Scripture calleth this cause The spirit of faith or the spirite â—f beleeuing Gods second cause of our â—eleeuing is his blessed and â—oly word read and preached 〈◊〉 the ordinarie means of our â—ith which worketh vpon â—wo forcible and perswasiue â—enses the eye and the eare â—he one for the reader of the word the other for the hearer of the word preached or read For the eare God hath ordayned a voyce to call vpon â—s by the paynes of preaching For the eye his sacred word is written or printed that it may be read and vnderstood of vs and our children and this is the cause of our beleeuing which is called The word of Faith Aske a Christian then why he beleeues the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie his answer is because the Scripture records it there is the word of faith but reply vpon him and aske him why he beleeues the scriptures his reason is without reason in himselfe for he saith The finger of God is there If you vrge and say Why doest thou beleeue and I do not I heare the word as well as thee Saint Paule will answer with an out crie O depth That is a matter of amazement not of argument saith S. Ambrose But what might be the cause that stayeth and vpholds the hearts of the sonnes of men along the misery of this life in this word of beleeuing Surely eternall life the saluation of our soules the last article of our Christian faith is the finall cause and anchor-holde of out beleeuing in Christ Iesus For the hope whereof the holy ones of God purge theÌ„selues both in soule and body that they may be acceptaâ—le vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thereâ—ore S. Peter calleth eternall â—ife the end of our beleeuing â—uen the assured glorification â—f soule and body which by â—aith wee expect in the other world In respect whereof also it is that this faith goeth not alone like some bankrupt but is royally attended with a troupe of good works semblable to the causes thereof For the spirit of faith is not barren but is in continuall motion in stirring and quickning vp the harts of gods children euery day to goodnes Neither is the word of faith verball onely But liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword enters throgh euen to the diuiding of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the maâ—row and is a discerner of the thought and the intents of the heart The people of God therefore whose hearts are thus powerfully moued by the spirit of faith to beleeue and thus effectually counselled by the word of faith to liue well endeauour nothing else but that their liuing may be answerable to their beleeuing that so their soules might bee saued For this sacred faith of Christ first of all purifieth the heart now if the fountaine be cleare and cleane the whole streame that issueth thence will be cleane also Secondly this faith of Christ worketh by loue and bringeth foorth good workes I should euer therefore distrust that I neuer was a true beleeuer vnlesse I felt my heart sanctified by grace and my and working the deedes of haritie This doubtlesse was â—he faith of the primitiue â—orld while the bloud of Christ was yet warme in the â—earts of those beleeuers Witnes all those Churches â—olledges Hospitalls Enâ—owments Rents Reuenews â—ands Liuings Pensions and â—â—l other such donations and â—onsecrations appropriated â—nd giuen to the maintenance of religion and learning to â—he succour of the poore and â—o the perpetuating of Gods worship here on earth vntill â—he second comming of Christ. For the people then liued and beleeued as men knowing that the faith of Christ is not fruitlesse and that by the fruites therof they are assured of their election past and of their perfection by Christ to come that their good deedes should follow them where nothing else â—ould and that according to the proportion of their workes wrought in earth by grace in Christ they should through the mercie of God and not of merit bee allotted a portion of happines hereafter in the heauens And therefore vnderstanding their weldoing here to be necessarie to their well being for euer they studyed nothing else but to goe on in that race of goodnesse that they might attaine at the last the blessed end thereof euen the reward of mercy promised vnto them by the word of faith written vnto them in the bloud of our faith sealed assured vnto theÌ„ by the death of our faith stirred vp moued herevnto by the spirit of faith Christs vicegerent on earth whose they were encouraged thereunto by the bloud of so â—any faithfull beleeuers that â—yed for the faith of Christ â—nd continue therein vnto â—heir liues end by the exubeâ—ant and abundant riches of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus their Ruler and Redeemer O Blessed Paule faithfull and beleeuing was the world when as yet the bloud of Christ was warme in meâ—s hearts and when the faithfull beleeuers inflamed with the loue of God and ouerioyed with the glad tydings of the Gospell thus bespake Gods seruants that preached thâ— faith vnto them Blessed in thâ— Lord will our goods pleasâ—â—â— you Behold we lay them dowâ— at your feete will our eyes 〈◊〉 you good Take ought of ouâ—â— that is neere and deere vnto 〈◊〉 euen our right eyes Will our liues steede you Wee esteeme theâ— not for the testimonie of the faitâ— of Iesus Christ as for all manner of tribulations that can happen for Iesus Christ sake We accompt them not worthy 〈◊〉 the glory that shall bee receiued A blessed and beautifull â—ace of time it was O Paule when the prime beleeuing Christians had no other fault â—ound in them no not by â—heir verie enemies as Plinius â—ecundus an heathen testifieth 〈◊〉 Traian the Emperour but his was all hee could certifie â—gainst them to the state that â—hey oft times assembled â—emselues together before â—ay in the caues and holes of the earth to sing Psalmes â—nd prayses to the Lord of â—ife Christ Iesus which seruice for feare of persecution they durst not performe publikely O then was the time hoâ—y Paule that faith wrought â—y Gods loue and not by selfe loue by good workes and not by goodly wordes what time the beleeuing Christians were knowne not â—o bee of the tribe of Naphtaâ—â— giuing goodly wordes but of the tribe of Ioseph beeing fruitfull boughes euen fruitfull boughes by a Well whose branches run ouer the wall When Placilla the wife of Theodosius a beleeuing Empresse would resort vnto the Almes houses and Hospitalâ—s of the poore to see them succoured and releeued and when her nice Gentlewomen that wayted oâ— her would dehort and disswade her not to debase her selfe to come into such meane places and neere such nastie people shee with teares in her eyes would reâ—ply and say O I wouâ—d not doe thiâ— and this onely
in the face and fauor of Iesus Christ my Sauiour and for his sufferings sake dispell the mystie clouds of my wreatched nature with the light of thy countenance and shew me this Mysterie of Godlinesse Illuminate mine vnderstandings with the glorioâ—â— rayes of Sion Blesse mine imagination that I mâ—y thinke of no euill but of goodnesse continually Incline my will that it may bow it selfe to the obedience of thy commandements Put this Mysterie of Godlinesse into my heart by the invisible singer of thy sacred Trinitie that it may make me good by shining vpon mee and piercing into mee that I may be sanctified thereby both in body soule and spirit O Lord let not the Mysterie of iniquitie misleade me nor the deepenesse of Sathan deceiue me nor the deceitfulnes of sinne by flesh and bloud carry me away to forsake or neglect thy goodnes but let this light of thine O Lord be euer more pretious vnto mee then the balme of Gilead more magnificent then the royaltie of Solomon and more deare then the apple of mine eie That thereby I may be acceptable vnto thee in thy Christ in whom thou art well pleased That my seruice in this sacred Mysterie of Godlilinesse may bee as Physicke for to cure miâ—e vngodlinesse as my Counseller to direct me in the affayres of my life and as my casuist to resolue the cases of my distressed conscience So shall I euer magnifie thy name O Lord that hast shewed mee such louing kindnesse in a strange cittie in reuealing to me to me I say the vnworthyest of many thousands the Mysteries and light of the kingdome of heauen in the darkenesse and shadow of death So shall I be euer telling of thy truth and mercy to the as sembly of thy Saints and to the generations which aâ—e yet for to come Grant these fauours vnto me O King of heauen God of all peace Father of mercies Fountaine of wisedome and goodnesse for the vnspeakeable merits and sufferings of Iesus Christ our onely Mediator and Redeemer Amen GOD MANIFEsted in the Flesh. Explication GOD is the height of this Mysterie God in the flesh is the depth of this Mysterie God manifested in the flesh is the length and breadth of this Mysterie Of God it is reuealed that hee is one in nature and three in persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost that is a Trinitie in Vnitie an Vnitie in Trinitie Euen as in the nuÌ„ber of three are one number and yet three vnities in a triangle are three angles yet one figure in the Sunne are body brightnesse and heate yet one Sunne in the fire light flame and heate yet the fire cannot bee diuided in the soule our memorie vnderstanding and will and yet one soule all these shewing that three may bee one and one three So likewise in God are three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost and yet one God who is blessed for euermore For vnlesse I vnderstand when I heare the name of God that it is meant of the holy and vndeuided Trinity wherby I am sauâ—d mine vnderstanding shall content me nothing The supereminency of which Mysticall Beeing of God passeth mans vtterance and therefore wee can better thinke then speake of God Let vs not then be ouer curious to search out this mysterie For God is exâ—ellent and wee know him not sayeth Elihu in Iob Our thoughts comprehend him not sayeth Ieremie And his wayes are past finding out saith Saint Paul These secrets belong vnto the Lord our God and the reuealed things thereof belong vnto vs and to our children for euer Let vs then here content our selues with a touch rather then with a taste of this secret of the essence and will of God For God the Father in himselfe is the Fountaine of the Deiâ—ie which no curiositie can finde out Perfection of himself which no man can comprehend God of himselfe whom all adore and Life of himselfe in whom we all liue God the Sonne in himselfe is the very engrauen forme of his Father in whom the whole Godhead dwelleth bodily And God the holy Ghost is in himselfe the fulnesse of them both by procession God I say whose power is all puissance whose sense is all knowledge whose essence is the principal good whose worke is euery good whose scites beneath al things without substractioÌ„ aboue all things without elation within all things yet not included without all things yet not excluded aboue al things as president beneath all thinges as sustinent within all things as coÌ„plement without all things as compreheÌ„dent The first mouer yet notmoued in local scite yet not circuÌ„scribed ordering al times yet not changed in Essence infinite incoÌ„prehensible in Maiestie in goodnes soueraigne in wisedom wonderfull in counsels terrible in iudgmeÌ„t righteous in cogitations secret in works holy in mercy rich in promise true alwayes the same eternal immortal vnchangeable not to bee expressed by speech not conceyued by thought of whom al the Angels of Heauen doe stand in feare whom all dominations and thrones doe adore at whose presence all powers do shake God I say being thus of himselfe is also reuealed towards vs to bee of power incomprehensible creating all things by his owne power ordering all things by his owne will directing all things to his owne ends of his owne good pleasure of wisedome vnsearchable by which hee spreade the heauens diuided the waters setled the earth for in wisdome hath he made them all of mercy vnspeakable by creating vs of nothing and by redeeming vs when wee were worse then nothing And of iuslice vncontrouleable leauing no good vnrecompensed no euill vnpunished This then indeede is a surpassing incomprehensible mistery that thus God should bee manifested in our weake flesh that God and Man should be in one person And that of the same God the holy Scripture should say in respect of this his manifestation in the flesh The child increased in wisedome and knowledge and in fauour with God and man And Emanuel God with vs should say of himself The Father is greater then I And of the same God in respect of his Dietie he hâ—mself sayth Before Abraham was borne I am and that hee was the first begotten of euery Creature And further in respect of the vnion of both natures in the person of the Sonne of God the sacred word sayth That God redeemed his Church with his bloud That the Iewes crucified the Lord of glorie and that he gaue his life for vs So that the Catholike conclusion of all is this That Christ Iesus Emanuel consisting of two distinct Natures in the person of the Sonne of God without confusion was incarnate and became our Mediator according to both Natures that the same hand that wrought the institutioÌ„ of the world should also worke the restitution of the same For it was impossible that the World should be saued without the Incarnation of the Sonne of God For God in Christ
reconciled the world vnto himselfe And by taking vnto himself our flesh by Incarnation made it his owne flesh that so of his own albeit from vs hee might haue what to offer to God for vs. And without this our flesh hee could not suffer for the manhood is the proper subiect of passion compassion and feeling pitty which causeth the regiment of Christes Kingdome to bee most amiable exercising dominion ouer all men with a true naturall and sensible touch of mercy The second person therefore of the glorious Trinitie was sent to performe this great worke not the Father who being of none could not be sent Not the holy Ghost who albeit he proceed yet he is not the first that proceedeth And forasmuch as a double Mission was requisite the first person that proceedeth was fittest for the first Mission and the second for the second who also more fitte to make vs the sonnes of God by grace then hee that was the sonne of God by nature And who more fit to repaire the images decayed in vs then he that was the engraueÌ„ form of his Fathers person And this was done that man with more assurance and without danger of euer erring might come neare vnto the presence of sacred truth it selfe and settle therein by this manifestation of the Sonne of God And God became man that he whom man was to follow might shew himselfe vnto man and bee seene of him Besides it was done that the humane nature might be aduanced to such an high dignitie and excellencie that no man should any more so much forget himselfe as to defile the same with sinfull impurities Lastly it was done that man might bee deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne whereinto hee was plunged For man was punished as Iustice vrged That was pâ—rformed which God had threatned as Truth required The offender was pittied as Mercy entreated God and Man reconciled as Peace desired Thus Mercie and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other The manner of this is the astonishment of Heauen and Earth but our holy faith makes it more true then plain vnto vs yet some resemblances may in some part expresse this vnion vnto vs. The vnion of soule and body maketh one man a flaming and fiery sword makes one sword one man may haue two accidentall formes Phisicke and Law and a branch engraffed and a tree is one tree so Christ is one and yet hath two different Natures in them performeth the distinct actions peâ—tayning to eyther of them Condemned then be all hereticall cauils of Arrâ—us Macedonius Apollonarius Panlus Samofatemus Sabellius Photinus Aetius together with the whole swarm of Dimiarrâ—ans and the like damned heretiques who eyther impeach the truth of Christs Incarnation and Natiuity or the vnion of his natures in one person or his line of Dauid according to the flesh that is according to the weake flesh but not corrupted flesh For the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among vs. There is the whole Nature of man And Christ in the dayes of his flesh offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was heard in that he feared There is the true affection of our nature So then He that confesseth that Iesus is come in the flesh is of God and he that confesseth it not is of the Diuell There is the triall of our faith For this manifestation of God in the flesh is to vnbeleeuers as the cloud that stood betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians at the red sea which to the Israelites was a bright shining cloud but to the Egyptians a dark dangerous and portentous Commet And is not this then a Great Mysterie That God who is without beginning and end should haue a beginning with vs by birth and an end by death That God who neither changeth nor altereth should encrease in stature That God who is without commixture or defect should eate and bee an hungry That God who could be no more then he was should take vpoÌ„ him the shape of a seruant be that he was not that could haue no more then hee had should bee lesse then he was and could know no more theÌ„ he knew and yet would feele our infirmities and taste our miseries What tongue what pen can expresse this mysterie that God should bee vnited vnto man not onely in loue grace but in one person for we must obserue that the humane nature of Christ is not a distinct person by it selfe as Peter Iohn and such like but to our vnspeakeable comfort is so vnited to the diuine nature that did assume it as they both make but one person so that all that is in it is truly said to be Gods and al that was don by it to be done by God as Christs bloud was Gods bloud Christs death was Gods death as hath been sayd And the God of glorie may as well be sayd to suffer death as to rayse the dead froÌ„ their graues and the sonne of man as well to haue made as to haue redeemed the world Who would euer haue thought that so great a wouÌ„d as mans sinneful defect from God should euer haue beene thus healed or that God and a wretched sinner should bee thus reconciled or that heaueÌ„ and earth should bee thus incorporated or that the veritie of God and the compleate substance of man should bee vnited in one Christ who is truly God perfectly man God and man indiuisibly and both in that one distinctly But yet behold this Great Mysterie of Godlinesse as it is not to be asceÌ„ded vnto in the exaltation therof for it is God and as it is vnutterable in the humiliation for it is God in the flesh so it is vndoubted infalible in the demonstratiue manifestation thereof for nothing is more euident to the faith of christian beleeueâ—s It being not onely prophesied shadowed and portrayed out vnto vs in the old Testament vnder diuers types and sundry formes but also substantially and really performed fiâ—ished and consummated in the new testament Mark but the diuine paralels of this manifestation in some few particulars and note whether they doe not touch each other and point out to euery beleeuing soule the whole frame and for me thereof from the circumference to the Center Pharaoh kileth the Hebrewe children Herod the true Pharoah killeth the children of Bethelem Both stirred vp by Sathan to murther the Messias if they could and to falsifie the promise of this manifestation purposed before of God from euerlasting Salomon at twelue yeeres decideth the question between the 2. women for the liuing childe Christ the true Solomon at 12. yeares is found admidst the Doctors posing and questioning them doubtlesse of the Iewish Synagogue then dead and of the true Christian Church the liuing child Moses fasted fortie dayes at the giuing of the Law Christ fasted forty dayes at the
a thousand sorrows to euery good beleeuing heart to conceyue that albeit God in his aboundant mercies hath thus reuealed himselfe vnto vs in the manifestation of our flesh among vs by the power of this Almighty spirite aboue vs and by the testimony of Angels about vs yet there should bee of them that professe Christianity such as are worse then the Sect of the Saduces for the Sadduces yet acknowledge that Angels were the good motions stirred vp in vs but these neither acknowledge God good motions nor diuels but are copartners with the Diuell against Michael and his Angels and are become Combatants against Christ and his Christians Hath not Sathan thinke you sifted such to the bran and winnowed such to the chaffe by his damned motions that he hath made them good for nothing and left in them nothing but the dregs and remnants of himselfe as namely the eagernesse and greedy desire of hauing and the cursed sins of despite and malice for they haue taken the Diuell at his word when he shewed them the Worlde and the glory therof and said vnto them All this will I giue you they immediately fall downe and worship him Or else shew themselues to be of the diuels pedegree by the grosnes of lying by the fulnes of impurity by the subtilty of sorcery or as was sayde by the mischiefe of helsish malice All which dregs of the diuel hide the sonne of God from those children of disobedience and nothing remaineth for theÌ„ except they repent but the fearefull sentence of Depart from mee yee cursed into hell fire prepared for the Diuel and his Angels Whereas if the sonnes of meÌ„ would consider but what losses they sustaine hereby me thinkes it should recall euery good mind but of an ordinary vnderstanding to a far better dispositioÌ„ For we Christians lose by such wickednesse the honour of beeing such euill Angels Iudges Why doe not yee know that we shall iudge the Angels that is doe ye not know that we shall be assessors with Christ in the day of iudgment and condemne the diuell and his angels We lose the sight of Christs mysticall body in the glory of his Saints Which the Angels of heauen desired to behold We loose the victorious triumph of Gods Saints for shortly Sathan shall bee beate downe vnder our feet Let vs then rayse vppe our selues to his glorious assotiation of the Angels in our seruice of God knowing that there are more with vs then against vs and that our Lord Christ Iesus shal appeare in the end of the world with this holy Angels in Maiesty and great glory to iudge all mankind And I adiure you before Iesus Christ and his Elect Angels that yee diligently and duely consider these things For yee are not come vnto the mount which might not bee touched and that burned with fire nor vnto blacknes and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voyce of words which voyce they that heard entreated that the Word should not bee spoken vnto them any more But yee are come vnto Mount Sion and vnto the City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to aninnumerable company of Angels and to the generall assemblie and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirites of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the New Testâ—ment and to the bloud of sprinck lings which speaketh better thinges then that of Abell Oh blessed Lord let mee see thy face for thy face Lord will I seeke Incomparably blessed are those sacred Spirtes O holy heauenly Father who euer attend thy glorious Maiesty and stand before thee â—ight day to behold and see thee in thy displaied glory They are in the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand where are blessings for euermore They are euer delighted with the sight of thinâ— vnsearchable wisedome of thine vnutterable glory and vnspeakable mercy They are free from the assaults of sinne or Sathan for no euill commeth neere thy dwelling O miserable wretches that wee are on earth subiect to Sathans slâ—ights the fleshes frailety and the worlds wickednesse Debarred are we from thy glorious light O King of Heauen and shut vp hâ—â—e in the darkenes of our own ignorance and lye in the very shadow of death Restrained are wee from the ioyfull fruition of the companie of those stiall attendants the Angels Saints that euer doe thee seruice without ceasing O blessed Lord how happy were wee the miserable inhabitants of thy footstoole if thou wouldest vouchsafe vs that fauour for Christ his sake as to deliuer vs out of the prison of this body out of the fetters of sinne and out of the snares of the Diuell that wee might serue thee without feare in thy Court of Heauen continually Consider good Father our miserie and forasmuch as in Christ Iesus thou hast giuen vs a light of thy selfe in the mirror of thy mercy and mystery of Christian godlinesse Leaue vs not comfortlesse but grant vs for his passion sake a glympse of thee euen in this Life while wee are here that our soules may be rauished with holy desires and neuer be satisfied vntill we come vnto thee our God to enioy thy selfe in glorious maiestie To this blessed end Oh tender hearted Father arme vs with helpe from heauen in all the occasions of our life For thou knowest O Lord that wee war not against flesh and bloud onely which are intestine and home-bred enemies but against principalities powers and spirites of errors and darkenesse in high places Thou knowest O Lord that they are many mighty and malitious Thou knowest our frailety our feeblenesse and our folly Helpe vs then deare Father out of all the temptations and snares of the diuell Let thy guard of good Angels and holy ones stand with vs to assist staÌ„d ouer vs to protect vs giue theÌ„ a charge O Lord to keepe vs in all our wayes Let them stand at our right hand to guide vs for the best Let them goe before vs dayly with thy preuenting mercy as they did before the hoast of thy Israel Let them comfort vs in the good as they did thy Iosuah Let them supplie our wants if neede require as they did thy Eliah Let them deliuer vs out of prison as they did thy Peter saue vs in shipwracke as they did thy Paul Let them alwayes be ayding vnto vs in our sicknesse and in all the weakenesse and temptations thereof yea in the last breath of our life and aâ—ter death Let them traÌ„sport vs into Abrahams boâ—ome as they did thy Lazerâ—â— And graunt vnto vs O Father for Christs sake this grace that while wee liue here we may endeauour to do thy blessed will as the angels doe in heauen That wee may euer â—praise thee for thy goodnesse sing vnto thee for thy mercies magnifie thee for thy graces and multiplie
to approach neere vnto God and the full perswasion of faith to die in that so wee may goe on from faith to faith vntill wee haue our perfect blisse in Christ for euer Albeit our condition be that wee liue in these last and worst times as Lot in Sodome and as Abraham in Vr of the Chaldes yet hauing the rocke of our faith in Heauen the Father determining the word directing the holy Ghost mouing and these 3. are one hauing the records of our faith on earth the Spirit witnessing to our Spirite that wee are the sonnes of God the water of Baptisme the seale of our Redemption in Christ the bloud of the holy Martyres as the signes of the power of faith in weakenesse and these three aâ—gree in one wee may bid defiance to the Diuell and quiet our conscience in Christ for euermore Concluding that wee can be iustified no other way in the sight of God but onely by this holy faith in the bloud of Iesus but beeing there by onceiustified wee are in direct order towardes God wee are through the gate and in the happie way that leadeth to Abrahams bosom euen eternall life For God can direct vs in the best way vnto himself that leadeth to euerlastiâ—g felicitie in turning vs from â—ur euill wayes and returâ—ing vs to himselfe by reâ—entance and so on to good workes the assurance to our â—elues of our election in CHRIST from good workes to Gods mercy and â—rom thence to glory whereâ—nto this faith teacheth vs â—hat CHRIST is already â—ntered and whether hee â—ill vndoubtedly bring all â—hat loue him that looke â—nd long for his comming â— consummate and perfect â—is our holy seruice in the Heauens where is the fulnes â—f ioy and happinesse in the presence of God for euermore O Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe and encrease my Christian faith WOnderfull art thou O Lord God in thy manifold works maruellous in thy Almighty power and vnsearchable in thy diuine secretes The goodly frame of heauen and of earth shew shy power the disposition of all things therein tell of thy great wisedome and the passages of so many millions of particulars point out this gracious prouidence in all and yet the workes of thy mercies surpasseth all this For which O heauenly Father wee magnifie and praise thy name and multiplie our thankefulnesse vnto the in Iesus Christ from day to day For it hath pleased thee good Father to elect vnto thy selfe and to call â—ut of this Worlde out of this world I say beeing â— sincke of sinnefulnesse a deepe â—den of despayre an Asphatites of â—ll filthinesse a dead sea of sensuâ—lity the vale of the children of Hinnon a Babylon of beast linesse a Sodome of sorrow a Gomorrah of vngodlinesse a Seboim of security an Adamah of Adulterie and a world of wickednesse to chose I say one of this route a remnant of people to bee thy beloued Spouse and wife of the Lambe to bee a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people the loue of Christ all faire vndefiled and without spotte the onely Doue to bee like an Orchard inclosed a well sealed vp a fountaine of liuing water a Paradise of all pretious delectable and desirable fruites and to be the mysticall body of Christ which hee doth quicken with his owne spirite And these heauenly Father thou hast sealed with thine owne fignet dignified with thine owne fauours and as it were diâ—sied by thine effectuall and sauing grace in giuing them the holy faith of thy Christ and our Iesus thine onely sonne and our Sauior to purifie their hearts to purge their consciences from dead workes to serue thee the Father of light and life and so to be blessed by thee with light and life euerlasting O Lord now behold mee poore silly wretch that lyes here beneath in this miserable world creeping in the dust and crawling in mine owne infirmities My soule cleaueth vnto the ground my belly vnto the earth I haue nothing in mee but sinne sensuality aâ—d shame Blind I am in mine owne vnderstanding for I know thee not obstinat in my will for I little â— regarde thy Counsels corrupted in mine affections for I haue no minde vnto thee My parents were of this world I am borne in the world and the world is all my silly selfe looketh after I cannot attaine to so much at to know my selfe how then shuld I know and discerne thinges aboue my selfe much lesse vnderstand the things that appertaine vnto thee O Father and to the glory of thy Kingdome Euery good and perfect gift commeth feom thee who art the Father of lights O bowe downe thy goodnesse then vnto mee most mercifull Father and extend thy bounty vnto me poore wretch that most humbly desires thy grace and fauour that thou wouldest bee pleased to giue mee a portion and measure of thy blessings in the faith and fauour of thy sonne Grant vnto mee faith O Lord without the which I cannot please thee without the which I cannot hope for any good nor haue any euidence of these things which are not yet euident without the which I cannot come to Christ nor doe any good works nor bee raysed from sinne nor know thee O God nor resist the Diuell nor ouercome the world nor be iustified nor bee saued O blessed Father grant this mercy vnto mee without the which I desire not to be without which I cannot bee but a Cimmerian wretch a stranger vnto thee an Atheist a profane person an Infidell a cast away and a Firebrand of Hell What prayse can bee to thee O Lord in the deepe in the land of obliuion in the place of the damned Shall the dead praise thee shall the bottomlesse pitte celebrate thee shall the damned sing vnto thee no no The beleeuing the repenting the sorrowfull soule for sinne whome thou shalt shine vpon with the light of thy countenance in the faith of Christ that soule O God that soule shall euer bee magnifying thy mercies extolling thy goodnesse and celebrating thy greatnesse fro age to age What euer I doe what euer I thinke what euer I say without it hee seasoned with this grace of faith it is sinne O blessed plant of Paradise O heauenly Iewell of incomparable valuation Deare Father bestowe this blessing vpon me shut not vp my life with vnbeleeuers which shall neuer see thy face but rectifie me in al parts to the right vse of the sacred meanes of obtayning this fauour of faith It commeth by hearing of thy Word O sanctifie mee throughout that I may attentiuely hearken what the Lord will say For hee will speake peace vnto my soule and loue to his Saintes that they returne not to folly O holy Lord Looke backe vpon mine humbled Suite signe my petition for thy tender mercies sake in Christ. So shall my Sacrifices bee alwayes acceptable vnto thee as Abels my conuersation holy as Enochs my preaching powerfull as Noahs my offeringes delectable as Abrahams so shall I contemne
Angel that reuealed it by Gods appointment to Daniel Christs name was foretolde by an Angell before hee was conceiued in the womb his conception reuealed by an Angell and both to the blessed Virgin his birth was proclamed to the shepheards by a troupe of Angels his flight into Egypt from Herods butcherie his returning out of Egygt and turning aside into the confines of Galilee all directed and ordered by an Angell that God especially imployed in that message In his temptation in the wildernesse Angelles minister vnto him in his agonie an Angell from heauen comforteth him in his apprehension hee testifieth to his enemies teeth that hee could haue a guarde of more then twelue Legions of Angels if he should desire them of his heauenly Father While he was in the graue an Angell descendeth and rouled away the stone from the dore of the monument After his Resurrection two Angels sate one at the head and the other at the feet where Iesus body had layne and declared that hee was riseâ— from the dead they beeing imployed by God to bring that message to the then mournfull and sorrowfull Disciples for the late death of their heauenly master In his Ascension two Angels spake vnto the people that gazed vp into Heauen after him and certified them of his comming againe to iudgement in the end of the world Yea the very euill Angels saw and knew the power of the sonne of God in this manifestation to their great terror and torment Insomuch that they crie in the possessed Oh Iesu what haue wee to doe with thee Art thou come to torment vs before our time And when they were forced to depart out of the possessed they roare and yell yea they fell downe and confesse saying Thou art the Sonne of God and at the last being driuen by extremitâ—es they desperately attempt to coniure Iesus Christ by God himselfe not to torment them Moreouer after Christ departure into Heauen his very Name was and yet is most dreadfull vnto them and most powerfull against them For S. Paul by the power of Christs name cast out an euill Angell out of a Damsell that had a spirite of diuination And the Disciples of Christ came vnto him reioising that euill Angels were made subiect vnto them through his Name Whereby it appeareth to our vnspeakeable comfort that the God whom we serue was knowne and acknowledged of the blessed Angels yea and that euill Angels also felt his power and know him to their faster and deeper despayre and are now and alwayes made subiect to Gods elect What vnspeakeable comfort is the knowledge of this vnto vs What excellent direction doth this Angelicall knowledge affoord vs in our Euangelical seruice and what diuine incitement is this to stir vp in vs Angelical zeale Comfort it is vnspeakable For all these blessed Spirites are the attendants of our Lord Christ and are his Emissaries and Nuntioes sent out by him for the good of them that shall be saued Not that euery particular person hath a peculiar Angell designed vnto him to bee his Guardian as the Popelings would haue it but hence wee know that not one Angell but many are ordayned by God to succour and safeguard vs in all necessities and distresses what soeuer And without controuersie this is more comfort a thousand times then to know that one Angell onely is appointed to bee our assistant In our life in our death and in the day of iudgement they are appointed of God to bee our assistants In our life yea in all our life In childehoode Christ sayth Take heed yee despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in Heauen their Angels doe alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen In affliction Hagar is comforted by an Angell In the warres Angels fight for Israel against the Assirians In prison Peter is loosed out of prison and out of the fetters by an Angell albeit hee slept betweene two souldiers that tooke vpon them to be his keepers In all our waies the Angels haue charge to bee our Conuoy towardes Heauen At sea in shipwracke an Angell comforteth Paul and sheweth vnto him what wold be the issue of that voyage On land Iacob in his iourney to Mesopotamia is guided by an Angell In death they transport vs into Abrahams bosome and keep watch ouer our interred bodies vntill the Resurrection And in that great haruest at the end of the world they are the Reapers in that great solemnity and exceeding Maiesty They are the Harbengers Heraldes and Trumpeters and in the sentence of that iudgement they shall bee the deuiders that shall separate the good from the bad Oh that our seruice of God then were practised by vs according to our prayers For wee pray Thy will be done O Lord euen on earth as it is in Heauen that is by vs Christians on earth as by holy angels in heauen The Angels seeing and beholding this great and wonderfull sacred mystery Prayse God continually crying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Saboth should not wee also both by prayers and praises magnifie our God vncessantly The Angels most readily exceute Gods will should not we with King Dauid say Our hearts are prepared we are ready to doe thy wil O Lord. The Angels loue God aboue all things why do we esteeme any thing in the World but for him and for his sake as helpers to leade vs towards him The Angels long after our saluation and much ioy therein Why doe wee thrust one another into Hell and heauinesse by our lewdnesse misperswasion and euill example The Angels desire yet further to see the perfection and finall consummation of this glorious mystery of Christs Kingdome why do wee wretches neglect the blessed meanes thereof which are offered vnto vs euery day Thus the blessed Angells doe because they are a part of the Châ—rch vniuersally considered whereof our Lord Christ is the head and they much ioy for our association with them whereby the ruine of those Angells that fell is repayred and for the Incarnation of the Son of God wherby they are in grace most assuredly confirmed for euermore Why should not wee hauing so cleare a reuclation and so displayed a sight both ' in Gods workes in Gods word and in the face of Iesus Christ Why should not wee I say Men and Brethren endeauour that we may doe Gods will in some measure on earth as the blessed Angels do in Heauen seeing God hath placed vs in the middest creating vs neyther Angels nor beasts but affording vs the meanes by the preaching of the Gospell that by Regeneration wee might become as glorious as the angels of Heauen and not by degeneration become worse then brute beasts For God hath giuen vs the sparkes of right reason to surpassebeasts and holy grace to surpasse our selues Is it not then