The Christians Charter, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The second Prerogative Royall of a Believer.
NOw I proceed to the second Prerogative, which is yet to come: what holy David saith of Sion, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God, Psalm. 87.3. I may apply to these blessed things in reversion.
2. The second Prerogative royall of a Christian, is, he shall be carried up by the Angels: In this life, a believer is carried by the Saints; they lift him upon the wings of their prayers, and when they can carry him no longer, after death the Angels take him, and carry him up: thus shall it be done to the man whom God will honour. Wicked men who are of the Devils life-guard, when they die, they shall have a black-guard of Angels to carry them: Thou who art an old sinner (that hast an hoary head, but thy heart is as young in sinne as ever▪) I may say to thee, as Christ said in another sense, to Peter: When thou art old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not *Joh. 21.18.. So I say, Thou old sinner, the time is shortly coming, when thou shalt stretch forth thy hands on thy death-bed, and another shall binde thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not; thou shalt be carried by a black-guard: but a believer shall be carried by the Angels into Heaven: The begger died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosome *Luk. 16.22.. Abraham's bosome is a figurative speech, representing the seat of the Blessed: thither was he carried by the Angels: Poore Lazarus, when he was upon earth, he had no friends, but dogs to come at him; when he was dead, he had … convoy of Angels. After our fall▪ the Angels (as well as God) fell out with us, and became our enemies; hence, we reade that the Angels (set out by the Cherubims) stood with a flaming sword, to keepe our first Parents out of Paradise, Gen. 3.24. but being at peace with God, we are at peace with the Angels: Therefore the Angell comes with an Olive-branch of Peace in his mouth, and proclaimes with triumph, the newes of Christs incarnation, Luk. 2.11. For unto you is borne, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord: the Angels blesse God for mans Redemption, Ver. 13. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hoast praising God, and saying, Glory be to God in the highest. The Angels love mankinde (especially where there is the new-man) and are ready to do all friendly offices for us: as in our life-time, they are our supporters Psal. 91.11. He shall give his Angels charge to keep thee: So after death they are our Porters: Lazarus was carried up by the Angels. The Angels are called foreign, ministring Spirits *Heb. 1.14; they are willing to minister for the good of the Saints: Hence some observe, it is said, Lazarus was carried, foreign, by the Angels, in the plurall, not by one Angel: as if the Angels had been ambitious to carry Lazarus, and every one strived which should have a part: wicked men do not strive more, who shall have a part in the death of the godly, then the Angels do, who shall beare a part in their ascension. O in what pomp and triumph did Lazarus's soule now ride! never was Dives so honoured in his life, as Lazarus was at his death. For a King to help to carry the Hearse of one of his Subjects, were an high honour; but a believer shall have a guard of Angels to conduct him. Amasis King of Egypt, that he might set forth his magnificence, would have his Chariot drawn with foure Princes, which he had conquered in the War: but what was all this to the Chariot in which Lazarus, and the soul of every believer shall be drawn at their death? they shall be carried by the Angels of God.