972, en/fa.FferGreenhams tkadings nane : asEfay.S and this teßimotie is con5rrncd tovs by the Sacraments, as tci them by facrifices. The couenant is calledan inheritance. Fzr,becaufe it is excellent. Secondly, becaufe it is proper to them.Thirdly,hecaule it cannot beloft,but by their owne default. It is his : fir t,becaufe God bathpronufed towritehis lawinhis heart.Secondly,becaufe hebath promifed tnlim life. Thirdly,becaufe God will perfonne his promife. r ThiscouenantHexcellent, bccaufehereby we are madetliebonesof God,and baning Godsvitbhis our finnes forgiuen vs, we ihall beenabled in Tome meaftire to keepe the law, andthat r"ide"" roi[ trouble and griefe wherewithmanyare deftroyed, yet fhall turne to ourgood. Againc it watchsuer vt. is excellent;becaufe is is penüanent,t . Pear, where it iscalledvneorruptible. All things comparedwith this, arevile: I count allthingsbut dung, faith Paul. Men will in dangermake thipwracke ofall, that they may fauetheir life : fo Paul did euenwillingly part with allthings,and counted thembut dung for this,Phil.3.8.9 We mutt examineWhether we make this account ofour faluation, andof theword, which is calledmilke,meate,filuer, andalltbings,that wefhould feekeall things in it. a This inheritance is proper to the ele6b ; as lam.4.Rom.i .and john faitli,that This iso,r priuiledae to bethe formes ofGod. For richesarecommon to thegood and euill, fo isglorie, &c. forboth haue there things, therefore they areno true inheritance, becaufethey are common toMany : and there things cannot getvs hcauen,nor definer vsfrom hell. It.cannot beloft but by our owne default: for that that fonte lore their inheritance without default, is the corruption of theworld 5 but forgiuenesof finnes, and filch like, which areour inheritance cannot be loft for though princesmay bedriuen fromtheir kingdonies, yet cannot thegates of hell preuaileagainft vs ; fo that, though the nightie cantakeawayonrlife, yettheycannot takeaway the lone, prouidence and.goodwill of God. Thethings, and inheritances aremolt efteemed, which are oflongeft continuance and bane longeftindured ; asto efteeme leafesbetter then to be tenants at will, copies better then leafes,heritages betterthen copies,becaufethere is no collulionand cauill oflaw can take it fromvs. This is molt excellent : and fuch is our inheritance: for we were defied theretobefore all worlds, and looke togoe the faine way, that all the faithful' beforevs hauegone : and baneit confirmed With thelaw, Prophets, and Golpell,andwith thsegod_ ¡sedeath andholy isleofismsfcruajsts. Thisword brissgethsto vs tIsethings that eye cannot fee,&c. Thisis the chiefeft of all, that itcannot be taken fromus: forall hereticsand fe&sare difcerned from the wordtrimly viiderftoode, by this, thatthe word trulyvnderftood, gmeth faith, whereby weare Iùrcly.perfwaded of the life to come in the refurreetion. ThereforePaulfaith,Abt. z o.knowing therefitrreEtión fiepreacheth,where henoteth that withoutthe refurreftion there is no true rehgion,foisit raidIoh.6. and Phil.a. Therefore heretic, papiftrie, and paganifine cangiueno true inheritance, becaufe they cannot affure vs ofour falúation. Againethe truth giuethvs not imaginariegood things, but good things in truth ; and allisreth vs truely that we fhallbe faued, and they haue not tlselè, theytherefore haueno trueinheritance. He doth not only confeffe that he madethe Lordhisinheritance ; but alit) hefaith that he maketh the teftimonies of God his inheritance; bothbecaufe they are the meanes whereby wecome to haue iscIseritance inheauen, andafro becaufe they are affurances of else fame. Fortheword is, asit were,the deede ofgift, and the Sacraments are as is were fealesof fame. Almoft all men will confefiè that theword is to behad inthis fingular account : butyet fewdoe attribute this dignitie to theSacraments. And yet as theindenture, when the fealeis takenaway,is nothingworth, fo if we takepower from the Sacraments, then can svenot haueour aflurance good. Ifwecannot cometomake this accountof the word and Sacramenes,yet asDauid did,let vs be fory thatwecannot. He whenhe was drìuen out of Isis kingdome, and banifhed from thetemple, Paid, thiswill I require, that 'maybeholde tliefairebeautieoftheLord,3cc.He had nowloft liis kingdome, wife,children,and all,yet theft
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