to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee Thirteenth Wee haue innumerable Angels that attend to helpe vs Psal 34. 7 8. The Angell of IEHOVAH pitcheth his Tents round about them that feare him 2. Kings 6. 16 17. Feare not there be more with vs then that are with them Then praying to IEHOVAH hee opened the eyes of his seruant who looking saw that behold the Mountaine was full of Horses and Chariots of fire that is of holy Angels round about ELISHA Fourteenth There is no cause why wee should â—aint vnder this burden seeing Prayer ministreth abundant comfort to vs which comming from Gods Spirit with so much the greater vehemencie sighes and grones as the troubles that lye vpon vs are more pressing and weightie must needes bee effectuall for the working of some good blessing To which purpose the Apostle inforceth this Argument Rom. 8. 26 27. Fifteenth Howsoeuer it bee no affliction can debase vs or make vs poore for hauing Christ who is t Heb. 1. 2. Heire of all things and Lord of Heauen and Earth wee cannot but bee rich in him By this Argument the Apostle u Rom. 8. 31. there mollifieth the bitternesse of afflictions He that hath not spared his owne Sonne but for vs all hath giuen him vp to death how shall he not together with him giue vs all good things I haue beene too long in these The rest of the markes that follow to shut them vp shortly are First Humilitie Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth IEHOVAH require of thee but to doe right and to loue kindnesse and to walke humbly with thy God Secondly Loue of the Brethren because they are Brethren and Children of the same Father 1. Iohn 3. 14. We know we are passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren The practice of this one dutie to the members of Christ for Christs sake casteth such a shining Light in the eyes of God and Man that our Sauiour Mat. 25. 35 36. by it our Faith and consequently the righteous iudgement of God in the sauing of our Soules shall be made manifest to all the World in the latter Day Thirdly To loue our Enemies and to forgiue them their offences Mat. 5. 44 45. Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that molest you and persecute you that you may bee the children of your Father which is in Heauen c. Ephes 4. 32. Forgiue one another as God in Christ hath forgiuen you Fourthly Open profession of Christ and of the Gospell Rom. 10. 10. With the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatition Fiftly Humble confession of our sinnes Prouerbs 25. 13. Hee that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall obtayne Mercie Sixtly The vsing of good meanes to clense vs from them Psal 19. 1â— His ignorance who vnderstandeth O clâ—nse me from my secret sinnes Seuenthly Holily religiously to sanctifie the Sabbath Day for this binding vs to the good abearing from following our owne pleasures and profits and the things that are so sweete vnto the flesh cannot rightly bee performed but of those that indeed make a conscience of their wayes wherefore the x Esay 58. 13 14 Prophet setteth it as a speciall marke vpon the Childe of God If thou wilt keepe backe thy foot on the Sabbath from doing thine owne pleasure in my holy Day and shalt call the Sabbath delight holy to IEHOVAH glorious and shalt honour it not to doe thine owne wayes nor to find out thy pleasure nor to speake a word then shalt thou delight thy selfe in IEHOVAH and I will make thee to ride vpon the high places of the Land and make thee to eate the Inheritance of thy Father IACOB So y Ier. 17. 14 c Ieremie 17. many sweet and gracious promises are made to those that keepe the Sabbath and sharpe and to the end of the Chapter seuere Iudgements threatened to the contrarie And seeing it pleaseth God to set such a speciall Memento vpon this Commandement aboue the rest Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day it should teach vs what a deepe Roote the same ought to haue in our heart and how it should affect vs. Of this that our Sanctification is here imperfect two things doe follow a Christian Warfare and Repentance Christian Warfare is a Warre proclaymed of GOD himselfe for men to try all their strength and valour in when hee saith I z Gen. 3. 15. will set enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and betweene her seed Meant principally of Christ the Seed of the Virgin but withall comprehending all his members Therefore heere is a Flag of defiance set vp and a perpetuall and endlesse Warre denounced wherein we may take no truce nor euer be weary of it Of this it is written in the a Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation that a great signe was seene in Heauen MICHAEL and his Angels meaning specially the Saints vpon Earth fighting with the Deuill and his angels And to this spirituall Combate the Scripture euery-where doth incite vs b 1. Tim. 1. 18. Fight that good fight Let c Heb. 12. 1. vs runne with patience the strife that is set before vs and such like Whereupon the Church of God in this life is called The militant Church and all Christians d 2. Tim. 2. 3. Souldiers though principally the same be giuen to the Ministers whose part it is to goe before the people in this spirituall Conflict So PAVL Phil. 2. 25. maketh mention of EPAPHRODITVS his fellow-Souldier And so doth hee and Timothy call Archippus in the e Verse 2. Epistle to Philemon being a Phrase of speech borrowed from the Law where the Ministery of the Priests and Leuites is called a Souldiership or f Num. 4. 3. 8. 24 25. Warfare In this spirituall Battaile I consider fiue things First The Enemies we are to fight with Satan and all his brood the name of Satan comprehending all impure spirits of whom he is the Head being not onely our g Mat. 13. 39. enemy that hateth vs and h 1. Pet. 5. 8. goeth about as a roring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but withall our i Reuel 12. 10. accuser that accuseth vs before our God day and night and the k 1. Pet. 5. 8. pleader against vs. This the Apostle notably describeth Ephes 6. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers and against the worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this World against most wicked spirits which are in the high places Satans brood I call the World and the Flesh By World meaning First The malignant Church the companie of the wicked and vngodly The sonnes of that
5. Surely in the fire of mine indignation haue I spoken against the remnant of the Nations and against all Edom which haue taken my Land for their Possession with the ioy of all their heart with spoyling from their soule To the latter it is contrarie When men runne x Rom. 3. 15. vnto euill and their feet are swift to sheade bloud when the Tongue becommeth a fire y Iam. 3. 6 7. the ornament of iniquitie for our wickednesse and filthinesse of heart to vaunt and set out it selfe by defiling the whole bodie and setting on fire the whole course of nature it selfe being first set on fire of Hell Thus did Pharaoh foame out with his mouth his blasphemous thoughts and scorning of God in his heart Who z Exod. 5. 2. is IEHOVAH that I should let Israel goe And a 2. Kin. 18. 28 Rabshake that standing still cryed out with a loud voice in the Iewish laÌ„guage to the end that all the people might heare and vnderstand his Blasphemies An Example of them both together we haue Ezechiel 25. 6. Because thou speaking of the Ammonites clappest the hand and stampest with the foot and art glad from the soule of all the spoyling vpon the Land of Israel therefore behold I will stretch out my hand against thee From this strength of the soule and bodie ioyned together arise foure speciall Vertues which are to concurre in all duties both to God and to our Brethren First Sinceritie or vprightnesse of heart noting a singlensse smâ—â—â—â—y without any mixture which Etymologie the Apostle doth not obscurely giue in one or two places For b 2 Cor. 1. 12. this is our reioycing the testimonie of our conscience that in singlenesse and sinceritie of God we haue beene conuersant in the World For c 2. Cor. 2. 17. wee are not as the rest those which play the Huxters with the Word of God but sincerely but as it came from God in the sight of God doe we speake of Christ where sincere dealing is opposed as you see to that of Huxters which mingle their Wine and other commodities to deceiue men for their gaine For this vertue of being an vpright man IOB d Iob 1. 2. is highly commended By the same e 2. Pet. 3. 2. Peter commendeth those to whom hee wrote I stirre vp your sincere minde And the Apostle prayeth for the Philippians that f Philip. 1. 10. they may be sincere and without offence vnto the Day of Christ as 1. Cor. 5. 8. hee doth exhort vs to it Wherefore let vs keep holiday with the vnleauened bread of sincerity truth Where this sinceritie he termeth also truth as Ephes 4. 24. he calleth that true Righteousnesse and Holinesse which is sincere and vnfayned The Apostle g 1. Pet. 1. 22. Peter noteth it out by puritie when commending brotherly loue hee willeth that from a pure that is a sincere heart we loue one another For this purpose the infinite knowledge of God being euerie where present and sounding the bottome of our hearts and reines ought to bee alwayes before our eyes to hold vs in all integritie If our heart should but turne backward saith the Church h Psal 44. 19 21 22. Psalme 44. that wee had forgotten God though it were in secret should not God search this out seeing hee knoweth the hidden things of the minde And Dauid in the 139. i Psal 139. 2 4 13. Psalme Thou knowest my sitting and my rising thou vnderstandest my thoughts a far off long before I thinke them or before a word is in my mouth Yea thou possessest my reyns thy Knowledge is more woÌ„derfull then that I am able to discerne Therefore saith he k Verse 18. afterwards I watch continually to be with thee that is night and day it is my care in all sinceritie and vprightnesse of a good Conscience to cleaue vnto thee To this singlenesse of heart the Apostle Peter in the place before alleaged opposeth hypocrisie Purifie your hearts vnto brotherly loue without hypocrisie And Paul to the l Rom. 12. 9. Romanes Let Loue be without Hypocrisie Hypocrisie is when the heart inward affection is wanting either in the seruice of God or in dealing with our Brethren as our Sauiour doth define it Mat. 15. 7. Hypocrites well hath ESATAS prophesied of you saying This people draw neere vnto mee with their lips but their heart is farre from mee And of this sort is outward Abstinence from meates without any care and conscience thereby to serue God more feruently or to be better strengthened against sin m Esay 58. 4 5 6. Yee fast not as these times are to haue your voice to be heard on high Is this such a fast as I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day bow down his head like a Bull-rush and lye downe in sackcloth and ashes callest thou this a fasting or an acceptable day to the Lord Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen To loose the bands of wickednesse to take away the heauie burdens and let the oppressed go free and that yee take off euery yoke So of the outward obseruing of the Sabbath not regarding the true pietie of the heart Therefore n Esay 1. 14 15 the Lord telleth the Iewes My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burden vnto me I am wearie to beare them And when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many Prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud The Pophet Psal 12. 3. expresseth this Hypocrisie in flattering and deceitfull dealing with our Brethren by the Phrase of a heart and a heart that is a double heart contrary to that singlenesse without all mixture spoken of before when our heart in outward pretence seemeth to runne one way but indeed and in truth is carryed another Our Sauiour o Mat. 23. 13. telling the Pharises they deuoured Widdowes houses vnder a shew of long Prayer calleth it a shew onely without any truth or substance for so are truth and shew opposed Phil. 1. 8. The Notes of Hypocrisie are specially these First To rest in outward obseruances to presse them strictly and seuerely letting passe those things wherein true Pietie standeth Woe bee p Mal. 23. 23 24. to you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites for yee tithe Mint and Annise and Cummin and leaue the waightie matters of the Law as Iudgement and Mercie and Fidelitie These ought yee to haue done and not to haue left the other yee blinde guides that straine out a Gnat and swallow a Cammell Hence come those speeches and rebukes of Christ Yee q Mat. 23. 25. clense the outside of the Cup and Platter but within they are full of extortion and iniustice Also where hee compareth r Mat. 23. 27. them to whited Tombes that without appeare beautifull but within are
in my heart All men are Lyars Whence commeth tempting or God when through distrust and vnbeliefe wee seeke signes of his Truth and Power y Mat. 4. 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God z 1. Cor. 10. 6. 10 Neither let vs tempt God as they tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents To trust and set our faith and full affiance vpon him Trusting and in respect of his Power and Might whereby hee is able to doe it Hereof the a Rom. 4. 21. Apostle setteth Abraham before vs for an example the father of the faithfull who contrarie to hope beleeued vnder hope being fully assured that what God had promised he was able to performe And of himselfe he saith b 1. Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that hee is able to keepe the thing committed to him vnto that day Agreeable whereunto is the speech of our Sauiour Christ My c Iohn 10. 28. Father is greater then all and none shall be able to take you out of his hand And this may well bee thought the cause why the Lord himselfe setteth that name in the fore-front of his Titles IEHOVAH IEHOVAH the mightie God c. And why the Apostles Symbole commonly called the Creed comprehending in summe all the Articles of our Faith beginneth with this I beleeue in God the Father Almightie For holding this there is nothing so incredible to flesh and bloud which wee will not beleeue and depend vpon doubting of this there is none of Gods promises so cleere and certaine which wee are not readie to call in question Of this trusting in God we reade They d Psal 22. 5 6. called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded God e Psal 27. 1 3. is my light and my saluation whom should I feare God is the strength of my life of whom should I be afraid And f 2. Kin. 6. 16. hee answered Feare not for they that be with vs are more then they that bee against vs. Thus wee must trust in God not onely when wee see the meanes before vs but without and euen contrarie to all meanes as g Dan. 3. 17. SHEDRACH MESHACH ABEDNEGO did The God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs out of the hot burning Furnace and out of thy hands O King he can deliuer vs. The contrarie hereof is First distrust in God as the wicked Achaz h Esay 7. 11. being offered of God a signe for the strengthning of his faith disdainefully doth answere I will not aske a signe neyther will I make tryall of IEHOVAH by committing vnto the hands of this Iehouah whom thou talkest of a matter of such danger and importance to the State as is the Warre now in hand Secondly Confidence in the Creature whether our selues and the good things which God hath giuen vs as Friends Honour Credit Wisdome Riches or whatsoeuer else i 1. Tim. 6. 17. Exhort the rich men in this World that they trust not in the incertainty of riches but in the liuing God who ministreth to all men aboundantly c. k Ier. 17. 5. Cursed is the man that hath his confidence in man and maketh flesh his Arme. The l Obad. v. 3 4. pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee Thou that dwellest in the cliffes of the Rockes whose habitation is high that sayst in thy heart Who shall bring mee downe to the ground though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and make thy nest among the Starres thence will I bring thee downe saith IEHOVAH 2. Chron. 16. 12. Asa a Religious Prince is taxed that in the extremitie of his sicknesse he sought not to the Lord but to Physicians Sixtly To hope in him and patiently to expect and Hoping in him waite for all good things at his hand because of his mercies and the vnchangeablenesse of his nature who neuer repenteth him of his promises For m Rom. 11. 29. the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance It is n Lam. 3. 22. the wonderull kindnesse of IEHOVAH that we are not consumed for his mercies faile not Therefore o Esay 30. 18. will IEHOVAH waite to doe grace vnto you And therefore will hee lift vp himselfe to haue mercie on you for IEHOVAH is a God of vprightnesse and iudgement Blessed are all that waite on him Hereupon the p Psal 37. 5 7. Psalmist doth exhort vs Commit thy way vnto IEHOVAH and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe waite patiently vpon IEHOVAH and hope in him fret not thy selfe for him that prospereth in his way and for the man that bringeth his enterprizes to passe Commit q Pro. 16. 3. thy workes to IEHOVAH and thy thoughts shall be directed The contrarie whereof is despayre I r 1. Thes 4. 13. would not Brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope By this our cleauing vnto God two vertues come to be wrought within vs First Patience in a cheerefull vndergoing of danger From whence arise Patience and and troubles without repining or vsing vnlawfull meanes to bee deliuered from them and that by resting vpon his Wisedome who hath the times when and the meanes how to send vs helpe numbred before him Though Å¿ Iob 13. 5. he kill me yet will I trust in him I was t Psal 39. 9. dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou diddest it The contrarie whereof is impatience in afflictions as that of IEREMIE Cursed u Ier. 20. 14 18. bee the Day wherein I was borne and let not the Day wherein my Mother bare mee bee blessed How is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame And the whole third Chapter of Iob bewrayeth his great infirmitie this way Secondly Humilitie to acknowledge all we haue to Humilitie come from God and therefore in the conscience of our emptinesse and of his bountie and goodnesse to giue all glorie vnto him alone whereof the Apostle saith Let him x 1. Cor. 1. 31. that glorieth glorie in the Lord. Decke y 1. Pet. 5. 6. your selues with lowlinesse of minde for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Such an humble heart was in z 1. Chron. 19. 11 14. DAVID Thine saith he O IEHOVAH is greatnesse and power and glorie and victorie and prayse for all that is in Heauen and in Earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O IEHOVAH and thou excellest as head ouer all But who am I and what is my people that wee should bee able to offer willingly after this sort For all things come of thee and of thine owne hand taken doe we giue vnto thee The contrary wherof is pride or presumption boasting and glorying of our selues Now a 1. Cor. 4. 6 7. these things Brethren I
vnto vs whereof if there were no more that one example of Dauid may bee a sufficient witnesse and serue in stead of many c 2. Sam. 12. 10 11. The Sword shall neuer depart from thy house for euer I will rayse vp against thee euill out of thine owne house And I will take thy Wiues before thine eyes and giue them to thy fellow who shall lye with them before this Sunne To conclude it must cost many bitter cryes and pittifull lamentations many a salt teare deepe sighes sobs and grones great deiection of minde and abasing of ones selfe long exercise in the Schoole of Affliction much strife and struggling and many a plucke and wrestle like true Israelites with God himselfe our owne conscience and the feares and terrours of Hell before we can come to obtayne a blessing at his hand to be assured we are reconciled to him And yet for all that wee are not free from falling any more after we be once risen for euery day we fall yea oftentimes a day and therefore haue need of a continuall and euery day Repentance The greater question is whether wee may fall againe into the same sinne whereof truely we haue repented especially if it be a grosse and hainous sinne I answere The best man in the World hath no priuiledge this way but that as hee may lye long in his sinne so hee may fall againe into it and as hee may fall once so may hee fall twice and so may hee fall oftener and how oft the word for ought I know setteth not any stint neither are the Mercies of God nor Merits of Christ to bee restrayned to so narrow bounds but that where sinne aboundeth there grace doth more abound Howbeit he that shall so doe spoyleth himselfe of much comfort and greatly shaketh the assurance of Faith which euery Christian ought to labour for seeing a continuall relapse into one and the same offence is a fearefull argument of a man forsaken and giuen vp of God yet all comfort is not wholy to be denyed to such a one for First d 2. Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind euery one is accepted for that grace he hath not for that which he hath not Secondly e 2. Cor. 12. 9 10 The power of GOD is perfected in our weaknesse The sixt and last thing touching Repentance is the meanes to spurre vs forwards to this duty which is twofold One on the behalfe of God the other of our selues On the behalfe of GOD by the power of his Spirit by the Ministerie of his Word by chastizements and afflictions by blessings and outward benefits as he promiseth in f Hosh 2. 14 15 16. HOSHEA Therefore behold I will perswade her by my Spirit after I haue brought her into the Wildernesse and tamed her by afflictions and will speake vnto her heart there is the word mouing And will giue vnto her Vineyards c. that she may sing as in the dayes of her youth and what time shee came out of the Land of Egypt And in that Day saith hee thou shalt call me My good man c. that is then shalt thou take mee for thy Husband and serue and worship me On our behalfe for the better quickening of vs vnto this dutie we are not onely carefully and with a good conscience to vse all the holy meanes ordayned of God for the conuerting of our soules Prayer Meditation of the Word and other godly and profitable exercises but especially sometimes wee are to take vp the exercise of a true fast commanded in the Word of God for our h Mat. 17. 21. Sauiour telleth vs that there are some kinde of Deuils whom Prayer only will not cast out vnlesse it haue Fasting ioyned with it Fasting is an vtter abstinence for a time not from flesh onely but from all the delights and commodities of this life so farre as necessitie and comelinesse will permit Whereupon it is called A i Ioel 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day of restraint That we may know to fast as we ought it shall bee fit to reduce to some heads what is necessarie to a true fast All may be comprehended in these foure The first head is of the things wee are commanded to abstayne from As first all kinde of Popish Fast which permitteth al kind of meate at Dinner flesh onely excepted and at Supper to fill ones selfe with bread and drinke and both at Dinner and Supper with Wine and all kinde of Dainties Spicebread Fruit Marmalâ—t and Sucker c. Meates and Drinkes which the very word of k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 3. 8. fasting doth import And therefore in the Fast of Niniue they are forbidden as much as to l Ionas 3. 7. taste any thing Secondly The benefit of ordinary sleepe Ioel 1. 13. Goe lodge in Sackcloth extending this exercise at the least to some part of the night whereupon m Marke 13. 32 watching is also added as a Companion to this exercise Thirdly All brauerie and costlinesse of attyre contenting our selues with a common kind of apparell or rather vnder that which is common and ordinarie Exodus 33. 5. IEHOVAH said vnto MOSES Say vnto the Children of Israel Thou art a stiffe-necked people c. Put therefore thine Ornaments and Iewels from vpon thee that I may know what to doe with thee Thus did the holy Fathers in times past clothe themselues with Sackcloth and Ashes which Fashion Kings themselues in their Fasts scorned not to take vp as wee reade of the King of Niniue Ionas 3. 7. Who rose out of his Throne put away his Robe from him and couered himselfe with Sackcloth and sate in Ashes And the like did wicked Ahab 1. Kings 21. 27. Fourthly Cheerfulnesse and outward ioy and pleasure In which respect the exercise which the n Mar. 2. 20. Luke 5. 35. other Euangelists caâ—l Fasting o Mat. 9. 15. Matthew calleth Mourning Can the children of the Bride-chamber mourne as long as the Bride-groome is with them And Ioel calleth it weeping Let the Priests weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar So it is said Iudges 20. 26. that all the Israelites came to Bethel and there wept and fasted And 1. Sam. 7. 6. in the Fast at Mispa that they drew out of the fountaine of their heart teares as it were buckets of waters which they powred forth before IEHOVAH Fiftly All gate and gesture that may carrie any shew of loftinesse with it So did AHAB p 1. King 21. 27 clothe himselfe in Sackcloth and went softly Sixtly The lawfull vse of Marriage 1. Cor. 7. 5. Depriue not one another but by consent for a time that yee may haue leisure for Fasting and Prayer yea though it be betweene the Bride-groome and the Bride which of all other are least to be restrayned Ioel 2. 16. Let the Bride-groome goe out of his chamber and the Bride out of her Bed-chamber The second head is
more watchfull in time to come and more to wrestle with our owne soules against the temptations of sinne Secondly Heereby wee haue more plentifull matter and arguments ministred vnto vs to confirme our selues in Gods Mercies and to reach and instruct others which vse our g Luke 22. 32. Sauiour noteth in the Apostasie of Peter Thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren And Dauid h Psal 51. 14. in the one and fiftieth Psalme professeth that when God shall bee mercifull to his sinnes and restore vnto him the ioy of his Saluation then saith hee I will teach transgressours thy wayes and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee The third consequence is a heape and multitude of and in the assurance whereof spirituall Graces wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost First Assurance of the loue of God in Christ sealed vp in our consciences by the testimonie of the Spirit for the i Rom 8. 16. Spirit beareth record to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God I am k Rom. 8. 38 39 perswaded saith the same Apostle vsing a word that secretly importeth a perswasion wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Ministerie of the Word that nothing shall separate me from the loue of God in Christ Secondly Peace of conscience we haue peace of conscience and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Thirdly Ioy in the Holy Ghost procceding from the testimonie of a good conscience as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 2. 12. For this is our reioycing the testimonie of our conscience The same Apostle Rom. 14. 17. coupleth these two together as speciall fruites of the Righteousnesse wee haue in Christ The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Righteousnesse and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Secondly in that we are made neere vnto him To come to the second of those generall heads wherin our happinesse heere standeth wee l Ephes 2. 13. which before were farre off are brought neere vnto God in Christ and m Ephes 2. 19. therefore are no more Strangers and Forainers but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of GOD. From whence another excellent fauour commeth that and haue continuall accesse with boldnesse into his presence wee haue continuall accesse vnto the Throne of grace and entrance with boldnesse into his presence as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 3. 12. In whome wee haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through Faith in him And againe n Ephes 2. 15. By him we both Gentiles aswell as Iewes haue accesse through one Spirit vnto the Father For this and the rest that went before that place is verie singular Rom. 5. 1 2 5. Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom also we haue accesse through Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the Glorie of God for the loue of God is shed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is giuen vnto vs whereas you see all are comprehended The third is our Soueraigntie renewed which you Thirdly in our former Soueraigntie and power ouer the creatures may consider in these three steps or degrees First Wee are restored to that Soueraigntie that once we had ouer all the Creatures of God which the o Psal 8. 5 6 7 8 9. Psalmist first and after him and out of him the p Heb. 2. 6 7 8 Apostle to the Hebrewes layeth foorth at large in the person of Christ by whom wee haue this benefit What is man that thou doest remember him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him for whose sake thou hast made him that is to say Christ a little lower then the Angels yet hauing vndergone death for our sakes thou hast raysed him vp againe and with glorie and honour hast thou crowned him and set him Christ our Head and vs in him ouer the workes of thine hands All things hast thou made subiect vnder his feet Sheepe and Oxen all of them and also the Beasts of the Field the Fowles of the Ayre and the Fishes of the Sea All which in Christ we see now accomplished in vs his members it being yet vnseene shall then become manifest when we with him shall be made perfect as the q Verse 8 9. Apostle there declareth Whereof followeth Christian libertie whereof commeth free libertie of vsing them all The Papists doctrine of Deuils forbidding flesh vpon certaine dayes in things indifferent By Christian libertie I meane that we may now lawfully and with a good conscience vse all the Creatures of God to our comfort not onely for necessitie but for Christian delight 1. Corinthians 9. 1. Am I not free This hath not beene alwayes so from the beginning it pleased God to make some restraints till the fulnesse of time came that by degrees this libertie might bee made knowne vnto the Church First Before the giuing of the Law in some few things and peraduenture for I speak heere but of things for common vse not of the Seruice of God onely that one of forbidding to eat bloud Gen. 9. 4. whereas otherwise r Gen. 9. 3. all meates were lawfull Secondly After that more plentifully and aboundantly in the Iewish Pedagogie when many meats drinks and other things were barred them The libertie then which we haue by Christ take from the Apostles words I know and am perswaded in the Lord Iesus that nothing is prophane Rom. 14. 14. And againe Euery Creature of God is good and none to bee reiect if it be taken with Thankesgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 3. Not that it is lawfull for vs to take so great a libertie herein as though we needed to respect no other but our selues wee must respect the infirmities of our weake Brethren that our libertie bee not vsed as a snare to intrap others and so make them to offend but to edifie and build vp their conscience whereof the Apostle many times taketh vs out the Lesson both by his owne practice and commandement 1. Cor. 9. 19. Being free from all I made my selfe a seruant vnto all that I might gaine many c. 1. Cor. 10. 23 24. All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient All things are lawfull for me but all things doe not edifie Let no man seeke his owne things but euery one another mans And againe Å¿ Verse 32 33. Be without offence to Iewes and Gentiles and to the Church of God Euen as I in all things please all men not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saued Rom. 14 13 c. Let vs not therefore iudge one another but this rather iudge not to lay a stumbling blocke before thy Brother or an offence Destroy not him by thy meate for whom Christ dyed Let not therefore your good so calling that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs be euill spoken of Let vs therefore follow after the things of peace