Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	grace_n	8,077	5	5.8830	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75536	Comfort for beleevers about their sinnes & troubles. In a treatise shevving. That true beleevers, how weake soever in faith, should not be opprest, or perplext in heart; by any thing whatever befalls them; either in sinne, or afflictions. Together with divers other comfortable observations; gathered out of that counsell, given by Christ to his Apostles: and in them, to all beleevers. In John chap. 14. verses 1,2,3,4. / By John Archer, Master of Art, sometime preacher of All-hallowes Lumbard-street. London.	Archer, John, Master of Art.	1645 (1645)	Wing A3612; Thomason E289_7; ESTC R200122	80,025	82

reason but that in the whole worke ye expect nothing from your owne worke but being emptied of all sufficiency or fitnes in your selves ye doe wholy onely expect the fruite from the holy Ghost his assistance as Fayling in some of this a cause of not having help he is the Spirit of Christ pertaining to you as united to Christ by faith The fayling in some of this is the reason why beleevers doe consider discourse on the objects of faith and yet have no helpe or strength come thence Wherefore be carefull Wherefore 1. Not to leane on your owne spirit memory wit no nor on your grace but know that ye must have a fresh influence from the Spirit 1. Knowe the Spirit must assist and his assistance As your faith cannot act it selfe for naturall things cannot worke with out a fresh concurrence of God in him we move Wherefore his suspending and not assisting the fire caused it not to burne the three children though he put no impediment in its way And though grace be stronger then nature yet it cannot act or move it selfe without the concurrence assistance of the holy Ghost for it comes from Christ as light from the Sunne by an effluxe Mal. 4. 2. which ever supposeth a fresh act to every shining The grace is in Christ though it worke in us as the light is in the Sunne though it shines on us 2. Tim 2. 1. Wherefore Christ must by a fresh act put it forth if it worke in us Wherefore all things are said to be done by Jesus strengthning Philip. 4. 13. not onely by strength which he had given but which he is at the present in a continuall giving Every act of faith requiers the power of God afresh administred 2. Thes 1. 11. fullfill the worke of faith with power that is Gods power for one act of faith is to evidence things which to doe he begs strengthning by might from the Spirit Eph. 3. 16. 17. And as the holy Ghost must assist the grace of faith before it can act so must he doe some what to the objects of faith before they can worke upon faith as the light must shine on colours before they can move the eye that is the Spirit must shew them to the Soule which is called a revealing of them 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. not onely at the first but every time that they draw forth faith he must reveale them which is done by giving in convincingly his owne testimony of those things which presents them to the Soule as light doth colours to the eye Wherefore he so prayes Ephes 1. 17. 18. that by the Spirit they may have revelation to know the things they beleeved hoped for So that without the Spirits ayde nothing can be done in beleeving as in praying it must be in the holy Ghost Jude 20. that is in his strength assistance So also must it be in beleeving therefore he joynes building up in faith praying because without praying we cannot make progresse in our beleeving 2. Consider That the holy Ghost assists onely as he is Christs 2. As Christs Spirit spirit that is sent from him merited by him as he is God and man the head of the Church For in no other way or respect doth the holy Ghost assist Wherefore all that he doth is said to be of Christs John 16. 14. and it is called Christs strengthning Phil. 4. 13. 19. whereas it is the Spirit which doth it Eph. 1. 17. 3. 16. if thus he be not considred he is taken under a wrong notion and Christ is wronged for he glorifies not Christ John 16 14. and he will not assist 3. Ye must be carefull to consider that the holy Ghost assists 3. As members of Christ you as members of Christ by vertue of your union with Christ by faith for how can the spirite of the head come into one but by its union with the head and how comes the sapp to flow from the roote into the branch but as it is joyned to the roote Eph. 4. 15. 16. from the head being joyned to it is edified 4. And lastly Ye must be carefull to looke up unto the holy 4. Looke up to the holy Ghost Ghost to assist you cast an eye on him as ye doe on that whose helpe you expect and in the expectation thus of him must ye sett upon the worke of acting your faith This is the second direction how to improve Faith Thirdly get your Faith to be evident add a reflect act to the 3. Direction Get saith to to be evident direct act of faith That is labour to know that ye doe beleeve as well as to beleeve For Election being evidenced by Faith and a title to Christ and all promises depending on beleeving the soule cannot be perswaded of its propriety interest in God Christ the Promises and so cannot be comforted against troubles till it knowes it beleeves Faith may save but it is evidence of faith which onely comforts Wherefore this is one maine end of rhe evidence of faith comforts first Epistle of John as is exprest Chapt. 5. 13. these things I have writt to you that beleeve that ye may knowe ye have eternal life beleeve that is and beleeve that ye beleeve This reflecting act whereby we can looke on what we doe consider it take comfort in it is a maine excellency of a reasonable creature by which we excell bruite beasts should be exercised by us Unto the doing whereof we must labour For which 1. To knowe the act of faith what it is and to knowe that it is 1. Labour to knowe the act of faith what it is not the strength but the truth of faith which evidenceth election Acts. 13. 48. those ordained to life beleeved some with more some with lesse faith but every degree of it betokened life eternal and gives title to Christ happines for faith is but an hand or eye which toucheth or looks to Christ that he may worke all its works which a small faith doth as truely as a strong wherefore we never find in Scripture that Christ rejected any for the smallnes of their faith 2. Labour to view your owne hearts and see if you have not put 2. See if you have done it forth that small act of faith faith may be seene in its selfe its owne act aswell as in its fruits effects though these also may must be considred Wherefore John putts beleevers much upon signes By its selfe fruites of faith in his first Epistle which was writt to helpe to the evidence of faith and sometimes faith is best perceived by its fruites By its fruits Yet some times it is best seene by its selfe its owne act of relying on Christ and a carefull search into the heart whither such an act be put forth or no would oft discover it but neither

by it selfe nor by its fruites can it be discerned except the holy Ghost assist helpe us to perceive it Therefore 3. Ye must labour for the helpe of the Spirit Who as he onely 3. Labour for the help of the spirit reveales these things to us 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. So he onely can reveale them or shew them to be in us He is the Lords candle in the innermost parts or chambers of the belly Pro. 20. 27. he in this sence aswell as ours in that because he onely can shew to us the grace that is in us As light onely can discover to a man the things that are in his house Who onely shewes us the grace that 's in us He must shine on our faith its fruites before we can have evidence of them he must give his divine testimony to us of them that they are right before we can beleeve it as he must of God Christ the Promises before we can beleeve them our owne spirit though renewed by grace cannot witnes alone to us except the Spirit of God Not our owne spirits alone doe joyne with it in witnes Rom. 8. 16. which is the ground of those sayings Rom. 9. 1. when he was to witnes But heere the Question is Whither in this coeworking of the holy Ghost with our spirits to make evident our grace It is requisite A Question resolved that he should be as clearly knowne to be the holy Ghost who warrants our grace as we know it to be the Sunne when it shines Indeede in the immediate assurance which is grounded on his divine testimony alone it is certaine it must be so or else it cannot give full assurance put out of all doubt But that in this assurance which is mediate and only witnesseth with our grace shewes that to us That it should be so evident that it is the holy Ghost that is the question if it be not enough that the grace be made so evident as that according to the Scriptures the heart is confident it is true though it be not most sure that it is the holy Ghost who saith it is true Now that ye may have this witnes of the Spirit ye must 4. Labour unto all obedience to shune every sinne and doe every 4. Labour unto all obedience out of love to Christ duty and that out of love to Christ John 14. 21. then will he manefest himselfe to you that is by his Spirit he will then give you evidence of himselfe of his love to you of your interest in him happynes by him General obedience fruitfullnes accompanied which carries with it much evidence and comfort with growth increase carryes with it much evidence much comfort John 15. 8. 9. 10. And besids it brings in by way of a meetenes preparation more of the witnes evidence of the holy Ghost for though the holy Ghost be given to beleevers absolutely and not with respect to their obeydience on which condition he abode in Adam in innocency yet his manifestations in comfortable evidences are dispenced according to their obeydience growth fruitfullnes for such comforts are wages respect working As. The Apostle 2. Peter 1. 5. to 12. exhorts them to a constant diligence to increase graces therefore he saith giving all diligence because The 2. of Peter 1. 5. to 12. expounded it will make them fruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ verse 8. That is in the comfort evidence of their interest in Christ happines by Christ whereas the want of these things verse 9. deprives of assurance comfortable evidence He that lackes these things is blind c. that is he cannot behold his evidence assurance nor can he see a farr of that is he cannot comfort himselfe in thoughts of his happines to come So neither can he be comforted by that that is past He forgets that he was purged that is he looseth the assurance of Justification Therefore 1. John 1. 7. we must walke in light then Christs bloud sensibly clenseth from guilt Whereas else though he remembers that there was such a thing and so in that sence forgets it not yet he cannot be comforted by the remembrance of it and therefore is sayed to forget it as they are said in Scripture to forget Gods Commands who though they remember that there are such yet are not ordered by them And this Exhortation to provide for their comfort by this meanes the Apostle Peter yet inforceth farther verse 10. By expressing what it is in its effect It is a making sure their Calling Election He that gives all diligence to add to Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge c. as was before exhorted to doth but diligently make sure his Calling and Election whence will follow that they shall never fall namely into dispairing doubts and questions about their estate nor into a state of darkenes and losse of comfort because as he adds verse 11. By this meanes they shall have an aboundant entrance ministred to them into the everlasting kingdome of Christ that is not ment of a locall enterance into heaven For heaven is no where called the Kingdome of Christ but the Fathers Kingdome Christ resignes his Kingdome at the last day of this World 1. Corrinth 15. 24. and the opposition verse 9. shewes that it is ment of assurance and a making sure our Calling Election Wherefore it is thus ment that by thus doing ye shall have a filling measure of the joy of assurance of your eternal salvation which Joy is so vaste as ye must enter it it cannot enter into you but yet ye shall have an abundant entrance into it wheread if you doe not thus ye shall be debared enterance into it which joy of assurance is the kingdome of Christ as Rom. 14. 17. called indeed Gods kingdome that is Christs as the next verse shewes given him by God the Father who is also God as well as his Father And this Kingdome of Christ though in this world and resigned at the last day is yet as heere so oft else where called everlasting in Why Christs Kingdome called everlasting many respects and heere especially in this because its joy happines shall be perfected swallowed up in the everlasting happynes of heaven Wherefore though ye cannot ever growe sensibly yet persue after growth fruitfullnes humble your soules under the want of it give not over but make it your busines to presse to it renew upon a failing your purposes indevors after it this is evangelically to doe it and you shall obtaine the evidence seale Evangelicall obevdience what of the holy Ghost the joy whereof will abundantly strengthen your hearts against all trouble Thus I have inlarged my selfe unto the helping of you to improve Faith In Christ his choicest medicine agt. heartakeing himselfe being the matter of it Therefore slight it not

a beleever should What kind of trouble is ment what not become a Stoicct or stock cease to be a Man nor would it be any exercise or triall of grace if the matter of feare and greife were not perceived and felt by the heart for it then was to them as if there were no such thing wherefore he would haue them be toucht and feele the objects of feare and greife but would not have an inordinacy in those affections Which arose Partly from the excesse in that they were to much toucht sensible so that their hearts were perplext and disturbed which appeared both by the interruption of the exercise of their faith hope peace in that they did not so quietly and confidently cleave to him when he was in his passion but doubted as Luke 24. 20. 21. As allso it appeared by their being disinabled to duty for their hearts were so opprest with heavines that they were so sleepy as that they could not watch with him one houre Luke 22. 45. Now it s an excesse of affection and an in ordinacy a surfet or drunkonnes of heart when the heart is so taken with a feare or greife as that it cannot give its due to every one and doe its duty in every kind to God man in the calling generall and perticular This was an inordinacy Jn excesse Partly there was an inordinacy in the Object in that they feared greived about what they needed not For though they might be troubled at Christs departure as he was a man and their friend companion maister c a good ground for a morrall greife as he was their Jesus a good ground for a Spirituall greife in that they loved him and so his presence Yet there was no ground or cause to feare a losse by his departure or that they should be now totally left to the wide world as if all their safety and comfort had bin entailed to his bodily presence this trouble on wronge grounds and causes he forbids as we shall see more fully heere after So that the meaning of this charge of Christ is that they should not be troubled with more feares or greifes then there was true ground and cause for nor yet be so troubled with what was truely as to hinder the exercise of their peace hope and faith or to be so opprest as unfitted to every duty to God and man in their callings gennerall and perticular All which we may expresse in this An oppressing or perplexing trouble Hence Learne DOCTRINE Doct True beleevers should not be perplext in any thing True beleevers how weake soe ever in Faith should not be opprest or perplext in heart by any thinge whatever befalls them either in sinne or affliction There cannot be weaker Faith then this of the disciples who had indeed some little faith but so little as sometime it is called none Math 8. 26. with Marke 4. 40 therefore Christ did after wards upbraid them for their slownes to beleeve Luke 24. 25. There cannot be a greater affliction change or losse befall any then this was For Christ was to be taken from them by a shamefull death when they had enjoyed him but about three yeares and some months Now what feares of falls troubles might they have when Christ was taken from them who was to them more then an hen to new hatcht chickins Againe they had one of twelve of them proved a vile rotten hyppocrite who yet had so lurkt as that they could never discover him Also they had uppon them the guilte of much unfruitfullnes under Christs ministry for which he had oft reproved them Also they had either now or presently after the breaking forth of a base lust of pride ambition for which Christ had oft reproved them Yet at the passeover institution of the Lords supper they instantly fell into it againe Luke 22. 24. Also Christ had foretold them of a great fowle sinne for the future which afterwards the stoutest of them should commit namely Peter to deny him thrice Yea all of them to be offended at him as ye heard before Behould a concurrency of all at once as can befall any beleever a weake faith an unparraleld losse and change unfruitfullnes under meanes which were now to be removed many sinnes formerly committed sharpely reproved a returne relapse into the same sinne againe at present a foresight of a dangerous fall into a greivous sinne in the future a discovery at present of a most close hyppocrite among themselves of whome none of them had the least suspition more then of themselves Yet Christ chargeth them not to be opprest or perplext in heart with any feare or greife Thus Gen 45. 5. though their sinne in selling Ioseph was very hanious conteining profaines For they hated him for his goodnes Gen 37. 2 and envy because of his Fathers love Gods oracle by dreames of his preferment which they knew was a way of God to reveale himselfe by barbarous murder was in it toward Ioseph cruelty to their Father who so loved him Yet he bids them neither to be greived or angry with themselves that is so as to perplexe themselves with gteife or indignation FIRST REASON 1. Reason B●c such trouble ariseth from an evill roote Because such trouble ariseth from an evill roote cause Namely ignorance or unbeleefe For either they understand not or beleeve not the worke of God for them in the three persons The Fathers everlasting decree about them The Sonnes union with them headship to them his merrits intercession The holy Spirrits inhabitation in them office towards them to worke all their works for them till he hath made them meete for glory All which is expresst in the covenant of Grace in which they be assured that nothing shall befall them but for their good that the corruption of their natures shall be so ordered overruled both before after conversion as that it shall end in turne to Gods glory their eternall good that Christ hath made atonement for all sinne past present to come though it is gradually applied to them in as much as all beleevers sinnes were laid on him or met in him as it is read on the margent Isai 53. 6. And that the holy Ghost shall dwell in them for ever they shall never fall away finally totally but that the things which concerne salvation are better then the best things in the gloriousest hyppocrits are wrought in them Heb 6. 4. to 10. I say these things are not understood or not beleeved or else they never could be opprest with any feare or greife so that it ariseth from an evill roote and therefore should not be in true beleevers SECOND REASON 2. Reason Bec such trouble hath evill effects as 1. It troubles Gods heart Because such trouble hath evill effects uppon beleevers Namely First Its trouble some to Gods

in Christ gives the strongest grounds of comfort For divers Reasons innocency for she is said to be beguild because she fled not to faith But faith is grounded on God so is as sure as God is Wherefore nothing can give such strong grounds of comfort as Faith and no faith like faith in Jesus Christ And that for these Reasons FIRST Because it gives more boldnes towards God Ephe. 1. Because it gives more boldnes towards God 3. 12. the word translated boldnes signifies an appearing in glorious liberty lifting up the face having liberty of speech an undanted or open uncovered face as 2. Cor. 3. 18. not onely as opposite to Moses under the Law whose face was covered to shew obscurity and hiddennes of his Ministry or opposite to convicted persons whose faces are covered for shame but also it is opposite to that abashment which is in holy Angels Isa 6. 2. 3. exprest by covering their faces and all this because they have accesse or a manuduction by Christ he leades them by the hād to God therefore they come with all boldnes whereas Adam was shut out of Paridise Israell at Sinai stood afarr off trembled but beleevers by Christ come nigh with boldnes faith in Christ gives this boldnes upon these Sixe grounds Upon sixe grounds First It presents them nearer to God in that they by Faith are 1. By it ther 's nearnes to God made one with Christ who is Gods natural Sonne so they come to a nearer Sonnship then is obtained onely by Adoption or Creation which the Angels have Adam had in innocency as a woman married to a Kings natural Sonne is in a nearer relation then one onely adopted because she is one with his natural sonne thus John 1. 12. prerogative to be Gods sonnes By faith in Christ may be ment that they have a nearer sonnship then any that are created or barely adopted though beleevers be also adopted regenerated because they be one with him who is Gods natural Sonne Thus by faith in Christ we are nearer in relation to God so have more boldnes For it is nearenes of relation which gives boldnes A Sonne is bolder then a Servant a lawfull Sonne then a Bastard Secondly faith in Christ presents God nearer to them For it 2. By it God is beheld in their owne nature shewes them God in their owne nature God whome they may see heare handle 1 John 1. 1. 2. And so they may be more familiar and bold For it is likenes or nearenes of nature which make bold Thirdly By faith in Christ there is hold layed on Gods Justice 3. By it ther 's hold laid on Gods Justice as well as on his Mercy aswell as on his Mercy God in Christ is just a justifier of the beleever Rom 3. 26. that is he doth not onely declare his mercy in a free pardon of sinne but he also declares his justice in a full satisfaction for sinne Wherefore as by Christ beleevers may plead with his mercy So they may also with his justice in that there is not onely a way opened unto mercy but Christ hath merited of justice purchased divine favor for he hath satisfied the Covenant of Works both in suffering what was due for its transgression also in fullfilling of its righteousnes all this on their behalfe for their use who beleeve in him So that whatever boldnes an Angel that stands can have or Adam could have had if he had stood righteous by vertue of Gods Justice the Covenant of Works all that boldnes through Christ a beleever hath because the Covenant of Works is in Christ kept by him so the Lawes righteousnes is fullfilled in us through Christ who beleeve shew our faith by walking after the Spirrit not after the Flesh Rom 8. 3. 4. Insomuch that beleevers in Christ may appeale to Gods Justice It holds God by both hands aswell as to his Mercy and hold God by both hands having as cleare a title to him in justice as in by mercy holding their interest in him by vertue of his Justice the Covenant of Works as well as by vertue of his Mercy and the covenant of Grace for allthough to beleevers in their owne persons its onely grace mercy and justice with a covenant of works cannot stand with a covenant of grace mercy Yet in a person of another who undertakes for them both may concurr he may satisfie justice merrit mercy which cannot but give greate boldnes Fourthly By faith in Christ there is an accesse with boldnes to Gods 4. By it ther 's an access to Gods holynes holynes holynes is the brightnes beauty of God which dazzles the eyes of the bravest creatures Isa 6. 2. 3. the Seraphims not onely cover their feete because they are base being creatures made of nothing but they cover their faces even their best excellency which is their perfect righteousnes according to the covenant of works compared with Gods glorious Holynes for therefore he is thrice called holy not onely to shew Trinity of Persons but gloriousnes of holynes as Exod 15. 11. with which holynes their perfect righteousnes is abasht Iob. 4. 18. with 15. 15 explained so they cover it Wherefore Iob. 4. 18. repeated againe Iob. 15. 15. he is said to put no trust in his Saints or Servants that is his holy Angels as the next words explaine who are by a figure called the heavens because they are the inhabitants of the heavens which Angels or heavens inhabitants he chargeth with folly they are impure in his sight Now this cannot be ment of the Divils who fell both because in Chapt 15. 15. he speaks of them in the present tense that they now are his Saints now are the heavens that is inhabitants of heaven which the Divils now are not As also because in both texts mans basenes is inferd much more in the following verses which implies that he speakes of such as are better lesse impure then men which Divels are not For the conceiving this therefore Consider that all-though For the conceiving of which Consider God hath tyed himselfe by a covenant of works to accept of and reward such a righteousnes as shall fully answer that covenant which righteousnes is found in Angels and they are accepted and rewarded in justice according to the compact twixt God and them so that not in justice or dispeasure doth God find them impure or charg them with folly Yet the Holynes of God which is an attribute What holynes in God is by which God seperates himselfe from every thing else is devoted to himselfe to seeke himselfe love himselfe above all for holynes is a separation from all other things with a dedication to some one thing this Holynes of God was not satisfied in the righteousnes of the covenant of works which was

him gave to him to be his ofspring spowse so through and from him to be indowed with all the riches of the promises though God loved chose them all to injoy the promises yet in Christ through by for him to inherit Ephes 1. 4. he did not choose us with him but in him Wherefore as the Isralits must come to enjoy the promises not by laying hold first on them but by being First borne of Isaac having that union of flesh with him And as a woman hath right to the mans estate not immediately but by being first made one with him even so must people be first of Christ married to him borne of him drawne out of his loynes which is by beleeving therefore borne of God beleeving are conjoyned John 1. 12. 13. before they can lay hold of or claime title to any promise For as the Covenant of Works was made with Adam in The Covenāt of grace made with Christ and in him to his leede through him with those who came out of him So the Covenant of Grace is made with Christ therefore called the Second Adam in through him with all that come out of him by faith are borne of him and it is more necessary to be first made one with Christs person before we can have claime to the promises then it was to be one with of Adam before we could inherite from him because the promises of Grace are more confind first to Christs person that without the person of the Elect then the Covenant of Works was to Adams person without respect to his ofspring For Adam his ofspring were onely considered in a priority of time and order differing Adam before them but not in different state of dignity or favor with God wherefore Adam did noe more then they did in with him but Christs person is more excellent and more loved of God then beleevers did more for to injoy the promises then they his Person becomming incarnate clayming them as due and merriting them for the Elect Therefore much more must it be that we must first lay hold on Christs person before we can on any promise then we need be borne of Adam before we can have title to any of his estate So that it is a dangerous error not to pitch by faith on Christ first and then in the second place on the promises Christ in his Pitch faith on Christ first then on the promises Person Natures Works Merrits must be first layed hold on Indeed it is true that faith cannot lay hold on Christ but in and through a word promise Therefore my meaning is not to carry ye to Christ without or not by the word promise for without this ye never can come to him but meete with Satan as an Angel of light Ye must first close by faith with such a word promise in Scripture as carries exhibits Christ to you but you must not first before through the word and promise ye have closed with Christ by faith lay hold on apply the promises of any good things as Heaven pardon of Sinne the Spirrit or any Grace Thus ye see how faith gives immediate union with Christ himselfe Christ the fountaine of Joy in 2 Respects Now this Christ I say is the onely immediate fountaine of all Joy And that in Two Respects First because all the promises are in him onely he is that one Sea First Bec. all promises are in him out of which doe issue all the springs of promises wherefore in him must be all the springs of ioy comfort as they are all said to be in the Church because of his presence there Psal 87. 7. Yea the promises are better in him much more strong to comfort then they are out of him not onely because he is the cheife best promise himselfe his Person is better then all the promises but also 1. Because the promises in him are in their roote in him they live 1. In the Roote and so are best in him as the Sunne beames in the Sunne the streames in the spring are better live more then in themselves having indeed no being but in from him 2. Because in him they are Eternall as was before shewed have 2. Eternal bin promises actually existing from Everlasting so they are in no other respect and so cannot be disanuled by the Law Sinne which came in but in tyme as the Apostle reasons in a lesse regard Gal. 3. 17. 3. Because in him is their efficacye towards us they being his onely 3. Having their efficasye were not sure to us till he had confirmed the bequeathment of them to us upon his death for on that supposition were they bequeathed to us as ye heard before 4 Because in from Christ they are exhibited administred performed 4. In him exhibited to us to us as he is their owner testator who by his death ratifies them unto us makes them surely ours So he is the executor and administrator of them who dispenseth them to us John 14. 14. He doth it and therefore he saith all power that is of administation and of execution in heaven and earth is put into his hands Therefore the promises and through him streames forth the most sweete comforts In which respects he is the immediate springe of all joy Secondly he is the immediate springe of all joy in an higher greater respect Secondly in respect that Christ is the Seate of that Joy which is communicable Because Jesus Christ is the seate receptacle of that joy which is communicable from God to the creature whatever comfort or joy God intended to make the creature pertaker of he put it all into Jesus Christ as the light of the world is in the Sunne as in him dwells the fullnes of the God-head bodily Col. 2 9. so with it dwells in him all the fullnes of joy comfort For it being all from God it must be all in him in whome dwells the God-heads fullnes thence come to us as because all our light is from the Sunne who conveyes his light to us through the aire therefore all the light we have is in the aire as in Christ are hid all treasures of wisdome knowledge Colos 2. 3. so are all treasures of joy comfort as he is the light that inlightens every one John 1. 4. 9. so is he the comfort that comforts every man with any true comfort God is indeed the first original whence but Christ is the immediate fountaine in which is Christ the immediate fountaine of all Joy all joy Colos 3. 3. our life is hid in God but with Christ So that indeed Christ is not onely the roote of all promises but of a better comfort then the promises yeild For Christ is nearer to God then the promises are for he is of