Perkins - BX9318 P47 1613 v3

!!. Lu\.::.A.1J. :lfv.A,~-3-t. h :.S:t.m.6. 14-16. Revel.• lthcmifls em thisvcrfc. ·~· 'Te are thefolufthe earth~· e/fn Expojition of Chrifls \~;~~;,·5· · ~~r-n-,e-r~R~u-le-;~lo~or~l-,,-u-il-lg-_~G-id~i-n-g~e-n-er-al-1-,~ffl-a-t-.-A---m-e-ri-tr-cd __ b_y_t_h_c-ch_i_l~-·,--bu_t_i-sfl-r-cc-l)-. -~-u-c-n,-th-e 1 _____ they whichfhjferforright<oufocffi fok! ar. bieffid, more to incite the childc to !came his booke. vcr. zq. apd applycd it in particular to his Thirdly, if wee vnderHand reward properly ; 1i>i[tiplcs ,. vcr:.1 r .-hereupon he inferres, that then we rnufi rcfcrre it, net tO our fuffcrings, thcy.mufi rcioycc in :~.ffiitl:ion, eucn.thcn, or as but 1:0 the ~utfcrings of Chrifi: for ._there is ( LHk.; g faith) in t!:Jttt daJ: yea they muH bee no proportion bcn\ 1 ccnc our fuffcrings, ~nd g~lad·; whi-ch "''ord f.g~1ifiich exceeding. ioy, )ife ctcrnall: the a!J1:ni~mJ af rhis prcfent lift tueh as we vfc to cxprdlc by Outward 6gncs in ~tre norworrh; oftheglr.ny whtchjbal bejlH:w~d-:.mthe bodie; :.sskipping -and d:tunc;iug; fUch as to11s.Rom.8.t8. h Davidvfcd to tcilifie his ioY, for the relUrnC The fccond rea.fdn is take' from the c_xamplc ofthe Arl<e ofCo.d to his citic.. This is a moil ofthe auncict~t Prophets; for fo perfecuted the; worthy ConcluJion", oftcn:.v.igcd · and cOmthe Prophets Which wer~ before yo:~. ln th1s mcnqcd vmo. vs in~ Scrip.t~rc..o: lames I. 1. Reafon, Chridintcndcthtwoth.ings;Fir!l,to Brethren, countit cxaedinggreat ioJ; whenJU tdch hisDifciples and vs, that pcrfCcution for fall itzto diuerfo temptations. ·iR_om. 5. 3. Wee good caufcs,is no new or fir5.g~thing:Secondr~io;ce in tri6rt!ation, k.._nowi1tg -rhat tribu!atfon ly, to comfort hisDifciples &. fcruants in their bringeth fOrth >yatieHce ; an.d.;• ACts, 5· ·41. fufferings; for that thereby, they fhould be The· Difciple.r '1:eio;ccd., t,h.u they w~re co1m- B made conformable to the ancient worthy Prottd. worthie CP fuff!r ,·elmk,.e f"r the name _of phcts,whowereofoldrenownedamongmcn, Chrift. . · .; and arc now glorified ofGod in heaucn.HcrcHerc wee lcarnc then, that Gods Church to \VC muH: compare the "''ords of Lu/z! fpoken and people , that f'uffcr in a good caufc muft reto the fame purpofe: i for after rhU ma1mcr did i Luk.cS".1,. ioy.cc and bet glad: This muft be rcmcmbrcd, the Farhe·rs to the J!rophets. By Fathers we muft for V...'C haue becne many times in great danger· needs meane the aunciem people ofthe Icv\'cs, of, our cnemces forrbe Gofpcls fake: and· it for hcre·hefpeaketh to his Difciplcs & others 't•ay pleafc Cod to leauevs_ in their hands, for that \YCre !.ewes bynation.Now hence ohferuc rour manifold lin.ncs_, and great abufc of his a Hrangc point; to wit, that the auncicm Pro.. hca)l~nly..PldTiogs: \'-'hieh ifhC doe, "''hat mufi phcts, who were mofi wonhy men of God, 1hee;~ur behauiour? mufiwc be fwallowed vp \Vere perfccutcd in their times, notfo muc.:h by wiJ:.h ferrmY~aoQ gricfc? no,buthumbling our forraincrs and enemies to religion, as by thofe .f~lije,< .fp.r our Gnncs·, wee mull remember that were outwardly members of the Church ·fo.r:what·wc docfuffer, and reioyce and bee of God, and profdfors of religion. This may ' ~;l:ui i11 that behalfe; for though our outward fccme !lrange,that menliuing in Gods church, tn~h- p.~ri!h; y~t the inner.man iliall be refhould growe to this height ofimpicrie,to beuiu«l. · · C come perfecutors of. Gods Saims :but Saint _ Nowbccau[c it is a hard thing to reioyce in Stephen giucth the re:afon hereof;namcly, their grieuous affliCtions, therefore ChriH cloth giue k hardhcnrts,whercby thqre{iffed the holy Ghoft k Aa.N•· two reafons.tpmo.ouc the:mhercunto; firfi-, intheminifterieoftheword; forwhichGodlcft from the Rccompcnfe ofrnYard after this life, them tP themfelucs, fo as they ran headlong to in thcfc wordS , for great U yoHY rffl'ard if~. this height ofimpict~1 to perfecutc Gods dcc- , he411m. This pojnt I hauc handled heretofore, reil feruaots. The like we may fee in thefc our ~nd therefore I: will here oncly fhewc how the daycs ;· fomc that hauc bccnc profcffors, after P.apifl:s abu(c this text, to proatic the merits of long hcaring,brcakc forth into open Atheifine, ffians V'\'Orkcs of gt:lce; for hence they rcafon ulling this into quc!Hon, whether there be a 1 t:hus * wherethere is a reward, there is merit: God: and among others there is alfo to bc'fcen l Btl.$ itl hcauen there U4 reward for mans work!s as vile crueltie and oppreffion in thcir.particu- , ofgrace: ~nd therefor.ein rhU l~f(, there is merit lar dealings, andas abhominable fi!thiueJfe, as 6; them. To this it. is anf~,o\•ercd diuers wayes: I is to be found anl6g thehcathen,an~ idolaters:: will touch the heads of the principall. Firfi-;the al wbich,and many othct enormous llnncs proword rewardmult not be vnderHood properly, D cccd from this;that thoughmenprofeJfc rcligi·- but figuratiucly;tOr Chrifi-s fj>cach is borrowed on J yet they dcnic fubicClion to thc.Gofpcl from labourcrs,who after they hauc done their preached,fo as it is not in them a '"'ord ofpowworkc, doe -rccciuc their wages, which is er: for which caufc ; God in his iufl:icc giues the reward thereof: cucn fo ,.after ChriHs dif... them .vp·to bardnelfe ofheart, to commit fiqnc ciplcs and fcruams.hauc fi1ffercd atfliCl:ions for witltOut remorfc.And therefore if·we vmUldethe-namc of Chrifr, at the end ofthis lifC they fCape the fearefull iudgcmcnt of a reprobate fuall rcceiuclife cucrlafling. Secondly, \>Vhen fenfe,let vs labour with fc~rc and trembling,to we rcadc ofwages and reward in Scripture, we become obcdicQt to the word which we heare; 111ufl not drcamc of any thing due by right of for if we doe not glorifie God in the mcancs · debt and merit , but conceiue thereby, that wherein he offers grace and mcrcic, God will \\•hi eh is giucn by promi(c, and of meere merbe furc to glorifie himfelfc in our dcfcrued. c6cic; Jjke as when an earthly Father promifcth fufion. _ to his {onne, to giue him this or that thing, if I he~ will learne; now the F}th'crs gift is not v.

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