Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 5
VER. 5.
Alſo out of the midſt thereof came the likeneſſe of foure living creatures; and this was their appearance, they had the likeneſſe of a man.
NOw we come to that part of the Viſion concerns the living creatures, from thi… fift ver. to the 15. where Gods glory and government of the world are ſet out from ſuperiour cauſes, viz. Coeleſtiall things.
Theſe foure Creatures are commended to us:
1. From their generall nature, they are living creatures.
2. From their number, they are foure.
3. From their forme, they had the likeneſſe of a man.
4. From their ſeverall parts: as
1. Their faces, and the number of them, ver. 6.8.10.
2. Their wings, the number, ſituation, and uſe of them, ver. 6.8.9.11.
3. Their feet ſet out by the figure and colour of them, ver. 7.
4. Their hands ſet out by the figure and ſituation of them, ver. 8.
5. From their motion, which was forthright, ver. 9.12. And this is illuſtrated from the qualitie of it; it was ſwift, ver. 14. They ran; it was as ſpeedy as lightning; and from the cauſe of it, which was the Spirit, ver. 13. whither the Spirit was to goe.
6. From their colour, which was like burning coales and lampes, ver. 13.
What theſe living creatures are, is the great diſpute among Expoſitors: Some make them to be the foure Covenants of God; 1. That with Adam. 2. That with Noah. 3. That with Moſes. 4. That with the Apoſtles. Some make them to be all the creatures. Some the foure cardinall Vertues, Juſtice, Wiſedome, Fortitude, Temperance. Some the foure faculties in the ſoule: The Rationall, Iraſcible, Concupiſcible, and Conſcience. Some the foure chiefe Paſſions; Joy, Griefe, Hope, and Feare. Some the foure Monarchies: Aſſyrian, Perſian, Grecian, and Roman. Some the twelve Tribes of Iſrael, in their Stations, Eaſt, Weſt, North, South, when in the Wilderneſſe. Some the foure Elements, of which mans body doth conſiſt. Some the foure Evangeliſts, Matthew, Marke, Luke, John: and this being the opinion of Jerome and Gregory the Great, prevail'd much, but now is deſerted. Others underſtand by theſe foure creatures, thoſe be compleat and more perfect in the Church. Others expound them to be Chriſt, but Chriſt is brought in, in the latter end of the Chapter, ſitting upon the throne: Theſe creatures are ſome diſtinct ones from him, and inferiour to him. By them then we are to underſtand the Angels, which have a great part under God in the government of the world. The word Chaia, living creatures, doth not onelyonly ſignifie a creature that is corporeall, living, and ſenſible, but it notes out to us any living beeing, or ſubſtance, whether corporeall or ſpirituall, and ſo Tully calls Intelligentias animales, living intelligences, in Quaſt. Acad. l. 4.
The beſt Interpreters goe this way, and underſtand by the living creatures, Exercitus inviſibiles, Principalities and powers, and we need not fetch light from men, where the Scripture gives interpretation it ſelfe. Ezek. 10. There you have frequent mention of Cherubims, which were theſe living creatures, for ver. 8. it's ſaid, There appeared the forme of a mans hand under their wings. They had the ſame faces, one excepted, and as many, ver. 14. and Ezekiel ſaith, ver. 15. This is the living creature that I ſaw by the river of Chebar. And more plaine yet in the 20th verſe, This is the living creatures that I ſaw under the God of Iſrael by the river Chebar, and I knew that they were the Cherubims. Although he cald it before the living creature, in the ſingular number, yet here he changeth the number and ſaith, they were the Cherubims. Wee may truſt Ezekiels judgement, he was guided by the Spirit, and his Cherubims doe hold forth the ſame parties to us, that Iſaiahs Seraphims did to him.
The word Cherubim notes generally any figure of man or beaſt, ſay the Hebrews, but ſpecially of the figure of a young man or a childe, with wings ſtretched out:Exod. 25. Such were the two Cherubims before the Arke. The Chaldeans call a little childe, Rabi or Rabia; Whence ſome derive the word Cherubim, quaſi Cherabia, as a little childe; others fetch it from Caph, which notes likeneſſe, and Rob or Rab, which words ſignifie, as in generall qualitie and quantitie, ſo multitude and magnitude, ſo that Cherubims etymologiz'd are tanquam multi & magni, as it were many and great.
The word Cherub, notes not onelyonly Angels, but Angels as they appeared and were figured with any externall forme of man or beaſt, and ſuch figures were Hieroglyphicall,They are foreign, incorporeall, without fleſh & bones, Luk. 24.39. They are pure as God is actus puriſsimus. as herein this viſion; The Prophet ſaw not theſe Cherubims, or Angels, or living creatures, but the likeneſſe of them; for the nature of Spirits is inviſible, no ſoule, no Angel, neither God himſelfe can be ſeene; how then is their likeneſſe preſented to the Prophet? it's no bodily likeneſſe, but a likeneſſe in life, qualitie, and motion. But the Text ſaith, They had the likeneſſe of a man, that is, not in his nature and eſſence, but in ſome qualities, they had the face, hands, thighs and legs of a man, all which ſet out ſome choice qualities in the Angels … they had alſo ſomething of the beaſt and bird, and if they w…re in nature like the living creatures, Angels were ſtrange Monſters, and not Spirits in compound.
By their likeneſſe unto man is laid before us the rationalitie, knowledge, and underſtanding of Angels; they are not ignorant creatures, but ipſe intelligentie, the moſt underſtanding creatures in heaven or earth. 2 Sam. 14.20. The widow of Tekoah told David, he was wiſe according to the wiſedome of an Angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth; that is, he was very wiſe, as the Angels are, to ſearch out, underſtand, and diſcover things;A multitudine ſcientiae: Cherubim quaſi Cherabbim. Therefore Ierome thinks they are called Cherubims from their much knowledge, Cherubims, as it were, Rabbies, Doctors, Teachers of others; and this office ſome Angels have had. Dan. 8.16. Gabriel, Make this man to underſtand the viſion: and Chap. 10.14. I am come to make thee underſtand what ſhall befall thy people in the latter dayes; They have propheticall knowledge in them, and a treaſury of things that are paſt and done long ſince. Rev. 4.6.8. There is mention of foure beaſts, or living creatures, (the ſame with theſe in Ezek.) full of eyes before and behinde, becauſe they ſee and know what is paſt and what is before them; their naturall knowledge is great, being ſuch excellent Spirits; but beſides that they have much revealed to them concerning God, Chriſt, the Church, and things contingent. Hence is it ſaid, 1 Pet. 1.12. Which things (namely of Chriſt and the Goſpel) the Angels deſire to looke into. foreign. Exod. 25.The word notes bowing down, to prie heedfully into a thing, John 20.5. The Cherubims were made looking down towards the Mercy-Seat, and here the Angels look into the things of Chriſt, in whom are hid the treaſures of Wiſdome; and ſo they grow in this knowledge daily, as alſo in experimentall knowledge, ariſing from things done daily in the world and in the Church. Angels love to be at the Congregation, to meet the Saints, and learn of and amongſt them; they underſtand partly by their eſſences, and partly by ſpecies communicated to their underſtandings as to ours. Angels are good Philoſophers, they know the Principles, Cauſes, Effects, Life, Motions, Death of naturall things. Rev. 7.1, 2. and 16.5. They are great Statiſts, and know the affaires of Kingdomes: Dan. 10.13. ſaith Gabriel, I remained with the Kings of Perſia, he became a Courtier, and acquainted himſelf with the affaires of Perſia.
Four living creatures.
Theſe were four Angels in particular; ſome conceive Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Ʋriel, which were chief over the reſt the whole Hoſt of Angels. But that is not the ſenſe, neither that God only uſes four Angels in his ſervice: for many thouſands are imployed, Luke 2.13. There was a multitude of the heavenly Hoſt, and 2 King. 6.17. there was an army with the Prophet; but it relates to the object, viz. The world, which is diſtinguiſhed into four parts, Eaſt, Weſt, North and South, the work of theſe Angels laid in all thoſe parts, and none of them exempt from the preſence, obſervation and operation of the Angels.
Obſ. 1. That God imployes not ignorant ſilly ones in his ſervice, but thoſe are intelligent, Angels that are wiſe and very knowing; ſuch ſhould the Angels of the Churches be;foreign The Prieſts lips ſhould keep knowledge, Mal. 2.7. And as God is termed, 1 Sam. 2.3. a God of knowledges; ſo ſhould he be a man of knowledges: the Phariſees were blind guides, and what a multitude of blind Prieſts were there till within theſe few yeeres in the Chriſtian world? and too many there are to this day that have their right eye darkned, Zach. 11. laſt. But the man of God ſhould have new and old in his treaſury, and be throughly furniſhed unuo every and word and work.
2. That the Angels are in all quarters of the world, taking notice of mens words, works and wayes they go, I had almoſt ſaid of their very thoughts, and that they do,Si ſigno externo prodantur, Leſl. if diſcovered by ſome ſign; Angels can be preſent at all times, know what devils or other men can know of us; any voyce, any act they are privie to; yea, by outward expreſſions they may gather what is within, they being ſpirits, can inſinuate far into our hearts and natures, though not immediately know our thoughts. Therefore we ſhould carry our ſelves ſoberly, righteouſly and holily in this world in regard of them: 1 Cor. 11.10. the woman is to have power on her head becauſe of the Angels, ſhe is to be covered, and to carry her ſelf modeſtly, reverendly, becauſe of the Angels. Pſal. 138.1. Before the gods will I ſing to thee: the vulgar hath, in conſpectu Angelorum, before the Angels, their preſence ſhould awe men and women, and keep them from all diſhoneſty, evill words, acts, geſtures, ſecret grudging, all diſcontents and diſtempers; for as they are rejoyced to diſcern a good frame of ſpirit in you,Grata eſt Angelis pia ſignificatio, Aug. to ſee you keep that order God hath ſet in the Church and State, to walk as Chriſtians to the honour of God; ſo they are grieved to ſee the contrary,Magna cura vigilanti ſtudio ad…unt nobis omnibus horis & locis ſuccurrentes & providentes omnibus neceſſitat bus noſtris gemitus noſtros & ſuſpiria referentes ad Deum. Amb…lant nobiſcum, in omnibus viis noſtris, conſiderantes quam piè quam honeſtè in med o pravae nationis converſemur, adjuvant laborantes, protegunt quieſcentes, hortantur pugnantes, coronant vincentes; grandi… eis cura de nobis, Auguſt. Soliloq. c. 27. and you muſt anſwer for your ſins againſt theſe great officers in the great family of heaven and earth: a thing that is little thought on, but if it be a ſin to deſpiſe and grieve a believer, a brother that is inferiour to an angel, is it not much more a ſin to diſhonour their preſence, and grieve their perſons? Smoak drives away Bees, and an ill ſavour Doves, ſo do ill paſſages drive away the Spirit and Angels of God, Eccl. 5.6. The Angel that is of Gods councell, a witneſſe of our wayes, will not take it well, the Angell may ſmite thee for neglect of duties, ill performances of them.
3. That men ſhould be aſhamed to be ignorant, ſeeing angels are likened unto them for knowledge and underſtanding. Many men, yea, ſuch as are called Chriſtians are brutiſh in their knowledge, their ſouls ſerve only for ſalt to keep their bodies from putrefaction, Eph. 2.12. without God in the world; that is, without the fear, authority and ſoveraignity of God falling upon their hearts, and without the knowledge of God in their heads; and God may ſay of many Chriſtians, My people is fooliſh, they have not known me, they are fooliſh children, they have none underſtanding, they are wiſe to do evill, but to do good they have no knowledge; Jer. 4.22. The Apoſtle bids us in underſtanding to be men; ſhall we be babes only, let us now be Angels in underſtanding; David was wiſe as an Angel, and the Saints ſhall judge the Angels, 1 Cor. 6. The evill Angels, they are very ſubtile, they have their depths, methods, wiles, and how ſhall we do it, if we be ignorant; they come to the Aſſemblies to get advantage to accuſe us, let us get knowledge to condemn them.
4. That God doth intereſt Angels and uſe their ſervice in the government of the world; not only men, Magiſtrates and Miniſters, but Angels alſo.Carcer Dei & Angelorum. The Jews made Jeruſalem the priſon of God and Angels, they thought that neither God nor his Angels did appeare, or rule any where elſe. To take off this conceit, God appeares to Ezekiel in Babylon after this manner, to convince him, that he and his Angels do govern there, and in all quarters of the world, as well as at Sion; that God rules in the world is granted, but that Angels ſhould help to ſway the Scepter is not ſo credible. A little therefore to clear it, 2 Cor. 4.4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds; ſome underſtand it of the true God that created the world, but the beſt interpreters give us in Satan here, and make him the god of the world,Exemplo imperio & ſuggeſtione. and that by example, command and ſuggeſtion, and Chriſt doth thrice call Satan the prince of the world, Joh. 12.31.14.30.16.11. and Eph. 2.2. according to the Prince of the power of the aire, the ſpirit that now worketh. Vnaquaeque res v ſibil…s habet Angelicam poteſtatem ſibi praepoſitam, Aug in l. 83. qu. 79. q. In hoc mundo viſibil nih…l n ſi per creaturam nv…ſibilem d ſponi poteſt. Thom. 1. part qu. 110.The devill hath great power in the aire to raiſe winds, to cauſe ſtorms, thunder, lightning, which is the power of the aire, and the ſame power hath he in the ſpirits of the children of diſobedience, and by that ſpirit whereof he is Lord, he can move them any way, as the winds and clouds, and carry them againſt Chriſt and his truths. Now hence I infer, that if Satan and ill Angels be as gods, princes in this world, have power in the aire and hearts of wicked men, then muſt it needs follow, that good Angels are as Gods, and princes, and have as much power in the world and hearts of good men as they, otherwiſe devils ſhould gain by their fall more then ever they had by their ſtanding, and it's not credible that wicked damned ſpirits ſhould have more honourable titles and larger power then the holy and glorious Angels.
What be thoſe ſervices the good Angels are imployed in?
Anſw. 1. To inform us of Gods will, and God of our wayes.
They acquaint us with Gods mind,Gen. 18.19. Angels told Abraham and Lot what God would do to Sodome: an Angell tells Elijah, 2 King. 1.3.what to ſay to the Meſſengers of the King of Samariu… an Angel tels the Apoſtles,Act. 1.11. that Chriſt ſhall return in that manner they had ſeen him go up to heaven. Chriſt tels John, Rev. 22.16. that he had ſent his Angels to teſtifie thoſe things in the Churches: the Angel tels Daniel that he came forth to give him skill and underſtanding, Chap. 9.22. Mat. 1.20.2.13. An Angel informs Joſeph of the minde of God, touching Mary and Chriſt. So to inform God what is done here among men, the Angels went up the ladder as well as came down, Zach. 1.11. The Angel ſent out by the Lord, certified the Angel Chriſt, that ſtood among the Myrtle trees,Per M…niſtros more potentiſſt…m regis omnia faci…, Bonav. that they had travelled up and down the world, and behold, ſay they, all the earth ſitteth ſtill, and is at reſt; This God doth for honour and not neceſſity, he knoweth all things, but he will have them witneſſes of his will.
2. In oppoſing the great enemies of Chriſt and his Church, whereupon they intermedle with Kings and Kingdomes, and the great affaires thereof. Dan. 10.20. Knoweſt thou wherefore I come unto thee? now will I return to fight with the King of Perſia, and when I am gone forth, lo, the Prince of Grecia ſhall come. This Angel Gabriel oppos'd the cruell Edicts of Cambyſes, King of Perſia, who laboured to keep the Jewes in captivity longer, and to oppreſſe them ſorer then others had done; but Gabriel kept them from execution, and brought his kingdome to ruine by degrees; and therefore he ſaith the Prince of Grecia ſhall come, I will leave Perſia, and go into Greece, and ſtir up Alexander to come into Perſia and ſpoile the King of his kingdome: when Princes are ſtirred up by flatterers and prophane wretches to oppreſſe the godly, to hinder the work of the Temple, then Angels do fight againſt them. Elesbaan King of the Ethiopians being in armes againſt Dunaam a Tyrant, his army was much oppreſſed with famine and the power of the Tyrant, whereupon he dyed to God for help, and preſently heard, Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel, thrice he heard that voyce from heaven, intimating, that Gabriel would help him; whereupon he joyned battell with the Tyrant, overcame, kill'd moſt, and took the Tyrant King of the Homerites, Baron. anno. 523. Ammonius de geſtis, Francorum, l. 3. c. 87.88. Vbi non eſt contrarietas voluntatis, non eſt pugna.and bound him in chaines. At a great battell between Clotharius and Theodoricus was ſeen an Angel with a drawn ſword, and many were ſlain on both ſides. Some underſtand theſe Princes to be Spirits, if good, there is no diſcord between them; good Angels are without ſin, and ſo no oppoſition in their wills to Gods, or one another; if of evill Angels, it's that wee aim at, the good Angels oppoſe and contend againſt the evill with all their ſtrength, Rev. 12.7. Michael and his Angels fought againſt the Dragon and his. There was a great battell in heaven, the Devill and his angels were caſt out, which is for the great comfort of Sion; certainly devils and devilliſh men would over-run all, if there were not Angels imployed in the four quarters of the world, to keep the Church and people of God: when Balaam and Balak would have curſt Gods people, an Angel cometh forth and fights againſt them, Numb. 22.22. This is one great office of the Angels, to fight againſt Princes, Potentates, and men of the earth, that ſeek to oppreſſe the people of God, and labour to hinder Temple work and the welfare of Sion.
3. To execute the judgements of God upon wicked men: the death of their firſt-born in Egypt (which was the chiefeſt of the plagues, and touched them neereſt) was done by a deſtroying Angell; who therefore is called Hammaschchit, Exod. 12.23. the deſtroyer ſhall not come into their houſes, but into the Egyptians he did come; the ſingular number is put for the plurall, a thing uſuall in Scripture, and ſo the ſenſe is, that Angels were the deſtroyers of Egyptians: and the Pſalmiſt in the 78. Pſalm. 49. ſaith, God did this work by ſending evill Angels among them; not that theſe Angels were wicked ſpirits, as ſome have thought, but Angels or meſſengers of evill, of death unto them. The Egyptian Sorcerers uſed the help of wicked Angels to oppoſe Moſes and harden the Egyptians, and God uſed the help of good Angels to puniſh evill doers; they have been, and are imployed in ſuch ſervice; the Angels that came to Lots houſe, ſmote the Sodomites with blindneſſe, great and ſmall, which were at Lots door, Gen. 19.11. They fetched fire from heaven, and deſtroyed the place, ver. 13. When ſeventy thouſand died of the plague, 2 Sam. 24.17. in Davids dayes, it is made the work of an Angel, ver. 17. he ſaw the Angel that ſmote the people; it was an Angel that ſlew 185000. Aſsyrians. Iſa. 37.36.Pſal. 35.5, 6. It's their work to chaſe and perſecute wicked men; often Angels of God do ſuddenly deſtroy them. Act. 12.23. And immediately the Angel of the Lord ſmote him; Lorinus thinks it was the Devill did it, but it was ſome good Angel, that being zealous for God, did vindicate his glory, which was given to a mortall ſinfull man. Angels cannot indure this diſhonour; Joſephus in his 19th. Book and 8. Chap. ſets out this ſtory fully, how he came in, in cloth of ſilver, was ſaluted as a God, ſaw an Owle over his head,Ego ill… v…ſtra ap…llat une … vitam relinquere ju…eor ſatali neceſſitate coarguente veſtrū mudacum & quem …n… talem ſalu…aſt…s admo… tem …. felt a pain in his bowels, and ſaid, I whom yee all call a God, am commanded to leave my Godſhip, and by death to confute your lie of my immortality. Neither belongeth it to Angels only to puniſh the wicked, but to exerciſe chaſtiſement upon the godly; an Angel meets Moſes in the Inn, and would have ſlain him; Exod. 4.24. So the Greek and Chaldee reade it; and that becauſe he neglected the circumciſion of Moſes; an Angel ſmote Zachary with dumbneſſe, becauſe of his unbeliefe, Luke 1. So an Angel corrected David for his ſin of numbering his people.
4. To defend the godly, to ſave and deliver them from harms: this is a conſtant office; they keep the Saints from evill men, ſpirits and things. Rev. 7.1, 2, 3. Four Angels ſtood on the four corners of the earth, and held the four winds of the earth, that they ſhould not blow on the Sea, or any tree: and another Angel cryes to the four, hurt not the earth, ſea, trees, till we have ſealed the ſervants of our God in their foreheads. Pſal. 34.7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him, and delivereth them; Angels are like Armies round about the Generall, and keep from danger; when Jacob was to meet with his brother Eſau, (who came with a band of four hundred men againſt him) the Angels of God met him, (they are forward to this ſervice) Gen. 32.1, 2. And when he ſaw them, what, ſaid he, This is Gods hoſt, what need I fear my brothers hoſt? and he called the place Mahanaim, or Machanaim; It's in the duall number, and notes two Hoſts, two Camps: if my brother have one band, I have two, if he have men, I have Angels, if four hundred men, I have twice four hundred Angels. When Eliſha was in Dothan, the King of Syria ſent a great Hoſt with horſes and Chariots, and they came by night, compaſt the City about, and now Eliſha is a loſt man, and Gehezi cryes out, Alas Maſter, what ſhall we do? Fear not, ſaith he,2 King. 6.14.15, 16, 17. they that be with us, are more then they that be with them; and when the young mans eyes were opened, he ſaw the mountains full of Horſes and Chariots of fire, and that round about Eliſha; was there an army againſt Eliſha? here is an army for him: were they many? here are more: were there Chariots and Horſes? here be Chariots and Horſes of fire. When Daniel was in the den of Lions, hee had no fire to ſcare them, no weapon or ſtrength to kill them, but an Angel is ſent to ſhut their mouths; ſo that here is a wonder, a Lamb amongſt Lions, and not rent in pieces; where Angels are the Lambs keepers, there the Lions are toothleſſe and mouthleſſe; the Angels have a ſpeciall charge of the godly: Pſal. 91.11. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, the Angels ſtand charged with the cuſtody of the godly, and when a guard is ſet about a perſon of quality, who dares come neer to hurt ſuch a one? It's ſaid in the 7. verſe, A thouſand ſhall fall at thy ſide, and ten thouſand at thy right hand, but it ſhall not come nigh thee; It's nigh, when at a mans ſide, at his right hand; but it ſhall not come nigh to hurt thee; and what's the reaſon? for, hee ſhall give his Angels charge, &c. They look well to their charge, they neither ſlumber nor ſleep, Rev. 21.12. Gods care of his Church now, is greater then it was under the Law; for the wrath is double to what it was then, there are twelve Angels at the gates of Jeruſalem; whereas in Ezekiel 9.2. there were but ſix. The Church being now inlarged, the enemies are inraged, and the guarding Angels increaſed; no ſooner were the Apoſtles impriſoned, but an Angel brings them forth, Act. 5.8, 9. and what great things the Angel did for Peter, Act. 12. is known to all;Ver. 15. his deliverance was ſo great, that they could not believe hee was come forth and knockt at the door, but that it was his Angel; whence the opinion of Tutelar Angels hath received great ſtrength: ſome affirm from hence,Dan. 6.2…. that every man hath his particular Angel to keep him, which ſeems rather a Platonicall conceit, then a Scripture truth, for Iſidorus Clarius turns this place, his Meſſenger,Nuncius ejus. and ſo the word is uſed in Scripture. Judg. 2.1. The Angel of the Lord came up, or Meſſenger, as it's in the Margent; and Mal. 3.1. I will ſend my Meſſenger, the Hebrew is my Angel: and ſurely this party that knockt at the door was Peters Meſſenger, not his Angel; and if this be well rendred Angel, why is not that ſo rendred, Luke 7.24.foreign. The Angels of John being departed; it's the Meſſenger, and ſo it were better here, his Meſſenger, then his Angel: for ſhall we ſuppoſe the faithfull ſo ignorant, as to think an Angel could not come in without knocking, and having doors opened? Beſides, the apparition of an Angel woud have affrighted them greatly. Not to ſtick at this, although we find not warrant in the Word for aſſignment of a particular Angel to every man, yet wee acknowledge many Angels appointed to that work. Matth. 18.10. Their Angels (not their Angel) behold the face of my Father.
5. To guide and leade the godly in good and ſafe wayes. Gen. 24.7. Hee ſhall ſend his angels before thee, and thou ſhalt take a wife unto my ſon from thence; So ver. 40. hee will ſend his Angel with thee and proſper thy way: the buſineſſe of marriage is ſo weighty and honourable, that Angels preſence and aſſiſtance is in it; Angels are preſent and preſident over that work: Pſal. 91.11, 12. They are charged to keep thee in all thy wayes, to beare thee up in their arms, that is, their ſtrength ſhall be imployed to uphold and lead thee in a good way: God begets children to himſelf by the Word and Spirit, and puts them forth to Angels to nurſe, to guide, and lead; it's a metaphor taken from Nurſes, that bear their children upon their arms, and lift them over threſholds, Exod. 32.34. Behold, Angeli reges, & Domini eorum ſunt quos regunt.ſaith God to Moſes, my Angel ſhall go before thee, he was to go to Canaan, and an Angel was to lead him that way, Angels are well acquainted with the wayes to heaven, if you will go that way, you are ſure to meet with Angels.
6. To comfort; next Chriſt and the Spirit, Angels are the beſt comforters, becauſe they ſtand neereſt God always, before his face, and they are ſent to comfort Gods ſervants, when in ſtraits, under preſſures. Mary was a poore Maid, of mean condition, and to her comes an Angel, Luke 1.30. Feare not Mary, thou haſt found favour with God, So Cornelius, thy prayers and almes are come up, a memoriall before God. Acts 10.4.Chap. 27.24. When the Ship was toſſed, waves, winds and darkneſſe conſpired their ruine, then ſaith Paul, an Angel ſtood by me, and ſaid, Fear not Paul, God hath given thee thy life and the lives of all with thee, wherefore be of good cheer, he had drunk a cup of Angelicall conſolation, and knew well to comfort them with the ſame conſolation. When Daniel faſted and prayed, and was much afflicted for his people, Dan. 9. Chap. 10.11.12. O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, underſtand the words that I ſpeak unto thee; for unto thee am I now ſent, fear not Daniel. Mary riſes early, and meets with Angels that comforted her, John 20. Luke 22.43. An Angel appeared to Chriſt and ſtrengthened him, the ſervant comforted the maſter.
7. To look unto the ſouls of men, that they fall not into the hands of Devils at their death; for if the Devill durſt contend with Michael for the body of Moſes, much more for the ſouls of men. Luke 16.22. Lazarus ſoul was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome, men carry the carkaſſe to the ground, but Angels carry the ſoul to glory, they guard it through the clouds into the preſence of the bleſſed God: before he had none but Dogs to pity him, now hee hath Angels to attend him. The Devill is mighty buſie while we live, hee goes about like a roaring Lion, but at death then he is moſt buſie, and preſumes there is a tree cut down for his fire.
8. They are Gods reapers at the end of the world. Mat. 24.31. He ſhall ſend his Angels, and they ſhall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the world to another; they muſt blow that terrible trumpet, awaken the dead, and cite them to judgement; they muſt gather the aſhes, bones, limbs, bodies of Saints together. Matth. 13.41, 42. The Son of man ſhall ſend his Angels, and they ſhall, &c. Baſil in his Hom. of 40. Martyrs, tels of one that ſeeing them thruſt in a Winters night into a cold lake, he ſaw Angels deſcend, and putting Crowns upon all their heads, but one.
9. To declare Kingdomes, Cities, People curſed. Judg. 5.23. Curſe yee Meroz bitterly, ſaid the Angel of the Lord, A Lapid. in locum.becauſe they came not out to help, &c. Some think this Angel was Michael, who was Generall in this war, but that is the opinion of men, not the warrant of Scripture.
10. The Angels have work and power in the Church of God. Rev. 15.6. Seven Angels came out of the Temple, and Chap. 14.15, 17. Another Angel came out of the Temple; Angels being in the Temple is often ſpoken of, and notes ſome power, that they have in the Aſſemblies under the Goſpel. Zach. 3.Ribera. The ſtone with ſeven eyes ſome make to be Chriſt with his Angels that are imployed for the government of the Church throughout the world; and ſurely Michael and his Angels do contend daily in the Aſſemblies againſt the Dragon and his; In the Aſſemblies, Devils are preſent and active, Satan ſtood at Joſhuahs right hand to reſiſt him, to hinder all the Temple work; when we are neer God, devils are neer us, intending miſchief, but Angels are at hand, and hinder their deſignes; they obſerve us and our carriages in the Congregation. Eccl. 5.6. Make not vowes, and then ſlight them, there is an Angel preſent; and it will not be enough to ſay it was an error, God will be angry, and an Angel may ſmite thee for it; this is ſpoken of us, when we are in the Houſe of God, there the Angels keep ſpeciall watch.
Lib. 6. de bello Iudaico, Relinquamus has fedes. L. 7. c. 12. Migremus hinc. Aud to major humana vox exced…re deos, Tacit.Joſephus ſaith, that the voyce of an Angel was heard out of the Temple, ſaying; Let us leave theſe ſeats; they had a place in the Church as well as others: and again, he ſaith, the Angels were the keepers of the Jewiſh people, and that a little before the Romans coming, was heard a voyce out of the Temple, Let us go hence: and a Heathen Writer ſaith, that a voyce greater then mans was heard, That the gods were departing.