Perkins - BX9318 P47 1626 v1

200 Chrifts d nExpojition Arraignment, For he it is that gaue his life for his fubieets, A' them away,be they neuer fo pretious tovii. which n<W<in'g would doe, and lhcd his blood The third part of Cbri!ts confefsion is,con· for theirredemption : which he would neuer cerning the meanes whereby he gouernethhis hauedone, ifhe had not ddiredtheir faluatikingdome: Icam<(faith he, l•h. xS. 37) inra on.Secondly,wheras Chri!t is a mighty King, this worldto beare witneffiofthetruth, thatis,to which can do whatfoeuer he will,lct allfuch apreach the Gofpel and dothine offaluation: mong vs that hauehther.to liued in ignorice, and hereby' he teacheth that the outward adand by reafon of ignoranc~ liuein their fins, '_11ini!trationofhiskingdome,!l:ands fpecially at length begin to come vnro him,and do him m the pre~chingofthe word?which is a priRhomage, aud with penitent hearts fAIIdowne ctpall ordmance ofh1s, ferumg to gath<r his bcforehim:otherwife ifcheycontinueintheir Church from the beginningofthe world to old rebellios,lct them know whatfoeucr they the.end thereof. And for this caufe hee hath ~r;;~:~: be,highor low, that he hatharodofyroninhis in all ages fetapart chofeH mini!tors for the hand to bruife them in pcices; their fouleslhal publifhing ofthedoCl:rine ofthe Gofpcl.And (m:jrt fo~ it : as bothPi/ate, Caipha~, and the hence it Is manife!t,thatthe gift ofprophecy, ret_lofthe Iewes were with a full cop rewartsthe greate!l gtfr that God bellowes on his ded for cruGifying the Lordoflifc. And if B Churchfor1he building thereof. And thereCbrill c.wnot draw thee in this life from thy foreitoughtto be molk highly e!l:eemed, as a crooked waies, be ture at the houre of death moll: p·reciou$iewdl. Andfor this caufe alfo he will break thee in peices like a potters vefthe fchooles oflearning are to be reu<renced fe(l. This muft we lcarne in reg.rdofthe fir!l: and maintained,and all other meanes vfed fur point,that he faid plainly; He wasaKing. thefiutheringofthem; becaufethey are vnder !oh, , 8 , Now followes the fccond p1rt ofhis con~ G'?d the fountJines and wel-fprings ofthis 36 • fefsion,namely ,that Hi; kingd.me w.unotofthis gtfr ofprophecie· world. Where bee fcts downe what kind of The !all: point,is concerning the fi1biects of King Ire is;he isno earthly king, his kingdome Chri!l:s kingc!ome, cXprerfed'in thefe words, fbnds not i!l thepower ofmen, nor in earthly Theywhichareof the tr11th, h~Jare my.voice. In Ibid. and outward gou<rnment ; but his kingdome which he fers downe the true mark ofhis fer- 'is {piriruall,and his gouernment is in the verie u.ants & fubiects,rhatthey are hearers ofthat hearts & confcieuces of men. His kingdome heauenly and fauing word which he reuealed is not outward to be feene ofmen,butinward from the bofomeof his Father. It may be al· in the heart and fonle; and therefore itis only leadgcd,the mo!t wicked menvpon earth,yea begun ito this life, and is continued& a<com- C rbe diuels themfelues may bee hearers of the pltfhcd in the world to comeinthe kingdome truth of Chri!l:. eAnf Therebetwo kinds of ofglode; where Chri!l:' fhallbe all in all fn the hearers:one, whi~hheareth onIy the outward hearts and confcienc'esofall rhe Elett. Now foundofrhe word withhis bodily cares, and then,lfthts be fo,howfocner S .tan h1ue.herehe h>uingearesto hearedoth not heare: the Ma•rl~ rotOre rcign~::dinvs, and n'\adc~our helrts as fccond, is hethat dor.hnotonely receiue the it \Vere his pallJ.ces , yet now letvs prepa~ea doctrine thatis taught wirh his eares,but alfo roome for Chri{hhat he may come;md dweli loath his heart opened to feelerhepowerofit, in vs:lct himruleonr hearts, 'l'ils,and atfectiand to oboy the fame in the courfe ofhis life. 1 ons, t(.at they may become conformable to This di!l:inction is notably fet forth by D.... his will:lct os refigne cur felues wholly to bee ~id, £1ying, Sacrifice and bornt offerings thoH Pfal.4o.1 ruled by him, that his fpiritulll kingdome wouldeftnot ha•e: bHt my cares h•ftth•u pierced; may be invs. This kingdome in the heart and whereby he infinuares as it were twokindsof confciencc is the pe.nlc and hidde treafure, eares: one that is deafeand canqot heare: and Mat.•J· Which when a man findcth, he fellethallhee rhus are the earesofall men by nature in hea- •'· hath,and buyeth it. Let vs therefore in the ringthedoctrineoffaluation : tl;ieother is a feare ofGod, cfteeme it as the moll: precious D new carepierced & bored by the hid of God, thing that may be, and fo liue in this world,as w.hich caufes a !Tillns heart to heare the found that Chrift nuy rule inwardly in vs, by his &operationoftheword,&thelifero-exprdfe word and fpirir. And again<,fecing this regithe trutll' of it. Now the fubiects of Chrifis mem ofChriil is heauenly, and the full manic kmgdome arc fuch, as wtththe outward heafe!l:ation cf it is referued till the life to cor.;e: nngofthe word, haue an inward hearing of . we fni1ft thcrfore vfe this wor!d,and all things rh- foule,and grace alfo toobey: and therfore r,Corq. id. it,· as honour, wealth, cafe, and libertieJ as all thofe that make no confcience of obedi3s, thOugh wee vfcd them not. As a traueller ventetothewerdofGod preached vnto them, feth his ftaffe in his iourney; as long as it doth are nt> letfe then rebels to Chrifl:.Wemay p<r· further him,fo longhe will cJrry it with him1 fwade onr feluesthatwe are good fubi<ds,be• but when it hinders bim,thenhc:cafi:s itawayo caofe we hearc the word& receiue the Sacrafo mu!t we vfe the things ofthis life, namely, menr>, butifour liues abound with finne, and '!_S long as they are helpes to further and make if our hearts bee not p1erccd thorow by the vs fit tor the kingdome of heauen, but if they fword ofGods fpirit, whether wee behigh or Fe any hinclerance to this fpirituall rtgiment low, ri'h or poorc, let vs bewhat wee will of Chri!t, wee mufl renounce them and call bee, wee are no right fubiects iudeede, but

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=