our whole life time fare the better but the soule it selfe touching the euerlasting life and glorie thereof shall haue no benefit by whatsoeuer seruice is done to God or duties performed to men by the whole bodie or any part thereof not working with and from the soule No man shall liue by the faith of another himselfe not beleeuing so shall not the soule haue any benefit for the life to come by all the works of the bodie alone except it selfe also worke with the bodie and the bodie also by it yea the bodie it selfe shall haue no benefit for the glorifying and making thereof like to the glorious body of Philip. 3. 21. Christ vnlesse all that it doth come from the soule Sometime soule and bodie do fare and shall fare the better by the works onely of the soule as by the meditations and by the prayers and supplications of the soule alone when the bodie being some way oppressed cannot ioyne with the soule as Hanna oppressed with griefe could not pray with her tongue and yet speaking in her heart and powring 1. Sam. 1. 13. 15. out her soule vnto the Lord she obtained her desire but neither the soule alone nor bodie alone nor both ioyntly shall fare the better for eternall life by any works whatsoeuer or by any sacrifices whatsoeuer of the bodie alone without the soule working with the bodie Because Isai 29. 13. 14. the Iewes drew neare to God with their mouth and with their lips did honour him remouing their hearts farre from him and that their feare towards him was taught by the precept of men as many amongst vs do many things more by the law of man then by the word of God Therfore the Lord threatneth to proceed by that word noting a beginning already made as for the ingratitude of good King Hezekiah 2. Chro. 32. 25. the wrath of God began against him and Iudah and Ierusalem and to do a maruellous worke and a wonder euen that the wisedome of the wise men should perish and the vnderstanding of the prudent men should be hâ—d Oh the Lord keep vs from this iudgement for what greater almost can there be For what was it else but so to strike their great Statesmen that did manage and gouerne their whole Common-wealth with a kind of phrensie and madnesse that they should not be able to do any thing but suffer all to go to wracke like to that of great Nebuchadnezzar whom the Lord for his pride smote with such madnesse that he was Dan. 4. 25. not fit for the societie of men and therefore was cast out to liue and feed with beasts for seuen yeares together or like to that of Achitophel who for his wisedome was in 2. Sam. 16. 23. that estimation that the counsell that he counselled in those dayes was as if a man had enquired of the oracle of God him notwithstanding for his pride in ioyning with Absolon against Dauid whose counseller he had bin the Lord Chap. 17. 23. so smote with a kind of phrensie that in his said phrensie being malecontent that Absolon had preferred the counsell of Hushai before his he went to his house and hanged himselfe Could there be a greater madnesse then to hang himselfe So to ouerthrow the wisedome of the wise as the Lord before threatned which were as it were the eyes of the whole people was to put out their eyes as Iudg. 16. 21. the Philistins put out the eyes of Samson by the iust iudgement of God for breaking his vow of the Nazarites and as Elymas the sorcerer for withstanding of Paul was by Acts 13. 11. Paul as the instrument of God smitten also with the like blindnesse If then the light that was in them that is in their kingdome should be darknesse how great would that darknesse be Moreouer why did not the Lord respect the sacrifice of Cain was it not because it was Gen. 4. 5. brought and offered onely with the bodie not with the soule Therefore also the Lord calleth vpon vs to wash Ier. 4. 14. Math. 5. 8. Iam. 4. 8. our hearts and our Sauiour saith Blessed are the pure in heart c. and Iames biddeth vs not onely to cleanse our hands that is our bodies synecdochically but also to purge our hearts The soule of a man is the more principall part and therefore called the glorie of a man so that whatsoeuer Psal 16. 9 and 30. 12. and 57. 8 the bodie doth without it is nothing Now by the soule I meane the whole spirituall part of a man euen all that is within him as the Prophet saith My soule blesse the Lord and all that is within me blesse his Psal 103. 1. holy Name To speake more particularly and plainly as by the body is to be vnderstood all the parts and members of the bodie The sacrifice of our wit reason c. so by the soule is to be meant all the powers and faculties thereof with reason vnderstanding thoughts memorie the will and the affections as loue hatred anger envie feare hope griefe ioy delight c. all these and euery one of these must be sacrificed to God and so dedicated that they must not at any time be vsed or employed against God or his children but alwayes for God and his glorie and truth and for the good of his people Our wit must not be employed in opposition to the truth but in the defence of it so must all our reason vnderstanding and learning None haue bin greater aduersaries to God and his truth nor greater hereticks neither more dangerous for the saluation of men yea also for their outward state then such as haue bin most wittie most learned and of greatest reach Satan making choice of the Gen. 3. 1. wittiest creature of all other to assault our first mother did thereby preuaile and ouerthrew both her and our first father and all their posteritie The same is to be said of not employing our wits to any other vanitie as to making of Playes or iests and sports for men to laugh in carnall maner especially then when common calamities present or future dangers do call vs to mourning and weeping to sackcloth and ashes Such as do straine all that is in them to make other merrie onely and to shew themselues fooles disgracing and defaming the image of God wherein they were made do slander God as though he had done that that he hath not and as though he had made them that they are not Is it a small matter to belye a King Is it nothing to deface the image of a Prince though but in iest This then is the first degree of sacrificing our wit reason vnderstanding and learning to God euen to restraine them from all such euill The second is to employ them to the aduancement of Gods glorie the furthering and promoting of his truth the edifying of men in their faith or the benefit of them touching this
according to thy iudgements So also when the Lord by the Prophet saith I dwell with him that is of a contrite spirit to reuiue the spirit of the Isay 57. 15. humble In all these places the words to quicken and reuiue being both one do signifie to make aliue Now neither doth the one or the other Prophet speake of the first life of grace from the sinnes wherein men are dead before regeneration but of the quickning grace whereby men are made more and more nimble cheerfull and liuely in the works of grace For the Psalmist was before partaker of the first worke of grace and the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the humble must needs be vnderstood to speake of such as had before receiued the life of God whereof humilitie is a speciall and a great measure As there are the reliks of all other sinnes in the best of Gods children so are there of that sluggishnesse against which Salomon in Pro. 6. 6. 1. â— 4. 15. 19. 18. 9. 24 30. c. the Prouerbs giueth so many precepts and in respect whereof the most liuely that are in goodnesse haue need to be rouzed vp and to be prouoked to be more liuely and also daily to pray in that behalfe In these dayes especially is this most necessarie wherein the greatest part of men are altogether dead in their trespasses and sinnes and Eph. 1. 4. 18 vtterly void and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse yet of their hearts and the best in a maner not only of the common people but also of the Ministers of the word and of all other sorts and states of men like to the Angell of the Reu. 3. 1. Church of Sardi haue a name to be aliue and yet are dead not starke dead as the former but sicke and very sicke vnto death needing admonition to awake and to strengthen the things that remaine and are otherwise ready to die As therefore this attribute is here set before the next of being holy so it must go before it No man can be an holy sacrifice except he be first a liuing sacrifice Thus much of alacritie or cheerfulnesse intimated by the word liuing Touching constancie that also is commended by the Mat. 16. 16. chapt 26. 63. Ioh. 6. 67. 2. Cor. 6. 16. same word For as when God is called the liuing God by the Apostles and by the high Priest the meaning is that he liueth for euer and is immutable and vnchangeable and as the Spirit of God which Christ promiseth to all that shall come vnto him and beleeue in him is called by the name of riuers of liuing water that is such as should Ioh. 7. 38. neuer be dried vp as also before that to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 10. by the name of liuing water and is more plainly interpreted to be such that whosoeuer should drinke thereof ver 14. should neuer thirst againe but that that water so giuen by our Sauiour shouldbe a well of water in her springing vp to eternall life So here a liuing sacrifice signifieth such a sacrifice as once hauing life should neuer die Christ indeed our life once died but now he liueth for euermore As therfore Reu. 1. 18. Christ now liueth and neither shall nor can die againe so whosoeuer hath truly giuen himselfe a sacrifice to God so being a member of Christ he must be and cannot but be a liuing sacrifice for euer If any that seeme to be liuing do die he neuer indeed was aliue but seemed onely so to be He that is once truly a liuing sacrifice so will be to the end He can no more lose this his spirituall life then God himselfe or Christ Iesus can die because that his life is the life of God and of Christ Iesus O vnspeakable comfort This life of our sacrifice must not be concealed for feare of any danger whatsoeuer yea it cannot be concealed where it is it will shew it selfe by the effects and workes thereof As our naturall life wil shew it selfe wheresoeuer it is so will this our spirituall life I beleeued therefore I spake It can no more be hidden then fire As fire will Psal 116. 10. 2. Cor. 4. 13. breake forth wheresoeuer it is so will this life yea fire may be quenched but this life cannot be extinguished Though Ieremiah in respect of many discouragements such as the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel in these dayes euery where especially in their owne country meet with Mark 6. 4. Ioh. 4. 44. not onely at the hands of enemies but also at the hands of such as beare a faire face vnto the Gospell though Ieremiah I say by such discouragements had determined to haue suspended himselfe from his ministerie and not to Ier. 20. 9. haue spoken any more in the name of the Lord yet the word of the Lord was in his heart as burning fire shut vp in his bones and he was wearie of forbearing and could no longer stay They that haue this life of God in them haue also the same word whereby that life was wrought as afterward we shall heare and therefore this life cannot be hidden but it will breake forth and shew it selfe That of the Apostle our life is hid with Christ in God is Colo. 3. 3. How our life is said to be hid with Christ in God to be vnderstood in a double respect first of the life to come and of the perfection of this life in the world to come secondly in respect of the world and of all dead in their trespasses and sins that haue no eyes to see this life or any worke thereof in them that haue it Sometimes also they that are thus liuing do not themselues feele this life in themselues but feare they haue it not as being for a time in a spirituall swoune and oppressed either with their sinnes or with many afflictions yea sometimes their eyes are so dazeled with the great prosperitie of the wicked that they thinke their state better then their owne as thinking all to be in vaine that they haue done in cleansing Psal 73. Chap. 33. their heart and washing their hands in innocencie But hereof enough is written in the Dignitie of Gods children By these things hitherto spoken it is manifest that whosoeuer sheweth not this life hath it not at all in him Let no man therefore deceiue himselfe touching this life but seriously examine himselfe by the effects of this life whether he haue it or no. But this shall be more euident by the adiunct holy in the next place because without that holinesse there is no spirituall liâ—e To adde one word more concerning the former constancie and perpetuitie of this life all that trust in the Lord Psal â—25 1. are like vnto mount Ston that standeth fast for euer and shall neuer be moued And our faith whereby we liue is therefore 1.
Chrysostomes owne word according to the institutions of Christ from God giuen vnto vs and not according to mens owne deuices or to the doctrines and traditions of any other Thus hauing interpreted the words and proued my interpretation by the signification of the adiectiue here vsed and by the like place of Peter where the same adiectiue is vsed and by all men so interpreted as I haue interpreted here let vs a little more amply speake of the matter it selfe both as it is the confirmation of the former maine exhortation and as also this fourth adiunct your seruice of the word is the meanes whereby our said sacrifice of our selues is made liuing holy and well pleasing to God Touching the first the whole argument is this That seruice that God hath required in his word is to be performed vnto him But God requireth in his word this seruice that we should present our selues a sacrifice liuing holy and well pleasing vnto him Therefore this sacrifice is to be presented vnto him If any man shall think these words to be rather a confirmation of the last former adiunct of this sacrifice well pleasing to God it commeth to the same passe For the confirmation of this one branch of the exhortation is the confirmation of all The proposition or first part of this argument viz. that that seruice that God requireth in his word is to be performed vnto him or is well pleasing vnto him This I say is so euident that it needeth no further proofe or speech but onely this that whatsoeuer is contrary to the word or more then the word requireth in matter or in maner is abominable to the Lord and reiected by the Lord with this deniall thereof Who required this at your hands And Isay ◠12. Isay 29. 13. againe Forasmuch as this people draweth neare vnto me with their mouth c. and their feare toward me is taught by the precept of men therefore behold I will do a maruellous worke amongst this people c. On the contrary therefore whatsoeuer seruice is according or agreeable vnto the word or commanded in the word that is to be performed to God that is well pleasing vnto him Moreouer the former proposition is manifest by the perfection of the word to conuert the soule to giue wisdome Psal 19. 7. 8. to the simple to reioyce the heart and to enlighten the eyes Yea this perfection is further manifest by the commendation of the word by Paul to make the man of God perfect 2. Tim. 3. 17. and throughly furnished vnto euery good worke For what meaneth the Apostle by the man of God The Minister of the word often else where so called because he is employed by God in his speciall seruice and the greatest worke of all other the saluation of mens soules the perfecting Ephes 4. 12. of the Saints the reedifying of the bodie of Christ God hath also commended the perfection of the word Deut 4. 2 12 13 Pro. 30. 6. Reu. 22. 19. by forbidding any thing to be added thereunto or detracted from it And indeed is it not as much a life is worth for any man employed by any Prince either in ambassage or in any other commission of great moment either to go beyond his commission or not to go so farre as thereby he is enioyned Such dealing is no better then treason What then is to be said of like dealing with God in his word Did Balaam say If Balack would giue me his house full Numb 22. 18. 24 13. of siluer and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord to do lesse or more Did this sorcerer I say whose teeth watered and fingers itched after Balacks siluer and gold so speake and shall not all Christians speake the same and acknowledge the word so perfect in euery respect that nothing is to be done lesse or more then the word warranteth This word especially being now euery way so perfect as it is and as we shall againe in this treatise haue occasion to shew it to be Is it not further said that these Ioh. 20. 31. things are written to make vs beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and that beleeuing we might haue life through his name If by those things that are written we may haue faith whereby to haue eternall life what would we more or what need we more Many things were spoken and done the which particularly are not written yet this is enough that those things that are written are sufficient for faith and eternall life To charge the written word with want of any thing necessarie to saluation either to be beleeued or to be obeyed by any particular persons or by whole Churches is to charge God either with insufficiencie and inabilitie to inspire the writers of the word withall or with want of will so to do or at least to impute vnfaithfulnesse and negligence vnto the said writers Either of the two former is blasphemous For no insufficiencie can be layed Rom. 16. 27. vpon God because he is most wise and onely wise yea he 1. Tim. 1. 17. Iude. 25. is so wise that he hath confounded and daily doth consound the wisedome of the wise and bringeth to nothing the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 1. 19. 20. of the prudent and maketh foolish the wisedome of the world Euen the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men c. ver 25. Yea such is the wisedome of God in his word that as the Apostle accounteth them fooles that do not vnderstand Ephes 1. 17. it so the Prophet denieth them that were accounted the great wise men of Iuda to haue any wisedome in them Ier. 8. 9. because they had reiected the law of the Lord. To denie God to be willing is directly contrary to the Apostle that from God hath said that God will haue all men that is all 1. Tim. 2. 4. sorts of men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Touching the third point of vnfaithfulnesse of the writers it cannot stand without impeachment to God and Christ Iesus by whom they were appointed to write And doth not Paul say that Christ had accounted him faithfull 1. Tim. 1. 1◠Were not the rest faithfull as well as Paul What a weakning of the faith of the elect is this to say that the Prophets and Apostles were vnfaithfull that in respect of their doctrine are called the foundation of the Church Ephes 1. 20. Here before I come to the vse of this doctrine let me insert something touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice about the which the Papists in euery place where it is vsed make a kind of tumult distinguishing it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribing the former as proper onely to God and saying that the other is to be communicated to Angels to Saints to Images c. But this distinction is both new and also vaine or idle It is new
places Onely herein is the difference that in the one place he saith the mercies plurally and in the other the meeknesse and gentlenesse singularly secondly that in the one place there is the name of God in the other of Christ By mercies he meaneth also in this place Gods works of mercie onely concerning our soules and the life to come For this word therefore referreth vs onely to those things that the Apostle had before written euen to all those passages of Gods dealing before mentioned and before in part recapitulated by me as to iustification by faith without the workes of the Law c. In all the former part of the Epistle the Apostle had not mentioned any mercie of God concerning this life all before said concerneth euerlasting saluation Now by speaking plurally of mercies he noreth that all All the mercies of God do concurre in the saluation of any Ephes 4. 7. the former mercies of God do concurre and must concurre to the saluation of euery one appointed to saluation Whosoeuer hath one hath all One is not enough without all Yet this is to be vnderstood first of all common mercies I meane common to all the elect secondly of all such in seuerall measures There are many mercies of the life to come specially belonging to some speciall persons as appeareth by those particulars here mentioned in verses 6. 7. 8. All such graces are not necessarie for all neither do concurre in all The speciall workes 1. Cor. 12. 4. also of Gods mercie to speciall callings are not all alike and wrought in equall measure But to euery one is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ And there vers 6. are diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit And in this Chapter Hauing gifts differing c. And what need so graue an admonition in verse 3. by the grace giuen to Paul that euery man among these Christian Romanes should not thinke of himselfe more highly then he ought to thinks if all mercies or graces were alike in all Gods mercies to come greater then any past or present Not to stand any longer hereupon but to proceed by the mercies of God in this place he meaneth not onely mercies past and mercies present but also mercies to come which are greater then any we haue had or haue First because they shall be in heauen whereas these are all here below Secondly because they shall be without feare of any losse of any depriuation of any of diminution Thirdly they shall not be by degrees as here but all at once and euerlasting But are our mercies here vncertain Not so yet in respect of our weaknesse and of the multitude 2. Cor. 7. 1. and power of our aduersaries both without vs and Philip. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 17. also within vs we are neuer without feare neither must be not of losing but of ceasing them and of weakning and obscuring our assurance of them Fourthly Gods mercies to come are greater then any past or present because they shall be without any misery at all And as in these respects they are greater so they are also as certaine as those that here already we haue And the mercies of God which here we haue are assurances Gods future mercies as sure as any past or present Numb 23. 19. Iam. 1. 17. Heb. 6. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 19. of those we shal haue And for our better assurance of them we are first of all to consider the immutable promise of God bound with a solemne oath euen by his owne name Secondly they are as sure as those that we haue in respect of the great price of our redemption euen the precious blood of Christ Iesus For hath Christ redeemed vs with so great a price and will he lose vs Thirdly in respect of Christs intercession in our behalfe for those mercies first whilest he was here in earth secondly Ioh. 17. 24. Rom. 8. 32. Ioh. 11. 42. now in heauen This reason is the stronger because Christ is heard alwayes and God cannot but heare him because he is his Sonne in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. and he was alwayes iust neuer sinning either in any other thing or in praying Fourthly as before he did and now doth make intercession for vs so it was the end of his ascending into heauen to prepare a place for vs. Hath he prepared a place for Ioh. 14. 2. vs and shall we be frustrated of it Fiftly Christ hath not onely promised these future mercies but also vpon his promise and to bind himselfe the more to the performance thereof he hath giuen vs the earnest of his Spirit Will he lose his earnest Can any force 2. Cor. 1. 22. Ephes 1. 13 1â— withhold that from him for which he hath giuen earnest or can we withhold our selues Hereunto belongs our sealing by the Spirit of redemption Are not mens writings â— phes 4 30. sure that are sealed and shall not the writings of God and of Christ Iesus sealed in our hearts with a seale of such a price be much surer God Spirit is the seale of our redemption to assure vs both that we are already redeemed Tit. 2. 14. from all iniquitie and also that we shall be redeemed from all miseries of this life and from death it selfe as they are punishments of sinne so that we may say euen whiles we liue here Death is swallowed vp into victory O Hos 13. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 54. 55 death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory Sixtly the mercies of God to come are as sure as those that we haue because in the former respects God is not Heb. 6. 10. See more in Chap. 1. in the end Ioh. 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29. Gen. 27. 33. vnrighteous that he should forget our works and labour of loue c. Seuenthly whom God loueth he loueth to the end and the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Did Isaac say of Iacob I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed and wicked Pilat to the wicked Iewes of the title of Christ that he had written vpon the crosse What I haue written Ioh. 19. 19. 22. Luk 10. 20. Philip. 4. 3. Reuel 3. 5. I haue written and shall not God say the same much more of them whom he hath blessed and whose names he hath written in heauen and in the booke of life Eightly There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets Math. 24. 24. and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible the very elect shall be deceiued It is not therefore possible that they should be deceiued and consequently that they should perish Ergo they shall be most certainly saued Ninthly all partake of the mercies of God before spoken Ephes 5. 30. 1. Cor. 12. 14. of in this Epistle are one with Christ Iesus by which vnion they as certainly
know they shall be in heauen with him as they know himselfe to be there and whiles he was here to haue prayed for vs that we might be there where he should be yea by which vnion we do already sit with Ephes 2. 6. him in the heauenly places Tenthly the Apostle hath assured vs that he will make our vile bodies like vnto his glorious bodie and that when he Philip. 3. 21. Col. 3. 4. shall appeare we shall appeare with him in glorie and Iohn saith we shall be like him and see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Eleuenthly the wicked souldiers that brake the bones of the theeues crucified with Christ could not breake his bones because it was written of the Passe-ouer a type of Christ A bone of him shall not be broken Was it not possible for a bone of his naturall bodie to be broken because it Ioh. 19. 33. 36. was so written and shall it be possible for any whole member of his mysticall bodie to be vtterly lost Twelfthly and lastly not to be tedious herein None of the sheepe of Christ that haue heard his voice and followed Ioh. 10. 28. 29. him can be taken out of Christs hand because the Father that hath giuen them vnto him is stronger then all And all the children of God begotten againe through the rich mercie of God are kept and guarded as I said before by the power of God c. Is it not blaspemous either to say that God is 1. Pet. 1. 5. In Chap. 1. at the end vnrighteous or to denie his omnipotencie that he is not able to keepe his owne May we not vpon these grounds crie out O the vnsearchable riches of Gods goodnesse as well as of his wisedome May we not breake out into admiration of the happie and blessed state and condition of all them that are partaker of such mercies of God Oh then how forcible an argument is this of the Apostle to prouoke vrge and presse all by these mercies to present their bodies a sacrifice vnto God Yea certainly this argument is greater then whatsoeuer can be vrged to this purpose from all the iudgements of God We are many times prouoked Ios 23. 8. c. and 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24. to cleaue vnto God to feare God c. by consideration of the great works of his mercie for this life both performed and also promised how much more then ought these his great mercies of the life to come quicken vs thus to present our bodies a sacrifice liuing holy acceptable Therefore this Apostle from the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead in that glorious maner that he had described the same inferreth this exhortation to stedfastnes in iudgement and to abounding in all good workes with constancie Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast 1. Cor. 15. 58. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is rest your selues in the former doctrine as in a seate or chaire of state after ye haue bin wearied with the errors of false Apostles to the contrary be vnmoueable let no man vnseate you abounding always in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know euen certainly that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Doth not the Apostle Peter also from the same certaintie of Gods future mercies exhort the Christian Iews with all diligence to adde to their faith 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6. Vt virtus à nomine vir proforti strenuo ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriuatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem est Mars quam Poetae imperunt Deum bâ—lli vertue or rather fortitude or courage according to the deriuation of the Greeke word and to their said courage knowledge for the better direction thereof and to knowledge temperance because men of courage are commonly intemperate and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse loue euen towards all men Doth not Iohn likewise exhort to loue one another vnfainedly and in deed as well as in word from our knowledge that we 1. Ioh. 3. 14. 18. 19. are translated from death vnto life and of our being in truth for the present and from assurance of our hearts before him for the time to come Away therefore with all doctrine of Poperie that teacheth the certaintie of Gods mercie to come to be the doctrine of securitie and libertie Away with all Arminianisme that teacheth that no man can be sure of his saluation and that men partaker of the former mercies may for all that lose all Heb. 6. 9. and vtterly and finally fall away from grace All obiections to the contrary are strawy watery and weake The mainest obiection of all other from Heb. 6. 4. c. is dog-lame yea the legs thereof are so cut off in the very 9. 10. same place vers 9. 10. that it must haue legs made of wood to support it that will be burnt with the fire For the Apostle adding that he was perswaded better things of them and such as did accompanie saluation prouing the same from the very righteousnesse of God in those respects that before I haue spoken doth by his said words plainly teach vs that he had not before spoken of such things as necessarily accompanie saluation Can there be any thing better then faith and these mercies of God apprehended by faith Therefore it is certaine that the Apostle had not before spoken of such things as in verse the 9. he calleth better things and such as accompanie saluation They that fall away from the communion of Saints and that lose their taste of those mercies they seemed to haue neuer were of the Saints neither euer indeed had receiued those 1. Ioh. 2. 19. mercies I haue seene a little dog-bolt booke lately published by some that style themselues falsly called Anabaptists but it is lamentable to see how the poore men moile themselues in their errors and how they are puzzled with the former place of Iohn labouring to answer it but most fouly abusing it saying themselues cannot tell what They multiply words indeed but in them not a word to purpose neither worth any answer But to returne and proceed doth not this our Apostle from the very promises of God made to the Iewes in old time mentioned in the end of the 2. Cor. 6. prouoke vs Gentiles engrafted into Christ to purge our selues from all 2. Cor. 7. 1. filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit c. As for the words following in the feare of God and the like elsewhere they are onely to be opposed to presumption and are to be vnderstood as motiues to the more watchfulnesse in respect Philip. 2. 12. of the weaknesse of our selues whiles we liue in the flesh and of other that in particulars haue deeply fallen and also as I said before of the manifold and mightie aduersaries of our saluation yea not onely in respect
and presented to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. 26. 27. In opposition therefore to those sacrifices of the Law the Apostle here will haue this sacrifice of our selues to be liuing We must then here dâ—eame of sacrificing our selues by killing our selues as the Papists do maâ—ly whip and scourge themselues like to the Priests of Baal before spoken of for this is diuellish and as I before said this is to offer ourselues to the diuell and to do his seruice who Ioh. 8. 44. was a murderer from the beginning God hath forbidden euery man the murdering of himselfe as well as the murdering of another yea though a man haue done any thing worthy of death by the magistrate yet to put him to death for the same must be the work of the magistrate not of himselfe that so hath deserued death neither of any other that hath not authorite so to do Yea though the magistrate himselfe haue committed any such heinous sin as whereby he hath deserued death yet he must not be put to death by himselfe but by some other superiour magistrate If himselfe that hath committed such a sinne be the supreme magistrate no other man must put him to death for the same but he must be left to God the Iudge Iudges 18. 29. of all the world We must indeed as before I said of the second kinde of the passiue sacrificing our selues submit our selues to death for Christs sake for his truths sake not onely for the whole but also for any part thereof if we cannot lawfully auoid it without deniall or betraying of it but otherwise we must not by any meanes take away our owne liues Dauid by the law for his adultâ—rie with Bathsheba and murder of Vrâ—as had doubly deserued death yet he put not himselfe to death neither had any other power so to do Yea to say more I make no question but that a man hauing by some capitall sinne deserued to die may for all that defend himselfe against any priuate man though neuer so neere in kindred to a man murdered by another and not willingly suffer himselfe to be slaine by such a priuate person without authoritie attempting the reuenge of the person murdered or otherwise so iuiured that by the said doer of the iniutie death had bin deserued Might not Amnon haue defended himself against the violence of Absolom if he had bin aware thereof though he had deserued to die for the rape and incest he had committed against Tamar his owne sister by the father and sister of Absolom by father and mother This life here spoken of is not our naturall life onely though touching it we liue in God moue and haue our being Act 17. 28. but especially a supernaturall life here begun and in the world to come to be perfected and therefore called euerlasting life and in a singular maner the life of God It is the Ioh. 10. 28â— Ephes 4. 18. life of grace often times indeed here begun and continued with much heauinesse and with teares as the Prophet speaketh Pal. 126. 5. 6. of the people in captiuitie but ending with ioy as the sheaues by the husband-man are gathered with gladnes though the seed cost neuer so deare and were therefore grieuous to the sower yea in the meane time also all their present afflictions of this life are accompanied with ioy vnspeakable and glorious because after this life ended 1. Pet. 1. 6. 8. and all the miseries thereof ceased then the former life of grace shall be crowned with the life of glorie This life also is the life of Christ himselfe euen in vs because it cometh from Christ who is therefore called the Prince of life and that especially in a double respect first Acts the 3. 15. How Christ is the Prince of life because by his death he hath purchased eternal life for vs secondly because he being our head and we his members as from the naturall head the whole naturall bodie and euery member thereof receiueth life so from Christ Iesus his whole mysticall bodie the Church and euery member thereof euen here receiueth all spirituall life Gal. 2. 19. 20. Therefore the Apostle saith I through the law am dead vnto the law that I might liue to God I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God But how do we liue by the faith of the Sonne of How we liue by the faith of the Sonne of God God Because as God is the author of it and Christ the purchaser the subiect and the conduit of it so faith is our hand wherby both we are incorporated into Christ and he is made our head and we ioyned vnto him as to our head and also whereby we turne the cocke of this conduit and so draw the water of life and life it selfe from Ioh 4. 14. and 7 38. Act. 16. 14. him our hearts being before by God himselfe opened as the heart of Lydia was and so made capable both of that water of life and also of the life it selfe This life here being the life of grace is the assurance of the life of glorie and after all our afflictions and combats here well ended and the faith well kept shall at the last be 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. â—ames â— 12. 1. Pet. 5. 4. crowned by the righteous Iudge himselfe with the crowne of righteousnes the crowne of life the crowne of glorie which shall not fade To speake yet a little more of this adiunct of our sacrifice The adiunct liuing includeth in it allaeritiâ— and constancy liuing it includeth in it two other qualities of our sacrifice first alacritie or cheerfulnesse secondly constancie The former is by some noted vpon the word present before spoken of but all presenting of gifts being not alwayes cheerfull but sometime vnwilling and for feare of some displeasure by not presenting I suppose it rather to be more aptly and naturally signified by this word liuing For euery man in his right mind willingly liueth and desireth to liue Satan had learned this and could therefore say Skin for skinne and all that a man hath Iob. 2. 4. will he giue for his life The word also liuing is all one with liuely or cheerfull For if a man do any thing dully or grudgingly and lazily as though he cared not whether he did it or no do we not say that such a one hath no life in him and that he doth that which he doth as though he were at lest asleepe If one go nimbly about his worke do we not say that such a one hath life in him Hence are those often petitions of the Prophet Quicken me according Psal 119. 25. ver 37. v. 88. and 149. 156. to thy word Quicken me in thy way Quicken me after thy louing kindnesse and Quicken me
Pet. 1. 7. said to be more precious then gold because gold though tried in the fire perisheth Doth not the Apostle thereby manifestly shew that our faith cannot perish else were the argument of the Apostle from the comparison thereof with gold of no force All hitherto spoken of this attribute liuing here giuen to this our sacrifice is to be applied to all before said of our actiue and passiue sacrificing of our selues we must do all we must suffer all with all alacritie and cheerfulnes as also with all constancie and stedfastnesse That which is said of a liberall person that the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer 2. Cor. 9. 7. is to be vnderstood of the actiue and passiue sacrificing of our selues If we must be cheerfull in giuing vnto men must we not much more be cheerfull in sacrificing our selues to God that in many respects hath right vnto our selues and to all that we haue All the actiue sacrificing of our bodies and of euery member of them as also of our soules and of euery power and facultie of them must be cheerfull So must likewise be all our passiue sacrificing of our selues The more honorable also it is to suffer for Christs sake the more willing and cheerfull should we be to part from all yea to lay downe our liues for his sake And indeed whosoeuer hath truly beleeued that Christ hath so willingly and cheerfully suffered those direful torments for vs that he did he cannot but be willing and cheerfull also to suffer any thing for him Oh that this life were in euery one that pretendeth to sacrifice himselfe to God In things that concerne our selues for this life how liuely how nimble are we but alas in sacrificing our selues to God in doing or suffering any thing for God how drowsie how dead how leaden heeled and handed are we The same may be said of constancie in sacrificing our selues both actiuely and passiuely It is not enough to suffer a little or at once but if we should be called often to suffer for his truth it should not be grieuous vnto vs. Though we should be first reuiled touching our good names then spoiled of all our good then laid vp in prison and there kept with great hardnesse for many yeares then brought out to execution and to haue our flesh torne from our backs by peece-meale as some haue had or be burnt by little and little as William Gardiner Merchant was beyond the seas yet none of all these ought to make any of vs to shrinke One thing more let me yet adde touching this adiunct liuing namely that the more our naturall life decayeth and consumeth in the powers thereof manifested by the trembling of the keepers of our house and by the strong men Eccles. 1â— 3. bowing themselues and the ceasing of the grinders and by the darknesse of our windowes all which I feele in my self the more we labour to cherish and to increase this our spirituall and heauenly life in vs that so we may bring forth Psal 92. 14. Reu. 2. 19. fruit in our old age and be faâ— and flourishing and like to the Angell of the Church of Thiatyra hauing our last workes more then our first This shall suffice to haue spoken of this first adiunct of our sacrifice namely liuing The second adiunct is holy This is necessarie to be ioyned The second adiunct of our sacrifice holy to the former first to teach vs to distinguish the former from naturall liuing and secondly to teach vs our sacrifice to be liuing in holinesse yea without this holinesse men haue no life of God no spirituall life in them but are altogether dead as before I said not able to stir hand or foote towards heauen as spiritually dead as Lazarus Ioh. 11. 39. was naturally dead in the graue and had bin dead foure dayes till Christ crying aloud vnto him said Lazarus come forth and by that meanes raised him from death vnto life and so by raising other from death to life and by dayly raising vp other from the death of sinne to this life Rom. 1. 4. of holinesse mightily declaring himselfe to be the Son of God for so with reuerend regard notwithstanding of the different iudgement of my betters I vnderstand that place to Mat. 17. 9. 27 64. 28. 7. Mark 6. 9. Ioh. 2. 22. Ephes 1. 20. Ioh. 20. 9. Acts. 3. 15. chapt 4. 10. chapt 10. 41. cha 13. â—0 34 1. Pet. 1. 3. Rom. 4. 24. cap. 6. 4. cap. 7. 4. cap. 8. 11. cap. 10. 7. 9. 1. Cor. 15. 20. Col. 2. 17. 1. Thes 1. 10. Heb. 13 20. 2. Tim. 2. 8. 2. Cor. 7. 1. the Romanes For it seemeth to me that it cannot well be vnderstood of the resurrection of himselfe from the dead because in the Greeke there is no preposition signifying from as is in those places that speake of Christs owne resurrection from the dead of which I haue noted some before in the margin and many more might haue noted Neither do I thinke it very easie for any man to name any place wherein Christs owne resurrection is mentioned without some prepositioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to name any where that the genitiue case of the dead there vsed by the Apostle doth signifie from the dead But to returne from whence I haue a little digressed for the interpretation of that place to the Romanes that we may be thusholy as here the Apostle speaketh we must first of all purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and then decke our selues with the contrary vertues of sanctification For filthinesse and holinesse cannot any more agree in one subiect then light and darknes and both those branches of our holinesse are elsewhere signified by putting off the old man and putting on the Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3 9. 10. Tit. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 2. 11. 12. Rom. 6. 11. verse 18. Psal 34. 14. 1 Pet 3. 12. Exod. 12. 5. Leuit. 1. 10. 22. 19. 20. 21. new by denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and liuing soberly and godly c. by abstaining from all fleshly lusts which fight against our soules and hauing our conuersation honest c. by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God and to righteousnes by being made free from sin and seruants vnto righteousnes by eschuing euill and doing good and by other the like Now as the Passe-ouer was to be without blemish especially as the legall sacrifices ought so to haue bin yea also without any other deformitie or maime so the Apostle here requireth this our sacrifice to be holy and without any spirituall blemish or deformitie If the sacrifices of sheepe and lambes in those dayes must be without blemish must not the sacrifice of our selues much more be such Yea this is also necessarie in respect that our selues must not only be the sacrifices but also the Priests to offer this sacrifice For as the
life and senslesse Thus much for the words Now to the matter and that as breifly as I may First of all therefore the Apostle making a kind of opposition of this negatiue precept to the former affirmatiue exhortation teacheth vs that both cannot stand together and meete in one subiect and be performed by one and the same person As the Prophet praying God to incline Psal 119. 36. his heart vnto his testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse thereby teacheth that no mans heart can be inclined to Gods testimonies and vnto couetousnesse so the Apostle here exhorteth these Christian Romanes and in them aâ—l other to present themselues a sacrifice liuing holy aâ—â—d well pleasing to God according to his word in that behalfe and not to be fashioned or conformed vnto this world doth thereby plainly teach that no man can be such a sacrifice to God and yet be fashioned and conformed to this world whosoeuer is fashioned and conformed vnto this world plainly bewrayeth himselfe neuer as yet so to haue sacrificed himselfe vnto God as here the Apostle hath required What consormitie to the world is But what is it to be conformed to the world To be conformed to the world is to be conformed to the wicked in the world But who are such wicked as to whom the children of God and they that haue deuoted and consecrated themselues to God must not conforme themselues I answer that these wicked ones are the time-seruers of the world that is such as before I said do look to no other rule of their liues but onely to the times and therefore do conforme and alwayes frame themselues to be such as the times by reason of them that rule in the times That we may the better know who be such as to whom the children of God are not to conforme themselues let vs vnderstand them to be of two sorts Some without the visible Church Some within the Church They without the visible Church are also of two sorts for Some are absolutely without the said Church Some hauing the name of the Church yet are indeed without the true Church of Christ as hauing a name onely to be that that they are not They that are absolutely without the visible Church are all the heathen Turks and other infidels yea the Iewes also that yet beleeue not Christ to be come in the flesh They that haue the name of the Church and yet are not of the true Church are all Popish Churches and all those that liue in them wholy subiect vnto them The same is to be said of all other heretiks Arians Manicheans Macedonians Anabaptists and other the like hauing assemblies by themselues By them that liue within the Church I meane those that are within any of the reformed Churches in England Scotland Ireland France Germanie Denmarke the Palatinate the Low countries or elsewhere Such are all Papists both Recusants and also Church-Papists that worship the Lord and yet serue their grauen images and worship 2. Kin. 17. 41. the idols of other Papists their breaden god their crucifixes their Saints c. All which do as it were sweare by the Lord and by Malcham that is by their abominable Zeph. 1. 5. Masse by their Saint Mà rie Saint Iohn c. Such also are all Anabaptists and other the like that though they hold an outward communion with our Churches yet secretly do hold their heresies and other dangerous errors and will not be reclaimed from them Such also are all other wicked and prophane persons in their liues shewing themselues to be such and professe T it 1. 16. that they know God and yet by their works denie him being abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate and yet still liuing in the bosome of the Church being within the Church but not of the Church as Iohn speaketh of them that had forsaken the communion of Saints They went out from vs but they were not of vs. As 1. Ioh. 2. 19. the Church it selfe is in the world but not of the world so there are many within the Church that are not of the Church Multae sunt foris ones multi sunt intus â—upi There are many sheepe without the Church viz. elect not called many wolues within Neither do I meane the wicked onely that now are but them also that in former times haue bin yea not only other but also our selues before our regeneration and when we were as such other haue bin yet are Walking Ephes 2. 2. ver 3. according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power in the aire and hauing had our conuersation in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh c. To To none of all these must we conforme our selues welking 1. Pet. 4. 3. as they haue done or do or as our selues did before our calling For it is sufficient that in the time past of our life we haue wrought the will of the Gentiles c. As this is forbidden here so also is it elsewhere To the Ephesians thus the Apostle writeth with great authoritie This I say therefore Ephes 4. 17. and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their mind c. The like he doth in the next Chapter though somewhat more obscurely for hauing mentioned diuers particular sins and amplified the same by the fearfull state of all such as commit them shewing that they haue no inheritance in the kingdome Ephes 5. 3. c. of Christ and of God and therefore admonished them to beware that no man by any flattering words did deceiue them and draw them to the said sinnes because that for them the wrâ—th of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience he concludeth with this exhortation Be not therefore partaker with them What is it therefore to be partaker with them but to walke in the same wayes to conforme vnto them Peter also as euen now I shewed exhorteth all for whom Christ suffered no longer to liue the rest of their 1. Pet. 4. 2. 3. time in the flesh that is whiles they liued in this world as before time they had done and as the Gentiles not called yet did Iames also plainly condemneth this conformitie with the world commending pure religion to be the keeping Iam. 1. 2. 17. of our selues vnspotted from the world What is it to keepe our selues vnspotted from the world but not to be conformable to the world Yea though our fathers haue bin men of the world and coÌ„formed themselues vnto the world yet we are coÌ„manded not to be like our fathers yea to forget Zach 1. 4. Psal 78. 8. and 45. 10. Ier. 11. 10. our fathers house In which respect diuers haue alwaies bin reproued that did conforme theÌ„selues to their fathers Hitherto belong diuers particular precepts for not doing this or that as other haue don Our Sauiour dehorteth froÌ„ distrust
write how learned how godly soeuer he be yet that which he shall speake or write though neuer so well agreeing with the word written shall not be taken so to be the word of God as that any may make the same a touchstone for triall of any mens doctrine as we may and must make the Scriptures of the old and new Testament Oh what an euidence is this of the perfection of the new will and testament of God aboue the old No booke of the old Testament was so singularly the will of God but that other bookes after written were as well to be accounted of neither the whole old Testament so but that the New was likewise neither any part of the new written before the other so but that the other written afterward was of equall authoritie with the former So may it not be said of any other bookes written since by any other whatsoeuer Last of all this word perfect doth not onely import such a will and testament as whereto there shall neuer be any thing added as it were a codicill to be thereunto annexed but also such a will and testament as shall continue for euer to the end of the world and neuer be abolished or abrogated in the whole or in any part thereof as the other was and this the word here vsed and translated perfect in the Greeke and Latin tongue seemeth to import Then is a thing said to be perfected in Latin when it is finished and brought to the end It is as plaine in the Greeke because the substantiue of the adiectiue here vsed signifieth the end and the aduerb deriued from both signifieth to the end as when it is said Hope perfectly the 1. Pet. 1. 13. meaning is Hope to the end as it is translated in our new translation The same is also manifest by reason touching the will of a man For the last will and testament of a man cannot be altered after the death of the testator so cannot the will and testament of God made by his Sonne in the name of God and by the authoritie of God be now altered the Sonne that made it being now dead and his will being proued in the great and high Court of heauen by God himselfe the Iudge of all the world from whom there is no appeale to any other Where a testament is saith Heb. 9. 16. the Apostle there must also be the death of the testator for a testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whiles the testator liueth If it be obiected that albeit Christ died yet he now liueth Reu. 1. 18. for euermore I answer that yet his death was so effectuall for confirmation of this his Will that his said Will cannot by his present life for euermore be cancelled or made of no force For that his once death though raised againe was more then if all the men in the world yea also if all the Angels in heauen had died neuer to be againe restored to life And by that his death he hath freed all his elect from euerlasting death most iustly deserued by them Againe though he now liue in heauen yet he is so dead vnto men as that he shall neuer againe liue with men in this world to eate and drinke to be hungrie and thirstie and wearie in his owne person as he was To conclude all before written of these three adiuncts The vses of the former three adiuncts of the will of God 1. Reprehension of the Papists of this will of God with the vses thereof the more excellent we haue heard the same to be by the said adâ—uncts the greater is the wickednesse of all Papists that denying the same to be so good so well pleasing so perfect and therefore do yet adde the doctrines of men and the daily decrees of that man of sinne the child of perdition the Antichrist of Rome not only as equall to this wil neither to make yâ— same better the acceptabler the more perfect but also to abrogate it and to dispense with any thing done contrary thereunto as with breach of oathes the loyaltie of subiects vnto their Soueraignes the murder also of such Princes giuing their kingdomes to whom they list so also with mariages within the degrees of kindred forbidden mariage by God himselfe It maketh also for reprehension of Anabaptists Familists Reprehension of the Annabaptists and all other that either reiect this will of God altogether or thinke it not so good so well pleasing and so perfect but that there must be reuelations and visions whereby to be made the better the more pleasing and perfect I might likewise here speake of the contempt of the Reprehension of some among vs. word amongst our selues yea by them that would not be accounted profane persons as Esau but professors and such as will shew faire countenances to Ministers and to other that do indeed regard the word But oh who can so speake as to reforme it Not Paul himselfe not Christ as he was man and as in his humane nature did once speake vnto men If the word be preached to some in the morning somewhat sooner then other men preach or in the afternoone somewhat later then other men though vpon neuer so good reason yea vpon some necessitie oh then it is preached out of season What then Hath not the Apostle commanded it so to be preached Hath he 2. Tim. 4. 2. commanded it so to be preached and hath he not commanded it so to be heard Yea but in the morning we shall heare it in our owne Churches afterward and in the afternoone we haue heard it there already and therefore what need we to heare it againe it is euen to glut vs with hearing So the Israelites loathed Manna But alas what Num. 11. 67. followed They lusted for flesh they had it of the daintiest Psal 78. 24. but they had little pleasure in it Whiles it was between their teeth and ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled Num. 11. 33. against them and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague to the slaying of the fattest of them c. Againe if Psa 78. 31. such men as so excuse themselues might haue siluer or gold or both or any other commodity offered vnto them either very cheape or especially for nothing without any Iâ—ay 55. 1. mony and without any price would they make such excuses would they be so nice in taking paines to fetch it As for some daintie Dames euen sprugd vp of nothing that are so long in dressing and attiring themselues in the morning that they can scarce come to their owne Churches how neare soeuer till it be ten of the clock when all are come together and they may be seene of all and that after their owne Sermon or perhaps Seruice onely read in the afternoone they cannot take the paines to go heare the word preached
that marke whereby ye may be knowne so to be sixtly that God hath also blessed my ministery to the winning and instrumentall begetting of other children also vnto him In the seuenth place I might ad that whereof Paul boasteth but herein I am sparing that I may no waies seeme to disgrace any or any waies to insult ouer them I hate a high mind in other and therefore far be it from me to bewray the same in my selfe God haue the glory of all Now sith ye are not onely mine by nature but the Lords also by grace feare ye not but that ye shall be blessed The Psal 112. 2. Isai 55. 3. and 61. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 22. generation of the righteous shall be blessed And Gods couenant made with the righteous their seed is euerlasting whom it hath pleased him to make his people for his name sake he will neuer forsake And now my children looke to your selues that as the Lord will not forsake you so whatsoeuer euill daies shall come ye may not fall from him yea looke to yourselues I do not say that ye loose not the things that we haue 2. Ioh. 8. wrought but that ye loose not the things that God hath wrought in you that not I but ye may receiue a full reward Philip. 1. 6. I am confident in this very thing that he which hath begun a good worke in you wil performe it vntil the day of Iesus Christ Therefore I speake not as fearing but as my louing children to admonish you to vse all dilligence for the keeping of your standing If yea let go your hold of that portion which you haue in God what shall it profit you to gaine the Math. 16. 26. whole world O gaine of godlines how great art thou Thou art profitable and hast the promise of this life and of 1. Tim. 6. 6. and 4. 8. 1. Thes 41. 1. Cor. 15. 61. that which is to come As ye haue already some portion thereof so labor to be more and more rich therein Be ye stedfast unmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord ye haue already in part bought the truth yet still be bargaining for it ye want more then ye haue Buy it therefore and sel Prou. 23. 23. Math 13. 44. 45 it not ye shall haue a good market at the last Sell all that ye haue for it rather then not to increase your store of it heerein be ye like to worldlings that whatsoeuer riches they haue yet thinke they haue nothing Be ye like to the horsleaches his daughters Crie ye alwaies giuâ— giue Prou. 30. 15. neither be satisfied neuer say it is enough Let none of you be grieued that I haue left you nothing of my inheritance in Kent neither of my lands since that I purchased in Suffolke as also in Essex all being now gone and the price thereof spent not riotously or otherwise lewdly but by other meanes I confesse I haue spent the more for the gracing of my Ministrie and the prouoking of others to bounty and by so graceing my Ministrie to win the more vnto God What other things haue bin the meanes of my present pouertie as also of the base account that my selfe and ye are in by that meanes though I neede not be ashamed to relate yet for other reasons I spare to speake I might perhaps haue left you somewhat if I had bin more frugall for the things of this life Notwithstanding although some doe make great shew of great pouertie by their bare apparrell hard fare leane cheekes and borrowing heere and there without any necessitie in respect of any great charge of children and yet in the end doe make purchase vpon purchase yet for my part I hate all such basenes of mind as disgracefull not onely to the Ministry but also to Christianitie as being that filthy lucer that is 1 Tim 3. 3. Tit. 1. 7. Prou 1 19. 11. 24. 18. 27 1. Tim. 6. 10. in speciall manner forbidden all Ministers of the Gospell whereof notwithstanding there is no profit to any in the end and whereby also some that are in want indeed being thought to be such and to haue aboundance are much preiudiced and altogether neglected yea whereby likewise such secret rich men themselues liue in misery and want as well that that they haue as that that they haue not Be not therefore grieued ô my children that I cannot giue you any earthly portions Though I may say with Naomi I haue bin full and now euen in mine old age I Ruth 1. 21. am emptie yet mnrmure not that I haue bin no better husband for you and that ye haue so poore a father in earth but herein reioyce that ye haue a rich Father in heauen and Luk. 12. 21. that your selues are rich toward him who also giueth vs all richly all things to enioy and who hath so written your 1. Tim. 6. 17. Luk. 10. 20. Reu. 3 5. Iam 1 27. Iude. 23. names in heauen in his book of life as that they shal not be blotted out c. In this assurance keepe your selues vnspotted of the world and hate the very garment that is spotted of the flesh Though it should so fall out that ye should liue in the midst of a crooked and peruerse generation yet be ye Phil. 2 15. blamelesse and harmles children of God and shine ye as lights in the world that so ye may shine in heauen as the Starrs yea Dan. 12. 3. Mat. 13. 43. as the Sunne in the firmament Thinke no scorne to be persecuted for righteousnes neither to be reuiled c. For Christ Mat. 5. 11. 12. sake but reioyce yea count it all ioy for herein is your Iam. 1. 2. blessednes and your faith so tried and purged as gold in the fire Shall be found to your praise honor and glory at the appearing 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7. of Iesus Christ and in the meane time the Spirit of chap. 4. 13. 14. glory euen of God himselfe shall rest vpon you This spirit beareth witnes to your spirits that as ye are here pertaker of the suffering of Christ so the time shall come when ye shall be also glorified with him when himselfe shall appeare ye Rom. 8. 17. Col. â— 4. 2. Tim. 2. 7. shall also appeare with him in glory Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Be not discouraged by any sufferings from that that is good but rather be ye incoraged so to suffer that ye may grow in grace and 2. Pet. 3. 18. in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ what shall I say more vnto you my louing children Be faithfull vnto the Reu. 2. 10. death and Christ shall giue vnto you the Crowne of life Keepe the profession of your hope against all opposition there vnto without wauering He is faithfull that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. 24. Consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and vnto good workes Though in body ye be scattered one from another yet in spirit hold communion one with another Comfort one another helpe one another that ye may strengthen one another in the Lord. Edifie one another in your most holy Iude. 20. faith praying in the holy Ghost euery one for himselfe and one for another So keepe your selues and one another in the loue of God that ye may the better looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to eternall life that so by this my last Will and Testament to you ye may the better enioy all the legacies of the last Will and Testament of our Lord Iesus Christ To conclude this my postscript Those good Philip. 4. 9. things which ye haue learned and receiued and heard and seene in me doe ye and the God of peace shall be with you whatsoeuer Rom. 7. 17. Ioh. 3. 11. euill ye haue seene me to do through the sinne that dwelleth in me that do not ye Follow not that which is euill 1. Thess 5. 23. in me or in any other but that which is good The very God of peace sanctifie you wholy and keepe your whole spirit soule and body harmeles vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ whom in all humilitie and earnestnes of prayer I ordaine sole executor of this my last Will and Testament for the makeing good and performance of euerie thing therein bequeathed by me vnto you and to euery one of you and to all yours In witnes whereof I haue written this my said last Will and Testament with mine owne hand and thereunto haue set the seale of my heart the 22. day of August and in the yeare before mentioned By me your louing Father whiles I liue THOMAS STOVGHTON Errata Pag. 18. lin 19. after Christ reade this condemneth l. 26. for seruuâ—s â— serum p. 19. l. 16. for better r. the better p. 24. 3 ceassing r. crazing pag. 27. margen for imperunt r. fixerunt p 58. l. 32 for and r. or p. 67 l. 26. for defacing r defaming p. 70 l. 12 for to these r. of these p. 88. l. 35 for such as are r. such are p. 112. l. 2 for being themselues r. in themselues p 114 l 25. for him r. them p. 117 l. 17 after not r. only p 185 l for amatoris r amatoribus l 12 for studiam r studium p 121 l 32 for wit r will p 127 l 20 after to be r so dead p 129 l 8 for deuided r. deriued p. 206. l 10 for more â— before p. 221. l. 21. for can brag it r. can buy it p. 222. l 23 for and to r. and may p. 231. l. 25. after downe r. with zeale p. 236. l. 1. after are r. not p. 240. 11. after commanding reade him FINIS