Iesus concerning you And Isaiah signifieth that thankesgiving acceptable to God consisteth not in words onely where he saith u Isa 5.16 God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousnes In another place he saith w Isa 66.5 Heare ye the word of the Lord yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appeare to your joy and they shall bee ashamed Memorably saith the Church in the Communion service It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thankes unto thee O Lord Holy Father Almighty Everlasting God Of confession to God Concerning publike confession of our sinnes unto God the Divine Service beginneth with one that is generall and likewise there is a generall confession to be made afore receiving of the holy Communion The Prophet Daniel made a solemne x Dan. 9.4 confession unto God in the behalfe of the Iewes in generall that were with him in captivity in Babylon And Baruch wrote a long y Bar. 1.14.15 c. confession for the Iewes at Ierusalem to make reading it in the House of the Lord upon the feasts and solemne dayes There is also private confession of our sins to be made unto God whereof it is said in the second part of the * T. 2. Homily of repentance that it is the second part of repentance And the Homily saith If we will with a sorrowfull and contrite heart make an unfeined confession of our sinnes unto God hee will freely and frankly forgive them and so put all our wickednesse out of remembrance before the sight of his Majestie that they shall no more be z Heb. 8.12 thought upon Hereunto doth pertaine the golden saying of David where he saith on this manner a Ps 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne unto thee neither did I hide mine iniquitie I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse unto the Lord and thou forgavest the ungodlinesse of my sinne These are also the words of Iohn the Evangelist b 1 Iohn 1.9 10. If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgive us our sinnes and to make us cleane from all our wickednesse Which ought to be understood of the confession made unto God This is then the chiefest and most principall confession that in the Scriptures and Word of God wee are bidden to make and without the which wee shall never obtaine pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes The Prodigall sonne made such a confession saying c Luke 15.21 Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Salomon saith d Prov. 28.13 Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy CHAP. 45. Of singing Psalmes and spirituall songs in publike and in private and also of singing with musicke IN the title of the Psalmes in meeter in the Booke of Common prayer it is thus said The whole booke of Psalmes collected into English meeter by c. Conferred with the Hebrew with apt notes to sing them withall Set forth and allowed to bee sung in all Churches of all people together before and after morning and evening prayer as also before and after sermons and moreover in private houses for their godly solace and comfort laying apart all ungodly songs and Ballads which tend onely to the nourishing of vice and corrupting of youth Iames 5.13 If any be afflicted let him pray and if any be merry let him sing Psalmes And then in the Common prayer booke of that forme which is appointed for Churches there is added a Treatise made by Athanasius the great cōcerning the use and vertue of the Psalmes whose beginning is thus and a delivery most memorable All holy Scripture is certainly the teacher of all vertue and of true faith but the booke of Psalmes doth expresse after a certaine manner the very state and condition of the soule For as he which intendeth to present himselfe to a King first will compound with himselfe to set in good order both his gesture and his speech lest else he might be reputed rude and ignorant even so doth this godly booke informe all such as be desirous to lead their life in vertue and to know the life of our Saviour which hee ledd in his conversation putting them in minde in the reading thereof of all their affections and passions whereto their soule is inclined c. And then doe follow 99. signifyings of what Psalmes may be sung even upon most occasions that come to passe in this present life And both before and also after the Psalmes in meeter there are sundry spirituall songs which may be sung upon sundry occasions unto the great comfort of the minde * Of singing with musicke Concerning singing in publike it is said in the booke of Ezra e Ezra 3.10 11. When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord they set the Priests in their apparell with Trumpets and the Levites the sonnes of Asaph with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the Ordinance of Dauid King of Israel And they sang together by course in praising and giving thankes unto the Lord because hee is good for his mercy indureth for ever towards Israel And in the booke of Chronicles it is said f 1 Chron. 16.7 David delivered a Psalme to thanke the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren The which holy Prophet hath said g Ps 148.11 12 13 14. Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the earth both young men and maydens old men and Children let them praise the name of the Lord. h Ps 149.1 3. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of Saints let them sing praises unto him with Timbrell and Harpe i Ps 150.1 Praise yee God in his Sanctuary k Ps 95.1 2. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyfull noyse to the rocke of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thankesgiving and make a ioyfull noyse unto him with Psalmes l Ps 100.1 Serve the Lord with gladnesse come before his presence with singing Saint Paul said to the Church of Ephesus Be m Eph. 5.18 19 filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord. n Ps 150.3 4 5. Praise the Lord saith David with the sound of the Trumpet praise him with the Psaltery and Harpe Praise him with the Timbrell and daunce praise him with stringed instruments and Organs Praise him upon the loud Cymbals praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals It is written that Moses and the Children of Israel o Exod. 15.1 sang a song unto the Lord. And that p
endure Ye have heard of the patience of Iob and have seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pittifull and of tender mercy Of Peace-making IN the third part of the * T. 1. p. 98. Homily against Contention it is said Above all things keepe peace and i Eph. 4.3 unity be no Peace breakers but k Mat 5.9 Peace-makers And then there is no doubt but that God the Authour of comfort and peace will grant us l 2 Thes 3.16 peace of Conscience and such concord and agreement that with m Rom. 15.5.6 one mouth and minde we may glorifie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ As all true Christian people doe receive by the spirit of Christ the peace of God into their consciences n Isa 48.18 and 66.12 more and more so are they more and more peaceable toward others Saint Iames saith The Wisedome that is from above is first pure then o Iam. 3.17.18 peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2 Esdros 13.12.39 And the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne in Peace of them that make peace Blessed saith Christ Iesus are the p Mat. 5.2 1 Pet. 3.11 Peace-makers for they shall bee called the Children of God CHAP. 87. Of Satisfaction for wrong done in word or deed IN the second Exhortation to be said sometime at the discretion of the Curate afore receiving the Communion it is said If yee shall perceive your offences to bee such as be not onely against God but also against your neighbours then yee shall reconcile your selves unto them ready to make restitution and Satisfaction according to the uttermost of your powers for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other and likewise being ready to forgive others that have offended you as you would have forgivenesse of your offences at Gods hand for otherwise the receiving of the Holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your damnation In the Rubricke of the Visitation of the sicke afore the particular Absolution it is said The Minister shall examine the sicke party whether he bee in charity with all the world exhorting him to forgive from the bottom of his heart all persons that have offended him and if he have offended other to aske them forgivenesse and where hee hath done injury or wrong to any man that he make amends to the uttermost of his power In the * T. 2. p. 195. Homily of the Resurrection it is said As ye have hurt the name of your neighbour or otherwise hindred him so now intend to restore it unto him againe For without restitution God accepteth not your confession nor yet your repentance It is not enough to forsake evill except you set your courage to doe good By what occasion soever you have offended turne now the occasion to the honouring of God and profit of your neighbour In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 203. 204. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is said O wretched creatures that we bee at these dayes who bee without reconciliation of our brethren whom we have offended without satisfying them whom we have caused to fall without any kinde of thought or compassion toward them whom we might easily relieve without any conscience of slander misreport division rancor or inward bitternesse c. Wherefore O man tender thine owne salvation examine and try thy good will and love towards the children of God the members of Chirst the heires of the heavenly heritage yea towords the Image of God the excellent creature thine owne soule If thou hast beene offended now bee reconciled If thou hast caused any to stumble in the way of God now set them up againe If thou hast disquieted thy brother now pacifie him If thou hast wronged him no relieve him If thou hast defrauded him now restore unto him If thou hast nourished spite now embrace friendship If thou hast fostered hatred and malice now openly shew thy love and charity yea bee prest and ready to procure thy neighbours health of soule wealth commodity and pleasures as thine owne Deserve not the heavie and dreadfull burden of Gods displeasure for thine evill will towards thy neighbour so unreverently to approach unto this table of the Lord. In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 269. Homily of repentance it is said Wee doe learne what is the satisfaction that God doth require of us which is that we q Isa 1.16.17 cease from evill and do good and if we have done any man wrong to endeavour our selves to make him true amends to the uttermost of our power following in this the example of r Luk. 19.8 Zacheus and of this sinfull s Luk 7.38.39 woman and also that godly lesson which Iohn Baptist Zacharies sonne did give unto them that came to aske t Luk. 3.11.12.13 14. counsell of them The Lord Iesus saith If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way first bee u Mat. 5.23.24.25.26 reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Agree with thine adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Iudge the Iudge deliver thee to the officer and thou be cast into prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt be no meanes come out thence till thou hast payed the uttermost farthing The Law of the Lord saith The guilty shall restore that which hee tooke violently away or the thing which hee hath deceitfully gotten or that which was delivered him to keepe or the lost thing which he found Read the sixt Chapter of Leviticus and the 7. first verses In the last whereof it is signified that forgivenesse for such transgressions cannot be hope for from God untill restitution bee made or at least unfainedly intended desired resolved on and set forward according to the very uttermost of one ability Read the Lawes concerning restitution in Exodus 22 c. If wee finde any of our neighbours substance be it of what kinde soever wee are bound to restore it unto him againe Deut. 22.1.2.3 See Iob. 20.18 CHAP. 88. Of forgiving others the wrongs which they have dene to us in word or deed IN the Service afore the Communion and in the Rubricke afore the speciall Absolution it is declared that we are bound to be in Charity with every body of mankind as we would that God should be mercifull unto us For so wee may observe forth of the collections in the * Chap. 87. Chapter afore In the first * T. 2. p. 179. Homily of the Passion it is said It is not meete that we should crave forgivenesse of our great offences at Gods hands and yet will not forgive the small trespasses of our neighbour against us We doe call
doers and for the praise of them that doe well If such as are seditiously inclined would sometimes reade through the whole Homily of obedience and the whole Homily against disobedience and wilfull rebellion and also would call to minde the end of all seditious ones and of all privie conspiratours in former times even in all privie conspiratours in former times even in all ages and almost in all places they by the grace of Christ might be of a cleane contrary disposition Saint Paul from God Almighty denounceth that hatred variance emulations wrath strife z Gal. 5.20.21 seditions heresies or sects or factions envyings c. Are workes of the flesh and that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And now for conclusion about mentioning particular sins referring every devout soule unto a diligent reading or hearing of the whole Bible and to observe thereout what the spirit of God hath delivered and prescribed for every one in his severall vocation and state either to doe or to leave undone and to shunne and also to a most serious search of the whole divine Service of the Church of England for to performe every particular duty mentioned therein which concerneth him and to shunne whatsoever it is there dehorted from let us heare what holy Church delivereth unto us in the first Homily * T. 2. p. 176. of the Passion concerning the detestation which we ought to have within us continuall against all sinne No man can love sinne which God a Ps 5.4.5.6 hateth so much and be in his favour No man can say that hee b Ioh. 14.23.24 loveth Christ truly and have his great enemy sinne I meane aut hour of his death familiar and in friendship with him So much doe we love God and Christ as wee hate sinne Wee ought therfore to take great heed that wee be not favourers thereof lest wee be found enemies to God and traitours to Christ We can no otherwise live to God but by c 1 Cor. 15.31 Rom. 6.8.11 dying to sin If Christ bee d Rom. 8.10.11 in us then is sinne dead in us and if the spirit of God be in us which raised Christ from death to life so shall the same spirit raise us to the Resurrection of everlasting life e Rom. 6.16 But if sinne rule and raigne in us then is God which is the fountaine of all grace and vertue f Ier. 6.8 departed from us then hath the Devill and his vngratious spirit g 2 Pet 2.19 rule and dominion in us And surely if in such miserable h Eccles. 11. â—â— Heb. 9.27 state wee dye we shall not rise to life but fall downe to death and damnation and that without end David therefore saith Ye that love the Lord i Ps 97.10 Ps 119.104 hate evill CHAP. 96. Of the sinne against the Holy Ghost IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 261. Homily of repentance it is said But of the finall falling away from Christ his Gospell which is a sinne against the Holy Ghost that shall never bee forgiven because that they doe k Heb. 10.26 utterly forsake the knowne truth doe l Cor. 16.22 hate Christ and his m Ioh. 8.47 word they doe n Heb. 6.6 crucifie and o Heb. 10.29 mocke him but to their utter destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 150. Homily of certaine places of Scripture it is said concerning three sorts of people whose company the Prophet David would to be shunned by every one that would be blessed The third sort the Prophet calls p Ps 1.1 scorners that is a sort of men whose hearts are so stuffed with malice that they are not contented to dwell in sinne and to lead their lives in all kind of wickednesse but also they doe q 2 Tim. 3.3 Prov. 29.27 contemne and scorne in other all godlinesse true religion all honesty and vertue Of this sort I thinke I may without danger of Gods judgemeÌ„t pronounce that never any yet converted unto God by repentance but continued still in their abominable wickednesse r Rom. 2.5 2 Tim. 3.8.13 heaping up to themselves damnation against the day of Gods inevitable judgements What sinne against the Holy Ghost is it may the better appeare by considering first what is sinne against God the Father and what is sinne against God the Sonne Sinne against God the Father is all transgression committed whiles one is in the first s Luk. 15.18.24 Eph. 2.1 death of trespasses and sinnes and in minde is t Eph. 5.14 asleepe not attending unto the gracious call of God the Father nor following his profered u Ioh. 6.44 Hos 11.4 Ier. 31.3 drawing or leading unto repentance Sinne also is said to be against God the Father which is coÌ„mitted through humane w 1. Ioh. 2.12 weakenesse and frailty And sinne against God the Sonne is the speaking of a word against the x Mat. 12.31.32 sonne of man Iesus Christ which sinne Saul afterward called Paul committed y 1 Tim. 1.13.16 ignorantly in unbeleife Yea and Peters z Luke 22.56 c. deniall of Christ for a time appeareth to bee a sinne of that nature Also when one is a disciple of Christs Gospell and through meere ignorance or the like infirmity offendeth against Christ as Peter did when hee said unto Christ Bee it a Mat 16.22 farre from thee Lord This shall not bee unto thee meaning the suffering which Christ signified that hee should endure All sinne committed against God the Father is b Rom. 3.25 forgiven through his great mercy in Iesus Christ c Ezech. 18.21 22. when one repenteth for the sinne All sinne committed against God the Sonne is forgiven for his d 1 Ioh. 2.12 Eph 4 32. names sake unto such as e 1 Tim. 6.12 Rev. 2.10.11 fight the good fight of faith and truly endeavour to lay hold on eternall life Now concerning sinne against the Holy Ghost it is either committed by such as have beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost of whom S. Paul saith to the Hebrewes That it is impossible for those who where once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made f Heb. 6.4.5.6.7.8 partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come being * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronymus vertit Prolapsi sunt Syrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui rursum peccaverunt id est a justitia deficientes certamalitia in omne peccatum projecti sunt c Iunius fallen away to renew them againe to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft upon it and bringeth forth hearbes meete for them by whom it
high Priest vnto God his Father to make intercession for them also a Prophet to his people or a declarer vnto them of his Fathers will and is the m Reuel 15.3 King of Saints or administreth the kingome of n Rom. 5.21 grace vnto and within his people Whereas also he is the appointed o Heb. 1.2 heire of all things and all things were created p Col. 1.16.17.18 by him and for him Also he is before all things and by him all things consist And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he may haue the preheminence and no good thing commeth from God the Father vnto the Church on earth but through the q Acts 4.12 Iohn 20 31. Iohn 15.16 Name and for the r Dan. 9.17 sake of Iesus Christ Therefore the Church concludeth euen euerie of her prayers with these or the like wordes Through Iesus Christ for the honor of our Aduocate and Mediatour Iesus Christ Through the merits of thy onely Sonne c. For conclusion therefore of the mediatorie workes of Iesus Christ let S. Pauls words to the Saints that were at Rome be here for our meditation Å¿ Rom 5.8.9.10.11 God commendeth his loue towards vs in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shall bee saued from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life And not onely so but we also ioy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom wee haue now receiued the attonement Let vs therefore saith the Church in the second part of the * Tom. 1. p. 82. Homily against Adultery consider first the glory of Christ then our estate our dignity and freedome wherein God hath set vs by giuing vs his Holy Spirit and let vs valiantly defend the same against Sathan and all his crafty assaults that Christ may bee honoured and that we loose not our liberty or freedome but still remaine in * 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 4.3.4 one Spirit with him CHAP. 31. Of Christs iudging Mankind IT is sayd in the Athanasian Creed Iesus Christ shall come from the right hand of the Father God Almighty for to iudge the quicke and the dead At whose comming all men shall rise againe with their bodies and shall giue account for their owne workes And they that haue done good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fire So the Church sayth in Saynt Ambrose Song We beleeue that thou shalt come to be our Iudge In the Seruice for the buriall of the dead it is sayd Thou most worthy Iudge Eternall In the exhortation for the visitation of the sicke it is sayd Forasmuch as after this life there is an account to be giuen vnto the righteous Iudge of whom all must be iudged without respect of persons I require you to examine your selfe and your state both toward God and man so that accusing and condemning your selfe for your owne faults you may find mercy at our heauenly Fathers hand for Christs sake and not bee accused and condemned in that fearefull Iudgement In the * It is set in the beginning of the Psalmes in Meeter in the booke of Common Prayer in Folio Athanasian Treatise concerning the vse and vertue of the Psalmes it is sayd The Psalmes informe and teach euery man with diuerse instructions whereby he may not onely espie the affections and state of his soule and winne a good patterne and discipline how hee may please God but also with what forme of wordes he may amend himselfe and how to giue God due thankes least if he should speake otherwise than were conuenient he should fall into impiety by his vnreuerent estimation of God For we must all make an account to the Iudge as well of our t Math. 12.36 idle words as of our euill deedes In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 273. Homily of Repentance it is sayd Verily when the highest Sumner of all which is death shall come he will not be sayd nay but we must forthwith be packing to be present before the Iudgement Seate of God as he doth finde vs according as it is written u Eccles 11.3 Where as the tree falleth whether it be toward the South or toward the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy Martyr of God Saint Cyprian saying As God doth finde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee In the second part of the * T. 1. p. 63. Homily against the feare of death it is said That Iesus Christ shall be openly shewed to be iudge of all the world In the * T. 2. p. 109. Homily against excesse of apparrell it is said Vnto God we shall render accounts for all his benefits at the glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ In the third part of the * To. 2. p. 123. Homily concerning prayer it is said Wee must take heede that wee call vpon this aduocate Christ whiles we haue space giuen vs in this life least when we are once dead there be no hope of saluation left vnto vs. For as euery man sleepeth with his owne cause so euery man shall w Rom. 14.12 rise againe with his owne cause And looke in what state he dyeth in the same state he shall also be iudged whether it be to saluation or damnation In the third part of the * Tom. 2. p. 229. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said By Christ hath almighty God decreed to dissolue the world to call all before him to iudge both the quicke and the dead and finally by x Mat. 25.34.41 him shall he condemne the wicked to eternall fire in hell and giue the good eternall life and set them assuredly in presence with him in heauen for euermore And in the first part of the * Tom. 1. p. 3. Homily which is an Exhortation to the reading and knowledge of holy Scripture it is said By this word of God we shall be iudged For the word that I speake saith Christ is it that shall y Ioh. 12.48 iudge in the last day Iesus Christ himselfe hath also said The z Ioh. 5.22 23 27. Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne that all men should honour the Sonne euen as they honour the Father And hee hath giuen him authority to execute iudgement because he is the Sonne of man Saint Peter saith a Acts 10 4â— God hath commanded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the iudge of quicke and dead Saint Paul saith to the Romans Wee shall all stand before the b Rom. 14.10 11 12. iudgement seat of
unarmed in this behalfe he must needs be in continuall danger of that cruell adversary the roaring Lyon against whom the Apostle Peter warneth us to prepare our selves in continuall Å¿ 1 Pet. 5.8 9. sobriety that we may resist being stedfast in faith To the intent therefore that this sobernesse may be used in all our behaviour it shall be expedient for us to declare unto you how much all kinde of t Ephes 5.18 excesse offendeth the Majestie of Almighty God and how grievously he punisheth the immoderate abuse of those his creatures which he ordaineth to the maintenance of this our needy life as meats drinks and apparell In the * T. 2. p. 108. Homily against the excesse of apparell it is said It is not the goodlinesse of apparell nor the excellency of beauty nor the abundance of gold that maketh a woman to be esteemed but u Prov. 31.30 1 Tim. 2.9.10 modestie and diligence to live honestly in all things In the third part of * T. 2. p. 271. Homily of Repentance it is said The true parts and tokens of repentance are an hearty w Ps 51.17 contrition and sorrowfulnesse of our hearts unfained x Ps 32.5 confession in word of mouth for our unworthy living before God a stedfast y Rom. 3.24.25.26 faith to the merits of our Saviour Christ for pardon and a purpose of our selves by Gods grace to z Isa 55.7 renounce our former wicked life and a full a Ezech. 18.21 conversion to God in a b Ioh. 15.8 new life to glorifie his name and to live c Col. 2.5 orderly and charitably to the comfort of our neighbour in all d Eph. 5.9.10 righteousnesse and to live soberly and modestly to our selves by using abstinence and e 1 Cor. 9 25. temperance in word and deed in f Col. 3.5 mortifying our earthly members here upon earth Saint Paul unto Timothy signifying with what conditions a Minister of the Church is to bee endued mentioneth modesty among the rest saying He must be blamelesse the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behaviour or * 1 Tim. 3.2 as in the margent modest given to hospitality apt to teach c. The Apostle commandeth women to adorne themselves in g 1 Tim. 2.9 modest apparell Also he teacheth that aged men bee h Tit. 2.2.3 sober grave temperate sound in faith in charity in pacience The aged women likewise that they bee in behaviour as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not given to much wine teachers of good things That they may teach the yong women to be i Tit. 2 3.4 sober to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chast keepers at home good obedient to their owne husbands that the word of God bee not blasphemed Young men exhort likewise to be sober minded The instruction in Ecclesiasticus is memorable k Eccius 32.7.8.6 Speake young man if there bee need of thee and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked Let thy speech bee short comprehending much in few words bee as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue If thou be among great men make not thy selfe equall with them and when l Ecclus. 7.14 ancient men are in place use not many words Of Patience IN the Collect for Saint Iohn Baptists day it is said Make us so to follow his Doctrine and holy life that we may truly m Luk. 3.3 4 5 6. repent according to his Preaching and after his example constantly n Mat. 10.32 Phil. 2.16 speake the truth boldly o Lev. 19.17 rebuke vice and patiently p Mat. 5.10.11.12 Iam. 1.2.3.4 1 Pet. 3.14 suffer for the truths sake In the first * T. 2. p 178. Homily of the Passion it is said Let us therefore now open our harts againe to Iesus Christ study in our lives to bee thankefull to such a Lord and evermore to bee mindfull of so great a benefit yea let us take up our q Mat 10.38 crosse with Christ and follow him His Passion is not onely the r 1 Tim 2.6 ransome and whole amends for our sinne but it is also a most perfect s Heb 12.1 2 3 4. example of all patience and sufferance For it behooved Christ thus to t Luk. 24.46 suffer and to enter into the glory of his Father Why should it not become us to beare patiently our small crosses of adversity and the troubles of this world For surely as saith Saint Peter Christ therefore suffered to leave us an u 1 Pet. 2.21 example to follow his steps And if we w 2. Tim. 2.11.12 suffer with him we shall be sure also to reigne with him in heaven Not that the x Rom. 8.18 sufferance of this transitory life should be worthy of that glory to come but gladly should we be contented to suffer to be y Rom. 8.29 1 Ioh. 2.6 like Christ in our life that so by our z Mat. 5.16 workes we may glorifie our Father which is in heaven And as it is painefull and grievous to beare the Crosse of Christ in the griefes and displeasures of this life so it a Heb. 12.11 bringeth forth the joyfull fruit of b Rom. 5.3.4.5 hope in all them that bee exercised therewith Let us not so much behold the paine as the c Heb. 11.26.27 reward that shall follow that labour Nay let us rather endeavour our selves in our sufferance to endure innocently and guiltlesse as our Saviour Chirst did Perfect patience careth not what nor how much it suffereth nor of whom it suffereth whether of friend or foe but studieth to suffer d 1. Pet. 2.19 and 3.14 innocently and without deserving Yea he in whom e Mat 5.48 perfect Charity is careth so little to revenge that he rather studieth to doe good for evill to blesse and say well of them that curse him to pray for them that pursue him according to the example of our Saviour Christ who is the most perfect example and patterne of all meekenesse and sufferance Saint Iames saith My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh f Iam. 1.2.3 patience but let patience have her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Saint Paul to the Thessalonians saith Be g 1 Thes 5.14 patient toward all men And againe Saint Iames saith Bee h Iam. 5.7.8.9.10.11 patient therefore brethren unto the comming of the Lord Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill hee receive the early and latter raine Bee ye also patient stablish your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an ensample of suffering affliction and of patience Behold wee count them happy which