Perkins - BX9318 P47 1626 v1

Tj;n. We are allbaptized,belikethenwee A. able~~ Gods will. For if Iihouldcome ~e iha!lallvnderll:and the Scripture. _ , · • · . my netghboursboufe, and rake his goods,and Euftb. Butalas, v~ry few there be that are , vfethem, not borrowmg them, or askingany IaU(;~t a~d fe~le thei~ i~grafting into C::hrilt, · leal)e,_ they w~uld lay hands on·me, ahd make .hetrm_(hficauon._rhetr mwarddyingvorofin, mee athtefe. -fhe world and all the things in and h!"ng vnr~ rtghteoufnclfe , W.hich·is:the : tl:le W<>rld are the Lords, not mine: fothen if! meamngofthe~rbaptifme. And therefore we' ' lhall daily vfe them, neuer feeking t6 the remaine all b!indogener:al)y, as'well'the great l,o;dby prayer for the vfe of.them before Rabbms wh1ch bragge of their loaming, as: 1 God I am an vfi~rpc!r, nay aranke thicfe and thep?orevnlearncd lay-roan. And the Scrip- , tpercfo~e Ider.,. e£.God heartily thati may ture 1s become fo d-arke vnto them, that they' · vfeaU h1sgood creatures with feare and reueflropeforthedoore, &dmfil)dHowayip,and ren<-:e; and that 1m,ay faH.ftifie his name in It1s become amaze vnto them in wh.ich they them, whichPaul!hcwame to be done by the waoderas ina mil1;, (a~ wefay) ledby R•bbin word ofGod & prayer, theword !hewingme G..dfellow. And their darknelfe cannot cornthe lawful!vfc ofliis crearures: prayer obtai- ~ehend the light ofrhe Scriptures, but they B mngat Codshands,that I may vfethe aright. reade them as men doe tales ofRobbin-hood, Ifth1s pra~1fe were vfcd ofmen intheirproas Riddlcs,or as old \'dells their Ladies Matfefstons& calliolls,I am perfwaded there wold tins which they vnderltood not•. And vntill be athoufand VIC~s cut off Which in men aa manbe taught his Baptifme, that his heart bound,and are committed without !hame. feele t-he·fweetnelfe of it, the Scriptures are 1imDtb. I thinke thereltofyour ChrilHan ihut vp from him , aHd fp darke thae hee exercift'S be the pra~ifing of the commande-· could notvnderltand it, though Peter, 'Paul, ments ofthe law. - or Chri!t himfelfe did expound it vnto him, E•fib, Yea they areindecde• no more then a man Jtarke blinde can fee, Tim. Me thinkesit isan hard point ofthe thougfi thou fer acandle before him, or.!hew lawfor a man to loue his enemy. him the Sunne, or point with thyfinger vnw Eujib, lris iRdeed: yetinthe faithful! it will that thou wou!ddl: haue himlooke vpon. As be fo: for they hauein tbeirhearts aperfwafifor herel!e there is nO danger, ifaman COm< On, that Whereas they art damned in themtothe Scripture with a meeke fpidt, feeking felues, yet in Chrilt the mercy ofGod is molt there to fa!hion himfelfe like vn"'l Chrill, acplentiful! to their faluation, and all thi•fGod carding tothe profefsion and vow ofhis Bap- C confirmethal\rl fealerh vnto them by his 'holy tifme: butcontrariwife he!hall therefinde the fpi•it,and thereforethey cannot but loue God ~ighty power of God to alter& change him againe, and that withaferuent loue cued aIn the innerman by littleand little,_ till in proboue allthingsin the world, and fo they loue celfe he be full ihapen after the image ofour all Godscreatures,and euen theirenemies,beSauiour in knowledge and loue of all rruth, caufe they beare the image of God whom and pmverro workthereafrer.Hereliesfpring theyloue: li)<eas I haue a friend and Joue him notofScripture, no more rhen darkenelfe of Iloue all ofhisname, all his kindred, and alithe Sunne, buraredarke cloudes which fpring tl_lat appertaine vnro him. And by the way, out of rhe blindc hearts of hypocrites·giuen heroisa good way to knowwhether wehaue to pride and lingul~ritie, ~tld <;lo~couer the faith or not: though fairh ouely iulhfie and face of the Scripture, and blind •J:heir eyes make the marriage betweene our foule and thatthey cannot behold the bright beames of Chrilt, and isbroperly rh.e marriage garment; the Scripture. } ,,,. yea, and the figne Tau, thatdefendethvs from Tim. Bythis I alfocangather, that the Pathe fmitingand power ofcui! angels,andisalpilts which cannot read the Scripturcs,except fo the rock c;m which Chrilts Church is built they fall into crrours, hauc not the fpirit of D a9d ltandeth agaiult all weather afwind and· Chrilt working inthem, & teaching them,but tempclt: yetis faith neuer feueredfrom hope thelying fpiritofAntichriltthe diuell,andthat and charity. Then ifa man willl>efure that his ifOod would giue them any true feeling, and faith is perfeCl,lethimex•minebimfelfe whe..: open their eies,they would quite change their ther he loue the law:& in likqnanner ifhewil mindes.But what otherexercife haue you! know whether hee louethe law, r~at is, loue EHftb. Prayer and thankefgiuingto God. Godandhisneighbonr, thenlethimexamine For God bath promifed very boun:ifully vnhimfelfe whether he belccue in Chrilt onely to them which pray in truth, and !t IS oQe of for the remifsion ofhis finne, and obtaining the greatelt comforts I haue at all tim~s- Athe promifcsmadein rhe Scripture. And eum gaine, God which commanded.mee not eo folet him compare his hope ofthe life tocome fteale, commanded me alfo to pray, and his with faith, and Joue, and to thehatred ofllnne will is, that one commandementlhould be as in this life, which har.e~ theloue ofthe law well keptllsanother: and therefore I am peringendreth in him. And !f they accompmy fwaded thatcpndemnatioa wil befal aman as not one agother all three together, then let weil fo~ th.e one as for the other. And that kimbefureallisbuthypocrific. prayer ought to be continually euen iQ euery _TiTrJ()th. Yet by your leaue! faith cannot bulinesaman doth,me thinkesit is moll: agree make ·aman iuft \>efore God Without hope & I charil':

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