what havoc he would make of the lives, and liberties, and estates, of the saints, did not these watchers from the Holy One disappoint him. He sees the church, and every member of it, which he seeks to devour, encamped about, protected, and defended, by this heavenly host; nay, he sees he cannot touch the soul of any one of them, nor cause an hair of his head to perish. This fills him with self-devouring envy and wrath.

§15. (II.) The second question is, To what ends and purposes doth God make use of the ministry of angels in behalf of believers? In general, God doth it to communicate by them the effects of his care and love to the church. This God represented to Jacob in the vision he gave him of the ladder, which stood upon the earth, and whose top reached unto heaven, Gen. xxviii, 12, 15. For although the Jews say somewhat to the purpose, when they affirm this ladder to have denoted the dependence of all things here below on them above, under the rule of Divine Providence, yet they saw not all that was signified thereby. Our Sav ior tells us, John i, 51, that from thence his disciples should "see heaven opened, and angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man;" plainly alluding to this vision of Jacob. They ascend and descend on his mediation, sent by his authority, aiming at his glory, doing his work, and carrying on his interests. Particularly,

§16. 1. They are sent in an extraordinary manner, to make revelations of the will of God about things tending to the obedience and spiritual advantage of believers. Hereof we have many instances in the Old Testament, especially in God's dealing with the patriarchs before the giving of the law; which also was confirmed under the New Testament, in many instan

ces, see especially Rev. i, 1. How far God is pleased to continue this part of the ministration of angels to the present period of the church, is hard to determine. For as many have pretended to revelations by angels, which have been mere delusions of Satan, or imaginations of their own brains; so to affirm, that God doth not, or may not, send his angels to any of his saints, to communicate his mind with respect to some particulars of their own duty, according to his word, or to foreshew something of his own approaching work, seems, in my judgment, unwarrantably to limit the Holy One of Israel. Howbeit, such things in their particular application, are to be duly weighed, with sobriety and reverence.

$17. 2. God, by them, suggests good motions into the minds of his saints. As the devil set himself on work to tempt them to evil, by suggestions suited to the principles of sin within them; so God employs his holy angels to provoke them to that which is good, by suggesting what is suitable to the principle of their spiritual life and grace. And as it is difficult to discover the suggestions of Satan in most cases, from the workings of our own minds, their operations becoming effectual only as they mix themselves with our darkness and lusts; so, on the other hand, it is no less difficult distinctly to take notice of these angelical motions for a similar reason. For, being suitable to the inclinations of that principle of grace which is in the hearts of believers, and producing no effect but by them, they are hardly discerned. So that we may have the benefit of many angelical suggestions of good things, which we ourselves take no notice of. And if it be inquired, how these good motions from angels are, or may be distinguished from the motions of the Holy Ghost, and his actings in believers? I answer, that they differ sundry ways; as,

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(1.) These angelical motions are (ab extra) from without. Angels have no inbeing, no residence in our souls, but work upon us, as an external principle; whereas the Holy Spirit abideth with us, and dwelleth in us, and works (ab intra) from within, influencing the very principles of our minds. Whence it follows,

(2.) That these angelical motions consist in occasional impressions on the mind and imagination; and are made by advantages taken from outward objects, and the present disposition of the soul; whereas the Holy Ghost, in his operations, engages all the faculties of the soul, really and immediately citing them to gracious actings, according to their nature and quality. Whence also it appears,

(3.) That angelical suggestions communicate no strength or ability to perform the good which they guide and direct to; only they stir up men to act and exert the strength they have. But the Holy Ghost, in his gracious motions, does really communicate spiritual power to the faculties of the soul, enabling them rightly to perform the duties proposed. And,

(4.) Whereas angelical impressions are transient, and abide only in the effects which the mind, excited by them, produces; on the contrary, there is a constant, abiding, effectual work of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of believers, enabling them to will and to do, according to his good pleasure.

$18. 3. God sends forth his angels on his ministry, to preserve believers from many dangers, and ruinous casualties that would otherwise befall them. One great design of Psalm xci, is to acquaint us with this important particular. And to this purpose also it is said, that "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him," as they did about Elisha to

preserve them from the danger to which they are exposed. Nor is this impeached by the evils and calamities that befall the righteous, for God hath given commission to his angels only to act according to his good pleasure: and this does not hinder but that his saints should be exercised with various troubles and calamities for the trial of their faith and obedience. But yet, in the ordering and managing of these calamities or troubles, they have no less benefit by the ministry of angels, than they have in respect of those from which they are preserved by them. For, inasmuch as they also are designed for their good, their being exposed to them in the best seasons, their support under them during their continuance, and deliverance from them in the appointed time, are all signal mercies which they receive by the ministry of angels.

$19. 4. By this ministry of angels doth God particularly preserve us from the sudden and violent incursions of Satan. Satan in the scripture is called a "serpent," from his subtility and lying in wait to do mischief; and a "lion," from his rage and destructive fury: and as the one, and the other, he continually seeks the harm and ruin of the whole man; not only of our souls in sin and punishment, but of our bodies, in our lives, health, and welfare, Hence we find so many in the gospel troubled with bodily infirmities from the assaults and impression of Satan. Hereto also belong all those hurtful terrors, affrightments, and surprisals which he endeavors by himself and his agents to cast upon us. Had he his desired liberty, he would, at least, make our whole lives full of disappointments, horrors, vain fears, and perplexities, if he could proceed no farther. Now in all these designs it is more than probable that he is prevented by the ministry of angels, see Job i,

(§19.) 5. They are appointed in their ministry to be witnesses of the obedience, sufferings, and worship of the disciples of Christ; that they may give testimony concerning them before God, and in the great assembly of the last day; so glorifying God for the grace bestowed upon believers, and the assistance afforded them. Thus Paul tells us, that the apostles in their preaching and sufferings, were "made a spectacle to angels," 1 Cor. iv, 9. The holy angels looked on, rejoicing to behold how gloriously they acquitted themselves in the work of their ministry. And to this end doth he charge Timothy, "before the elect angels," to discharge aright the work of an evangelist, 1 Tim. v, 2; because they were appointed of God to be witnesses of his faithfulness and diligence. And it is not improbable but he hath respect to the presence of angels in the assemblies of the saints for the worship of God, where he enjoins modesty and sobriety to women on their account, 1 Cor. xi, 10. And from that particular instance, a general rule may be drawn, for the observation of comeliness and order in all our assemblies, for these holy witnesses are present at all our solemn worship. Church assemblies are the court, the dwelling place, the throne of Jesus Christ, and therefore in them he is in an especial manner attended by these glorious ministers of his presence. And although an holy regard to God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, be the first and principal motive to a right and holy acquitment of ourselves in all our obedience, sufferings, and worship; yet, in subordination thereunto, we may also have respect to the angels, as those who are employed by him to be witnesses of our ways and carriage. Such a respect, I mean, as may administer occasion to them to glorify God in Christ on our behalf; that so all the honor may finally redound to him alone.