assumed Bodies as a Cloak or other Vestment to be taken up and laid down upon occasion Angeli fuerunt in Corpore per intimam substantialem Praesentiam Suarez de Angel lib. 5. cat 36. tanquam Motor ad mobile cum particulari Respectu ad Peculiarem ejus usum saith Suarez This body so assumed may be composed of the Elements and they are not more easily assumed then deposed being again resolved into their former Principles And in case they were by God created of Nothing then they utterly vanish by Annihilation Here again it may be demanded Qu. 2 why Angels have somtimes appeared in Bodies I answer 1. Answ That they might familiarly confer with men and leave on them no impressions of terrour and dread Lawrence of Angels P. 14. 2. Such Apparitions were used of old to inure and prepare the people for the Incarnation of Christ the Angel of the Covenant 3. Aquinas adds that they might give men an entrance into that Communion which they expect with them in Heaven 3. Once more it may be asked Qu. 3 why Angels appear not in our daies I answer Answ Heathens ascribe this to the sins of men that therfore God will no longer converse with them But the true reason is this that God would now be Worship'd in Spirit and in Truth His whole mind is now written and recorded So spirituall should we now be under the Gospel that we are taken off from the Bodily presence of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 5.16 Now know we Christ no more after the flesh There is now poured forth a greater measure of the Spirit So God would have us to converse with him in the Spirit and with those holy Spirits in a more invisible way as we shall above The Church needeth not now those visible sensible confirmations as formerly in the Infancy of the Jewish or Christian Church For which reason also Miracles are now ceased Well then The use see the care that God hath of his Church at all times and how he doth condescend and apply himself in a sutable way to his people And see the Dignity of Saints that have had Angels assuming bodies to serve them and make known the will of God without terrour unto them But why do we wonder at the Apparition of Angels in the shape of men Let us rather be astonisht at the love of Christ In that he abhorred not though Angels worship him to be * See Stephanus Paris de Incarnatione And Nieremberg Theopolit Part 1. lib. 2. cap. 25. An Decorum suerit Deum fieri Hominem P. 264. Dr. Sibbs Light from Heaven P. 50. unto 70. 2ly Of the Text it self clothed in the rags of our flesh that he might be capable of bleeding and dying for us Into this Mystery Angels pry GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH That he who spanned the Heavens should become a Babe of a span long That he who thundred in the Clouds should cry in the Cradle and when Angels laid aside their assumed bodies Christ hath not deposed our flesh but hath carried that as a Pledge into Heaven and hath left with us the earnest of the Spirit After this let us wonder at nothing And so much of the Coherence Secondly We come now to the words themselves IT IS HIS ANGEL I am not to discourse of Angels in generall or of Elect or Reprobat Angels in particular I am not to treat of those glorious Creatures that sing and chant their joyfull Halelujas before the Lamb for then I should write of their Creation Confirmation Place Nature Number Amity Offices and Degrees All which is performed by very many Authors But I am to treat distinctly of The Deputation of Angels which by few hath been performed and for that end I have chosen this Text which I suppose is very clear for the Point For observe it is not sayd an Angel or his Angels but his Angel Now besides the marrow and substance of these words 4 Notable circumstances about the Text. there are four circumstantiall Observations that like Harbingers do blow their silver Trumpets to make way for this Text to ride with the greater triumph into our hearts viz. 1. The persons speaking 2. The time of speaking 3. The manner of speaking 4. The recording of the thing spoken by Saint Lukes Evangelicall and Golden Quill among the Acts of the Apostles and Primitive Christians 1 The Persons speaking First the persons speaking are very considerable if either you eye their quality or quantity 1. Their quality they were not superstitious Heathen but the Disciples of Christ They had bin tutor'd and instructed in the Principles of Religion either immediatly by Christ or else by his Apostles In Scripture are sometimes Recorded the speeches of vaine and foolish men as the vile speech of Jobs wife curse God and Dy of the whorish woman Personated in the Proverbs by a Prosopopaeia our Saviour useth the saying of Socrates and Plato Mart. Day on 1. Cor. 15. P. 132 133. and Saint Paul quotes Menander and Epimenides two heathen Poets Nay in the Scripture there is mention of things uttered by the black mouth of Saâ—an himselfe Qui Plebeios vulgares Homines putant cum haec dicerent ex vulgi opinione Locos vereor ne dubitent an sint Angeli Beza in Act. 12.15 P. 332. But our Text was uttered by Christians not only Nominall but Reall Persons knowing and fearing God being much in Prayer and resolved to endure Persecution for the Truth 2. Their quantity or Number is observable had it been only Rhoda's fancy we should have past â—t over as an impertinent speech But marke the context Then said THEY it is his Angell It seems it was their generall Vote And who or how many these THEY were Act. 12.5.12 you may gather by comparing the fiâ—t twelfth verses together Peter therefore was kept in Prison but Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him So that those many gathered together in Prayer verse the 12 were doubtlesse the Church at Jerusalem where were very many Christians They met indeed together in a private house because they had not the Liberty of any Publique Assemblies Let this be weighed and t will follow that many did either speak or Agree to this perswasion of the Angel Guardian you read not that any did contradict it Publicus Rumor non est omnino frustra saith Aristotle The Generall consent and Harmony of people cheifly if knowing and good is very much to be heeded For oftentimes Vox populi est Vox Dei I am sure that which Primitive Christians untainted with Heresy so neer the Fountaine of Truth maintained as Orthodox with unanimous consent is not by us to be slighted but carefully observed Secondly an other circumstance is the time and place 2 The time place when and where it was spoken Not at the Table Semel in Anno ridet Apollo or Recreations when the Bowstring
all the Platonicks held as also Origen and others That the Soul was created before it was put into the Body and as it did good or ill so it was put into a well-tempered or defective Body Austin declares that this was the Platonicks Opinion And Piscator beleives that that Question of the Blind mans sinning related to the Pythagoricall Transmigration of Souls from one body to another after death Now unto all this I answer That although it is very probable that question touching the blind man was according to the Vulgar Opinion of Transmigration yet it from thence followeth not that our Text here was uttered in the like manner in regard of the forementioned circumstances of time place and manner of speaking it For the Disciples being now employed in so solemn Devotions could not probably be supposed guilty of so much Freedom if not Levity at such a time and in such a place as we have observed already Besides that Vulgar opinion of the blind mans sinning before he was born was checked by Christ himself Note Joh. 9.33 Ezek. 18.20 when he said that neither he nor his Parents had sinned that is He had not sinned himself nor his Parents sin should not be charged upon him Diodati on John Christ did put by this discourse saith one as vain and frivolous But this Doctrine of the Guardian-Angel received no check 1. Not from any of the Church there assembled 2. Not from Peter when he came in to whom among other Congratulations t is likely this Conception was declared 3. Not from Luke that relates it though the Evangelists relating a thing doubtfull or fictitious do use to put a spoke in the wheel that turns it off John 11.13 21.23 as in Iohn 21.23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren that that Disciple should not dye Eccle. 12.7 Luke 23.43 Ezek. 18.2 20. yet Iesus said not unto him he shall not dye but if I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Nor 4. from any other Text of Scripture or rationall consequence therfrom But that opinion of the Transmigration of Souls is often confuted in Gods word A third Interpretation is this Atetius in Locum T is said that the Disciples concluded that an Angel by his knocking and voice came to give notice that Peters death was at hand For secret Murthers have been detected by such Revelations and Apparitions as these But this Gloss is rugged and unwarrantable For although the Jews in their Writings make frequent mention of Samael the Angel of Death yet they called him so for inflicting and not fore-telling of Death 4. Calvin Inst lib. 1. cap. 14. Sect. 7. Calvin thinks it was an Angel peculiarly destinated to Peter only for that time of his Imprisonment But in case it was peculiar to Peter how or whence did arise that generall Tenent among the Jews and Christians And if an Angell was appointed to attend him in the time of his Imprisonment why not also at other times when the Apostle might com into the same or like perils unless it can appear that Saint Peter had never need of an Angel but then Psal 91.11 The Angels are charged to keep us in all our waies viz. Which way soever we move or walk in every turn of our life 5. And lastly The opinion which the * Tertullian Origen Bâ—sil Tâ—â—â—doret Hiâ—â—â— Câ—ryâ—osâ—om 〈…〉 Ancient Fathers and most Learned Expositors follow is this That the Primitive Christians beleived that every Elect Servant of Christ hath one particular Angel to guard and guide him And they are so many who give this interpretation that it would be almost endless to muster them as all that have the least acquaintance with Antiquity and the Volumes of the Fathers will confess A small Tast you shall find in this Tract in its proper place Having given the Reader the severall glosses and chief interpretations of this Text we come now to our Doctrinall conclusion from the words Every Elect person hath his Guardian-angel Thesis who by particular Designation is allotted to be his faithfull Keeper and Tutor and vigilant Associat to his lives end I say Elect persons and such only saith Origen as are Praecogniti a Deo Heb. 1.14 They are to attend the Heirs of Salvation All such are dear to God and there be Angels enow to guard them Every Elect person hath the presence and tuition of confirmed Angels to shield him and to stave off evill Spirits from him Every Elect hath one particular Angel that watcheth over him God hath a generall care of the World but a more particular care of his Saints who are his Jewels the Apple of his eye the Signet on his hand This Angel is allotted and assigned by God to his particular charge every Angel knows his Office and his Place They all act by Commission for God is the God of order and not of confusion This Angel is to be his Keeper his wise Counsellor his faithfull and strong Defender his most loving and friendly Associat Moreover the Angel is not utterly to depart from him till his Pilgrimage and Warfare be ended Now the main Branch which requires confirmation and in treating of which the rest will fall in is this That every Elect person hath one particular Angel to guard him But first to shut out all Prejudice three things will by us all be most easily granted 1. That many rich Mysteries are lockt up in the Nature of Angels which by degrees will break out 2. That we abhor with greatest Detestation the Adoration of Angels 3. That we must not exclude a multitude of Angels from extraordinary attendance for our greater consolation in some streights And these things will eternally stop the mouth of most Arguments against this Truth The first is to satisfie the Ignorant who will stumble at this Point because they are in darkness and never heard it before The second is to silence our Adversaries of Romish Interest who may hope that the Needle of this discourse inclines to draw in the rotten Thred of Adoration The third is to prepare the Godly Learned and Orthodox who chiefly in opposition to Rome have denyed this point That they would be pleased to suspend their Objections and meekly to consider what is here written The first Concession is this 1 Concession that many Mysteries are lockt up in the Nature of Angels which by degrees will break forth Among all the Creatures that God made in the six daies Moses doth not once mention the Angels of Heaven shall we therfore be Sadduces and believe there is no Angel nor Spirit T was a long time before those great Mysteries of the Nature Offices and Degrees of Angels did break forth before the Headship of Jesus Christ over them and their happy confirmation by him after so many fell as Lightning from Heaven was the usuall talk and discourse of the church of God strang things are mentioned
Believer It is evident from the Scripture That the mayn Host or chiefe body of the Angels are in Heaven above waiting before the Throne yeelding personal attendance on their Head and our Husband Christ Jesus continually lauding and praysing God skreening their faces with their wings and crying Holy Holy Holy standing ready prest to execute his Will Therefore there is in * Mat. 22.30 2 Thes 1.7 Scripture so frequent mention of the Angels of Heaven Heaven is the Palace and Throne of God Angels are his guards Elect Angels do continue there unlesse they be sent and otherwise employed by God to execute his will upon Earth or in the Aire or in the deep waters Iacob in a vision saw a Ladder reaching up to Heaven and Angels continually ascending and descending on it That Heaven is a PLACE we need not doubt for the body of Christ is there And that the main host and corporation of Angels in that place wil evidently appear from the sacred Text Dan. 7.10 Dan. 7.10 The Ancient of days did sit his throne was like the fiery flame A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him It seems that Daniel in a Vision saw the glory of God in Heaven and his full Court of Angels about his Throne The like expressions are in Rev. 5.11 And I beheld and heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne c. Now if the main knot and corporation of Angels be in Heaven then it is not probable that each Believer should have Troops upon earth Or that all the blessed Angels watch over every Believer as some have affirmed 7. Rev. 12.7 opened And lastly let us grant that many Angels attend each particular Saint Yet it would not be a vain or fruitlesse Doctrin that one of them is chiefly intrusted with his preservation to place conduct and excite the rest as need shall require for 't is certain the good Angels fight with the evill in our behalf Rev. 12.7 Aug. Hom. 9. in Apoc. Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his angels 1. Austin Tertullian Tertul. de carne Christi and our Modern Writers do by Michael understand Christ Jesus the head of all Principalities and Powers The Noble Captaine of our salvation 2. Brightman and Trap on Rev. 12.7 Some by Michael and his Angels understand Constantine and his Armies as learned Brightman and others 3. Others affirm that Michael is to be taken literally For Michael the Arch-Angel being commanded of the rest in the vision which is not altogether improbable 1. Because Michael is stiled an Arch-Angel in the ninth verse of St. Iudes Epistle 2. 'T is likely an Angel there was called an Arch-Angel as being Captain in the skirmish with Satan So saith Basil very fully to our purpose Basil advers Eunemium lib. 3. A celestial spirit is called an Arch-Angell when being accompanied with many other Angels in the work of the Lord he is guide and leader to the rest for inter Angelos est Ordo among the Angels and especially in Battail there is very great Order 3. Mark well the opposition Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels Who questions but the DRAGON is Beelzebub the chief the Prince of Devills Therefore also by MICHAEL may be meant an Arch-Angel since it is plain there are Degrees among the blessed Spirits And if there be Order in Hell sure there is no confusion in Heaven I might mention other places where an Angel in chief is mentioned Josh 5.14 and other good Angels with him see only two places Josh 5.14 15. There you see the Captain of the Lords Host appeared and spake to Ioshuah Gods host of Angels that came to the relief of Ioshua had over them a Commander or Chieftain and this Captain appeared and spake to Ioshua See also Luke 2. Luk. 2.9.13 at the ninth verse The Angel of the Lord appeared unto the Shepheards to convey unto them the news of a Saviour Now observe when the message of this chiefe Angel or Ambassadour was ended Then suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praysing God and singing ver 13. One Angel sang of Christ as the chief Musitian and a full Quire bore the burden of the Song Glory to God in the highest on earth peace and good will towards men Luk. 2.16 It is said that the Angels went into Heaven that is the Quire of them went but 't is likely the first Angel continued with one of the Shepheards to conduct them to the place where the babe lay So then if a man have many Angels about him 't is a comfort that one who is chiefe will be his guardian to guide counsell and order the Angels that are sent and to abide with him when the rest are disbanded and depart Perhaps for some other expedition as Providence shall dispose or else to joyne in the Halelujahs above I have been the larger in answering the second doubt because I find that it is generally urged against our point by the Antagonists thereof A believer hath many Angels hath all the Angels what need we confine his safety to One Thirdly Quest 3 Some may aske is not this a Popish and Antichristian point maintained chiefly by Jesuites and Papists and rejected by Protestants and sober men To this we answer Answ 1. There are many points in Divinity wherein the Romanists and wee doe agree We do not think the worse of Foundationall Truths if we find them owned by the Pseudocatholick Church But rather we say these things are so Our enemies themselves being Iudges They have the main body of truth so are called Christians only the pearl of divine Truth is hid in the endlesse rubbish of humane Traditions But whilst we have their Blindnesse Idolatry and Superstition let 's not extend our hatred to their persons but pitty and pray for them nor to the many Truths which they hold but cleave to them still A man will not reject a piece of Gold though he find it on the Dunghill and a Mother will love and take up her Child although bemired in the street among rude Play-fellows So it must be here we must love and embrace the truth whersoever we find it 2. Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and many others who approved of the Guardian Angel and breathed in the three first Centuries after Christ could not be infected with Popery which then had no being For as wee prove the Sabbath to be more then Ceremonial for being constituted observed from the beginning Gen. 2.2 Exod. 16.23 30. before the promulgation of the Law So it is as easie to prove that the Doctrine of Angels Deputation is not Popish because it was maintained by the Primitive Christians as the Text declares And by the ancient Fathers that breathed in the purest ayre of Primitive times before
the will he can melt and bend and form and turn it which way he pleaseth and put a new Bias on the heart that it shall run and wind heaven-ward He hath a Throne in every mans soule he can tame and rule and govern the whole Man till it stoop and buckle to his work Angels are but Ministring spirits and cannot prevail without his blessing as all other helps and ordinances and means cannot of themselves do us good 2. By way of affirmation Lawrence of Angels p. 49. we say that Angels although invisibly and insensibly do guard and counsell the soule They are of wonderfull use to us and the things communicated to our inward man are ordinarily the administration of Angels The evill Angels have not so much power to hurt the soule as good Angels to support defend and do it good The Sun and Stars produce their effects upon the earth and the Minerals and deepest bowels thereof Why should not the blessed Angels have effects upon our hearts Psal 104.4 Psal 104 Who maketh his Angels spirits his Ministers a flaming fire This say some is in relation to their working on us by some measure of enlightning and warming the heart But how far doth the Ministration of Angels relate and reach unto the soule 1. Dr. Goodwins Child of light walking in darknesse Chap. 8. In generall they do guesse very much at our thoughts affections and desires Counsell in the heart of a man is like deep water but a man of understanding will draw it out saith Solomon Prov. 20.5 Now all those methods and Advantages which one man hath of knowing another Angels have over us most eminently they can goe one room neerer to the soul because they are spirits they do very much consider and study us To some men is given discerning of spirits That is the discovery and finding out the sincerity or hollowness of the heart How much more is this given unto Angels If the Wise that hath been forty years in thy bosome is able in great measure to know thee to guess at thy thoughts and trace thee in thy wayes And know when thy tongue and heart do not agree how much more thy Angel Guardian that hath ever been with thee Angels do heare our Vocall confessions in private Prayers eying us when most retired observing us in all Places Postures Companies and Employments which no other Friend or Foe can do Our neerest Relations are sometimes distant from us The Angels can soone collect by observation and laying things together what passion is prevalent and stirring in us And if men by a slight cast or * Si quis corporis oculos consideret eos admodum csse Garrulos quamvis sine voce comperiet Affectus evulgant Drexelius de Recta Intentione lib. 2. cap. 9 glaunce of our eye throw off the Arme or other bodily Gesture doe soon understand us before in words wee uncase our mind and unmask our Thoughts question not but Angels are much quicker in reading of us and spying out the design of our hearts Angels may know our thoughts or affections either certainly by divine Revelation or probably and conjecturally which seldome misseth by externall signes They are extreamly ingenuous in guessing Great is their naturall wisdome Lawrence of Angels p. 32. long and vast also their experience If Physitians by the pulse and temper can spell your affections and passions and tell you that you are in Love or take care the Angels knowing so much by Nature and having the kernell of all Arts and Sciences after more then five thousand yeares experience cannot but easily pierce into things that men who are but of yesterday and full of infirmities understand not Angels dâ— pry into our bodily humours and view as by a glasse the interiour senses As for instance Anger is thus defined Ebullitio sanguinis circa Cor. Anger is blood perplext into a Froth whilest malice is the wisdom of a Wrath. Anger then is easily espyed by Angels malice not so unless by the effects Men read our Faces and by sudden Paleness do judg of our Anger they understand the Language of our sighs and blushes But Angels can trace us much further they see the most secret boylings of the blood in Lust anger or fear although the Countenance bewray us not but be cloathed with a contrary Temper Where men smile and laugh very loud Note Angels can see through those Tiffany Pretensions and subtle Vailes if the hearts be Pensive for Salomon saith in Laughter the heart may be sad Because though they do not absolutely know our hearts yet our Thoughts do soon make impressions on the body which Angels presently discern And if our Angel Guardian could not thus guesse at us how could he apply himself to us in a sutable way We say when Diseases are known they are halfe cured 2 Angels cannot only read but coyn impressions on our fancy and imagination They have secret wayes of treating and dealing with us No time is free waking and sleeping they have the key and can come to us when the senses are lock'd and barrd as appears by our dreams They need not saith one goe about and fetch the compass of our eares and eyes as we are fain to doe Therefore our communion is exceeding great with the Angels Do we not waking and sleeping see impressions in our Fancy of things that we thought we had forgotten This is done by the Angels good and evill who can make Composition rare and wonderfull of what they find in us Though they cannot say the Schoolmen put in any thing that is purely De novo yet they strangely and strongly work on the matter which they find 3. The good Angels doe often obstruct impede evill actions as our good endeavours are often hindred by Satan so are our evill by the Angels elect else were not our protection equall to our danger A good Angel opposed Balaam in an evill way and spake in the mouth of an Asse to resist the madnesse of his Master If an heavenly spirit saith * Bishop Halls Contemplat one obstruct the courses of the evill and stand in the way of a Sorcerers sin how much more ready are all those spirituall Powers to stop Miscarriages of Gods dearest children When thou art going Remigiis Dedalis to dishonour the Lord and hast a full gale of opportunity to sin thy Angel Guardian doth often prove a Remora invisibly to stop thy design How often would the Saints relaps and fall into mischief if their Angels did not pull them back hedg and block up their way unto evill by with-holding the occasions of sinne Traps Decad of Angels Michael opposed Satan about the body of Moses so do the Angels still oppose the Kingdom of Darknesse about the bodies and soules of the Saints Rivius de Praesidio Angelico p. 723. whilst they live and after death When Satan hath besieged us our guardian Angel vim oppugnantis repulit vires
But saith one they are often with us as Physitians are with those that have filthy Ulcers Note they stop their Noses and administer the Medicine So do they our vanity and sins extreamly offend them as also God yet their obedience to God and love to us chains and keeps them steddily to us They will not dare not cannot utterly forsake us till we be got into Heaven If it be objected that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul Object 1 Sam. 16.14 and an evil Spirit from the Lord came and troubled him Sol. I answer By that good Spirit that departed you must either understand the holy Spirit of God in his common not sanctifying gifts and graces Or a good Angel that for a time was sent to him but not to abide Good Angels may be sent unto the bad as to Saul and Baalam but they abide only with the good Heb. 1.14 The Heirs of Salvation Such saith Origen as are Praecogniti a Deo foreknown of God Then by the evil Angel that succeeded and seized on him is meant Satan taking fuller possession as he is sayd to enter into Judas after the Sop who had a litter of Divels in his heart before So saith Christ the Devil may seem to depart and takes with him many other Spirits worse then himself to repossess a man that his latter end shall be dolefull and the very Map of all misery and desperation And on the other side if good Angels seem to withdraw from the Saints t is that they may return with the greater Triumph and Consolation The twelfth and last Question is this Quest 12 How can Elect Angels be happy in Heaven if they be thus disperst and busied and employed on Earth To this I answer 1 Answer which is confuted First Some affirm that Heaven is not at any distance from us but consists in the fruition of God so that Heaven may be on Earth Chemnit Harmon Evangel cap. 92. p. 1741. Thus Chemnitius in his Harmony resolves this doubt Observandum est quod Angeli qui pusillis ministrant Haec officia omnia in Terris expediunt nihlominus Faciem Patris in Coelis videre dicuntur Vnde manifestissimum est Coelum in quo Deus cum Majestate sua residet non per tot Myriadas Milliarum ultra supremum hoc aspectabile Coelum abesse sicut Calviniani de co Nugantur That because the Angels of little Children on Earth behold the face of God in Heaven therfore Heaven is not a place at such distance from us as Calvinists imagine * Coelum itaque Terra In fernus non locorum intercapedinibus sed Beatituditudiuis tius Ibid. Infoelicitatis Respectu distinguuntur Chemniâ— And that therfore it is most manifest that Heaven Earth and Hell are only distinguished by a greater degree of happiness or misery not Locally or any distance of place But that Gods Throne and the Seat of Elect Angels and glorified Saints is a Place and at a great distance from us will full easily appear And that therfore Angels cannot be here and in Heavâ—n at the same time I mean the same Numerical Angels First I will prove unto you that Heaven iâ— not only happiness or content but a place which will â—huâ—â—ppear I refer the Reader to the Scriptures in the Margent 1. By (a) Eph. â— 3 â—ohn 14.2.3 plain and positive Scriptures 2. By Names and Titles given to Heaven (b) Heb. â— â—6 Mat 5.8 a Kingdome an (c) Iohn 14.2 Isa 63.15 House an (d) Luke 23.43 Rev. 2.7 Eden or Garden of Pleasure 3. By the Inhabitants that dwell in Heaven 1. Spirituall as (e) Mat. 6.9 Ioh. 3.13 1 Ioh. 5.7 God (f) â—at 2 25. Angels (g) Luke 23.43 the Soul of just men made perfect 2. Corporeall There is the body of (h) Gen. 5 24. Enoch (i) 2. Reg. 2 11. Elias and (k) Mark 16.19 Ep. 1.20 Christ and as his body went thither so there it (l) 1. Acts 3.21 abides wherupon Austin saith thus Vbi corpus ibi locum esse necesse est where there is a body there must of necessity be a place It is evident then that there is a Locall Heaven Secondly * Nam quum assumptus in Coelum dicitur Christus Certe aperte notatur Locorum Distantia saiâ—h Brentius Heaven is at a great distance from us which Brentius concludes from Christs being taken up out of sight they followed him with their eyes so long as ever they could T is at least an 160 Millions of * Greenhill on Ezek. Vol. 1. p. 104. miles high from Earth to Heaven So far it is by the Rules of Astronomers If this ascending Line could be drawn right-forward some that have calculated curiously have found it five hundred years journey unto the Starry-heaven for an ordinary Traveller Ob. How could the Soul of the converted Theef trace and travel it then in one day This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradice said Christ Sol. Leighs Body of Div. in 4to lib. 3. cap. 3. p. 28. This was done by the conduct and celerity of Angels that conveyed it A Bullet from a Musket flyes very swiftly it will fly an 180. miles an hour according to its motion But the Sun moveth swifter 1160000. miles in one hour Now the Throne of God is very much above the visible Heavens therfore certainly the Seat of Angels and blessed Souls is at an huge distance from us T is in the (m) Psal 104.3 highest Heavens (n) Eph. 4.10 Christ is ascended far above all Heavens saith St. Paul * Magirus lib. 2. cap. 2. p. 120. From the height of the Stars you may guess at the vast distance of Coelum Empiraeum which is sedes Beatorum according to that of Eliphaz Is not God in the height of Heaven and behold the height of the Stars how high they are Job 22.12 Compare now the judgment of Eliphaz with that of Chemnitius The second Answer to the Question then is this Ans 2 which is confirmed That whilest Angels are on Earth Heaven is still their Country their Home their Inheritance And that a main part of Heaven which is the fruition and vision of God Elect Angels may and do enjoy whilest they are on Earth with us This is our conclusion for seeing Heaven is at such a distance and Angels are not Omni-present Damascen lib. 2. Orth. Fidei cap. 3. We must say with Damascen Angeli cum sunt hic Nobiscum non sunt in Coelo Angels cannot be in Heaven and on Earth together That they are sometimes on Earth who denyeth for here they have appeared by Assumption of humane bodies Angels do not then suffer by with-drawing from Heaven for here they enjoy the presence and favour of God which supplies the want of Heaven unto them Their condition is so happy here that figuratively they are said to be in Heaven Mat.
18.10 The Angels of Christs little Ones are said to behold the face of God in Heaven viz. Their communion with God is not eclipst God filleâ—h every place with his presence This made Mount Tabor so glorious at the Transfiguration of Christ We say then that Elect Angels not only sometimes when they be in Heaven but alwayes saith Christ namely when on Earth also THEIR Angels by reason of particular attendance do still continue to behold the face of God Elect Angels even whilest they are on Earth with us have a fulness of Gods presence and joy some way (o) Leighs Body of Divin lib. 3. cap. 7. answerable to that in heaven which makes them no loosers by this Employment Seeing it is an Heaven to Angels to be doing the (p) Dr. Gouge his Guide to God p. 79. will of God and seeing his face and rejoycing in his Service For although they go up and down in their Ministry here below yet this they perform without Regret or Distraction and their happiness is not therby obstructed As the Souls in Heaven are not hindred from happiness by desiring their bodies again so Angels continue happy though they be a while from Heaven their usuall home Note And as Noble-men do joyfully go Ambassadors into a meaner Country then their own not so much disliking the coldness of the Climat as approving the honor of the Embassage and high employment wherein they do serve their Prince and publick good So Angels do not greive but rejoyce to come as Ambassadors and Agents from Heaven to Earth as knowing they must shortly return in Triumph to their Native Country In the mean time they here below do fully enjoy the face and favour of God and are freed from all manner of distraction and misery Et si foris exeunt internis contemplationis gaudiis non Privantur Gregory saith Gregory most truly Although for a time they leave their own home they want not the inward joyes of contemplation Luke 2.13 A full Quire of Angels sang Carols over a few ragged Shepheards and their Flocks which declares that their absence from Heaven and their attending poor Worms upon Earth doth not cut them off from their heavenly contemplations and sweet rejoycings in God As a General rejoyceth to be in the Field Note and glorieth in his Spoyl and Ensigns of Victory so do the Angels in skirmishing and routing the evil Spirits Christ himself was well pleased with being on Earth accounting it meat and drink to do the will and business of his Father He submited to a mean life and cursed death for our sakes and was emptied of all Glory for us Therfore let us conclude Elect Angels do not repent their Attendance on us Princes are not alwayes in their Palaces somtimes they make excursions into Forrests Note Villages and desolate Places and at last retire home with renewed satisfaction So Angels short excursions on Earth do but set out unto them the Glory of those Celestiall Habitations Having answered all the Objections that I ever yet met withall or can possibly think of The way is now sufficiently layd out that we may pass unto the profitable Inferences of this Discourse for our further instruction and edification First Vse 1 here will be matter of confutation as to certain Romish additions and mistakes about this very Point of the Guardian-Angel Although I do not remember that Conradus Vorstius in his Index errorum Ecclesiae Romanae Or Amesius in his Bellarminus enervatus do touch at the Errors of the Romish Synagogue in relation to Angels or their Deputation yet Dr. Dr. Andr. Willet Vis Synapsis Papismi Willet who omits nothing in his Synopsis Paptismi doth write particularly of them although so smartly and vehemently as withall to reject the Guardianship of Angels the Romish Errors wherabout are these four 1. The Papists say that Michael is the Prâ—tector and Keeper of the whole Church of Christ This we reject for Jesus Christ is the HEAD of Angels the Protector and Defender of his Spouse the Church All power is given unto him in Heaven and Earth He is the Crowned King of aints T is true there are Degrees among Angels some are Angels and others Arch-angels but Christ not Michael is the Head of them all and sole Saviour and King of his Church 2. Romanists do hold that every man hath his Guardian-Angel from God So Clictoveus Cuique Hominum sigillatim and Designatus est Angelus Doway Expos Gen. 18.16 And our Doway men affirm the very same We beleive say they that this Priviledge belongs not to Gods Elect only But Heb. 1 14. t is most expresly affirmed that Angels are to attend the Heirs of Salvation Scil. Such Positively and exclusively Such and no other not Reprobate Heirs of Perdition Good Angels may have treated with evil men as with Baalam And so the holy Spirit doth often suggest good things to them but all this is for their conviction and greater confusion at the last We cannot from hence affirm that either the holy Spirit or elect Angels do abide with and watch over them 3. The Pontificians hold that each man hath two Angels allotâ—ed him by God one to vex and punish him Bucan Loc. Com. de Angelis Loc. 6. Sect. 35. p. 74. the other to guard and comfort him But this is absurd God appoints not an evil Angel constantly to attend his Elect and if Satan Depute him the Elect Angel set by God will continually expel and vanquish him So that though the evil Angels do very often assault the Righteous yet no one evil Angel can quietly and constantly be neer unto him that fears God Therfore Satan bad particular Commission to molest Iob for a time and to give a BUFFET to Saint Paul Now a Buffet is a sudden blow or surprise No evil Angel can long be neer Gods Elect because Michael is stronger then the Dragon There is no communion between Light and Darkness Christ and Belial Elect Angels and Reprobate and there is not a syllable in the Book of God that speaks of two Angels the one good the other bad about a Child of Light 4. And lastly most of them hold Invocation and Adoration to be due unto the Guardian-Angel and many Arguments they urge to this end here take the chief First Arg. 1 Joshuah fell down before the Angel and worshiped Josh 5.14 We say Origen 6. Homil. in Josh he Worshipt non an Angel but Christ their Captain But Origen thus expounds it Joshua non adorasset nisi Agnovisset Deum He would not have Ador'd if he had not known him to be God Secondly Arg. 2 Baalam adored the Angel Numb 22.31 1. We say this might be an exceeding great Reverence and no Adoration 1 Reg. 1.23 as Nathan bowed down to David where the same word Shacha is used 2. T is but a weak Argument that is taken from the example of a false Prophet and Sorcerer that was