These angels therefore are not to fail them that are saved, but must, as commissioned of God, come down from heaven to do this office for them.  They must come, I say, and take the care of our souls, to conduct them safely into Abraham’s bosom.  It is not our meanness in the world, nor our weakness of faith, that shall hinder this; nor shall the loathsomeness of our diseases make these delicate spirits shy of taking this charge upon them.  Lazarus the beggar found this a truth—­a beggar so despised of the rich glutton that he was not suffered to come within his gate; a beggar full of sores and noisome putrefaction—­yet behold, when he dies angels come from heaven to fetch him thither.

True, death-bed temptations are ofttimes the most violent, because then the devil plays his last game with us; he is never to assault us more.  Besides, perhaps God suffereth it thus to be that the entering into heaven may be the sweeter, and ring of this salvation the louder.  O it is a blessed thing for God to be our God and our guide, even unto death, and then for his angels to conduct us safely to glory.  This is saving indeed.

Mercy seems to be asleep when we are sinking; for then we are as if all things were careless of us; but it is but as a lion couchant, it will awake in time for our help.

There are those that have been in the pit, Psa. 40:2, now upon mount Zion, with the harps of God in their hands, and with the song of the Lamb in their mouths.

God hath set a Saviour against sin, a heaven against a hell, light agamst darkness, good against evil, and the breadth and length and depth and height of the grace that is in himself for my good, against all the power and strength and subtlety of every enemy.

Is it not a thing amazing, to see one poor inconsiderable man, in a spirit of faith and patience, overcome all the threatenings, cruelties, afflictions, and sorrows that a whole world can lay upon him?  None can quail him, none can crush him, none can bend down his spirit; none can make him forsake what he has received of God, a commandment to hold fast.  His holy, harmless, and profitable notions, because they are spiced with grace, yield to him more comfort, joy, and peace; and do kindle in his soul a goodly fire of love to and zeal for God that all the waters of the world shall never be able to quench.

Now, a creation none can destroy but a creator, wherefore, here is comfort.  But again, God hath created us in Christ Jesus; that’s another thing.  The sun is created in the heavens; the stars are created in the heavens; the moon is created in the heavens.  Who can reach them, touch them, destroy them, but the Creator?  Why, this is the case of the saint, because he has to do with a Creator:  he is fastened to Christ, yea, is in him by an act of creation.  So that unless Christ and the creation of the Holy Ghost can be destroyed, he is safe that is suffering according to the will of God, and that hath committed the keeping of his soul to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.