Sixteen Sermons Volume 2, Sermon 6
SERMON VI. The Nature, Office, and Employment of Good Angels.
Preached on the Feaſt of St. Michael.
HEB. 1.14.
Are they not all miniſtring Spirits ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation?
THis is ſpoken of Good Angels, whoſe Exiſtence, as well as that of Evil Spirits, the Scriptures both of the Old and New Teſtament, do every where take for granted, no leſs than they do the Being of God, and the Immortality of the Soul. And well they may, ſince they are all founded upon the general Conſent of all Ages,VOL. II. derived down to us from the firſt Spring and Original of Mankind; of which general Conſent and Tradition, it is one of the hardeſt things in the World, to aſſign any good Reaſon, if the Things themſelves were not true. Therefore I ſhall not go about to force my way into this Argument concerning the Exiſtence of Spirits, and Beings diſtinct from Matter, by dint of diſpute, (which perhaps would neither be ſo proper, nor ſo profitable for this Aſſembly) but ſhall take the thing as I find it received by a general Conſent of Mankind. And ſo the Books of Divine Revelation do: Nor was there Reaſon to proceed in any other method, than to ſuppoſe theſe things, and take them for granted, as generally aſſented to by Mankind, without either aſſerting them for new Diſcoveries, or attempting to prove what was ſo univerſally believed. The Scriptures indeed have more particularly declared the Nature of theſe Spirits, as alſo their Order and Employment; as in the words which I have read to you, where the Office and Employment of Good Angels is more particularly diſcovered;Serm. VI. Are they not all (ſays the Text) miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation?
The Author of this Epiſtle to the Hebrews having had occaſion, in comparing the two Diſpenſations of the Law and the Goſpel, to ſpeak of the Angels, by whoſe Miniſtry the Law was given, did not think fit to entertain thoſe to whom he wrote, with any nice and curious Speculations (for School Divinity was not then in faſhion) about the Nature and Order of Angels; but tells us, what it concerns us more to know, namely, what their Office and Employment is in regard to us. Concerning their Nature, he only tell us, that they are Spirits; as to their Office and Employment, he ſays in general, that they are Miniſtring Spirits, that is, that they ſtand before God to attend upon him, ready to receive his Commands, and to execute his Pleaſure; more particularly, that they are upon occaſion appointed and ſent forth by God to miniſter on the behalf, and to do good Offices for them that ſhall be heirs of ſalvation. Which laſt words are a deſcription of pious and good Men, ſuch as had ſincerely embraced the Chriſtian Religion, and were thereby become the Children of God, and Heirs of Eternal Salvation. So that theſe words are a brief Summary of the Doctrine of Good Angels, and of what the Scripture has thought fit to reveal to us concerning them: Which may be referred to theſe Three Heads.
Firſt, Their Nature; Are they not Spirits?
Secondly, Their general Office and Employment; Are they not Miniſtring Spirits?
Thirdly, Their ſpecial Office and Employment, in regard to good Men; they are ſent forth to miniſter for them (that is, in their behalf, and for their benefit) who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation.
And this is as much as is neceſſary for us to know concerning them; and all this is very agreeable to the general Apprehenſion of Mankind; but the Scripture hath very much cleared and confirmed to us, that which was more obſcure and leſs certain before. I ſhall briefly explain and illuſtrate theſe Three Heads, and then draw ſome uſeful Inferences from the whole.
Firſt, For their Nature; they are Spirits. This is univerſally agreed by all that acknowledge ſuch an Order of Beings, that they are Spirits: But whether they are pure Spirits, deveſted of Matter, and all kind of corporeal Vehicle (as the Philoſophers term it) hath been a great Controverſie, but I think of no great Moment and Conſequence. Not only the ancient Philosophers, but ſome of the ancient Chriſtian Fathers, did believe Angels to be cloathed with ſome kind of Bodies, conſiſting of the pureſt and fineſt Matter; which they call Aetherial. And this Opinion ſeems to be grounded upon a pious Belief, that it is the peculiar Excellency and Prerogative of the Divine Nature, to be a pure and ſimple Spirit, wholly ſeparate from Matter: But the more current Opinion of the Chriſtian Church (eſpecially of later times) hath been, that Angels are mere and pure Spirits, without any thing that is Material and Corporeal belonging to them; but yet ſo, that they have a Power to aſſume thin and airy Bodies, and can when they pleaſe appear in Humane Shape, as they are frequently in Scripture ſaid to have done. And this ſeems moſt agreeable to the Scripture Account of them; tho' I think it is no neceſſary Article of Faith, either to believe that they are cloathed with ſome kind of Bodies, or that they are wholly deveſted of Matter.
But however this be, they are deſcribed in Scripture to be endowed with great Excellencies and Perfections; they are ſaid to excell in ſtrength, Pſal. 103.20. and in Knowledge and Wiſdom. Hence are thoſe Expreſſions of being as an Angel of God, to diſcern good and bad. 2 Sam. 14.17. Wiſe, according to the wiſdom of an Angel, v. 20. To be of great Activity and Swiftneſs in their Motions; hence it is that they are repreſented in Scripture, as full of wings: and to excel in purity and holineſs; hence is that Title given them in Scripture, of the Holy Angels. This is the Summ of what the Scripture hath in ſeveral places delivered to us, concerning the Nature and Properties of good Angels; and beyond this, all our Kowledge of them is mere Conjecture and Uncertainty; and the nice Speculations concerning them, idle and wanton Curioſities. Indeed the Scripture gives ſufficient intimation of ſeveral Ranks and Orders among them, by calling Michael an Archangel, and Chief Prince, and by diſtinguſhing them by the names of Principalities, and Powers, and Thrones, and Dominions: But what the difference of theſe Names import, though ſome have attempted to explain, yet I do not find that they have diſcovered any thing to us, beſides their own Ignorance and Arogance, in pretending to be wiſe above what is written; intruding into thoſe things which they have not ſeen, being vainly puft up in their fleſhly minds; as the Apoſtle cenſures ſome in his time.
Secondly, We have here their general Office and Employment; they are miniſtring Spirits; they are (as I may ſay) domeſtick Servants, and conſtant Attendants upon that great and glorious King, whoſe Throne is in the Heavens, and whoſe Kingdom ruleth over all; they ſtand continually before him, to behold his face, expecting his Commands, and in a conſtant readineſs to do his Will. For tho' the Omnipotence of God, and his perfect Power of acting be ſuch, that he can do all things immediately by himſelf, whatever he pleaſeth in Heaven and in Earth; can govern the World, and ſteer the Affairs of it, and turn them which way he thinks beſt, by the leaſt nod and beck of his Will, without any Inſtruments or Miniſters of his Pleaſure; yet his Wiſdom and Goodneſs has thought fit to honour his Creatures, eſpecially this higher and more perfect Rank of Beings, with his Commands, and to make them, according to their ſeveral Degrees and Capacities, the ordinary Miniſters of his Affairs, in the Rule and Government of this inferiour World; and this not for his own eaſe (for to Infinite Power nothing can be difficult or troubleſom) but for their happineſs; and he therefore employs them in his Work and Service, that they may be capable of his Favour and Rewards.
And that the Angels of God are the great Miniſters of his Providence here in the World, hath not only been the conſtant Tradition of all Ages; but is very frequently and plainly aſſerted in Scripture. In the Old Teſtament we often read that God employed his Angels to be the Meſſengers of his Will and Pleaſure to Men; and to carry good Tidings and comfortable News to them upon ſeveral Occaſions: As to Abraham, to foretel the miraculous Birth of his Son Iſaac; and afterwards to reſcue him from being ſacrificed: To Jacob, when he was ſo afraid of his Brother Eſau: To Manoah and his Wife, to foretel the Birth of Sampſon, the great Deliverer of Iſrael from the Philiſtines: And upon that great Occaſion of bringing the People of Iſrael out of Egypt, and conducting them through the Wilderneſs, he ſent a great and mighty Angel (called the Angel of his Preſence) to go before them, and guide them in their way: And the Apoſtle tells us, that the Law was delivered to them upon Mount Sinai by the Diſpoſition of Angels.
On the other hand, God frequently made them the Meſſengers of his Wrath, and Inſtruments of his Vengeance. Thus he ſent them to foretel, and to execute that terrible Deſtruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And he ſent a Deſtroying Angel to brandiſh his Sword in a viſible manner over Jeruſalem, and to ſmite them with the Peſtilence, for David's Sin in Numbring the People. And by the Miniſtry of an Angel he ſlew in the Camp of the Aſſyrians in one Night, an Hundred and eighty five thouſand. And Acts 12.23. it is ſaid, that the Angel of the Lord ſmote Herod, for receiving the blaſphemous Acclamations of the People.
Nay, the Angels ſhall be the Inſtruments and Executioners of God's Vengeance upon the Wicked, at the Judgment of the great Day. So the Judge himſelf tells us, Matth. 13.49, 50. So ſhall it be at the End of the World; the Angels ſhall come forth and ſever the wicked from among the juſt, and ſhall caſt them into the furnace of fire; there ſhall he wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth.
And that particular Angels do preſide over Empires and Kingdoms, and ſway the weighty Affairs of them; and by a ſecret and inviſible Hand manage and bring about great Changes and Revolutions, both Jews and Chriſtians have collected with great Probability and Conſent from Daniel 10. where there is mention made of the Prince of the Kingdom of Perſia withſtanding the Angel that was ſent to Daniel, and of Michael a Chief Prince aſſiſting him. And of this Miniſtry of Angels, in the Government of Kingdoms, Clemens Alexandrinus ſpeaks, as of a thing out of all Controverſie. I proceed to the
Third Thing, which I principally intended, and ſeems to be chiefly deſigned in the Text; and this is the ſpecial Office and Employment of good Angels, in regard to good Men; and for this the Apoſtle expreſly tells us, that they are ſent forth to miniſter for them (that is, in their behalf, and for their benefit), who ſhall be heirs of Salvation. In which Words there are Three things very conſiderable for our Inſtruction and Comfort.
1. Their particular Deſignation and Appointment for this Employment, expreſt in theſe Words, ſent forth, foreign, as if they were particularly Commiſſioned and Appointed by God for this very End. God himſelf doth ſuperintend all Affairs, and by his particular Deſignation and Command, the Angels do fulfil his Word, and execute the Pleaſure of his good Will towards us. Hence it is ſo frequently ſaid in Scripture, that God ſent his Angel to ſuch or ſuch a Perſon, for ſuch or ſuch Purpoſes.
2. You have here the general End of their Employment; for good Men; they are ſent forth on our Behalf, and for our Benefit; to take Care of us and protect us, to ſuccour and comfort, to direct and aſſiſt, to reſcue and deliver us.
3. Here is the more ſpecial End of their Employment, in regard to good Men, intended in thoſe words; for them who ſhall be heirs of Salvation; Hereby ſignifying, that the Angels are employed about good Men, with Regard more particularly to their Eternal Happineſs, and for the Conducting and furthering of the great Affair of their Everlaſting Salvation. This certainly is our greateſt Concernment; and therefore they have a more particular Charge and Care of us in Regard to this.
It was a common Opinion among the Heathen, and a conſtant and firmly believed Tradition among the Jews, (the Sadducees only excepted, who did not believe there was Angels or Spirits) that every Man (at leaſt every good Man) had a Guardian Angel appointed him by God, to take a ſpecial Care of him and his Concernments, both Spiritual and Temporal; to guard him from Dangers, to direct and proſper him in his Way, and to comfort and deliver him in his Affliction and Diſtreſs. And therefore we find among the Jewiſh Prayers, uſed by them at this day, a particular Prayer, wherein they requeſt of God, to Command the Angels who have the Care of Humane Affairs, to help and aſſiſt, to preſerve and deliver them. But eſpecially they believed Good Angels, in their Attendance upon Good Men, to be very active and diligent to incline them to good, and to encourage them therein, by holy Motions and Suggeſtions, by ſecret Comforts and Aſſiſtances, and by oppoſing Evil Spirits, and defending us againſt their Aſſaults, and by countermining their malicious Deſigns and Attempts upon us. And accordingly we find, that the beſt Men among the Jews did ſtedfaſtly believe, if not the particular Guardianſhip of Angels, and that every Good Man had his particular Angel aſſigned to him by God, to take the particular Charge of him; yet the common Miniſtry of Good Angels, about Good Men; and their more eſpecial care of particular Perſons, upon particular and great Occaſions, to protect them from Temporal Evils, and to promote and proſper their Temporal Affairs and Concernments.
Of this Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, and the Friend of God, was moſt firmly perſwaded (at leaſt in Matters of great Moment and Concernment to us) as appears by his Diſcourſe with his Steward, when he was ſending him to treat of a Match for his Son, Gen. 24.40. The Lord (ſays he) before whom I walk, will ſend his Angel with thee, and proſper thy way. And David the Man after God's own heart, does more than once declare his confident Belief of the watchful Care and Miniſtry of Angels about good Men. Pſal. 34. and 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him, and delivereth them. And Pſalm. 91.11, 12. ſpeaking of the good Man, who putteth his Truſt and Confidence in God, he tells him for his Comfort and Security, that the holy Angels hare a particular charge of him, to preſerve him from all the Miſchiefs and Dangers to which he is expoſed; he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; they ſhall bear thee up in their hands, leſt thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone.
So that according to the Perſwaſion of thoſe two excellent Perſons, and of greateſt Renown for Piety in all the Old Teſtament, very much of the Safety and the Succeſs of good Men, even in their Temporal Concernments, is to be aſcrib'd to the vigilant Care and Protection of good Angels. And tho' this be ſeldom viſible and ſenſible to us, yet we have great Reaſon, upon ſo great Teſtimonies, to aſſent to the truth of it. And there is no Reaſon I think to doubt, but that God's Care extends now to Chriſtians, as well as it did to the Jews; and that the Angels have as much Kindneſs for us, as they had for the Jews; and there is no Reaſon to think, that the Angels are now either dead or idle.
Our Saviour tells us, that they cannot dye; and our Reaſon tells us that a pure Spirit is an active Principle; and the Scripture repreſents Angels as all flame and wings. Evil Spirits are believed by Chriſtians to be as active now, to all purpoſes of harm and miſchief, as ever: And why ſhould any Man imagine, that Good Spirits are not as intent and buſie to do good? The Apoſtle (I am ſure) tells us in the Text, that the Angels in common, (all of them) do employ their Service about us, and wait to do good Offices to us; are they not all (ſays he) miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them that ſhall be heirs of Salvation?
And our Saviour, Matth. 18.10. ſeems to approve and confirm the Tradition of the Jews, concerning particular Guardian Angels belonging to every one that believed in him; that is, to every Chriſtian; Take heed (ſays he) that ye deſpiſe not one of theſe little ones; for I ſay unto you, that in Heaven, their Angels always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven. And this ſeems likewiſe to have been a received Opinion among the firſt Chriſtians; for we find, Acts 12.15. that when Peter was miraculouſly releaſed out of Priſon by an Angel, and came to the Houſe where the Chriſtians were aſſembled to pray for him, and one told them, that Peter was at the door, they ſaid it was his Angel; thinking that he himſelf was faſt in Priſon: For which ſaying there could be no Reaſon, had there not been a current Opinion among them of Guardian Angels.
And becauſe the Providence of God is more peculiarly concerned, in conducting Men to Eternal Happineſs; it is very credible, that God ſhould more eſpecially Ordain the Miniſtry of Angels about good Men, for the furtherance of their Salvation. And ſo the Apoſtle tells us in the Text; are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them; that ſhall be heirs of ſalvation? Nay our Saviour, in that remarkable place I mentioned before, Matt. 18.10. ſeems to intimate, that Angels of a higher Rank and Quality, are aſſigned Guardians and Guides to thoſe that believed on him; but I ſay unto you, that in Heaven, their Angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in Heaven: An Alluſion to the manner of earthly Kings, upon whom not all the Servants, but the Chief of their Nobility do more immediately attend, and ſtand continually in their Preſence; for to behold the face of the King, and to ſtand in his Preſence, are Phraſes uſed in Scripture to ſignifie immediate Attendance upon his Perſon. So that by this manner of Expreſſion, our Saviour doth moſt ſignificantly intimate, in what Eſteem good Men are with God, whoſe Care and Protection he commits to the Chief of the Angels, to thoſe who are neareſt to him, and in higheſt Favour and Honour with him; as if he had ſaid, their Angels are not of the ordinary Rank, but ſuch as are admitted to a more immediate Attendance upon the great King and Governour of the World.
And no doubt it is for no mean End, that ſuch high and glorious Spirits are employ'd about us; it is chiefly for the furtherance of our Salvation; for the purchaſing whereof, the Son of God himſelf (whom all the Angels of Heaven worſhip) came down from Heaven, and appeared and ſuffered in our Nature, that we may one day be made like to the Angels, and dwell where they are, and may continually behold the face of our Father which is in Heaven, as they do. And in order to this End, it is very probable, that Good Angels are ready to do good Offices, juſt contrary to thoſe of Evil Spirits; that is, to employ their beſt Diligence and endeavour for the Salvation of Men; and that they are very ſedulous and officious to reſtrain and pull them back from Sin, and to excite and ſolicite them to that which is Good; and, in a Word, to do all they can to help forward the Repentance and Converſion of Sinners. And this may reaſonably be collected from that Paſſage of our Saviour, Luke 15.10. where he tells us, That there is joy in the preſence of the Angels of God, over one Sinner that repenteth. And if they be ſo glad of the Repentance of a Sinner; we may eaſily imagine how forward they are, to further and promote ſo good a Work. And when Sinners are brought to Repentance; we have no Reaſon to doubt, but that the Angels are as ready to aſſiſt their Progreſs in Goodneſs.
It hath been a general, and I think not ill-grounded Opinion, both of the Jews and Heathens, that good Angels are more eſpecially preſent with us, and obſervant of us, and aſſiſtant to us, in the performance of all Acts of Religion; that they are particularly preſent at our Prayers; and therefore the Jews ſpeak of a particular Angel for this purpoſe, whom they call the Angel of Prayer; that they obſerve our Vows, and our breach or performance of them. So Solomon ſeems to intimate, Eccleſ. 5.4, 6. When thou voweſt a Vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleaſure in fools; pay that which thou haſt vowed. Suffer not thy mouth to cauſe thy fleſh to ſin; that is, do not intangle thy Life with a raſh Vow, which the frailty of Humane Nature may make thee afterwards to break; neither ſay thou before the Angel, that it was an errour; that is, do not in the Preſence of the Angel who attends upon thee, and obſerves thee, betray thine own error and raſhneſs. This I take to be the meaning of this difficult paſſage, Let not thy mouth cauſe thy fleſh to ſin; neither ſay thou before the Angel that it was an errour.
But the Angels are yet more particularly preſent in the Places and at the Times of God's Publick Worſhip. The placing of the Cherubims in the Holy of Holies, ſeems to ſignifie the Preſence of the Angels in our moſt Religious Addreſſes to God. And Plutarch ſays, That the Angels are the Overſeers of Divine Service. And therefore we ought to behave our ſelves with all Modeſty, Reverence, and Decency in the Worſhip of God, out of regard to the Angels, who are there preſent, and obſerve our Carriage and Behaviour. And to this the Apoſtle plainly hath reſpect in that place, which by Interpreters hath been thought ſo difficult, 1 Corinth. 11.10. where he ſays, That, for this Cauſe, in the Aſſemblies of Chriſtians for the Worſhip of God, the Woman ought to have a Vail upon her head, in token of ſubjection to her Husband, becauſe of the Angels; that is, to be decently and modeſtly Attired in the Church, becauſe of the preſence of the holy Angels; before whom we ſhould compoſe our ſelves to the greateſt external Gravity and Reverence, which the Angels behold and obſerve, but cannot penetrate into the inward Devotion of our Minds, which God only can do; and therefore with regard to him who ſees our Hearts, we ſhould more particularly compoſe our Minds, to the greateſt Sincerity and Seriouſneſs our Devotion. Which I would to God we would all duly conſider, all the while we are exerciſed in the Worſhip of God, who chiefly regards our Hearts. But we ought likewiſe to be very careful of our external Behaviour, with a particular regard to the Angels, who are preſent there, to ſee and obſerve the outward Decency and Reverence of our Carriage and Deportment: Of which we are very careful in the Preſence even of an Earthly Prince when he either ſpeaks to us, or we make any Addreſs to him. And ſurely much more ought we to be ſo, when we are in the immediate Preſence of God, and of his holy Angels, every one of whom is a much greater Prince, and of greater Power, than any of the Princes of this World. But how little is this conſidered, (I ſpeak to our ſhame) and by how few among us!
And as Angels are helpful to good Men, in working out their Salvation, throughout the courſe of their Lives; ſo at the Hour of Death, they ſtand by them, to comfort them and aſſiſt them in that needful and diſmal time, in that laſt and great Conflict of frail Mortality with Death and the Powers of Darkneſs; to receive their expiring Spirits into their Charge, and to conduct them ſafely into the Manſions of the Bleſſed. And to this purpoſe alſo the Jews had a Tradition; that the Angels wait upon good Men at their Death, to convey their Souls into Paradiſe: Which is very much countenanc'd by our Saviour, in the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16.22. where it is ſaid, that when Lazarus died, he was carried by the Angels into Abraham's boſom.
Nay, that the Angels have ſome Charge and Care of the Bodies of good Men after death, may not improbably be gathered from that Paſſage m St. Jude, v. 9. where Michael the Archangel is ſaid to have contended with the Devil, about the Body of Moſes. What the ground of this Controverſie betwixt them was, may be moſt probably explain'd, by a paſſage, Deut. 34.6. where it is ſaid, that God took particular care (probably by an Angel) concerning the burying ſo Moſes in a certain Valley; and it is added, but no man knoweth of his Sepulchre unto this day. The Devil it ſeems had a fair Proſpect of laying a Foundation for Idolatry, in the Worſhip of Moſes after his death; if he could have gotten the diſpoſal of his Body, to have buried it in ſome known and publick place. And no doubt, it would hare gratified him not a little, to have made him, who was ſo declared an Enemy to Idolatry all his life, an occaſion of it, after his death. But this God thought fit to prevent, in pity to the People of Iſrael, whom he ſaw upon all occaſion ſo prone to Idolatry; and for that Reaſon committed it to the Charge of Michael the Archangel, to bury his Body ſecretly; and this was the thing which Michael the Archangel contended with the Devil about.
But before I paſs from this, I cannot but take notice of one memorable Circumſtance in this Conteſt, mentioned likewiſe by St. Jude, in theſe words, yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the Devil, he diſputed about the Body of Moſes, durſt not bring againſt him a railing accuſation. His Duty reſtrain'd him from it, and probably his Deſcretion too: As he durſt not offend God, in doing a thing ſo much beneath the Dignity and Perfection of his Nature; ſo he could not but think, that the Devil would have been too hard for him at railing; a thing to which as the Angels have no diſpoſition, ſo I believe that they have no talent, no faculty at it. The cool Conſideration whereof ſhould make all Men, eſpecially thoſe who call themſelves Divines, and eſpecially in Controverſies about Religion, aſhamed and afraid of this manner of diſputing; ſince Michael the Archangel, even when he diſputed with the Devil, durſt not bring againſt him a railing accuſation.
But to proceed. This we are ſure of, that the Angels ſhall be the great Miniſters and Inſtruments of the Reſurrection of our Bodies, and the reunion of them to our Souls. For ſo our Bleſſed Saviour has told us, Matt. 24.30, 31. That when the Son of man ſhall come in the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory; he ſhall ſend his Angels to gather the Elect, from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.
Thus I have as briefly as I could, and ſo far as the Scripture hath gone before us, to give us light in this matter, endeavoured to ſhew the ſeveral Ways wherein good Angels do Miniſter in behalf of t hem who ſhall be Heirs of Salvation. All that now remains, is to draw ſome Inferences from this diſcourſe, and ſo I ſhall conclude.
Firſt, what hath been ſaid upon this Argument, and ſo abundantly proved from Scripture, may ſerve to eſtabliſh us in the Belief of this Truth, and to awaken us to a due Conſideration of it. That the Angels are inviſible to us, and that we are ſeldom ſenſible of their Preſence, and the good Offices they do us, is no ſufficient Reaſon againſt the Truth and Reality, of the Thing; if by other Arguments we are convinced of it. For by the ſame Reaſon we may almoſt as well call in Queſtion the Exiſtance of God, and of our own Souls; neither of which do fall under the notice of our Senſes; and yet by other Arguments we are ſufficiently convinc'd of them both. So in this caſe, the general Conſent and Tradition of Mankind, concerning the Exiſtence of Angels, and their Miniſtry about us, eſpecially being confirmed to us, by clear and expreſs Teſtimony of holy Scripture, ought to be abundant Evidence to us; when we conſider that ſo general a Conſent muſt have a proportionable Cauſe; which can be no other, but a general Tradition grounded at firſt upon Revelation, and derived down to all ſucceeding Ages, from the firſt Spring and Original of Mankind; and ſince confirmed by manifold Revelations of God, both in the Old and New Teſtament.
But yet I am ſenſible, that all this is no Conviction to the perverſe and contentious. Men will not believe even the Evidence of Senſe it ſelf, when they are ſtrongly prepoſſeſs'd and prejudiced to the contrary: For do we not ſee great numbers of Men, even ſo many as have the face to call themſelves the Catholick Church, that can make a ſhift, when they have a mind, either to believe or disbelieve things contrary to the plaineſt Evidence of their Senſes? All that I ſhall ſay further about this matter, is, that this Doctrine of Angels is not a peculiar Doctrine either of the Jewiſh or Chriſtian Religion, but the general Doctrine of all Religions that ever were; and therefore cannot be objected againſt by any but the Atheiſts.
And yet after all, I know not whence it comes to paſs, that this great Truth, which is ſo comfortable to Mankind, is ſo very little conſidered by us. Perhaps the Corruption of ſo great a part of the Chriſtian Church, in the point of the Worſhip of Angels, may have run us ſo far into the other extream, as ſcarcely to acknowledge any Benefit we receive by them. But ſurely we may believe they do us good, without any Obligation to pray to them; and may own them as the Miniſters of God's Providence, without making them the Objects of our Worſhip.
I confeſs it ſeems to me a very odd thing, that the Power of the Devil, and his Influence upon Men, and the particular Vigilancy and Activity of Evil Spirits to tempt us to Sin, ſhould be ſo readily owned, and ſo ſenſibly talkt of among Chriſtians; and yet the Aſſiſtance of good Angels ſhould be ſo little taken notice of, and conſidered by us. The Scripture ſpeaks plainly of both, and the Reaſons for believing both are equal: For God forbid but that good Angels ſhould be as officious and forward to do us good, as the Devil and his Angels are malicious and buſie to do us Miſchief. And indeed it would be very hard with Mankind, if we had not as much Reaſon to Hope for the Aſſiſtance and Protection of good Spirits, as we have cauſe to Fear the Malice and Fury of the bad. Good Angels are certainly as Powerful, and have as ſtrong a Propenſion and Inclination to do good, as the Devil has to do harm; and the Number of good Angels is probably much greater, than of Evil Spirits. The biggeſt Number that are uſed in Scripture, are applied to good Angels. Dan. 7.10. it is ſaid of the Angels about God's Throne, that thouſand thouſands miniſtred unto him, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtood before him. And Revelations 5.11. the number of them is ſaid to be, ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands. And the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, ch. 12.22. calls them an innumerable company of Angels.
What then ſhould be the Reaſon, that Men ſhould be ſo apt to own the Snares and Temptations, which the Devil lays before us, in all our ways; but take ſo little notice of the Attendance and good Offices, done to us by good Spirits? I can imagine but theſe Two Reaſons, and I am ſorry I can find no better; That we are more mindful of Injuries than of Benefits: and are glad to take in others for the excuſe of our Faults; but are loth any ſhould come in for a ſhare in the Good that is done by us. And yet methinks it ſhould be a very comfortable Conſideration to us, againſt the Enmity and Cunning of the Devil and his Angels; that the Holy Angels of God are as Intent and Induſtrious to do us good, and to help forward our Salvation, as Evil Spirits can be to work our ruin, and deſtroy us.
Secondly, We ſhould with great thankfulneſs acknowledge the great Goodneſs of God to us, who takes ſuch Care of us, as to appoint his Angels, and to give them particular Commiſſion and Charge concerning us, to protect and aſſiſt us in all our ways, and eſpecially to promote the great Concernment of our Eternal Happineſs: And that not only ſome particular and inferiour Spirits, but the Chief Miniſters of this great King of the World, thoſe that ſtand in his Preſence, and behold his face; and not a few of theſe, but the whole Order of them are imployed about us. So the Apoſtle ſeems to ſay, by the Queſtion which he puts in the Text, Are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter? That is, all, at one time or other. And though they be principally appointed to miniſter to us in order to our Salvation; yet we have no Reaſon to doubt, but God imploys them many times for our Temporal Safety, and makes uſe of them more eſpecially in thoſe great Revolutions, in which his Cauſe and Religion are more immediatly concern'd.
In ſuch a Caſe, it is not at all incredible, that God ſhould give his Angels a particular Charge, concerning thoſe that fight his Battels; to pitch about their Camps, and ſecretly to aſſiſt them againſt their Enemies, and to ward off, and put by many dangerous blows and thruſts, which are made at them; and wonderfully to preſerve them, when the Inſtruments of death fly about them, and do execution on every ſide of them. To what can we aſcribe ſuch and ſo many remarkable Deliverances of a Perſon upon whom ſo much depends; but either to the immediate hand of God, or to the Miniſtry of Angels? And where God is provided ſo abundantly, with ſuch powerful Beings and Miniſters of his Will; though they may be inviſible to us, yet there is great Reaſon to believe, that he very ſeldom works without them.
And now what an aſtoniſhing Regard is this, which the great God is pleaſed to have for the Sons of Men, that he ſhould make the whole Creation ſerviceable to us; not only the viſible Creation, for the ſupport of our Bodies, and the diverſion of our Minds; but even the nobleſt of all his Creatures, the great and glorious Inhabitants of the inviſible World, mightily ſurpaſſing us mortal Men, in the ſimplicity and purity of their Nature, in the quickneſs and largeneſs of their Underſtandings, and in their Power and Vigour of Acting; I ſay, that God ſhould give theſe excellent and glorious Beings the Charge over us, and ſend them forth to Miniſter to us, for the Safeguard of our Perſons, for the ſucceſs of our Affairs, and for the Security and Furtherance of our eternal Salvation! Lord, what is man that thou art thus mindful of him; that when thou madeſt him lower than the Angels, thou ſhouldeſt yet make the Angels to miniſter unto him!
Thirdly, If the Angels have particular Charge of good Men, we ſhould take heed how we deſpiſe, or be any way injurious to them: For how deſpicable ſo ever they may appear to us, they are certainly very dear to God; ſince he deems them ſo conſiderable, is to employ his Chief Miniſters about them, and to commit the Charge of them to thoſe, who by their Office do more immediately attend upon himſelf. This is our Saviour's own Argument, Matth. 18. Take heed that ye deſpiſe not one of theſe little ones; for I ſay unto you, their Angels do continually behold the face of your Father, which is in Heaven. With how much Contempt ſoever we may look upon a poor good Man; he hath Friends and Patrons of a higher ſort, than any of the Princes of this World.
Fourthly, If God appointed Angels to be Miniſtring Spirits on our behalf; we may thence very reaſonably conclude, that God did not intend, that we ſhould worſhip them. This ſeems to be a clear Conſequence, if the Reaſoning of the Angel in the Revelation be good; where he forbids St. John to worſhip him; becauſe he was his fellow ſervant. Yea the Conſequence ſeems to be yet ſtronger from the Text; that if they be not only Fellow Servants but do in ſome ſort miniſter unto us; then we are not to worſhip them.
And yet this Practice is openly avowed in the Church of Rome; though it be reproved ſo very ſeverely by the Apoſtle, as an Apoſtacy from Chriſtianity, Coloſ. 2.18, 19. Let no man (ſays he) deceive you, in a voluntary humility, and worſhipping of Angels; not holding the head; as if it were a Renouncing of Chriſt, out of a pretended Humility, to make uſe of other Mediators beſides him to the Father. And notwithſtanding alſo that the Angel in the Revelation does ſo vehemently forbid it, foreign, by no means, upon no terms do it; and he forbids it for ſuch a Reaſon, as makes it for ever unlawful; namely, that we ought not to worſhip thoſe, who ſerve and worſhip God together, with us; Do it not, ſays the Angel, I am thy fellow Servant; worſhip thou God. In which words, he plainly directs us to the ſole and proper Object of our Worſhip.
Bellarmine, the great Champion of the Popiſh Cauſe, never uſed more groſs and apparent ſhuffling, than in Anſwer to this Text. He ſays firſt, why are we reproved for doing what St. John did? To which the Anſwer is very eaſie; becauſe St. John himſelf was reproved by an Angel, for doing what he did. And now that his Queſtion is anſwered, one might methinks ask him a croſs Queſtion or two. Why do the Church of Rome preſume to do that, which an Angel does ſo expreſly forbid to be done? Or was it fit for St. John to worſhip one, who (according to Bellarmine) was ſo ignorant in the Doctrine of the Catholick Church, as to reprove him for doing his Duty? As is evident from his Second crafty Anſwer to this Text, That St. John did well to give due Worſhip to the Angel: And yet it is plain from this Text, that the Angel did not think the Worſhip which St. John gave to him, to be his due.
It is very hard to imagine, but that a Man of Bellarmine's Underſtanding, did intend to give up the Cauſe, in his Anſwers to this Text: But if he was in earneſt, then the Matter is brought to this plain and ſhort iſſue; Whether it be fitter for us to believe a Cardinal of Rome, or an Angel of God?
Laſtly, We ſhould imitate the holy Angel, by endeavouring to ſerve God as they do, in miniſtring to the Good of others. Whilſt we are in the Body, in this ſtate of infirmity and imperfection; tho' we cannot ſerve God with the ſame Activity and Vigour that the bleſſed Angels do, yet we may in the ſame Sincerity, and with the ſame true Pleaſure and Delight.
And we ſhould learn alſo of them, to condeſcend to the meaneſt Services, for the good of others. If the Angels, who are no ways allied to us, and do ſo much excel us, in the Dignity and Perfection of their Nature, (for tho' David ſays, that God made man little lower than the Angels; his meaning is, that he made him next below the Angels in the Rank of Beings; but yet very diſtant from them in Perfection) I ſay if thoſe glorious Creatures, who are the Chief of the Ways and Works of God, do not think much to humble themſelves to be Miniſters on our behalf; ſhall we be ſo proud, as to think much to ſtoop to the loweſt Offices, to ſerve one another?
You ſee, my Brethren, what is the conſtant Work and Employment of the Bleſſed Spirits above; to do good to Men, eſpecially in order to their Eternal Happineſs; and this is the higheſt degree of Charity, and Charity is the higheſt Perfection of Men and Angels: So that to employ our ſelves, with all our Minds, and with all our Might, to help forward the Salvation of others, is to be Good Angels (I had almoſt ſaid to be a kind of Gods) to Men.
I hope that we all of us do hope one day to be like the Angels, in the Purity and Perfection of their Nature. So our Saviour has told us, that at the Reſurrection, we ſhall be like the Angels: Now as they are the Patterns of our Hope and Happineſs; ſo let us make them the Examples, of our Duty and Obedience; according as our Saviour hath taught us to pray, that God's will may be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven; that is, that we may ſerve; God, and do his Will here on Earth, (ſo far as the Infirmity of our Nature and of our preſent ſtate will admit) with the ſame Readineſs and Diligence, with the ſame Chearfulneſs and Zeal, that the holy and Bleſſed Angels do in Heaven. And let us aſpire continually in our minds, after that Bleſſed Time, when we ſhall be free from Sin and Sorrow, from Affliction and Pain, from Diſeaſes and Deaths; when we ſhall ſerve God without Diſtraction, and do his Will without wearineſs, and ſhall be for ever with the Lord, amidſt an innumerable company of Angels, and the Spirits of juſt men made perfect.
Finally, Let us bleſs God, as for all the viſible Effects of his merciful Providence towards us, ſo likewiſe for the inviſible Aids and Protection of his holy Angels; many times probably vouchſafed to us, when we are but little aware of it. But above all, let us, bleſs him for his Son, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who was made a little lower than the Angels, that is, a Mortal Man; that by the Suffering of death for our ſakes, he might be cloathed with glory and honour, according to the working of that mighty power which God wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all Principalities and Powers, and Might, and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this World, but alſo in that which is to come. To him O Father, with thee and the Holy Ghoſt, be all Honour and Glory, Dominion and Power, both now and for ever. Amen.