XXVII. lectures, or readings, vpon part of the Epistle written to the Hebrues. Made by Maister Edward Deering, Bachelour of Diuinitie

¶ The sixteenth Lecture, vpon the 12. 13. 14. verses.

12 Take heede, brethren, lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart, and vnfaithfull, to depart away from the liuing God.

13 But exhort one another dayly, while it is called, To day: lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we keepe sure vnto the end, that beginning, wherwith we are vpholden.

IN these words, the Apostle begin∣neth more particularly to handle y^• former words of the Prophet, and so to amplifie his exhortation, that in no wise the Hebrues should for∣get to heare & to obey christ their only prophet: & first of all, in this that the Prophet sayth: To day▪ by which the Apostle gathereth, that we must not neglecte this time of our calling, but whē the voice of the Lord is heard, then we must shew our obedience: for it is not meet that he should speak, and we should be deafe, nor he should call to day, and we to make answer we will come to morrowe: such loose regard of the worde of the liuing God, becommeth not those that are his

Saincts: neither doth our sauiour Christ so teach vs himselfe, when he saith so many times: He that hath eares to heare let him heare: therfore, when the Lord o∣peneth his mouth, let vs erecte our eares: and in the day that he doth teache, let vs learne in the same, & glorifie god in his goodnes: this is y^• plain meaning of the Apostle in these words of the twelfth & thir∣teenth verse: Take heed, brethren, lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart & vnfaithful, to depart frō the li∣uing God, but exhort one another daily, while it is yet called To day, lest any of you be hardened with the deceitfulnesse of sinne. Beside this generall doctrine in the wordes of the Apostle, we haue manie thinges profitable to note.

First, that heere againe he calleth them by the name of Brethren, he sheweth a great affection of brotherlie loue toward them: for there is no doubt but he was free from flattering woordes, and of the aboundance of his heart his mouth did speake, so that this testimonie of his good will, had greate weight to allure the Hebrues the more willingly to heare him.

And we must learne a verie good lesson, with what care, and loue, & earnest desire wee must do all things to our neighbour. We must not, as in other things, where wee care not greatly whether they come to passe or no, so vse our exhortations and admonitions to our bret•…•…en, but what we ad∣uise them or speake vnto them touching the feare of God, we must haue all our heart bent to doe them good: no care, nor desire ought to be greater in vs,

then this, that by some meanes we might doe them good.

This affection the Apostle sheweth, when hee calleth them Brethren: and we that this day preach vnto you when we say, dearely beloued, or louing brethren, or vse 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 sti•…•…re vp my selfe, and to admonish other: for I heare dai∣ly such louing names of the people in the preachers mouthes, and I pray God, as much louing affecti∣on 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 e∣uil and vnbeleeuing heart to fall away from the liuing God: which wordes he addeth as a declaration of the for∣mer wordes of the prophet, where he saith: It is a peo∣ple 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 al∣so tempted: yet he sinned not, & the cause was whē 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, there∣fore we are streight carried as we moste desire, and our owne concupiscence giueth strength to our ten∣tations. 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 com∣fort, 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 with∣out which do defile a man, but they do proceede frō the heart * 1.1 that is within: for out of the heart come euill thoughtes, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesse, slaun∣ders, & all such things as defile a man. A notable sen∣tence, 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 obser∣uation 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 whē 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 de∣struction that is conspired neuer so cruell: yet if thy heart shalbe faithful, thine enimies shall feare more then thou, & they shalbe 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 * 1.2 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 ne∣uer 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 * 1.3 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 re∣warde: 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 expi∣red 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 be∣leeue it, as if wee hearde, euen nowe, the fearefull voice to sound: Go y•…•… 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 prepa∣red.

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 * 1.4 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 te•…•…tations, and into snares, and into many foolish and hurt∣full * 1.5 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 from death; and from the graue?

If our Sauiour Christe say: If you loue mee keepe my commaundements: who hath bewitched vs, that we * 1.6 should not beleeue the trueth? what meane wee to liue in all excesse of sinne, and poure out our selues into riot, and yet stil say we loue the Lord? Surely (dearely beloued) one cause is of all: an vnbelee∣uing heart hath seduced vs. Wee think wee eate of the secret Manna, when in deede wee seede of as∣shes. We can not see, that God resisteth the proude, his iudgements are high aboue our reach: and there∣fore we will set vp our owne praise, and striue for honour, euen vnto death, & we feare not the shame that we cannot see.

We knowe not what the kingdome of heauen is, neither can we knowe: for our eye cannot see it, our eare cannot heare it, our heart cannot compre∣hend it, neither hath the spirit of God reuealed it vn∣to vs.

and when infidelitie hath thus couered vs, it is no maruel, though we heare in vaine: It is easier for a Ca∣mel to creep•…•… through a needels eye, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen: for we cannot feare, where we thinke there is no daunger: we can not hope, where we loke for no goodnes: promises and threatenings are but blastes of wind, where infideli∣tie hath taken away our wisdome: let vs now looke into our selues, & search our heart and reines, whe∣ther we stand in faith or no: for behold, this know, and the spirite witnesseth it: there is no ambitious minde aspiring to honour, no vncleane and fil∣thie concupiscence of adulterie, no couetous desi∣res of Gold and Siluer, no sinful delights of world∣ly minded men, no falling from God, for these corruptible and vaine thinges, but infidelitie is both roote and braunche, the beginning and ending: an vnfaithfull heart causeth all in all: and let faith but dwell within thee, to beleeue the word of trueth: know there is glorie, and honour, and immortali∣tie, and eternall life to those that patiently seeke the Lorde: and indignation, & wrath, and tribulation, and anguish vpon the soule of euerie man that do∣eth euill.

Knowe that the worlde is vanitie, and all fleshe is grasse: that righteousnesse is perfect bles∣sing, and the feare of God is happinesse: beleeue this, as thou beleeuest thine eyes to see the light of the Sunne, or to discerne the darkenes of the night, and thou shalt neuer fall: were thy •…•…ntations ne∣uer so many, thou shalt ouercome them, till the

diuell himselfe doe flie from thee: let vs therefore pray, and pray continually, euen as the Apostles prayed: O Lord increase our faith.

The woordes following heete: In falling away from the liuing God: they shewe bothe what it is to be vnfaithfull, and what worke it hath in vs. For to doubt when the Lord hathe spoken, or mistrust what hee hathe promised, it is to fall away from him: and when we beginne in heart to wauer, and call into question, whether his worde shalbe per∣fourmed, or no: we lay our selues open to the as∣saultes of sinne, and soone fall away from the liuing God, to our owne vanitie. And this generall rule, that infidelitie maketh vs fall from God, wee must particularly applie to all the workes of our life, that wee be not hardened (as the Apostle saith) with the deceipt of sinne. If I fall into daunger, and mis∣trust Gods prouidence, and seeke worldly meanes and vnlawfull helpe of man for my deliuerance, the prophet Ieremie curseth this infidelitie, and sayth: * 1.7 we withdraw our hearts from the Lord. If in main∣tenance of our common wealth, we seeke only po∣licies, and doe that whiche is wisest with naturall men: the Prophet Esay cryeth wo vnto suche, for * 1.8 they fall away from God, they looke not (sayth he) vnto the holie one of Israel, nor seeke vnto the Lord. If I vse lying woordes, or any deceipte, in buying and selling, thinking so to wax rich: I am a lying merchaunt that am fallen from God: and as Solomon saith: The bread of deceit shalbe sweete but for * 1.9 a while, and then my mouth shalbe filled with gra•…•…ell: and

therfore that we may not at last be ashamed, and be guiltie of this great sinne, to forsake the liuing God, let vs take heede there bee not in anie of vs an euill heart of infidelitie.

It followeth now: But exhort one an other daily while it is yet called to day. As before the Apostle taught vs to beware of the sinne: so like a wise teacher he telleth vs heere, how wee shall doe it, that is, by daily ex∣horting one another.

So Sainct Paule, when hee would persuade the Thessalonians to walke as children of the light, and * 1.10 as in the day time: he setteth out this rule vnto them, Exhort one an other, edifie one another: and this is the discharge of that great commaundement: Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe: as appeareth by the lawe that is * 1.11 written: Thou shalt not hate thy brother from thine heart, but thou shalt reproue him, & suffer him not to sinne: Thus the Lord hath ordeyned, and this duetie he wil aske at our hands, in which he wil iustifie vs, or else con∣demne vs. Sainct Iames sayth: He that conuerteth a * 1.12 sinner from going astray, let him know it he shal saue a soule from death, & shall couer a multitude of sinnes. Solomon sayth: The fruite of the righteous is as a tree of life, and * 1.13 he that winneth soules, is wise. And the Prophet Daniel in cleare and absolute words speaketh plainly: They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, * 1.14 and they that turne manie to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer.

This duetie, I confesse, is chiefly the ministers, then the magistrates, then the fathers and maisters, who are all accordinge to their calling guiltie of

bloud, if men perish in their gouernement for want of instruction: but yet, this duetie is also cōmon to all and none excepted: we ought all to edifie and ex∣hort one another.

There is no excuse of ignorance: there is none so simple, but hath learned the royal law: Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, & with all thy soule, & thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. In breach of this duetie, who is so simple, but he can sometime espie the sinne of his brother? In this, let him exhorte him after his skill: for though hee haue receiued but one talent, yet must hee occupie that, else hee shalbe condemned for a wicked and a faithlesse ser∣uaunt.

Looke therefore vnto this, and watch euerie one ouer his brother, that he may confirme him in the grace of Christ.

We haue often meetings for the comfort of our life, and many brotherly feastinges are amoung vs: Take heede we drinke not our wines in carued bolles, and haue sweete musicke at our tables, and none of vs (as the Prophet sayeth) remember the af∣fliction of Ioseph, that is (I meane) and none of * 1.15 vs care for the adulterie, drunkennesse, glutto∣nie, blasphemie of his brethren: for if our mee∣tinges be suche, our comforte of our meeting wil soone be at an end, and our last mirthe wilbe in hea∣uinesse.

And here we must marke, when this duetie of mutuall exhortation is required: the Apostle addeth, While it is yet called to day: this is (as I told you before)

while yet life & forgiuenes is offered vnto vs tho∣roughe the preaching of the gospel: this is to stirr vs vp, not to neglect the time of our calling: so the pro∣phet Esay, Seke (saith he) the Lord while he may be foūd, cal ye vpon him, while he is neere. We haue al our times in which we are called to repentance: if we neglect them, we shall not haue them againe, thoughe wee sought them with teares. The day was past with the riche man to call vnto Abraham, for Lazarus to helpe him, when they were both dead: the day was, when Lazarus lay at his gate despised of him. The day was past with Pharaoh, when he was in the redd Sea: the day was, while Moses and Aaron wrought suche miracles in his sight. The day was past with Iudas, when the diuell was nowe entered into him: the day was before, when Christe repro∣ued him of his wicked purpose. The day is with vs, while yet we feele our hearts flexible, and our con∣science is touched with the feare of God: the day is past when at the last, our heartes sinke downe into infidelitie, and we can no more be soarie for sinne: therefore while time is, and we be yet sure it is the day of health, let vs regarde it, and take hold of it, as it cōmeth: for when it is gone, it is past recouerie: & behind there is no handfast to pull it back againe.

It followeth: Lest any of you be hardened with the de∣ceit of sinne: we see here how we be caried into euil, y^• is, by craftinesse, & by deceit of sinne. Sinne neuer appeareth in her own coūtenāce, no more then y^• di∣uel sheweth himself in his owne shape: but as he is a lyer from the beginning, so all his dooinges are

deceiuable errour as him selfe is false, so are all his doings in falshoode. Sainct Paule calleth it, Iugling craftinesse, to deceiue cunningly. Now then, if wee this day confesse that sinne is of the diuel, why doe * 1.16 we not beleeue as the holie Apostle beleeueth, that the sinner is holden in deceit and errour, to doe the things he knoweth not? And if in sinning we doe we knowe not what, and as we woulde neuer doe if we knewe what we did: what meane we so wil∣lingly to be deceiued? Where is the glorie of our gray haires, or the reioycing of a manlie counte∣naunce, when so childishly wee will be led into the pit and snares. Wee knowe it is ill, we knowe it is of the diuel, we hate the name of it, we are ashamed of the lighte of the sunne when wee doe committ it, we knowe the end of it is death, and it bringeth foorth nothinge but our destruction: and what heartes haue we yet within vs, of fleshe, or of stone, of wisedome, or of madnesse, that we be still decei∣ued with such a monster? Where be now our po∣litique heads, and wise counsels, of which wee boast so much, that we be ware men, circumspect in all thinges, foreseeing harmes, preuenting eni∣mies practises: and I wot not what idle prayses of vaine men? For, where is their witt, where is their counsell, where is their sound aduice, and depe con∣sideratiōs, whē their greatest & dedliest enimies, am bitiō, pride, reuenge, iniustice, couetousnes, adulterie lodge in their priuie chambers, & lye betwene their brestes? Alas (dearelie beloued) what gaine should be vnto vs, if we with you, & you with vs, should both

perish together. How much were it better, that wee should admonish one another, and liue together to eternall life? Let vs not then be mocked with the deceit of sinne. And at one worde to all those wise men of which I spake, and to all you y^• be present of that number, this I say: and yet not I, but the Pro∣phet Ieremie, that you may be sure I say the trueth. When all your vaine prayses shalbe scattered into the winde: when the Lord shall cut off all flattering lippes, and make perpetuall silence of these emptie idle blastes, that haue puffed you vp: an other and a truer, and a more enduring testimonie shalbe pro∣nounced of you: that except you turne, while it is yet called to day, and be not hardned with this de∣ceitfulnesse of sinne, you are vnwise, & shalbe asha∣med of your grosse ignoraunce: for you haue re∣fused the lawe of the Lord, and what wisedome can * 1.17 be in you? This testimonie I am sure is true, and the liuing God hath spoken it of the children of men: and how blessed are we if we doe beleeue it? & how much more happinesse is in one day of our honour, in which we are wise to escape the deceipt of sinne, then in ten thousand dayes, in which we should fall from the Lord of life? This is wisedome, and hee that hath vnderstanding, let him marke where, and how many are his footesteps, that he bee not ouer∣taken with the sleightes of sinne.

It followeth now in the wordes of the Apostle: for we be made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our substance stedfast vnto the latter end: he amplified before the exhortation of the Prophet, by ponde∣ring

of this woorde, Today: willing vs not to preter∣mit the time, but diligently to stirre vp one another while this day of health abideth. Nowe, he conti∣nueth the same exhortation, by waying of the resi∣due of the words: If you heare his voice, harden not your harts, a•…•… in the bitter murmuring: shewing, that our fore∣fathers example should be our instruction, and wee ought to take heede by their punishmentes: for, if God spared not them, how should he spare vs? but they, when they heard his voice, yet they sinned: & though he spake vnto them, yet they beleeued not, and therefore his anger fell vpon them: euen so, if now the voice of Christ shalbe heard of vs, and we beleeue it not, or else little regarde it, as wee fall in∣to the same example of disobedience, it standeth with the iustice of our God, that we shoulde be par∣takers of like punishmente. To this purpose are the wordes of the Apostle, to the ende of this chapter.

Touching this 14. verse: the more to persuade vs, the Apostle sheweth what great benefite is vnto vs, if we will be faithful to heare his voice, and abide constant in obedience of it: for so wee shal be par∣takers of Christ. We knowe, this is our hope, and all the assurance we haue with God, that wee bee made members of Iesu Christe: wee must be graf∣fed into him, and be made members of his bodie.

Euen as the vine-braunche, can haue no life, nor bring forth any fruite, except it abide in the bodie of the vine: no more haue wee either life or righte∣ousnesse, except we be, and abide in Christe. This is the mysticall vniting, and spirituall ioyning wee

haue with Christe, he is our substance & being in y^• inheritance of Glorie: so his righteousnesse is our righteousnes, his loue is our loue, his life is our life his spirit is our spirit, of his fulnesse we receiue all: this is a great mysterie which neither our eye seeth, nor our hearte can vnderstand: but yet it is a reall ioyning of vs with him, which our faith doeth easi∣ly comprehend: & when we shal see that wisedome which could vnite in one person, God and man, we shall see the wisedome which hath made all vs the bodie of that head, and members one of another. This great benefite is here set out vnto vs, in a sure promise: We be partakers of Christ: that we should (as I said e) be more moued with so great a blessing. And here we haue al to learne a good lesson, that is, how we are all set free from sinne, & presented faultlesse before the presence of gods glorie, and that is, by be∣ing made one with Christe, and appearing in his countenance: for of him only it is true: This is my be∣loued sonne in whome I am well pleased: if vnto him wee be giuen, and with him be ioyned: then in him * 1.18 we are also beloued, and throughe him we be accep∣ted. This is y^• saluation we haue by him, to be graf∣fed in him, and made partakers of his life. Euen A∣braham our father, & before Abraham, Noe, Enoch, Abel, or whosoeuer since haue had highest praise, Iob, Daniel, Samuel, Iohn Baptist, the virgin Marie, all are one before God, not one in himself excepted, but all were vnited to Iesus Christ, in whome they were righteous. Were we neuer so full of good works, our wel doing extendeth not vnto the Lord:

nor they can possibly either deserue his fauour, or once come in his sight: but we muste leaue all our workes in the earth, where they are done, and they must die with the corruptible hands and feete with whiche they are wrought: we must goe naked and bare, & offer nothing but that which is Christes, yea our selues we must present in his bodie: for in our owne persons we can not possibly be accepted: haue therefore a wise and vnderstanding faith: knowe how you are made one with Iesu Christe, and there lay the anchorhold of thy hope: for in him it is im∣possible thou shouldest perishe.

It followeth: If we hold the beginning of our substance sure & stedfast vnto the end: this is the condition vnder which we shalbe partakers of Christ: perseuerance and constancie vntill the end. Our Substance as the Apostle calleth it, that is our beeing, our vpholding, our settled standing, this our estate of vniting vnto Christ, the beginning of this, nowe wrought in vs, we must hold it, and strēgthen it vnto the end, then we knowe we be partakers of Christe: this begin∣ning of our Substance is faith by the preachinge of the gospell, by which we be nowe spiritually vnited vnto Christ: this faith by hearing y^• voice of Christ through which we are one with him, by the same worde wee must nourishe it, and keepe it stedfaste vnto the ende, this is the same thing whiche Paule teacheth to the Colossians that Christ hath recon∣ciled vs in his bodie, if we abide in saith grounded * 1.19 and settled, and be not moued from the hope of the Gospel, whiche we haue hearde preached vnto vs:

touching this, I saide muche in the exposition of the sixt verse, now this I will adde: if you will knowe the churche of Christe, know it by this marke, it holdeth the beginning of her substance stedfast vn∣to the end: the beginning of our substance, he called before in the sixte verse, the assuraunce and reioy∣cing of our hope. Saint Paul (as I told you) in plaine words expoundeth it thus: a sure faith in the gospel preached. Now you know the marke of the church of Christ, a sure faith by the preching of the gospel: take away assuraunce, you take away the faith of Gods electe, for it must bee sure, stedfast, settled, vn∣moueable vnto the end: if hunger, thirst, nakednes: if the sword of the Tyrant, if the stormie seas, if fear∣full visions of euil spirites, if any of these make thee feare, in all these thus Christ reprooueth thee: O thou of litle faith: for if he that made all, be stronger then al, if in him thou trust, thou must feare at nothing, but knowe for trueth, that neither height nor depth, nor death nor life, nor Angel nor power, shall euer separate thee from the loue of God this therfore: (I say) first marke: take away suretie, and take away the faithe of Gods Churche: Againe, take away the preaching of the Gospell, and you take away faith: for so Paul saith: Our faith is groūded in the gospel prea∣ched vnto vs: as in another place he speaketh expresly: faith is by hea•…•…ing of the word of God: therfore the gospel * 1.20 hath this name, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 called the worde of faith, the hea∣ring of faith, the preaching of faith: and our receiuing of the gospel, is called the obedience of faith: neither is it possible to haue faith, where thou hast no woorde

which thou caust beleeue. Now consider (I bese•…•…ch you) what Church is the church of Rome? their fayth they conceale it not, but thus reach, & preach, that it hath no certeintie: and for the gospel to war∣rant their faith, they seeke it not, but say: ignorance wil stirre vp deuotion: and wil not suffer the people to knowe the Scripture, nay, they say they neede it not, but onely beleeue as the Church beleeueth: are these the people to whom the Apostle writeth, that they should surely beleeue the Gospel vnto the end? if light be darcknesse, if good be euill, if holinesse be sinne, then are these men the Church of Christ: but the time is past. Nowe let vs pray, that it would please God to strengthen in vs a true and liuely faith. &. c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matt. 15.
• * 1.2

  Infidelitie the cause of all euill.
• * 1.3

  2. Cor. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  Phil. 3. 19.
• * 1.5

  1. Tim. 6. 9.
• * 1.6

  Ioh. 14. 15.
• * 1.7

  Iere. 17. 5.
• * 1.8

  Esai. 31 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.9

  Prou. 20. 19.
• * 1.10

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. The. 5. 11.
• * 1.11

  Leui. 19. 17.
• * 1.12

  Iam. 5. 20.
• * 1.13

  Pro. 11. 30.
• * 1.14

  Dan. 12. 3.
• * 1.15

  Amos. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.16

  Ephe. 4. 14:
• * 1.17

  Iere. 8. 9.
• * 1.18

  Matth. 3.
• * 1.19

  Col. 23.
• * 1.20

  Rom 10 17 Rom. •…•…0. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 G•…•…l. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Rom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.