248 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [YeR. 9.
the place. Some understand it appellatively, it is his angel, or mes- senger, sent by him out of prison. i But Rhoda heard Peter's voice, and that was the ground of the sayings. Others understand it of some angel come to give notice of his death ; but that is groundless. Lastly, some, as Chrysostom, of a particular tutelar angel. But whence doth it appear that these angels had the shape and habit of those they kept ? And angels do not use to knock at doors, and wait for opening ; and if Peter had a special angel, it followeth not that all have ; the mean- ing probably is, it is a spirit that hath assumed his shape.
7. Though it be not certain that every particular believer hath an angel deputed to his attendance, yet in the general there is an assur- ance of a guardianship and tutelage from the angels ; ' the heirs of salvation ' have them among them. If the whole city hath a sufficient guard, it is as good as if every citizen had a distinct soldier to defend him ; nay, it is more for our comfort, that we have many rather than one ; we have to do with many enemies, and therefore we need much assistance: Ps. xci. 11, 'He shall give his angels charge over thee.' Many angels are charged with our safety, and though they be not so particularly conversant about us as the other opinion conceiveth, yet they ' behold the face of God,' and are always in his presence, and ' wait for his command,' Ps. ciii. 20, who so careth for every one as if he had none to care for besides him.
8. This tutelage is from their first conception in the womb till the translation of body and soul into glory. Survey all the passages of life from the womb to the grave, nay, after death, till the resurrec- tion, the ministry of angels doth not wholly cease. Their care begin- neth as soon as the child is quickened in the womb, for then they have another distinct charge to look after ; and as they are servants of pro- vidence, by their help they are born and brought into the world ; God's providence taketh date thence. Gal. i. 15 ; and they, I say, are instru- ments of providence ; they watch over us in infancy and childhood ; little ones are committed to their custody, and babes and sucklings have their angels. Mat. xviii. Jesus Christ was provided for in his cradle by an angel, Mat. ii. 13. The devil rampeth about the elect whilst they are yet in their swaddling-clothes. That expression. Rev. xii. , of the dragon's seeking to ' devour the man-child as soon as he was born,' is figurative, but it alludeth to what is true. Again, as we grow up they rejoice at our conversion, Luke xv. We read of 'joy in heaven over a sinner that repenteth ; ' you cannot gratify the angels more than in your conversion to God ; the devil seeks to hinder it as much as he can, but they rejoice when 'a brand is plucked out of the burning,' Zech. iii. Again, after conversion, they watch over us in duty, and danger, and temptations. In duties ; where Satan is most busy to hinder, Zech. iii. 1, they are most helpful : the angels are in the assemblies of the faithful, 1 Cor. xi. 10. So in dangers ; when Peter was in prison, God sendeth him an angel to bring him out. Acts xii. Rufiinus speaketh of a young man, a martyr on the rack, that had his face wiped by an angel, and refreshed by him in the midst of his pains. Nay, in casual dangers, which we cannot foresee and prevent : Ps. xci. 12, ' He shall give his angels charge over thee,
^ John's disciples are called dyyeXoi, angels, or messengers of John, Luke vii. 24.
VeR. 9.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 249
that thou dash not thy foot afj^ainst a stone.' So in temptations ; Mat. iv. 11, they ' ministered' to Christ when he was tempted by the devil ; they came to show how God will deal with his people in like cases. Once more, they are with us to comfort us in death ; in the midst of his agonies the Lord Jesus was comforted and refreshed by an angel, Luke xxii. 43 ; so they are with the faithful, helping and easing them in their sicknesses. After death they carry our souls to heaven, as Lazarus was carried into Abraham's bosom, Luke xvi. 22. Though the body had not the honour of a pompous burial, yet the soul is solemnly conveyed by angels, and gathered up into the communion of the souls of just men made perfect ; as Christ himself also ascended into heaven in the company of angels, Acts i. Once more, after death they guard our bodies in the grave, as the angels guarded Christ's sepulchre, Mat. xxviii. 2-4. God did set his guards, as well as the liigh priests. Their last ministry and service about the faithful is to gather up their bodies at the last day : ' They shall gather up the elect from the four winds,' Mat. xxiv. 31, and then their office and charge ceaseth.