Baynes - BS2695 B289 1643

Do£f. r. Ephejan.r, Chap. i. E R. 2. while it is refted,is at eafe ; whilethe f enfesare pleafed orffounded with fome kindeofan odineffe, thofe paines are not felt which are prefent. Finally,a manin agolden dream,thinketh thingsfar better withhim then theyare, and is highly contented for the time ; Thefe are wayes (my brethren) whereby wewalk in a fullpeace,when yet our unbeleefe hath not beeneout- wraftled, whenour unholy lulls have not been crucified by us. In the fecondplace this letteth you fee how you may try the truthof your peace: Is thy foule at refs becaufe thoufeeleff hisgracefhed into thy heart which is better then life,this grace inChrift, this grace which reacheth to the forgiveneffe of fins, ro thy fandtification, which no darkneffeofafHidtions can eclipfe, which draweththyheart up to God,', fo that thoumakeft him thyportion r Is it becaufe the Lord affureth' thyheart that he will never leave thee, that nothing (hall feparate thee from him Is it becaufe his grace hath fcattered force black clouds, which didover- fpread thy conditiowHappyart thou whoferepofe iffu- eth from thefe confiderations. FromGod our Father, andfrom the Lard lefau Chrift.] Thus we come fromthe the things wifhed, to the perfons fromwhom they are tobe effedted ; Whence mark, who are the authors of true peace, andwith whom it is tobe fought. Hence it is, that God is called,the Godofpeaee, Cbrill is called, the Prince ofpeace : Godmaking peace, none can trou- ble, as, whenhehidetbhisface, whocan Beare it? lob 34. 29. Looke as Kings are authors and maintainers ofthecivil! peace within their Coun- tries, they keeptheir fubjei s from difturbance by forraigneand dome- fticall enemies foGod, the King immortali, and Chrift who hath re- ceived the Kingdome, are fitlybrought in as the authorsofthis fpirituall Peace : And it is tobe noted, that he fitly namethGod the Father, and the Son our Lord ; for, the principaliand fubordinate power whichdoe workany thing, are fitly combined : Now the Fatherhath all power, and hebath fubjedted all things unto the Son, himfelfandSpirit excep- ted. But why isnot the Spiritnamed ± It maybe faid, becaufe the Apo - file hereis diredted to expreffe onely thefe perfons, who have a kindeof principall authority and agency :.-Now the Spirit hath the place ofexe- cuting thefe things, as fent by the Father and Son: But in unfolding thefe things, as it is good to ufe diligence,fo it is requifite to ufe fobriety. For conciulìon; Let thefe be remembred, that though both theFather and. Son, be fitly named, forthereafon above;and the Fatherfirft, both for his principali authority, as likewife, becaufe he worketh bothby himfelfe, and from himfelfe ; the Sonbyhimfelfe, (as who hath the felf -fame Divine nature)but not from himfelf, aswho is not from him- felt, but from hisFather, and therefore in his working keepeth the fame order ; Nevertheleffe,in wifhingthe effedtingofthings, it is notneceffa- ry toname anyperfons, ne yet God indefinitely. 2. It is neceffary to conceive inmtnde the trueGod, in Chrifi, though not diftin t1y to con- fider the three Perfons: The reafon is, becaufe every ail ofreligion doth require that wefome wayapprehend the objedtofit and as there can

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=