Imatges de pàgina
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high and heavenly things; as well because it d doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of

from earthly things, upward to the place where Christ is at the right hand of his Father, that we, thinking upon and beholding things above and heavenly, and so raised up and of upright mind, contemn these our base things, life, death, riches, poverty, and with lofty and high courage despise all worldly things. Nowell, p. 56. See also Art. V. b.

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth, with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. Coll. for the Ascension-day.

a Knowing that we be, by this benefit of his resurrection, risen with him by our faith unto life everlasting; being in full surety of our hope, that we shall have our bodies likewise raised again from death, to have them glorified in immortality, and joined to his glorious body; having in the mean while his Holy Spirit within our hearts, as a seal and pledge of our everlasting inheritance-by whose assistance we be replenished with all righteousness, by whose power we shall be able to subdue all our evil affections, rising against the pleasure of God-these things, I say, well considered, let us now, in the rest of our life declare our faith that we have in this most fruitful article, by

heart be also. Matt. vi. 20, 21. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. iii. 20. We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor. v. 7. Our affliction worketh for us a far more exceed ing and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.-We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. v. 1, 8. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee? Ps. lxxiii. 25.

d What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. viii. 31, 33— 35, 38, 39. The Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 2 Thess. iii. 3. He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God. 2 Cor. i. 21. Who shall also

eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ;

framing ourselves thereunto, in rising daily from sin to righteousness and holiness of life. If these and such other heavenly virtues ye ensue in the residue of your life, ye shall shew plainly that ye be risen with Christ, and that ye be the heavenly children of your Father in heaven; from whom, as from the Giver, cometh these graces and gifts. (James i. 5.) Apply yourselves, good friends, to live in Christ, that Christ may still live in you; whose favour and assistance if ye have, then have ye everlasting life already within you; then can nothing hurt you. (John v. 24.) Thus shall we declare that Christ's gifts and graces have their effect in us, and that we have the right belief and knowledge of his holy resurrection: where truly, if we apply our faith to the virtue thereof, and in our life conform us to the example and signification meant thereby, we shall be sure to rise hereafter to everlasting glory, by the goodness and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory, thanksgiving, and praise, in infinita seculorum secula. Amen. Hom. xxvi.

A quick or lively faith is a true trust, and confidence of the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and a stedfast hope of all good things to be received at God's hand: and that although we, through infirmity, or temptation of our ghostly enemy, do fall from him by sin; yet if we return again unto

confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. i. 8. The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Īs. xxxii. 17. We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. Heb. vi. 11. Give diligence to make your calling and election surc. 2 Pet. i. 10. If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Rom. viii. 17. We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same

thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 2 Cor. v. 1, 4, 5. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke xii. 32. I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. John x. 28, 29. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing. 2 Tim. iv. 8. Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 1 John iii. 19. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i. 13. Seeing it is a righ

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as because it doth fervently kindle their love

him by true repentance, that he will forgive and forget our offences for his Son's sake, our Saviour Jesus Christ, and will make us inheritors with him of his everlasting kingdom; and that in the mean time, until that kingdom come, he will be our protector and defender in all perils and dangers, whatsoever do chance and that though sometimes he doth send us sharp adversity, yet that evermore he will be a loving Father unto us, correcting us for our sins, but not withdrawing his mercy finally from us, if we trust in him, and commit ourselves wholly unto him, hang only upon him, and call upon him, ready to obey and serve him. This is the true, lively, and unfeigned Christian faith. Hom. iv. 1.

All those therefore have great cause to be full of joy that be joined to Christ with true faith, stedfast hope, and perfect charity; and not to fear death, nor everlasting damnation. For death cannot deprive them of Jesus Christ, nor can any sin condemn them that are grafted surely in him, which is their only joy, treasure, and life. Let us repent of our sins, amend our lives, trust in his mercy and satisfaction; and death can neither take him from us, nor us from him. Hom. x. 2.

Therefore if we have Christ, then have we with him, and by him, all good things whatsoever we can in our hearts wish or desire; as victory over death, sin, and hell: we have the favour of God, peace with him, holiness, wisdom, justice, power, life, and redemption; we have by him perpetual health, wealth, joy, and bliss everlasting. Hom. ix. 1.

* And seeing he hath so greatly loved thee, endeavour thyself to love him again, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, that therein thou mayest appear not to be unworthy of his love.

teous thing with God to recompense to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven. 2 Thess. ii. 6, 7. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. John xvii. 24. If by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Rom. v. 17. Let no man glory in men: for all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos,

or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John iii. 2. e We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John iv. 19. If any man love God, the same is known of him. 1 Cor. viii. 3. Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed, and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 1 John iii. 18, 19. We

towards God; so for curious and carnal perlacking the Spirit of Christ, to have

sons,

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Coll. for the fourth Sunday after Easter.

O Lord, who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence; and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Coll. for the second Sunday after Trinity.

O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Coll. for the sixth Sunday after Trinity.

have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him, Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John iv. 16-18. Hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Rom. v. 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 2 Thess. iii. 5. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. Rom. viii. 28. Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 20, 21. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life,

which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James i. 12.

Intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the head, from which all the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Col. ii. 18, 19. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col. ii. 8.

g Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not sub'ject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom. viii. 7. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. ii. 14.

h These be sensual, having not the Spirit. Jude 19. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John iii. 6. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom. viii. 9. Lord, my heart

continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into

i They therefore that have no mind at all neither to read nor yet to hear God's word, there is but small hope of them that they will as much as once set their feet, or take hold upon the first staff or step of this ladder; but rather will sink deeper and deeper into the bottomless pit of perdition. For if at any time, through the remorse of their conscience, which accuseth them, they feel any inward grief, sorrow, or heaviness for their sins, forasmuch as they want the salve and comfort of God's word, which they do despise, it will be unto them rather a mean to bring them to utter desperation, than otherwise. Hom. xxxii. 2. "He is set forth for the fall and rising again of many in Israel." As Christ Jesus is a fall to the reprobate, which yet -perish through their own default; so is his word, yea the whole book of God, a cause of damnation unto them through their incredulity. And as he is a rising up to none other than those which are God's children by adoption; so is his word, yea, the

is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have beShaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever. Ps. cxxxi.

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i Thou saidst, There is no hope: No; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. Jer. ii. 25. And they said, There is no -hope; but we will walk every one after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. Jer. xviii. 12. Will ye come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations. Jer. vii. 10. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Rom. ii. 5. Account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you: as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these

Have I any

things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they
that are unlearned and unstable
wrest, as they do also the other
Scriptures, unto their own destruc-
tion. 2 Pet. iii. 15, 16. God our
Saviour will have all men to be
'saved, and to come unto the know-
ledge of the truth. 1 Tim. ii. 4.
Not willing that any should perish;
but that all should come to repent-
ance. 2 Pet. iii. 9.
pleasure at all that the wicked
should die? saith the Lord God:
and not that he should turn from
his ways and live?—I have no
pleasure in the death of him that
dieth, saith the Lord God; where-
fore turn yourselves and live. Ezek.
xviii. 23, 32. Therefore, O thou
son of man, speak unto the house
of Israel. Thus ye speak, saying,
If our transgressions and our sins
be upon us, and we pine away in
them, how should we then live?
Say unto them, As I live, saith the
Lord God, I have no pleasure in
the death of the wicked; but that
the wicked turn from his way and
live: turn ye, turn ye from your
evil ways; for why will ye die,
O house of Israel! Ezek. xxxiii.
10, 11.

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