 43. Verily I say unto thee to Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The same Day he was on the Cross he was in Heaven The same Day he was Crucified the same Day he was Glorified And though the Day was far spent yet that Day was his Soul in Heaven The Soul may be carried from its Body to the Place of Glory in a part of a Day This is wonderful How comfortable is this to a dying Believer who might speaking to his weeping Friends about his Bed say What mean your Tears your Sighs and Groans Why are ye cast down And why are your Hearts troubled Would you grieve thus if I were going a Voyage to the Indies in Hopes of Gain with a safe and strong Convoy Why I am going to a better Place with a safer Convoy for greater Gain and tho' the Place be far off I shall soon be there the same Day I go from you on Earth being helped on my Way by swift and flying Angels I shall go to Christ in Heaven So soon O then how near will my separated Soul be to my Mansion above What! turned out of the Body and received into Heaven the same Day Make what speed you can or will to interr the Body I shall leave with you my Soul shall be carried by God's Holy Angels into Abraham's Bosom before my Body can be carried by Men and lodged in the Bosom of the Earth And when the Soul is breathed out and received into the Angels Arms and perceives the swiftness of the Motion they carried it with how greatly will it be delighted to think tho' the Way be long yet it will not be long before I shall be at my Journey 's End O the haste the haste the speedy haste they do make to lodge me in my Saviour's Arms Methinks they think it long till they shew me what in Heaven is prepared for me Methinks they are Holily Ambitious to help me forward that I might see the State and Place and Company above and how Glorious they all are O how do they fly How do they fly How swiftly do they fly with me in their Arms that they may lodge me in that Place of Rest and Joy wherein they have for so long a Duration seen the Face of God joyed in their Rest and rested in their Joy and are desirous to have me there that I with God and Christ and them might Rest and Joy to all Eternity I am now out of hearing of the Clocks and see not the artificial Dials by which Men see hourly the Motion of the Sun whereby they measure their Time and on their Journeys know how many Miles an Hour they go over If in an Hour to their Earthly Home they travel with the Help of Horses and Chariots Eight or Ten Miles what haste do they think they make How soon do they think they
brought to this Possession to be an Heir and Inheritor of such a Kingdom O God the Holy Ghost my Sanctifier I Praise thee I Praise thee I will for ever Praise thee that by thy Powerful changing of my Heart bowing of my Will renewing of my Nature hast prepared me that I might be and am received into this Glorious State I am but newly entred in and I must begin my joyful Praises and because this Happy State shall never end my Praise shall never end 3. The Holy Angels that are in Heaven shall with Joy receive the Soul that is brought by other Angels to the Gates thereof as some of the Angels were ready to come for it so those that staid Above will be ready to set open the Gates for its Entrance for if they rejoiced when it was converted much more will they when actually saved 4. The Saints that were there before will with Joy welcome the New-comers for if Good Men on Earth are rejoiced when others are made Good much more will saved Souls above rejoice when others with them are actually saved and as Abraham did Lazarus receive them into their Bosoms Use III. Exhortation From the Ministration of Angels attending the Souls of Believers at their Dissolution several Duties might be inferred some of which are these I. Give Thanks to God and Praise him for his Love to and Care of you that are his People That he hath made it the Office of such Holy and Noble Spirits to be your Attendants to minister unto you for your Good For if Children should be thankful to God for their good Parents who have loved them and took care of them in their Infancy and provided Necessaries for them all along as they grew up and Orphans for good and careful Guardians and Pupils for good Tutors and People for good Ministers and Subjects for good Magistrates and for all the Good that these have received from them under God as his Ministers to them for Good then we should also for the Good Angels and for the Good God doth convey to us by them as his Servants herein while we live on Earth in the Place of our Pilgrimage Angels looking upon us as Strangers in this World do us many good Turns for it is not to be supposed that these good Angels that are so careful of us when we die should do no Offices of Love to us while we live especially when Scripture sets forth more copiously the Ministration of Angels for us in this Life but more sparingly after Death Tho' they do many things for us when we neither see them nor know they are done by them yet what the Scripture reveals we might as confidently believe and hope for as if we visibly saw it They have been often used by God for his People's Good in many Respects ordinary and extraordinary 1. To direct them in the Way wherein they were to go about their Lawful Imployments that they might not wander Gen. 24. 7. and 32. 1. 2. To Watch them to preserve them from Hurt and Danger pitching their Camps about their Dwellings Psal 34. 7. and many a Night our Safety hath been more from the watchful Angels than the Watchmen in the Streets for except the Lord keep the City which he often doth by Angels the Watchmen waketh but in vain 3. To be instrumental in healing them when they have been sick and diseased We may owe more to Angels herein under God than to the Physicians being more skilful than they and how far godly Physicians might be helped in prescribing their Medicines by the secret undiscernible Suggestions of knowing holy Angels is a thing seldom thought of Joh. 5. 4. 4. To supply our outward Wants when reduced to great Straits 1 King 19. 5 6 7. 5. To bear them in their Arms and to support them by their Power to keep them from pernicious falls Who knows how often Angels have prevented their Falls from their Horses when riding on their Journeys Psal 91. 11 12. 6. To enlarge their Liberty when they have been confined and to deliver them out of Prisons which they may be instrumental in more Ways than one Acts 12. 7 c. 7. To comfort them in their Fears and Perplexities of Mind Isay 6. 5 6 7. Tho' some of these mentioned were extraordinary Cases yet they are apparent Evidences of their invisible Services and of their Ability and Readiness to serve God in ordinary and extraordinary Cases in which God at his Pleasure may command them to help us and we are sure they will obey If for these ye should bless God ought you not thankfully to acknowledge God's Love to and Care of your Souls when separated in sending Angels to be their Convoy to Heaven 1. Because evil Spirits would be too strong for the Soul without a Guard 2. Because your dearest Friends can no way help your separated Soul 3. Because there are no other Second Causes that your separated Souls can be committed to besides the Holy Angels 4. Because it is your Comfort to have such good Company with you on your Way Travelling alone is solitary in a shorter Journey suitable Company is desirable II. Learn your Engagement to Christ for the Reconciliation he hath procured for you 1. With God By the Blood of his Cross he hath purchased your Peace with him Without this Peace made God would have used the Ministration of Angels for your Destruction and Damnation as he will by them cast the Ungodly into the Furnace of Fire at the Second Coming of Christ but the Hostility betwixt God and Believers is taken away by Christ and the Breach made up by his Blood Col. 1. 20. 2. With Holy Angels Betwixt Men and Devils Christ will make no Peace War betwixt them is proclaimed and shall be continued Holy Angels that were confirmed stood on God's Side against Angels that apostatized and Mankind that had revolted and were ready to execute God's Judgments at his Pleasure upon his Enemies of which we have many Instances in Scripture Wherefore that Angels are so ready to convey Believers Souls to Heaven which is so great an Office of Love must be attributed to Christ who hath made such Holy Angels to be such great Friends to them Eph. 1. 10. III. Learn what Duties are incumbent upon you while you live from this Ministration of Holy Angels to your Souls when you die as they have been God's Messengers to make known his Will and publish his good Pleasure to instruct and teach to bring glad Tidings of a Saviour for lost Sinners and to be Witnesses of Christ's Ascention into Heaven and to declare his coming again by audible Voice so they by their Example in taking the Care and Charge of Holy separated Souls to conduct them to Heaven teach us several Duties 1. By their Love to Believers separated Souls we should be excited to great Love to them Love should be reciprocal in loving them that love us Should not we love the
Angels in Heaven who are so ready to help us up to Heaven Should we love every one on Earth in whom we see the Holy Image and Likeness of God in smallest Measure and should not we love these Holy Angels that are like to God in highest Degrees Should we love the Ministers of God whose Preaching God hath made instrumental for our Conversion and Preparation for Heaven and should we not love these Messengers of God who are sent by him to fetch us to the Possession of our Mansions in Heaven Do we love the Company of good Men that travel with us upon Earth as they are Guides and Guards unto us on our Way and shall we not love these Holy Angels of God that will be our Companions in our Journey to Heaven If we are to love such as are our Enemies in Life surely we should love these that will be such Friends unto us after Death 2. By their Condescention in the carrying the Soul of the meanest Believer to Heaven we should learn Humility and to condescend to Men of low Estates for the Good and Welfare of their Souls What meer Creatures are more Noble and Excellent than the Holy Angels in Heaven And what Believer as to outward Circumstances was poorer and more loathsom than Lazarus Was he not a Beggar that wanted Bread Was he not a Cripple that could not go to but was laid at the Rich Man's Gate Was he not only sore but full of Sores that a nice and squeamish Person would have disdained to look upon him but much more to dress his Sores And yet the Angels of God did not disdain to carry this Poor Man's Soul into Abraham's Bosom Did they take him in their Arms whom the Rich Man would not take and lay in any of his Out-houses Are any of the Sons of Men more Excellent more Noble more Knowing and set higher in any Capacity above the Poorest and most Contemptible Believer upon Earth than the Angels in Heaven and yet are they ready to minister to the Meanest and shall any of us be so Great in our own Eyes and look upon our selves in such a Magnifying Glass as to refuse to help forward the Salvation of the Poorest Soul 3. Let the Ministration of Angels in carrying Souls to Heaven be a Pattern of our Obedience to God all the Days of our Life on Earth As they obey God in this as in all things else so let us write after their Copy to do the Will of God as by them in Heaven it is done Tho' we cannot do it equally in Degrees yet let it be our Holy Ambition to come as near to them as we can in these Particulars First They do not stir to fetch a Soul to Heaven without a Warrant from God they are sent before they Come So let us see what Warrant we have from God for what we do before we do it demanding of our selves hath God commanded this Hath he spoke the Word Will the Holy Scripture wherein God's Will and my Duty is revealed bear me out if I do this or that What a Multitude of Sins by this would be prevented Secondly Angels come and carry believing Souls to Heaven with greatest Alacrity and Cheerfulness As they joy in their Conversion so in carrying them to Eternal Salvation if they be sent never so often to fetch never so many they never grudge their Labour they have not the least Regret nor Repining but the more they are sent for the more they are pleased and do rejoice So we should serve the Lord with Gladness and and come before his Presence with Singing Psal 100. 2. We should pray to him with Delight hear from him and obey him with Cheerfulness and Joy Thirdly Angels having a Charge to fetch a Believer's Soul come speedily without delay they make haste to receive it that they may be present at the very Moment of its Separation They never come too late In like manner we should imitate their Obedience in ours Psal 119. 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments God commands you now to repent but you put it off till hereafter God enjoins you to Day whiles it is called to Day to hearken to his Voice but you stop your Ears to Day and so you will to morrow if you shall have the same hardness of Heart to Morrow as you have to Day Angels in conveying Souls do not so but when God gives the Word they obey speedily and fly swiftly Fourthly Angels in carrying Souls to Heaven are Faithful in their Service in fetching as many as God sends them for and no more and the very same Souls and no other they never mistake one for another and never drop or lose any by the Way committed to their Charge We in Imitation of them should be faithful in doing what God commands to every Person in what Capacity Station and Relation we stand to them to one as well as another and not only to one neglecting another when each are equally committed to our Charge Fifthly Holy Angels serve God in this Ministration with persevering Constancy They have been imployed in Transporting Souls for many Ages already past innumerable Souls have been conveyed from this World to that above and so they do still as oft as Believers die and so they will to the World's End till all the Souls ordained by God for Eternal Life are lodged in the Heavens To which Pattern we should conform our selves in our Obedience to God persevering therein to our Lives End Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my Heart to perform thy Statutes always even to the End 4. Let the Care of Angels in carrying Holy Souls to Heaven make us careful of our own Souls that they be such and so qualified with special Grace that they may be the Object of their Care when they shall be separated from our Bodies as you desire they and not Devils should have them when out of the Body do you make it your great Concern to have them Sanctified in the Body For Holy Angels will not touch an unholy separated Soul to defend it from the Devil 's seizing of it If the Soul be unholy while you live and leave the Body unholy when you die it will be unfit for the Glorious Presence of God for the Holy Place and Company Above and it will not be in their Commission to carry it thither neither will they do it 5. Grieve not nor offend the Holy Angels of God as you expect and hope they should carry your Souls to Heaven when you die Good and Evil Angels are your Spectators and Observers when you might think little of it When you do Evil bad Angels rejoice good Angels are offended when you please God Devils are displeased but good Angels are delighted at it Take heed in secret what you do for there may be more Devils and Holy Angels with you tho' not seen by you than you are aware of Be mindful how you behave