--~~~----~~~~~~ , 1 1 the n. Chap. to the He or. .tcH . 1 I . fore our eyes fer 3 pattcrne oflifc, thevwrthy A great prcrogatiut is this,for a hlly f.hfull manJ ~ -· - - i rxamples o(bclccu~rs in the old Tcllamem:fot w be come a wimeffc to the truth oLtbc cucr.. 1 I\om.tH~ wJutforHtr w,u wrsttm, w.u wrstUn f~n our liuing God, who is King of Killgs, :md who(c 1 lr,,rning. We mufi thcrcforc .bcfollowcrs o~ Word nccdcs no confinnationn ilis niuHmake t thcnJin faith, obedience, and other graces ot Vs all to i:lbour for knowledge, and for f3ith:J I God: :m4 fo fhall we be dirctlcd t6 Jifc cucr. 01nd for the power ofrcligion:bur,if we "vill re7 la{Hng, itt the fpirituall Canaan the kingdomc mlinc O:ill in our ionQrancc, 2nd neucr labour ' of hcauc11. And Y"'t 1t\'Cmu(t not follow ~hem for kno•Nlcdgc, then fhJll thefc feruaots of 1 abfoluccly•.For,all ofthem h:ld th~ir infirmities, God thr~t belecucd in the old Tcfhment, Hand I and fomc of them had their gl'icuous faults, vp and wiwdfc .igJlnl1vs at the dJy of j-Udge1 \\;hereby they were tainrcd 1 & there commcnmcnr:for theyhad not fuch mcancs as v../ehauc, I dltion iOmc'-\'hlt blcmii'bcd: bUt, we mufi and yet they became mofi fairhfu!hVitndfcs 0 fOllow them in the pra.C~iiC of faith; and other Secondly, this mufi teach vs to be carcfulJ 1 graces of God. The cloud that guided the If• that as in "ord we proie!fe Chri!\, to in drcde bo:I.J.po. neliu:s, had two parts; alight part, and a we may confdfc him, cxpre!Jing the power of darkc. The Ei.rpttanJ v.:ho were enemies to his graccin vs. ·For, by this true confdlion of Gods people, had not the light pare before B Chril1, we :1re made Ius witndfcs:but when we them,but the darkcparr:omd fo following that confcffc: Chriil in word oncly, and ycr in life thcyrulhed into the red (ea, and WC" re dro\VandpraCbfedcniehim, then \o\'C are vnfaithfull ned; when as tht J(raeh:cs following the light wimdfcs : for, we fay and vnfay. In an earthly part'_went threugh,tnf<ltcuc:Eucn fo the~c becourt,,tfa man Jhould one while fay one thing 1 1 1 lc:euCrs h:td in them two things: their Jir.ttn, ~nd another whilcanothcr thing,hc would not 1 which be their darkc parr, which ifwe fallow, be accepted for a wime!fc,but rather Ge cxcrpwc h!l: our {oules into great danger and de.: tcd againfl, :ls altogether vmvorthic; and 10 ftruCHon: and faith wit&other graces ofGod, would proouc a difcredit to his friends caulC, whicharethcirlightp!t!, whichwemu!\ fola!ld a lhamc to himfclfc: fo -it 'swithvs in low as our Iight~which if. we doe carefuliy; it Chri!ls caulC; ifwe profeife in word,and Qcnie wil bring vs fafely to the kingdome ofheaucn. indeed, we difcrdit Chri!\ 2nd his profcffion SoP....tbids the Corimhians, 6u followm of and lhame our fclues for cuer. And thercfor~ him; yet noc abfolurcly in encry thing, but tU we mull be carcfu!!'not ondy in \\ 1 ord & iudghefo/Jowts Chrifl:and (o mull we follow theFamenrs but in life and conuerfation, to make a thc:rs,as theywent on in faith in Chrill. true and conllant confcffion of Chrifi and o{ · Further, they are a~!oHd ofWitnelfu :that is, C his truth. And thus much for this exhortation. ahuge multitude of wltne!lcs. And they are (o Now followeth the fccond point to be obcallcd:l'irll,bccaufe by their OWOC blood they fcrtted in this VCrfe; namely, the M4J11t<r how confirmed thefaith which thcyprofe!fed: Se• Gods Church and people may put in pratlifc candly, bccau(echoy did all confirme the do• this wonhic exhortation of the holy Gholl,. Chine csf true rtligion,wheredfthcywerewit• To be confiant in the faith.And this conlifis in neffat, panly by {pcochcs,and partly by >C\ions tlarce duties ( r. They mu!\ caft t<rMJ th 4 r in.lifcand conucr(otlon. And fo is eoery memwhich preffith d•wne : l . They mull call away If•+t·t•'.. bcr ofChtill a wime!fc: as the Lord often calls that ji.ne that hangtth fo faftcn: or,jinnewhicli ,., the bclccuing Ifraclitcs, hw witnejfes. £2!!_1f. fo rtadily doth compaffi vs a6out. 3• They How came this to palfe, that thefc belccuers ' mu(! runne the raa that ,;, [<t 6cfore them, thould be .Gods Wilne/<s! An f. Surely, bewith patience. Whofocucr ln Cods Churchci- ..u{e they tcrlificd the truth,anc) excd!encic of thcr Jew or Gentile, can pcrforme thefe three Gods holy r.tligion, b(>tb in word and·atlion, things, {hall be able no doubt to follow the 1 in life and conuerf>'tion. counfcll of the holy Ghofi, and continue con.. Now, fccing thde in the olde Tellan)<nt D Clont in the faith vnto the end. Ofthcfe thrccin· were Chrifls wimc!fcs; Firrl; hcrtbyall ignoorder. nnt pcrfon"null be fiirred •p to be carcfull to The fir(! thing then to be done , is this,w; get faith, and to lt'3r~e true religion, If .any muj} caft awa7 that which prejfoth dawne: or t~ing will mooue a man to become religious, thus, Citfl aw.9 the 'fl'ttight, or bHrthm (for{a this will: for out of all the world; Cod will much the wordinthc original! fignifieth)cuen chufe faithfull men to·be hls witnc!fes, to tcCI1that burrhcn whichfo prcffeth down the poore fie hls religion \'·nto others. Ifa man were perChrifH:m,that he cannotgoc on forward in the Jwadcd that fomc worrhy mightie Prince courfe of godlinc!fc and Chri!lianitie. By b~~r• wouldvouchf:UetOcallhim to bcarc:witnclfe thmor waight, here we muft vndedhnd fiue of the truth on his fide,hcc would be ""'ondcrthings: FirH,thc loueofcemporalllifc:fccondfull glod thcrco(,and take it for a great honour Iy, Care forcmhly things: thirdly, Riches & to him, Ho\\' much more then ought we to 13tcmporall wcahh: fourt~ly, Worldly honour bour for knowledge, faith, :md ;,hcdience in and preferments : f.ftly, Worldly delights •md true religion , tilat we may become witndfcs plcafurcs. All thcfc arc things \\'hieh lie hea• \'nto the Lord ourCod?ifit be: a diunitic to be uie on mans foule, as wcightie burthcns which witnc;tTe to an c:snhly,Prince; oh tl)en wba.t :r' prcffe it downe, e(pccially then when the rOiii<
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=