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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	divine_a	faith_n	reason_n	1,608	5	5.7687	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09376	A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon the 11 chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that godly, and iudicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executours, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.	1607 (1607)	STC 19677.5; ESTC S2273	415,205	614

wealth and pleasures are graunted them by from God as their portion reseruing the principall part of the portion of his children for a better life Therefore all the good things of this life which Diues receiued and all wicked men doe receiue in this life are not any rewards of Sathan but gifts of God so vnworthy a Maister is the diuell to serue Indeede he will promise his poore slaues any thing but can performe nothing but will lie vnto them and deceiue them He told Christ confidently when he let him see the glory and greatnesse of this world All this is mine and I giue it to whom I will but hee was a lier from the beginning so he is here He lied to the first Adam and no maruell that dare auouch so fond and loude a lye in the presence of the second Adam Iesus Christ. He promised the first Adam to make him God and heere the second Adam to make him King and Lord of all the world and the glory of it but he performed both alike he deceiued the first and so had the second also if he had trusted him Nor did euer any trust him but he deceiued him I meane euen for the base things of this life witnesse else all his witches his most deuoted and professed seruants of all other if euer he made anie one of them wealthy all ages are not able to shew one Whereas on the other side there was neuer man that serued God but had a competent measure of comforts for this life and some abundance and yet all that but the first fruits and beginnings of that reward which is laid vp for them in another world Which being true is it not a strange and lamentable case to see men for all this debase themselues to this base and slauish seruice of Sathan and to refuse this high and honourable seruice of almighty God A common seruant in this world hath more wit he if he cā heare of a better seruice a Maister who giues better wages and who better preferres his seruants will leaue his old Maister make meanes to get the other And shall not we be as wise for both soule and body as they for the body alone Shall they leaue a man for a man and shall not we leaue the diuell for God Let vs therefore abandon the base seruice of Sathan who neither can nor will reward them that serue him put away so ill a Maister who hath not so much as meate and drinke to giue vs for wee haue euen that from God but of his owne he hath nothing to giue vs saue in this world sorrow and shame and an ill conscience and in the world to come the torments of hell with himselfe And let vs all seeke the blessed seruice of God If wee know not how to attaine it goe to Christ by heartie confession of thy sinnes and earnest prayer and he will preferre thee to God his Father for neuer was any denied that with a good and true heart offred himselfe to Gods seruice Then shal we feele and finde what a blessed thing it is to be Gods seruant of whom it was euer true which the holy Ghost here saith and is and euer shall be that He is an honourable rewarder of them that seeke him And thus we haue in some part the meaning and vse of this notable sentence wherein wee haue stoode the longer because it is one of the most excellent principles of all Practicall Diuinitie Now put all together and we shall see how it proues Henoch to be taken away by faith which is the first ground and the maine matter of all this exsample and of these two verses God is a rewarder of all his children that seeke him by faith therefore it is faith by which Gods children please God and therefore holy Henoch who was taken vp by God from earth to heauen both pleased God by faith and by faith was taken away And thus much for the commendation of Henochs faith and consequently the exsamples of such as liued in the first world before the floud Now followeth the exsample of Noah who liued in both worlds both before and after the floud Noahs Faith HEBREVVES 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of the things which were as yet not seene moued with reuerence prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold through the which Arke he condemned the world and was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith IN this verse is contained the third exsample and the last in order of those who liued afore the floud in the first and olde world namely of the renowned Patriarke Noah the tenth from Adam Of whom and whose faith great glorious things are spoken in this verse and that in a high and excellent stile full of maiestie and diuine eloquence Concerning Noahs faith two points are laide downe first the ground of his faith secondly the commendation of it The ground of his faith was a speciall reuelation frō God in these words Noah being warned of God The things reuealed wherof God warned him are laid down two wayes first generally to be things as yet not seene then particularly three in number 1. Gods Iudgement vpon the sinfull world that hee was purposed to destroy it by water 2. Gods mercie on Noah that hee would saue him and his family 3. That he would saue him by an Arke and therefore he must make one and these be the things whereof Noah was warned of God His faith is commended by three worthy effects or operations in him 1. It moued in him a reuerence or a reuerent regard of the warning sent him from God 2. It made him prepare the Arke of which Arke there are set downe two ends 1. It saued his houshold 2. It condemned the world 3. It made him heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith This I take it is the true resolution of these wordes and they containe manie excellent things concerning his faith By faith Noah being warned of God of the things which were as yet not seene By faith that is by a generall and historicall Faith and also by a true and sauing faith in the Messias to come Noah being warned of God of the iust Iudgement hee purposed to bring vpon the world by an vniuersall floud and of his mercifull prouidence to him and his family that hee would saue them by an Arke all which things were then to come and therefore vnseene hee beleeued these forewarnings of God and therefore in reuerence to this message from God he prepared the Arke and thereby saued his houshold and condemned the wicked world And so his faith by all these appearing to be a true and liuely faith did make him a iust and righteous man in Gods sight This is the summe and substance of Noahs exsample let vs speake of the seuerall parts in order The first point is the Ground of his faith A warning or an answere from God

Then assuredly his heart is voide of true faith and farre from the life and power of religion For assuredly where God is knowen and beleeued there that mans heart though hee be a King cannot once thinke of God without a reuerence of his Maiestie and an admiration at his greatnesse and his owne basenesse therefore the want of this argueth a want of true religion and true faith in mens hearts Secondly this profanenesse discouers it selfe to the world by want of reuerence to Gods workes Let the Lord send vnseasonable weather or famines or plagues or any strange signes in heauen or in earth forthwith they are but fooles that cry out Behold the finger of God the hand of God No this is nature and is produced by naturall causes Ill weather comes from the starres famines from ill weather and mens couetousnesse Plagues from famines or from ill aires or else by apparant infection from another place But cannot Nature and naturall meanes haue their place vnlesse they haue Gods place God ouerthroweth not them why should they ouerthrow God Yet thus it is in the world and thus God is robbed of his glory and he is but a simple fellow which is moued with reuerence at sight of such things or begins to magnifie Gods power and iustice in them This is too apparant to be denied for haue wee not now as great causes of feare as can be Noah heard of water and wee heare that fire is to destroy the worlde and ye● where is hee that is mooued with reuerence as Noah was and yet Noah could saye The floud shall not be these 120. yeeres but who can say and proue that this world shal not be destroyed by fire within these 120. yeeres And till the floud came they had doubtlesse many othe● plagues which were fore-runners of the generall destruction all which as they came Moued Noah vnto reuerence and so wee in this age doe see the great workes of Gods Iudgements vpon men vpon families vpon townes vpon countries and whole kingdomes and wee feele his heauie hand in many sharpe strokes but who and where are they whose hearts feare God the more and doe tremble in the consideration of his Iudgements Nay alas amongst many it is but a matter of mockerie so to doe This is not the fault of our religion but the want of it for if men truly knew and beleeued in God they could not thinke nor speake of God nor looke at his workes but with feare and reuerence For as our feare of God is so is our faith little feare of God little faith and no feare at all no faith at all Let therefore all men shew their religion by their feare of God and let euery Christian acknowledge God in his workes England hath beene faulty herein in one point especially Wee haue had great plagues which haue taken away many thousands in short time wherein God hath shewed himselfe mighty against our sinnes But Gods hand would not be seene nor acknowledged but onely nature and naturall causes But let England take heede that God send not a plague so generall and so greeuous that euen the most profane men euen the sorcerers of Egypt if they were here doe acknowledge that it is the finger of God and so giue God that due reuerence which in his ordinary visitations he hath not Thus wee see the ground whence this reuerence in Noah sprang namely his faith Now let vs see the occasions or considerations in Noahs heart that made him feare The ground wherupon he feared was true faith for else he had not beene capable of any feare or reuerence of God but the occasions which stirred vp this feare in him were some things else Now if we looke to humane reasons Noah had no cause at all to feare as he did For first the Iudgement was farre off 120. yeeres after and common reason saith its folly to feare any thing so farre off but its time enough to feare when it is neere at hand Againe he was one single man and the world was full of wise and mighty men they all heard of it yet none of them feared therefore their exsample might preuaile with him to keepe him from feare and to make him secure and careles●e with the rest for exsamples are strong especially when they are so generall Thirdly the strangenesse of the Iudgement threatned was such as might driue any man in reason from fearing it at all For first who would euer beleeue that God would drowne all the world with water such a thing neuer had beene and therefore how could it be And againe If all should be drowned who would thinke that Noah should escape and none but he These three considerations being wayed in the ballance of mans reason would haue kept Noah from fearing or beleeuing this word of God But behold the power of faith it goeth beyond all humane reach fixeth it selfe fast on Gods word and therfore he not only beleeueth it but hath furthermore his heart possessed with a great reuerence of Gods Maiestie vpon this message And there were three motiues stirring him vp vnto this Reuerence First the consideration of Gods strange Iudgement vpon the sinfull world to see that his wrath was so prouoked that he should bring so vnwonted a plague so strange both for the nature of it a floud of water to drowne men whereas generally all men can auoide the violence of that element for the measure of it so great as it should drown all the world and destroy all men Now that which this Iudgement of God wrought in Noah the same effect should Gods Iudgements worke in vs namely they should moue vs with reuerence For as Christ saith Our dayes are like Noahs As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall the dayes be before the comming of Christ Mathew 24.37 These dayes are as wicked men are as couetous as cruell as malitious as voluptuous and yet as secure as they then were as full of sinne and yet as dead in sinne as they were then Therefore Noah looked for a floud 120. yeeres after and who can tell whether our world shall last so long a time or no At least wee may safely say whatsoeuer the world doth there is no man liueth but within farre lesse time then 120. yeeres is assured to be throwen to hell by a floud of Gods wrath at his death vnlesse in the meane time hee repent and yet alas where is hee that is moued with reuerence at consideration hereof The wicked man may escape the water of a floud but hee cannot scape the fire of hell hee cannot escape death hee cannot escape the last Iudgement These are to come yet they are sure why then doe not men feare as Noah did hee feared 120. yeeres afore it came We can indeede tremble a little at a present Iudgement as when fire breakes out when waters ouerflowe when the plague destroyeth or when famine consumes but to tremble at a Iudgement threatned though it

him alone three whole daies in great perplexity and Abraham goes forward according to Gods commād euen to lay his knife to his sonnes throat Here then we see what is the Lords dealing with his seruants Hee lets them alone for a long season in temptation and pittifull distresse and at the length when it comes euen to the extremitie and when the knife is as it were at the throate then hee shewes himselfe and brings comfort vnto them The Spouse in the Canticles which is the Church of God or a true Christian soule whether you will for it is true both in the generall and particular Cant. 3.2.3 Shee seekes Christ euery where in the streetes and open places but shee findes him not then shee goes to the watch-men which are Gods ministers and there inquires after him whom her soule loued and they cannot tell her where shee might finde him so that now all hope of finding him might seeme to be past but when shee was a little from them then shee found him and Christ comes to her when shee was most in feare not to haue found him at all The people of Israel were many yeares in bondage in Egypt and when the time came that Moses was sent of God to fetch them thence and to be their guide and deliuerer when he had brought them out and carried them to the red sea then came Pharaoh with a huge armie after them to destroy them Exod. 14.25 Before they had beene in great affliction and bondage but nowe they were quite past all hope of recouery for they had before them the redde sea and on each side of them great hilles and mountaines and behinde them the huge hoast of Pharaoh and therefore they cried out vnto Moses who then by GODs commaundement did diuide the redde sea and made it drie land and deliuered them through the middest of the redde sea but as for their enemies Pharaoh and all his hoast the Lord drowned them in the middest thereof So for our selues when God shall exercise any of vs in cases of extremitie wee must looke to bee so dealt withall at Gods hand Hee will let vs alone for a time and neuer helpe vs till the last pinch and therefore we must waite for his good pleasure with patience for this he will doe to trie vs to the full and to make manifest the graces of God wrought in vs. The third circumstance to be considered is this In what manner did Abraham receiue his sonne from the dead This we may read of Gen. 22.13 Hee must take a Ramme that was caught behinde him in a bush and offer him in stead of Isaac so Isaac is saued and the Ramme is sacrificed and slaine Now whereas Abraham offered Isaac in sacrifice to God and yet Isaac liueth and the Ramme is slaine in his stead Hence some gather this vse and we may profitably consider of the same to wit that the sacrifices which wee offer vnto God now vnder the Gospel must be liuing sacrifices for Isaac he was offered in sacrifice to God yet he liued and died not but the Ramme is slaine for him So must we offer our selues in sacrifice vnto God not dead in sinne but liuing vnto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus shall we offer vp our selues liuing sacrifices vnto God when as we consecrate our selues vnto Gods seruice and obey him in our liues and callings And looke as vnder the Law the burnt offerings were burnt all to smoake and ashes so must wee in our liues wholly and altogether giue our selues vnto God and renouncing our selues be nothing to the world but wholly dedicated to God Neither must wee come vnto him in our sinnes for sinne makes our sacrifice dead lame halt and blinde which God doth abhorre but wee must bring our selues liuing sacrifices vnto God as Paul saith Ro. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God Hence also some gather that this sacrificing of Isaac was a signe and type of Christs sacrifice vpō the crosse For as Isaac was sacrificed and liued so did Christ though he died yet rose againe and now liueth for euer but because it hath no ground in this place though it be true which is said of both therefore I will not stand to vrge the same And thus much of this third reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended with the circumstances thereof and consequently of all the examples of holy Abrahams faith Isaacs Faith VERSE 20. By faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau concerning things to come IN the three former verses the holy Ghost hath particularly commended the faith of Abraham Now in this verse hee proceedes to set downe vnto vs the faith of Isaac particularly also Wherein we are to marke these foure points First a blessing wherwith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau Secondly the cause of this blessing that is his faith Thirdly the parties blessed which are Iacob and Esau Fourthly the nature and matter of this blessing in the end of the verse Concerning things to come Of these in order First for the blessing That we may knowe the nature and quality of it wee must search out the kindes of blessings how many they be In Gods word wee finde three kindes of blessings 1. whereby God blesseth man Now God blesseth man by giuing vnto him gifts and benefits either temporall or spirituall and so he blessed all his creatures in the beginning but especially man The 2. kinde of blessing is that whereby man blesseth God and this man doth by praising God and giuing thankes vnto him who is the Author of all blessings So Paul saith Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ Ephes. 1.3 beginning his Epistle with this kinde of blessing that is by praising God And so Zachary after the birth of his sonne and the receiuing of his sight hee sings vnto God this song of praise Blessed be the Lord God of Israell Luk 1.68 that is praise and thanksgiuing be vnto the Lord c. The third kinde of blessing is that whereby one man doth blesse another and vnder this kinde we must vnderstand Isaacs blessings in this place Now further this kinde of blessing whereby one man blesseth another is either priuate or publike A priuate blessing is that whereby one priuate man whatsoeuer he be in his place prayes to God for a blessing vpon another And this is common to all men for euery man may blesse another that is pray to God for a blessing vpon another but especially it belongeth to Parents thus to blesse their children by praying to GOD for a blessing vpon them And therefore the Commaundement goes thus Honour thy fa-thy father and thy mother that they may prolong thy dayes in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Exod. 20.12 Now

hee will take heede what he doth and that God heareth him hee will temper his tongue and that God beholdeth all his dealings in the world hee will take heede how hee borroweth lendeth buieth or selleth and what hee doth in all his actions and the very cause of all carelesnesse in these and all other duties in the world is because men are perswaded God seeth them not To vrge vs therefore to this excellent dutie we haue First Gods Commaundement Walke before mee and be vpright saith God to Abraham and in him to all the children of his faith Againe wee haue the examples of Gods children who are renowned for the obedience of this Commaundement Henoch here after him Abraham and after him Dauid who testifieth of himselfe I will walke before God in the land of the liuing Thirdly as it is both commaunded by precept and practiced by exsample so the proofe of it is most comfortable to all that practice it for it will make them prosper in all they goe about For as hee that is alwaies in the Kings presence and companie cannot but bee in his fauour and therefore cannot but succeede well in all his affaires so hee that walkes with God cannot but prosper in whatsoeuer hee sets his heart and hand vnto Blessed Abraham found this most true when he assured his seruant whom he sent to prouide Isaac a wife in a long and doubtfull and dangerous iourney The Lord before whom I walke will send his Angell with thee and prosper thy iourney and euen so may euery child of God say with confidence The Lord before whom I walke will send his Angell with mee and prosper mee in my proceedings Fourthly this walking with God is a good meanes to make a man beare the crosse with patience For if hee be perswaded that God seeth how wrongfully he is persecuted or oppressed and that Gods prouidence is alwayes present so as no affliction can com vnto him but by his appointment and againe that his prouidence disposeth of all things to his good how can he but receiue with patience that portion of afflictions which God shall lay vpon him For as hee that walkes with the King who dare offer him wrong so he that walkes with God what euill can touch him This is Iosephs argument to his brethren when they were discomforted and feared he would punish them after their Fathers death Feare not saith he for am not I vnder God as though he had said Doe not I walke in Gods presence and acknowledge my selfe vnder his power and that God when you thought euill against me disposed it to good where the ground of Iosephs reason is that he walking with God his affliction turned to his good Lastly this is a meanes to bring a man to make conscience of all sinne in thought word and deede and in all his dealings when he perswades himselfe to walke in the presence of God When Ioseph was allured to sinne by his Mistresse his answere was How shall I commit this great wickednesse and so sin against God The bridle that restrained him was the feare of that God in whose presence he walked And because hee walked with God he would not walke with her in her wicked way and because he kept a holy company with God therefore he would not keepe her company nor be allured by her temptations So then seeing this way of walking with God is euery way so excellent and so profitable let vs learne it not in iudgement and knowledge onely to be able to talke of it which is soone learned but in conscience and practice as dutifull children doe before their parents so let vs in a heauenly awe a child-like reuerence walke before God labouring for a true perswasion of his presence and prouidence to be alwayes ouer vs and our whole liues The want hereof is the cause of all sinne And if we doe thus walke with God and so please him as Henoch here did then shall wee be sure though not after the same manner that Henoch was yet in soule first and afterwards in soule body both to be translated into eternall life But if we will not walke this way with Henoch in this life let vs neuer looke to liue in heauen with him but assure our selues that as the way of holinesse is the way to glory so the way of wickednesse is the way to eternall perdition And thus much of the second degree But without faith it is impossible to please God These words containe the third degree or the third part of the reason And this degree consists of a generall Maxime or Canon of Diuinitie and the holy Ghost first layeth it downe and then because it is one of the waightiest principles in religion he proueth it substantially in the words following In the Canon it selfe let vs first examine the meaning and then vnfold the manifold vse of it Without faith By faith is meant here the same faith as afore namely true sauing faith in the Messias And without this sauing faith It is impossible to please God Impossible how not in regard of the absolute infinite and indeterminable power of God which hath no limits but his owne will but in regard of that order of the causes and meanes of saluation set downe by God in his word which is this 1. Man by sinne hath displeased God 2. God must be pleased againe else a man cannot be saued 3. He that will please God must please him in Christ the Mediator else he cannot therefore he that wil please God and be saued must needes beleeue in Christ. And thus by this order it is impossible We denie not but in regard of Gods absolute power hee could saue a man without faith as hee can lighten the world without the sunne But as if he keepe that order of nature which his owne wisedome hath appointed it is impossible to giue light to the world without the sunne so if he keepe that order for saluation which his own Iustice hath appointed it is impossible to please God without faith in Christ. So then the meaning is laide downe and now appeares the strength and force of the holy Ghosts argument Hee that will be saued and come to heauen must first please God But without faith it is impossible to please God Therefore without faith no man can be saued nor come in heauen and by consequent therefore Henoch being taken into heauen must needes be taken away by faith Now the vse of this Canon rightly vnderstood is manifold and of great profit First here wee learne that faith is simply and absolutely necessarie to saluation and most necessary of all other giftes and graces of God whatsoeuer And though many be required yet amongst all holy graces this is the principall and more necessarie in some respects then any other For howsoeuer hope and loue and zeale and many other graces of God are required to make the state of a Christian complete and

not Christ or knowing him acknowledge him not their onely Sauiour or acknowledging him doe not truely beleeue in him with such a faith as purifieth their hearts are nothing else but as the Fathers called them splendida peccata gilded and glittering drosse and beautifull deformities And how-euer this seemes harsh yet it must needes bee true seeing without faith it is impossible to please God And here also the vanity of some Popish Writers appeares who presumptuously make some Philosophers Saints whereas they should first haue shewed that they beleeued in Christ and then wee would beleeue and teach it as willingly as they but else if they had had all the learning and all the morall vertues in the world this must stand for a truth Without faith it is impossible to please God Lastly here wee learne that the word of God registred in the holy Scriptures doth containe in it sufficient direction for all the actions and duties of a mans life for without faith no man can please God And if no man then no mans actions can please God which are not of faith for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Romanes Chapter 14. verse 23. If therefore mens actions must proceede from faith then consequently must they haue their ground warrant from the word for faith and the word are relatiues and the one dependes vpon the other No faith no word to bind no word no faith to beleeue But all actions that please God must bee done in faith therefore all actions that please God haue some ground and direction in the word of God without which word of God there can be no faith And this is true not onely in holy actions but euen in the common actions of mens liues and lawfull callings This is a principle which we must firmely beleeue and receiue And beside this argument here It is also proued by the euident testimonies of the holy Ghost S. Paul to Timothie All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach improue correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes How can the sufficiencie of Scripture be more sufficiently in words expressed Againe Euery creature and ordinance of God is good c. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Now if the Scripture make a Christian perfect in all good workes how can it be but it giues him sufficient directions for all his workes And if euery action be sanctified by the word how can that be but the word hath warranty and direction for euery action and duty which may fall out in the course of a Christian life And vpon these grounds wee haue good reason to be resolued of this truth But now if any man aske how this can be for the Scriptures were written long agoe and the stories are of particular men nations and times and the Commaundements are knowne to be but tenne how then can the Scriptures yeeld sufficient directions for euery mans particular actions I answer the Scripture giues directions for all actions 2. wayes Either by Rules or by Examples Rules are of two sorts Generall or particular Particular rules for particular callings are many for Kings they must reade Gods booke and not haue many wiues nor gather too much siluer and gold They must be wise and learned and kisse the sonne of God Christ Iesus and many other for Ministers they must be apt to teach watching sober not young schollers and many other and so consequently the most of the callings that are in the common wealth haue their particular directions in plaine rules Generall rules are first the tenne Commaundements which are directions for all sorts and callings of men in all times what to be done what not to be done in all actions towards God and men and besides in the new Testament there are some fewe rules which are generall directions for all men in all ages As Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe to you doe you the same vnto them Againe Whether you eate or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe doe all to the glory of God Againe Let all things be done to edification and without offence of thy brother Againe Let all your workes be done in loue Lastly Let no man seeke his owne alone but euery man anothers wealth Now there is no action in the world nor any duty to be done of a Christian mā be he a publike or priuate person be it a publike or a priuate action be it towards God or man but if he haue not a particular direction yet it falls within the compasse of some of these rules and by the tenour of some of these hee may frame his worke in such manner as shall be pleasing to God and comfortable to himselfe Secondly besides rules there are Examples which are speciall directions and they are either of God or good men Extraordinarie examples of God namely such as hee did in extraordinarie times or vpon extraordinarie occasions they concerne vs not for these hee did by the power and prerogatiue of the Godhead as bidding of Abraham sacrifice his sonne bidding the Israelites spoile the Egyptians and such like But the ordinarie workes of Gods wisedome in his creatures of his iustice towards sinners of his mercie towards his children of his care and prouidence towards all are excellent rules of direction for vs. Hence wee haue these rules Be ye holy for I am holy Be ye mercifull as your Father in heauen is mercifull Luke 6.36 So for the actions of Christ who was God and man the miraculous actions of his power which argued his God●ead as his walking vpon the water and such like are no directions for vs. Nor againe his actions and workes ●lone as hee was Mediator as his fasting fourtie dayes his passion and his merits these are no directions for vs to do the like But as the first giue vs instruction So these procure vs iustification But the third sort of his actions done by him as a man or as a Iew borne they are both our instruction and imitation and they are good directions for our actions as his obedience his zeale his patience his humility and all other vertues Concerning all which he saith himselfe to vs Learne of me for I am humble and lowely And againe when he had washed his Apostles feete he bad them learne of him to loue one another For saith he I haue giuen you example that you should do euen as I haue done to you These his examples are rules of direction to all men in the like case Now as for the examples of men as the examples of wicked men are euery way to be eschewed so good mens are to be followed for whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 And for them we are to know that their examples or actions contrary to the word are therefore to be auoided