God in wisdomhath he made them al. 3. But because the world by wisdome knew not God in this wisdom of God though it be ynough to make al men without excuse it pleased God of his grace to giv vs his word as a second and more excellent means of knowledge by which word he hath magnified his name above al for it is able to make man wise vnto salvation and he that is of God heareth that his word and if any man love him he wil keep the same the Lord wil lov him againe dwel with him but they that refuse put it away do judge themselves vnworthy of everlasting life and that word shal judge them in the last day for despising of it they shal be destroyed 4. Yet is not the outward ministery of the word sufficient vnlesse we be also taught of God himself who therfore voucheth safe to giv vs a third help evē his own good spirit to instruct vs without which no man can say that Iesus is the Lord. By this his spirit God reveleth vnto vs the deep mysteries of his gospel this Anoynting teacheth vs all things and that worthy thing which is committed to vs we keep through the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in vs. Of whom and our communion with him more is to be spoken in due place 5. The Word of God whereof here we intreat was given to Adam even in his vpright state to be a law for him to lead his life in paradise It was again reveled vnto him after his fall to restore him grace and life which he had lost And not for himselfe alone received he this light but for all his children that were fallen with him into darknes and the shadow of death wherefore he imparted it to them as by the sacrifices of Cain and Abel doth appear Yea God himself spake vnto Cain though he was wicked and without faith and gave him warning of his evil way Likewise in the new world the covenant of God was by his word renewed with all Noahs howshold wherein were Cham and Canaan the vessels of destruction Christ also the sower of that precious seed let some fall on the high way some on stony ground some among thornes from which places no fruit did grow And his disciples were sent to preach the gospell to every creature to al nations vnder heaven By which appeareth the bountie of God that offreth the word of life vnto all even as he causeth his Sun to shine vpon just and vnjust and we are taught that the word of God may not be forbidden to be preached vnto any people be they never so profane or hethenish 6. But al people to whom the words of this life were spoken receyved not life by them for the word profiteth not if it be not mixed with beleef in them that hear it And the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of many vnbeleevers that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto thē therfore they stumble at the word being vnperswaded to the which thing they were even ordeyned and the ambassadours of Christ to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation are vnto such the savour of death vnto death They hate the light because they do evil wil not come to it least their deeds should be reproved for wickednes is sweet in their mouth they hide it vnder their tongue they favour it and wil not forsake it therefore abhorr they the light and know not the wayes thereof the morning is vnto them even as the shadow of death so salvation is farr from them for that they seek not the statutes of the Lord. 7. Againe because the word of God is contrary to humane reason and condemneth for foolishnes the wisdome of this world and calleth men out of themselves making all the glorie and grace of the flesh to fade as the flower of grasse and leading vs to Christ alone and him crucified therfore is the preaching of the crosse to them that perish foolishnes they despise al wisdomes counsell and correction and seek after another wisdom prudence of the flesh which is enmitie against God and cannot be subject to his law and her they follow as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a fool to the stocks for correction though her howse is the way vnto the grave which goeth down to the chambers of death and her ghests are in the depth of hel 8. And forasmuch as many afflictions doe accompany the word of Christs patience that on them which receiv it the Sun of tribulation or persecution often ariseth and for it they are hated imprisoned exiled or killed so that a man must forsake himself and take vp his crosse and follow Christ therfore also many men ar offended ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord wil not be partakers of the tribulations of the gospel but choos iniquitie rather then affliction count it pleasure to liv deliciously for a season til ease doe slay the foolish and the prosperity of the fools destroy them 9. For when they thus contemne the word God withdraweth from them this favour and food of their sowles sending a samine in the land that their fayr virgins yong mē perish for thirst having caused the Sun to goe down at noō darkned the earth he letteth them walk in their own ignorance vnto perditiō So Cain for his crueltie contempt being banished from the presence of God we find not the benefit of Gods oracles to be after vouchsafed him or his as was vnto Seths posteritie The like is to be minded in the children of Cham Ismael Esau c. Who after they were removed from Gods church were also deprived of his word and doctrine which he continewed increased vnto the people that of his grace he called and kept to himself as his own 10. For the light of the Gospel and day of Christ was reveled vnto Abram Isaak and Iaakob and to the Israelites their posteritie did God give his law by Moses and continewed the preaching and opening of the same by other prophets and ministers when as the hethens had not this help but lay in darknes héarkning vnto witches soothsayers sorcerers necromancers and other like abominable instruments of Satan which turned to their eternall confusion when as for Israel the Lord their God suffred them not so but out of heaven he made them hear his voyce to instruct them and vpon earth he shewed them his great fyre and they heard his voyce out of the mids of the fyre they had ordinances and lawes most righteous to keep and to doe which was their praise for wisdome and
sake and that blessednes cometh on vs which is written Blessed ar they whose iniquities ar forgiven and whose syns ar covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not syn Yea God â—as he imputeth not but pardoneth syn so doth he impute justice or righteousnes to vs without works of ours because Christ fulfilled al righteousnes for vs that beleev and we shal be found in him not having our owne justice which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ even the justice which is of God through Faith To teach vs this the first man whom Moses mentioneth to have beleeved the Lord he presently adorneth with this grace that God imputed that to him for iustice And he being made the Father of al beleevers that is written for vs also vnto whom Beleef shal be imputed for Iustice in like weise Thus are we justified by Faith without the works of the Law yea Faith is come in place of al good works as Christ hath sayd This is the work of God that ye beleev in him whom he hath sent this also is his commandement that we beleev in the name of his Son Iesus Christ whom he that hath hath Life he that hath not the son of God hath not Life but who so trusteth to his own righteousnes and committeth iniquity shal surely die as sayth the prophet Thus live we by faith in Christ and that heavenly oracle is fulfilled The iust shallive by his faith 12. This Life and grace is one condition of that everlasting covenant which our God hath made with vs and sayd I wil be merciful to their vnrighteousnes and wil remember their syns and their iniquities no more And being thus justified by faith we have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ whom he hath given to be our covenant and our light he hideth his face from our syns and wipeth away al our iniquities and sayth deliver them that they goe not down into the pit for I have found a ransom Yea now he seeth no iniquitie in Iaakob nor transgressioÌ„ in Israel the Lord his God is with him and the joyful showt of a king is among them though the syns of Iudah be sought for they shal be no more found for the Lord is merciful to them whom he reserveth he hath washed the filthines of the daughters of Sion their transgressions are put away as aclowd and like a mist their syns ar al cast into the bottom of the sea For this the Saincts doe triumph and say who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that justifieth who shal condemn we wil goe forward in the streÌ„gth of the Lord God we wil make mention of thy Iustice even of thyne onely And thus is fulfilled the saying of the prophet The whole seed of Israel shal be Iustified and glory in the Lord. 13. Yet is their also further grace perteyning to life and godlines given vs of God even our Sanctification whervnto he hath caled vs and which we attayn vnto by fayth in Christ. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation vnto al men and hath appeared doth teach vs that we should deny vngodlynes worldly lusts and that we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world and not continew still in syn that grace may abound VVe are the people of Gods holynes and he wil be halowed among vs he the Lord doth sanctify vs he powreth clean water vpon vs that we may be clean sprinkled in our harts from an evil conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water he taketh away the stony hart out of our body and giveth vs an hart of flesh he putteth his spirit within vs and causeth vs to walk in his statutes to keep his judgements and doe them that we be polluted no more with our abominations nor any of our transgressions and saith vnto vs ye shal be holy for I the Lord your God am holy And this is an other condition of his gracious covenant with vs as it is written I wil put my lawes in their minde and in their hart I wil write them I wil be their God and they shal be my peaple 14. Of this Sanctification ther be two parts which they that long after Life and to see good dayes must seek 1 to eschew evil 2 to doe good The way to attayn these is by the death burial of the old man the corruption of nature and the resurrection of the new that so being dead vnto syn we may be alive vnto God in Iesus Christ our Lord. The old man or body of syn is the whole man sowl and body as he is born by nature even al flesh al the grace and glory therof which the Spirit of the Lord must blow vpon and cause to fade as the flower of grasse that the man may be born again and made a new creature even born of God To work this wondrous change in vs the Lord giveth two special graces the 1 Fear 2 Love of his name by the one to restreyn vs from evil and by the other to allure vs vnto good 15. The Fear of the Lord as it is the beginning of wisdom so did Davids for fear of the Lord and we being afrayd of his judgements His mercies also are shewed vs to this end as it is written Mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared This grace God giveth to his Saincts to humble them that they be not high-minded but may walk in reverence before him and their harts be in his fear continually that it may go wel with them and with their children for ever for he that feareth the commandement shal be rewarded By this grace hav his people commuinon with him and feel his goodnes for the eye of the Lord is vpon them that fear him trust in his mercy he delighteth in them he wil fulfil the desire of them and nothing shal be wanting vnto them as he hath promised by his prophet their sowles shal dwel in good their seed shal inherit the land and the secret of the Lord and his covenant shal be revealed vnto them Wherfore vnto man he sayth Behold the Fear of the Lord is wisdome and to depart from evil is vnderstanding the reward of humility and the fear of God is riches and glory Life Vnto this therfore let vs take heed for in it is an assured strength by it we shal come out of al extremities that are either too much or too litle and to fear God and keep his commandements is the whole man this leadeth him vnto Life and being filled therwith he shal continew and not be visited with
word forbad them eyther to make or vse any manner idol or similitude vpon payn of his gealous indignation Therfore when they had made a resemblance memorial of their God that brought them out of the land of Aegypt and turned him their Glorie into the similitude of an oxe that eateth grasse then were they esteemed to hav forgotten God their saviour and committed great blasphemies for that syn many of them died al of them had ben rooted out with Aaron himself but that Moses stood in the breach and by his instant prayer turned away the Lords wrath frō destroying them 16. Againe when Ieroboam the king of Israel had set vp signes for the people to worship their God as they thought that brought them out of the Land of Aegypt because they were in the Lords account but Divils so al that followed them worshiped Satan not God yea the people in that estate were without the true God therefore he ceased not both by doctrines and judgments to keep reclaim his people from them warning Iudah not to syn though Israel played the harlot and forasmuch as Ephraim was joyned to Idols they should let him alone and not seek Bethel nor enter to Gilgal nor go to Beersheba which were the places of publick worship among them but to seek the Lord and they should live whereas all those synners of his people should die even as Ieroboams howse for his syn was rooted out and destroyed from the face of the earth 17. As the Prophets thus witnessed vnto Israel in their several ages so our Saviour Christ when he came with his Apostles first laboured to keep and withdrawe the people from the service of Divils and idols whither more open or secret For as he appeared for this purpose that he might loose the works of the Divil and was that promised seed which should crush the serpents head so did he first himself hand to hand combat with Satan resisted his tentations overcame and put him to flight and would not admit of any cōmunion between the Fiends and him nor suffer them to say so much as that they knew him He dispossessed them of many men over whom they tyrannized and commanded his disciples to do the like and ceased not this warr til Satan which had vsurped the princedom of this world was cast out even to the death did he resist him and by death destroied him which had the power of death For though in him the Serpent could find nothing yet for his chosens sake he endured al things till he had spoyled the principalities and powers and triumphed over them in his crosse thus teaching vs in his own example and person to hate with perfect hatred that enemie of God man and to know that ther can no concord be betwixt Christ and Belial 18. Satan being thus like lightning fallen down from heaven his place not found there any more after our Michael had overcome him taken from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divided his spoyles many peoples were more easily recovered and drawen out of his snares who were all taught by the trumpet of the gospell to prepare themselves to battel against him to take vnto them the whol armour of God that they might be able to resist in the evil day to fight the good fight of faith and by it stedfastly to resist that roring Lion which walked about seeking whom hee might devour being with this comforted and assured that the God of peace would tread Satan vnder their feet shortly 19. But because this Adversary would transfigure himself into an Angel of light and his ministers also as though they wer ministers of righteousnes the more care watchfulnes the Saincts were warned to have least they should be circumvented They wer taught therfore touching al the hethens religion that whatsoever they sacrificed they sacrificed to Divils and not to God and that Christians might have no fellowship with Divils and consequently neyther with those idolaters which ignorantly worshiped such but must come out from among them separate themselves and touch no vnclean thing for they could not be partakers both of the Lords table and of the table of Divils two such contrarie maisters they could by no meanes serve And if they joyned with the wicked in their worship or haunted their assemblies even as in Israel they that did eat of the sacrifices were partakers of the Altar whereby they had part and interest in the whol worship and the God worshiped even so had they with Satan that did eat of his sacrifices in his temples how ever they might perswade themselves otherwise because they did know the idol was nothing Wherefore they were forbidden al cōmunion with such and exhorted to flee from idolatrie for behold al that are of the fellowship thereof shal be confounded as sayth the Prophet 20. And because this old serpent would creep again into the church and paradise of God to seduce the Saincts set his own throne there the Lord Iesus by his Angel certified his servant Iohn and by him hath warned vs al that the Christians also would in time forsake the true service of God in spirit would worship Divils even idols of gold and silver and brasse and stone wood being drawen herevnto by the effectual delusion of Satan in his eldest son Antichrist the child of perdition whose doctrines would be the doctrines of Divils whose kingdome should be menaged by spirits of Divils and men drawen by them to battel against God almighty Herevpon is that glorious synagogue proclaymed with the lowd voyce of an heavenly Angel to be become the habitation of Divils and with an other voyce al Gods people ar willed to go out of her that they partake not in her syns and receiv not of her plagues for if any man worship that beast or his image or take his mark he shal drink of the wine of Gods wrath and be tormented in fyre and brimstone before the holie Angels before the Lamb and the smoke of their torment shall ascend evermore 21. And as by the word of Christ men wer withdrawen from idolatrie and communion with the wicked so wer they also exhorted to draw neer to the Lord and in fayth and love to cleav vnto him alone that turning from darknes to light and from †the power of Satan vnto God they might receiv forgivnes of syns and inheritance among them which ar sanctified by faith in him They were therfore informed in the mysteries of the gospel baptised into the name of the Lord in whom they beleeved separated from others that frowardly refused had their assemblies for prayer doctrine and other holy exercises which they wer exhorted
evil that he may know that the fear of the Lord is his tresure as sayth the Prophet 16. But because the end of the Commandement is Love out of a pure hart and of a good cōscience of faith vnfeighned Love is the fulfilling of the Law therfore hath God comprised his whol wil touching our Sanctification and obedience in two precepts 1 Thow shalt Love thy Lord thy God with al thy hart with al thy sowl and with al thy mind 2 Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thy self on these two commandements hangeth the whol Law and the Prophets As evil therfore is to be hated and eschewed so that which is good ought to be loved and cleaved vnto the head and fountain of al which good is onely God himself who first is to be loved and above all but hath given vs this commandement that he which loveth God should love his brother also 17. And as we have of him this Law of love so have we from him the grace to love both him his law and shal from him receive the fruit therof which is Life This Moses shewed Israel of old saying The Lord thy God wil circumcise thyne hart and the hart of thy seed that thou mayst Love the Lord thy God with al thy hart and with al thy sowl that thou mayst Live Thus we love him because he loved vs first and hath inclined our harts drawn vs after him Again because as Christ sayth he that hath his cōmandements and keepeth them is he that Loveth him therefore have we this rule direction given vs by Moses further joyning these two togeither Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and shalt keep that which he commandeth to be kept that is his ordinances and his lawes and his commandements alway 18. From this ariseth much cōfort to the Saints which finding themselves affected with the Lov of God feeling his love shed abroad in their harts by the holy Ghost which is given vnto thē do grow in this grace keep themselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternal life They lov his commandements above the finest gold therfore have much peace and shal have no hurt or scandal their delight is in his cōmandements which they have loved their hands also doe they lift vp vnto them and herevpon doe expect to be quickened and conserved in life according to the loving kindnes of the Lord who preserveth al them that love him keepeth covenant and mercy towards them and causeth al things to work togither for the best vnto them For God is Love as sayth the disciple whom Iesus loved and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him and grace shal be vnto al them that love him vnto immortalitie Moses in spirit foreseing this sayd vnto Israel I cal heaven and earth to record this day agaynst you that I have set before you Life death the blessing the curse therfore chuse Life that thou and thy seed may live by loving the Lord thy God by obeying his voice and by cleaving vnto him for he is thy Life and the length of thy dayes 19. But because our Life is hid with Christ in God though now we be the sonnes of God yet it doth not appear what we shal be but when Christ which is our Life shal appear then shal we also appear with him in glory be like vnto him and see him as he is therfore hath he given vs another grace perteyning to Life and godlines called a living Hope vnto which God of his aboundāt mercy hath begotten vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead This vertue respecteth our good that is to come our inheritance reserved for vs in heaven yea thither hath it power to come entring as the Apostle saith into that which is within the vail whither the forerunner Iesus is for vs entred in this Hope we have as an anker of the soul both sure stedfast holding it fast in al tempests of tribulations or tentations knowing as Salomon sayth that ther is an end and our hope shal not be cut-off 20. Ther be two companions and as it were sisters of this grace 1 Faith 2 patience Faith goeth before as the guide and susteyner being the subsistance or ground of things hoped for as Abraham by faith even above hope beleeved vnder hope Patience accompanieth it and teacheth to wayt as it is written if we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it And thus is fulfilled that which Isaias sayth he that beleeveth shal not make hast and consequently shal not be ashamed but being assured that he which shal come wil come and wil not delay though he tary yet we wayt as the prophet biddeth vs because the Father which hath loved vs hath given vs everlasting consolation and good hope through grace and hope maketh not ashamed yea we rejoyce in hope as being the thing wherby we ar saved he which is the God of hope filleth vs with al joy and peace in beleeving and causeth vs to abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost 21. One of the special promises which the anker of Hope layeth hold vpon and that by reason of the Covenant of God with vs is the Resurrection of the Dead For as God caling himself the God of Abraham Isaak Iaakob when they wer dead vnto the world but Living vnto him did teach his people therby that he would rayse them vp again from death as our Saviour expoundeth his Fathers oracle even so we all that are in the same covenant of grace and have him for our God do beleev that after our flesh hath ben sown in dishonour and seen corruption it shal be raysed in glory by the power of God for in our graves we shal heare the voyce of Christ at his appearing shal come forth vnto the resurrection of Life And then shall we injoy all the good promises in that Citie which hath foundations whose buylder and maker is God who is not ashamed of vs to be called our God because he hath prepared for vs a citie 22. Thus have we through the grace of our God those three heavenly vertues mentioned by the Apostle 1 an effectual Faith 2 adiligent Love 3 and the patience of Hope in our Lord Iesus Christ by Faith to beleev the mysteries of life and al his word by Love to cleav vnto him and keep his commandemēts by hope to exspect the fulfilling of al good promises which God that cannot lie hath made vnto vs and these three things doe abide with vs during this present life that walking in them we may
the breath of his lips woūding kings treading down peoples in the day of his wrath Therefore the poor shall committ themselves vnto him and triumph in his salvation saying The Lord is king for ever and ever the hethen are destroyed forth of his land the kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shal reign for evermore 24. Secondly he cōmunicateth with his Saincts this grace to be Kings also with him and to reign on earth that as himself sitteth ruleth vpon his throne is a Priest vpon his throne and the counsell of peace is between them both so they whom he hath made kings Priests vnto God his Father being a kingly priesthood even a kingdom of Priests and an holy nation having part in the first resurrection the second death may hav no power over them but being the Priests of God and of Christ and reigning with him the terme of yeres limited at last whē they have overcome may sit with Christ in his throne even as he overcame sitteth with his Father in his throne 25. This spirituall kingdome wherby the Saincts reign on earth is first over their own syns and corruptions for they are careful to be vpright with God and to keep themselves from their wickednes and the Lord subdueth their iniquities that syn shal not have dominiō over them because they are freed from it and made servants vnto God having their fruit in holynes and the end everlasting life And this victorie whereby they overcome themselves is greater thē al earthly conquests according to the true proverb He that is slow to anger is better then the Mighty man he that ruleth his own spirit is better then he that winneth a citie Secondly it is over the world which also they set themselves against as knowing that it lieth in wickednes the wisdom thereof is foolishnes cometh to naught the pleasures of it are vanitie and vexatiō of spirit the sorowes of it work death and the amitie thereof is the enmitie of God therefore flee they the corruption that is in the world through lust walking before God as strangers pilgroms on earth not loving the world nor the thinges that are in the world which have neyther satisfying nor fruit in thē but being crucified vnto it it vnto them they keep thēselves vnspotted of it free frō the bondage servitude of the same they vse it as though they vsed it not they bear with patience al the reproches injuries that it offreth yea though they be made the gazing stock as the filth of the same yet are they more then conquerours through him that loved thē and do fulfil that which is written All that is born of God overcometh the world this is the victorie that overcometh the world evē our faith Thirdly the conquest of the Saincts is over Satan himself the prince of this world and worker of all mischief Him also they resist stedfast in the faith and doe overcome him by the blood of the Lamb by the word of their testimonie and love not their lives vnto the death so that wicked one fleeth from them and toucheth them not for they keep themselves because they are begotten of God who wil tread that adversary vnder their feet shortly with him shal be destroyed the last enemy Death And as now the Saincts doe reigne with Christ on earth by faith and patience so then having judged the world and even the Angels they shal reign with him in glory in heaven for evermore 26. To teach vs this Communion with Christ we have in the scripture many doctrines similitudes as that he will make his church a roller a new threshing instrumēt having teeth for to thresh the mountayns and bring them to powder make the hils as chaff that he giveth strength and power to his people making their horn yron their hoofs brasse themselves as his bewtiful horse in the battel that they shal be as the mighty men which tread down their enimies in the myre of the streets in the battel for the Lord of hosts shal defend them they shal devowr and subdue their foes That Christ shal make his children Princes throughout all the earth as himself hath many Crowns vpon his head so will he cōmunicate them with his Saincts as the crownes of his figure Iesus son of Iehozadak the high Priest were to Helem Tobijah and others for a memorial in the tēple of the Lord. That as Christ is the head corner stone vpon which whosoever fal shal be broken on whomsoever it fal it shal grinde them to powder so Ierusalem his church shall bee made a heavie stone for al people al that lift it vp shal be torne though al the people of the earth be gathered togither against it That as Christ shal crush the nations with a scepter of yron and break them in peeces like a potters vessel so he that overcometh and keepeth his works vnto the end to him will he give power over nations he shal rule them with a rod of yron that as potters vessels they shal be broken even as he received of his Father so will he give to that man the morning starre 27. To illustrate this Cōmunion between our Saviour and vs we have the similitude of an humane bodie the mēbers wherof by their due joynts and synewes ar joyned to the head receiv from it life and motion and government in al the actions and affayrs so Christ is the head of the body of his church communicateth with al the Saincts his members life and grace and al good things for their conservation Also of a vine or Olive tree whose branches ar made partakers of the juice sap and fatnes that is in the root stock so we abiding in Christ the true vine doe by the juice moysture of his grace live and bear fruits to the prayse of God Agayn as the husband and wife ar not two but one flesh the first woman builded of the rib of man was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and so did love live togither partaking ech with others wel fare in like manner are we joyned to the Lord made one spirit he that made vs is our husband and we are maried to him in faith wherevpon he nourisheth cherisheth vs for we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones and this is a great Secret as the Apostle sayth which they that would behold had need be caried in Spirit as was Iohn to a great an high Mountain there to be shewed this Spowse adorned with the
glory of God al precious ornaments of his Spirit And so greatly doth the King delight in her bewty that the words which were spoken to the first woman Evah how her desire should be vnto her husband are now on the other hand as touching the affection of love applied by the Spowse vnto him whom her sowl loveth I am my welbeloveds and his desire is towards me 28. From all that which is before spoken of the Cōmunion that God hath caled vs vnto with his Son it followeth that whatsoever justice and holines was in Christ manifested in the flesh eyther by nature or by actiō the same is made ours by grace and imputation as on the contrary whatsoever syn vnrighteousnes is in vs by nature or action the same is made his by imputation and by him is healed and taken away that it can not be we now should perish if we hold fast our faith and confidence of rejoycing vnto the end Whatsoever troubles sorrowes or tentations syn onely excepted do befall vs in this life the like have befalle◠vnto him were by him overcome and shal from vs as already they are from him be done away Finally whatsoever freedom liberty Christ as mā in ordinarie estate had on earth cōversing amōg men◠the like hath he given dayly giveth confirmeth vnto Christiās whither we respect the spiritual law of God or the politick lawes of men and civil states For he it is that liveth in vs himself is ours and we are his graffed into his death and resurrection to eternal life he hath given his glory vnto Israel even the glory that the Father gav him hath he given vs that we may be one as the Father and he ar one he in vs and God in him wher he is ther shal we also be to behold his glory though for the present we walk by faith and not by sight and it doth not yet appear what we shal be The cōsideration of which riches of his grace may cause vs to say with the prophet how great is his goodnes how great is his bewtie And we may conclude with the last word of Moses the man of God Blessed art thou o Israel who is like vnto thee o people saved by the Lord the shield of thine help and which is the sword of thy glorie therfore thine enimies shal be in subjectiō to thee thow shalt tread vpon their high places CHAP. XIII Of our Communion with the holy Ghost ALthough the fellowship that we have with the holy Ghost who is one with the Father and the Son may much be discerned by that which is before spoken of God of Christ yet because the scripture speaketh many things of the work of Gods Spirit in vs and particularly of the Cōmunion of the Holy Ghost with vs it wil be for the good and comfort of the Saincts to consider the graces and benefits that do come vnto them by this cōmunion also in particular 2. And this the rather for that the Spirit is the Comforter that other Comforter or Advocate which the Father at Christs request doth give vnto vs for to abide with vs for ever and chear vs in the absence of our Lord Iesus from vs who is gone vnto his Father and ours that we should not be left as orphans on earth destitute of help and comfort amids our many trials and tribulations 3. Very great is the grace admirable the strength and consolation which this Comforter giveth to the Saincts as the example of the Apostles themselves doth confirm who al the while that Christ was with them in this world though he ceased not to teach inform thē to comfort and embolden them to reprove and blame them as there was occasion yet were they weak and faint in faith fearfull of their enimies forgetful of Christs promises without vnderstanding of his mysteries and overcaried many wayes with their own infirmities But when he had sent down vpon them the promise of his Father endued them with power from on high baptising them with the holy Ghost then began they to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them vtterance the wonderful works of God shewed great boldnes in preaching the word with great power witnessed the resurrection of the Lord Iesus and many signes and wonders were shewed by their hands and they ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ amongst many troubles rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name 4. Neyther vnto them alone was the holy Ghost given though the abundance of his graces was powred most plentifully vpon them but al that in those dayes or before or synce do beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ ar sealed also with the same spirit of promise furnished in some mesure with the gifts of the same Which grace the Lord himself proclaymed in that last and great day of the Feast of Tabernacles saying He that beleeveth in me as sayth the scripture out of his bel'y shal flow rivers of water of life speaking this of the Spirit which they that beleeved in him should receiv for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his 5. As ther is but one God and Father of al and one Lord Jesus Christ so is ther but one and the same Spirit although for the diversities of gifts which that Spirit distributeth among the Saincts the scripture sometime speaketh as of seven Spirits which ar before the throne of God seven being a ful and perfect number and signifying Many and these seven Spirits be the seven hornes seven eyes that is the manifold and absolute power providence of the Lamb Christ Iesus of whom it was prophesied that the Spirit of the Lord should rest vpon him the Spirit of wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of counsel of strength the Spirit of knowledge of the fear of the Lord of whō also it was witnessed God giveth him not the Spirit by mesure 6. The Spirit as he was at first creator of the world with the Father the Son garnished the heavēs so is he stil the finger of God that worketh effectually al his actions creating the creatures renewing the face of the earth And generally as God speaketh vnto men outwardly by the ministery of his word so sendeth he also inwardly motions of his Spirit against which many struggle to their just judgement In the old world Gods spirit strove in man as his word was preached by Noah but they sayd vnto God Depart from vs wherfore they were wrinckled before the time and the flood was powred out vpō their foundation Whē Israel came out of Aegypt the Lord sent before them Moses Aaron Miriam to guyd