~~~--~--~A;_n_E_-~xp~~~tt_io_n~vp~o_n _____________ \~1 .wicked by theiungodly conutrfation, Philip. A the do8rine of the Gofpd: fo Paul is faid "' I '2.. t 5. That}temAJ be blamtlep; 11r:d p~trt, the beb .A c~ofon vej[tl:o carrie Chrifls ''111meamong I fonnu of G'oJ._,.PithoHt7·clmks in the mitidrft ofAn the Gntllfn: That JS, to publi.fh ambng them t nm~gbri~ ~mdcrook,ttl r.atio11, ~tr.d AtiJ.IJ?tf. whom/ the doltrine ofthe Gofpel~ I ' Jte{hine.tJ_-i~~hu in rhewodd, holding fo.orth tht Here this Church ofPergamus is particular- ' wP>·d of lrf<. And thusrhc godly mull doe,that lr conuncnded for h~rconflancie; in holding by thdr vnbl:uncablc life, others tmght be fall true r~hg1otUgamft · all aducffaric power i wonne to the t3ith: for godly example i-; a no... \\hatfoe.uer. Hence we leatn that it'is not fuffi.. l t:ab.lc mc:ms todraw men t'o loue and cmbnte·e dent to teach, or knQwe and bcleeue the do- [ fai~h and true rclig·ion, J .Pet.3.1. 11 I. That Chine of the Gofpc:l in time of pdce :but wee [ Go.d may fhew on the godly tokens ofhis fpem~!l bco conllallt in holdingii f.,llagain!l all j ..ciall loue and fauour: \v.hi~h he: doth when g~mfaycrs,and not be turned abourwltheuery , he~Ce11dcth iud.gCmcnrs vpon the wicked, and wtnde of do&i\1e, but in life and death kcepc j fp:ueth his children. Hcnce·it was, that when fure the truth,that neithCtfraud nor.force'ofa.. the Lord \vould bring a common IUdgcment ny :tduerfarie power drawe itfrom vs or vs frO I vpon dioe lc\vcs, he eaufed thofe{hat mourned it. M~th, t ;. ThekJ..ngd~!net~fheautn'ufompa· fo.r their ownc finncs and for .the abhomina- B rtdto atrta{urt hiddt -~" tht field, whi"cb. JPbtn a tions of the people,~ TD btmark.!din the{urtmanfi"deth, httgotth•t~nd follttha/Uu, hatb· t~ ht<~d thnt thry might b.rfPared. So that if any bu7 thtjitld. ~he fcop-oibr rhat parablccis~hi•. ~odly rcr.lon dwell among fuoh os haec religiIfany.man fhould comeinro any of our fields~ Qn;.an~beprophanc, hcmufi content himfelfe and by.fcarchmg findca goldn,ine, h'cwould knowit;g it is Gods will his.Church fhould not makcit know ne to any, but<oucrit dofc be vexed and rroubled by the focietics of the and goe·his way, and fell'all that he h;d eo bui~ wicked and v.ngodly. Sixtly,hencc irappeateth that field, thatthereby he n.ight inrich·himfc!f: tha.t Gods .people may lawfully dwell among euen fo.haumg found rhu ,' thac the Gofpd rewicke®nd vngo,d!y mcn,olwaics rcmcmbring uealcth the way to lite euerla!ling ; t~oughwe that thqy co.mmunicatc nor with them in their mufi: not•conccalc tht:farhe .fro1lt othcrs;yrt we fi~mes a.nd rebcllions ag:1inllGqd: Forfo ·Lot muH.bcelikc this man herein, that wc·ecould dwelt in Sodome·, and this Church of Pcorg~ becontent to part with ail that wee haue, th3t muswherethed<uillhad histhrone. r.Cor,7. fowe·might makc theGofpclours, r. Tim. J. ! • This qudlion is anfwcrcd :amafier is ahea... . g. Dcaconsmutl haue this propcrtic, TrJhaHt' then man,andhis C!!ruantisconucnrdtothe C the· minifttrtt of faith i11 "purt confcienu. fajch ; whereuponbee thinkcthhe is free fi-om \There.agood conlcience is compared toa fi.Jrc fcr.uing his ma!ler: butPaultellcth him he mufi rrcafure houle, which connot be robbed byadOe·cxt~rnall fcruice ilill, fo farrc forth as htc ny aducrfaric power : and faith ; thatis, true re.. l!:cep good confcience, and be not con!lrained ligion is rhe treafure there fafe!y laid v.p.:fucb a ~.orcnounce true religion. LalHy, hence wee Iitorchoufe mull we get for the prcferuation of hauc ditreClion to an(wcra CfdHon much vr.: I the faith. Any thing dfewe may lofc;bllt ifwe gcd again!l vs by<h< Papills, towir, Where pmwith true rdigion,!lluation is gone and.all our ChJJrchw2s fourc(corc ycarcs ago, when ls lofl:.And therefore in lifeand clc:uhv{c mufi: Lutfur fir!l begao to preach : they intend herekeepe fall faith. · by tO proouc our chur~h tO be but offourfcore Further, Chri!lamplifieth the pr:tifc of their yearcs continuance, and fo our religiOn to be contlancic hy two arguments : ·FJrH, tHat-they newc. We anfwcr by the like, Where was,the held Chrills name without denialk ,S.Ocondly, Church of Pergomus, when the dcuills throne that they kept the faith in the time of.bloodie was in~Patcitic? Surely it w:u there where the pcrfccution. For the firfl in thcfc wordS',. And dcuill had his throne. And fo when Antichrifi I haft not dmied mJ faith. This is ·•n ~xcellent that man of finnc, had fpread popcricouer all commendation; for many will hold the dDChin EJ.Jropc: ,at that vcrie time was Go.ds church in ofthe gofp~II fOr a time,and yet aft~rdcnic the Europ:e where Poperiewasprofdfed, mingled D fame by apo!lafie:butthis church held fall true with t:hcP<lpjfh:which to be thus appcareth by • 1 religion, without an.y reuolt.ar all: Their. pr~- this;thar in allogos thcce haue been fome, who <'life mull we followe,and fo hold fail rnfe rehppenly haue oppUgned poperic:, more or letfc:, gion, that therein we nc:uer make reuolt: for panty bywriting,and partly by fpeaking,as the . jfwc fhall once dcnie religion, we knowe not record$ of ~11 ages do te!lifie and make maniI whether God will giue vsthe grace of repenfttl:fo rhat tho"ugh iniquity had the vppt"r hand tance, that wemayprofeffe it againc:; which if yerour Church hod hi• bccing in the n•idtt of ' he doe nor,weperi!h etefl>ally. Confider Efom p@perie. example, who fold his birrhrighr for a mcffe of ·.' And tbon kup•JI "'!nAme, Thatis, though redde breath , and after loft the bkffing, thou dwdl in a place where the deuill horh his which when he would halie rccouered, he throne , yet thou hoidcfi f.1£l my name, fo as was reie8cd: J andfound noplact to reptntanct, 1 Heb.u.11 n:eirhcr fOrce not fraud of the aducrfarie can though luc {o11ght it with ttaru. TherefOre to ·take n1y oame from thee; fo much the words ptcucnt the fcarcfull danger ofnot repenting import. By Chrljl J """" wu mu {l vnder!land 2f1erreuolt: we mu!lllill hold fall""." r<li- \ J ~~~..
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