The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 30
THE XXX. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
MATTH. CHAP. XXVIII.
verse 5 But the Angell anſwered, and ſaide to the women, Feare yee not: for I know that yee ſeeke Jeſus, who was crucified:
verse 6 Hee is not heere, for hee is riſen, as he ſaid: come, ſee the place where the Lord was layed,
verse 7 And goe quicklie, and tell his Diſciples, that hee is riſen from the dead: and beholde, hee goeth before you into Galile: there ſhall yee ſee him: loe, I hauehave tolde you.
MARKE, CHAP. XVI.
verse 6 But hee ſaide vntounto them, Bee not ſo troubled: yee ſeeke Ieſus of Nazareth, who hath beene crucified: hee is riſen, hee is not heere: beholde the place where they put him.
verse 7 But goe your way, and tell his Diſciples, and Peter, that he will goe before you into Galile: there ſhall yee ſee him, as hee ſaid vntounto you.
WE heard the laſt day (Brethrē) that there were two companies of women, that came out of Hieruſalem, to the graue of IESVS CHRIST: The firſt companie came foorth in the dawning of the daye, before the riſing of the Sunne: The next companie came foorth ſomewhat later, I thinke about the riſing of the Sunne. In the firſt companie vvere Marie Magdalene, and Marie the mother of Iames, and Salome, & others, vvho are not named: Theſe came out of Hieruſalem altogether: and as they drew neare to the graue, they ſaw the great ſtone that vvas rolled to the doore of the graue, rolled away. Mary Magdalene, aſſoone as ſhe ſees the ſtone to bee rolled awaye, tarries no longer, but ſupponing it was done by men, and that they had ſtollen away the Lordes bodie by night: then in haſte ſhee runnes home, and telles PETER and IOHN, and ſhee ſaies to them, They hauehave ſtollen awaye the bodie of the Lord, and wee know not where they hauehave layed him. But the other women tooke more aduiſement, than Marie Magdalene, for they abode ſtill, and when ſhee was gone home, they entered into the graue, and they ſawe an Angell ſtanding in the graue, in the likeneſſe of a young man, clothed with a long white robe, ſitting at the right ſide of the graue, at which ſight they were wonderfullie aſtoniſhed. And this Angell to my judgement, was euen that ſame Angel that rolled awaye the ſtone from the graue: and with His bright looke terrified the Guarde, and frighted them, leſt they ſhould hauehave troubled the vvomen. The women beeing aſtoniſhed at the ſight of the glorious Angell, Hee begins to ſpeake to them of the Reſurrection, and to tell them of theſe tidinges. For the better vnderſtanding of the Oration of the Angell, wee ſhall ſpeake of it in theſe foure partes: The firſt is a voyce of comfort, a worde of encouragement, Feare not, ſaies the Angell. The next, hauing encouraged them, hee beginnes to preach to them of the Reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, teſtifying vntounto them, that the Lord was riſen. And hee confirmes by one or two arguments that the Lord was riſen. In the thirde part of his Oration, hee giues a commandement to the vvomen, to tell the Apoſtles, and namelie Peter, that the Lorde was riſen: and more than that, that that ſame Lorde ſhould goe before them into Galile, and there they ſhoulde ſee him. In the fourth and laſt part, hee concludes this ſpeach, and hee ſaies, Beholde, I hauehave tolde you. Then after the Oration of the Angell, vvee hauehave the effect that the Oration vvrought in the hearts of the vvomen, to vvit, they feare and rejoyce exceedinglie, and they obey the voyce of the Angell, and they runne home with all haſte to tell the Apoſtles, that the Lord was riſen.
Nowe to returne to the Oration of the Angell: It is ſhort, but wonderous pitthie: As for the firſt part of the Oration, Feare not: (Wee ſpake of it the laſt daye, and there vvee left off: therfore now wee proceede to the ſeconde part, to that graue teſtimonie, which the Angell giues to the Reſurrection of Chriſt) Before he ſpeakes, hee conciliates authoritie to his perſon. Whoſoeuer ſpeakes in the name of Chriſt, ſhoulde hauehave an authoritie of perſon. The vvordes are theſe: I knowe perfectly, that yee ſeeke Ieſus of Nazareth, that was crucified, ſayes the Angell; hee askes not, Whome ſeeke ye? but hee breakes off the ſpeech, and he ſayes, I know, ye ſeeke Ieſus of Nazareth, that was crucified and buried, and by this knowledge he lets them ſee, that hee was ſent of God, and knew the purpoſe of the women, ere euer they reueiled it to Him. What man is he? that knowes the minde of a man, except that the Lord giuegive him knowledge extraordinarily: No, all the Angels of Heauen will not know my minde, except the Lord reueile it: No man, nor Angell, can know the heart, and ſearch the ſecrets thereof, but onelyonly GOD, that made the heart. So he lets them ſee, that he was ſent of God: that the worde might hauehave the greater credite: for wherefore ſerues the authoritie of perſons, but that the worde they ſpeake, may hauehave the greater credite. Marke the leſſon: There is neuer one that the Lord ſends to be witneſſes in the world of Chriſt, of His croſſe, and paſſion, of His reſurrection, of the mercies and graces that paſſe all vnderſtanding, flowing from His Paſſion, and Reſurrection, but either in one meaſure or other, He wil hauehave them decored with heauenly reuelation, with power, euen to goe downe to the ſecret thoughts of mens hearts, and to lay them open to them, that they may ſee their owne vile heartes (for our heartes are not knowne, not to our owne ſelues, vntill wee goe downe, and pull off the vaile off them) and all to this end, that we may ſee God, in that perſon that ſpeakes: and the laſt end is this, that credite may bee giuen to that gracious word: and ſhould the word of life paſſe without credite? Paul 1. Cor. 14.24, 25. ſayes, If a Prophet ſtand vp to prophecie, or a Preacher to preach, and if an ignorant perſon come in, loadned with ſinne, and not feeling the burthen (alas, there are too many of this ſort) if this perſon come in, with the force of the word, he is dejected, and he falles downe and glorifies God, and hee will ſay, GOD is with that man that ſpeakes, and if God were not with the man that ſpeakes, the heart of the man would neuer be dejected: No, all the Kings vnderunder the Heauen could not deject the heart of the pooreſt begger. So to end this in a worde: The Lord will know well whome He ſends to ſpeake theſe glorious tithings, that Chriſt hath ſuffered, and is riſen: and this is ſure, theſe that He ſends▪ He will giuegive them power to pull downe, if it were the heart of a King to the ground: yet the ſtile hee giues to Chriſt, would not be paſt by: marke it well, hee ſaies not, I knowe yee ſeeke IESVS the Sonne of GOD: he ſaies not ſo: but he ſaies, I knowe yee ſeeke Jeſus of Nazareth, a man who was latelie crucified: So the Angell, in ſtyling of Him, giues Him the baſeſt and vyleſt names that hee can: hee names Him from a ſillie Towne in IVRIE, IESVS OF NAZARETH: Then from that vile death of the Croſſe, That man that was crucified. I doubt not, but in this name he had a reſpect to the women, who knew theſe ſtiles which Hee had in the dayes of His fleſh, when Hee was conuerſant here: they knewe theſe ſtiles better than the ſtiles of His Godhead, which were from all eternitie: Yet he hath a further reſpect to theſe ſtiles, to let vsus and theſe women ſee, that hee was not aſhamed of His infirmitie, nor at the ſhamefull death of the Croſſe: Noe, the Angels, to whom this death appertaines not ſo much, as to vsus (ſaies PETER, in his firſt EPISTLE, the firſt CHAPTER, and the eleuenth VERSE) delight to looke in to CHRIST, to looke in to that infirmitie, and to that death of the Croſſe. Alas, proude ſinner! wilt thou bee offended to looke in to it? when Peter ſaies, it is the delight of the holie Angels to looke in to it: Becauſe theſe Angels in the infirmitie of CHRIST, they ſawe the power of GOD ſhining: in that fooliſhneſſe of the Croſſe of CHRIST, they ſawe that wiſedome of GOD and, in that juſtice of GOD, they founde a paſſing me … and therefore nowe, and euerlaſtinglie, their delight is to looke … CHRIST, and His ſuffering: And as they delight to looke in to CHRIST, and His ſuffering, ſo they ſhall giuegive praiſe to Him: and more for that, than for the making of the worlde in His great wiſedome and power.
Yet, if wee will weigh and conſider well, wee ſhall finde another reſpect, which the Angels hauehave in naming Him after ſuch baſe ſtiles, which is, That the glorie of His Reſurrection might appeare the greater. It is euen as hee ſhoulde hauehave ſaide, IESVS, of that ſober Village NAZARETH, who was counted vile in the worlde, and was crucified, yet for that infirmitie Hee is riſen againe, and is in the glorie of the Heauens. So hee names Him after theſe baſe ſtiles, to enlarge the glorie of His Reſurrection: for the humbler that Hee was, the Reſurrection was the more glorious. It vvas indeed a great matter, and a vvonder, to ſee a man, a vvorme, treade on by the Deuill, treade on by death, (it vvas a vvonder, to ſee Him, howe Hee vvas humbled,) that Hee ſhould hauehave riſen againe to ſuch a wonderous glorie. So that at the Name of Ieſus all knees ſhall bowe, Philipp. Chap. 2. verſ. 10. But I leaue this, and I goe forwarde. Next comes on the tidinges. The wordes of MATTHEVV are theſe: Firſt, Hee is not heere. Then the next wordes, Hee is riſen. The firſt worde was an heauie worde to theſe holie women: for appar…ntlie they conceiued with Marie Magdalene, that His bodie was ſtollen awaye out of the ſepulchre, and thought not that He was riſen againe. The next worde they heare comfortes them: The firſt worde makes them exceeding heauie, but the ſeconde worde makes them to rejoyce, when hee ſaies, Hee is riſen, He is not ſtollen away craftilie, but by His owne power He is riſen.
In this anunciation, as in a picture, yee maye obſerue the forme which is vſed in proponing the EVANGEL and gladde tidinges of Saluation: The beginning is alwayes in dolour and in ſadneſſe, but the ende is in joye and gladneſſe. The firſt vvorde that vvee heare, is, That the LORDE is come into the worlde, and ſuffered ſhame, reproaches, and ignominie, and at laſt, the ſhamefull death of the Croſſe vnderunder PONTIVS PILATE: Theſe are heauie tidinges to vsus, to heare that our LORDE was ſo hardlie, and ſo euill entr… … the vvorlde; and that in ende, Hee died the vile death of …oſſe for vsus, and was buried: And yet immediatelie it followes, That the ſame LORDE is riſen, and aſcended vp in glorie to the Heauens, and there ſittes at the right hande of GOD; and, that thorowe His Paſſion, death, and Reſurrection, our ſinnes are forgiuen vsus, wee ſhall riſe againe, and get life euerlaſting: And theſe are joyfull tidinges.
Nowe to inſiſt further: The firſt tidinges which is tolde to the Kirke in this earth, are ſadde and heauie: Thou muſt ſuffer: And whoſoeuer will ſtriue to liue godlie in CHRIST, of neceſſitie he muſt ſuffer affliction: There are ſadde tidinges. But it followes, if thou ſuffer with Him, thou ſhalt reigne with Him: Theſe are gladde tidinges. Nowe I ſhall giuegive you the wordes of the Scripture for my warrande: Chriſt (Matth. 16.21.) ſaies the ſame to His Diſciples, I am to goe vp to Hieruſalem, and to ſuffer, and to bee ſlaine. And Peter tooke euill with it: Theſe are ſadde tidinges. But Hee ſaies, I will riſe againe the thirde daye: And this is joyfull. And in the XVI. CHAPTER and XXXII. VERS. of IOHN, Hee ſaies to them, The time will come when yee ſhall bee ſcattered, and leaue mee alone: (Sadde tidinges.) But I am not alone, for the Father is with mee: Ioyfull tidinges. Then Hee ſaies to them, Yee ſhall bee hated of all men for my Names ſake: (That is ſadde tidinges to them.) But they who continue to the ende, ſhall bee ſaued: Gladde tithinges. And againe, in the 16. Chapter of IOHN, and 33. verſ. He ſaies, Jn the worlde ye ſhall hauehave affliction: (A ſad word) But J hauehave ouer-come the worlde: gladde tidinges. So yee ſee theſe tidinges alwayes beginne with ſadneſſe, but they ende with joye. And as it is of the worde, ſo it is of the diſpoſition of the hearers: The ſinner will firſt bee ſadde: and then finde ſuch a joye as is vnſpeakeable: and this ſhall bee thy diſpoſition, ſo long as thou art an hearer: But when thou ſhalt be a beholder, no heauines of heart, but joye for euer, and all teares ſhall be wiped away from thine eyes. While thou art hearing, thy teares ſhall bee mingled with joye, but when thou art ſeeing there ſhall bee perfect joy without teares. Thus farre for the tidings. He is not content to tell them onelyonly, the Lord is riſen: no, one word will not ſuffice them, but He confirmes it by Chriſtes prediction, He ſaid it before, the Lord was to ſuffer, and to riſe the third day. Looke the XVI. Chap. of Matth. So he confirmes them by the Lords owne Teſtimonie. Theſe propheſies and predictions which are foretolde of Chriſt, are much worth: for they hauehave this vſe: When thou readeſt them in that olde Teſtament, they ſeale vp the worde of the Goſpell, of the manifeſtation of Chriſt in the fleſh, of His ſuffering, and glorification, that that report of olde is fulfilled. But before I leaue this: I ſee the Lord will not let His owne forget His vvorde which He hath once tolde them: ſuppoſe they would forget it, yet the Lorde will hauehave it called to their remembrance. Theſe vvomen woulde hauehave forgotten that which the chiefe Prieſtes remembred, when they ſought a guarde of Pilate to watch the ſepulchre. Sometimes it comes to paſſe, that the godlie remembers not ſo much as the wicked, who heares the worde to their deſtruction: but if thou bee one of His, Hee will hauehave it called to thy memorie: but if thou bee none of His, Hee vvill not regarde, that vvhen thou heareſt, thou let it goe in at thine one eare, and out at the other. Great grace they gette, vvho are in Him: Well is that ſoule for euer that is in Him. A man vvill thinke it a great thing, that a king vvill ſpeake vntounto him: but it is a farre greater thing, that the King of Heauen vvill ſpeake to thee. There is ſome proportion betwixt the king and his ſubject, betwixt the king and the begger: but there is no proportion betwixt GOD and thee: So then this is a great merciemercy, that He will bring that word that thou haſt contemned to thy remembrance, and ere thou remember it not, Hee will ſend downe an Angell from the Heauen, to call it to thy remembrāce. We hauehave not Angels now, as theſe women had then, but I ſay to thee, as many true and faithfull Miniſters, are as like many Angels: take away theſe men that preach the Goſpell (indeede I grant properly this, to call all things ſpoken to remembrance, pertaines to the Holy Spirit, Iohn 14.26.) thou ſhalt forget the word of God that is preached, and thou ſhalt grow more blockiſh than a ſtocke or a ſtone, and they that will not heare this word, He makes them like ſtones, and well were it to thee, albeit thou wereſt a King, if thou heareſt not this word, that thou wereſt a ſtone. But marke the time, when Hee brings it to their remembrance, when the Lord is riſen: this tenour of time is not ay kept, but ſometimes ere the thing be done, He calls it to remembrance: for that is a part of our felicitie, euer to be holden in memorie of grace. Woe to thee, that is not holden in memory of it, but indeed it is more joyfull to remember after it is done: and therefore at that great day, when wee ſhall ſee all thinges fulfilled, which were foretolde, our joy ſhall be perfected. I grant, that Hope hath joy, yet it hath heauineſſe joyned with it, but ſight hath perfect joy, without any heauineſſe: and when wee ſhall ſee all theſe thinges, that were foretolde vsus, vvhen vve ſhall ſee that glorious God, when vve ſhall ſee eueryevery word that euer we read in the Goſpell to be fulfilled, we ſhall remember them all with ſuch joy as no tongue can tell. Wee glorie here vnderunder Hope, but then our glorie ſhall bee in ſight, and vve ſhall hauehave it in our hand, and as vvee ſhall rejoyce then, we ſhall alſo glorifie GOD perfectly all manner of wayes, novv vve doe it with great infirmitie, but vvhen vve ſhall ſee Him, vvee ſhall glorifie Him euerlaſtingly▪ and this ſhall be a part of our ſong: Glorie for euer be to that true GOD, Hee promiſed me much, and novve, I ſee Hee hath fulfilled it: and ſo vvee ſee, there is neuer one vvord, that vvee hauehave heard, but that Holy and true GOD ſhall bring it to our memorie, with ſuch a joy as cannot be ſpoken.
This for the firſt argument: nowe followes the ſecond argument: The Angell vſes to confirme his ſpeech: Come hither and ſee, ſayes the Angell: The LORD is not heere, if yee vvill not credite my vvorde, beleeue your ovvne eyes, and ſee it, is not this a great merciemercy, when thou wilt not beleeue His word, the Lord will let thee ſee: the Lord is not contented to let thee heare theſe glad tythings, but He will: bring them before thine eyes. What meanes theſe viſible Sacraments, but to helpe the infirmitie of the weake Faith, & beſides the Sacraments, this word of God is not like the vvord of man, or of an Oratour, like Demoſthenes or Cicero, or any man in this world: No, that word in ye goſpel in great ſimplicitie hath a great Majeſtie ſhining in it: yea, it is viſible, as the Apoſtle ſayes in the firſt to the Corinthians 2.4. It hath an ocular demonſtration, and vvhen it ſpeakes to thee of Heauen, it will drawe thine eye to Heauen: and when it ſpeakes to thee of the Croſſe, it vvill let thee ſee Chriſt crucified, and if it ſpeake to thee of His glory, it ſhall let thee ſee Him in glory, and that is it vvhichwhich Paul ſayes in the Epiſtle to the Galathians, Chapter 3. verſe 1. Hee preaches Chriſt ſo to them, that he made them ſee Chriſt crucified before their eyes.
Novve I come to the thirde part: it containes a commandement that he giues to the vvomen. Tithings hauehave euer ſome commandement joyned with them, and commandement requires euer obedience: ſo when euer thou getteſt tithings, thou getteſt a commandement, doe this, or thou ſhalt neuer get part nor portion of the tithings. No, Brethren, a Chriſtian life is not an idle life, but practicke, if euer thou vvouldeſt be partaker of theſe good tithings, looke that thou ſtriue to doe that vvhichwhich Hee bids thee: Ruane ſayes the Angell, home, this hauehave I told you, Preach ye to the Apoſtles: Goe tell the diſciples, that He is riſen. Goe your way haſtely, to teſtifie the Reſurrection. This glorious Reſurrection requires an haſtie preaching: and I ſaye to you, that teſtimonie that is giuen of Chriſt, requires expedition: and therefore if thou aymeſt to teſtifie of the Lord, doe it haſtely: the glory Hee gets, vvould not be delayed.
The next part of the direction the Angell giues them, is that they tell the Apoſtles, that they goe to Galile, becauſe Chriſt would be before them there.
The Papiſtes thinke that they hauehave gotten a great vantage of this, that Peters name was expreſſed, and not the reſt. This ſpeciall direction that is ſent to Peter, imports no ſupremacie, but rather, if ye conſider well, that hee was inferiour to them all. It importes this plainely, that Peter had done a great fault, by the threefold deniall of the Lord. Alas, in this action he had an euill conſcience, and if there had not beene a particular direction to Him, hee durſt not for his life hauehave come to CHRIST. Thinke ye, that a man that hath denied GOD, dare come to Him, except He be preuented: No, Peter durſt not for his life hauehave looked to the LORD: ſo this is their ſupremacie, that they marke of Peter aboue the reſt. Now one thing: I thinke no man nor woman ſhould doubt, why theſe women preached this Reſurrection: The LORD giues, them a ſp…ciall direction: firſt, from GOD, then from His Angell, and this commiſſion might ſatiſfie: ſo that the Apoſtles were bound to receiue this commiſſion, that vvas ordained by the LORD of Heauen. I marke this leſſon, There is neither man, nor woman can ſpeake in the Name of the Lord except they be ſent. So ſayes Paul to the Romanes tenth Chapter, and fifteenth verſe. None can preach, except he be ſent? How can one preach CHRIST, and if hee be not ſent by CHRIST? da…e a knaue ſtand vp in the middeſt of a cittie, or towne, and make a proclamation in the name of the Prince, and not hauehave a warrand, and dareſt thou ſtand vp, and ſpeake in the Name of the great GOD of Heauen, and hauehave no warrand, Indeede it is the LORD who knowes who is ſent, & if thou wereſt neuer ſo admitted, and warranded by the Church, & the Lord in that great day ſhall neuer count of thy preaching, except thou hauehave a vvarrand in thy conſcience. Will Hee put His worde in the mouth of eueryevery knaue: No, that is a grace, to call IESVS the LORD: No, thou canſt not call IESVS the Lord, except thou hauehave the Spirit of Ieſus as the Apoſtle ſayes, in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, the twelfth Chapter, and third verſe. So whether wee bee Miniſters, or others, who ſpeake of IESVS, we ſhould looke that that Spirit be in the heart to direct vsus when we ſpeake.
I marke next, it was not enough to hauehave ſeene this reſurrection, and neuer to hauehave ſpoken one worde of it: No, Hee commands them to teſtifie to the Apoſtles, and the Apoſtles got this commandement to preach it againe: for the Goſpell is not a candle to put vnderunder a buſhell, but to holde it vp, and ſhewe it to the worlde: for it is the life, and the light of the worlde. PAVL ſayes to Timothie in his ſecond Epiſtle, the ſecond Chapter, firſt verſe, That that thou haſt heard of mee before many witneſſes, the ſame deliuer thou to faithfull men, which ſhall be able to teach others alſo. No, it is not to be concredite to eueryevery knaue: it is too precious a jewell to deliuer to knaues: let them deliuer it to them that are able to teach others: let the firſt deliuer to the ſecond, and the ſecond to the third, and the third to the fourth, and the fourth to the fifth, and ſo let it euer ſound in the world. Woe to that ſoule that impedes the courſe of the glorious Goſpell: for what can there be, vvhere it is not teached, but death: No, this Goſpell is a ſtumbling blocke to the world. Tell them, ſayes the Angell, Hee vvill meete them in Galile: for Iurie denied mee: No, would CHRIST ſay, I will not appoint to meete with them in Ieruſalem: for Ieruſalem is not worthie of mee, but I will meete them in Galile, and ſo they met with Him, as ye ſhall ſee hereafter by Gods grace. Then I ſee that all theſe tithings that tell vsus of things that are not ſeene: hath eueryevery one of them a promiſe joyned with them, yt we ſhall ſee them come to paſſe? Beleeue thou that He hath ſuffered, and thou ſhalt ſee that He hath ſuffered, and beleeue that He is in glorie, & thou ſhalt ſee Him in glorie. We ſavv Him not vvith our bodily eyes, but we hauehave that bleſſing which the LORD pronounced to Thomas, Iohn Chapter 20. verſe 29. Bleſſed are they which neuer ſaw mee, and yet doe beleeue in mee. Now bleſſed for euer ſhall that ſoule be, that neuer ſavv the LORD, and yet beleeues in Him, and I ſpeake to thee a ſore vvorde, if thou beleeueſt not, vntill thou ſee Him, thou ſhalt neuer ſee Him, if thou beleeueſt not that He died, vntill thou ſee that Hee died, thou ſhalt n…uer ſee Him, but to thy damnation. Hope vnderunder hope, and againſt Hope.
Brethren, many are the impediments that will ſtay vsus: ſo that wee will ſay, I vvill neuer ſee Him: I heare much ſpeaking of Heauen, but alas, I feare I ſhall neuer ſee it: I heare much ſpoken of life, but alas, I feare, I ſhall neuer ſee life.
And theſe are the tentations of the moſt godly men and women of this vvorld, yet againſt all theſe tentations, beleeue Gods promiſes, and hope for life: for PAVL ſayes in the Epiſtle to the Romanes. the fifth Chapter, and the fifth verſe, Faith brings foorth experience, and Hope makes not aſhamed: becauſe the louelove of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts aboundantly by the holy Ghoſt which is giuen vntounto vsus. No, let none of theſe tentations hinder vsus: that thing that holdes backe the infidels, ſhall worke for the beſt to thee that feareſt the Lord: & if thou feareſt the Lord, I promiſe thee in ye name of GOD, all theſe tentations ſhall further thee, and thou ſhalt bee partaker of Life. Now a word, and I ſhall ende: He ſignets & ſeales vp, that which he hath told: I hauehave tolde you it, ſaies he: as he would ſay, It is true that I hauehave tolde you, and I vvill ſeale it to be true, and ye ſh…ll find it to be true, & therefore doubt not. So our leſſon is this: Whēſoeuer thou commeſt to teſtifie to the people of God, in paine of thy life looke thou ſpeake nothing but that which God biddes thee ſpeake: and that thou mayeſt ſaye in concluſion, This is true that I hauehave ſaide: and that this is true, I vvill byde by it: and ſeale it vp vvith my blood. The Angell had no blood: but if thou be not of that minde to ſhedde thy blood, thou art but a deceiuer. This is a great boldneſſe to ſeale, to ſeale it vp with thy blood: but if thou hauehave it not ſealed vp in thine heart, thou ſhalt neuer ſeale it vp with thy blood: and vvhen it comes to the ſealing thou ſhalt ſteale away. No, it is a great vvord to ſay vvith the Prophet Dauid, I beleeued, and therefore I ſpake. Looke thou ſpeake nothing to the people of God, but that which thou ſtriueſt to beleeue. Howe is this aſſurance gotten? And vvill euerie vvanton man get this aſſurance to ſtande, and ſeale it vp vvith his blood? No, except thou ſtriue night and day to get the Lorde in thy preſence, and not to hauehave anie joye but in His preſence, thou ſhalt neuer hauehave this aſſurance. Then, howe is it kept? The Lord hath appointed reading: Take heede to thy reading, ſaies Paul to Timothie, in his firſt Epiſtle, the fourth CHAPTER, and 13. verſ. and giuegive thy ſelfe to meditation, and ſh…we thy knowledge in that that thou hast read, and get not a knowledge onelie, but a ſenſe to ſpeake to others. Reading bringes knowledge, and meditation bringes feeling: and laſt is prayer. And if it bee the duetie of all men to praye, then eſpeciallie the Miniſter is bounde to praye, both for himſelfe, and for them alſo to vvhome hee is ſent. So in a vvorde: Reade, meditate, and praye night and daye, ſo farre as is poſſible to thee to doe. And if thou doe theſe thinges, thou ſhalt ſeale it vp vvith the effuſion of thy bloode, and thou ſhalt hauehave more joye in thy death, than euer thou hadſt in thy life: So that thy death ſhall bee the beginning of thy life, and of that fullneſſe of joye, which thou ſhalt poſſ…ſſe vvith Him in the Heauens for euer: To Him, therefore, vvith the Father, and His bleſſed Spirit, be all Praiſe and Honour, for euer: AMEN.