Sermons, Sermon 8
THE EIGHT SERMON.
II. COR. CHAP. IIII.
verse 3 If our Goſpell bee then hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost:
verse 4 In whome the god of this worlde hath blinded the mindes, that is, of the Infideles, that the light of the glorious Goſpell of Christ, which is the Image of God, ſhould not ſhine vntounto them.
verse 5 For wee preach not our ſelues, but CHRIST IESUS the LORD, and our ſelues your ſeruants for IESUS ſake.
IN the verſe immediatelie going before this Text which wee hauehave read in your audience, the Apoſtle hath beene ſpeaking of that ſinceritie, of that plainneſſe which hee vſed in the preaching of the Goſpell of CHRIST, which he vttered with ſuch an euidence, that whoſoeuer hearde him, might vnderſtand him, might hauehave ſeene the light of the Goſpell, and hauehave apprehended it. Nowe becauſe this people of Corinth were ſtiffe-necked, hard to conceiue, full of conceits, and liked nothing but humane wiſdome and eloquence, ſcorning & mocking the euidence of the Spirit: Therefore, ſome of them might hauehave objected immediatelie, Paule, thou ſpeakeſt of thy plainneſſe in vttering the Goſpel, yet for thy plainneſſe there is manie amongſt vsus who knowe not what thou ſpeakeſt, thy Goſpell is hidden to manie, manie vnderſtand thee not. The Apoſtle meeteth this in the firſt wordes which wee hauehave read, If our Gospell be hidden, it is hidden to them that periſh. A ſore ſentence: as if hee woulde ſaye, Corinthians, blame me not, nor my Goſpell, the fault is in that miſerable corruption which is in you: yee cannot ſee the light of my goſpel, becauſe ye are adjudged to perdition and damnation: ſo the blame is in your blindneſſe, who are appointed to damnation before all eternity. So this verſe being plaine, let vsus obſerue ſome leſſons. The firſt is this: There hath beene, and is, many in the world, in all ages, that neuer ſaw, ſeeth, nor ſhall ſee the light of the Goſpell. Ye hauehave an example of theſe Corinthians, howbeit the Goſpel ſhould ſhine clearer than ye Sunne at noone time of the day, it ſhall neuer be ſeene of them, it will be hidden to them, howbeit it ſhould bee as a booke laide open before them, yet it will bee a claſped booke to them. Let euerie man beware of himſelfe, for this is a neceſſitie laide vponupon the multitude of this worlde. A multitude hath bene in all ages, a multitude is in this age, a multitude ſhal be in euerie age to come, who ſhal neuer ſee the light of the Goſpell. The next leſſon is: Theſe folke hauehave this propertie, and diſpoſition, (beeing pleaſurers of themſelues) they are euer quarreling with the Goſpell, amongſt all the hearers of the worlde they are the moſt quarrellous, they, I ſay, who get the leaſt good of it, are alwayes the moſte quarrellous, and euermore laying the fault either vponupon the Goſpel, or vponupon the teachers thereof, becauſe they neither get light nor conſolation thereby. Beware of this quarrellous complexion. I marke thirdlie, where is the fault, or in whome? They blame the Goſpell, and the teachers therof, but where is the fault indeed? Paule telleth thee heere, If my Goſpell bee hidden, it is hidden to them that periſh. That perdition and deſtruction wherunto thou art appointed from all eternitie, is the cauſe wherefore thou receiueſt no conſolation, no light in thy ſoule thorow the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt. Thou layeſt the fault where it is not, thou art like a blinde man, that will ſtand vp againſt the Sunne, ſhining at the noone time of the daye, and accuſe it becauſe it ſhineth not, when in the meane time it is ſhining vponupon the face of him. Thou art a veſſel of perdition, if there bee not a remedie, and becauſe the ſentence is paſt, therefore, as when a thiefe or a murtherer is once condemned to death, the gracious preſence of the Prince is with-drawne from him, that hee may looke on him no more: Euen ſo, if once a creature bee adjudged to death, the gracious countenance of Ieſus Chriſt is with-drawne from him, leſt hee ſhould beholde it in the Goſpell.
Another thing followeth: There are manie tokens of damnation, that men and women are adjudged to death: Amongſt the reſt this is a ſure token, If the Goſpell be hidden to thee, euen as it is preached in SCOTLAND, (wee hauehave neither Peter nor Paul to teach vntounto vsus) yet if it be hidden to thee, if thou receiue neither light nor conſolation by it, as it is now preached, if thou continue ſo till thy life be in thy lips, as wee ſpeake, till the laſt gaſpe, thou haſt a ſeale in thine owne boſome of euerlaſting damnation: thine heart is marked with the marke of perdition: yea, if thou bee a king, thou art a veſſell ordained for ſhame and ignominie.
Then, Brethren, learne here: seeing there muſt be a number that muſt periſh, and a number of all eſtates in the worlde muſt die, that muſt goe to Hell, ordained from all eternitie to perdition, beguile not your ſelues, and ſeeing to this number the Goſpel muſt bee hidden, and muſt be a cloſed booke, they can neuer hauehave cōſolation of it. Then thou that deliteſt to walke in the light of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, thinke thou not euill of this Goſpell, thinke thou not euill of this Miniſterie. Ioyne theſe two together, that cannot bee ſeuered, the Goſpel and the Miniſtery. Thou that thinkeſt euill of ye Miniſterie, thou thinkeſt euill of the Goſpell: bee thou not aſhamed of the Miniſters, nor of their bondes, nor of their captiuitie, nor of their death, nor of no croſſe that can be laid vponupon them: (the 2. Epiſt. to Timot. and the 8. Chapter) For the multitude of the worlde thinketh ſhame of the Goſpell, and of the Miniſters thereof, when affliction once commeth vponupon them. Thou that loueſt the Goſpel, keepe thy comfort in thine own boſome, and aſſure thy ſelfe, there is none other way to Heauen: and knowing well, that this muſt bee the hazarde of the Goſpell, and of the Miniſters, take all theſe troubles for ſure tokens of the trueth of God. I louelove not the Goſpell that hath the countenance of the Princes of this world, and hath the confluence of the multitude. The Princes and multitude of this worlde hath euer borne the pure Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt at hatred. Thus ſarre for the firſt cauſe, wherefore the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt is hiddē from manie, to wit, that perdition whereunto they are adjudged from all eternitie.
Nowe take vp in the next verſe another cauſe wherefore the Goſpel is hidden to many, In whom (ſaith he) the god of this world hath blinded their minds. The ſecond cauſe is excecation, blind-folding▪ putting out of the eyes, and all to this ende, that they ſhoulde not get a ſight of the glorious light of the Goſpel, and ſo be ſaued. But how commeth this to paſſe? howe are they blinded? I ſhall tell you: Once beeing adjudged to die, and ordained in the counſell of God to perdition, in commeth the god of this worlde, that is, the Deuill, whome this worlde maketh a god of, the God of Heauen ſendeth him. Whome to ſendeth Hee him? VntoUnto that catiue, that miſerable creature that is ordained for perdition, as a torturer, & perſecuter, an hang-man, to put that eternall decree in execution. And what doeth hee when he commeth in? The firſt turne that euer hee doeth, hee bindeth him. What bindeth hee, his handes or his feete▪ No, he letteth them louſe, and letteth him worke on with them his owne ruine, and runne on vntounto his owne perdition: But hee bindeth his eyes, or rather, pulleth them out, that the miſerable bodie may not ſee the gracious face of Chriſt. Wherefore is he ſent vntounto him? The cauſe is not onelie in the ordinance of God, but in the catiue himſelfe, that maliciouſly repineth to the light, and will not receiue the Goſpell, therefore the GOD of Heauen ſendeth the Deuil to put out his eyes, that he ſhould not ſee. Mark then the leſſon: They that are adjudged to die & to perditiō in the world to come, in this worlde, ere euer they goe out of this life, they are bounde like thieues and murtherers, to bee preſented bound to that damnation that is to enſue: they are reſerued in chaines till that great Daye. What chaines are theſe? Chaines of darkneſſe, their eyes are plucked out, that blindlinges, in that great Day, they may bee caſt into Hell, into that Lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone for euer. There is neuer a ſoule y• goeth to damnation in the worlde to come, but in this life it is blinded: Yee know the Ethnickes ſaying, Quos perdere vult IVPITER, iis mentem ſolet adimere. It is a true ſaying: and therefore, take vp a ſure note of perdition to come, excecation, blindneſſe: ſo that if thou canſt not ſee that gracious face of CHRIST in the Goſpel at no time, for all thine hearing, for all this Miniſtery that is in the world, take heede to thy ſelfe, and feare that euerlaſting damnation. Bee neuer at quiet night nor daye, till thou ſeeſt a light in thy minde by the Goſpell: otherwiſe thy conſcience ſhall condemne, thee as a veſſell of perdition. The Goſpell is not ſent for nothing: either ſhall it bee vntounto thee a ſauour of life vntounto Life, or a ſauour of death vntounto Death, and this ſhall bee juſtified one day: And except thou get light, thou ſhalt curſe the time that euer thou hearde the Goſpell, when it commeth to that damnation. Another thing marke heere: When commeth the god of this worlde to blinde men? (Looke to the order of the Text) The firſt cauſe is counted perdition & GODS ordinance, then commeth in the Deuill. When commeth in the Deuill? When GOD hath firſt ſaide the worde, I will hauehave this bodie periſhing, and will bee glorified in his perdition; then commeth in the torturer, and plucketh out his eyes. So the Deuill is nothing to GOD, but a perſecuter, a miniſter of His wrath, when Hee is angrie, than is the lowne at hande, as a ſlaue, to put in execution that wrath. But it is a ſore pitie to conſider the miſerable bodie on whome this wrath is executed! When the hang-man commeth to bind the hands of a bodie, that bodie is ſorrowfull and ſad: but when the Deuill is binding thee, thou art merrie in the meane time: & when he is a Deuil to thee, thou thinkeſt hee is a God to thee. Thou neuer rejoyceſt, but in blindnes: look to experience, The multitude of this Land is neuer merrier, than when he is binding them, and drawing them to filthineſſe, to murther and villanie, to gluttonie and dronkenneſſe: Count not of ſuch a man: but ſaye, or thinke, if thou dare not ſay it, O miſerable cat…ue! the Deuill is blinding thee, and leading thee to perdition.
Nowe marke in the thirde roome, the cauſes which haſten this damnation, and which muſt paſſe before the god of this worlde come as a torturer to put in execution the ſentence of GOD. There muſt goe before this excecation, and that damnation that followeth this excecation, a cauſe in thy ſelfe, thou muſt euer bee the cauſer of thine owne death: notwithſtanding the ordinance of God, yet thou neuer periſheſt till thou be worthie of thine own death, and merite thine own damnation. What bringeth on this blindneſſe? A malicious, falſe, infidell heart, repugning to the Goſpel, for thou firſt deſpiſeſt it, and rejecteſt it ſo maliciouſlie and deſpite…ull…e, that in a maner, thou wouldeſt ſpit on the face of Chriſt Ieſus, which ſhineth in the Goſpell. This haſteneth the wrath: For whē the Lord ſeeth the deſpitefulnes of thine heart, that thou wilt not ſee not look in the light when it is offered to thee, and holden vp before thine eyes: then He ſendeth His torturer & ſaith, Go thy wayes, Sathan, and plucke out the eyes of this bodie: then hee plucketh out the eyes of thy mind immediately, and God giueth thee ouer to a reprobate ſenſe: and this is it which the Apoſtle ſaith of the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 28. It pleaſed them not to retaine God in knowledge, therefore God gaue them ouer to a reprobate ſenſe. And Epheſ. 4. 18. Hauing (ſaith he) their cogitations darkned, and beeing ſtrangers from the life of God, thorow the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the hardneſſe of their heartes. There plainlie hee letteth vsus ſee that the hardneſſe & malice of their heartes bringeth on this ignorance and blindneſſe. Therefore, beware of this malice, and put it out of thine heart, or elſe thou ſhalt bee carried blindlinges to euerlaſting damnation, ſuppoſe thou bee an Earle or a King: what regarde hath GOD of perſons?
Now, Brethrē, there are ſome words that I muſt weigh to you, as the Lord ſhall giuegive me the grace, & I ſhall repeat them, & marke ye with me, if they be not weighty, That the light of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, which is the image of God ſhuld not ſhine vntounto thē, or ſpread His beames vpō them: ye know, & anie man yt hath knowledge knoweth, that this might hauehave bene ſpokē in fewer & baſer words, but the Apo. cōtents not himſelf with baſe words in ſuch a matter, but ſaith, that ye light of the glorious goſpel, &c. Well, is there one word here in vaine? and is there any chāge of words made for nothing? are ſimple baſe words changed into glorious words for nothing? no (alas! we cannot ſee this) and it is one of the things in the world that I would faineſt hauehave you to vnderſtand, what moueth the Apoſtles and Prophets to vſe ſuch an high language, and ſet vp a thing in ſuch glorious tearmes, the which they might vtter in baſer tearmes. Thinke not that the men of God, Prophets and Apoſtles, hauehave ſpoken (as we ſay) hyperbolicè, great and loftie words, greater than the matter. Theſe wordes are borrowed words, and they are borrowed from the moſt glorious thing in the earth, and yet they attaine not to the thouſand part of the things which by them he would expreſſe. All the high wordes that a man can vſe to expreſſe ye glorie of Chriſt, are not able to expreſſe the thouſand part of that glorie.
But to come to the purpoſe. Ye hauehave ſet down firſt in glorious tearmes the effect of the Goſpell: it is ſet down in ſhining and beames, thereafter ye hauehave ſet downe the Goſpell it ſelfe. To come to the firſt: The moſt glorious thing that a man can ſee in this earth, is the ſhining of the Sunn, which the Lord hath fixed in the Heauens. The pleaſandeſt thing that a man can looke to, when he hath looked to all theſe earthlie thinges, is the glauncing of the Sunne in a faire day. And therefore, ye ſee the glorie of the Sunne is deſcribed very highlie by Dauid in the 19. Pſalme. To applie this: Euen ſo the effect of the Goſpell beeing the moſt glorious effect that euer was wrought: the Spirite of God ſetteth it out by the moſt glorious thing in the world, the ſpreading of the Sunne beames. And ſurelie, ſuppoſe there were no more but this word [Shyning] it letteth vsus ſee a wonderfull effect of the Goſpell in the hearts of men and women. Ye ſee by experience, the beames of the Sunne, ſuppoſe they were neuer ſo bright, will neuer alter the bodie which they ſhine vponupon, nor make it bright like themſelues: the ſunne hath ſhined this long time in the world, but yet by ſhining it could neuer ſo tranſ-change any creature, that it coulde become as bright as the Sunne it ſelfe. It may well let thee ſee the bodie that is opacum (as wee ſaye) darke & obſcure, ſo long as it ſhineth, but as ſoone as it is remooued, the bodie is darke as it was before. But as to the Goſpell: The Goſpell, with the beames of it, not onelie maketh the object wherevpon it ſhineth, to be ſeene, and to appeare: but it doeth more, it transformeth the ſoule of the man or woman into that ſame light and brightneſſe that is in it: That is to ſay, The face of IESVS, the Sunne of righteouſneſſe that ſhineth in the Goſpell, when the beames of it ſtriketh vponupon thy ſoule, they make it lightſome and bright like the face of Ieſus, they turne the ſoule in the ſhape of the face of IESVS, that ſhineth in the Goſpell. Would yee hauehave Scripture for this? looke the laſt verſe of the chapter going before, We behold (ſaieth hee) as in a mirrour, the glorie of God with an open face. and are changed into the ſame image from glorie to glorie, as by the Spirit of the Lord. And this is done in ſuch a ſort (O would to God wee knew the power of the Goſpell) that thou, who hadſt nothing but darkneſſe within thee, art made a ſhining light, caſting out thy beames, and ouer-ſhadowing ſillie darke bodies. Hee that brought light out of darkneſſe (ſaith Paul) by His word, Hee hath ſhined in mine heart, that I may miniſter the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt to others. So is it moſte certaine, thou in whome the Goſpell is ſo powerfull, art made a light in the world, to illuminate darke ſoules.
Nowe to come to the next, the Goſpell it ſelfe: How expreſſeth he the Goſpell? Hee calleth it not ſimplie and barelie with a meane word, The Goſpell, (all theſe meane words, and ſillie ſimple ſpeaches of ſuch a glorie, telleth what feeling men hauehave in their heartes of the effectualneſſe of the Goſpell) but hee calleth it, The light of the Goſpell, The Goſpell is a light, and it is the light of lightes. The Sunne, albeit it be bright, was neuer comparable to it in ſhining, and therefore it caſteth out ſuch glorious beames in the ſoules of men and women. What is the cauſe that it is a light? The cauſe is in the ſubject of it. The ſubject of it is glorie. What will make a light, if glory will not make it? The Goſpell, is the Goſpell of glory, and all that is within it is glorie. What glorie … this? The glory of CHRIST the King of king… his glory muſt be a great glory: what kind of perſon is this Chriſt? He is ye Image of God. He neuer reſteth mounting vp till he come to that diuinity. Lo how he riſeth: he climbeth from the Goſpel to the Mediator, & from ye Mediator to that glorious Majeſty. So all the glorie that ſhineth in ye Goſpel, is ye glory of God, and all the light of the Goſpel, is that light of God which th'Apo. 1. Tim. 6. 16. calleth yt light which hath none acceſſe, & neuer man had acceſſe to it, till this Ieſus brought it down, & without this light thou art but darkneſſe, and ſhalt end in exteriour & vtter darkneſſe. All the beames of the Sunne are but darkneſſe in reſpect of it. The Sunne is but a creature, this is the light vncreated of the glorious GOD, the verie eſſence of GOD, count of it as thou wilt. Now marke one thing of this: This man by his ſpeach leadeth vsus to his hart, what are words, if they want the heart? and if they hauehave no life, what are wordes to bee reſpected, ſuppoſe thou ſpeakeſt a thouſande yeeres of light and glorie, if thou hauehave neither light nor glorie in thy ſoule. Certainely, there are none that will looke to theſe wordes, but they may ſee the mans heart was repleniſhed with this light and glorie whereof hee ſpake. The face of IESVS ſhyned on his ſoule, and ſo wonderfullie hee vttereth that conception, and fulneſſe of the heart, in ſuch wordes as are marueilous. The heart of PAVLE was full of light and glorie. But I ſee little light in the heartes of men and women, in reſpect of that light which was in his heart. And therefore, Brethren, to ſpeake the trueth, becauſe this Goſpell, howbeit it hath beene ſounding in the eare theſe manie yeeres in this Lande, yet it hath not entered into the hearts of men & womē, it hath bene a ſound in the eare, but not a light in the ſoule, becauſe thou haſt not ſuffered it to enter into thine heart, & kept it there: therefore, the Lord is threatning to take it from thine eare alſo: and ſo will be ſeene on EDINBVRGH one day. The eye is alwayes vponupon men, but thou lookeſt not to that poyſonable heart of thine, that is procuring ye away-taking of this Goſpel out of thine eare, and except ye deſcend into your owne hearts, & ſearch the emptineſſe of yt light in them, it is not poſſible that it can remaine. Can it bee poſſible that this contempt of the Goſpell, that of her owne nature is ſo effectuall in the hearts of men, can bee borne with for euer? No, ye Lord will not ſuffer this contempt to bee vnpuniſhed. And therefore, the Lord appearantly hath ſaid▪ I will put away my Goſpel from this vngrateful people, whom it hath not illuminated after ſo long time. So ye yt hauehave bene long looking to inſtrumēts, looke as long on your owne falſe hearts that are the cauſe of all. Yet, Brethren, notwithſtanding of al this contempt of ye Goſpel, the Lord ſaue me, & all them that I wiſh well to, from this, to be an inſtrument of the with-drawing of it for yet it was neuer ſeene that ye Lord vſed good men to be inſtruments in ſuch a deed. Who is it that is heere ſent to blind this worlde? who but the god of this world, the Deuil!? and therfore I giuegive this watch-word, Let no man preaſſe to bee the occaſion of the away-taking of the Goſpell.
Nowe I ſhall take vp the next verſe ſhortly, and ſo I ſhall end. In the next verſe the Apoſtle giueth the reaſon wherefore they to whome the Goſpell was hidden, behoued to be they who were ordained for perdition, and whome the god of this world hath blinded. His reaſon is takē euen from his ſinceritie in preaching the Goſpell, For (ſaieth hee) wee preach not our ſelues: Whom preach I then? but IESUS CHRIST the LORD, and I preached Him to be the Lord in my Goſpel: and what preached I of my ſelfe? Our ſelues your ſeruantes for Christ Ieſus ſake. For the Bridegromes cauſe I was a ſeruant to the Bride, for His cauſe who is the onelie Head and LORD of the Church, I was a ſeruant to the Church. Then of this reaſon marke this leſſon: A man, whome the LORD raileth to preach the Goſpell, not to ſeeke himſelfe, nor his owne aduancement, nor worldlie riches, nor honour, but onelie to preach the Goſpell in ſinceritie, what effect will hee hauehave in his preaching? Strange effectes will followe him: if hee ſaue thee not, if hee winne thee not to God, if he miniſter not comfort to thee by his Goſpell, what will hee doe? I ſhall tell thee, Hee will put a ſtampe vponupon thee, and thruſt it into thine heart & conſcience, teſtifying to thee in the owne time (for the conſcience wakeneth not in all men at all times) that thou waſt not faithfull, but a reprobate ordained to perdition from all eternitie, if thou getteſt not repentance in time, and if the Goſpell preached by a ſincere man hath not fructified in thee, all his preaching is but a ſeale to thee of thy damnation, and in the Great Day ſhall ſtand vp and aggrege thy judgement.
Marke another thing heere: What is this that maketh this man ſo bold? He will denounce perdition, excecation, and blind-folding by the god of this world, (I aſſure you, this is a bolde ſpeach to denounce damnation) but what maketh him ſo bolde? Yee ſee it in a worde, the conſcience of his owne ſinceritie, that in his preaching hee ſought not himſelfe, but the LORD his Maiſter. There is the leſſon. A man whom the LORD will ſende (and the LORD as certainlie will ſende men to ſpeake in ſinceritie his meſſage, as euer he ſent any Prophet in the worlde, howbeit there be not an extraordinarie calling nowe) A man, I ſay, whom the LORD will ſend, he will denounce damnation to an obſtinate and rebellious people: and hee will bee bolde to take thee, as it were, by the eare ſuppoſe thou bee a king, and leade thee to that Tribunall to heare the ſentence of damnation pronounced againſt thee. The LORD giuegive mee this ſinceritie, and then I will not care for all the kinges and all the men in the worlde: for the LORD will giuegive boldneſſe to the man whome he raiſeth in ſinceritie to cyte kinges before that Tribunall of IESVS CHRIST.
Another thing I ſee in this Text: There is no lord, but the Lord IESVS, who will tread down all the lordes in the earth, and treade vponupon their neckes at his pleaſure. And more I ſee, There is no Ladie, nor Queene, but the Church, the Spouſe of IESVS CHRIST: As for Kinges, Queenes, Politickes in the earth, all are but ſeruantes onelie, Kinges ſeruantes, Queenes ſeruantes, Paſtors and Miniſters ſeruants and nouriſhers of the Church of IESVS: The Apoſtles, ſeruants, miniſtring food to this glorious bodie of IESVS, and feeding it with the ſincere milke of the worde. And that is it which the Apoſtle ſaith in the 1. epiſ▪ to the Corin. chap. 3. verſ. 22. ſpeaking of himſelfe, and others. All is yours (ſaith he) whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, &c. Euen ſo, all is yours, all are but ſeruants to you, ye are Chriſtes, Hee is your Lord, ye hauehave none other lord, but Chriſt. Thē the Church muſt hauehave a great prerogatiue, juriſdiction, and liberty. She is a Queene, and if euer there was in any countrey a juriſdiction and libertie, ſhee hath it giuen her of her Spouſe, the Lord IESVS. Then ye know what ſhould follow: If ſhee hauehave a libertie and juriſdiction, I will ſpeake that which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in the ſecond epiſt. to the Corin. chap. 13. verſ. 10. God hath not giuen me (ſaith Paule) power to your deſtruction, but all the power which GOD hath giuen mee is to your edification. The GOD of Heauen gaue neuer to anie creature in Heauē no… earth, power to doe againſt her, but all to maintaine her in her liberty. Then meddle not with her juriſdiction. Let none earthly power meddle with it, and beware that no irruption bee made within it. There was neuer Emperour nor Monarch of this worlde, that made irruption within it, that euer wanne by it. Therefore, let euerie ſoule beware to meddle with this libertie: for certainelie, that ſworde that ſhall be ſtrocken at her, ſhee ſhallding it back again like the hammer off the ſtithie. Reade the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories, yee ſhall ſee, that neuer man got the vpper-hand, that euer medled with it. And therefore, the LORD open mens eyes, and let them ſee this, that they may reuerence this glorious Spouſe of IESVS CHRIST, as euer they would ſee that glorious Face of CHRIST IESVS Her Head: To whome with the Father, and the Holie Spirite, bee all Praiſe, Honour, & Glorie, worlde vvithout end: ſo bee it.