thee Where the Prophet shewing causes why the whole world should not preuaile against Christ he saith because God had decreed it in his eternall counsell and proclamed it with this sentence Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee That is this day haue I declared that thou art my natural sonne meaning especially the time in which he made him knowen in the worlde by his wonderfull workes as S. Paule ment when he saide God was made manifest in fleash noting the power of the spirit working in him in his birthe life death resurrection and ascension So this day noteth not any particular time but all times in generall wherein God hath shewed his power in Christ as especially in the time he liued among vs And it see meth that the Apostle maketh manifest this sense of his wordes in that he addeth to the text alledged in the vi verse the time when it was fulfilled leauing this without any distinct time as that whiche apperteined to all times in which Christ should be shewed to be the sonne of God especially as I saide in his life and before or since as God sheweth his glorie in him So this sentence was true when he appeared to Abraham Iacob Moses to any of the patriarches or prophets or after his ascension when he appeared to Stephan to Paule or any other or whensoeuer he sheweth his power to defend his church vnto the end according to his owne promise I am with you to the latter end of the world And thus this word to day is takeÌ„ in that which is after alledged To day if ye will heare are his voice harden not your hearts And againe In the day of health I haue heard thee And in the day of saluatioÌ„ I haue succoured thee meaning no particular day but al the time that the word is preached vnto vs. It followeth I wil be his father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y sonne This is another texte to proue Christ the naturall sonne of god It is written in the seconde of Samuel the seuenth chapter and they are the wordes of God vnto Dauid by the Prophet Nathan to giue him a promise of the blessing of his seede after him which was begone in Solomon who built the temple and whome God so highly aduaunced in all wisedome richesse and honour that the Fatherly prouidence of God appeared ouer him as ouer an especiall chosen sonne All which as it was promised to Dauid so Dauid looked for the perfourmance of it in Christ and to be figured in Solomon his sonne after him whose temple was a figure of the Churche of Christe his riches a figure of the great graces of the spirite of Christe giuen to his Church his honour aboue all kinges a figure how kinges should submitt them selues to Christ and be nurlefathers and Queenes nurses to the Churche of Christe his wisedome a figure that in Christe should be hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and finally he called by name the sonne of God in respect of his blessings as a figure of Christ who is the eternall sonne of his father in nature of his person And so the Apostle here alledgeth this place without any suche long exposition howe the place is meant because we should see in it that the people of Israel were not so ignorant of the Scriptures as we be but brought vp in the knowledge of the lawe and taught the vnderstanding of it euen from their â—…dell as we shoulde be And thus haue we heard this argument of the Apostle Christ hath a more honourable name then the Angels therefore he is more excellent then they Nowe also let vs see the manner of proofes here vsed He proueth Christe to be the naturall sonne of God by textes of Scripture witnessing 〈◊〉 he donâ—…eth that Angels are so because God in his scriptures neuer spake it for so he beginneth Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time c. The self same maner of proofe againe he vseth in the 13. verse following Because the scripture saide it not therefore he proueth it is not so making his argument negatiuely from authoritie of Scripture whiche in all thinges what soeuer man is required to do or know in matters of religion is euer a most certeine conclusion God spake it therfore we must doe it God spake it not therfore we haue nothing to doe with it And this argument must needes bee good so long as this word of the Lordo doeth endure What I commaund thee doe that only And so long as this is a iust condemnation of all our owne deuises who required these things at your hands And so long as this shal be true that our wisdome is folishnesse and we cannot doe well but when we bearken to the worde of God that shineth in our harts as in a dark place True it is and if we had but the wisedome of children we must needes see it that all particular lawes and orders with which we may be bound they are not set downe in precise words of Scripture but it is as true that the nature and propertie of euery lawe or order is so described that the worde of God as clearely is followed in it as if the wordes of the law were set downe in it For of all decrees to be made in his church hath not God said It must be without offence it must edifie it must bee comely and according to order and it must serue to the glorie of God. Now God hauing giuen grace into our heartes to iudge what soeuer we decree by these rules is not the word of God the warrant of it By such manifest proofe ofscripture the church of Christ doeth iustifie all that she doeth Thus the Apostle proueth heere his doctrine Thus we must do if we will bee the Apostles scholers Marke well this reason for it is worthy God said to Christ thou art my sonne therfore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angel therefore no Angel can take the name vnto him In like manner we will dispute with them God said The true worshippers should not go to mount Sion nor to Ierusalem but worship God in spirit and trueth Where said he go a pilgrimage or go visit the holie sepulchre God said Doe not obserue dayes and monethes and times and yeeres Where said he keepe vnto me Lent or Aduent imber weekes or Saincts Eeues God said vnto vs It is the doctrine of diuels to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates Where said he eate now no fleash now no white meate let not the minister marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to kings princes and the autho ritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the pope haue the gift of kingdomes bee exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and noble men vnder him God said Cursed 〈◊〉 he that addeth ought to his law or taketh
XXVII LECTVRES or readings vpon part of the Epistle written to the Hebrues Made by Maister Edward Deering Bachelour of Diuinitie ¶ Imprinted by Lucas Harison ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the Christian Reader increase of faith and knowledge with an earnest Zeale of Christ Iesus the Lord. THE Epistle to the Hebrues conteyneth such doctrine as the holy apostle knew moste necessarie for the Iewe who a fewe excepted in the blindnes of their heartes acknowledged not Christe Iesus for the Messias albeit all thinges long before prophecied of the Messias by the holy Patriarches and Prophetes were in him clearely and fully accomplished and that in the eyes and eares of all Israel This their great blindnes caused the excellent light of this Epistle to be set foorth to the whole world for as their other wantes and falling off from the faith and naturall Oliue tree caused the fullnesse and grassing in of the Gentiles so their doubtfulnes as the doubtfulnesse of Thomas occasioned such cleare doctrine that we which come afterwarde cannot now without singular impietie make any doubt in the doctrine and gospel of our Lord Iesus Christe the which long agoe hath not beene both made and fully aunsweared Whereuppon all men ought to bee armed with this persuasion that whosoeuer againe doubteth where the doubt is already taken away and whosoeuer sinneth the sinne that hath beene heeretofore punished is a double offender for hee is not guiltie of the infidelitie alone or of the sinne but also of the despising the example set downe for vs that we trembling at the iuste iudgements of God against others should auoyde the the sinne in our selues knowing that if wee cōmunicate with the wicked in their blindnes wee must also communicate with them in the daunger is in the prouocation then in the punishment Wherefore concerning my first woordes the Iewes acknowledged not Iesus Christ for the Messias and redeemer of the world but we must acknowledg it and the rather hauing amongst the vnspeakable treasures of the word of God this pretious epistle wherin the doctrine of the person and offices of Christe are most substantially prooued and witnessed by the holy Ghost For therein the Apostle chiefely proueth Christ to be the annoynted of God annointed not with common Oyle but with the Oyle of gladnes that is with all fulnesse of the spirite into a prophet that teacheth vs the wisedome and loue of the father hee alone the priest that washeth away sinne maketh peace with his sacrifice euen a high Priest after the order of Melchisedech al other priests after the order of Leuie being for the time but shadowes and figures of the light and life in Christe hee alone the King of Salem whose kingdom is without vnrighteousnes and euerlasting not as other kingdomes which are outward and bodily but his kingdome frameth and ruleth the hart by the spirit of God and the scepter of his lippes the throne thereof being established in trueth and maiestie for euer and euer Besides these chiefe partes being the bodie of the Epistle there be other braūches conteining both vehemēt exhortations to the worthy receiuing of the word this present doctrine in faith and also to the bringing forth of the plentifull fruite therof in patience This excellent epistle about foure yeres past was expoūded in the citie of London by two learned godly men who made I suppose their choice of that Epistle as conteining very necessary doctrine for our times wherin the enimies of the Gospel are to to many preuaile too too much against the peace of the Church for they seke righteousnes in their own works sacrifices whiche is not foūd otherwise in heauē or earth thē in the righteousnes alone sacrifice of our lord Iesus Christ who not by the sacrifice of staūge bloud but by the offering vp of his owne bloud being himselfe the sacrifice and sacrificer made an end of all sacrifices and oblations going before and lefte no place for any new sacrifice or oblation to be vsed afterwarde Neither was this all that the Apostle ouerthroweth all other sacrifices establishing that as all sufficient which was at the fullnes of them according to the eternall decree of God the father made vpon the altar of the crosse once for euer and so consequently confuteth the Papistes mainteyning euen with bloudie sacrifices of men their vnbloudy sacrifice of the Masse but moreouer the doctrine is ve ry profitable and necessarie to stirre vp the minds and furnish the harts of professours of the Gospel 〈◊〉 knowledge concerning the person and offices of Christ Iesus the Lord. For to leaue the Catholiques as they vntruly call themselues either to the grace of God to be conuerted which God graunt vs hartily to pray for or to the blindnes of their hart to worship they know not what concerning the professours of the truth I beseech thē in the mercies of Iesus Christ to knowe the height the depth the length bredth al the mesures of Christ preached in the Gospel that as the foundation is moste certeine so it may bee also certeinely knowne and bring forth certeine fruites to the glory of God their own assured saluatiō in him Otherwise if the know ledge of our lord Iesus Christ be weake our faith cānot be strong if the faith be not strong thē our hope is small the afflictions of the spirit many But on the other side daily and effectuall exercises of the worde bringe increase of knowledge increase of knowledge bringeth increase of faith increase of faith bringeth increase of hope hope bringeth patience and in patience wee holde the possession of our soules til the day of our ful redemption But to returne to the two Interpreters of this Epistle the one lyueth and may doe wel if the Lord so dispose of his hearte to publishe in Printe his Readinges made to his greate prayse vpon the whole the other is layd vp in peace with the righteous but before his death he painfully gathered together the greatest part of his lectures leauing thē in writing that therby he might againe profite the Church after his death and now they are published to the benefite of the Church the zeale wherof greatly exercised his godly minde and many times brought his watchfull head and weake body neere to the graue Of whome I might truly speake much to his great prayse yet nothing vnknowne but let God haue the praise neuerthelesse as I will say no more ▪ in persuading men so I can say no lesse in duetie then this his goodnesse was by the grace of God very much and his harmelessnes more his giftes notable and his spirite more notable accompanying him for the measure of his bodily strength with daily increase til the last day and hower wherin for our punishment the Lord translated him from mortalitie to immortalitie Touching these his Praelections a goodly paterne of his swete spirite thou hast them gentle Reader in thy hands and I leaue
grace despised and iniquitie to haue the vpper hand in the figure that hee beareth wese the spirit to conquer righteousnesse to be exalted and a Kingdome of glorie to be set vp for euer that if we should finde in our selues the sinnes of Solomon yet we might assuredly knowe they cannot driue away the image of Christe but he is redie to iustifie al that do beleue for it is no dout but he in whose person was suche an image of Christe Christ offred to him againe an image of righteousnesse in which he should be presented faultelesse to eternall life Now where Christ is set out thus a King for euer we are taught not by dayes and times to measure his commaundementes but to holde them without chaunge as the gouernment for euer of his eternall kingdome for it is to to grosse follie for vs to say he is still our King if we dare abrogate his lawes for he is our ruler for euer and yet without him we will make lawes continually Was it euer heard among earthly kinges that subiects could either repeale or change their princes lawes or make lawes without them in their owne kingdome Or can there be greater treason then to cōspire for such a lewde libertie Euen so it is with all men and princes in the Churche of christ He is our Kinge he must be our Lawe-giuer he is King for euer and his lawes must neuer be chaunged he is our king alone without him al the world can make no law In no cōmon wealth there was euer law proclamed but in the name of the King In the Churche of Christ who shall proclame decrees but in the name of Christ and therfore expressly Christ taketh vpon him to be our onely Lawe-giuer And all princes the more godly they bee the more carefully will take heede to be no lawgiuers in his churche for matters concerning faith for that were to giue a lawe vnto him which none wil do but antichriste himselfe The Pope stirred vp Charles the fifte and King Henrie the eight and gaue them for their hire this title to be called defenders of the faith a proud beequest and how humbly it was possessed God doeth know After that king Henrie taking vnto him the courage of a true and naturall king draue out that spirituall tyrante out of all his Realme and by graūt of the clergie cōsent of the parleament toke vpō him the name of supreme head of the church of England which the pope had before vsurped ouer al nations But seing now it is so that these names are taken vp and made hereditarie to our Kinges and Queenes we will not reason of the titles rather let vs do the duetie of louing subiects pray that they may finde grace by their names to be prouoked more to godlinesse that in true ioy of heart they may haue the honour of their calling and hold fast a good conscience against the day of Christe This onely we testifie to all potentates and princes that what honourable titles so euer they haue yet they must be subiect in the Churche and haue Christe alone to be king ouer it Let them make no lawes appoint no orders ordeine no gouernement but such as are agreeable with his lawes orders and gouernement For that were sacrilege and it is the presumption of the man of Rome but let them exsecute the lawes of Christ see his orders kept establishe the gouernement which he hath ordeined holde men of al degrees in obedience vnto God for this is the true honour of the Lordes chosen Princes and the glorie of their calling which shall not wither And now to the end we may the more willingly do this both we and our kings whom God hath set ouer vs let vs marke this further which the Apostle addeth of our Sauiour Christe that His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse meaning as I saide that his gouernement is all in trueth and righteousnesse A good reason and a great persuasion to all that are of God why we shoulde let Christ alone with the ordering of his Church His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse not only a righteous scepter that is that whatsoeuer he ordeineth it is righteous but the scepter of righteousnesse that is whatsoeuer is righteous is ordeined of him and all spirituall scepters of all kings which are not directed by him they are crooked broken scepters of superstition scepters of idolatrie there is none of righteousnesse but onely the scepter of Iesu Christ. The scepter is a little wand which Princes haue accustomed to beare in their left hand and it is a signe of their gouernmēt by a Metonymie it signifieth here the gouernment it selfe Now the scepter of Christe is as his kingdome is not a scepter of wood or metall like other kings for his kingdome is not of this world as theirs is but his scepter the Prophet Esaie in plaine words describeth it He shall smite the earth saith he with the scepter of his mouth with the breath of his lipps shal he kil the vngodly In which wordes of the Prophet we see both what is this scepter and why it hath the name of righteousnesse the scepter is the worde of his mouth that is the preaching of the Gospel not decrees nor decretalls nor traditions of men nor vnwriten verities by none of al these we haue receiued the spirit of God but onely by hearing faithe preached it therefore alone is the scepter Heere tell me dearely beloued I wil aske no harde question but a thing which your eyes haue seene and your bands haue handled Tell me what kingdome is the Popes Or whence is it Is it Christs Then the preching of the Gospel is the scepter of it and the scepter bearers are in euerie congregation the pastors teachers by the Gospel preached it bindeth and loseth by the Gospel preached it ruleth ouer vs by the Gospel preached it teacheth faith it ordeineth religion it ministreth Sacraments by the Gospel it begetteth vs by the Gospel it nourisheth vs and in the hope of the Gospel it layes vs downe in peace If it haue another scepter then this then it is an other kingdome then that of christ If the scepter be the Canon lawe the scepter bearers their Cardinals and clergie lords their chauncellers and commissaries and other men that wee knowe not If they binde and loose by pardons and bulls If they teach a faith solded vp as they terme it in an idle fancie that we must beleeue as the Churche doth beleeue and the Church beleeueth as we do beleeue when neither our Church nor we can tel what we beleue If they teache vs to worship after the traditions of men If it feed vs vp in the hope of the Church of Rome If it lay vs downe at last in an vnknowen purgatorie whether this be the scepter iudge you and if it be I assure you in the worde of trueth the Apostle and Prophet bothe witnessing
religiō of the temple which was once the seruice of god is now finished hath his end frō henceforth there is neither circumcision nor vncircūcision nether Iewe nor Gentile but Christ is al in all the pure chaste bodie is his holie tabernacle spirit and truth is his heauenly worship thus much directlie the apostle teacheth them in these words whose house be we therfore called the house of God because his holie spirite dwelleth in vs as appeareth in all the places before alledged out of Paule It followeth now If we holde fast the confidence reioycing of our hope vnto the ende these wordes he addeth to teach them manifestly to know themselues whether they be this house or no for if they be they do hold and shall holde the reioycing of their hope constantly and faithfully vnto the ende These wordes dearely beloued let vs marke them well and learne them euerie iott and title with a wise hart for they conteine a blessed instruction most necessarie for our time There is not this day any other thing that holdeth backe a great number from the gospel of Christ but only the ignorance of this one sentence for what say al our aduersaries against vs but onely this Shal we leaue the Catholique Church to beleeue a few new sproung vp Shal we leaue the Church followe Luther or Zuinglius The Church hath beleeued as we beleeue the Church hath taught as we teach in the Church we abide thus vnder the name of the church the churche the world is mocked as Paule saith the hearts of manie men whiche are nor enill are seduced so that though they haue no thing to blame in vs yet they dare not come vnto vs least they should forsake the brotherhod in the Church of Christ. This generall plague is easily cured and al the euil of it is soone remedied if we can but holde our peace and heare the Apostle speake for vs all This same verie question is here handled the Iewes were now affeard to receiue Christ they thought him a new doctour they had Moses the temple the ceremonies things ful of excellent glorie and they were sure the church was heere and these things were in the Church to leaue them all soudenly and cleaue to Christ alone were to leaue the Church and follow new doctrine The Apostle to stop this offence he setteth downe first this plaine doctrine without question or cōtrouersie that the church of God or to vse his own word the house of God is not any building of woode or stones not any citie or any material Temple but man is the house of god Here first we learne one necessarie lesson Wilt thou know the house of God that is his Church Looke not at Ierusalem nor at Mount Sion for neither the Citie nor the Temple in it are nowe the house in whiche God dwelleth It thou doubtest know it for a truth that Ierusalō long since is troaden downe of the Gentiles the Turke and Infidels haue defiled all the stones of i◅ for the temple there are manie hundred yeres since the vncircumcised haue entred into it and the abhomination of desolation hathe stoode in the holie place that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Prophet Daniel This therefore learne for a trueth The Church of God is not in any materiall Temple not it is not knowen by any Citie or Countrie Ierusalem that for this cause once was the glorie of the worlde and the beautie of the whole earth hathe no more this dignitie neither shall it be giuen to any place for euer but to finde the Church of God seeke in the heart of man for the Apostles haue all spoken plainely We are his house Now let Rome goe and boast her selfe and pronounce her proude decrees that in her palaces the Churche of Christe doeth dwell let all her louers striue for her prayses that shee is our mother her we must serue vppon her we must wayte she cannot erre against all these children of pride we dare set out selues The house of God is neither in Rome nor in the Capitol of Rome no more then it is in Aegypt or the high pinacled Churches in Aegypt but in euery nation and in euerie countrie the men that feare God and woorke righteousnesse they are the church and the house in which God doth dwel And as the Lord hath done to Ierusalem and to the ruines thereof that the place should not boast of the Oracles of God so God hath done to Rome to the idols thereof that their boasting should bee in vaine of the church of God for what was Rome euen from her birth but a Citie builte in parricide then strengthened with robberie and made a sanctuarie for murderers of all nations What was it after but a slaughter-house of the martyrs of God And what is it in oures and our fathers dayes but the Queene of pride the nurse of idolatries the mother of whoredomes the sincke of iniquitie out of which sorceries witchcrafts poysonings adulteries rebellions and bloudie warres haue ouerflowed the whole earth I lye not on them dearely beloued neither they them selues can accuse mee if any of them heare what I say A thousand testimonies I haue of this out of their owne stories and ten thousand ryming verses haue beene made against them for their greate iniquitie by example of one learne the residue A hundred and fourtie yeeres past one sayth of Rome and of the Pope thus Imatenet Iupiter c◅lum habet Pluto Et accedit dignitas animali bruto Tanquam gemma stercort aut pictura Iuto We haue brought GOD into Hell and the diuel into heauen dignitie is now added to a brute beast as a pearle to a dounghil or a faire picture to a peece of dyrt Euen such as these are and no better a thousande testimonies are of the Church of Rome all which if we coulde not beleeue yet let vs beleeue our owne eyes we haue seene his wicked dispensations the brother to marrie his brothers wife the sister to marrie her sisters husbande the vncle to marrie his neece and the nephue to marrie his aunt Wee haue seene his bulles to make the subiects rebell against their princes we haue seene his stues in open knowen places The Turke hath no more defiled Ierusalem then the Pope hath defiled Rome and all the altars of Mahomet are not so vncleane as the Popes reuerend altars whiche serue for Sodomites and as the Popes honourable churches in which they nourish vp amorous boyes Nulla hie arcana ro◅elo Mantuan saith I speak no secrets the world knoweth this wel enough And yet if they will boaste The Church of Rome the Church of Rome shall wee still beleeue them or shall we rather beleeue the Apostle that the church of God is not neither Rome nor not Rome but in Rome and out of Rome the men that feare God are the Church of Christ. And let this be our first lesson
such like names by which wee call you either we haue this earnest affection to winne you vnto Christ or else in the pulpit also we haue learned to dissemble I note this now bothe to stiâ—…re vp my selfe and to admonish other for I heare daily such louing names of the people in the preachers mouthes and I pray God as much louing affection may be in their heartes vnto them An other thing in these woordes of the Apostle taught vs is this what the cause is why all the day long the Lord speaketh vnto vs and few regard it and the cause is an vnbeleeuing heart therefore the Apostle saith Take hede there be not in anie of you an euil and vnbeleeuing heart to fall away from the liuing God which wordes he addeth as a declaration of the former wordes of the prophet where he saith It is a people that doe erre in their heartes for they haue not knowen my wayes heere we must first see where is the roote and founteine of our sinne whiche is not farre off from euery one of vs in the East or West or ends of the world but it springeth vp and is nourished in our owne hearts and what soeuer is euill in vs here it hath his founteine in which wee knowe first our sinne is our owne and of our selues it riseth accuse not neither this nor that but humble thy selfe and confesse thy sinne which is bredd within thee It is true we haue many tentations but we could not be ouercome of them if the corruption of sinne were not within vs for our Sauiour Christ was also tempted yet he sinned not the cause was wheÌ„ the prince of this world came vnto him he founde nothing in him if it were so in vs all temptations should be in vaine but we because we are borne in sinne and no goodnesse dwelleth in our flesh therefore we are streight carried as we moste desire and our owne concupiscence giueth strength to our tentations And againe here we see as our hart is a root of sinne so there is no sinne but commeth from the heart if thy heart accuse thee not be of good comfort thy sinnes are abolished if thy heart condemne thee mock not thy selfe for thy sinne abideth Our Sauiour Christ sayth The things come not from without which do defile a man but they do proceede froÌ„ the heart that is within for out of the heart come euill thoughtes murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse slaunders all such things as defile a man. A notable sentence and ful of godlie comforte in all our life for when I see so many men vexed in minde this way or that way some vowe pilgrimages some obseruation of dayes some absteine from meates some one thing some an other in this wauering of many my hope is stedfast I fear not meat drink day time place person for all this serueth mee and I serue the Lord before whom wheÌ„ my heart is fetled in loue and obedience al the world beside cannot defile me Let vs therfore take good heede of this and we take good heede to the safest tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee if it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines of it shall not make thee affraide let thy aduersaries be who they will let their counsell be neuer so subtile and thy destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart shal be faithful thine enimies shall feare more then thou they shal be ashamed more then thou for innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and is not vanquished of a vaine man Let vs followe then the calling of the Apostle and let vs regarde well our heartes Now as this is the safetie of thy life to haue thy heart cleane so marke these wordes of the Apostle and he wil teach thee how to haue thy hart cleane Let there not be in any saith he an euil hart of infidelitie Infidelitie is it whiche maketh thy heart abound in euill and if by any meanes it can get roome to lodge within thee thy heart is taken and imagineth from henceforth al mischiefe When our Sauiour Christ so manie times reproueth sundrie sorts of men he maketh this as a generall fault of all that They are vnfaithfull and slowe to beleeue When Saint Paul condemneth them as reprobate men which do neuer see the light of the Gospell he maketh this the cause of their sin that The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their vnbeleeuing heart And if we will be free from so great a plague let vs follow this counsell of the Apostle that there be not in vs vnbeleeuing hearts Let vs be as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Thomas to be not vnfaithfull but faithful Whatsoeuer is spoken in the worde of trueth let it haue within vs a sure persuasion If God say hee wil be our defence and our exceeding great rewarde let vs beleeue the assuraunce of his promise and knowe he will not leaue his Sainctes neither yet forsake them If God haue promised eternall life to those that walke faithfully before him let vs beleeue his word that a thousande thousande and ten thousand thousand yeres before him haue none account neither yet any time which can be expired at the last but aboue all time in immortalitie he hath established a dwelling for his Sainctes If God haue threatened eternall fire to consume and deuour his enimies let neuer our heartes doubt or wauer through the temptations of the diuell but let vs acknowledge it in a certeine trueth and beleeue it as if wee hearde euen nowe the fearefull voice to sound Go yâ—… cursed into eternall fire With such a beleeuing hearte let mee foresee the latter ende and I shall not sinne for euer But take nowe this feare awaye of those last iudgementes and bring a wauering heart to Gods promises and the sentence is pronounced ouer thee because thou hast not beleeued trueth thou shalt erre in thine hearte and beleeue lyes till vanitie waste away thy yeres and thou fall into the destruction whiche thou shalt feele before thou canst beleeue that it is prepared And let vs not onely beleeue these last thinges of which last of all men must haue experience but in all thinges nowe incident into our life Let vs not be hard hearted but beleeue the trueth what it speaketh vnto vs. If Paule say The glorie of the wicked is to their shame let vs yet while we haue time beleeue it and cast out suche ambitious desires as moste assuredly shall bring confusion If Paule say They that wish to be rich they fall into teâ—…tations and into snares and into many foolish and hurtfull desires which drowne 〈◊〉 perdition and distruction why do we not beleeue it and why make wee not our affections as straunge from couetousnesse as we wishe to be farre off