Chapter 7: The Second Prerogative Royal of a Believer

Now I proceed to the second Prerogative, which is yet to come: what holy David says of Zion, Glorious things are spoken of you, O you city of God (Psalm 87:3), I may apply to these blessed things in reversion.

2. The second Prerogative royal 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 honor. Wicked men who are of the devil's life-guard, when they die, they shall have a black-guard of angels to carry them: you who are an old sinner (that have a hoary head, but your heart is as young in sin as ever) I may say to you, as Christ said in another sense, to Peter: When you are old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you where you would not. So I say, you old sinner, the time is shortly coming, when you shall stretch forth your hands on your death-bed, and another shall bind you, and carry you where you would not; you shall be carried by a black-guard: but a believer shall be carried by the angels into heaven. The beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. Abraham's bosom is a figurative speech, representing the seat of the blessed: there was he carried by the angels: poor Lazarus, when he was upon earth, he had no friends, but dogs to come at him; when he was dead, he had a convoy of angels. After our fall the angels (as well as God) fell out with us, and became our enemies; hence, we read that the angels (set out by the Cherubim) stood with a flaming sword, to keep our first parents out of paradise (Genesis 3:24). But being at peace with God, we are at peace with the angels: therefore the angel comes with an olive-branch of peace in his mouth, and proclaims with triumph, the news of Christ's incarnation (Luke 2:11). For to you is born, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord: the angels bless God for man's redemption (verse 13). And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory be to God in the highest. The angels love mankind (especially where there is the new-man) and are ready to do all friendly offices for us: as in our lifetime, they are our supporters (Psalm 91:11), He shall give his angels charge to keep you: so after death they are our porters: Lazarus was carried up by the angels. The angels are called [illegible], ministering spirits; they are willing to minister for the good of the saints: hence some observe, it is said, Lazarus was carried, [illegible], by the angels, in the plural, 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, than the angels do, who shall bear a part in their ascension. O in what pomp and triumph did Lazarus's soul now ride! Never was Dives so honored in his life, as Lazarus was at his death. For a king to help to carry the hearse of one of his subjects were a high honor; 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 four 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.