Seuen goulden candlestickes houlding the seauen greatest lights of Christian religion shewing vnto all men what they should beleeue, & how they ought to walke in this life, that they may attayne vnto eternall life. By Gr: Williams Doctor of Divinity

CHAP. III. Of the vsefull instructions, that we may gather out of the for∣mer Doctrine.

WEll then, beloued Brethren, let vs apply this truth vnto our selues: and first, seeing that good is no good, which wanteth perpetuity, (as Nazian∣zen saith,) and that God onely, is that eternall being, which hath, and giueth immortality; it teacheth vs, where to seeke for our eternity. In∣deed, of our selues we shall be euer: for though God made vs, Ex nihilo,* 1.1 Out of nothing; yet he did not make vs, Ad nihilum, To returne to nothing: There may be a dissolution of soule and body for a time, but there cannot be an annihilation of neither, because they must be re-vnited againe, to remaine for euer; but euer (without God) in eternall misery: and therefore, seeing it is a deadly immortality, to be immortall onely for immortall tor∣ments, we ought to ascend to him, and be vnited to him, if wee would be happy, and desire to make our immortality profitable vnto vs.

* 1.2Why then should we place our rest on Earth, where we be strangers and pilgrimes, and haue no continuing Citie? and not rather crie to God,* 1.3 Eripe nos tandem seruilibus eripe regnis.

* 1.4How long tarriest thou, holy and true? or when commest thou, O good God, to free vs, E lutulentis manum operibus, from this more then Egyptian bondage in this wicked world, and to bring vs Lord vnto thy selfe, where we shall haue a most

hap•••• b••ing, and a most glorious Kingdome, without ending? For here alas,

Mille parit luctus mortalibus vna voluptas.

We haue a thousand bitter sighes, for euery little smile; Et praeterit iucunditas non redditura, & manet anxietas non peritura, And our little pleasure will soone vanish, and yet leaue a sting and a torment, that shall neuer be finished: but in thy presence, there is fulnesse of ioy,* 1.5 and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euer∣more.

Secondly, seeing we, and all things else, haue our being from God: Iupiter est quodcum{que} vides quocun{que} moueris,* 1.6 For whatsoeuer we are, or wheresoeuer we are, we are all, and haue all from God: Why then should we be so vngratefull, and so vndutifull as we are vnto God? For had we not had our being, all the titles of honours, all the confluence of wealth, and all the pompous things that we haue from Parents, Kings, Masters, Friends, or whom you will, had auailed vs nothing; nay, had wee not had these things from God, wee had had nothing at all; because hee gaue them their being, and then gaue them to vs, Per manus eorum, By the hands of them which brought them vnto vs: for he is the giuer of euery good and perfect gift;* 1.7 and all other things are but the instruments, whereby hee conuayes and sends those gifts vnto vs:* 1.8 And therefore why should we not wholly dedicate our selues and ours, vnto the seruice of God? For, who planteth a Vineyard, and eateth not of the fruits thereof?

And yet God may iustly say of vs, Filios enutriui,* 1.9 I haue nou∣rished and brought vp Children, but they haue despised me; for though he made man, and made all things for man: yet cannot all these things, make man to serue him, as he ought to doe; but that euery one of vs will follow after the lusts, and concupi∣scence of his owne flesh, which (as the Poet saith) Et nocitura placet, & placitura nocet; Doth euen wound vs, when it most de∣lighteth vs.

Thirdly, seeing God giueth being vnto all his promises,* 1.10 and keepeth his promise for euer, as he hath done already, in sending a Ioshua, to giue the Land of Canaan vnto the Israelites; and especially in sending Iesus Christ, to giue eternall life vnto all beleeuers: And that, dicta Iehouae sunt dicta pura; The words of

the Lord are pure words:* 1.11 Wee should expectare imp•••• a•• ••em, neuer doubt of the performance of Gods promises, nor say with those incredulous Athiests, in the second of Peter, 2.4. Where is the promise of his comming? But we should beleeue them to be as sure and as certaine, as if they were already accompli∣shed: For he is Iehoua, that will giue them their being, in their appointed time.* 1.12 Heauen and Earth shall passe away, but his Word shall not passe: That shall be surely accomplished.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How wee may attaine vnto immortality.
• * 1.2

  1 Pet. 2.11. Heb. 13.14.
• * 1.3

  Claud l. 2. in Eut.
• * 1.4

  Reuel. 6.10.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 16.12.
• * 1.6

  Lucan. l. 9. That we ought to be thankfull vnto God, be∣cause we h••ue all things from God.
• * 1.7

  Iames 1.17.
• * 1.8

  1 Cor. 9.7.
• * 1.9

  Esay 1.2.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 146.4.
• * 1.11

  That we should neuer doubt of Gods promises. 2 Pet. 2.4.
• * 1.12

  Matth. 24.3••.