Lecture 1 · 1 Thessalonians 1:1–3

MAISTER ROLLOCKS LECTVRES VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

THE FIRST LECTVRE.

WE purpose (welbeloued in the Lord Iesus Christ) by the grace of God, as his Spirite shall assist vs, to expone this Epistle, which is the first Paul doth write to the Thessalonians: Which furnishes to vs doctrine seruing for vnderstanding, instruction, admonition, consolation, &c. Then to come to the purpose shortlie: We shall speak something of these Thessalonians to whom he wrytes; of the Argument of this Epistle, and the purpose of the Apostle in it. The Thessalonians were those, who inhabited a towne called Thessalonica, which (as the Historie beares) was a chiefe towne in the Countrie of Macedonia, sounded and builded by Philip King of Macedonia, after the victorie he had gotten ouer Thessalia; for returning home victorious he builded at towne, and named it Thessalonica, to be a perpetuall memorie of that excellent victorie he had obtayned. But to leaue this: Paul (as ye may read, in the 17. Chap. of the Acts of the Apost.) in his peregrination together with Sylas, who is heere named Siluanus, comes to this towne in Macedonia, called Thessalonica, and entring into the Synagogue of the Iewes, three Saboth dayes preached vnto them, and all his preaching tended to this, to proue that it behoued the Messias when he should come in the World, first to suffer, then to ryse againe in glorie: Vpon this he subsumes that that Iesus whom he preached, had suffered, had risen vp in glorie; And therfore he concludes, that Iesus, and no other, to be the Messias and Redeemer of the World. At Paules preaching, sundrie of the Iewes who dwelt in Thessalonica were conuerted: a great multitude also of the Grecians who abode there, and of the chiefe women of the towne, not a few: Yet, notwithstanding of all this, sedition is moued against the Apostle, and that by certaine obstinate Iewes, who would not be conuerted: so he is compelled to flee out of Thessalonica, fleeing he comes to Beroea, where he gets better entertainment, and conuertes sundrie: Occasion of the Epistle. Yet persecution ryses, and he is led to Athens, where he abiding, word comes to him, that the Brethren who were conuerted at Thessalonica, were heauilie troubled, and persecuted by the obstinate Iewes there. Vpon this the Apostle sendeth Timothie to them, to confirme them, and comfort them in their trouble. Timothie returning, and reporting the grace of God he saw there, Paul would haue gone to Thessalonica, but as he sayeth, Sathan withstoode him, and therefore he takes purpose to write this Epistle vnto them, which should be in steede of his presence. This is the occasion of the writing of this Epistle.

Then to come to the Epistle it selfe, Partes of the Epistle. and to speak of the parts thereof. First, there is a salutation: after the salutation, he hath a congratulation, and rejoysing with them, for the graces he vnderstoode to be in them, by the report of Timothie. He continewes his congratulation a long tyme, almost to the end of the second chapter. Then he comes to his exhortation, and exhorts them (notwithstanding of al trouble) to preseuere constantlie to the end. This he doth in the third chapter: In the fourth and fift chapters he comes to the matter; and as before he had exhorted them to perseuerance: so he exhorts them to godlinesse and holinesse of life, such as becomes them, who haue receyued the Lord Iesus. This is the substance of the Epistle.

Now in this chapter: First, we haue the salutation, then the congratulation, and rejoysing for the graces of God in them; which continewes all this chapter, and the most part of the next chapter. Now to come to the salutation, wherein the Apostle salutes the Thessalonians: I will speake shortlie of it, because it is a common forme vsed by the Apostle in his Epistles, and hath beene oft exponed. The persons from whom this salutation comes, are Paul an Apostle, Siluanus & Timotheus, two Euangelists: They who are saluted, are the Thessalonians, that is, the Church of God, that was made vp of the Thessalonians, who were inhabitants of this towne of Thessalonica; The blessings, or good things that are wished from Paul and the rest, to the Church at Thessalonica, are grace, and peace: the Author of this grace and peace, from whom, as from the fountaine, Paul with the rest of his associates, wisheth these things to the Thessalonians, is the Father first: the Sonne our Lord Iesus next. The cause wherefore grace and peace is wished from the Father and the Sonne to the Thessalonians, is, because the Thessalonians stoode in that blessed conjunction with the Father, and the Sonne, and therefore it is said in the text, To the Church of Thessalonica, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Iesus Christ, that is to say, which is in that holie societie, and conjunction with the Father and the Sonne.

Now to marke something of the salutation. Note. This forme of salutation that is vsed in this place, and in other places, by this & other Apostles: al these general salutations vsed by godlie men, vnto godlie men; what are they? they are testimonies of that good minde, and good-will, that the godlie beares to the godly: They are more too; they are meanes and powerful instruments ordained by God, wherby the grace of God, the mercie of God in Christ, is conuoyed from God, & Christ to them, to whom the salutation is directed. There are many meanes, whereby grace is conuoyed from God to man, amongst all the rest, these salutations are meanes ordained by God, to that end. Brethren, it is no small matter to wishe well to a man or woman, if thou haue a godlie heart when thou wishes well to a godlie person, of necessitie the affection of thy heart and mouth must bee effectuall.

The to goe fordward. Grace and Peace, is wished. But from whome? From God the Father, and from the Sonne Iesus Christ. The Sonne must not bee forgote heere, because all grace is geuen in him by the Father; in such sorte, that if any man will seeke grace without Christ, hee shall neuer get it. Therefore he who would haue grace, let him seeke it at God, through Christ: that he may receyue it of that fulnesse that is in the Sonne. The Iew that will seeke to the Father without the Sonne, shall neuer see grace.

Whom to is this grace and peace wished? to the Church at Thessalonica. Wherefore? Marke this ground. Because this Church is ingraft in the Father and in the Sonne by faith. Then first I see here: there is no grace, but from the Father and the sonne: and therefore there no wishing of grace to man or woman, but from the Father and the sonne, who are the fontaine of all grace. Againe I see grace, mercie and peace pertaines to none, but to so many as are in this happie conjunction with the Father and the Son. Art thou in the Father? Art thou in the son, ingraft in him by a liuelie faith? Then grace pertaines to thee: mercie and peace pertaines to thee. Art thou out of him, and not ingraft in him by faith? Let men wish welfare and peace to thee as they will, no grace, mercie nor peace pertaines to thee. By grace & peace is vnderstood whatsoeuer blessings of God that followes on that conjunction and vnion that is with God the Father, and the Son Iesus Christ; As for exemple: Remission of sins, Iustification before the Tribunall of God, Regeneration & clensing of this foull nature, peace, joy in the holie Ghost, & life euerlasting: all flowes from this conjunction: and therfore it must follow, that to him who is out of this conjunction with the Father and the Sonne, there is no remission of sinnes: if thou be not vnited to the Father and the Sonne by faith; no saluation, no regeneration, no life euerlasting, no peace for thee: all thy peace is false peace, and thou shalt curse the tyme that euer thou had that peace. Then it must follow that this forme of salutation, pertaines not to the Iew this day, who is out of this conjunction, neither I, nor no man can say to the Iew this day, Peace and grace to thee from God the Father and from Christ Iesus his Sonne: neither pertaines it to the Turke or Pagane, who are out of this vnion with God and Christ by faith. More then this, it will not be the name of any thing that will do the turne: there are many that taks vpon them the name of a christian, & so will seeme to be in the vnion with the Father and the Sonne, that in heart haue no conjunction with them: But I say to thee, it will not be the outwarde conjunction with them, in the name of a Christian, it will not be the wishing of good dayes and good euenings that wil do thee good, except thou find thy hart bound vp in that blessed vnion with the Father and the Sonne Iesus Christ.

Marke an other thing. Learne heere a forme of an effectuall and pithie salutation that the godlie should vse: first, when the godlie salutes, as Paul, Siluanus and Timothie, when they wishe any thing to thee, what wish they? Not any thing thou deserues, if thou were neuer so holie, but free grace, without any merite, as Paul heere doth: then againe, they wish it from them that hes this grace in their handes, from the Father and the Sonne. And last, they wishe it to them who stands in the vnion and conjunction with the Father and the Sonne: for this vnion will draw down the droppes of grace from the Heauen, from Iesus that is full of all grace. Therefore Brethren, these salutations of the Heathen & Gentiles, and of prophaine men now, are nothing worth; they were neuer of valure: I will not giue a pennie for Cicero his salutem dicit; nor Plato his εὐπράττειν, because in wishing well, they knew not what they wished, they called it welfare, well doing: they knew not grace, nor the free mercie of God: they knew not God, the fountaine of all grace, nor Christ his Son, from whom all grace flowes: they knew not a Church, nor the conjunction of the bodie, or the members with the head: so their salutations were of no value. Euen so it is this day with prophaine men, who knowes not God, nor Christ nor the Church, nor knowes not his conjunction, their salutations are not worthie a stray; all their good dayes and good euenings are deare of right noght, for their salutations are only prophaine words, and when they are blessing with their mouthes, they are cursing in their hearts.

Now, brethren, to goe fordward to the next part, which containes this congratulation & rejoysing together with the Thessalonians, for those graces of God which were bestowed on them Ye se the words: We giue God alvvayes thanks for you, making mention of you in our prayers. In this congratulation he rejoyses together with them, for the graces the Lord hath showne on them: in rejoysing for the graces showne on them he forgets not God the geuer of all grace, but in rejoysing with them, he glorifies God & thanks him for them, and so acknowledges al the graces that were in the Thessalonians, to flow out of this fountaine, he acknowledges their faith, their charitie, their hope, not to come of themselues, but to be of God: and therefore in rejoysing with them, hee geues God the glorie of all the graces that was in them. Why should wee not congratulate and rejoise for the graces of God we se in others? we are bound to doe it. Thou art oblisht to rejoise with him that rejoyses for the graces of God geuen him, as if they were geuen to thy selfe. Paul sayes, Reioyce vvith them that reioyses: mourne vvith them that mournes. Rom. 12. 15. Wee are bounde when wee see the grace of God in anie people or nation, to commend it in them: for it is said trewlie, vvhen grace or vertew is commended, it growes. But looke that thy rejoysing, thy commendation of men for the grace thou sees in them, be to the end that thou may glorifie God, who is the Author and fountaine of all the grace, looke that in commending of men, if it were all the Monarchs in the earth, on paine of thy lyfe thou forget not God. Looke first vp to the geuer, and then to him who hath receyued: say not, Sir, or my Lord, I commend you for your good witte, and gouernance, I commend you for your man-hood and wisdome. The flattering Gentiles that knew not God sayes so: but thou who art a Christian speake not so to any man: but say, I giue thanks to God who is the fountaine of all grace, for the grace he hes geuen to thee: thou hast no good grace no wisdom, no manhood, &c. but that which God the Author of grace hes geuen thee: as euer thou would see the glorie of that God, who euer thou be haue thy eye first of al, in al thy speaking and doing on the glorie of that God. I confesse there are many impediments casten in betwixt thy eyes and the glorie of God, but striue to get a sight of that glorie, or else thou shall neuer be partaker of that glorie. Thou may haue a shadow of glorie in the world for a while, but as the must before the Sunne vanishes away, so shall thou and thy glorie vanish away, to thy euerlasting confusion, if thou striue not to haue the glorie of God before thy eyes. Then hes thou anie good graces in thy selfe? giue God the glory: What hast thou, that thou hast not receyued?. 1. Cor. 4. 7. Giue him the glorie and praise of all: if it were eating and drinking at thy dinner: looke that thou eat to his glorie, and drinke to his glorie 1. Cor. 10. 31. And say in the meane-tyme, I doe not this so much to feede this mortall bodie, as I doe it to glorifie thy Majestie. When thou liues, liue to him: deying, die to him; consecrate thy life and death to him. Fye on vs that can not learne to giue the glorie of all to our Redeemer. As for mee, brethren, I craue nothing more, nor that the glorie of God may shine before my eyes in my vocation, that when I speake or thinke, all maye be to his glorie, that in the end I may haue this assurance that I shall bee glorified vvith him for euer. But yet to sticke to the wordes: He sayes not; I giue thanks, but vve giue thankes, I, and Siluanus and Timotheus giue thanks: Hee sayes not for an handfull or a certaine nomber of you, but for you all. He sayes not for a tyme, but alvvayes. Marke all these wordes: He sayes, vve all, and that for all, vve thanke euer. It is a large thanking, and it testifies that the graces shovvne on the Thessalonians vvere large. When the graces of God are shovvne on me, on thee, or on anie people, thy heart must not bee narrovv, but it must bee enlarged, and thy mouth must be oppenned vvyde to praise and magnifie God the geuer of all. Or else I assure thee, vvhen his grace is large, if thy heart be narrovv, and thy mouth be oppenned but a little, the Lord shal draw in his hand & diminish his grace to thee. So is sene of it in Edinburgh this day, the graces of god on thee ô Edinburgh were large, but thy heart was narrow, and thy mouh was not oppened wide. Therefore the Lord is pinching his graces; if it so continew, woe will be to thee. Go this grace of the Ministrie away, and the Lord close mens mouthes and let them not speak to thee, all thy grace is gone; and I thinke the Lord is beginning to pinche his graces on vs, for that glorious Gospell which was preached with great libertie, and was so powerfull in the land, hes lost the power: and the nomber of the godlie of the land is contracted, for the one depends vpon the other: therefore cry, that the Lord may make his grace abound, and that he would continew with vs the light of his Euangell.

Now to the next words. He joynes with thankes-geuing, prayer: Praier ioyned vvith thāks-geuing. Making mention of you in our prayers: It is not aneugh to thank God for the grace that eyther we, or others haue receyued, but also thou must pray: Cry for grace and continuance of grace; for I assure thee, if vvith thankes-geuing there be not prayer for continuance, the grace receyued shall decay. Amongst all the rest of the meanes the Lord hes appoynted for continuance of grace, earnest prayer to God is an especiall meane. So as thou vvouldst haue thy selfe standing in grace, pray euer for grace, for there is no moment, but vve are readie to fall away, except the Lord hold vs vp. The meane to entertaine grace, is, earnest prayer. The Lord holde vs vp and let vs not fall: but if the meane be not vsed, fall shall vve, thogh all the vvorld had said the contrair.

It is to be marked farther. He sayes, in our prayers. As hee would say, in our daylie prayers we are accustomed to pray to God; in our daylie prayers we forget you not, but we remember you. Marke this, Brethren. He is not meete to pray for others, that can not pray for himselfe, nor hes no acquaintance nor accesse to God. Who can solist for any man, when he hes no accesse to him vvhom hee folists? Canst thou pray for me to my God, and thou haue no accesse to him? He vvho vvill pray for others, must be vvell acquainted vvith God, and haue a daylie accesse to him. And hovv svveete a thing is it to haue familiar accesse to him? for all the joy of the world is not comparable to that joy, which the soule findes when it is exercised with the Lorde familiarlie: for when thy heart is with him, no doubt he is with thee. Alasse, beastlie man, fy on thee that euer thou was borne, and thou haue not that svveete sense of joy that flowes from the meditation on the Lord: wilt thou let thy soule be euer stupide and senslesse? vvilt thou neuer be a Citizen of Heauen, expecting for the glorious comming of Christ, but ay ly as a sowe, muzling and grountling vpon the earth? vvilt thou neuer look vp with thy eyes to Heauen? vvilt thou ay be looking dovvn? If thou doe so thou shalt fall dovvn at last to that euerlasting damnation. The Lord raise vs vp, for heauy are we: we are dead lumps ay tending downward & can get no rising vp: the Lord raise vp our soules therfore to heuen.

Now followes the cause wherefore he rejoyses with them, in the next verse. Without ceasing, remembring your effectuall faith. That is one, and diligent loue; that is tvvo: the third is, and the patience of your hope in the Lord Iesus Christ, in the sight of God, euen, our Father. Heere, brethren, not to escape the wordes, I see, first, an vncessant and perfite remembrance of the graces, God hes geuen his people, as Faith, Charitie and Patience. I see, then, in the example of Paul, Siluanus and Timotheus, that, in the memorie and heart of the godlie, the graces of God showen, eyther on themselues, or others, makes a deepe impression; when they see the graces of God, they take a deepe apprehension of them. In the wicked it is otherwise: let God raine down graces from Heauen on them selues and others also, as they come, so they goe, they remember neuer a good turne doen to them. Now, on this remembrance followes prayer, they remember with joy, euer praying, remembring by night, euer praying, remēbring by day, euer praying, at lest, in the hart, if not outwardly in words. Marke it: a man that would pray wel to God, must be of a good remembrance: vvould thou pray well? remember well: Prepare thee to pray, by remembrance of the blessings of God and pray then. What matter hast thou of prayer, when thou remembers not his blessings? So, all tends to this; that, thou be carefull to remember the blessings of God: and as thou remembers, say, Lord, I thanke thee for that blessing. I tell thee, the losing of remembrance of the grace of God, showne to thee and others, hes lost many graces to thee: if thou remember not the graces bygone, and be not thankfull for them, the grace of God will grow narrow, and become barren and turne away from thee.

Now to come to the end shortlie, let vs touch the cause of this joy; first here are thre graces of god that comes to the Thessalonians, Causes of thanks giuing faith, hope & charity wherfore Paul thankes God in their behalfe, to witte faith, charitie and hope. I see these thre graces recounted by the Apostle in other places: in the 1. to the Cor. cha. 13. 13. And novv sayes he, abyds thre things, faith, hope and charitie, but the cheefest of of those is charitie, because when the rest go away, it abides in the life to come: in these thre stands the perfection of the life of a christian man, in faith towards God and the Lord Iesus: begin at them in this life, begin at God & Christ his Son, & be joyned to him by faith: then come on to loue towards thy neighbour, loue thy neighbour: woe to thee that loues not thy neighbour: thou loues not God if thou loue not thy neighbour. And because our life is not here, but it is hid vp with God in Christ, thou must await for thy life in him, and so comes in hope, hope for thy life in him: these thre must conuoy & accompany thee heer, till thou possesse that life. So faith is the beginning of grace, faith joynes thee with God throgh Christ, with a sweet conjunction, whereby all flowes out of him to thee, for as we said in the beginning, no blessing but in that conjunction with him. Faith brings forth charitie, the bud of faith is charitie; and there is such a sure bond betwene faith and charitie, that the one can not be without the other. If thou say, thou hast faith to God, and haue not loue to the Church, & the rest of the members of the body, thou art a lyar. Now the end of all grace in this life, is hope; hope of saluation and glorie, grace in this life ends in hope: it begins at faith, grows in loue, and ends in hope; & that is the last degre, it goes no farther: for as to saluation, thou can not get it heere; the farthest thou can reach to, is to hope, reaching vp to heauen, expecting that glorie that is appointed to thee there. The Apostle recounting the armor of a christian man. 1. Thes. 5. 8. ends in hope, he begins at faith, & thē to loue, & ends at hope: & speaking of the graces we haue in the Gospell, as temperance, righteousnes and godlines; Tit. 2. 13. He subjoines: Avvaiting for that hope and appearing of that glorie of that great God, and of our Sauior Iesus Christ. Where ye see he puts on hope as it were a crowne on the rest of the graces: hope, I say, is the last of all the graces in this earth, and we can go no farther, but in that life to come farewell hope: for we shall get the full sight and fruition of all the graces that now we looke for: my eyes shall se my Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ. So there the grace of graces in the other life, sight: for we liue heerby faith, and not by sight, but then we shall get that full sight of glorie, for vve shall se him as he is. 1. Ioh. 3. 2.

Yet to stick to the words: he sets out these vertues & graces, not simplie, but, he descriues some one vvay, some another way: and so, he cals it not faith, but, effectuall faith, or, vvorking faith: he sayes not, loue simplie; but, a diligent and labouring loue: and he cals it not hope simplie, but, the patience of your hope: a patient hope, Faith vvorking a vvorking faith, a laborious loue. Novv, let vs consider the exercises of euerie one of them. Faith hes her excerise, in vvorking: what vvorks she? working out the filth of nature: (fy on the foull nature of men & wemen): so, that, the exercise of faith in Iesus, is in cleansing the foull heart and euerie corner of it. And therefore, in the chap. 15. vers. 9. of the Acts, faith is said to purge the heart: for, by faith, Iesus dwelles in the heart, and Christ can not be idle, hee will be exercised, and he purges out the foull stinke of nature that lyes hid in euerie corner of the heart. Hee that is not exercised in cleansing of his heart vtters euidentlie, that, he neuer had faith, say vvhat he vvill. This is the vvorke of faith.

Novv, Charitie is laborious. to come to Charitie. Faith is exercised inwardlie, in the hart, Charitie is exercised outwardlie, in the hand, and can not be idle: labouring, not for her selfe, but, for me and thee, and those, that are about her, and he who hes charitie, or, he should not doe good to his neighbour, he will rather want his hand: fy on them, who will not worke with their hands, to helpe others. This land is full of idle men, & so, it can not be without judgement, thowsands going idle, in all parts, and how can charitie be keeped, without labour? if thou were a Lord, put to thy hand, and call to God, for to sanctifie thy labour, it is vanitie to sit idle, put to thy hand and doe good to thy selfe, or, some others, or, else, sore shall that count be, that thou shall make.

Now, come to hope. What is sho doing? She is bound vnder the Crosse, lying in patience, looking for that glorious reuelation of God: Hope patient. I tell thee, either be exercised in suffering for the glorious appearance of Iesus christ or else thou shalt lose hope: for as concerning hope she must be a sufferer; for it is said, It behoued vs throgh many tribulations to enter in the kingdome of God. Act. 14. 22. So thy hope that awaits for the kingdome of God, must be endewed with patience, otherwayes, if it be not joyned with patience, to endure tribulation, that the Lord shall lay on thee thou and thy hope shall both fall. And therfore when thou thinkest on hope, joyne euer the companion thereof, patience to it. 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 25. with hope joynes patience. Heb. 6. 15. Abraham avvaited patientlie: and therafter enioyed the promise: hope on, indure all, with the power of God, thou shall enjoy all, and preuail: for hope neuer made man to be ashamed, hope in God for saluation, for he hath promised. and is able to performe: and hope makes not ashamed. Rom. 5. 5. Then to take vp this matter, I see all the graces of God are quick; a dead grace is naught, all are liuelie, either exercised in one exercise or other: Faith is working, Charitie is laborious, Hope is suffering, each one hes their owne exercise and therefore let not an ydle bodie that is not exercised in sanctifying of the heart by faith, of the hand by charitie, that refuses suffering in hope, let him not thinke he hes these graces of God. Thou that hast no work, no faith, no laboring, no charitie, thou that can not beare patientlie, and who at euerie thing comming to thee art readie to dispare, thou that can not ly vnder the crosse, thou hes no hope. And therefore as thou would finde grace in the life to come, looke that thou be exercised in this life, for if thou be not exercised heere, thou shalt enter in that damnation, where there shall be no end of thy labour: & thou that wil be exercised in faith, charitie, and hope, assure thee in the life to come, thou shall not be pyned with worke, thou shalt cease from thy labour, and the teares shall be wyped from thy eyes, all paine and anguish shall be put away. Looke then how ye will spend a moment, to eschew an eternitie, if thou passe thy tyme idle, and do no good heere, neither to thy selfe, nor to thy neighbor, thy labour shall endure euerlastinglie. Thou who wilt not spend a moment in labour, looke not to obtaine rest for euer.

In the end of the verse he places, and groundes this patient hope on Iesus Christ; there is her ground & foundation. Looke the words. And the patience of your hope, in our Lord Iesus Christ, in the sight of God the Father. The faith and hope being begunne on Iesus, Hope grūded on Christ. a ground immoueable, all the worlde can not shake it. He setteth to her witnesse God the Father: He must be witnesse, and must stand looking into the heart, to see what sinceritie is in the heart. So beside the patience wherewith hope must be indewed, she must be enarmed to dree out this destinie, she can not sustaine trouble, except she be grounded. The ground is the Lord Iesus, immoueable for euer: who is able to shake him? If my hope be set on Iesus, I defye all the worlde: shake me as thou wilt, no more nor thou is able to moue him out of his place, no more art thou able to moue my hope out of my hart. There is the foundation she must haue. Yet more, she must haue a witnesse, & he who hopes must hope before the Father: for the Father seeth all, and there is no sinceritie but in the Spirit of God; and thou who wilt hope, consider God is before thee looking into thine heart, and haue him euer before thy eyes: otherwayes, thou shalt do nothing in thy life-tyme sincerelie, but all thy cogitations, motions, and actions of thy hand are all in hypocrisie. Therefore when thou doest any thing do it sincerelie, and say, My God is looking on me: and therefore Lord prepare my heart to doe it sincerely: let me not seeke no approbation of men, but let me seek the approbation of thee my God. It is a miserie to se men in the world, they wil steale from God as it were to a backside, because they can not abide his eye: euery man taketh counsaile, at it were, to hate God, and he flyes from God, because his pleasure is in hypocrisie: and thou vaine man likes neuer to do any thing in sincerity, but would, as it wer, fyle thy own eyes and Gods eyes, and the eyes of all the world with thy counterfaite falshood: therfore as thou would be approued in conscience, flee not from the sight of God, but craue his presence, that light may come from him & lighten thee, that in that light thou may walke and studie to be acceptable to God, with whom thou must be & bid all this world farewell. Wo to them that studies not to be approued of God, & gettes not that approbation in their consciences. To this God the Father, with the Son and the holy Spirite, be all praise for euer.

AMEN.