Stars in the night season communicate the fulnesse of the Sunne to the aire and inhabitants of the earth the Ministers as Starres in the right hand of Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse communicate to the soules of men the fulnesse of Christ Jesus in the night of this world we are all strangers to Christ Jesus without the Lords Ministers Christ is hidden from that people which enjoy not the ministery of the Gospell Gods Ministers by their labours communicate the knowledge of Christ as the Embassador communicates the knowledge of the King and of his mind God saith the Apostle who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined into our hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus God is knowne in and through Christ as a man is knowne in and by his face We know an earthly Father in the face of his Sonne begotten by him we know God as a father of mercies only and through the face of Christ Jesus we see the face of man in a glasse in the Gospell in the labours of Gods Ministers we behold as in a glasse the face of Christ Jesus Christ is a storehouse in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome The Ministers have the ministeriall key of knowledge to open Christ unto the people Christ is a living fountaine a well of salvation a well sealed and shut up in the Scriptures Jacob rowled away the stone from the mouth of the well and gave Labans flocke water to drinke the Minister rowles away the stone removes the obscurity of the Scripture opens and interprets it and makes the people drinke of Christ the true and everliving fountaine the Ministers communicate the faith of Christ as Gods instruments the worke of faith in men the man of God by his prayer restored Jeroboams withered hand the Minister by his preaching and prayer restores the hand of faith in the heart of man formerly withered dryed up and of no use Faith commeth by hearing Who is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye beleeved even as the Lord gave to every man The Ministers communicate the life of Christ to men Christ by his corporall voice called Lazarus out of his grave by his Evangelicall voice by his word in the mouth of his Ministers he cals the soules of men out of the grave of sinne the dead in sinne heare the voice of the Sonne of God in the Gospell and they that heare live The ministery of the Gospell is the instrument of the soules vivification a meanes of Christs living in them that are Gods children the Ministers communicate the love of Christ Christ gives his love to the soule of man in the ministery of his word Isaac gave the pledges of his love to Rebeckah by Eleazar his father Abrahams servant Christ gives the pledges of his love to his Spouse the Church by the Ministers God his fathers servants by them he woeth and espouseth them unto himselfe and in the banquetting house of his ordinances his banner over them is love the Ministers communicate the peace of Christ the Embassador speaks words of peace from the King and communicates the Kings peace unto the people the Minister the Embassador of Christ the Prince of peace preacheth peace by Iesus Christ to the soules of men The Lord hath created ordained and appointed the fruit of his lips to be peace to them that are nigh and to them that are afar off Christ feeding the multitude corporally distributed bread unto them by his Disciples Christ feeding the soules of men spiritually with himselfe the true bread of life come downe from heaven communicates himselfe to men by the labours of his Ministers Abraham by the hands of his servants ministred jewels and bracelets to Rebeckah God by his Ministers communicates many spiritual and heavenly jewels even the whole treasury of Christ Jesus to his faithfull Church and servants whom he joynes in wedlocke with his sonne Manifold sweet and gracious are Gods dispensations of his Sonne by the labours of his Ministers Christ in and by the ministery of the Gospell is made very conspicuous and glorious in the eyes of the people very great is their blessednesse who have Christ communicated to them by the labours of Gods Ministers 2. In regard of the evils from which God delivers man by the labours of his Ministers God delivered the woman of Shunems sonne from bodily death by the ministery of the Prophet the Lord delivers the soule of man from spirituall death from being dead in sinnes by the labour of his Ministers the ministery of the Gospell is the instrumentall cause of the first resurrection the word is termed a word of life declaratively revealing life and operatively as an instrument working life God delivered Paul from his bodily blindnesse by the hands of Ananias he delivers man from spirituall blindnesse by the doctrine of his messengers by their instruction he opens their eyes and turnes them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God The Lord delivered Peter from Herods prison by the ministery of the Angell He delivers man from Satans prison and bondage by the worke of his Ministers by this as by a warlike weapon he casts downe the holds of sinne Satan fals like lightening from heaven and the soules of men partake of spirituall freedome as Goliah fell before David with a stone out of Davids sling so doth Satan before the Minister of the Lord with the word of God out of their mouth God delivered Naaman from his leprosie in Iordan and the impotent from their infirmities in Bethesda The Lord in and by the Gospell sanctifies the soules of his children this washeth away their uncleannesse this heales their infirmities this makes them new creatures Christ by his voice appeased the stormy tempest and gave a calme to his Disciples Christ by his Gospell appeaseth the tempestuous and perplexed consciences of his servants and brings them into a haven of spirituall peace and quietnesse He makes his Ministers as an Angell of God and one of a thousand to the afflicted soule comming like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch quieting him that is tossed upon the deluge of trouble turning his perplexity into peace his feare into confidence and his sorrow into sweet rejoycings God abundantly declares his dispensation of blessings by his Ministers through the removall of evils by their labours The Gospell is the choisest instrument averting evill foule and shamefull perplexing and mortall are the plagues and miseries resting upon them that neither enjoy nor regard the labours of Gods Ministers 3. In regard of the blessed state and condition whereinto God puts man by the labours of his Ministers The estate of man under the Gospell making a true use of the doctrines and instructions of Gods messengers is an estate of blessings The blessing
One that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite Ones God ministers most spirituall consolation to him that is most low and base in his owne eye and apprehension 2. This makes the soule of man most invincible The low shrub endureth all the gusts and blasts of wind abiding fast rooted No winds of trouble or temptation can over-throw the humble though they may a little shake him The humble soule puts a low price upon the world the gaine of it doth not much affect him the losse of it doth not much disquiet him He leanes not on himselfe or any other arme of flesh his whole dependance is upon Christ Christ is the strength by which he standeth the light by which he walketh the crowne and portion in which he rejoyceth and nothing can separate him from Christ Satan hath least opportunity to fasten a temptation upon him The proffers of the world have no rellish with him the menaces of men raise no terrour in him Christ is every way so compleat in his apprehension that he accounts both the favour and the hatred of the world as nothing being crucified to the world and the world also unto him Bede relates a poeticall fiction of a man whom they called Terrae filius who fought with a tyrant named Hercules This Terrae filius when he was weary cast himselfe on the ground and recovered his strength which Hercules perceiving lifted him up into the aire and so overcame and slew him In like manner man fighting with Satan humbling and abasing himselfe abhorring himselfe with Job below the dust and ashes reneweth his strength and remaineth invincible but Satan lifting him up filling him with high and proud thoughts of his owne worth prevailes against him obtaines victory over him Pride makes man a slave to Satan humility makes man victorious over him The meek according to that of the Prophet shall increase his ioy in the Lord. The soule which is truly humble drawes matter of consolation out of all suffering and from every estate and condition wherein the Lord sets him 3. This exceedingly indeares man unto God He that is least in his owne eye is greatest in the esteeme of God He is best beloved of God who is most out of love with himselfe The humble soule is most capable of spirituall instruction The best scholler in Christs schoole most obedient unto Gods precept the best servant in Christs family most fruitfull in every good worke most apt to every good duty the choisest Tree in Gods Orchard most sincere and full in the intendment of Gods glory the truest lover among all the friends of God most thankefull for all blessings the best receiver and improver of Gods mercies most apprehensive of Gods perfections most affected with Gods goodnesse the greatest admirer of Gods and Christs excellencies and therefore most deare to God of all others To this man saith the Lord will I looke with the eyes of my love solacing and accepting him with the eyes of my mercy pardoning and forgiving him and with the eyes or my care and providence sweetning and disposing all for good unto him Even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word To him will I looke when he heareth my word dispensing my grace into him when he prayeth returning a gracious answer to him when he mourneth putting all his teares into my bottle comforting him when he is in distresse delivering him and when he is in want supplying him God is very wonderfull in his gracious manifestations to soules filled with humility and meeknesse to men denying themselves and their owne affections The ornament of a meeke spirit is in the sight of God a thing of great price a contrite and a broken spirit God will not despise Mans estimation with God is sutable to his disestimation of himselfe 4. This doth very wonderfully exalt a man He that is most humble is most honourable Mans self-denyall ever tends to his exaltation It is Christs promise he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted The humble soule is the vessell which God filleth with the wine of his choisest grace the Temple in which the Spirit of God dwelleth the servant whose worke the Lord accepteth the Petitioner in whose prayer the King of mercies delighteth the Favourite whom the King of Kings honoureth the Spouse whom the Prince of peace receiveth in wedlocke and the friend to whom the Secret of the Lord is imparted God communicates great honour unto them who for his honour are contented to abase themselves in the eyes of men David was content to appeare outwardly vile yea more vile that he might honour God and God made him more honourable confirming and strengthening him in the kingdome Moses was the meekest man on earth a man that had low thoughts of himselfe a man of singular perfection in the way and worke of self-denyall refusing all the honour of Egypt and chusing to endure affliction with Gods people But God made him most honourable called him up unto himselfe in the Mount and made him the leader of his people It is good losing for God the incurment of dishonour for God is recompenced with the greatest honour from the hand of God The Baptist abased himselfe very low to exalt Christ he told the people that such was Christs dignity worth and excellency that he was not worthy to stoop downe and untie the latchet of his shooe and Christ very highly honoured him telling the people that there was not a greater borne of women then the Baptist Man is ever so much the more precious in the eyes of Christ by how much the more despicable he is in his owne and other mens eyes for the love and cause of Christ There is more honour in the humble mans ignominy then in the proud mans pomp and glory He that is least through self-denyall holy abasement and unfained humiliation shall be greatest in Gods Kingdome Greatest in spirituall liberty and freedome in the measure of Sanctification in Gods account and acceptation and in the degree of future glory communicated to him 5. This ministers a very sweet and blessed freedome to the soule He that is most humble is the choisest Freeman in the world Self-denyall is a very great and happy freedome He that is most humble hath the greatest measure of grace conferred on him and wheresoever is most grace there is most freedome Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty saith the Apostle The humble man is free from ignorance in his understanding with the lowly there is wisedome saith Solomon and God doth guide the humble in iudgement saith the Psalmist He that is most humble hath the most cleare and
to burne within them in hearing as the hearts of the two Disciples did this fire this heavenly heate is wanting and therefore all their service is but as a sacrifice without fire of no use of no acceptance with the Lord. 4. Their services if you observe their end are arrowes levelled to a low marke A dead man cannot lift himselfe up from the earth A man without Christ and empty of spirituall life cannot looke above himselfe and his owne flesh in any thing he doth The effect ever suites with the cause the thorne cannot beare figges the fruit is answerable to the nature of the Tree He that hath nothing of God in him cannot intend God in his undertaking he that is alienated from the life of God cannot worke for God That saith our Saviour which is of the flesh is flesh fleshly disposed intending the flesh and nothing else doing all for himselfe seeking his owne things and not the things which are Christs his owne profit his owne ease his owne applause he serves not the Lord Jesus but his owne belly as Saint Paul speakes and thus the originall the nature adjunct and end of a carnall mans works demonstrate them to be dead works of no esteem with God how glorious soever in the eyes of men As Christ is the Author and worker of Spirituall life so the glory and the praise of all grace and holinesse of the whole spirituall life of Christians is to be attributed unto Christ Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father from whom we have our new birth the high and heavenly workman from whom we have our spirituall being and new Creation the life by whom we are quickened the Sun by whom we are enlightened the Physitian by whom we are healed Christ Jesus is the fountaine of all grace and goodnesse life and holinesse to true beleevers they are all members enlivened by this head Stars enlightened by this Sunne fields manured by this husbandman houses builded by this Architect and vessels filled by this fountaine the praise of all mans grace and holinesse is due to Christ Jesus Art thou awakened out of thy spirituall sleep and slumber it is Christ hath done it as the Angell awakened Peter the Lyon by his cry awakens his young Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah by his mighty voice in the Gospell awakens Gods chosen Are the eyes of thy understanding enlightened Christ is the light who hath enlightened thee as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind Art thou cleansed from thy sinne it is Christ who is the refiners fire and the fullers sope that hath purged thee as Jordan cleansed Naaman from his leprosie Art thou delivered from the prison of thy corruption and the bondage of Satan it is Christ hath brought thee forth as the Angell brought Peter out of Herods prison Hast thou liberty to come to God by faith and love it is Christ hath made thee free in thy understanding to discerne the things of God in thy will to chuse and intend God in thy imagination to thinke upon God in thy memory to remember God in thy affections to feare trust love and rejoyce in God in thy eares to attend to the word of God in thine eyes to behold God in his works in thy tongue to speake of God to the edification of others and to celebrate God for his mercies Christ is the Authour and workman of all Christian freedome Art thou filled with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit Christ is the fountaine that hath filled thee all thy receivings are of Christs fulnesse as the branches are filled by the root and the Starres by the Sunne Hast thou reconciliation and acceptation with God it is Christ that hath brought thee nigh to God procured favour for thee with the Lord as Joseph procured favour for his brethren with the King of Egypt Christ is the beloved in whom thou art accepted Art thou able to endure temptation to undergoe the heavy burthen of affliction Christ is the rocke that sustaines thee as the rocke in the Parable sustained the house from sinking when the winds and waves did beate and blow upon it Christ is the Arke that beares thee up as Noah was borne up in the Deluge Christ is the shield and buckler and wall of fire that defends thee it is Christs power in thee it is Christs presence with thee as with the three children in the fiery furnace that strengthens and inables thee to hold out that makes thee victorious over all opposing powers In a word it is Christ that works all thy works of grace and peace faith and love hope and patience constancy and perseverance in thee he begins the life of grace within thee and continues it to the life of glory Ascribe therefore to the Lord Jesus the praise of all thy goodnesse acknowledge him to be the giver of all thy gifts the Authour of all thy holy and gracious works the Sunne that hath enlightened thy darknesse the quickning Spirit who hath enlivened and freed thee from thy deadnesse the Physitian who hath healed thy diseases the Counsellor who hath resolved thee in all thy doubtings the fiery pillar who hath gone before thee protecting and guiding thee in all thy goings the Moses rod which hath divided the waters and made a passage for thee through the red Sea of all thy afflictions the Captaine who hath overcome for thee in all thy Conquests and the King who of his owne mercy crownes thee and his owne works in thee after all thy tryals Let Christ have the glory of all from thee because he accomplisheth all for thee by his living in thee CHAP. XXI THe third thing in these words is an Act liveth Christs living in man the soule liveth in the body enlivening preserving and strengthening the body and Christ liveth in man enlivening man with the life of grace preserving man in the estate of grace strengthening him with all might according to his glorious power Christ is the soule of our soules the quickning Spirit by whom we are spiritually enlivened Christ by the supernaturall gracious and powerfull operation of his Spirit raising us to newnesse or life and living in us by this powerfull and holy worke of his Whence observe That Christ lives in Gods children by his holy and powerfull worke of Sanctification The Spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision was in the wheeles and when the living creature went they went and when the living creature was lifted up they were lifted up because the Spirit of the living creature was in the wheeles Thus the Spirit of Christ is in the children of God and they live as Christ lives they move according to Christs prescription because the Spirit of Christ is in them because Christ lives in them and works effectually by his Spirit upon them putting a Principle of spirituall life into them The Prophet Elisha applyed himselfe to the woman of
sinne as the only Prince of Peace sweetly and powerfully ruling in the heart of man and graciously reconciling God and man as the only beloved Husband marrying himselfe to man as the only precious pearle in whom is all the treasure of the soul of man as the only rocke in whom is all the strength of man and by whom man is supported as the only rich and royall roabe by whom mans sinne is covered and the soule of man justified and as the onely fountaine in whom man meets with fulnesse of satisfaction and where Christ is thus revealed there he liveth This Revelation of Christ in man ministers life and comfort unto man 5. Christ beginning to live in man doth very powerfully and graciously change and reforme man he doth cause his Gospell to come to man not in word only but in power also humbling man breaking and bruising the stony heart plowing up the fallow ground of mans heart making it of barren to become good ground causing the choisest plants of his grace and fruits of righteousnesse to grow there Christ doth not onely proffer his grace and stirre up good desires and purposes but he infuseth supernaturall qualities of holinesse into the soule of man he makes him a new creature causing old things to passe away and making all things become new he puts not a forme but a power of godlinesse into man he dyes the heart in graine with grace and holinesse he makes him a living man indeed for his life and power of grace for his unfained love to God for his burning zeale for God for his gracious progresse in the wayes of God for his sweet and blessed delight in God and for his full and through conformity to the will of God Christ causeth his Spirit to come upon him mightily as it came upon Sampson inabling him to overcome the Devill the world and his owne corruption as the Spirit inabled Sampson to overcome the Lyon transforming man into the Image and likenesse of God not as the Devill transformed himselfe into the Image and likenesse of Samuel remaining a Devill still but as Christ turned water into wine graciously changing the qualities of man making him of a dead a living man of proud humble of ignorant wise of obstinate soft and tender hearted of prophane holy of cold fervent of barren fruitfull of weake and impotent untoward and indisposed he makes him strong and able apt and ready to every good duty and this is the manner of Christs living in man CHAP. XXIII DOth Christ live in man Then the life of a Christian is the most noble and honourable life of all others the life of sensible creatures is more excellent then the life of vegitive creatures the life of reasonable creatures is more excellent then the life of sensible the life of man is more noble then the life of beasts but the life of spirituall and sanctified persons is more excellent then the life of reasonable creatures the life of a true Christian surpasseth the life of man as farre as the life of man surpasseth the life of beasts Saul was in stature head and shoulders above the residue of the people The life of grace is head and shoulders in dignity worth and excellency above all other lives this is the life of Christ a living of Christ in man and as Christ is infinitely more excellent then man so doth this life exceedingly transcend the life of man called the life of God in regard of the cause efficient God working it by his holy Spirit in regard of precept God commanding it in regard of approbation God accepting and approving it in regard of noblenesse and dignity as the life of God is more excellent then the life of the creature so is this life the most honourable sweetest and choysest life communicable to any creature and in regard of likenesse with God holy and gracious resemblance of God he that lives the life of man is like man participates of the nature of man he that lives the life of grace is like God is made partaker as S. Peter speaks of the divine nature not in respect of essence but in respect of holy and gracious qualities hee that lives the life of grace commeth nighest unto God participates most of Gods fulnesse and hath nearest and sweetest communion with God of all persons And this life is indeed a very honourable and noble life 1. For the Originall of it it is not from nature but from grace not from man but from the Spirit it is the Spirit that quickneth It is a beame from the brightest Sun even Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousnesse I saith Christ am the bread of life come downe from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever It is a streame from the highest and purest fountaine the Spirit of grace becoming in the soule of man a well of water springing up into everlasting life 2. In regard of the nature of it a spirituall life a life of holinesse and righteousnesse a life surpassing the life of nature as the Sun the Glo-worme as the Vine the bramble and they that live this life are said to walke in newnesse of life Having a new-birth being borne againe and having new principles and qualities put into them by the Spirit of God the Lord according to his promise putting a new heart into them their soules being renewed and changed not in substance but in qualities framed a new after God in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse made new creatures and leading a conversation pure and unblameable in the sight of God and that life which is most full of grace and holines is of all lives the most noble and glorious 3. In regard of the rarity of it few men live this life the whole world as S. John saith lies in wickednesse dead in sins and trespasses as the old world lay drowned in the deluge only Noah and his Family a few persons lived in the Arke it is but a little remnant one of a city and two of a Tribe as the Prophet speakes that live this life Strait is the gate and narrow is the way saith Christ which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it A godly person is a rare jewell God dispenceth the life of grace only to his chosen Christ in the dayes of his flesh raysed not all the dead to life but onely a few one now and another then thus Christ in the day of the Gospell doth not quicken all but a few one here and another there the number of them that professe themselves Christians is indeed very great but the number of them in whom Christ lives is very small the greatest part like the Angell of the Church of Sardis having a name that they live and yet are dead the outward forme and shew of Christianity is very frequent but the life power and practise very
together variety of roomes framed for the entertainment of many guests and other offices belonging to the house and windowes made in fit and convenient places to give light thereunto we all know that some skilfull workman hath been labouring there the house having no power nor wisedome to raise it selfe and thus when we looke upon this great and mighty house of the world and see it composed of severall creatures Heavens Aire Waters Earth c. variety of roomes fitted for men Beasts Birds Fishes and all other guests belonging to this house The Sun Moone and Starres set on high as great lamps and lanthornes to give light thereunto we cannot but acknowledge that some Almighty and All-wise workman hath been the builder thereof none of these being able to create and set themselves in this orderly manner this we must needs acknowledge though we see not the builder When we see the body and branches of a Tree springing we know there is a root though it be hidden in the earth and we see it not When we see as that noble Duplesses observes a river flowing we presently conclude there is some Spring or Fountaine whence it hath Originall though we see not the same and thus from the Creation and the things seen we must of necessity conclude there is a Deity though invisible and not seen otherwise then as we see the cause in the effect 2. Looke upon the order of things moving We discerne many things moving in the world as Sun Moone and Stars in Heaven the Birds in the aire Men and Beasts upon the earth Rivers running Seas ebbing and flowing and every thing that moves must of necessity be moved of some other by the consideration whereof we are necessarily led to acknowledge a first mover which is God giving motion to all himselfe not moved When we see the body moving we know there is a soule within moving it though we see not the soule When we see the wheeles of a watch moving we know there is a spring that sets them all on going Thus the motion of the creature plainly demonstrates a first mover though our eyes behold him not according to the Rule Secunda moventia non movent nisi per hoc quod sunt a primo motu 3. Looke upon the Series and succession of all efficient Causes We see in sensible things there is an order of efficient causes yet among all these there neither is nor can any thing be found which is the cause of it selfe because so it should be before it selfe which is impossible As for instance the Sonne is begotten of the Father the Father of the Grandfather the Grandfather of the great Grandfather and so upward yet amongst men no man ever was or can be the begetter of himselfe the branch commeth from the Tree the Tree from the root the root from the kernell the kernell gives not being to it selfe and thus we must of necessity ascend unto and rest in some first cause which is God all second causes working in the vertue of the first cause 4. Looke upon the Consent and agreement betweene things different and disagreeing betweene themselves Fire and water are one contrary to another one fighting against another destroying one another yet these you shall see concurring and agreeing together in the building of the universe and in the body of man and beast which plainly shews the wisedome and power of some supreame Commander making such a sweet harmony betweene disagreeing creatures as betweene dissonant strings upon a musicall instrument we acknowledge the art of a skilfull Musitian in the latter and can we doe lesse then acknowledge an infinite wisedome and power of some supreame commander in the former 5. Looke upon the degrees of excellency and goodnesse among things Some are more good and more excellent some lesse good and lesse excellent the Sunne hath more light then the Starres the Vine is more excellent then the Bramble man hath more noble endowments then the unreasonable creatures and whence is this but as every creature hath more or lesse good communicated to it as it doth more or lesse approach unto some chiefest good so that there must be some chiefe and most excellent good communicating freely more or lesse good to every kinde of creature as hee pleaseth 6. Looke upon the suiting and the fitting of one thing to another As in a building when we see one peece of timber fitted to another we say there hath beene a skilfull Carpenter When we see a garment made up and suited to every Member of mans body we instantly conceive some artificiall Tailer hath had the ordering of it and that neither timber nor cloath did thus sute themselves together Thus in this great workmanship of the world observe how light is suited to the eye the sound unto the ayre meat to the palate water to the fishes the earth to plants and grasse to beasts and so of the rest and when we see this how can wee but acknowledge a divine finger thus suiting and fitting one to another 7. To be short tooke upon the subordination and dependance of one thing upon another one ministring to another the Heavens to the Earth the Earth to the Corne the Corne to man Consider also the operation and working even of creatures void of reason for a certaine end working constantly after the same manner and accomplishing their ends by due and apt meanes producing effects above their owne abilities as the Ant which gathers her meat in Summer for the Winter they working by a rule which they know not and ayming at an end which they understand not declare that a higher understanding directs them what also doe many strange and unexpected events and issues of things beyond the wisdome power and imagination of man argue but an Almighty hand working and disposing all things at his owne pleasure what shall we thinke of the preservation and ministring of provision for so many ages to this great Family of the world but that there is some most wise and able governour over this house what may we conclude from the preservation and continuance of a Church upon the face of the Earth against the fury of all Divels and against the power and malice even of the whole world but that there is a God that standeth in the burning bush and keepes it that the fire doth not consume it a rider that sits upon the flood and restraines it from drowning his Church a great commander whom the windes and waves obey one setting bounds to to men and Divels as to the Sea and let these and such like considerations perswade you and strengthen in the beliefe of this That God is And be assured that the more your hearts are over-powred wrought upon and warmed with the study and meditation and setled in perswasion and beleefe of this truth That God is an eternall omnipotent most wise holy and omnipresent being one that is ever present with you 1. The more humble and