Lord than to put any confidence in man yea that it is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in Princes With whom did the Lord euer make a couenaÌ„t broke it To whom did the Lord euer make a promise and fulfilled it not Call to mind all the promises of God made in former times in the ages that are past and see if euer he failed in any one iote of his promises He promised to giue vnto Abraham a son and by him a seed that should be multiplyed as the starres as the sand by the sea shore How hard a matter was this and in reason impossible to be performed For if wee consider either the body of Abraham it was dead he being almost an hundred yeares old or rhe deadnes of Saraes womb with whome it ceased to be after the manner of women we shal see the accomplishing hereof to be in the iudgement and opinion of flesh and bloud impossible And therefore howsoeuer Abraham being stronge in faith staggered not through vnbeleefe at the promises of God but laughed for ioy yet Saâ—a laughed them to scorn as things not to be hoped for and thereby might through her vnbeliefe haue depriued her selfe of the blessing of God yet the Lord would rather worke miracles alter the course of nature than he would not accomplish that promised seed that he promised vnto Abraham Insomuch that neither Abrahams dead bodie nor Saraes dead wombe no nor Saraes dead faith for so in this regard I may call it could make the promise of God of none effect Again he promised vnto the same Abraham to giue vnto his seed after him the land of Canaan for their possession Now doe but consider with thy selfe how many lets there might haue seemed to haue hindered this that was promised Abraham himselfe had no possession therin at all as Stephen mentioneth no not the bredth of a foot his seede consisted onely in one Isack Those that should be borne of him must be in bondage foure hundred yeares to a strange nation and there they must be euilly intreated The Aegyptians were more in number than they were and therefore able by violence to keepe them in bondage still Pharaoes hart was hardened so that he would not let them goe The redde sea might haue stopped their passage the long and barren wiâ—dernesse might haue consumed them and beene their graue the fierie Serpents might haue deuoured them the Amalakites might haue ouercome them in battell hunger and thirst might haue pined them away their rebellion against Moses their murmuring against Aaron their idolatrie against God their whoredome with the daughters of Moab might haue razed them out of the face of the earth The townes of the land of Canaan were mightie and walled vp to the heauens The people thereof were of the sonnes of Anaâ—k euen giants and of a tall stature The people of the Iewes were weake vnarmed not exercised in the warres and that which is more full of vnbeleefe and of a hard heart All these might haue mooued the Lord to haue broken his promise if any thing possible could procure him therevnto but none of all these neither the hardnes of Pharaoes heart nor the power of the Aegyptians nor the depth of the sea nor the barrennesse of the wildernesse nor the sting of the Serpents nor the force of the Amalakites nor the strength of the Cities nor the might of the Gyants no nor the sinnes of the seede of Abraham could make the Lord to chaunge his promise or alter that which hee had spoken with his lipps Moreouer the Lord promised to send his sonne into the world made of a woman of the seede of Abraham and of the stocke of Dauid and by him to redeem mankind Now how many things might haue mooued the Lord to haue broked his promise God himselfe must make himselfe voyde and emptie as the Apostle speaketh he must take vpoÌ„ him the shape of a seruant and be made the creature he must be a man that should haue good experience of infirmities bee counted so vile that all his people should hide their faces from him he must be subiect to cold heat hunger thirst nakednesse and pouertie he must be tempted by Sathan despised of men tormented of God he must bee whipped and scorned yea hee must bee hanged vpon the crosse and die a most shamefull death he must be made sinne the curse of God for vs he much descend into hell and haue the portion of the reprobate and damned soule for to redeeme vs. All these might haue moued the father to haue pitied and so to haue spared his onely son especially they might haue moued God not so to haue abased himselfe but to haue continued in his owne glory and blessednes But most especially might that prayer that Christ the sonne of God made to his father in the garden where hee intreated him in the bitternes of his soule to remoue if it were possible that cup away from him that is that he might not indure those tormentes and suffer that death together with the contempt and infidelitie of the Iewes haue caused the father either for his sonnes request or the peoples desert to haue repented him and so to haue changed his promise with his purpose But neither the regard of Gods owne glorie in his son nor the abasing nor the abusing nor the miserie nor the torments nor the curse nor the death no nor the damnation as it were I meane the portion of the damned allotted vnto his son nor yet his intreatie nor mans infidelity could bring that to passe What should I stand in repeating of the promise of God made to Noah which was no more to destroy the world with water although no doubt the sins since the flood haue ouerpassed all that euer went before The promise made to Dauid which was that he would giue him the kingdome of Israell which he brought to passe notwithstanding the might the malice the rage of Saule The promise that he made to the Iewes concerning their returne out of the captiuitie of Babilon which when they saw effected they were as it wete one that dreamed and their mouth was filled with laughter What shall I need to repeat euery one when it is manifest that neuer a one euer failed or came to naught Let these suffice to assure thee that that Lord whose promises haue bin euer euen as himselfe immutable and vnchangeable notwithstanding all lets and hinderances will not now begin with thee either by reason of the monstrousnes or multitude or manner of thy sinnes or weakenesse of thy faith to breake his promises and to retaine thy sinnes which he promised to forgiue I do not denie but that thy sinnes might be monstrous and many yea and malicious also and therfore they might seeme to bee great reasons to stay the accomplishment of these forenamed promises but if thou compare them with those mountaines which the Lord ouerpassed and
grace of God and a singuler vertue created in thee by the spirit consisting between two extreames despaire on the one side and sencelesnesse on the other side and also that euen this thine as it seemeth seruile feare is that spirit of bondage to feare which is mentioned in the eight to the Romans That is that fruit of the spirit of God wrought in thee to bring thee to the true feare of God which is as the holy Ghost beareth witnesse the verie fountain and offspring of wisdome And that therefore this sorrow and feare are but those foundations or ground workes vpon the which the spirit of God whose worke-manship now thou art in Iesus Christ will build the other graces of God euen sanctification that is righteousnes true holines the fruit wherof as the Apostle Iames telleth vs is sowne in peace spirituall comfort with the fulnes of God and of the holy Ghost which being once felt after thy sorrow will make thee sing a Psalme of thanksgiuing vnto the Lord and make thee to reioyce with ioy vnspeakable For the end of godly sorrow is ioy in the spirit comfort in the holy ghost After Peters teares ensued the fulnes of the holy Ghost Dauid that in one place complaineth that his sinnes are continually before his face and gone ouer his head as a burden too heauy for him to beare in another Psalme addresseth himselfe to sing of the mercie and iustice of the Lord and to extoll his long patience louing kindnes The Iewes that by the preaching of Peter were pricked in conscience were afterward by the same Peter baptised to the remissioÌ„ of their sins The Iaylor that had drawne out his sword to kill himselfe withall was after comforted by Paule and reioyced that he with his whole houshold beleeued in God And to conclude what one man hath there euer ben that rightly sorowed for his sins that hath not found his sorrow to be turned into ioy and his mourning into comfort Comfort thy selfe therefore with their comforts and so make thy selfe partaker of their comforts Knowing this that the Lord that hath giuen thee wine to glad thy heart oile to make thee haue a cheerful countenance sweete flowers to delight thy sences musicke to refresh thy mind generally to speake in a word manifold comforts for thy body is as rich in the comforts of the spirit which he will as richly in his time appointed shed into thy heart by the holy Ghost the knowledge wherof may be a good step to the attaining of that spiritual comfort that thou desirest and thirstest after For to a sicke man it is euen health it selfe to know that his disease is curable that there is remedie inough for the same But as it is not ynough to know that there is a salue for his sore except hee know the confection and the same be applyed so in this disease of the soule I meane despaire it is not sufficient to know that there is a remedie except the same be applyed accordingly The one which is to apply the remedie I commit to the worke of the grace of God and to thine owne care and desire of peace and ease The other which is to describe the comfort I will by the grace of God labour in And herein I will describe those particulars onely which my selfe know to haue been profitable vnto others that haue been as thou art afflicted The 2. Chapter In the first part whereof are set down the expresse pomises of God concerning the free forgiuenes of sins and in the later is declared first that the same promises of merâ—y are deliuered vnto vs in the word of God then that they are bound by his oath thirdly that they are also bound by his Indenture of couenants and lastly that they are confirmed by two visible signs tokens in sted of woÌ„ders to wit Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. The fi st Section FIrst therefore I will that thou mayest not relye vppon the vncertainety of man but the vnchaungeable truth of God set thee downe those expresse promises of God concerning the free forgiuenesse of thy sinnes that the Scriptures most euidently plentifully for the most part in euery one of the Prophets afford As namely in the 18. of Ezekiel where the Lord expressely promiseth that if the wicked will return from his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all his statutes and do the thing that is lawfull and right that he shall surely liue and shall not die and that all his transgressions that hee hath committed shal not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue And againe in his 33 Chapter the Lord by the mouth of the same Prophet promiseth that if the wicked turn from his sinne none of his sinnes that he hath committed shall euermore be mentioned vnto him And this is that also which is promised by the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet Ieremie in his 33 chap. to all them that repent who promiseth that he will cleÌ„se them from all their iniquities whereby they sinned against him yea that he will pardon al their iniquities wherby they haue sinned against him and wherby they haue rebelled against him And this is yet further confirmed by the mouth of the Prophet Esay who in his 43. chapter bringeth in the Lord himselfe speaking after the same maner and saying I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquitie for mine owne sake and will not remembeâ— thy sins any more And again in his 44. chapter he saith I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sins as a mist turne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Infinite are those promises of the Lord that are liuely and in euerie one of the Prophets euen as many as haue written from Moses from thence forward and that oftentimes expressed All which it shall bee needlesse to repeat These few in stead of all the rest may suffice to shew vnto thee that the Lord hath passed his promise to passe by thy sins and to forgiue thine offences trasgressions The consideration whereof may be a strong and infallible comfort vnto thy conscience Knowing that the Lord that hath promised is able by reason of his power to whome it only appertaineth to forgiue sins is willing by reason of his promise to performe it For we are not to set the Lord before our eyes ae those vaine men of the world that promise more than they are able to accomplish or as those deceitfull men which being in the ballance are lighter than vanitie it selfe who make a face but haue no heart make an offer but haue no purpose to performe that which they promise For who hath euer put his trust in the Lord and went away confounded Who hath euer relyed vppon the Lord and the Lord lied vpon him Who hath euer depended vpon him did not by experience find that it is better to trust in the
maner which I will also set downe that thou maiest conser them together saying This â—s the couenant that I wâ—ll maâ—e with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord. I will put my lawes in ther inward parts wr te theÌ„â—n the r harts And I wil be their God they shal be my people And they shal not teach euery man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for al shal kâ—ow me froÌ„ the least to the greatest of theÌ„ For I wil be mercâ—ful vnto their vnrighteousnes I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more In which words thou seest the very couÌ„terpane of the former IndeÌ„ture of the Lords couenaÌ„ts almost word for word So that now thou hast a pair of these IndeÌ„tures of couenaÌ„ts to warrant thee forgiunes of thy sins And least thou shouldst lose or lay vp that Indenture that is with thee at thy heeles and so should not haue it to shew when need requireth behold the kindnes of God to thee ward who hath taken the paine to coppie out the sum of the couenants in the 10. to the Hebrues in these words following This is the couenaÌ„t that I will make vnto them after those daies saith the Lord. I wil put my lawes in their harts in the r minds wil I write them And their siâ—s and iniquities wil I remeÌ„ber no more So that thou seest how faithfully the Lord as one that ment not to deale deceitfully with thee hath dealt in this behalfe What can he do more Thou wilt not take his word nor his oath he hath entred into couenants bound himselfe by his Indenture to performe his couenants And this Indenture he hath caused to be made interchangeably and so a paire of them to be drawn one for the principall on the behalfe of the Lord the other for euer to remaine with thee And that which is more he hath giuen withall a coppie thereof if thou shouldest forget where to find the Indenture it selfe And least thou shouldst take some exception against the hand or the scriuener that wrote the same the Lord as before I said drew the couenants Indenture it selfe with his owne hand and finger which is the holy Ghost who is with the father and the son God blessed for euermore As plainely appeareth by the witnesse of the holy Ghost himselfe who saith that no Scripture came of any priuate motion bâ—t holy men wrote as they were moued and g â—ded by the holy Ghost â—nd therfore Christ Peter and Paule with all the rest of the Apostles when they spake of the writings of the Prophets and their witnes called it the witnes and writings of the holy Ghost So that these Indentures were drawen and written by the holy Ghost which is the hand and finger of God So that thou hast the couenants of God drawne also with the Lords owne hand for thy better and full assurance And least that this Indenture should want any thing of his ful vertue power and strength the Lord hath added his Sacraments which are fitly by Paule in the fourth to the Romane speaking of circumcision which was a Sacrament to Abraham and the same that Baptisme is in the particular or that the Supper of the Lord is in the generall vnto vs called the seals of the couenant of God So that the Lord hauing added his Sacraments to his couenants hath therein added his seale to his Indentures For his Sacraments aâ—e his seales The matter whereof consisteth not as doe the seales of kings and princes of the earth either of yellow or greene or red wax but of the red bloud of the Imaculat and vnspotted Lambe the Son of God Iesus Christ which is visibly exhibited in the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. For which cause the Lord himselfe and the Apostle Paule in the 11. of the first to the Corin. calleth the cup in the Lords supper the bloâ—d of the new couenaÌ„t for that this new couenaÌ„t before set down is ratified established coÌ„firmed therwith sealed as it were with a seal Wherin also least thou shoâ—ldst take some exception against this seale as if it were either counterâ—ait or by stealth added and affiâ—ed thervnto thou art to vnderstand first that it is the Lords broad seale For euen as in the kings broad seale there is imprinted ingrauen and so represented the person of his maiestie so in this Sacrament of the Lords supper which is his seale is imprinted in grauen and so represented the veâ—y body and blood and so the very and liuely person of the son of God Iesus Christ the bread representing his bodie the wine representing his bloud that in such a liuely maner forme as that Christ himselfe calleth the bread his body and the wine his bloud it selfe So that the person of the King is not so liueâ—y represented in his broad seale as the person of the Son of God is represented in his broad seale Secondly thou art to know that therein also is his seale of armes ingrauen For therin is shewed forth the arms of Christ nailed to the crosse which is the cognisance of a true Christian his bodie broken and his bloud shed for the remission of thy sinnes And this is in such a liuely maner by the breaking of the bread which is his bodie and the shedding of the wine which is his bloud shewed forth vnto the eies of our body as that we there behold visibly as in a mirror Christ crucified before our eies his body broken and his bloud shed for the forgiuenesse of our sins So that our eies may there see the worke of our redemption fulfilled so with all his seale of armes his armes being spread vpon the crosse and his bodie wounded for our transgressions So that euen as the broad seale of England hath on the one side the person of the Prince and on the other side the armes of the land ingrauen so hath this seale of God fixed to his Indenture of couenants the person of the Lord on the one side his armes on the other side liuely and euidently imprinted Thirdly thou must coÌ„sider that this is his seale which is vsually affixed in such cases and to such writings For it hath been alwaies the vse of the Lord to seale these and such like couenants of spirituall graces by the shedding of blood As may appear in the 15 of Genesis where the Lord confirming and sealing his couenant of the land of Canaan which represented that heauenly Ierusalem vnto them which he promised vnto Abâ—aham and his seed caused him to slâ—y a calfe a goat and a ram of three yeares of age and to cut them a sunder according to the vse of those nations So the Lord in the 17 of Genesis being to enter into a new couenaÌ„t with Abraham concerning the child of promise sealed the same with circumcision which was a Sacrament of blood But most liuely of all this appeareth in the 24 of
sinne committed against his glorious maiestie So that it being the propertie of mercie to respect miserie and God being rich in mercie euen the God of al mercie the father of all comfort and consolation whose mercie reacheth vnto the heauens and his faithfulnes vnto the clouds we may no lesse truly then boldly inferre that as it is naturall for the fire to giue heat or the sun to giue light so is it naturall for God to forgiue thy sinnes and thy offences And as the fire giueth thee heat and is not moued as the sun giueth thee light and is not vexed and troubled therewith fith it is his nature so to do so the Lord forgiueth thee thy sinnes and is not as Sathan would perswade thy conscience either troubled or vexed or greeued or vnwilling therewith and why because it is his nature so to do And therefore as man doth those things cheerfully and willingly which he doth naturally so God doth forgiue our sinnes and that with out any trouble or molestation to himselfe because his heart driueth him thervnto as the Prophet speaketh Thou comest to the fire for heat and it is not painefull for the same to giue it thou coâ—est to the sun for light and it is no offeÌ„ce for it to afford it thou comest to God for mercy for thy sin and it is not troublous for the Lord to yeeld it No he taketh a singuler delight in forgiuing thy sins as Micah in his last chapter plainâ—y sheweth Where he saith VVho is so strong a God as thou art forgiuing sin passing by â—niquity in the remnaÌ„t of thy possession which keepeth not his anger for euer because he is delighted with mercy And the Prophet Dauid in his 147 psal telleth vs painly that the Lord delighteth in theÌ„ that feare him and come to him for mercy So that the spirit speaketh euidently that the Lord delighteth both in them that sue to him for mercy and also in shewing of mercy and therfore in forgiuing our offences And no maruaile for first his mercie being one part of himselfe he must needs delight in the vse therof For aâ— man desireth delighteth in the vse of the parts of his body of his tongue to speak his eies to see his ears to heare his handâ— to feele his feet to walke withall insomuch that the contrarie therevnto is painefull as for to haue his tongue tied his eies closed his eares stopped his handâ— manacled his feet chained or fettered so is it a delight for the Lord to vse the parts of himself as of his iustice to the iudgement of the obstinat so of his mercie to the forgiuenes of the sin of the humble and the mourners and the contrarie therevnto which is to be debarred of the exercise and vse of his meâ—cie is rather troublesome and painefull vnto the Lord than is the fâ—rgiuenes of our sinnes For the forgiuenes of sinnes is the vse and exercise of Gods mercie which is one part of God himselfe yea God himselfe For as this is true God is loue so this also iâ— true God is â—ercie and therefore God must needs delight in his being euen in his being mercie in being merciful to his elect though miserable both men and sinners And in this first regard it is manifest that God taketh a singular delight in the forgiuenes of our sins Secondly lastly the forgiuenes of our sins turneth to the praise of the glorie of his grace For the Saints that tast and trie the mercy of the Lord sing praise in the memoriall remembrance thereof as Dauid willeth them yea and hauing felt the mercie of God in the forgiuenes of their offences with Dauid they acknowledge to the praise of the glorie of God that the Lord is very kind and mercifull also and that in God compassion doth plentifully flow And with the elect of God they fall downe before the throne of his grace giue honor and glory and power and praise vnto God that hath redeemed them from this wicked world their offences and made them kings and priests vnto the Lord a holy nation and a royall priesthood And as Schollers accept pardon from their Tutors seruants from their maisters sons from their parents subiects froÌ„ their priâ—ces with all humble thanks so the elect accept with all thanks vnto the Lord the cup of their saluation the pardon for their sins bowing the knees of their soules vnto the God of all mercie and the father of all comfort falling down vpon their faces giuing thanks to him that liueth for euer and euer that washeth them by his bloud from all their sinnes and transgressions And therefore sith it turneth vnto the aduaÌ„cing of the glory of God vnto the magnifying of his mercie and is also of the essence and nature of God to forgiue our sinnes we may be assured that as the Lord hath a singular delight therein so a speciall readines therevnto For euen men we see by experience willingly do those things wherein they are delighted We may therfore hereto conclude that as the fire cannot chuse but burn sith it is his nature so God cannot chuse but forgiue vs our offences sith it is naturall vnto him He is mercifull for he is mercie it selfe and that especially vnto miserable sinners for where there is no miserie there can be no mercie The second Section The mercie of the Lord stretcheth it selfe euen to the beastes of the field Thou Lord saith the prophet Dauid in his 30 Psalme doth saue both man and beast And againe in his 147 Psalme the Lord saith the Psalmist is good to all his mercies are ouer all his works Doth the Lord shew mercie to the beasts of the field and will he not extend the same to man created according to his own image is he gracious vnto sencelesse creatures and will he not be gracious vnto reasonable creatures Doth his mercie stretch it selfe to the baser workes of his hands and shall it thinkest thou be shut vp from thee the most excellent workmaÌ„ship of al other whatsoeuer creatures vpon the earth Thou hast had experience of the manifold mercies of God towards thy body He gaue thee life wheÌ„ thou wert not he brought thee vp vnto mans estate wheÌ„ yet thou wert but weak thou wert sicke and he healed thee weake and he strengthened thee hungrie and he fed thee thirstie and he satisfied thee naked he cloathed thee sorrowfull and he comforted theerin misery and he releeued thee he is the God of thy body and therefore good vnto thy body so is hee the father of spirits and God of all mercie and therfore will be fauourable vnto thy spirit I meane vnto thy soule as wel as vnto thy bodie For the father of all mercie is the father of spirits as well as he is the God of thy body And therefore thou maiest look for the same fauour in healing the infirmities euen the sinnes of thy soule that thou foundest in curing
portion therein which is due vnto thee If they shall say vnto thee that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee it is all one as if the Lord himselfe had said so much vnto thee For they are the Lords seruants not onely as other men to doe their maisters will but his message also not onely to serue him in doing but with going also not onely to come when they are called but to runne when they are sent For they are as it were the Lords footmen which are sent by him to doe his message and to signifie his minde vnto thee And therefore is it that the Apostle asketh in the tenth to the Romanes how they shall heare without a Preacher and how they shall preach except they be sent So that when the Minister commeth vnto thee to comfort thee to assure thee of the forgiuenes of thy sins thou must know for a certaintie that he is sent vnto thee by the Lord to do this his message vnto thee to tell thee euen from the Lords owne mouth that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And this thou maiest and must assure thy selfe of whether he come vnto thee either voluntarie without thy procurement as Nathan did vnto Dauid who said vnto him hearing the confession of his sin and the Lord hath taken away thy sinne that thou shalt not die for it and as Christ came voluntarily vnto the Iewes without their sending for him the spirit of God hauing annointed him and sent him to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel euen vnto so many as were a far off or whether hee come vnto thee being sent for by thee as Peter was by Cornelius who although hee came vnto Cornelius being sent for by him yet both was Peter by the vision which hee saw warned by God himselfe to goe also Cornelius commanded to send for him by an Angell but thou by the spirit And therefore when the Minister commeth vnto thee to tell thee that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee assure thy selfe as the truth is in Christ Iesus that whether hee come by thy procurement or without thy procuremeÌ„t he was sent to thee by the Lord to signifie so much of his gracious pleasure vnto thee For euerie faithfull Minister is the seruant of the Lord sent from the Lord himselfe to doe his message yea he is the Embassador of the Lord. For as Paul sheweth 2. Cor. 7.20 we are Christâ— embassadors for you As therefore the embassador representeth the person of the Lord his king that sent him so doth the Minister of the gospel being the Lords embassador represent the person of the Lord his Prince Christ Iesus and so ought to be taken euen as an earthly embassador is with the kings princes of the world As therefore this is true which Paule in the fore-mentioned place saith namely that wee come as Embassadours in the name of Christ as though God himself intreated you by vs so we intreat you in the name of Christ to be reconciled vnto God So likewise this is true namely that wee come as Embassadours in the name of Christ as though God himself spake vnto you so wee say vnto you in the name of Christ that your sins are forgiuen you And therefore when thou seest the embassador of the Lord which is his Minister come vnto thee and tell thee that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee think with thy selfe that the Lord as it were by his owne mouth hath now told thee that he hath pardoned thine offences Yea the Ministers of the lord are the Angels of the Lord and so are called in the third of Malachy and the first verse in the second and third of the Reuelation in diuers other places For there Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ is called the Angell of God againe the Minister of Ephesus of Philadelphia of Smyrna of Pargama is called the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Philadelphia Smyrna Pargama â—nd so forth to teach vs that so we should account of the Ministers of the Gospel as of the Angels of God and of their message in the name of Christ as if an Angell of glorie from heauen should haue told vs the same Now if an Angel should haue spoken to thee as he did vnto Manoah or vnto Mary the mother of Christ at his conception or vnto Mary Magdalen at his graue or the Disciples at his ascention or vnto Iohn in the Reuelation or as vnto Christ in his agonie thou wouldest I hope be satisfied and comforted therewith And why then art thou not aswell certified by the testimonie of the Ministers which are in like manner as thou knowest aswel the Angels of god as they although indeed herein they differ the one is an heauenly the other an earthly the one a more glorâ—ous the other a more baser Angell yet they are both the Angels of the Lord both the one and the other And theâ—fore thou oughtest in this message of God to giue as much credite to the one as to the other as much vnto Esay as vnto Gab iel vnto Paul as vnto Michael if we may tâ—uely cal him an Angell as much vnto Moses and the Prophets as to a man rising from the dead as much vnto the earthly Angels as vnto the angels of heauen For thou oughtest not to respect so much the messenger as the Maister the seruant as the Lord the Embassador as the Prince the beautie as the officer of the Messenger except thou wilt be an accepter of persons But if thou wilt needs respect the person regard the person of God which is common to the Ministers with the Angels of glory For aswell doth the Minister of god as the angels of God beare and represent the person of God Thou must not think the grace to be lesse gracious sith the messeÌ„ger is not so graced nor the treasure to be of lesse value beâ—â—se it is brought vnto thee by or in an caâ—â—heÌ„ vessell For the word of the Lord is the same in the mouth of a man of a throne in the earthly in the heauenly Angell Notwithstanding it is more for thy profit to haue this message done vnto thee by a man than by an Angel of glory And that both because such is thâ— excellencie of the glorie of an Angell oâ— light that thou canst not endure thâ— brightnes of his presence and also because thou neither canst bee so familiar with him as thou desirest and shouldest be to deliuer thine estate nor yet canst at al times when thou desirest being oâ— the earth haue conference and recourse vnto the Angels being in heauen The Lord therefore ascending vp on high gaue among other gifts this gift also of great value vnto his Church and vnto thy selfe euen Pastors Doctors thâ—â— is the Ministers of the Gospell of God 〈◊〉 euen the earthly Angels that should bâ— continually and familiarly conuersant 〈◊〉 dwelling with earthly men that mighâ— after a more familiar lesse fearful maner declare vnto theÌ„ the