of their fleshe if they be voide of faith which alone stayeth and vpholdeth vs in the midst of all winds stormes Mat. 16. tempests which â—ay happen vnto vs Furthermore froÌ„ whence â—an they haue hope for the remission of their sinnes and consequently righteousnes and life which do depend theron without faith Rom. 4. Which is the Isope that doeth sprinckle vs with the blood of the lambe to wash and clense vs from all our iniquities and by this meanes to preserue vs from the destroier from the wrath of God whereby otherwise we shoulde be deuoured and vtterly consumed Gal. 3. Finally sithens faith is the instrument and hande whereby we receiue all the graces and blessings of God and as it were salt whereby we and all our workes are seasoned to be pleasaunt in his tast We must conclude that without it we are accursed and abhominable before him Rom. 14. and that all our vertues whatsoeuer shewe or outward appearance they haue be nothing else but filth iniquitie and sinne And as the Princes liueries are the markes whereby their pages and other seruaunts are knowne so faith is the badge of the lambe which his family and houshold seruants doe beare in their foreheads Apoc. 7.4 thereby to be knowne and whosoeuer shall weare this cognisance he is fure that euen the Angels to whome it is permitted nowe in these last times to hurt the earth the sea and the trees can noâ— hurt him in any thing because he is set apartâ— to be safe from all dangers Apoc. 12. but vnto the feare full and vnbeleeuers vnto the Idolaters anâ— lyars as all Apostates are their part shall be in lake of burning fire and brimstone which is the second death Rom. 11.20 This ought well to conteine vs in our duties and to set oftentimes that before our eyes which the Apostle sayth as well of vs as of the Iewes to wit that through vnbeleefe they were broken of though they were braunches of the true oliue tree and that we stande by faith to the ende that we may not lift vp our selues through pride but liue in all feare and humilitie vnder the protection and mighty hand of our God That the Apostates are without the Church Chap. 13. HAuing shewed by al the chapters and discourses going before that the Apostates are without God without Mediator without law without faith without sacraments it doth followe thereof immediatly that they are also without the Church For 1. Tim. 2.5 as there is but one God one creator and redeemer of the worlde so there is but one people which he hath chosen and set a part to separate them from others Psal 74.2 and to adopt and reserue them for himselfe to sanctifie them make aneuerlasting couenant with them to rule gouerne theÌ„ by his word his spirit to defend them froÌ„ al their enemies Hos 2.19 euen from death of whom he will also be particularly knowen and called vpon serued and worshipped in spirit trueth This people gathered vnder one head Iohn 4.23 which is Iesus Christ by whose meanes they are ioyned vnto God Eph. 1.5.6 and entertained into his fauour for euer And ther is a double means to gather them into the same bodie with their heade Eph. 4. The one is externall to wit the publicke preaching of the gospell and the other internall namely the spirite of God who doth prepare the heartes of euery one to beleeue and keepe stedfastlye that which he hath heard perfeuere coÌ„staÌ„tly ther in vnto the ende To the which the Sacraments are adioyned as helpes to the ende They may staye and beare vp the weakenes of our faith when the temptations whereby it is assauâ—ted be stronge and vehement Rom. 9.8 Nowe since there is no people but this which is allyed with God and hath the promises of saluation and life Mat. 4.4 to whome Iesus Christ came to saue them from their sinnes Luk. 1. whose ransome he hath payed for whom he hath sacrificed and spilte his bloude that they might be of his flocke whom he hath acquited as touching the iustice of God for whome he hath prayed vnto his Father Ioh. 17. at whose iudgement he wil acknowledge them his owne flesh his bloud his bones his brethren inheritance which he hath purchased to himselfe there is none but they that hope for life What will then become of those poore Apostates who are laid opeÌ„ to the wrath of god no more nor lesse theÌ„ were those to the waters of the floode that were out of the arke company of Noah And in Sodome Gen 7.3 the kins men of Lot who would not accoÌ„pany him nor goe out with him Ge. 19.14 in Egypt those who were without the houses whose doores were not sprinkled with the bloud of the lambe Exo. 12.22 And in lerusalem those who had not bene marked in the forehead Ezech. 9.6 and who in the siedge of the Romanes would not retire to the other side of Iordan with those that saued theÌ„selues in Pella Histor tripartita For euery man deceiueth himselfe that hopeth to shune the wrath of God in any other place then in his house and in his holy mouÌ„taine Esay 26. By reason whereof Esay exhorteth the people of god to enter into his closet that is to say into the Church wherin he saieth is his home ordinary dwelling place ther to kepe theÌ„selues quiet and hidden for a short space vntill his indignation were passed ouer to which agreeth that which Dauid sayeth Psal 27.5 For in the tyme of trouble he shall hyde me in his tabernacle In the secret place of his pauilion shall he hide me set me vp vpon a rocke For the one and the other knew well inough that there is no place surer no fortresse better fortifyed and strengthned against all dangers then is his house though in outward appearance it seme to be destitute of walls and ditches rampartes platformes bulwarkes and other craftes and engines which fleshe could inuent to gard and defend her selfe from her enemies neuerthelesse the grace and fauour of God wherewith it is shrowded and enuironed on all sides is a greate deale more sure and stronger then all that as saieth Dauid Psal 125.2 The mountaines are about Ierusalem so is the lord about his people from henceforth for euer Psal 71.3 And in another place Thou art my rocke fortresse And in trueth when it doth waÌ„t it all other meanes be very weake vnsure As the prophet NahuÌ„ saith Nah. 3 12. Al thy stroÌ„g cities shal be like the figge trees with the first ripe figges for if they he shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater which we haue sene by experience in these laste dayes wherein we haue seene holdes that seemed to be inuincible brought vnder the power of the enemye in shorte time
couenant making vs partaken of his grace of the remission of al our sinneâ— by the perfect obedience which he yeelded in our name Phil. 1. euen to indure for vs the death of the crosse and to beare the curse which was inioyned by the law Gal. 3. to the end he might acquite vs. Considering then that Iesus Christ is the only mediator of the agreement and couenant which may be handled betweene God men and that the Apostates departing to Antichrist his side do separate themselues from him thence it may be inferred necessarily that they are without God being without Christ as Saint Paule shewed the Ephesians writing to them after this maner Ephe. 2.11 Remember that ye being in time past Gentils in the flesh and called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision â—n the flesh made with handes that ye were I say â—t that time without Christ and were aliens from â—he common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the couenantes of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world If then these who had not as yet beene called by the preaching of the Gospell during the time of their â—gnorance and infidelity were reputed by the Apostle to be without God because they were without Christ howe much more by greater â—eason may we auouch the same of those who â—fter they haue bene illuminated and had tasted of the word of God and also beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost being willingly departed from the knowledge of the trueth which they had receiued haue trode the sonne of God vnder their feete and esteemed the blood of the couenaÌ„t wherby they were sanctified a thing prophane committed so horrible an iniury against the spirite of grace It must then be concluded that as the Apostates haue treacherously forsaken God so he for his parte hath iustly renounced them and giuen them ouer for a pray as sayth the Prophet Psal 81.12 I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their heart and they haue walked in their owne counsailes and also as sayeth the Apostle as they haue made 〈◊〉 account to acknowledge God Rom. 1.28 so God hath giuen them vp to a spirite voyde of all iudgement that they may commit things which are not seemely These are then the guides which these poore blinde men haue to lead and counsell them in their affaires Rom. 8. namely the concupiscence of their owne peruerse heartes a reason altogether dulled Ephe. 2. their vnbridled senses the wisedome of the fleshe which is nothing else but death and ouer and besides all that the Deuill who is the prince of darkenes and the spirit that doth worke in the children of disobedience being thus guided can they faile sone to stumble into the pit As the Apostates are without God so are they without Christ Chap. 7. VVE haue shewed in the chapiter going before that the Apostates are without God Let vs now shew that they are also without Christ without a Mediator which shall be very easie to do 1. Tim. 2.5 For as there is but one God as the Apostle sayth so there is but one Mediatour betweene God and men namely Iesus Christ Furthermore as Iesus Christ is a Mediator of the new couenant to reconcile the chosen to God the father make him to be their God as he is his and that with full assurance they may lay hold of him and call vpon him as their father Ioh. 17.2 so God doth giue them vnto his sonne to instruct and lead them to saluation and vnto the life to which they are ordeined So that it can not be but that he that hath the Eternall for his God hath also Iesus Christ for his Mediator and contrariwise he that is depriued of the one must be also bereaued of the other Moreouer following Antichrist making open profession of his religion as wel by workes as by wordes and bearing his name his badge his cognisance how can they appertaine to Iesus Christ seing he is a mortall enemy vnto him 2. Thes 2.8 Matt. 6.24 and Whome he shall consume with with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe with the brightnesse of his comming None sayd Iesus Christ can serue two masters Especially when their natures and dispositions be so farre different and disagreeing How then can it be possible to set at one Iesus Christ with the Pope Whose doctrine life manners counsels and ende are altogether contrary And if they can not be made to agree betwene themselues Matth. 12.30 how is it possible that one man should betake himselfe to them both Also He that is nor with Christ is against him he that gathereth not with him scattereth As he said himselfe to note his and causeth them to be knowne A man may then be knowne to be a Christian when he is vnited with his head vnseparably and that with him he doeth labour to gather that is to say to make the Church populous and to increase multiply the number of the citizens of the kingdome of God When as then there is any man seene who contrarily doth striue glory to employ all his meanes and power to hinder the establishing of the Church and who withdraweth all those he can fearing nothing more then to see it to take roote or hath greater despite then to see it to florishe and beare fruite may it not be sayd of him when he is so bent and animated against Iesus Christ that he is his enemy and a true member of Antichrist Sithens he fighteth with so great a courage to defende and maintaine him in that kingdome and possession which he hath partly by craft and hypocrisie and all such euill and wicked meanes partely by violence and too too great fauour which some vndiscreete princes haue borne him vsurped vpon the sonne of God whome he hath robbed of his glory and of all his prerogatiues and dignities striuing yet at this with his adherents to burye wholly the remeÌ„brance of his name Furthermore considering the case standeth so that by two markes those are knowen who do belonge to Iesus Christ Ioh. 18. namely when they are not of the world and be of the truth who will say that the Apostates appertaine vnto him who haue forsaken him and his company to returne to the world For Papistry whereto they haue retired 1. Ioh. 2.16 is nothing els but the world that is to say the lust of the flesh the lust of the eâ—es the pride of life And there is neither Realme nor Empire vpon the earth wherein sloth dainties pleasures whoredomes dissolutenes pride banqueting feasting ambition with all kind of vanities and excesse abound more then in the Romaine Court and in the pallaces of their Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Priors neither wherein there are men more effeminate and corrupt then those who followe the Popish Court By reason whereof the heares of women are attributed vnto them
Apoc. 9.8 by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation Where we may beholde a most notable â—nd ample description of their pompes riotes â—nd all their royall magnificences Apo. 17.4 vnder the figure of the great Whore arayed in purple â—nd scarlet and guilded with gold and pretious â—ones and pearles hauing a cuppe of golde in her hand sull of abhominations and filthines of her fornication And the mortall hatred likewise which they al beare vnto the truth which they caÌ„not abide to be published without woÌ„derfull griefe passion of minde nor without spilling cruelly the blood of the faithfull witnesses of Iesus Christ and that in such aboundance that they and the whole earth are drunken and ouercharged therewith All the world seeth euery daye the attempts and practisâ— which they worke by their Ambassadors whome they sende forth into all quarters like a companie of Furies to shake all the cornerâ— of heauen and earth to stir vp by all meaneâ— they may the great Princes Potentates thaâ— they should hinder their abuses from being descried and that the trueth shoulde not bâ— knowen nor the kingdome of Christ establiâ—shed Seeing then that the Apostates are reâ—turned to the worlde and are gone againe tâ— the campe of Antichrist and doe employe aâ— their fetches and forces to quench the light 〈◊〉 the Gospell and to hinder the aduancement 〈◊〉 the truth may we not iustly say of them thaâ— they are the enemies of Christ For those thaâ— are of his flocke and are his sheepe 〈◊〉 Ioh. 10.3 heare hâ—voice and obey him acknowledging him foâ— their sheepeheard follow him as their lighâ— They are neither afraid nor ashamed to confesse his name publikely by their testimony to confirme the whole doctrine which he hath preached and are not held backe from following of him by the remembrance of the hatred of the world which might be set before their eâ—es of the losse of their goods of the danger of their life of a thousand other incoÌ„modities which doe accompany all those that make a true and right profession of the gospell The Apostates then who wil not beare these burdens nor submite themselues to these condiciâ—ons can not be the disciples of Iesus Christ neither can he receiue them otherwise into his schoole and companie Moreouer did he not say that no man could be his disciple except he were resolued indeede to abide constant and â—table in his doctrine vnto the end those then who for a time haue receiued followed and apâ—roued it tentations comming haue slidde â—acke from it haue they not shewed thereby â—hat it had neuer taken roote in theire heartes that the profession thereof which they made for a tyme was but in shewe and outward apâ—earance onely which action he hath in abhoâ—ination aboue al other things which he doth â—eclare by effectie when departing from Ieruâ—lem Math. 21.19 finding by the citâ—e a figge tree without fruite which had but leaues only cursed it at the same time Neither ought it to be marueiled at if god who is for euer true who loueth a rouÌ„dnes sincerity in al things caÌ„ not suffer long in his house such hypocrites disguised persons without discouering and making them knowen When a branche of the vine is shred of shall we say it is yet of the vine or any member to be yet of the bodie after it is cut of If then the Apostates not staying the censure or iudgement of the Church haue preueÌ„ted it haue excoÌ„municated themselues seâ—uering theÌ„selues of their owne accord not only from the body but also from the head what caÌ„â— they looke or hope for at Iesus Christ his haÌ„dâ— from whom they are altogether separated did they not euedently shewe by that that they were not the plantes which God the Fatheâ— had planted Mat. 15.13 For if they had bene of the number he woulde not haue rooted them vp Ioh. 10. And that likewise they were neuer of the fould oâ— Iesus Christ for who were able to plucke oâ— take them out of his handes by force and also that they were neuer well grounded for thâ— house which hath not his grounde vppon thâ— sande but vpon a stronge rocke can not fall oâ— be beaten downe by anie winde that blowetâ— vpon it nor by any tempest or waue that beaâ—teth teth against it To conclude Mat. 7.24 they haue shewed by this their reuoulting that they were neuer of the seede or of the children of Abraham to whom the promises of saluation and blessings doe belonge Gen. 15.5 For such are as the starres of heauen which are so fastened and fixed within the firmament that they can neuer be moued out of the place wherin they were set in the beginning So likewise the children of God being â—nce in the kingdome of heauen they do abide â—n it as in their houses and dwell therein withâ—out euer departing from thence as the Prophet saieth Psal 65.4 Blessed is he whome thou choosest and cauâ—est to come to thee he shall dwell in thy Courtes Psal 23.5 And in an other place Thou doest annointe my â—eadwith oile and my Cuppe runneth ouer Doutâ—s kindnes and mercy shall follow me all the dayes 〈◊〉 my life and I shall remaine a long season in the â—use of the Lord. Wherunto that agreeth which â— spoken by our Sauiour Christ in S. Iohn Ioh. 6.37 all â—ut the Father giueth me shall come to me and â—m that cometh to me I cast not away Whereby â— appeareth plainely that when the chosen are â—nce entred into the fould of the shepeheard it â— to abide therein and to be nourished in the â—me for euer and therefore S. Iohn speaking â—f those who in his time had reuolted and forâ—ken the church saide they were not of vs 1. Ieh 2.19 for if they had bene of vs Iud. 13 they would haue continewed with vs. What shall we saye then of those wandring starres which could not stay themselues in the house of God to be coÌ„tinually partakers therein of the brightnes of the Sonne of righteousnes which doth shine daye night without end and for euer but that they are all eclipsed and haue loued darkenes rather then light the company of the deuill who is the Father a murtherer from the beginning more theâ— Iesus Christes Ioh. 8.4 who is the waye the life and the trueth That the Apostates being departed from Iesus Christ are miserable Chap. 8. BY the reasons and argumentes which wâ— haue heretofore rehearsed we haue sufficiâ—ently proued that as the Apostates are without God so also they are without Christ Whereof it may be inferred that they are moâ—miserable for who can be happy without Goâ— who is the welspringe and fountaine of liâ—â— and all happines and without whome all othâ—â— goodes are nothing but a curse and miserie Fâ—â— the temporall goodes as are riches possessioâ— and frends the corporall goods as helth streÌ„gâ—anâ—â— beauty the goodes
of the minde as the ripenes of witte vertue and learning if all these be not blessed of God and accompanied with his grace they can neither profite nor benefite anie way him who possesseth them but contrarily without the blessing of God all will turne to his misery Esay 5 1 Tim 6.9 his riches shall serue to no other end but to set on fire and continue his desires to puffe vp his hearte with pride to cause him nether to regard nor make acoumpt of his poore neighboures to put his trust in vaine corrupt and vncertaine thinges to be at superfluous prodigall expences and which is a great deale worse and most dangerous Luk. 3. to withdrawe him from the kingdome of god to let as thornes weedes to hinder the good seed of the word of god from growing and fructifying in him His frendes in stead of good counsaile wil flatâ—er him Mat. 13.22 will seeke by him their owne profite â—ot his They will withdraw him froÌ„ the feare â—k seruice of God to entice him to follow the â—anities of this world In prosperity they will â—ugh with him sooth him vp but in aduerâ—ty they wil flitte forsake him Concerning â—he bodily goodes as health they wil abuse it to â—ugh sport leap dance play to hauÌ„t company 〈◊〉 feasts to quaffe to coÌ„mit folly excessewith â—ut al measure their strength they wil employ to beate strike maime rauishe steale spoile and oppresse in euery respect al those whome they suppose to be weaker then themselues lesse able to make resistaunce They will vse their beautie and good fauour if they haue anie be it either in their speach or in their countenance in steade of a baude to seduce and circumuent all those with whom they can acquaint themselues into whose fauour they can insinuate As for the goodes of their minde as it might be quicknes and dexteritie of witte they will employ them to inuent craftes and subtities to cosen and deceiue those with whome they haue to deale and to boaste when by some subtill slight they shall haue gotteÌ„ allured some one to intrappe him in their net if they haue learning it will serue but to pusse theÌ„ vp to vaunte of and by a vaine ostentation to cause themselues to be esteemed among men to conclude it is not possible for a man without God who is the chiefest good to vse or acquaint him self with any other good thing For al creatures be good god by his owne testimony after be had created all thinges in sixe dayes 1. Tim. 4 4. approued that which he had done without any exception spake of his workes that all in generall euery one in particular were good Gen. 1.31 that is to sayâ— commodious necessarie pleasant profitable wholesome But in that consideration that he do by his grace blesse the vse of them For as the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.5 They be all sanctified by the worde of God and thankes geuing vnto the faithfull only and to those which haue knowen the trueth For as he sayeth in another place Tit. 1.15 vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds consciences are defiled Is not then the condicion of the Apostates wretched that being without God without his grace they are also miserable in all things that is to say that the bread which they eate the bed whereon they lie the verie coate and shirte which they put on the light which doth lighten them the woode and fire which warmeth theÌ„ the aire which they breath in the water wherewith they wash themselues the earth which doth beare and nourish them and al thinges generally which they vse are vncleane vnto them Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. and bringe a wretchednes vpon them For ther is nothing but the word of God which we beleue and obserue the obedience which we performe vnto him and the feare of his name wherein we walke that doth make vs holie and happie in all thinges As the Prophet saieth Psal 1.2 that he which delighteth in the Lawe of the Lord and in his Lawe doth meditate daye and night shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bringe forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall neuer fade so whatsoeuer he shaldo shal prosper And in an other place Psal 119 165 They that loue thy law shal haue great prosperity they shall haue no hurt And as they who loue God serue him doe prosper in all their affairs vnder his fauour blessing so the wicked who go astray from him blaspheme him thoughe that for a time they haue the winde at will though it seeme to them to the whole world that all things do fall out vnto them according to their minde neuertheles al their felicitie in the ende being accursed and not fauored of god doth finish in great misery As Dauid also saith Psal 1.6 The way of the wicked shall perish But as the wicked caÌ„ not be happy without god being the author of all felicity so they can be no lesse being seperated froÌ„ Iesus Christ who is the only means therof He is the blessed seede which at his coÌ„ming by his obedience first hath takeÌ„ away all the malediction which had bene brought into the worlde by the disobedience and rebellion of our first parentes against the commandementes of God And then secondly hath brought afterward againe the blessing which God had promised to Abraham for him Gal. 3. and his seede That is to saye for those that should beleue in the promise to him made This is also the reason why among other names which are giuen vnto him by Esay this is one amongst the rest namely the name of Prince of peace Esay 9.6 Peace in the Hebrue tongue signifieth prosperity and happy successe it seemeth theÌ„ since the spirit of god hath so named Iesus Christ that he woulde teach vs by the name which he giueth him that he onely at this present is the spring of happines of all good whatsoeuer in the world So the Angels bringing tidinges of his birth into the world Luk. 2.11 told the shepheards of Iudea to whom they disclosed it first Vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a Sauiour vers 14. which is Christ the Lord. Glory be to God in the high heauens peace in earth and towardes men good will And the Prophet speaking of his kingdome sayd Psal 27.3 The mountaines and the hilles shall bring peace to the people by iustice vers 6. And a litle after in the same Psalme He shall come downe like the raine vpon the mowen grasse and as the showers that water the earth Also we see that the Apostle in all his Epistles doeth wish euen in the beginning vnto those to whome he writeth the
name done many great workes And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquity Let vs then conclude that the praiers which are made at home priuatly done by some particular man can not be acceptable vnto God if he be not a member of the Church and he can not be a member of the Church except he be vnited with the body the head For those that thus withdrawe them selues from the assemblies whatsoeuer exercise of religion they performe in their houses they make a sect by themselues and by consequent are excōmunicated The seconde is that a faithfull mā ought not to withdraw himselfe from frequenting of the assemblies which be made in the name of God by his people in certaine daies that are appointed wherin they are called together to sanctifie publikely his name for the reasons which followe First of all it is forbidden them Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one an other sayeth the Apostle to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not for saking the fellowship we haue among our selues as the maner of some is but let vs exhort one an other that so much the more because ye see that the day draweth neere For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuour the aduersaries And afterward when God commandeth euerye one so expresly to sanctifie the day of rest is it not to the end that the people may inore conueniently assemble themselues to heare the worde of God preached and by their confessions praises and publike praiers whiche they make together ioyne and vnite themselues still more and more in the one and selfe same faith and religion and waite for the performance of the promises which God hath made to be in the midst of such assemblies and to powre vpon them aboundantly his spirite his graces fauors and holy blessings as Dauid saith As the devv of Hermon vvhich falleth vpon the mountaine of Sion Psal 133.3 there the Lorde appointed the blessing life for euer And this is the reason why this good wise king esteemed so much these holy assemblies that there was nothing in the world more deare and pretious in his eyes then to be in the middest of them at the dayes wherein they were called together as it appeareth by an innumerable multitude of places in the Psalmes Psal 26.8 O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy house the place vvhere thine honor dwelleth Psal 43.3 And in an other place Send thy light thy truth let thē lead me let them bring me to thy holy mountaine and thy tabernacles Againe other where Psal 138.1 I vvill praise thee vvith my vvhole heurt enen before the Gods vvill I praise thee I vvill vvorship tovvards thine holy temple praise thy name because of thy louing kindnes for thy truth And in many other places he sheweth the delight which he had to resort to the publike cōgregatiōs of the church the singular pleasure contentation of minde he receiued in them doth teach euery one by his example to seke after frequent thē because there is no better means to preserue nourish increase faith thē that to be edified in the knowledge feare of God in all true kind of godlines religion 1. Cor. 14. Ephes 4. as the Apostle teacheth the Corinthians the Ephesiās Moreouer those that abstaine frō thē do they not detest the church of God Iesus Christ who is euer in the middest of those that are gathered together in his name Doe they not make themselues vnworthy of the great blessings that God imparteth to them so aboundantly 1. Cor. 11. Matth. 18. as though they were heathen and publicās Do they not forsake the company of Iesus Christ of the Patriarchs prophets Apostles of al the elect children of God which are all members of the church Deut. 23. To go to the bastards the Ammonits the Moabits who by the ordināce of God were in old time banished from the tabernacle and from the couenant of God O wretched soules which do not knowe the dayes of their visitation who turne their backes to the sheepehearde when he seeketh them and shut the dore on him when he commeth to knocke But to come to the ende of this speech and treatise I say in a word that the delayers whatsoeuer faith they suppose or feigne themselues to haue They are indued with none at all for the true faith is alwayes ioyned with confession as the Apostle saith which ought to be publike and in the sight of men Rom. 10. Matth. 10. Matth. 5. for our light ought not to lye vnder the bushell but to be Set on high vpon a candlesticke to lighten all those that come into the house We ought to beare the badge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in our foreheades Apoc. 7. which is the place most eminent and apparant in all our bodie we ought not to hide our scarfes nor to turne our coates nor feare to be knowne by our liuery to the souldiers of Iesus Christ He hath died for vs not secretly in an vnknowne corner or closed frō the knowledge of the world but in the open place of the sculles where they had wont to execute the guiltie and euil doers Iohn 19. and was lifted vp on high on the crosse betweene two theeues and hath dronke swallowed vp this shame ignominy in the middest of the world that we might be honoured before God What vilanous and detestable ingratitude then is in them which woulde dissemble that and conceale such an act to as all the trumpets in the world can not sufficiently sound and spread abroad He is not ashamed euen nowe that he is in his glory to acknowledge and auouch vs for his brethren and shall we be ashamed to confesse him to be our Sauiour God by his grace and perfect goodnes grant to the delayers to know and vnderstand betime the great fault which they commit by dissembling so long that they may by a true repentance speedily preuent the fearefull iudgement of God which hangeth ouer their heads if they hasten not So be it