Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	darkness_n	light_n	shadow_n	7,372	5	9.4624	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02923	A Postill, or, Exposition of the Gospels that are usually red in the churches of God, vpon the Sundayes and feast dayes of Saincts written by Nicholas Hemminge a Dane, a Preacher of the Gospell, in the Vniuersitie of Hafnie ; and translated into English by Arthur Golding. ; before which Postill is sette a warning of the same Nicholas Heminge too the Ministers of Gods vvorde, concerning the co[n]tinuall agreement of Chrystes Church in the doctrine and true worshipping of God ...	Hemmingsen, Niels, 1513-1600.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.	1569 (1569)	STC 13062; ESTC S5140	503,499	736

our senses by outward signs which are the seales of his woord So in these dayes he had disclosed his wil vntoo vs by his Gospel the which he sealeth vp with the outward signes of Baptim and the Lordes supper Howbéeit in this cōmunication of the Angel with the virgin this spéech is too be noted wher he saith ●or vvith God no vvord shal be impossible This woord this saying of the Angel conteineth two things First it sealeth vp the truth and certentie of Gods promises And secondly it admonisheth vs to set gods power ageinst al sense iudgement of the flesh to assure our selues y t God is true although the whole frame of things shuld go about to persuade vs otherwise and to say with the virgin do according to thy woord thou reuelest thy wil by thy woord fulfil thy wil by thy power that thou alone may be glorified Thou art a sinner bewailest thy misery But herken what Gods woord saith of his wil. I wil not the death of a sinner Also all that cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Include thou within this woord both Gods wil his power ageinst which nothing is able too stād When y u art sorowful bicause thou art at deaths doore flée vnto Christ héer his woord Blissed are they that die in the Lord. In this word ioyne togither Gods wil his power then assure thy self y t death shal be vntoo thée the way to blisfulnesse through Chryst Iesus our Lord too whom with the father the holy Ghost be honor praise glory world without end Amen Vpon the Natiuitie of Iohn Baptist. The Gospel Luke j. ELizabeths time came that she should be deliuered and she brought forth a son And hir neibors and hir cousins herde hovv the lord had shevved gret mercy vpon hir reioiced And it fortuned that in the eight day they came too Circumcise the childe and called his name Zacharie after the name of his father And his mother ansvvered and said not so but his name shal be called Iohn And they said vnto hir There is none in thy kinred that is named vvith this name And they made signes to his father hovv he vvould haue him called And he asked for vvriting tables and vvrote saying his name is Iohn And they marueiled al. And his mouth vvas opened immediatly and his toung also and he spake and praysed God And feare came on all them that dvvelt nie vntoo him And all these sayings vver noised abrode throughout al the hie countrie of Ievvrie and they that herd them laid them vp in their harts saying ▪ vvhat maner of childe shal this bee And the hand of the Lorde vvas vvith him And his father Zacharias vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and prophecied saying Praysed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vntoo vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets vvhich vvere since the vvorld began That vve should bee saued from our enimies and from the hand of all that hate vs. That he vvould deale mercifully vvith our fathers and remember his holy couenaunt And he vvould performe the othe vvhich he svvare too our father Abraham for too forgiue vs. That vvee being deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of our life in such holynesse and rightuousnesse as are acceptable for him And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his vvays Too giue knovvledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God vvherby the day spring from an hye hath visited vs. To giue light too them that sate in darknesse and in the shadovv of death and to guide our feete into the vvay of peace And the child grevv vvexed strong in spirit and vvay in vvildernesse til the day came vvhen he should shevv himselfe vntoo the Israelites The exposition of the Text. ALthough it bée a heathenish Idolatrie too call vppon Sainctes which thing is doone by the Papistes in the feastes of Sainctes yet it is very behoofefull and that for many causes too kéepe still the feasts of some Saincts The first cause is for that it is very profitable that the storie of the Church should bée known For from thence wée may fetche instruction confirmation and comfort The second is for that it is a swéete thing too thinke vppon Gods benefites towards his Church whereby commeth singuler frute too the godly hartes The third is that thanks may bée giuen to God for his benefites towards the members of his Churche The fourth is that by weying throughly the variable chaunces of the Sainctes wée may arme and strengthen our minds ageinst chaunces present and too come which we must needes taste of The fifth is that the Sainctes maye bée as it were samplers vntoo vs of repentance conuersatiō woorshipping confession constancie patience and other vertues according to which wée may frame our liues The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the felowship of the Saincts These and other weightie causes there bée why wée reteine feastes of Sainctes in the Church Would God that many men abused not the feasts of Saincts and other things too their owne pleasures and madde deuises like as many in the papacie abused chéefly this feast when they halowed it with daūcing and reueling with méetings of louers with bibbing and tippling al night long and with other more shamfull things which I will not speake of wherin they pleased not God nor the Angels and Saincts but they serued Sathan too the reproch of God and of the Angels and Saincts Thus much bréefly concerning the feasts of Saincts and the right vse of them In this feast I wil entreat of one point only that is too wit the story of Iohn out of which I will build certeine admonishments ¶ Of the Storie of Iohn Baptist. IN the Storie of Iohn Baptist let these circumstances bée weyed His parents his conception his birth his bringing vp his calling his office Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn his death and the things that hapned about his death and after his death Iohn Baptists parents wer Zacharie a préest a holy mā and of blamelesse life and his moother was Elizabeth a woman far striken in yéeres and of singuler godlinesse Of both these Luke the Euangelist beareth this witnesse in his first chapter They were both perfect before God and walked in al the lawes and ordinances of the Lord that no man could find fault with thē And they had no child bicause Elizabeth was barren both were well striken in age This description sheweth of what yéeres the parents of Iohn were with what innocentnesse they liued that being now growne in yéeres they were destitute of

say Graunt mée now that I may die in peace and happily Héereof may wée gather bothe instruction and comfort Instruction that the spirituall beholding of Chryst whiche is by Faith maketh a man too depart ioyfullye oute of this life bicause hée that before his death séeth Chryst in this wise hath a light too guyde ●●m vntoo lyfe He that foloweth me sayth the Lorde walketh not in darknesse Contrarywise he that séeth not Chryste passeth from the death of this present lyfe vntoo euerlasting darknesse And wée may gather comforte bycause they that sée Chryst at the instant of death haue wherewith too comforte themselues They know they are at the point too bée dismissed in peace They know they shall not goo too darknesse but too euerlasting ioy Bicause the théefe vppon the Crosse not only saw Chryst with his bodily eyes piteously tormented but also saw him conqueror of death with eyes of his faith he herd the Lord say This day shalt thou bée with me in Paradyse So Steuen at his death saw Chryst and with excéeding pleasure and ioyfulnesse of mynde sayde vntoo him Intoo thy hands O Lorde I commit my spirit After this maner thou also when sickenesse brings thée too the pittes brinke looke too Chryst thy Sauiour by Faith and desire of him that he will let thée departe in peace that is too say that he will giue thée leaue too depart out of this lyfe and too enter intoo the rest that is promised too al the faithfull This thought will make vs manfully despise this world and the miseries of this present lyfe and comfort our minde with hope of saluation the whiche he that can not lye hath promised vs. Now ensueth the other part of this song VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all people to bee a light to lighten the Gentyles and to bee the glory of thy people Israel Héere are bréefly shewed two things The one what are Chrysts benefites the other to whō these benefits are appoynted The benefits are saluation light and glorie Without Chryst then the world sticketh stil in damnation darkenesse and shame and that is for sin For Christ taketh away damnation and restoreth saluation he driueth away darknesse sheadeth foorth light he remoueth shame and giueth glorie How great things are these I pray you Surely no man is able too value them sufficiently But 〈◊〉 whom are these benefites appoynted Too all people Iewes and Gentiles howbéeit they must bée receyued by faith For they are offered vniuersally too all suche is the vnserchable goodnesse of God Howbéeit with condition he that beléeueth shal bée saued and he that beléeueth not shall bée damned Wherfore if wée couet these good things let vs with Simeon receiue this our Lord and Sauior Iesus intoo the armes of our hart leane vntoo him with stedy faith To this our sauior be honor glory for euer euer So be it Vpon the Annuntiation of our Lady Sainct Mary the Virgin The Gospel Luke j. AND in the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriell vvas sent from God intoo a citie of Galilee named Nazareth too a virgin spoused too a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name vvas Mary And the Angell vvent in vntoo hir and sayde Hayle full of grace the Lorde is vvith thee Blissed art thou among vvomen VVhen she savv him she vvas abashed at his saying and cast in hir minde vvhat manner of Salutation that shoulde bee And the Angell saide vntoo hir feare not Mary for thou hast founde grace vvith God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy vvombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall bee greate and shall bee called the sonne of the hyghest And the Lord God shal giue vntoo him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none ende Then sayde Mary too the Angell hovv shall this bee seeing I knovv not a man And the Angell aunsvvered and saide vntoo hir the holy Ghost shal come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovv thee Therfore also that holy thing vvhiche shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God And beholde thy cousin Elizabeth shee hathe also conceyued a Sonne in hir age and this is the sixth Moneth vvhiche vvas called barrein for vvith God nothing shall bee vnpossible And Mary sayde Beholde the handmayde of the Lord be it vntoo mee according too thy vvoord And the Angel departed from hir The exposition of the text THis feaste conteyneth the story of the conception of Iesu Chryst which is told vntoo the virgin by the Angel of God For long agoe the thrée thousande nine hundred sixtith yéere before his conception God promised the séede of the woman that shoulde tread downe the Serpents head that is too say which shuld destroy the Deuils woorks sin and death God béeing mindful of this promise sends his Angel too the most chast virgin too whome hée bringeth tidings that shée shoulde conceiue by the holy Ghoste without the séede of man and bring foorth a Sonne that should bée the sauiour of the worlde This is the summe of the story whereof there be fiue principall points and these are they 1 A description of the message 2 The Salutation of the Angel 3 The comforting of the troubled Uirgin 4 An exposition of the Message 5 The maner of the conception ¶ Of the firste IN the description of this Message many circumstances are too bée obserued of whiche wée wil consider euery one seuerally by it selfe too the intente wée may drawe out of it some doctrine too confirme our selues The first is time In the sixth moneth sayeth hée that is too wit after the conception of Iohn Baptist who according too the sayings of the Prophets should bée the forerunner of the Lorde that men myghte prepare the waye ageinste the comming of their King And it was the twentith yéere since the Scepter was taken from Iuda For thus was it Prophecied before by the Patriarke Iacob The scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda ▪ vntill Silo come that is till the séede of the woman come whiche was promised too our firste Parentes Therfore this circumstance of time conuinceth that this son of the virgin is the true Messias For hée was borne the selfe same time that y e holy Ghost had spoken of before by the prophets And as concerning y e day this is woorthy too bée remēbred that the killing of the paschal Lambe the conception of Chryst the passion of him fel all vpō one day of the yéer on which day the holy Fathers supposed that Adā was created These things set oute vntoo vs the truthe of Gods promises God delayed too sende his Sonne a great while after the promise was made but yet hée continued true in his promises The Sonne hath promised that hée wil come too iudgement but he maketh delay yet wil hée come when he

for that it was the lowest parte of the aire for otherwise it coulde not haue shewed the directe way too them that trauailed by it In mouyng for that it moued not circlewise but went right forwarde as a guide of the way none otherwyse than the cloude and piller of fire went béefore the people of Israell at their goyng out of Egypt The brightnesse of it maketh a difference also bycause other starres shine onely by night but this gaue light euen in the broade day It was not therefore a naturall and continuyng starre suche as are in the skye What then Was it a Comet or blazing starre It appéereth that it was like a comet but out of dout it was an Angel of God as Epiphanius testifieth For he appéered in the shape of a starre both too shewe that Chrystes kingdome is heauenly and too open Chryste the true starre and cresset who alonly bringeth man out of the kingdome of darknesse intoo his owne glorious kingdom by holding out before hym the cresset of his woorde and by lightning mēs harts w t his spirit In cōsideratiō wherof Zacharie calleth christ y e riser frō on high the lightner of such as sit in the shadow of death And Iohn He was y e true light that lightneth euery man whiche commeth intoo this world The fourth circumstance is of Herode and all the citie of Hierusalem Herode vvas troubled and all Hierusalem vvith him Herode feared lest the kingdome should bée transferred from him vntoo the new borne king For hée vnderstoode not that Christes kingdome should bée heauenly and not of this worlde in whiche respect the churche singeth O enemy Herode wherefore fearest thou the King that giueth power too reigne in heauen of worldly kingdome doothe not men béeréeue The vnthanklesnesse and sluggishnesse of the people of Hierusalem is noted who béeing broken with werinesse of euils had cast of the hope of the redemption and saluation that was promised them They had leuer too liue in bondage with wicked Herode than too receiue their new King that brought them euerlasting fréedome But suche is the corrupted nature of men that they iudge it better for to kéep still some quietnesse of the fleshe than with any perill too receiue Christe the authour of saluation The fifth conteineth the counsel of Herode the Préests togither with the prophecy of Micheas the prophet Herode béeing otherwise a despiser of religion and of the prophecies is new troubled maketh inquisition where Christe should bée borne For as soone as hée heard the demaund of the wise men by and by he coniectureth that that king of whom they enquire was the Messias promised in old time by God But what doo the Préestes Although they answere sincerely out of the scripture bringing abrode the testimonie of Micheas yet notwithstanding they ●fterward like madde men bend themselues with might and maine ageinst the Scripture For the vngodly make muche of the Scripture as long as it séemeth not too bée against their affections But when it accuseth them of sinne when it cutteth their combes when it setteth death and dampnation before their eyes and finally when it attempteth any thing ageinst enured manners doctrine and traditions then by and by the vngodly fret at it then is Christe no more acknowledged then is hée called a rayler Our Papists now a dayes doo with vs confesse that Christe the onely begotten sonne of GOD tooke vpon him the nature of manne and that hée is one entier person consisting of twoo distinct natures But if wée come once too Christes office and auouch him too bée the only Iesus and the only Christ the only Sauiour the only high Préest intercessor that no man can be saued but he y t is iustified throughe only faith in him Then they chafe bicause their manners doctrine and traditions can not stande with this office of Christ. And therfore they partly corrupt the scriptures and partly reiect them and persecute with fire and swoord suche as teach Christ sincerely purely like the Scribes Préestes whoo héere at the firste with Simeon and Anne haue answered sincerely and afterwards like mad folkes haue cast of the faith of Christe and persecuted him by their ministers And so it is not inough that the Papists agrée with the pure Doctours in the first principles but they ought too haue a constant agréement with them in the whole foundation and in all the articles of the Faith Let vs not then serche the Scripture too our destruction like as Herode did neyther let vs looke vpon it negligently as the Scribes and Phariseys did whoo doo in déed shew a way howbéeit suche a way as they them selues walke not in wherein they are like too the shipwrightes that made the Arke of Noe and yet perished them selues when they had doone But Noe and his housholde was saued as the wise men are saued héer where as the Scribes and Préests doo perishe But let vs searche the Scripture with Simeon and Anne Mary and others whoo therby atteyned saluation Now let vs in few woords peruse the prophecie of Micheas For thus hée sayeth And thou Bethleem of the lande of Iuda art not the least among the princes of Iuda For out of thee shall come the captayne that shall feede my people Israel and the foorth commyngs of hym are from the beginning from the dayes of euerlastyngnesse This testimonie of Micheas teacheth many thyngs concernyng Chryste Firste it poynteth out the place of his birth Secondly it sheweth his office which is too play the gouerner in Israell too féede his people Thirdly it sheweth his incarnation wherby hée was borne a very man For when he sayth from the beginnyng he sheweth Christes incarnation who was promised from the beginning of the worlde that in hys time hée should bée borne after the fleshe Fourthly when he sayeth from the dayes of Euerlastingnesse he signifieth the nature of hys Godhead wherby he was before the creation of the worlde Fifthly he sheweth that he is one person consisting of twoo natures For when he sayth his foorthcommings this woord of the plurall number perteineth too the natures both of his Godhead and of his manhood And the woord him béeing of the singular numbre dooth couertly declare the vnitie of the person And so wée sée how the prophet hath ioyned togither the chéefe Articles of our faith which are vttered by others more at large The sixthe circumstaunce is of Herodes wylynesse who when hée thought hée had dealt moste wysely played most the foole For ther is no wisedom there is no wilinesse there is no counsel ageinst the lord He calleth the wise men vntoo him priuily as though he hadde loued the newe borne kyng as they dyd hée enquireth the tyme of the appéering of the starre as thoughe he had went too bée more assured of the Messias thereby hée wylteth them that when they had founde the chylde they shoulde bryng hym woordé as thoughe hée hadde

faith alone Yes it is true But there is a difference too bée put betwixt the causes of saluation and the obedience that God requireth of those that bée his Wée are iustified by faith only but when wée are iustified wée are made new men that is too wit the sonnes of God and hence foorth wée must after the example of our father lead a new and blissed life But héere is too bée considered also that as there is a double marke of the children of God so ther is a double marke of the children of Sathan The marke of the children of God is one while inward and another while outward The inward is repentance faith godlinesse good conscience The outward is héering of Gods woord and honest conuersation among men For as Chryste sheweth héere that the loue of his woord and the héering of it is a marke of his Disciples so Peter requireth honest conuersation among men whereby God may bée glorified his church edified But the inward marke of Sathans children is too bée without faith without godlynesse too haue an euil conscience and euil affections too haue the maistrie The outward mark is outward contempt of the woord and a leude life Mark wel these marks and let euery man examine him self whither he bée too bée accounted among the children of God or among the children of the Diuel If hée perceiue him self too bée among the children of Sathan let him pul back his foot out of hand least he be thrown headlong intoo damnation sooner than he looked for If he perceiue him self too bée among the children of God let him giue God thanks and desire encrease of faith loue and other vertues let him desire too bée strengthened by the holy Ghoste least he bée withdrawen from his godly and holy race by the sleights of Sathan ¶ Of the second ANd my father vvill loue him and vvee vvill come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Heere are rehersed the moste swéete frutes of kéeping the woord of God The firste frute is that the Father loueth suche as kéepe Chrystes woord For hée holdeth them right déere in his beloued Ephe. 1. How great a good thing this is it may bée vnderstood héerby that those which beléeue not in Chryst abide vnder Gods wrath according too this saying Hée that beléeueth not in the sonne the wrath of God abideth vpon him Wher as the wrath of God is there is sinne death damnation hel the tirannie of the Deuill and too bée shorte all mischéefe Contrarywise wheras is the loue of God there are the enimies ouercome there is saluation there is ioy there is life euerlasting Therefore let vs think vpon this first frute of keping Gods woord that by thinking theron wée may be kindled the more too loue the woord The seconde frute is and vve sayth hée vvill come vntoo him Than the whiche comming there can bée no greater honor If God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost come too him that kéepeth Chrystes woords vndoubtedly it foloweth that they came not too him before But that hée was in the diuels power and in the kingdome of darkenesse where death and damnation reigne It is a great frendship if a King come too his subiect it is a great honor too be visited of a mans better but vntoo this honor none other is comparable that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost come vntoo a man that loueth Chryst and kéepeth his sayings The third frute is that the Trinitie not only cōmeth too a man that kéepeth Christs sayings but also maketh his dwelling with him abydeth in him Christ méeneth by this most swéete promisse that those whiche héere Chrystes woord and kéepe it are the temples of the Trinitie in whome dwelleth the father the sonne the holy Ghost And although that all the whole church is called one church of God yet is euery seuerall Christian a seuerall temple of the holy Ghost Behold how princely a promisse this is If any body should promisse a miserable man a great treasure of gold he should haue good cause too be mery and reioyce that of a poor and wretched creature he should become a riche and happie man But héere is promised a moste incomparable treasure namely the dwelling of the Trinitie in vs whiche farre surmounteth all the treasures of the world But what dooth the Father when hée dwelleth in a man what dooth the sonne what dooth the holy ghoste The father with his might shéeldeth and defendeth the men in whom he dwelleth ageinst the rage of sathan wheras sathā executeth ful power vppon all beléeuers The sonne with his wisdome and light teacheth and lighteneth them ageinst all mistes of all maner of darknes The holy ghost with his holinesse sāctifieth consecrateth anoynteth them too bée the Prophets Kings Préests and saincts of the Lord. Too be Prophets bicause we sée those things with the eyes of our faith which no bodily eare is able too conceiue Of this Propheticall office speaketh Ioel according as Luke also maketh mēcion Act. 2. Too be Kings partly bicause we are made the childrē of God by the victorie of Christ and also bicause that by the power of Christ we reigne ouer death and hel Lu. 22. I appoynt vntoo you a kingdome like as my father hath appoynted vntoo me Too bée préestes bicause when wée beléeue in Chryst wée haue aucthoritie too offer vntoo GOD the sacrifice of prayse wée haue libertie too cal vpon God through Iesus Christ our only mediator and high préest wée haue aucthoritie too teach Gods woord Howbéeit euery man according too the maner of his calling And too bée saincts bicause that through Faith in Christ wée are accoūted as pure as if wée had fulfilled y e law to the vttermost Behold what a nūber of frutes the keping louing of Chrysts woord bringeth with it There can bée no greater dignitie there can bée no greater glory there can bée no honor or worship more excellent But what shal wée lern by it To liue worthy so great honor that wée by our owne vnclennesse driue not God out of our harts but rather that wée exalt him with continual prayses in true godlinesse and sanctificatiō That so great worship ought to put vs in mind héerof Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. where he sayth thus you are a chosen generation a kingly préesthood a holy nation a people whom God claymeth proper too himselfe that yée should set foorth his woorks whoo hath called you out of darknesse intoo his woonderfull light You that in times past were no people are now the people of God you which in times past obteyned no mercy haue now obteyned mercy Héerevppon the Apostle inferreth Absteyne therfore from fleshly lustes which fight ageynst the soule and make your conuersation honest among the Heathen As many benefites of God then as wée héere of towardes vs so many spurres shall there bée to pricke vs forward too godly and holy lyfe Wherfore sith Chryste

Hierusalem testifie Thirdly he punisheth spiritually in this life with darknesse and ignorance and after death with euerlasting paynes Greece Turkie and Italie and the greatest most flourishing parte of the whole world are examples of this punishment This dooth the riche glutton testifie who repenting too late and in vayne in Hell is tormented there with endlesse paynes The ninthe Dooth the king for mens vnthankfulnesse breake of the mariage which he had determined vpon No But he sayth too the seruants The vvedding is redy but those that vvere bidden are not vvorthy Although this may bée vnderstood of the vnthankfulnesse of the whole world yet doth Chryst in this place entreat chéefly of the vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes whom in these woords he threatneth too shut out from the mariage of the kings sonne Go yee therefore out intoo the high vvayes and as many as yee finde bid them to the mariage Behold the bountifulnesse of this king He willeth all men too bée bidden too his sonnes mariage without respect of nation or persons For he speaketh of the calling of the Gentiles too the gospel And it is too bée marked aduisedly that he sayth whom so euer you find bid them too the mariage But when was this spoken too the Bridegroomes seruaunts Euen then when Chryst said Go yée intoo the whole world and preach the gospell too all creatures He that beléeueth and is baptised shal be saued and he that beléeueth not is condemned already The tenth And the seruaunts vvent foorth intoo the high vvayes and gathered togither all as many as they could finde both good and hadde and the vvedding vvas furnished vvith guests This came too passe after Whitsonday after that the Apostles were armed with the holy Ghost and from thencefoorth vntoo this day by the ministers of the gospell ¶ Of the second ANd the king came too see his guests and vvhen he spyed a man there vvhich had not on a vvedding garment he said vntoo him Freend hovve camest thou hyther hauing not a vvedding garment This place teacheth first that in the visible congregation of the Churche the euill are mingled with the good vntill the last day which thing the Parable of the Darnell declareth also Neither is any such Church to bée hoped for in this lyfe as the Anabaptistes dreame of For the Church is in all poynts like a féeld wherin wheat and Darnell grewe both toogither For like as wheat abideth wheat still although neuer so much Darnel spring vp from time to time So the Church continueth holy though it haue diuers rotten members As many as professe christen religion are members of the Church howbéeit some be quicke and some dead Those bée quicke that haue a liuely fayth and those bée dead which professe the religion without liuely confidence in Chryst. As for those that are out of the visible congregation of the Churche they are enimies of the doctrine and neyther quicke nor dead members of the Churche It foloweth that the King comming in saw a man without his wedding garment What is this wedding garment This is néedful too be known that we may enioy the swéetnesse of Chrystes mariage perpetually At the last day there shall stand in this kings sight twoo kindes of men of whom the one refused too come too this wedding as the Turks and the vngodly Iewes many heathen nations at this daye It is manifest that none of these hath a wedding garment Of whom notwithstāding many doo loue ciuil honestie Wherfore this outwarde ciuilnesse of Aristides Fabritius Fabius Maximus and Cato is not that wedding garment whiche hée requireth And the other sort came too the mariage that is too say they conueyed themselues intoo the outward congregetion of the Churche at the preaching of the Gospell Howbéeit these are not all of one hewe For some trust too their owne woorks and thinke their shamefulnesse too bée couered with the garment of their woorkes Is this the wedding garment No in good sooth For they are thrust out from the mariage but none are thrust out from the mariage that bring a wedding garment with them Others some haue no woorkes but euil woorks howbéeit they bragge of fayth and boast themselues too bée faithfull and they suppose that this their fonde craking is the wedding garment but they are deceyued For of such hipocrits the Lord saith Not euery one that saith vntoo me Lord Lord shal enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen but he that dooth the wil of my father which is in heauē And other some beléeue a right and these mortifie the fleshe and liue in the spirit repent set their mind too liue blamelesse These only haue y e wedding garment Therfore whither yée call liuely faith or holinesse of life the wedding garment yée shall not take your marke amisse For as the calling too this mariage requireth faith so requireth it also true holynesse And that this is the true wedding garmente it appéereth in Abel Abraham Maudelin and many other Sainctes And it is no maruaile that suche a liuely fayth shoulde bée the wedding garmente For whosoeuer beléeueth his sinnes are released Gods wrath is taken from him and hée becommeth the sonne of God For it is written hée gaue them power too become the sonnes of God as many as beleued in his name Hée that beléeueth on him hathe euerlasting life Moreouer Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too the beléeuer wherewith the man béeing apparayled appéereth rightuous in the sight of God But héere thou must beware that thou put not on a visor in stede of the true garment that is too say y t thou boste not of vaine presumption in stede of true liuely faith If thou couet too know the marks of it these they bée Whersoeuer is true fayth there is also repentance with it there is hate of sinne there is true feare and ageine there is comfortablenesse of hart kindled by the holy Ghoste a desire too further Gods glory among men the duties of charitie or too cōprehend all in one woord true holinesse which is none other thing than a sequestring of our selues from the wickednesse of the world by mortifying the fleshe a clinging vntoo God by quickening of the spirit Wheresoeuer this holynesse is it is at continuall strife For the fleshe fighteth ageinst the spirite This holynesse is not made perfect at an instante but groweth all the time of a mannes life which thing the liues of the sainctes may easly teache vs. And thus muche concerning the wedding garment But I pray you what shal be doone too them that haue not this wedding garmente That dooth the Texte tell in these woords Binde him hand fote and cast him intoo vtter darknesse there shall bee vveeping and gnashing of teeth The outer darknesse betokeneth punishment and sorow which are out of the kingdome of God namely in Hel. Intoo this darknesse was the rich glutton cast and so shall all those bée caste that are not found clothed