them outwardly by kingdome priesthood and prophesie he gave them also his good Spirit to instruct them and Iesus Christ his Son the Angel of his face or presence saved them yet they both envied Moses and Aaron the holy one of the Lord and often provoked grieved tempted God himself and limited the Holy one of Israel they rebelled vexed his holy Spirit the Spirit of the Lord which had given theÌ„ rest therefore was he turned to be their enimy and fought against them In these last dayes of the Gospell we are also taught how some that have tasted of the heavenly gift were made partakers of the Holy Ghost yet fall so away that they caÌ„not be renewed vnto repeÌ„tance So that even wicked men and reprobates do often receive the gifts of the Spirit whereby they do many great works yet are not benifited hereby vnto salvation for they have not the grace of God to sanctifie those gifts seal theÌ„ vp vnto the day of redemption therfore God taketh his holy Spirit from them and sometyme sendeth his evil spirit in sted thereof to vex them as he did vnto Saul this worthily seing there are of these wretches that do even despite the Spirit of grace 7. But the Saincts elect of God have an other manner coÌ„munion with the Holy Ghost for their help comfort and sanctification in this life and assurance of life eternall For because they are sons God sendeth the Spirit of his son into their harts which crieth Abba Father so they are no more servants but sons and heyrs also of God through Christ who hath obteyned of his Father this Comforter to abide with them for ever even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiv because it seeth him not neyther knoweth him but they know him for hee dwelleth with them shal be in them their bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 8. The communion which the Saincts have with the Spirit is in many particulars and that from the beginning of their dayes vnto the end For Ieremiah was sanctified and Iohn Baptist filled with the Holy Ghost even from their mothers wombs And we all that are born of God have our regeneration and new birth of the Spirit according to his mercy are saved by the washing of the new birth the renewing of the Holy Ghost 9. The word of God which it the immortal seed whereby we are begotten hath alwayes been vttered explayned and vnderstood by means of this Spirit David testifieth of himself that the Spirit of the Lord spake in him his word was in his tongue our saviour Christ and his Apostles doe witnesse also the same concerning him so the things that he spake we must receiv as the sayings of the Holy Ghost The like is to be minded for Isaias Michaias and al other Prophets by whose hands the Lord protested among his people by his spirit for Prophesie as the Apostle saith came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they wer moved by the Holy Ghost the Lord Iehovah his Spirit sent them Yea Christ himself had the Spirit of God put on him that hee might shew judgment to the Gentils and was anoynted with the Spirit that he might preach the Gospel to the poor and vnto the Apostles whom hee had chosen gave he coÌ„mandements through the Holy Ghost who also having received the Spirit which is of God spake the things that were given them of him not in the words which mans wisdome taught but which the holy Ghost did teach them so preached they the Gospel vnto the Saincts by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven 10. Vnto this Gospel of salvation first preached by the Lord and after coÌ„firmed by them that heard him God bare witnes both with signes and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost For to one as the Apostle sayth was given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to an other the word of knowledge by the same spirit to an other Faith by the same Spirit to an other the gifts of healing by the same Spirit to an other the operations of great works to an other Prophesie to an other discerning of spirits to an other diversities of tongues to an other the interpretatioÌ„s of toÌ„gues and al these things wrought even the self same Spirit distributing to every man severally as he would 11. But these spiritual gifts though they were powred out vpon many yet are they not neyther ever were given vnto al as it is written Are al doers of miracles have al the gifts of healing doe al speak with tongues doe al interpret Agayn to al that have them they ar not seals of the adoption of Sons for if men have prophesie and know al secrets and al knowledge if they have al fayth so that they can remove mountayns and have not Love they ar nothing Yet is this manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profit withall as the Apostles were Gods witnesses concerning the things which they sayd so was the holy Ghost whom God gave to them that obeyed him the Spirit was one of the three witnesses on earth as the Apostle Iohn sayth 12. As the mysterie of Christ was reveled to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit they preached the Gospel vnto others by the Holy Ghost sent down froÌ„ heaven as the ordinary permanent officers of the Churches are made Overseers by the Holie Ghost to feed the Church of God so by the hearing of Faith preached do men receive the Spirit which God openly shewed when while Peter yet was speaking the Holy Ghost fel on all them which heard thâ—â— word And as by the work of the Spirit the word is received and beleeved so is the same also obeyed kept and reteyned through the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us The Sacraments also have by him their effects in vs as it is written by one Spirit are we al baptised into one body whither Iewes or Greeks whither bond or free and have bene aâ—â— made to drink into one Spirit 13. And having thus our new birth caling vnto and stablishing in the faith by the work of the holy Ghost we ar further by him confirmed comforted emboldned assisted in al our spiritual battels against Satan this world and our own corruptioÌ„s For wear streÌ„gthned by Gods Spirit in the inner maÌ„ being armed with the word of God which is the sword of the Spirit we stand fast and though the enimy come like a flood yet the Spirit of the Lord shal chase him away as sayth the Prophet And in rebuking the world he vseth great boldnes convincing them of syn of righteousnes and of judgement so
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
He is no created Angel but the creator of Angels and all other thinges in heaven and earth therefore is he the Archangel the head of al principalitie and power the first of the chief Princes even Michael our prince whom al the Angels of God do worship Of him and our communion with him is before spoken 3. The ministers of God though mē on the earth yet for the service wherein they be imployed ar caled Angels or Messengers Such were the priests in the tyme of the Law as Malachie intitleth them such was Iohn Baptist such ar Christs ordinarie ministers the Angels of the Churches Of whom it remaineth to be spoken otherwhere 4. The blessed spirits which are about the throne of God where thousand thowsands minister vnto him and ten thowsand thowsands stand before him these heavenly creatures being often sent forth into this world on Gods message are therfore most properly vsually caled Angels Of thē do we treat in this place These ar wise excel in strength and in al ready and swift performance of the wil of God They ar Thrones Dominions principalities powers they ar the chief princes above al the princes of the earth and the title of Gods is given vnto them God imparteth to them his counsels and vseth their ministerie in the government of the world 5. These heavenly creatures ar parties in the communion of the Saincts as is before touched for they we hav al one head which is Christ are al elect to be partakers of the glorie of God for ever But because they are spirits and hav not flesh and blood as we therfore the fellowship between them and vs is spiritual to be learned out of the scriptures and discerned by faith not by ey-sight Again God hath in ages past before the incarnatiō of Christ more imployed them outwardly in reveling his will vnto men then in these last dayes he doeth since he hath opened vnto vs the whole mysterie of his counsel by his Son Yet as at the giving of the Law when the Lord came from mount Sinai rose vp from Seir vnto his people he came with ten thowsands of the Saincts so in the time of the Gospel when his feet stood on the mount of Olives the Lord our God came and al the Saincts with him to do him worship and minister vnto him to guard his throne church to be sēt forth in ministery for their sakes which shal be heyres of salvation 6. Somtimes the Angels appeared in visible formes of men and for a while so conversed with men eating and drinking and talking familiarly of the matters wherabout they were sent as in the historie of Abrahā Lot is to be seen Somtimes they appeared in more glorious shapes like winged creatures and so would treat with men about their affayres vocally but their celestial majestie then much daunted the sons of Adam Sometimes they appeared but spake not againe somtime they spake whē no mention is made of their appearing 7. The causes also and effects of their appearing were many and weightie For by them Abrahā was told of the birth of Isaak the destruction of Sodom Manoah his wife of the birth of Sāson Zecharie of the birth of Iohn Baptist Mary of the cōceptiō the shepheards of y◠birth of our Lord Christ the womē of his resurrectiō the Apostles of his second coming at the last day By them Zecharie was certified of the restauration of Ierusalem Daniel was informed of the state of the church from his time to Christ and Iohn of the * estate therof frō his dayes to the worlds end By them Lot was delivered from the burning of Sodom Shadrach Meshach Abednego from the fyrie fornace Daniel from the Lions mouthes Peter out of Herods prison By them Abrahams servant was guided in his journey Philip was directed to goe and preach to the Eunuch Paul to the Macedonians Iaakob was encouraged in his going towards retourning from Mesopotomia Eliah was refreshed with food in his flight frō Iezebel Ioseph was counselled to flee with Christ from Herods persecution and Paul was comforted against peril of shipwrack Their ministery was vsed at the giving of the fyrie law on mount Sinai their melodie was heard at the birth of the Lamb that reigneth on mount Sion and they stil sing loud his praises about Gods throne and they shal be the harvestmen to reap the earth and to sever the bad from among the just at the end of this world 8. They ar Gods powrful instruments as for smiting the wicked with sore diseases so for the help and healing of our sicknesses when it pleaseth God so to imploy them as appeareth by that famous miracle often wrought in the pool at Ierusalem whose waters were at certaine times troubled by an Angel after which stirring who so first stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had In memory of which heavenly grace the place was caled Beth-esda that is the house of bountifulnes or mercy 9. And although now a dayes they appear not visibly nor afford vs such outward help yet are these heavenly messengers stil secretly imployed for the safeguard and benefit of the Saincts For who so dwelleth in the secret of the Most high and lodgeth in the shadow of the Almighty over him as the Psalmist sayth God giveth his Angels charge to keep him in all his wayes yea even vnto little children doth their care extend as the embroydred Cherubims environed the Tabernacle so doe those heavenly soldjers cōpasse and guard Gods true tabernacle the Church And whereas we are in danger two manner wise 1. by our own infirmitie 2. and our enemies might subtiltie these watchmen and guardians of our salvation do succour vs in both For as the mother carieth in her armes the child which cannot wel goe so these do bear-vs-vp in their hands that we hurt not our foot against a stone and when we are besieged by our foes these pitch roūd about vs and deliver vs being as a bulwark betwixt the fiends even all our enemies and vs. So that if God gave vs to see with the eye as we are taught to beleev by faith we might behold with Elishaes servant the mountaines to be ful of horses charets of fyre round about vs and would say with Iaakob This is Gods host Neyther do they only save vs from peril but as heavenly warriours that excel in strength they fight against our enemies pursuing and scattering them as chaff before the wind like as at Hezekiahs prayer an Angel came and killed 185. thowsand of his foes And as they