Ohs. 3. Observe again, that angels have a care not only of the souls, but of thejbodies, yea, even of the dead bodies, of the saints, as Michael disputed with the devil about ' the body of Moses.' That you may understand the particular care which the angels have about the people of God, I shall open it to you in several propositions : —
1. It is certain the angels had a great care about the people of God in ancient times. Examples are found everywhere in the word of God. Lot was led out of Sodom by angels ; Daniel taught by an angel ; Cor- nelius answered by an angel ; an angel withstood Balaam in the way, !N^um. xxii. ; an angel walked with the three children in the fiery fur- nace, Dan. iii. 25 ; an angel shut up the mouths of lions that they might not hurt Daniel in the den, Dan. vi. 22 ; an angel comforted Paul in the tempest, Acts xxvii. 23, 24. Scarce any remarkable thing befell the people of God, but it was accomplished by their ministry.
2. The ministry of angels, though not so visible and sensible as heretofore, is not wholly ceased. The privilege of it belongeth to all saints : Heb. i, 14, ' Are they not ministering spirits sent forth for the heirs of salvation ? ' All that are called to inherit a blessing were under their tutelage. So see Ps. xci. 1 2 ; and those instances alleged in the former proposition are patterns and precedents by which we may know what to expect. Their tutelage then was more visible and sen- sible, because the church, newly planted, needed to be confirmed ; but God would have us live by faith, and expect all our supports in a more spiritual way ; though we have not visible apparitions, yet we have real experiments of their succour ; the evil angels appear not, yet we doubt not of the hurt done by them. In the first times of the gospel Christ's bodily presence was necessary, but now only his spiritual.
3. The proper object of their ministry and care are the children of God, wicked men are not under their covert and protection ; it is true, they may be under a general care, as Hagar and Ishmael, who are set out in scripture as the types of those that are rejected by the Lord ; yet. Gen. xxi. 17, ' An angel of the Lord came and stood by Hagar, and
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said, The Lord bath heard the cry of the lad.' Though possibly this might be, as he was Abraham's son ; dogs in the house have the crumbs.
4. The ministry of the angels is over all the children of God, with- out exception ; not only Moses, but the meanest saint is under their care. God's love to his people is not dispensed with respect to their peculiar pomp and greatness : Mat. xviii. 10, ' Offend not these little ones, for their angels behold my Father's face.' It is chiefly meant of those that are little in esteem and account in the world ; the message of Christ's birth was brought by angels to sliepherds, feeding their flocks in the fields, Luke ii.
5. As no saints are excepted from receiving the benefit of their ministry, so no angels are excepted from being employed in it. Michael contendeth with Satan, and the apostle saith, ov-)(l 7rdvTe<;, ' Are they not all,' &c., Heb. i. 14. The archangels themselves are ' ministering spirits ; ' it is a rash boldness in the schoolmen to exempt any from this office. What an instance is here of God's love, that the highest angel should not be exempted from a care of tlie lowest saint!
6. That every single believer hath his proper and allotted angel to attend him from his birth to his death, is rather matter of problem and dispute than positive assertion ; there are some scriptures make it probable, but not certain. Sometimes we read of one angel attending many men, and at other times of many angels attending one man, as Jacob had many. Gen. xxxii. 1, 2, ' God's host,' Sec. ; so Elisha, 2 Kings vi. 17, ' Elisha prayed and the mountains were full of chariots and horses of fire,' that is, of angels coming to ofier help in that case. It is true, the opinion of a particular angel guardian was ancient. Plato saith, e/cacrro) ov eXero ha'iixova tovtov <pv\aKa ^v/jLirefXTreiv rov jBlov Koi a7ro7rXr)pQ)T't]v twv aipedevrcov, and among the ancient fathers places of scripture are brought for it that are full of probability, not cogency. One is that of the Old Testament, Gen. xlviii. 16, ' The angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads,' &c., in which passage he seemeth to ascribe his preservation and de- liverance to some particular angel ; but to this may be replied Avhat was before alleged of ' the host of God ' going along with him ; and by this angel is meant the Lord Christ,. who is alone the object of worship and adoration ; and who, because of the frequency of his personal ap- pearance and mediation between God and man, is set forth under the term of an angel. The rabbins expound it of ' the angel of God's pre- sence.' Another place is Mat. xviii. 10, ' Their angels see my Father's face;' not the angels, but thei?- angels ; but the word there may only imply their common interest in the whole host of God. Christ doth not say that every one of them hath an angel. As, for instance, it may be said, These prisoners have their keepers, these scholars have their mas- ters, these soldiers have their captains ; it doth not follow that every one hath a particular keeper, master, captain, &c. Another place is Acts xii. 15. When the maid said Peter was at the door, they, dis- trusting her report, said, ' It is his angel' This place may be answered thus — That sayings of men in scripture are not all scripture, or a part of our rule ; and that many things were spoken by the disciples in their rudeness which are not altogether justifiable ; but because this place is the main, let me examine it a little. Three opinions there are about