The Lambs Spouse, Part
The fourth part of the deuision.
And the gate was shut.
NOw wee are come to speake and treate of the last branche, and part of the distribution, namely the contrary euent▪ in respect of the foolish Virgins; for they hauing onelyonly common graces, and a temporall faith, which failes in time of necessitie, and temptation, and seeking for supply when the time was past, were by the Bridegroome Christ repelled, and put by from entring into the wedding chamber, and kingdome of heauen. In the vnfolding and explication whereof, diuerse particulers are to bee discussed; As first, who shutteth the gate▪ Secondly, when it is shut; Thirdlye, who are shut out: Fourthly, the condition, and miserable estate of them thus excluded. Lastly, the …enerall application and vse of the doctrine.
The person that excludeth them, that indeed first excluded him, because they did not, nor would not receiue him into their heart, is Christ, the bridegroome, the Sonne of God, and the iudge of the world: he is the porter by whom, and through faith in whom all the beleeuers enter in, and finde pasture, Iohn. 10. 9. hee is the Prince of shepheards, as foreign and the Bishop of our soules, that properly, and by his owne power, bindeth and looseth, retaineth, and remitteth. For that which his Ministers doe subordinately, and ministerially, that doth hee absolutely and as cause and principall. Iohn 20. 22. 23. Math. 16. 19. hee alone hath the Keye of Dauid which openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth, so that hee hath right power, and authoritie, to receiue in, or put out whome hee will, Apoc. 3. 7. they that kisse him, beleeue in and obey him, shall bee saued and glorified, Psalm▪ 2. 12. Marke. 16. 16. Hebr. 5. 9. and they that sinne against him, hurt their owne soule, they that hate him louelove death. Prou. 8. 35. they that will not hauehave him to raigne ouer them, are his enimies, and shalbe slaine before his face, Luke. 19. verse. 27. and they that eyther by open persecution: or else by infidelitie, and by contempt, scorne, or impenitencie fall on this stone shall bee broken, and on whom soeuer of them it shall fall, it will grinde him to powder. Luke. 21. 44.
The vse of this doctrine is two-fold, First it condemneth and ouer-throweth the vsurped, false, and forged authoritie of the Romish Antichrist, who will needes bee Christs Vicar generall on earth, and blasphemouslie assumeth vntounto himselfe the Keyes of Heauen and Hell, as though it were in his power to saue, pardon, or to retaine, and condemne whome hee would: whereas first hee cannot bee Christs vicar, for Christ in the spirituall regiment, and gouernment of the Church, is with it to the ende of the world. Math. 18. ver. 19. 20. and is present by his power, aud deitie in eueryevery place, Math. 28. 19. 20. and therefore needeth no substitute to supplie his Roome. Secondly, the holy Ghost is Christs deputy, and vice…erent, for hee is in eueryevery place, and enlighteneth, guideth, sanctif…eth, and gouerneth the Church, and so neither doth, nor can the man of Rome, saue himselfe from death, diseases, much lesse, from the bottomlesse pit, from whence hee came,Act. 1. 25. and whether hee must needes goe (withall our consents) as …udas to his place.
Thirdly in respect of order, and publicke administration the Christian Magistrate may with much better right, and equity bee called the Vicar of CHRIST in gouerning the people according to the worde of GOD. And in this sense, Eleutherius Bishoppe of Rome writing to Lucius King of the Brittaines calleth him Christs Vicar: for by Christ Kings raigne, and Princes decree iustice. Pro. 8. ver. 15. and 16.And as for the Authoritie of binding, and loosing, the Ministers of the true Church, (wherein the Pope hath no more right, then the Pirate in the true ownershippe) hauehave onelyonly a Ministery of reconciliation and a ministery of binding, and loosing, but the inwarde operation, and working of the Holie Ghost in the heart, is Principall, and belongeth to CHRIST IESVS alone. Luke. 24. 45. Act. 16. 14. So in censuring, admonishing, suspending, excommunicating, exhorting, threatning, and in all other Ecclesiasticall Offices CHRIST hath no deputie, but onelyonly instruments that doe witnesse, and testifie his will according to the rule of Scriptures, but the whole entire action is personall, and proper to him alone, and vtterly ouerthroweth, the feigned, and counterfaite supremacie of the Romish Pirate, and Prelate.
Vse. If wee would not hauehave Christ at the day of iudgement to disclaime, and exclude vsus as hee did the foolish Virgins, wee must not by infidelitie, and impenitencie debar…e him out of our hearts, but by a liuely fayth let, and receiue him into them, and entertaine, and feast him with louelove, reuerence, amendment of life, obedience, and the like graces of the Spirit; for CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts, if we beleeue,Apoc. 316. he knocketh at our hearts often by his worde, by his Spirit, by his mercies, and by his iudgementes, and if wee assent vntounto him, and by fayth admit into the Chamber of our hearts, he will dwell with vsus, yea dine, and suppe with vsus, and supply all our wants. Apoc. 3. 20.
Wherefore let vsus not (as the Church in the Cantikles) suffer CHRIST our beloued to remaine without, hauing his head full of dewe, and his lockes with the drops of the night, because forthwith wee would not arise, and dresse vsus, nor defile our feete. Cantickels 5. 2. and 3. or put our selues to any payne, or trouble, but let vsus let open vntounto him by yeelding vntounto the truth, and by beeing amended by his admonitions, so shall wee bee CHRIST IESVS his possession, his peculier people, and a temple for him, and his Spirit to dwell in; otherwise if wee suffer any one sinne, whether of Idolatrie or of infidelitie, or of worldlinesse, or of filtie liuing, or of grosse ignorance, or any raigning, and dominering sinne that is vnfelt, and vnresisted, to sway vsus, and tyrannizc ouer vsus, wee driue, and bannish IESVS CHRIST not so much out of our coastes, as the Gergesites did. Mathew. 12. 45. as out of the Castle, and pallace of our heartes, and admit sathan our deadly enemie in his Roome, and steade.
Thus much of the first part, name…y the person who shutteth.
The second branch, is the time when the gate is shut, viz▪ when all meanes, and occasions of comming vntounto saluation are taken away▪ and when the time of grace, repentance, and reconciliation is past, which is, when this life is ended, Luke. 16. 23. 24. 25. 26. 28. 29. … the …iche glutton in hell, desiring and seeking vntounto Abraham, that hee would send Lazarus, whom hee had neglected and contemned, to yeelde him the least comfort, hee could not obtaine it, and when he desired that Lazarus might bee sent to his fathers ho…se, to aduise and warne his fiue brethren that they should not come into that place of torment, hee speedeth not in his preposterous and vnlawfull suite, but his brethren are referred, and rem…tted vntounto the interpreters of Moses and the Prophets. Againe, the dead do not praise the Lord, neither doth the dust giuegive thankes vntounto him, or declare his trueth, Isay. 38. 18. Secondly, at the day of the Lord (for as death leaueth men, whether penitent, or impenitent, so the last iudgement findeth, and iudgeth them, and no otherwise) it is no time of reconciliation, and of obtaining mercy, as the example of the fiue foolish. Virgins, and of those that Luke, 13. 25. cryed, Lord, open vntounto vsus, when the doore was shut, and could not be admitted, and intromitted, doth plainly proue, and demonstrate.
The reason hereof is, because the Lord in his merciemercy and grace, doth in this life, to those especially that be in, and of the visible church offer, and tender the meanes of faith, repentance, grace, mercy, and forgiuenesse of all their sinnes, by the holy ministery of the worde, and Sacraments, as 2. Cor. 6. 2. Titus. 2, 10. 11. 12. Iohn 12. 35. Iohn 4. 9. Isay. 55. 67. Gala. 6. 10. Prouer. 1. 24. 25. 26. and because the wicked are temporizers, eyther vtterlye and totally dispise, and contemne it, as Luke 14. 18. 19. 20. or else they come onelyonly in shew, and content themselues with a naked profession, and some outward reformation, wanting the hand, and firme grapple of true faith, that firmeth, apprehendeth, claspeth, and applyeth Christ to their eternall saluation, Hebr. 4. 2. and also destitute of inward reformation and holinesse, comming (I say) without the wedding garment of faith, and sanctification, they are found detected by Christ, conuinced of hypocrisie, bound hand and foote, and cast into vtter darkenesse, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Math. 22. 11. 12. 13.
Vse. The vse hereof is first to shew the vilenesse, and vanitie of the doctrine of Popish purgatory (whereof I spake at large before (and therefore a word now shall suffice) it is a vile doctrine, because it detracteth from, yea and maketh frustrate the all-sufficient death, and purgation of Iesus Christ. Hebrew. 7. 25. It is vaine and false, for as there are but two sorts of persons, elect, or reprobate, Sheepe, or Goates, good or euill, and as men dye eyther in the estate of grace (as all the elect doe) or else in …he estate of damnation (as doe all the reprobate and impenitent) so are there but two places in the scriptures appointed for them, after this life, viz. heauen, and hell, therefore no purgatory, or third place, Iohn. 5. 29. Apoc. 14. 13. wherefore seeing there is no such purgatorie after this life, nor no meanes left to relieue, or release them: therefore all prayer of the liuing for the dead, is simplye vnlawfull, for first it is against the rule of faith, videliz. the worde of GOD, and therefore must of necessitie be sinne.
Secondlie, it is against the rule of charitie, that should alwayes iudge the best of the dead, and not perswade themseues the dead, are in torments where-of they hauehave noe certaine ground, or knowledge.
Vse. The second, and last vse is to teach vsus not to stay for companions in the way to eternall life, Iohn. 13. 24. for so wee may perish together, nor to deferre, or put of our conuersion from day to day Math. 24 48. 49. 50. 51. least either by death, or the last iudgement we be suddenly surprised, and ouertaken, and accordingly iudged, and condemned, 1. The. 5. 2.
Thus much of the time.
The third branch, and member of the diuision, is the persons, and parties that are shut out: viz. the foolish virgins, idest, those that did not prouide for the time to come, because they did carelessely please them-selues in their wants, and so passed by the time of mutuall communication and they contemned the helps that were offered vntounto them, and therefore they are deseruedly derided for their folly, and doe suffer the Iust punishment of their negligence, and brutishnes.
Hence wee learne that it sufficeth not to carry onelyonly the shining lamps of externall profession, to hauehave asight, or tast of Gods mercies (without sound feeling of them, and norishment by them) Hebr. 6. 4. Mat. 13. 20. or to hauehave onelyonly an externall holines amongst men, as these foolish Virgins (noe doubt) had, for if a man hauehave noe more then this, hee cannot goe beyond a reprobate in Christianity, and all these temporall, and common graces will faile a man in the time of temptation, in the day of death, and at the Last iudgement as Hebre. 6. 4. 1. Iohn. 2. 19. But true fayth whereby wee are iustified, and sanctified before GOD neuer faileth, Luke. 22. 32. and all the (sauing) guifts of GOD are without repentance. Rom. 11. 29. and GOD will remember their sinnes, and iniquities noe more, Heb. 10. 17. therfore hee will neuer take his grace wholly from them; wherefore let vsus not content our selues with a bare knowledge, and historicall faith, but turne this temporary faith into a true, and sauing faith; and let not the strangnes, or rarenes of diuine misteryes onelyonly, or principally moue, and enduce vsus to the profession of religion, for so may Simon Magus, and the Athenians bee Christians, neither let gaining, or retaining of worldly wealth, peace, prosperity, friendship, and dignity, or credit bee our inducements, or perswations to Christianity, for these things are vncertaine, and when these ends faile (as they doe oft) then their profession, religion, and temporary fayth and obedience determineth, wherefore let the ends of our fayth, profession, and religion be only the louelove of GOD and the zeale of his glory, the delight in the truth, the obedience of his will, and a carefull, and constant desire of saluation; and that wee may know that our faith is not temporary, and historicall, but sound, and sauing, let vsus try and examine it by these rules following, first that wee bee humbled in our hearts for our sinnes, Isai. 51. 17. and that wee hauehave a Godly sorrow for them 2. Cor. 7. 10. Secondly that wee bee perswaded that our sinnes be pardonable, for otherwise wee shall dispaire as Caine did Gen. 4. 13.
Thirdly wee must sincerely desire the meanes of saluation, such as faith, repentance, mortification, and reconciliation are: fourthly wee must pray for nothing in the earth so much, so earnestly, and so continually as for the forgiuenesse of our knowne and vnknowne sinnes: fiftly wee must labour, and endeuour in all our actions to approue and commend our selues rather vntounto GOD, then vntounto men: lastly whether by experience, and continuall obseruation, of Gods fauour, goodnesse, and mercifull prouidence towardes vsus, wee attayne vntounto the strength, ripenesse, and full measure of fayth. Rom. 5. 4. 5, Psal. 23. 6. 1. Sam. 17. 34. 35, 36. If wee finde these things in our selues, wee hauehave true fayth, and shall neuer perish, but if wee want them either in part, or in whole let vsus seeke betimes to procure, and so to encrease them. And thus much of the persons.
The fourth branch, and part is the state, and condition of the foolish Virgins at the comming of the Bride-grome, and that is contayned in these wordes viz. And the gate was shut, and heere two principall poynts are to bee marked, and attended. First from what they are excluded, viz. from the fauourable, and comfortable presence of Christ, and from the glory of Heauen. Secondly into what place and companie they are remitted, and reserued, viz. to hell, where they shalbe tormented with the diuill, and his Angells in the lake that burneth with fire, and brimstone foreuermore.
Touching their exclusion from the glorious and blessed fellowshippe of Christ, what a torment is this, and how doth it greeue, and gall them to thinke, and consider of it? Surely it cannot bee imagined, much lesse liuely expressed; It is at this day a great part of the diuills torment to remember from how great glorie, and excellency hee is irrecouerably fallen. Now that they, and all the reprobate are eternally seperate from the company of CHRIST it is apparent, 2. Thess. 1. 9. Math. 25. 41. Luk. 13. 27. Apo…. 22. 11.
What a greuious, and vnspeakable torment this is, we may by the helpes, and occurrences of outward things, and examples in the world consider. Of a wife for her offences excluded, and deuorced from her louing, and honorable husband, and so from all maintenance, and comfort; of a seruant imprysoned as Onesimus for playing the theefe against his good, and gratious master: of Absolon two whole yeares banished from his Fathers sight, and presence: and of a subiect in great grace, fauour, place, and familiaritie with his …ghtie, and gratious Soueraigne, and afterward exiled, degraded, imprisoned, and disgraced foreuer. How much more fearefull, horrible, and vncomfortable is it to bee excommunicated and seperated not for a small time, but for euer, and euer from the presence, and fauour of CHRIST who is the summe of all grace, and fauour, and the fountaine of all happinesse, and felicity.
Thus much of the first point▪ namely from what they are excluded.
Secondly touching the proper, and peculier place of vnspeakable torment, which from the foundation of the worlde is appointed for them, it is hell, or a place of eternall, and vnvtterable payne farre remote, and distant from the highest Heauen; and as sundrie both ancient, and latter Deuines probablie thinke, and collect out of the Scriptures as. Deutronomy 32. 22. Isay▪ 30. 33. Nomber 16. 30. 33. Prouerbes 15. Psalme 86. 13. Psalme 30. 6. Philip 2. 10. Luke. 8. 31. and (though this poynt is more curious then profitable, and more con…ecturall then certainely knowne where it is) that it is in some place vnderunder the earth.
And to signifie, and set forth the Nature, and terror of it, it's called hell, the bottomlesse pit. Apoc. 9. 10, the lake that burneth with fire, and brimstone, a prison. 1. Pet. 3. 19. a place of darknesse. 2. Pet. 2. 4. euerlasting destruction. 2. Thessalo. 1. 9. a place without, Apoc. 22. 15. vnquenchable fire. Marke. 9. 43, Mathew, 3. verse 12.
The vse of the place is to conuince all Atheistes that denie it, and all that say there is no other hell, but a mans conscience, but they one day (if they continue their errors and madnesse) shall finde and feele that there is an hell; and if their conscience sometime terrifie them for their wickednesse here, let them assure themselues that this is to them but the flashings, and beginnings of hell fire. Thirdly, if they will not beleeue the Scriptures and word of God, yet in that they beleeue, and are conuinced by many meanes, that there are diuels, let them beware that they bee not lead blindfolded by Sathan into hell, and there feele the eternall torment of that which here they neither feele, nor acknowledge, and bee most deseruedly depriued of that glory and ioy, whereof they neuer in this life would take notice.
Now touching the paines, and punishments, tortures, and torments of the damned, wee are to consider, and handle them first generally, and then more specially, and seuerally.
First in generall they are vnspeakeable and intollerable; secondly, endlesse, and eternall.
That they are intollerable and vnsufferable, these Scriptures following doe aboundantly testifie and affirme; The great day of his wrath is come, and who can withstand it, Apoc. 6. 17. there is said to be wailing and gnashing of teeth, Math. 22. there torment is shadowed forth vnderunder the borrowed and metaphoricall termes (of such things as be most subiect to our sence, and fearefull in our apprehension) of fire, brimstone, the worme of conscience that neuer dieth, vtter darknesse; And if the enimies of the truth in this life vponupon the sence, and apprehension of the heauy waight of Gods iudgement against them,Apoc. 6. 9. shall seeke death, and shall not finde it, and shall desire to dye, and death shall flee from them; how much more shall this come to passe, when the full vyoles of Gods▪ wrath shall bee finally powred out vppon them, and when they shall drinke the pure wine of his wrath Apoc. 9. 6. Apoc. 14. 10. Rom. 2. 4 Psal. 74. 10. Luke. 16▪ 24. 25.
Touching the eternitie, and euer-lastingnesse of their paynes, and tortures both in soule, and bodie, both playne places of Scripture▪ and sound arguments thence collected aboundantly euince and testifie.
First the paynes and punnishments are called euerlasting fire, Mathew 25. 41. the worme that neuer dieth. Isa 66. 24. the smoake of their torments doth ascend euermore, they hauehave no rest day, nor night. Apoc. 14. 11. and they shalbe punnished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power, as 2. Thessal. 1. 9. so that when as many Millions of yeares bee expired, as there bee motes in the sunne, droppes of water in the Ocean sea▪ sands vponupon the sea shoare, creatures vponupon the earth: and when so many yeares shall be accomplished, as all Arithmetitians can number all their life long; yet their torments shall hauehave no end, nor ease, but begin againe a fresh. Now the reasons why their tormēts shal be eternal are these: First the ioyes of heauen are eternall, Math. 25. 46▪ and therefore the paines of the damned are eternall also, for contrariorum contraria sunt consequenta: Secondly GOD whom the reprobates hauehave offended, and contemned is an euerlasting maiestie, and the chiefe and eternall good▪ and therefore the punishment of the sinne committed against him is eternall, for sinne committed against the infinite maiestie, is infinite. Thirdly, if the reprobates liued here for euer, they would sinne for euer, and being in hell they cannot praise God. Psal. 30. 9. but hate, repine, and murmur against him.Obiect. But God is merciful, and therefore hee will at length end their torments▪ or at least ease them. First they dispised Gods mercy in this life when it was offered them,Ans. and therby hauehave made thēselues altogither vnworthy of it. Secondly they shalbe punished more gently then they hauehave des…ued. Mathew. 11. 22. for GOD could much more hauehave aggrauated, and encreased the quantity of their torments.
And thus much in generall of the paines of the damned.
Now let vsus come to some particulers. First in their faces, and countenances there shalbe shame, and confusion for euermore, Dan. 1. 8 9. 7, and for this cause the reprobates are called the vessels of dishonour. 2. Tim. 1. 20. Rom. 9. 21. for then all their secrete sinnes shalbe layd open, and discouered. 1. Cor. 4. 5. and their conscience bringing them alwayes fresh into their rememberance shall alwaies v…xe, and torment them. Isa. 66. 24. Mark. 9. 44. and wee gather this punnishment by the contrary estate of the Godly at Christ his comming. 1. Ioh. 2. 28. for they shalbe bold, and not ashamed.
Now if many men in this life for auoyding and preuenting of open shame, and punishment, doe not onelyonly hide, but also make away themselues, in what horror, & vexation thinke we they shalbe in, when they shall suffer full and euerlasting shame, and punishment? Secondly, they vponupon the perfect sense of their infinite sinnes, and vponupon the full apprehension of Gods infinite indignation, shall euerlastingly dispaire, and shall alwayes desire to dye, and shall not dye, Apoc. 9. 6.
Thirdly, in their minds and wils being vnspeakeably infected, and possessed with enuie, and malice, they on the one part seeing themselues depriued of so infinite glory, and plunged into so endlesse miseries, by reason of their sinnes and offences, and on the other side, either by present sight and view, as some diuines collect out of Luk. 13. 28. Luke. 16. 23. Apoc. 14. 10. or else (which is an vndoubted truth) by keeping in fresh and perpetuall memory, the absolute and glorious estate, & glorification of the godly at the last day, obseruing and perceiuing the godly whom they in their life time so scorned, abused, wronged, persecuted to be so vnconceaueably blessed, shall be tormented and vexed with an vncredible enuie, Isa. 66. 23. 24. Psal. 85. 10. 11. Luk. 16. 23. We hauehave some instance hereof in proud Hamon that cursed Agagite that could in no wise endure the exaltation of Mordocheus, but it was a sword to his heart, and a vexation to his conscience. And if the enuious in this life repine, yea, and pine away at the felicitie and fauours of others, how much more will they then enuy, when they themselues shalbe incomparably more miserable, and the godly vnspeakably more blessed.
Fourthly, the reprobate shalbe as wel tormented in their bodies, which hauehave bin the vessels & instruments of sinne, and iniquity, as in their soules, for as their bodies shalbe darke, …inglorious, and deformed, contrary vntounto the glory of the elect: so shall they be tormented not with any materiall fire, for thē the worme of conscience, the carcases of the slaine, and the metaphoricall speeches, especially in the Apoc. 22. 23 that describe and delineate vntounto vsus the ioy and glory of heauen should be litterally vnderstood, which is very absurd to thinke, but with that which is equiualent, yea farre more extreame, namely the full, and finall wrath of God ceazing and inuading the soule and body, as appeareth, Apoc. 14. 10. They shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, yea of the p…re wine that is powred into the cup of his wrath, and shalbe tormented in fire & brimston before the holy Angels, and before the Lambe for euermore, they shall drinke vp the dregs of Gods wrath, which is their portion to drinke, Psal. 74. 10. & Psal. 11. 6. Lastly because they must in soule & body suffer the vnsupportable indignation of the Lord, are called, and so indeed are, vessels of wrath prepared to destruction. Rom. 9. 22Now if the anger of a Lion, of a Beare robbed of her whelps, much more of a mighty Monarch be so pernicious… and dāgerous, how much more incōparable then is the wrath and indignation of the Almighty and the most iust Lord, who is to his enimies a consuming fire, Hebr. 12. 29. and whose wrath burneth vntounto the bottome of hell. Deut. 32. 22. God giuegive vsus grace by our godly feare, true repentance, and sound obedience in this life, to preuent it, Amen.
Thus much of the generall and particuler punishment of those that are excluded.
The last point, and part to be handled, and wherewith we will conclude the whole treatise, is the manifold, and wholsome vses that we are to make of this doctrine: first therfore the serious consideration, and meditation of the state, & paines of the damned, must be a forcible motiue to diswade and reclaime vsus from committing sinne, and iniquitie for feare, of falling into the same condemnation. Chrysostome in his 13. Homilie, or sermon vponupon the Romaines, saith well to this purpose; Vtinam (inquit) vbi que de Gehenna dissereretur, non enim sinet in Gehennam incidere, Gehennae meminisse, &c. that is, would to God eueryevery man would speake of hel; for to remember hell, will not suffer a man to fall into hell; for if the due consideration of seuere humane lawes that shall be duly executed, doe keepe the most vnruly from offending, much more will the serious consideration of the paines of hell (if men hauehave grace to thinke on them) reforme & amend men, I…de. 23. Secondly the Preachers & Ministers of the word of God, when they see & perceiue the deadnesse, dulnesse, …and impenitencie of the hearers▪ must labour by laying open the multitude, and torments of the damned, to draw men to feare God, and to repent their sinnes. Math▪ 23. 33. Heb. 10. 27. Apoc. 14. 9. 10. 11.
The third vse is to teach vsus not to be enuious against the wicked, nor to repine at their temporall dominion, and prosperitie: for first, neither they, nor their pompe nor prosperity shall continue long, but perish suddainly. Psal. 73. 18. 19. 20. Psal. 37. 12. Secondly, they hauehave (for the most part) their portion in this life, Psal. 17. 14. Lastly, their damnation is iust, & sleepeth not, 2. P…t. 2. 3. wherefore wee must rather commisserate and pitty them, yea, and pray God to conuert them, for in so doing we shall please God, discharge our owne duties, & perhaps in the end, be a meanes to win, and reclaime them.
Fourthly & lastly, finding in our selues by due examination, that God hath deliuered vsus from so great condemnation and made vsus heires, in hope of eternall life, we must continually, and from our hearts giuegive all glory & praise vntounto God, Apoc. 5. 9. 10. Col. 1. 12. 13. 14. and hereby bee stirred vp to be stedfast, vnmoueable, aboundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord, 1. Cor. 15. 57. 58. Now the Lord God, the fountaine of mercies, and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, grant wee may performe these duties, and continue constant like pillars in his louelove, and seruice to the end, for his beloued sonnes sake Iesus Christ our onelyonly redeemer, and mediator, Amen. duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page