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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81481	The deputation of angels, or, The angell-guardian: I. Proved by the dim light of nature, clear beames of Scriptures, and consent of many ancient and modern writers, untainted with popery. II. Cleared from many rubs and mistakes; the criticall queries of antagonists examined, untyed. III. Applyed and improved, for our information in many other truths; consolation in our adversities; and reformation of our lives. Chiefly grounded on Acts 12. 15. It is his angell. / By Robert Dingley, M.A. and minister of the word at Brixton in the isle of Wight; formerly Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.	Dingley, Robert, 1619-1660.	1653 (1653)	Wing D1496; Thomason E1505_2; ESTC R208670	88,111	239

Custos Comes jam indea Nativitate usque ad finem Vitae a Deo Assignari Extra Ordinem vero plures etiam nonnunquam ad eum pro Dei beneplacito Majoris consolationis causâ mitti vero simile est cum sacris literis consentaneum c. Vniversa Ecclesia semper sic sensit It is most like to be true for it agreeth with the Scripture and the whole Church hath in all Ages held it that God doth allow every single Elect ordinarily a particular Angel to be his Keeper and Companion from his Birth to his Buriall from the Womb to the Tomb And in extraordinary cases he sends many Angels to his help and for his richer Consolation as seemeth good unto him Buchan Gu. Bucan Loc. Com. De Angelis Loc. 6. p. 70. who wrote about the year of our Lord God 1600. is expresly also for it Ordinarie cuique electo certum quendam bonum Angelum a Deo Destinatum esse ad custodiam colligi potest ex Verbis Christi Mat. 18.10 Item ex Act. 12.15 It may be gathered from the Scripture that every Elect person hath some one good Angel assigned of God for his Preservation To these Testimonies let me add some of our latter Writers Salkelds 44. Chap. of Angels Salkeld in his 44. Chapter of Angels is very cleer for his Guardian-angel Mr. Josiah Shute a late Eminent Preacher in London writes thus Iosiah Shute his Hagar p. 105. It cannot be denyed but most of the Greek Fathers and many of the Lattine and all the School-men yea some of the late Writers and those of the Protestant Party have been for the Guardian-angel Mr. Fuller thus Fuller of Christs Temptations p. 100. THEIR ANGELS that is Angels deputed to their Protection The Pages and Servants which wait on the young Children of great Persons are commonly called the Childrens Servants although their Parents hired them and give them Meat Drink and Wages Angels are Gods Angels as he employes them OUR Angels as employed about us Mr. Mr. Lawrence of our Communion War with Angels p. 20. Mr. Greenhill on Ezek 9. p. 207. Lawrence writing of Angels declares for it saying T is probable that every Elect hath his proper and peculiar Angel Reverend Greenhill on Ezekiel supposes that severall Angels have the care of Cities Kingdomes and Communities committed to them for which he urgeth Dan 10. and Clemens Alexandrinus And why not by the same reason each Beleever his Angel Mr. Mr. Leighs Body of Divinity in 4to lib. 3. Cap. 7. p. 98. Leigh therfore though he doubts this Doctrine may well Lace his Margent with this confession Vnde concludunt tum Patres tum Scholastici singulis pueris atque adultis etiam certos Angelos esse attributos From whence the Fathers and Schoolmen do conclude that both Children and men have particular Angels assigned them Thus I have given you a Taste of ancient and modern Writers untainted with Popery who have eminently appeared for the particular Deputation of Angels So that you see it is no Novel Opinion or that which hath been only embraced by the Sea of Rome And now having written thus much to free this Perswasion from ever being clogg'd with the Imputation of Novelty A Digression of Novelty in opinions I shall by way of Digression say somwhat of Novelty in Opinions before I quit this Head One hath layd down these Distinctions of Novelty in Doctrine Mr. Samael Bolton of Errors 1. Things may be sayd to be new in respect of Gods Prescription or of mans Invention Mat. 15.9 2. In respect of Institution or Restitution John 13.34 3. In respect of Creation or Apparition So the Moon may be new though long since created 4. In respect of Being or Observation And so especially this Doctrine of Angels may happly appear new to the vulgar Reader Now from these Distinctions I shal raise two Conclusions 1. Daille of the Fathers p. 188. That all Doctrines coyned and invented by men unwritten in the Scriptures and unmentioned by the ancient Fathers must needs be reputed no better then Errors That which the ancient Fathers do not touch conclude it was never preached by Christ or his Apostles For what probability is there that those holy Doctors of former Ages from whose hands Christianity hath been derived down to us should be ignorant of any of those things which had been revealed and concern our Salvation Take heed therfore of Curiosity and inordinate desires of Novelty in Religion Brinsley's Sermon on 2 Tim. 3.2 1 Cor. 4.6 that cursed Athenian humour and temper of loving to hear and tell some new thing Let us think and speak soberly and not be wise above that which is written He that quits the Bible and goeth after unwritten Revelations forsakes the Sun to follow an Ignis Fatuus that will lead him into Bogs of Error Or at least despising the Fire on Gods Altar he lyeth warming his hands at the Glo-worm of some vain Opinion that rends not unto Edification or Consolation New-lights many times prove to be old Errors But remember Pauls Resolution Though an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine then that which you have received let him be accursed 2. That Doctrines which are new not in themselves but as to Restitution Apparition or Observation are very pretious Truths that must be embraced by the Church of God And such is the Doctrine of Angellicall Deputation For it is not new in it self the Scripture and ancient Fathers have it But this Orient Pearl hath lien hid in the Rubbish of Roman Errors Let not any say they never heard or observed it before for the brightest Starrs of Divine Truth do oft dis-appear But bless God this Pearl was not utterly lost Note this Star not quite extinguished Austins Doctrine of conversion meerly of Grace and without preparations in the Creatures Luthers Doctrine of Justification only by Faith Calvins Doctrine of Predestination only of Grace and not of Faith or fore-seen Works These Truths seemed new when deliverd by them But we know the Scriptures are full of them and they are now generally received except by a few Turbulent Spirits that resolve to walk contrary to all men And hold Arminius by one hand and Socinus by the other Well towards the end of the World these Truths shall grow more Refulgent God will vindicate and discover many things that as yet do seem dark in the Scriptures The way of Discipline shall grow plain and many Prophesies shal not be fully understood till unveyl'd by fulfilling In a word where the Fathers have seen a little the Future Ages like a Dwarf upon a Giants shoulders shall see further Not into new Truth but into a clearer and more ample and bright Discovery of things that have been held known For Hab. 2.14 Isa 30.26 Knowledge shall cover the Earth as waters the Sea The Light of the Moon shall be as the Light of the

Mornaeus etiam ●nd Dr. Hammond of the reasonableness of Religion See Tertul. de Carne Christi lib. 5. cap. 5. others do abundantly shew in divers particulars too many here to recite Although Bleer-eyed Nature cannot pry into the Trinity Incarnation and Resurrection 4. The same Object may be known by the Light of Nature and by Faith I may know there is a God and but one by Nature and Scripture Revelation And yet for all that hath been said we dare not affirm with Socinians that Reason is the Rule and Pillar of faith For in many things Ideo credendum Quia Incredibile You see what is taught by the Light of Nature in Religion is not to be neglected 2 What the Light of Nature saith to our Point nor rested in I am now to shew you what the Light of Nature hath seen and said to our Point I answer It is well known to the Learned that Heathens have talked much of ones good Genius which waits on every man from his Cradle to his Grave And perhaps Plato's Genius differed little from Aristottle intellectus Agens For the Peri-pateticks write much of immateriall Substances Intelligences abstracted and separated forms Servius saith that the Genius was given to be a Guide and Conductor of those that were born * Camerarius lib. 4. cap. 15. Stoici Singulis Cenium Junonem dederunt That is saith Lipsius Viris Genii attribuebantur Foeminis Junones Seneca in Epist 110. p. 640. Censorius saith that we have a Genius given to us for a continuall Controller and Assistant and that he never with-draws a Minute from us but doth alwaies accompany us from the time we are committed to his charge which is at our first coming into the World to our last Gasp Socrates Empedocles Plutarch held the same In a word The Heathen Poet Menander is most express Cuique homini simul ac Natus est statim assistit Daemon Ductor vitae bonus This Eusebius thinks they learned of the Jews But others say they read it by the Light of Nature In the ancient Coins of Trajan and Adrian there is seen a Genius holding in his right hand a Cup which he reaches out over an Altar strewed with flowres And in his left hand a Whip or such like thing In the Coins of Dioclesian there is seen in the left hand of the Genius a Cornucopia or Horn of plenty and in the right hand a Cup with this Inscription * Genius Populi Romani Camerarius lib. 4. Plutarch in vit a. M. Ant. GEN. P. R. Also Cities and Nations had each of them a speciall Genius saith Camerarius in his Learned Historicall Meditations Plutarch saith that an Aegyptian advised Antony not to contend with Augustus any longer because the Angel or Spirit that had him in keeping as he found by casting their Nativity if we may beleive him did fear and redoubt the Angel of Caesar and being couragious and lofty when he was alone became Timerous by approaching the other This good Genius they called Lares Apulejus writes much De Deo Socratis Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 8. cap. 14. of Socrates his God which saith he ever attended upon him as his freind and forbad him to proceed in any Action that was to be unfortunate in the end Now there saith Austin he plainly affirms that this is no God but an Aiery Spirit Much more might easily be written of this subject if it were needful T is sufficient that Heathens have this truth from the breast of Nature From thence they sucked it though pulling indeed somewhat hard they have drawn blood with the milk yet who doubts but the good Genius of the Heathen and the Christians Angel-guardian are one and the same thing Secondly 2 The point proved by the clear beams of Scripture As the Doctrine of Angels Deputation was seen by the dim light of Nature so also is it evident by clear beams of Scripture I say not only by Heathenish conjecture but Scripture Revelations And here I shall premise three things 1. That all Doctrines must be brought to the beame and ballance of the Sanctuary * Trapps Treasury p. 103. See Doctor Whitaker of the Scripture against B●llar And Reynolds de sacra scriptura Ecclesia The Chineses use to say of themselves That all other Nations see but with one eye they only with two so I may say poor Heathens see but with one dim eye of R●ason Christians with two Eagle eyes The Old and New Testament Sinne and Death have defaced very much blotted the volume of Creation but the Bible is a Fountaine clear and unmudded Let the Jew go to his Cabala The Mahumetan to his Alchoran and the Papist to his simple Legend But Protestants must go to the Scriptures as a well of Life 2. That many things are firmly believed which the Scripture doth but touch in a few places As the creation of Angels and fall of one moiety of them Christ the believing Jewes Saviour and Heaven as wel as Canaan their portion after this life which is seldome mentioned in the Old Testament The famous Doctrines of the Trinity Lords Supper Infant-Baptisme the Christian Sabbath and Lotts but touched in the New God not once named in the book of Esther yet who doubts but it is Canonicall * Hoc non vult de mo le Librorum sed quod spiritus sanctus nostri babuerit Rationem c. Aust Iohn 21.25 If all the things that Christ did were recorded how vast a volume would they make So if all Truths in the Scripture should be largely treated of not the Pocket but a Cart should carry the Bookes The Rabbins say that on every sillable or tittle of the Law hangs a mountaine of sense and holy Doctrine And a good servant will minde what his Master once bids him do without expecting a second command The rarity of Pearls and Jewels makes them the more precious 3. That which is mentioned in both Testaments is not only a Truth but eminently so And that which in the New Testament was expressed by the lips of Christ the way truth and life you must account written not with Inke but a Sun-beam or in letters of Diamonds To apply these Rules to the comfortable Doctrine of Angels Deputation It is clearly expressed in Gods word It is not much or very often mentioned therein yet of equall authority and tru●h as if it were It is in both Testaments and in the New Testament was uttered by Christ Jesus himsel● Hunc audite Letting passe some others that are urged we ●hall chiefly insist on three Texts of Scripture Gen. 48.16 Mat. 18.10 And our Text Acts 12.15 To begin with Gen. 1 Scripturt proof Gen. 48.16 48.16 Jacob blessing his son Joseph speaketh thus to him blessing both him and his two sonnes Chrysost Hom. 7. in Laudem Pauli Ephraim and Manasseh The Angell which redeemed me from all evill blesse the Ladds Chrysostome quotes this

very Place for the Deputation of Angels Basil contra Eunom lib 3. And Basill shewes from this Scripture That an Angell is present with every one as a Pedagogue and Pastor ordering and directing his life Rivius de Praesid Ang. p 720 Loquitur Patriarcha de eo Angelo quem peculiariter ipsi tutorem custodem comitemque addiderit Deus so Rivius writing on that place Now because some modern Writers are very confident this makes not for our Turn let us see and weigh their Objections It is sayd this is spoken of God Object 1 blessed for ever I answer Sol. God is named as a distinct person in the foregoing verse Gen. 48.15 And he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac did walke the GOD which fed me all my life long to this day The Angell which redeemed me from all evill blesse the Lads Behold he first mentioneth God and after that an Angell so that 't is evident he speakes not of one and the same person here In case he had he would not have varied the Terms much lesse have called Jehovah God blessed for ever by the name of an Angell Jacob could distinguish between the Potter and the clay and put a difference between God the Person sending and an Angell the creature sent If it be replyed that Christ is called the Angell of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 I answer 1. Christ is indeed called an Angell in Scripture but seldom without a note of Difference To let you know he is more then all Angells so he is called the Head of Angells and the Angell of the Covenant 2. Richard Stock on Mal. 3.1 p. 165. God the Father is never in the Scripture called an Angell Christ is called an Angell b●cause saith Austin he is the Messenger of the New Testament wherein heavenly blessings are promis'd Aug. de Civ Dei Christ was to reveale his Fathers will to his people But how God the Father of whom Jacob speaks can be called an Angell I see not what person is there to send him Again it is objected Object 2 This Angell mentioned by old Jacob is joyned in Blessing with God therefore it is Christ not an Angel Besides the Angel with whom Jacob wrestled in prayer Gen. 31. 't is like was this Angel I answer God blesseth and redeemeth efficiently Angels and Men instrumentally If this were spoken of eternall Redemption it were peculiar to Christ but Jacob here speaketh of Redemption and Deliverance from temporall Evils which is confessed to be a main office of Angels Ps 91.11 Therefore Mercerius saith it was an Angel to whom Jacob ascribeth his Deliverance as to Gods Minister Who is there that doubteth whether Ministers or Pastors may blesse their people Parents their children as old Jacob here blesseth Joseph If so then certainly Angels may instrumentally be said to bless and do us good as well as men But how doth it appear that this Angel was he with whom Jacob wrestled long before when it is plain that he was prayed to by Jacob and was called The God of Bethel Gen. 31.13 32. But this Angel is neither prayed to nor stiled God Only in blessing Joseph he wisheth that God and his Angel may also blesse them The one in commanding a blessing and the other in the execution of Gods will 'T is again objected Object 3 How was this Angel peculiar to Jacob when Jacob wisheth that he may blesse and help Ioseph and the Lads his sonns I answer 1. Although that Angel did principally attend Iacob yet now also he might be helpful to Ioseph his sons being locally as well as morally neer unto him 2. At Iacobs death he being now very old that Angel of his would wholly be free and at liberty to help them 3. Iacobs Angel by further looking to him and cherishing him in his old age and weaknesse Secundus in sentent p. 89. and in the Dreggs of his time for old age is Viva mors Cadaver spirans Mobile cadaver might therein not onely do good to him but also to his children that hee might have strength to give them a more particular blessing as afterward in Gen. 49.22 Lastly Object 4 it is objected that Iacob met an Host of Angels sent for his defence and he accordingly called the place Mahanaim Gen. 32.1 that is two Hosts or two Camps Therefore some hastily conclude Iacob had not ONE Angel to guard him But this is no consequence For as a King sometimes appeareth with a vast or stately Retinue and at other times is alone with a speciall Favourite So it was with Iacob in extraordinary cases two hosts of Angels were about him and yet he might have one Angell for ordinary and hourly attendance which was sufficient of which more in its place So that you see the Objections being removed that an Angel was Iacobs Guardian for he redeemed him instrumentally and ministerially from those temporal evils that otherwise had befaln him The second Scripture Proof that I shall urge for this truth 2 Scripture proof Mat. 18.10 is that illustrious passage of our Saviours Mat. 18.10 Take heed that yee despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in Heaven THEIR Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Observe it 1. Not their ANGELL but their ANGELS Every one hath his Angell 2. Nor the Angels in generall but Their Angels in particular 3. Christ saith not the Jewes and Heathens have such Observations But I who am truth it self and at the coming of which Sun all the shadows of Error and Superstition must flye away I say unto you that this doctrine of Angels Deputation you must receive as an indubitable truth 4. Then he chargeth the world not to goe about to molest or trouble his People because their particular Angels are not onely titular but tutelar Their Angels watch over them and will protect them Grotius Hugo Grotius in Mat. 18.10 P. 314. although hee be not very zealous for the Deputation of Angels as to particular persons yet was forced to write very favourably of it from that cleare Scripture Probabile admodum est eam sententiam hic a Christo approbatam It is very probable saith he that Christ doth here approve of that commonly received opinion P. Lomb. lib. 2. Dist 11. The Master of the Sentences doth chiefly insist on that place for the proof of this Point Angelos dicit eorum esse quibus ad custodiam Deputati sunt And the place is so clearly for it Rivius P. 717. that with Rivius we may demand Quid clarius Quid Apertius Etiamne firmius aliquod ad hujusce Rei fidem Argumentum quaeris What can be clearer or plainer Will you after this seek for any Argument to prove it And Bullinger thus Bullingeri D●cad 4. serm 9. Clare dicit puellis additos esse Angelos hand dubie custodes In a word

Austin Chrysostome and Zanchy say the same from this clear Text of our Saviours But because some endeavour and bend their wits to blunt the edge of this Scripture also and unpin the wheel of this Charret that it may drive the more heavily whilst they escape it I shall answer their Objections and Nicities tending to corrupt this Text. 1. It is thus glossed by some Object 1 Not their Angels as if every one had an Angel but theirs in common As divers Children of a rich great Man may have three or four servants to attend them in common and yet each child may not have his particular servant I answer 1. Sol. 1 This most slender Objection doth sufficiently grant the Deputation of Angels For the objectors do confesse that those Angels mentioned be their Angels not the Angels in generall of Gods Church There is then a peculiar Designation and Deputation of some certaine Angels to their attendance 2. If they be their Angels then it followeth that when all those Disciples were dead except one there still remained one Angel to attend the surviving person Note who was so his Angel that he was not anothers which clearly proves the particular deputation of Angels For if it can so clearly appear that one Disciple out-living the rest had Angels peculiar to him then I pray what false Divinity is this to say each Believer hath one Angel at least to guard him For Omne majus continet in se minus the greater comprehends the lesse We doe not affirme that an Elect hath never more then one Angel For in arduous and difficult cases a whole troop of those Angels that attend the Church in generall or such as worship before the Throne do flye to our relief But this we may say that every Believer hath one at least to be near him It is thus also objected by some Object 2 If these Angels did attend the Disciples on Earth as a shadow the body how do they behold the face of God in heaven 'T is the heaven of Angels to see Gods face who is omni-present Sol. and to be doing and fulfilling his will This doth not eclipse the happinesse of Angels To retain their Primitive excellency To attend on the Church which is part of Christ Mystical To be free from all distraction sinne and misery To see know and love God to do his will readily faithfully and cheerfully Oh this is an heaven to elect Angels whilst they are dispersed busied and employed upon earth Lastly 't is objected Object 3 Let the scope of Christ be well observed what doth he drive and aime at Was he before talking of Angels or their Deputation No but he would not have his Disciples offended despised or injured Now how doth the Doctrine of Angelical deputation contribute any light or vigour to that discouse and design of our Saviour Sol. I answer much every way in foure respects 1 Offend them not do not despise or undervalue them † Ab homine mortali despici vel pro Nihilo duci quos Deus in tanto pretio habet nimis absurdum feret Mart Bucer in Mat. 18.10 Because each of them though never so poor mean in the world and voyd of external pomp and glory or humane assistance hath an Angel of Light glorious in power and wisdome design'd to his particular attendance For as the children of Noble men are discerned by this that each one hath particular Servants so it is with the people of God You have no reason to despise or vilipend them whom God hath thus owned and honoured 2 Offend them not in any place though alone for in all places God is present with them and a Believers Angel is his faithful Associate 3 Offend them not at any time For though extraordinary guards may with-draw yet their Guardian Angel will not forsake them 4 These particular Angels are placed by God and are daily accountable to him for their charge They always behold the * Id est astare Deo tanquam Regi observantes ejus nutum ut capessant ejus Mandata de ipsis emittendis ad custodiam Puerorum Piscator Annal. Schol. Mat. 18.10 p. 182 185 face of my father which is in heaven So that you see the Doctrine of Angels designation did most directly advance the scope and design of Christ in this place namely why his little ones should not be despised or offended The objections being removed let us be careful how we despise the Doctrine of Angels Deputation For if it be unsafe to despise the Christians so attended it will be more dangerous to contemn the Doctrine whereby they are secured For in slighting this Doctrine take heed least yee be found among the slighters of Christ who delivered it Shall the ipse dixit of Aristotle be of force in our schools How much more the Ipse dixit of Christ in our hearts Let these words of our Saviour I SAY VNTO YOV be as a clap of Thunder most hideous for sound to awaken and startle the contemners of this Truth yet so as that it may be accompanied with harmlesse Lightning and flashes of Divine conviction that they may no longer suspect or question what is here uttered by Truth it self I who am the King and Law-giver of the Church who am Truth it self and so cannot lie or countenance the lies and errors of others Wisdom it selfe and so do not speak rashly Holinesse it self and so do it not partially Power it selfe and so am able to punish those that will not believe me I that am your Redeemer and shall seale all my Sermons and sayings with my blood Finally I that am the Head and Captain of Angels and best know what Orders and Instructions I have given them I SAY I doe not only and inwardly see and know it who know all things but I think it fit to speake and promulgate this truth to you Heathens and Jewes have ever said it but now remember Christ the Eternal Son of God hath confirmed it to you Many things I know that yet ye are not able nor fit to heare but this I will reveal from the Father unto you as a Doctrine doubted by some but of rich consolation to all the Elect. VNTO YOV My dear Disciples I speak it unto you my hearers as before many Witnesses as before those that must record and publish this Truth to the world and all its nations and ages For what is spoken to you in obscure corners see that ye trumpet and proclaim it on the house top THEIR ANGELS DO ALWAYES BEHOLD THE FACE OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN Which words as you have seen do most clearly hold forth with both hands the particular Deputation of Angels For he saith not The Angels that attend Gods Elect but THEIR Angels Nor is it sayd their Angel as if one were allotted to many but their Angels each of these little ones that belong to me whether little in stature as this Childe here