Life rvfn Expojition euerlailing. booke oflife; we mull aboueall things in this A worldfecl<e to bepartakersofthe fame.Let vs receiuethisas from the Lord,and lay ittoour hearts, whatfoeuer we doe eucning andmor– ning,day pr night,whether we be yong orold, rich or poore,firft we mun fcekeforthe king– dome ofheauen and his righteoufnes. Ifthis benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church , letfe care might be had: but feein[!,it is proper tofome al,ane,for thisvery caufe let all our fiudies be to obtaine the be· ginnings of life euerlafiing giu<n in this life. For ifwe haue it not,whofoeuer we be,it had 'bin better for vs that we had neuerbin borne, or that we had beeAe borne dogs and toades B then men: for when they die, there is an eFld oftheirmiferie;but man, ifhelofe euerlafiing happines,hath 1 oooo.millions ofyeres toliue inmiferie& in the torments ofhell:and when that time is ended,heis as far from the end of his mifery,as he was atthe beginning.Where– fore I pray you, let not the diuell lleale t:,is meditation out ofyour hearts, but be carefull to repentofall your finnes , and to belteue in Chrifi for the pardon ofthem all;that by this meanes ye may come to haue thepawne and earnefi of the fpirit concerning life euerla– fiiog, euen in this world. What a miferable thiog is it , that men fhould liuelong in this wodd,andnot fo much asdreame ofanother, C cill atthe la{\ gafpe f Let vs not fuffor Satan thus to abufe and bewitch vs : for if we haue not eternalllife in.this world, w~ !hall neuer haue it. Hitherto by Gods gomines I haue fhewed the meaningofthe Creed: now to draw to a conclufion,the generall vfes which are to bee madeof it,follow.And firfi ofall welcarne by it,rhattheChurch ofRome bath nocau(eto condemne vs for heretickes: for we doe truly hold& beleeue the whole Apollolicall Sym· bole at Creedc, which is an epitome of-th' Scriptures,and thevery key offaith. It will be faid, that wedeny the Popes fupremacy,iufli·· fication by workes,purgatory,thefacrificeof D the Ma{fe for the fins of the quicke and the dead,the inuoe1tion&: intercefsion ofSaints, &c.Which arethegreateflpoints ofreligion. Itis true indeod, we aeny and renounce them as dod:rine of diuels : perfwading our felucs that i(they indeede had bin Apofiolicall,and thevery grounds & pillars of religion, as they are auouched to bee , they fhould in no wife haue bin left forth of the Creede. For it is an ouer-fight in making aconfefsion offairh, to omit theprincipall pointsand rulesoffaith.It will be further faid,that in the Creed, we be– lecue the Chnrch , and fo conCequently ateto beleeue all rhefe former points which are taught aud auouched by the Church. But this defenceisfoolifh:forit takes this for granted, thatthe Church of Rj>me is the Church here meant,which we deny,vnletfe they can proue •. particular Churchtobe vniu<rfallor Catho– hke. Nay, I adde further,that theprincipall grounds ofpopi01 faith, for which they con– tend withvs as for lifoand death,arenotmen– tioned in any other Creedes which were made bythe Churches and Councels for ma• ny hundred yeeres after Chrifi. Secondly,the Creede ferues as a llore-houfe ofremedies againfr all troubles andtemptati– ons whatfoeuer. I.Ifaman eegrieued for the lotfe ofearthly riches, let him confider that tc belecues God to be his Crwor, whowill thtrefore guide and preferuc hisownework– manlhip, and by his prouidtnce miniller all things nttdfull vntoit. And thathe bath not loll the principal! blefsing of all , inthat bee bath God to bee his Father, Chrifi tobehis Redeemcr,aod the holy Ghofi to behis Com– forter: and thatconfidering he Iookes for life eternal!, he isnot to be ouermuch carefuil for this life: and that Chrifr beingonr Lord, will not forfake vs being the feruamsin hisowne houfe, butwill prouidethings ne cc full for vs. Il. Ifany man be grieued inrcfped: of out– warddifgrace and contempt,let him remem– ber thathe beleeues inChrijlcrncifi,d,andthat therforeheis to reioyce in contempt for righ. teoufneflefake. UI.They which are troubled for the deceafe of friends, are to cemfort themlelues in the communion ofSaints, and that they haue God the Father, and Chrifl and rhEholy Ghofi for their friends. I V. A~ gainfi bodily captiuity, let men confidtr rhat th<y beleeue in Chrin their Lord, whofe fer– oiceis perfectliberty. V. Againfi the feare of bodily difeafc:s, we mull remember the refur– rection ofthe body, in which all difeafes and infirmities !hall be abohlhed. V I. Ifa man iearedearh ofthe body, lrt him confiderthat hee beleeues in Chrifr which difd vpon the crofie, who by death bath vanquifhcd death. V I I. The fcareofperfecutionis refirained, ifwe c11l to remembrance that God is aF<. ther .Almighty, not only able, butalfowilliog torepretf< thepower ofthe aduerfaJ:y, fo far forth as fhall be for thegood of hischildren. V I I I. Terrours arifingof the conliderati– on ofthe!aft iudgmencare allay«) by remem– brance ofthis, that Chrifi fhall bee ouriudge who is our Redeemer. 1X. Feare ofdamna– tion is remedied by conjideratimtthat Chritl died to make fatisfaftion for vs, and now fits at the right hand ofhis Father to makeinter– cefsion for vs; andby the refurred:ion of the body tolikeuerlafiing. X. Terroursofcon– fcience for finne are repretfed, if we confi– der that God is aFather, and therefore much in fparing, and that it is aprerog.riueofthe Church to haue remiffion offinn". Cf"rin~vni Veogloria. ~~-----------------------
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