〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but accidentally so Tirinus Spiritually and Mystically so Beza One in Love in Consent of Will in Grace and in Glory so Menochius Thus Freinds Acts 4.32 are called one Soul because of the Concord of Souls 'T is a Metonymy wherein the Cause is named for the Effect He that is one Spirit is spritually and wholy Christs by Vnion with him He is not divided between God and Mammon Agitur Regitur between the Spirit and the Flesh but he is led and governed by the self-same Spirit So Eph. 2.12 13. At that time ye were without Christ But now in Christ Jesus c. To be in Christ is to be ONE with Christ and to be one with Christ is to be IN Christ for these are convertible Terms Christ and the Soul out of Christ are TWO but Christ and the Soul in Christ are ONE Is not Vnion then with Christ one of the Depths of God So John 14.20 At that day ye shal know At that day But what day was that In that day when I shal be raised so Vatablus In that day when I shal appear to you a Victor of Death so Grotius In the day of Pentecost espicially so Menochius In a future life so Maldonatus Ye shal know They knew before but then they should more gloriously and perfectly know But what should they then so know The UNION between the Father and Himself between Himself also and his Saints That I am in my Father and You in me and I in you Is not Vnion now one of the Depths of God So John 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us So v. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one c. Here is an Vnion between the Father and the Son Thou in me As the Father and the Son are one by Vnity of Essence Phi. 2.6 And by the Deity dwelling in the Humanity Col. 2.9 So by Co-operation John 14.10 Here is also an Vnion between the Son and the Saints I in them And here is an Vnion between the Saints That they may be made perfect in one Is not Vnion now one of the Depths of God So v 26. And I in them Dwelling in them Now Christ dwelleth in a Christian By a Communication of Nature Thus Heb. 2.11 He who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one Christ and Christians are of the same Family and have the same Father For which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Though CHRIST did not assume the Person of Abraham or any other Saint yet he did assume the Nature of Abraham and of every other Saint So Eph. 5 30. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones We all All who are Believers of the right Stock and Stamp Are members of his body ESTIUS Mystical which is his Church Of his flesh and of his bones We are Participants of the same humane Nature with Himself By the Inhabitation of the Spirit Thus Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you c. Thus he is by the Spirit Be in you as in his Temple and by his SPIRIT which saith Grotius is called by Tertullian the VICAR of Christ So v. 11 By his Spirit that dwelleth in you By the Operation of Faith Thus Gal. 3.26 For ye are all Jews and Gentiles the children of God thorough saith in Christ Jesus So Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwel in your hearts by faith c. By the Operation of Love Thus 1 Jo. 4.16 God is Love Not only lovely and loving but also LOVE He is so properly and essentially so Estius He is so causally so Menochius But what follows And he that dwelleth in love dwelieth in God and God in him As the Church is one with the Son by Faith so she is one with the Father by Love Is not Vnion now one of the Depths of God Here UNION in Poem now doth enter Communion herein doth also Center 'T is most prudential now to look about us A CHRIST within us not a Christ without us The Scripture saith the Hope of Glory is And Ever wil be unto each of HIS Communion with Christ may lessened be But UNION shal none dissolved see Who once are One for they are ever so And certainly shal unto Heaven go Similitutes that are adapted best As Fabrick Foundation with the rest But HIEROGLYPHICKS are Yea those Relations Who nearest are and dearest in their Stations But EMBLEMS are let no man henceforth doubt This Vnion with Christ to shadow out Lord Jesus Christ this UNION with Thee The CHANNEL is wherein doth run to Me Thy signal Favours All thy Looks are Loves As unto Me so unto all thy Doves COMMUNION Communion that 's one of the Depths of God When Galeatius that noble Marquess was presented with golden Temptations he replied Let their Money perish with them that account all the Gold in the World worth one dayes Communion with Jesus Christ in the Spirit Is not Communion then one of the Depths of God If Communion with a Saint be a HEAVEN on EARTH what is Communion with a Saviour then With a Surety then With a Soveraign then Certainly this is one of the Depths of God A Friend to the Body may prove a Favour to the Soul Civil Acquantance may be of spiritual Advantage and from Communion with the Saint some come to have Communion with the Sanctifier God brings Naomi and Ruth acquainted and Naomi was Naomi to Ruth beautiful lovely or greatly moving as the word fignifieth That there is such a thing as Communion with the Father and the Son is evidently evident but this is far better experienced than it can be expressed Is not this then one of the Depths of God Thus 1 Jo. 3.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Our Society Communication or Communion Communion with Christ is a COMMUNICATION of Loves from Christ to the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus John 14.21 I wil love him and wil manifest myself to him And Reciprocation of Loves from the Soul to Christ Thus Cant. 7.12 There wil I give thee my Loves Is not this now one of the Depths of God The infinite Disparity that is between GOD and MAN made the great Philosopher conclude that there could be no Friendship between them Communion with God is more in Conversation with God then in Contemplation upon God is not this then one of the Depths of God Thus 1 Jo. 1.6 If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth So 1 Jo. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked If the Pythagoreans imitate Pythagoras if the Stoicks imitate Zeno if the Academicks imitate Socrates how much more should the Christian imitate Christ That God might have
blood live When thou wast saith Caryl wrapped in and defiled with thine own blood Sin and Misery then I had pity on thee and spake Life to thee Every Soul tumbleth in Blood till sprinkled with Blood The Blood of Man is Filthiness the Blood of God-Man is Holiness GRACE comes not by Generation but Donation Did ever any finite Intellect perfectly travel the Heights and Depths the Lengths and Breadths of Free-Grace For Free-Grace to out-bid and out-vie not only the Deserts but also the Desires of Man is not this one of the Depths of God Thus Eph. 3.20 Now unto him that is able to do superabundantly so the Greek above what we are able to ask or think c. What Pensil can draw to the life the vanishing Features of a Soul beautified with GRACE The whole Fabrick of Salvation from the Cell in Nature to the Chair in Glory is founded in Free-Grace The whole Alphabet of Salvation from the Alpha to the Omega thereof is purely legible in Free-Grace Thus Eph. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By grace ye are saved This is so blessed a Parenthesis that without this Parenthesis there had been no Blessedness This is a weighty and a worthy Text here is the Mercy that 's Salvation and here is the Medium that 's Grace by grace ye are saved This is a Text of worth and of weight here is the Motive that 's Grace and here is the Mercy that 's Salvation by grace ye are saved Salvation is a choice CHAIN but every Link of this Chain is made up of Free-Grace I may assert it with the greatest Confidence and with the greatest Innocence that Free-Grace is the Wheel Primum Mobile which sets all a going in Heaven and in the Heart For God to love before loved yea for God to love when and while hated is not this one of the Depths of God For the Mercy of God to be over all his Works yea and over all his Workers too is not this one of the Depths of God For that GOD who is incapable of Addition or to be greater incapable of Substraction or to be lesser to Write rather in Honey than in Gall and to draw lines of Love than of Wrath is not this one of the Depths of God For the Grace of God to be greater than the Sin of Man and for the Ephah of God to be fuller of Mercy than the Ephah of Man can be of Iniquity is not this one of the Depths of God Thus Rom. 5.20 But where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound FREE-GRACE doth lead the Van that 's freely-free No Native but a Donative to Thee This is the Wheel that set's a going all In Heaven in the Heart and fince the Fall Hath ever done So let it be for Ever Thus do I pray and would retract it Never By Grace ye saved are Now is not this To sordid Man a sweet PARENTHESIS Are Judgments Deep what are Gods Mercies then They well-come are unto the Sons of Men. Salvation's Sions Chain but every Link Of Free-Grace is made up I more then think The two POLES distant are yet these will meet When Free-Grace and Free-Will each other greet In saving Man a Captive to the Devil And freeing also from a double Evil. The PENSIL draws the Features of the Face Oh God of Gods my Glass doth run apace While therefore I am running of my Race Oh Deck this Soul of mine with saving Grace ELECTION Election that 's one of the Depths of God The Romanists speak of an universal Election but the very name of Election carries in it a Confutation For none can be said to be elected if all be elected he that electeth cannot be said to take all Neither can it be said that Election is nothing else but Dilection for Dilection was antecedaneous and praevious unto Election Election is an absolute Act of Grace and is it not then one of the Depths of God Thus Rom. 11.5 6. There is a remnant according to the election of grace A remnant comparatively is very little to the whole piece There are very few among very many that are elected and 't is the election of GRACE Election is made up of Grace made out of Grace It is such an Election as Grace makes an Election of Graces making And if by Grace then is it no more of Works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of Works then is it no more grace otherwise work is no more work The two sorts of righteousness by the Covenant of Works and by the Covenant of Grace are altogether incompatible Whatsoever is given for the MERIT of Works is not freely given and consequently is not Grace For as Aug. speaks elegantly against the Pelagians Grace Gratia non est Gratia ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo is not said to be Grace in any sense or any way if it be not free every way It loseth the nature of a work if done to merit by for if elected partly for Works and partly by Grace then the merit of Works is no Merit For if Merit first enters it excludes Grace and if Grace first enters it excludes Merit Now if Election hath for its efficient cause the Purpose of God for its formal cause the Mercy of God for its material cause the Blood of Jesus for its final cause the Glory of God and the Salvation of Man is it not then one of the Depths of God The ARMINIANS say Non eligit dignum sed eligendo efficit dignâ—m that Election is posterior to Faith to Works to Perseverance but these are posterior unto Election God elects not the worthy but having elected them makes them worthy They also are under a notorious deception and prodigious Delusion who say Election is Christ the Seed not the Persons of Men and Women Christ is if I may so write Gods first Elect. Thus Isa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth Christ was chosen by God to be SAVIOUR Man was chosen in Christ to be saved There are those who are called the elect of God Thus Col. 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God Bowels of Mercies c. Now the elect of God are elected in Christ Thus Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be Holy and walk without blame before him in Love Here is the elector this is God He. As he hath chosen The elected Us. Here is the person in whom these are elected this is Christ In him And here is the end of this Election That they might be holy c. They were not elected because they were holy or because they would be holy PAUL Electum Vas. was an elect Vessel Now God elected Paul as Paul not as a Believer or a holy person Election is absolutely free there was no Praevision of any Qualification in Man as a Motive to God
of God The Resurrection of the Body is one of the six Principles Thus Heb. 6.1 2. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection Not that this countenanceth a Dereliction of the Principles of Religion but commandeth a Progression in the Principles of Religion We are not to cast behind our backs and quite let slip out of our memories the first principles of Religion but to go forward like good Travellers in a Christian RACE The Principles follow which were as is thought the six Principles of the Apostles Catechism Repentance from dead Works Works here are called dead either because they render a man obnox'us to Death or because they proceed from Man who naturally is dead spiritually They are called dead Works because they are the Effects of the Death of the SOUL so Gomarus Or because they do not profit unto eternal Life Sicut Anima corpori dat Vitam ita Animae Deus which is the End of humane Actions so Menochius These dead Works alienate from God For as the Soul gives Life to the Body so God gives Life to the Soul Faith towards God In Father Son and Spirit so Paraeus Faith in Christ is Faith in God so Gomarus But the Person of Christ properly is the Object of Faith as his personal Excellency is the Object of Love The Doctrine of Baptisms May not the Apostle here allude unto the Washings under the Law Or may not the plural NUMBER be put for the singular Or Fluminis Flaminis Sanguinis may we not understand here the Baptism of the Spirit and the Baptism of Water Or may we not understand here a triple Baptism Of Water of the Spirit and of Suffering The Imposition of Hands This Principle is much controverted as to the Particularity and Vniversality of it but I shall not enter into the Body and Bowels of this Controversie I shal only subscribe it were there any need of my Subscription that it was and is one of the six Principles The Resurrection of the dead There is a two-fold Resurrection metaphysical and physical Metaphysical or Spiritual There is the Resurrection of the SOVL Thus Col. 3.1 If therefore ye be risen together with the Christ the things above seek ye where the Christ is on the rigth hand of the God sitting So the Greek Text. If ye have a resurrection graciously given your Souls out of a state of Sin into a state of Grace contemplate then firstly and lastly the things above where the Christ is neer unto the God next unto the God Physical or Literal and Natural Thus there is a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Acts 24.15 This is a Resurrection of the BODY Here is the resurrection of the Elect and the Non-Elect of the Good and Bad of the Just and Vnjust Now between the resurrection of these persons there seems to be a considerable Tract of Time Thus Rev. 20.4 5. I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God Here is a Resurrection and this is called the first resurrection Here are Martyrs those who passed thorough violent Deaths those who laid down their BLOOD on this side the GRAVE But are those solely concerned in the first Resurrection which is a Resurrection of the Body who had their Veins breathed and their Vitals let out No for this follows in the Text And which had not worshipped the Beast nor his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands So that in submission to a Leviathan-Judgment not only those who were Martyrs for Christ but also the Members of Christ are concerned in this first corporeal resurrection Not only those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus for the things of Christ so Grotius for the Gospel of Christ so Paraeus But also all that had not touched with the Beast with Antichrist so Durham shal be concerned in the first Resurrection All that sleep in Jesus Members as well as Martyrs Babes as wel as strong Men Shrubs as well as Cedars shal be concerned in the first resurrection But what follows They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years The Greek is the thousand years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Article should not be omitted and the Emphasis lost They are egregiously mistaken and beside the Text who understand this resurrection to be Metaphorical not Corporal and the thousand years reign with Christ in PERSON not by PROXIE to be in Heaven But the rest of the dead who died not for Christ nor in Christ lived not again until the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek thousand years were finished Whether by the thousand years a definite number is put for an indefinite I shall not determine but a person of my stature at lest which is the least Stature would be apt to think that by the thousand years a confiderable Tract of Time must be understood And as there is the first resurrection which shall be unto Salvation so there is the second resurrection which shall be unto Damnation Thus John 5. 29. They that have done good unto the resurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of Damnation And of eternal Judgment Here is the last Principle and this is JUDGMENT yea eternal Judgment As there is no appealing from this Judgment so there is no repealing of this judgment The Sentence is for the Eternity of Felicity or Misery of every Man so Menochius Hence the Opinion of Origen is refelled Sed quid moror istis It is one irretractable Judgment of great force for ever so Grotius No man can appear at the last day by any other PROXY than Jesus Christ Christus solus mori voluit Christus solus surgere noluit But to proceed Christ died a Sufferer but rose a Conquerour CHRIST was willing to die alone but he was unwilling to rise alone The Conception of Christ was miraculous the Nativity of Christ was marvellous the Death of Christ was victorious and the Resurrection of Christ was glorious Is not then the Resurrection of the Body one of the Depths of God Had it not been for the Resurrection of Christ we had stil been in the EGYPT of our Sins as the great Doctor of the Gentiles witnesseth Thus 1 Cor. 15.12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead As if he had said do but grant this that the Body of Christ is risen and you cannot rationally deny a RESURRECTION of our Bodies for these two Reasons Because his Resurrection is the Examplar of our Resurrection Because He and His are one mystical Body He is the Head and His are the Members As it is true though the personal Passions of Christ in the Flesh were perfect yet until all his Members have suffered in the flesh that which
and Relations But Cyphers are without Significations All Duties smell so rankly of the Cask To satisfie is more than humane Task Oh GOD and MAN what will become of Me If Satisfaction be not made by Thee As it is true the Sore is solely Mine Is is as true the Salve is solely Thine JUSTIFICATION Justification that 's one of the Depths of God For a Person to be acquitted from Sin and Death the WAGES thereof to be also accounted righteous unto Life and Glory the REWARD thereof is not this one of the Depths of God Is not Justification an absolute Act of Free-Grace and consequentially one of the Depths of God God doth not justifie a Sinner for any thing that he finds or sees in him the Act as to the Sinner is altogether free and is it not then one of the Depths of God Thus Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not That worketh not for reward so Paraeus But believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly They were ungodly but they are godly God makes them holy as well as righteous and justifies as well as sanctifies Righteousness of LIFE must follow Righteousness of FAITH God justifieth the ungodly but Wo to that Man who justifieth the ungodly God would not justifie the ungodly but for the righteousness of another and shall we justifie the ungodly in their own unrighteousness God justifies the ungodly not in their Sins but from their Sins thorough a sinless CHRIST His faith is counted for righteousness Not for our Merit but for the Merit of Christ not inherent in us but communicated to us by his Spirit not from the Act of Faith abstracted from the Object of Faith There is a Soul-solacing Difference between Moses the Servant and Christ the Son the one condemneth the other condoneth the one accuseth the other acquitteth the one chargeth the other dischargeth the one judgeth the other justifieth all his Jedidiah's and JEWELS Justification is a Jowel but this Jewel only hangs upon the Ear and this Chain only hangs about the Neck of a person given unto Christ and unto whom Christ is given Socium habet Neminem We may say of Christ as was once said of Caesar he may have a Companion but he must not have a Competitor Is not that TEXT sweeter than the Honey or the Drops of the Honey-comb Being justified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Jesus Christ The whole Act of Justification in this Text Rom. 3.24 hath its Description in Law-Terms Here is the Criminal who is the Sinner the Plaintiff who is Satan the Witness which is Conscience the Advocate who is Christ and the Judge who is God Is not Justification then one of the Depths of God This Justification is described from the efficient and the impulsive cause EFFICIENT This is Grace Being justified by his grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By grace here is not meant a meer external proposing of the word of God as the Pelagians say nor any work of Sanctity within us as Papists say but the Grace and Goodness of God without us The Grace of Himself IMPULSIVE This is implied in the word Freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being justified freely by his grace Without Cause saith Beza From free Gift or meer Liberality saith Toletus Without our Merits saith Lyra. Without our Merits either foreseen or present saith Paraeus To be justified by Grace is to be justified freely but to he freely by Grace justified Aut praevisis aut praesentibus is to be justified with all imaginable Freeness Yea with a Freeness uninimaginable Is not Justification now one of the Depths of God But as this impulsive cause is internal so 't is external which is Redemption Being justified freely by the grace of himself thorough the redemption which is in Christ Jesus Is not Justification now one of the DEPTHS of GOD Here is Justification from the efficient and impulsive cause Freeness of Grace together with the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ The Price was Jesus Christ saith Vatablus He by his Action and Passion redeemed which most aptly may be subjoined that it may be exclusive as to the Glory of humane Works But how can Justification be free Qu. 1 when there is the Intervention of a Price It may be free Yea Sol. freely free ex parte Hominis as to Man though it be not so ex parte Christi as to God-Man This Liberation as to Justification may well be ascribed and attributed unto divine GOODNESS because it was of the Goodness of God that Christ was given Thus John 3.16 So God loved the Word that he gave his only begotten Son c. Here is a God not a Man loving the World a lapsed World a lustful World a wicked World a wickedly-wicked World A SIC without a SICUT Yea so So God loved the World Here is the Emphasis 't is an Emphatical SO a SO to a wonder a SO 't is above all wonder This So signifieth the Vehemency of his Love saith Chrysostome God loved the world so vehemently so admirably saith Polanus But how doth this appear In giving a Son not a Servant His Son not his Servant His begotten Son not his adopted Son Nay his ONLY begotten Son This was such a Gift as none but a God could give Had this God such another Gift to give but Himself and in giving his Son he giveth Himself Oh greatest God! here is the greatest Love An only CHRIST is given from above But if Iustification be free Qu. 2 why then is Faith required Can this be free when that is imposed Faith is the Gift of God Resp Sine Pretio et Praemio Thus Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved thorough faith By grace Favore Dei gratuito Zanchy By the Favour of God without reward or hope of recompence Ye are saved Ye are justified so Tirinus Thorough faith Not as the Hand but as the Instrument Though he speaks here not only of the Habit but also of the Act of FAITH yet this Act must not be taken without the Object In order to Salvation or Justification there must not only be the Grace of God but also Grace from God to believe in the Person of Christ And this Faith not of your selves Not from the strength of Nature so Estius Or Dignity so Bodius Or Desert so Menochius Or Desire so Zanchius It is the Gift of God This FAITH comes to us from the gratuitous and spondaneous Liberality of God The Apostle therefore deservedly adscribeth and assigneth this Faith to the Goodness of God and emphatically cals it his Gift Christ hath made our Sins HIS that he might make his Righteousness OURS is not Justification now one of the Depths of God He that justifies himself condemns himself for his very Justification is an Accusation He that would be justified by his WORKS must not have one ill Action amongst all his Actions One Flie in the Box of Ointment corrups all One
Communion with U. S Christ was made Partaker of the humane Nature Thus Heb. 2.14 For as much then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same c. The Children The Apostles and Disciples so Tena The Sons of God or Godly so Grotius Were pertakers of flesh and blood they continue in flesh and blood so Beza They are men mortal and miserable so Estius Himself also took part of the same c. In kind so Camerarius Without Sin so Gerhard That we might have Communion with GOD we are partakers of the divine Nature Thus 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that thereby we might be partakers of the divine nature c. Not of the Substance of the DEITY as the Familists say 'T is a Fellowship with God in his Sanctity the Purity that is eminently and infinitely in Him is formally in His. 'T is a Fellowship also with God in his Felicity i. e. in the beatificial Vision and Brightness of Glory Is not Communion now one of the Depths of God For a Soul to lye as it were in the Bosome of God and to live as it were in the Embracement of God is not this one of the Depths of God For a Soul to see the Face of God and be indulged the charming and ravishing Shines and Smiles of that Face is not this one of the Depths of God This Communion with God and Christ is thorough the Spirit Thus 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the holy Spirit be with you all Amen Is Ish without his Pangs and Pannick Fears COMMUNION a Depth of God appears If this be false thy Pen may this correct Of Vnion Communion's an Effect Experienced I COMMUNION see Far better is than can expressed be That God may have Communion with His Of humane Nature CHRIST Partaker is That We may have Communion with God And Glory in the burning of the Rod Of that Nature which is divine do We Participate Herein let all Agree Oh blessed BRNCH in Thee was never Leaven Is Fellowship with Thine on Earth a Heaven What then is Fellowship with THEE above Where Faith and Hope survived are by Love CONVOY A Convoy of Angels that 's one of the Depths of God As Pharoah David c had so Men in Capital Letters now have their Guards They think themselves safe enough with these though they be mercenary and mortal men howsafe then are they who have a Convoy of Angels which is one of the Depths of God Psal 91.11 For he shal give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways For his Angels will he command for thee to keep in all thy ways so Ainsworth So the SEPTUAGINT 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ki maleachaiv jetzavveh lach c. For his Angels wil he command to thee c. So the Hebrew Though the Power of God be sufficient to govern us yet he appointeth his Angels to watch over us as Soldiers encamped about us These words were applied to CHRIST when he tempted him Mat. 4.6 And no wonder for if they belong to all the faithful in general as Interpreters agree much more eminently unto the Head and Patron of Believers who is the Author and Consummator of their Faith Heb. 12.2 God is a Preserver of Men mediately by Instuments He preserves Man by Man by the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Aire but chiefly he preserveth Men by ANGELS For his Angels shal he command to thee Is not a Convoy of Angels now one of the Depths of God To keep thee in all thy ways But thy ways must be his ways those ways which God hath given thee to walk in In all thy Actions fo Mariana In thy Affairs praescribed thee of God so Gejerus In the ways of the LORD so Munsterus This Clause the Devil left out when he laid Seige to the Mediator of the Promise Is not this Convoy now one of the Depths of God No Prince in the world who is not a Saint hath such a Guard at home nor such a Life-Guard when he goes abroad as the meanest Saint hath Is not a Convoy of Angels then one of the Depths of God So Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shal be heires of salvation He doth not so much ask as affirm for the Hebrews improve an Interrogation for the greater Confirmation of a thing Are not Angels the Ambassadors and Heralds of Omnipotency Do not these carry COMFORT from his Throne to his Footstool from Heaven to Earth Certainly then their Convoy is one of the Depths of God The best part of Man even his SOUL is lower than Angels An Angel is a persect Soul and a Soul but an imperfect Angel Is not their Convoy now one of the Depths of God The Schoolmen have a Distinstion between Angels calling some assisting which are always before God Others ministring which are commanded up and down by God c. But 't is the greatest Folly in the World to be Wise above what is written If the Nature of Man be nothing but Sin Quod supra Nos Nihil ad Nos and Angels have not any sin at all in their Natures is not their CONVOY then one of the Depths of God These Angels are very great and so consequentially is their Convoy but there is an Angel ineffably greater and so must his Convoy be Thus Isa 63.9 And the Angel of his presence saved them Some Jewish Doctors understand here Michael the tutelary Angel as they account him of their Nation Others Mitraton an Harbinger or Messenger c. But is not this CHRIST of whom God speake unto Moses Exo. 23.21 23. called Jehovah Exo. 13.21 And an Angel Exo. 33.2 But what of this Angel of Angels He is a Convoy unto all ransomed and rescued by him Is not the Convoy of a Christ now one of the Depths of God Thus Isa 27.2 3. In that day At that time when Caligula's shal be destroyed when the CHURCH shal be pruned and purged by Passion Sing ye unto her a Vineyard of red wine May not this be the Church the Vineyard of God degenerated from her native Excellency and restored to her primitive Generosity and Glory Ani Jehovah I Jehovah do keep it So the Hebrew That must needs be kept which Jehovah keeps but Christ keeps the Church I will water it every moment That it may fertile be it shal be very often under divine Dews and Drops Lest any hurt it I wil keep it Night and Day Night and Day comprehend all time To be therefore kept Night and Day is to be kept constantly to be kept continually to be kept without intermission Is not the Convoy of a Christ now one of the Depths of God So Zach. 2.5 And I wil be unto her saith the Lord a wall of fire