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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11015	A treatise of Gods effectual calling: written first in the Latine tongue, by the reuerend and faithfull seruant of Christ, Maister Robert Rollock, preacher of Gods word in Edenburgh. And now faithfully translated for the benefite of the vnlearned, into the English tongue, by Henry Holland, preacher in London; Tractatus de vocatione efficaci, quae inter locos theologiæ communissimos recensetur, deque locis specialioribus, qui sub vocatione comprehenduntur. English	Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.	1603 (1603)	STC 21286; ESTC S116145	189,138	276

they say that hope is not simply and absolutely certaine for there is nothing more vncertaine then these things in which they place some or rather the chiefe cause of the certainty of hope Concerning the absolute certainty of hope these bee some testimonies of Scripture Psal 31. In thee O Lord haue I hoped let me not be confounded for euer He that trusteth in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which shall not be moued for euer Psal 125. Rom. 5. We reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And after Hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 8. We are saued by hope Phil 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and hope that I shall not be ashamed Rom. 9. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And thus much of hope CHAP. XXXIII Of Charitie or Loue. AMong the principall effects of Faith charitie is reckoned in the next place after hope and Paul knits them together as the three special graces of the holy ghost Faith hope charitie 1. Cor. 13. There are three saith he faith hope and charitie and the greatest of these is charitie The Apostle knits these together and we do not seuer them specially for that Gods loue is a certaine bond vniting vs to God together with the bond of faith which is the primary and principal For this cause Peter saith that our communion with Christ now absent from vs doth consist loue faith And this moueth vs in the third place after faith to intreat of Charitie in this treatise of our effectuall calling And charitie or loue proceedeth from that sweet apprehension and taste of the Lord for that taste stirs vp in the heart an exceeding loue of the Lord VVhence loue proceedeth and of our neighbour for the Lords sake And when as Charitie hath receiued this life by Faith it becomes the instrument of Faith whereby it worketh other effects of the Spirit as the gifts of knowledge of prophesying of tongues and of miracles These also are the instruments meanes wherby iustifying faith worketh but the principal is loue for which cause it is said Gal. 5. that faith worketh by loue and loue with the works or fruits thereof among all signes and testimonies giues the surest euidence Loue the best euidence of faith vnto faith If this be compared with other graces of Gods Spirit it must be preferred before them all for it hath the third place after Faith Therefore if ye set aside Faith and hope loue hath the first place of all the graces of y e holy Chost and is as it were the soule of all gifts which followe after it For this cause the Apostle 1. Cor. 12. 13. hauing numbred diuers gifts of the holy Ghost saith That if these graces wanted loue they were either as dead or as nothing or should profit nothing Whereby he giues vs to vnderstand that all other vertues haue no soundnesse in them if ye seuer them from loue but to be onely certaine dead shadowes of vertues We may therefore iustly call charity the life of all gifts and graces which follow it If the aduersaries had contented themselues with this prerogatiue of Charity they had not erred but for that Popish charitie they auouch it to be also the life and forme of faith herein they sin greatly that faith rather contrarily is the life of charity for that without Faith there is no man hath but the dead shadowe of Loue. Wherefore the faith of Christ is the principall life or soule both of charity and of all other vertues for without it they are all but vaine and counterfeit and very sinnes before God for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The primarie obiect of loue is the same with the obiect of faith and hope For what wee first apprehend by faith and next expect in hope the same we embrace in Obiect of loue loue The secondary obiect of loue is our neighbor whō we loue in and for the Lord. The subiect of loue is the heart for we loue with the heart as the Apostle speaketh Loue out of a pure heart 1. Thess 1. 5. The nature thereof is not in knowledge nor in hoping but in louing In loue two things are principally to Nature of loue be respected first a diligent endeuour for the prescruation of that we loue next an earnest affection to be vnited and conioyned with it both which we see are to bee respected in the loue of God and of our neighbour The properties of loue are many 1. Cor. 13. 4. c. For whereas loue is there is a heape of vertues for Charitie is neuer alone in any man but hath euer many other vertues as companions handmaids attending on it Of the premisses ye may gather some definition of faith as namely that Loue is an holy endeuour for the preseruation of that which is beloued whether God or man with an earnest desire Loue defined to be vnited vnto it For loue is that bond as the Apostle speaketh whereby the members of the body are knit together And it serues also in some sort and place to vnite vs vnto God and Christ notwithstanding that the communiō of Christ the head of his body the church be principally to be ascribed vnto faith And in this respect loue goes before iustification and is a branch in our effectual calling euer going together with faith hope repentance For which cause principally I thought good to speak of it briefly in this Treatise after faith and hope for that faith wherein we say consisteth the second part of our effectuall calling hath these for inseparable companions faith hope repentance after which followes our iustification by order not of time but of nature But in another respect loue followes iustification and appertaineth to the grace of regeneration but of this we shal speake in fit place Now to returne to our purpose the definition giuen before is not so much of loue it selfe as of the worke and function thereof For Loue is properly an affection holy A larger definition of loue or sanctified and not so onely but also supernaturall caried vp to loue those things which are aboue nature and exceed all naturall affection for like as faith is of those things which excell all naturall knowledge and apprehension and hope is of those things which excell all naturall expectation so Loue also is of those things which be aboue the reach of all naturall affection For as wee haue often before admonished this our new-birth in Christ Iesus is not so much a restoring of vs to that image of Adam which he had before his fall as vnto the image of Christ who is a spirituall and an heauenly man in whom and by whom we haue not onely so to speake a naturall sanctitie or holinesse but also doe receiue from him a certaine heauenly and supernaturall vertue and efficacie infused into all affections and powers of the soule But this our supernaturall condition as yet

the mind enlightned in knowing God in Christ of the will sanctified in imbracing and apprehending God in Christ And here the principall agent is that verie Spirit of Christ who after the first grace and creation abideth and dwelleth in vs not idle but euer working some good in vs and by vs. The second agent working with Gods holy Spirit is the very soule of man or rather the new man or the new creature in the soule and all the faculties thereof By this the holy Ghost that so I may speake knoweth God or otherwise to speake the same to know God the holy Ghost vseth the new creature in man and by this the holy Ghost doth embrace and apprehend God in Christ Thus speakes the Apostle Rom. 8. The holy Ghost saith hee maketh intercession for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Obserue here how he ascribeth this action of sending forth sighes vnto the Spirit as to the principall agent In this second grace which is the action or worke of faith we stand not as meere passiuely but being moued by the holy Ghost we worke our selues as being stirred vp to beleeue we beleeue and in a word we worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Gods Spirit working in vs. The Aduersaries say this second grace in faith is an action of free-will when as we by our own free-will dispose and prepare our selues to a iustifying grace in beleeuing in hoping in repenting In this action they say not the holy Ghost is the principall agent or any motion to vse their owne word of the Spirit but free-will it selfe which as they say goes before whē as that motion of God working together with their free-will must follow after They speake not a word here of Gods Spirit either in the first or second grace who works effectually in both as is aforesaid but in steede of the holy Ghost they talk of I know not what motion standing without and knocking at the doore They say this motion stirres vp free-will they say it worketh with free-will when it worketh and prepareth vs vnto the grace of iustice or iustification This their doctrine is strange it sauoureth not the holie Scripture of God nor the phrase of Scripture Thus farre of Gods grace in faith or of the second part of our calling and of the two speciall branches of it Next in it we are to consider of the points or conditions before noted which are the verie same with those in our calling afore-going To this second part of our effectuall calling referre the doctrine of faith which in verie truth is the same with it Hope loue and repentance follow faith and Free-will is a common place in diuinitie subalterne or to bee referred vnto that of Repentance CHAP. II. Of the word of God or of the couenant in generall and of the couenant of workes in speciall THE common place in religion which is concerning The common places of religion how they follow in order Gods word or couenant is to be referred vnto this of our effectuall calling as to a most generall heade next follow these points of sinne and of the miserie of mankind thirdly that of faith then follow hope loue and repentance Now therefore we are to speake of the word or of the couenant of God hauing first set down this ground that all the worde of God appertaines to some couenant for God speaks nothing to man without the couenant for which cause al the scripture both old and new wherein al Gods word is contained beares the name of Gods couenant or testament The couenant of God generally is a promise vnder Couenant defined some one certaine condition And it is twofold the first is the couenant of works the second is the couenant of grace Paul Galath 4. vers 24. expresselie sets downe two couenants which in the olde Testament were shadowed by two women as by types to wit Hagar the handmaide and Sarah the freewoman for saith he these be those two couenants Let vs then speake something of these two couenants and first of the couenant of works The couenant of workes which may also be called a legall or Couenant of works the first ground of it natural couenant is founded in nature which by creation was pure and holy and in the law of God which in the first creation was ingrauen in mans hart For after that God had created man after his owne image pure and holy and had written his law in his minde he made a couenant with man wherein he promised him eternall life vnder the condition of holy and good workes which should be answerable to the holinesse and goodnesse of their creation and conformable to his law And that nature thus beautified with holinesse and righteousnes and the light of Gods law is the foundation of the couenant of works it is very euident for that it could not well stand with the iustice of God to make a couenant vnder condition of good works perfect obedience to his law except he had first created man pure and holie and had ingrauen his lawe in his hart whence those good works might proceed For this cause when he was to repeat that couenant of workes to the people of Israel he first gaue the law written in tables of stone then he made a couenant with his people saying Doe these things and ye shall liue Therefore the ground of the couenant of works was Note not Christ nor the grace of God in Christ but the nature of man in the first creation holy and perfect endued also with the knowledge of the law For as touching the couenant of workes there was no mediator in the beginning betweene God and man that God should in him as in and by a mediator make his couenant with man And the cause that there was no need of a mediator was this that albeit there were two parties entring into a couenāt yet there was no such breach or variance betwixt them that they had neede of any mediator to make reconciliation betweene them for as for the couenant of works God made this couenant with man as one friend doth Note with another For in the creation we were Gods friends and not his enemies Thus far of the grounde of the conant of works The thing promised in the couenant of works is life eternall first not righteousnes for that man in his creation was euen then iust and perfect by that original iustice as they call it vnlesse you will say that the righteousnes of works was promised in that couenant for which righteousnes sake after that man had wrought it God would pronounce and declare him to be iust For we are to vnderstand that in this couenant there is a double righteousnes the first is that originall iustice which is nothing else but the integritie of nature in that first state of man This iustice out of all doubt is not promised in the couenant of works for it is the ground of it The

reason but for the authoritie of him that speaketh this assent is is called Faith but it doth not require that the knowledge of that thing wherto assent is giuē should go before it being content only with the bare authoritie of the speaker Out of this distinction difference of assent say they it followeth that in faith there is no need of knowledge seeing faith is an assent whereby we do agree to the truth of some sentence being induced not by any reason or cause but by the authority of the speaker To this reason we answer first we do grant this difference of assents but we denie that that assent which is yeelded because of the authoritie of the speaker hath no need of knowledge to go before it For that it may be iustifying Faith to vs it is required that that which is spoken by God himselfe be some manner of way vnderstood by vs. For God doth not require that of vs that we should assent to his word and voice because of the bare authority of him that testifieth when as we vnderstand them not at all Secondly they reason out of that definition of faith Heb. 11. Faith is the ground of things that are hoped for and the euidence of those things that are not seene Here say they we see faith of things vnknowne namely of such things as are to be hoped for as are not seen But say I these two words * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ground and euidence do argue sufficiently that those very things which are hoped for and not seene are in the meane time in some sort present and seene of vs. Whereupon Paul 2. Corinth chap. 4. saith Why we looke not on those things which are seene but on those things which are not seene Heere you see that The popish implicite faith euen those things which are not seen nor obiect to these eyes of our bodies are yet seene and beheld with the spirituall eyes of our faith And this is their opinion touching the knowledge of faith which tendeth to this purpose to establish that faith which they terme implicit or infolded faith Concerning that assent which we said is the 2. part of iustifying faith they do place the nature of faith only in that assent which is yeelded in regarde of the truth of a thing for they speake nothing of the assent or iudgment of goodnes and they make that same iudgment of truth which they hold to be only general namely wherby one doth iudge that some sentence is true not of himselfe but in generall of the whole Church when as notwithstanding that iudgement aswell of truth as of goodnesse which is the propertie of faith is rather particular yea a very peculiar grace which in the Scripture is called that ful assurance as we haue said before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Touching the third part of faith which we tearmed the confidence of the heart they doe not acknowledge it For they say that confidence is nothing els but hope strengthened and a certaine effect of faith whereas notwithstāding confidence which the Greeks tearme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a certain motiō of the wil or hart not expecting but in present apprehending some good and depending therupon and reioicing therein as present Furthermore Confidence and faith of the same roote in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is faith and affiance are of the same roote For both of them come from the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth to perswade Besides the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken euery where by the Apostle for to be perswaded to beleeue and not to hope Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come c. Phil. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am perswaded that he that hath begun in you a good worke c. 2. Cor. 5. Knowing therfore the terror of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perswade or draw men to the faith I graunt that the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is some times taken for confidence which is a consequent of faith and a certaine property of it for it comes to passe that he which beleeueth or trusteth dooth depende on him in whom he placeth his trust Of this signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read Eph. 3. 12. In whom we haue freedome and accesse with confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith in him Out of these things which we haue spoken it is easie to gather a definition of faith according to their opinion who take iustifying faith to bee nothing els then that whereby euery one doth in generall assent to the truth of the word of God that for the authority of the speaker A popish definition of faith which definition what els is it I pray you then a generall notion of faith and such as is common to all the significations of faith which we set downe before From this definition of iustifying faith they gather that truly that iustifying faith may be in euery wicked and most hainous A popish definition of faith sinner For in him this generall assent may be which cannot be denyed to the very deuils as Iames witnesseth The Deuils saith he beleeue and tremble and yet they call this iustifying and true faith though not liuing For they distinguish betwene true and liuing faith True faith they say is euen that which worketh not by loue yea though it be dead but a liuing fatih they terme that which worketh by loue as by hir forme and not as an instrument whereupon they terme this by another name formed faith But we do vtterly deny this distinction of true and liuing faith for we take true faith and liuing faith for one and the same euen as one and the same man is true and liuing and as true or liuing man is so termed from his soule or form so also true or liuing faith is so tearmed frō hir soule or form which consists in ful assurance trust as we haue said without which faith is nothing els but a carcase euen as a man without a soule is not so much a man as a carcase and dead body But they indeuour to proue out of Iames. 2. last verse that euen dead faith and not liuing is neuerthelesse true faith As the body is to the soule so is faith vnto works but the body without the soule is a true body albeit not liuing therefore faith without works is a true faith although not liuing I answere that this is a sophisticall argument for the comparison of the body and faith which Iames maketh is not in the truth but in the death of thē and Iames assumes and concludes out of that proposition But the body without the spirit is dead wherefore also faith without workes is dead For betweene faith and the body this is the difference one and the same body

containe my selfe but must needes giue thankes as I ought vnto God for this so necessarie and so profitable a worke and reioyce that both you and the whole Church enioy so great a benefit desiring the Lord to increase with new gifts and preserue in saftie this excellent instrument especially in these times wherein thorow the scarcitie of skilfull workemen which labour in the Lords vineyard and by the decease of those well exercised and experienced souldiers and worthie Christians Sathan and his companions begin againe to triumph ouer the truth Concerning the estate of our Church and schoole we yet continue and proceede in our course by the mightie hand of our God and Sauiour protecting vs which is admirable to our very enemies being deliuered from the iawe of death But in truth for ought we see it is like to last but one yeare our estate depending on those acts which shall bee concluded in the * Or meeting at Roane Or the Prince our neighbour diet of Roane betweene the French King and our neighbour Duke either concerning peace or warre wherein we hope to be comprehended vpon equall condition In this fraile and vncertaine estate that is our principall consolation that we are sure this slender and twined threed whereupon we rest is sustained by the hand of our good God who will not suffer that to be falsified which we haue learned of the Apostle that all things worke together for the Rom. 8. good of those that loue him In the meane while I beseech you brethren continue your remembrance of vs in your daily prayers I for my part for some moneths though I be not much pained with any Feuer Gout Stone or any of those sharpe diseases which be the vsuall companions of old age yet I feele my selfe so infeebled and weakned that I am constrained in a manner to giue ouer both my publike duties to keepe house and home looking euery day for that ioyfull and happie dissolution whereunto age it selfe calleth me being now seuentie eight yeares old And herein I desire your prayer with the rest of my brethren by name of my reuerend brother Maister Meluin and Maister Peter Iunius whom vnlesse memorie faile me Maister Scringer of blessed memorie was wont to call his cosen vnto whom remembring withall my hartie commendations I desire you to communicate this my letter desiring the Lord my deare and louing brother to preserue your whole Church there with his mightie and blessed hand against all both forren and domesticall dangers Fare ye well from Geneua the Calends of Nouemb. after our olde computation CIC. IC XCVI Yours wholy THEODOR BEZA TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND HIS VERIE CHRISTIAN LOVING FRIEND MAISTER WILLIAM SCOT of Ely grace and peace by Iesus Christ WHen I had finished my last sommers worke of reuising and correcting Master Rollockes readings on the Colossians I was inwardlie much affected with the holy spirit of the man which I found as in that so in the rest of his workes Then my heart desired that as forraine Churches greatly reioyce in him and blesse God for him so the Churches of England and Scotland might to their greater ioy heare him speake yet more vnto them in their owne natiue language This is the cause right worshipfull that mooued me the winter past to gaine some houres from mine ordinarie labours to giue this little booke a new coate that it might be knowne also in all this Iland where it was first conceiued and borne It hath the protection of our most mightie King for saftie and free passage into other parts of the world where it hath been intertained with kinde acceptation and so now no doubt it shall be no lesse in both these kingdomes when as all true hearted subiects shall see with what christian affection our most noble King affected this faithfull seruant of Iesus Christ and his holy workes Now blessed bee God for being thus mindfull of vs and for annoynting his sacred breast with such a measure of the spirit of iudgement as an 2. Sam. 19. 27. Phil. 19. 10. Esa 11. 3. 4. Angel of God to discerne the things that differ and so to respect the meeke ones of the earth to the vnspeakable ioy of the good and terror of the wicked Behold now praise the Lord with vs and let vs magnifie his name together for the Lord hath done great things for vs the Lord hath so set the wheeles of his admirable prouidence and so carried his blessed hand this yeare past in all his proceedings round about vs and so touched the hearts 1. Sam. 10. 26. of all this kingdome as hauing a purpose to accomplish a great worke in the building of his Church and in his good time to lift vp such strokes as shall destroy for euer euery enemie that doth euill to the sanctuarie Psal 74. 3. The Lords compassions faile not O Lord withdraw Psal 85. 3. 4. thine anger and turne backe the fiercenes of thy wrath Turne vs O God of our saluation turne thou vs Lam. 5. 21. vnto thee that wee may bee turned and cause thy face to shine vpon vs that we may be saued Cease not to pray for vs that we may not returne to our olde securitie and vnthankfulnes any more but that wee may attend what the Lord saith for now he begins to speake peace vnto his people and vnto his Saints crying in their doores euen as it Prou. 1. Psal 85. 8. were in the open streetes that they returne not againe to folly Now we see that the counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and that the thoughts of his heart shall continue throughout all ages for he hath broken the counsels of the wicked who haue euer sought to be possest of Gods habitations but the Lord shall make them as stubble before the wind the Lord will persecute them with his tempest and make them afraid with his storme O Lord fill their Psal 83. 16. faces with shame that they may seeke thy name Finally the Lord hath made our corners full and abounding with diuers forts of blessings hee hath made Psal 144. 13. the barres of our gates strong and hath setled peace in our borders he hath stablished his Gospell and holy couenant with vs he hath taught vs to obserue his iudgements and his wonderfull administrations both of his iustice and mercie he Psal 147. 13. hath not dealt so with any Nation round about vs. Wherefore O praise the Lord with vs let England and Scotland now with one heart as with one mouth praise God in all the assemblies Psal 6. 8. 26. O praise the Lord ye that are of the fountaine of Israel praiseye the Lord. To returne to our purpose as touching this sweete treatise in hand I say no more but this I trust the reader shall finde my words true that so many common places of diuinity as be here briefely couched as branches appertaining to this one head the

religious and wise I hope shall finde them as iudicially comfortably and compendiously set downe and knit together as any one thing of this kinde as yet extant in the English tongue Next as for the argument of this booke our effectuall calling is one principall linke of the golden chaine of the causes of our saluation And it is the very first in the execution of Gods eternall decree of our election which manifesteth the euerlasting loue of God in Iesus Christ vnto the heart of euery beleeuer that almightie God should loue him being his enemie seeke him and finde him when he wandered in the maze and vanitie of his owne minde quicken him when hee lay dead in sinne loose him when he lay fast bound in the bonds of death inlighten him when he sate in extreame darkenes giuing him the spirit of grace and of faith by the Gospell to attend his holy calling and in time to reioyce with an exceeding ioy Rom. 5. 2. 3. therein Lastly for the translation albeit I haue not followed the authors words yet haue I endeuoured faithfully to deliuer his meaning in the plainest forme and in words most in vse among the people Horat. art non verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus interpres The Lord giue it a blessing wheresoeuer it shall rest among Gods elect of both these kingdomes Now right Worshipfull Maister Scot I come vnto yourselfe your most christian and holy loue in these cold and euill times as vnto all the Saint so specially to this good seruant of Christ like as it comforted him greatly in his latter dayes so assuredly it shall much refresh your owne heart not onely all your life but also much more I doubt not in the very houre of death There be three infallible notes knit together in one Scripture to iustifie our pretious faith vnto our owne hearts that we may be truely perswaded we are possest of that faith which shall iustifie vs before God loue to the brethren hospitalitie of loue and christian sympathie to the Saints in their 1. 2. afflictions Loue to the holy members of Christ 3. is often commaunded and commended in Ioseph in Moses in Nehemias in Daniel in Dauid who being aduanced to great dignities yet esteemed they nothing more then the good of the Church and to become seruiceable as it were by all meanes to the Saints To loue the seruants of Christ and to be beloued of * Rom. 15. 31. Philip. 1. 9. them it is as Saint Iohn saith an infallible argument that God hath taken vs by the hand loosened our * 1. Iohn 3. 8. bands and translated vs from death to life and from * 1. Pet. 2. 9. darknes into the glorious light of God All that talke of Charitie doe not loue the Saints that is the liuing members of Christ on earth We may discerne our loue to be sound by these notes First it is a flame which comes downe from God into our a Rom. 5. 5. Luk. 7. 47. hearts kindling as it were within vs and giuing vs no rest till we performe duties to the Saints And this is that which the Apostle meaneth when he willeth vs to b Heb. 10. 24. stirre vp one another vnto a paroxysme of loue Secondly hence it comes to passe that loue to the Saints being neuer colde is neuer idle in well doing and therefore proceedes the second note which the same Apostle calles c Heb. 6. 10. labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 16. 4 5. of loue for that this loue trauailes by all meanes possible to doe good to the members of Christ Thirdly next this loue is sincere d Rom. 12. 9. voide of all dissimulation Fourthly and lastly it is e Hebr. 13. 1. Act 2. 42 46. constant consuming as a fire all offences f Phil. 1. 9. 10. and cannot bee quenched The second marke in the same Scripture of our most holy faith is g Hebr. 13. 2. hospitalitie of loue as the Syriack translation hath it not of lucre The Lord gaue often h Rom. 12. 10. 11 1. Pet. 4 9. 1. Tim. 3. 2. 15. 20. charge by his Apostles concerning this foreseeing the necessitie and afflictions of the Saints in the tenne bloodie persecutions which euen then began and were to follow The practise Hilariter excipere affabiliter tractare ami●● dimittere of this we see commended in all ages in Abraham and Lot receiuing Angels they receiue them cheerefully they intertaine and vse them courteously they dismisse them louingly So did Bethuel Eleazar so did Iethro Moses so did Manoah the Angell of God so did the good olde man of Gibeah the Leuite and his wife so did Obadiah the Prophets so did the widow of Zarephath Elias so did the Sunamite Elisha so did Mary often receiue Christ so did the Tanner and Cornelius Peter Lydia and the Iayler the Apostles Aquila and Priscilla Paul Phebe and Stephanus many and Gaius the whole Church at Corinth All these are Chronicled in the booke of God as most memorable presidents for all ages The third note of the precious faith of Gods elect in the same place annexed is Christian sympathy to the seruants of Christ in all their afflictions This grace is found when loue hath set on fire our very i Matth 9. 36. Philip. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bowels as the holy Ghost speaketh that in all their passions it fils vs with a feeling and a tender compassion This stirres vp men to k Matth 25. 36. visit the members of Christ in all their miseries to consider l Psalm 41. 1. wisely of their afflictions to m Rom. 12. 15. mourne when they mourne to n Rom. 12. 13. distribute to their wants and so to proceede on to the duties of instruction admonition consolation instant and o Iam. 5. 13. 20 feruent in prayer and to adde confession of sinnes with fasting if the state and heauines of the affliction so require These things I write vnto you right Worshipfull first not so much for your instruction as for the edification and confirmation of others in this frozen age wherein carnall and selfe loue and all iniquitie increaseth and loue to the Saints decreaseth and waxeth cold as Christ hath p Matth. 24. 12 forewarned vs a manifest signe that sauing faith faileth in most places euen where it is professed most Secondly I write thus vnto you for that you haue been taught of God as I heare to practise these things and to obserue the Canons of Christ in his Gospell concerning loue to the Saints This holy seruant of Christ Maister Rollocke if he were liuing could and would testifie of your sincere loue when you intertained him into your owne familie respecting his wants with all compassion and tendernes of heart The most prouident ruler of Heauen and earth which hath shed by the working of his holy spirit this precious loue into your heart will fully