Lecture 13 · 1 Thessalonians 3:13–4:3

THE XIII. LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

IN the wordes going before, ye heard (brethren) the Apostle makes mention to the Thessalonians, of that earnest prayer he vsed to God for them: that once it would please God to graunt him a prosperous journey to them. He fell out immediatly in a prayer. The prayer containes thre parts: the first part is, that God the Father and the Lord Iesus vvould direct his vvay tovvardes them. The second part is, that how euer it should fall out, vvhether he should come to them or not, at Gods pleasure: yet that they shoulde abound in loue, euery one tovvardes another, and not that onelie, but in loue to all men: yea, tovvarde their verie enemies.

Now shortly to come to our text. In the last verse of this chapter, ye haue the third head of his prayer: he beseeches God to giue them holinesse; holinesse in generall, all kinde of holinesse. As he prayed before that they might abound in loue and charitie, vvhich is a part of holinesse: So novv he prayes they should haue all sort of holinesse. Thereafter in the chapter following, he falles out in precepts of good maners, and holie lyfe and conuersation, and this he follovves out to the end of the Epistle: sauing onely by the vvay he casts in one or tvvo informations resoluing them of certaine doubtes: the first concerning the mourning for the dead: the second concerning the day of Iudgement and the comming of the Lord Iesus. Novv to returne. He prayes for holinesse to them. And vvhat should this holinesse doe? To make your hearts (sayes he) stable and vnblameable before God. And at vvhat tyme? especiallie at the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ. In vvhat companie should they be established with holinesse? They alone? No, but vvith all his Saints: in that happie societie of the Church of God and the Saintes. There is the effect shortlie of this thirtienth verse. Then brethren marke. It is holinesse, not a fashion of holinesse in outvvard behauiour; Holines stablishes our harts before God. but vvithin the heart of a man or vvoman, that makes them stand vp in the presence of God, that establishes them without feare, terrour, or trembling when they stand before the. Tribunall of a terrible Iudge. Where there is no holinesse, no sinceritie of heart in man, but an heart filled vvith foull affections; full of vncleannesse and filthinesse, there the heart dare not present the selfe before the face of God, for feare that wrath come out from his angrie face, and burne it vp. The Apostle Heb. 12. 14. sayes, Without holinesse, no man shall see God; for if they see him, at shall be to their destruction. When he looks into the heart, and findes not holinesse and cleannesse there; his looke shall destroy the heart, and he shall make it tremble and shake at his presence. Brethren, many hes experience of an euill conscience: vncleannesse makes euer an euill conscience: and a man with an euill conscience is not able to stand in the sight of God. There is not an vncleane body but he findes this in experience. They runne euer to some hole and cannot abide the holie sight of God: he is holie, thou vnholie: he looks throgh thee, thou canst not abide his sight. Now it is true our compearance before God and his Tribunal, shall stand in the righteous merits of Christ Iesus, & except we be cled with that perfit righteousnesse of Christ, imputed to vs by faith, ther is no slanding for vs. Rom. 5. 1. But it is as true, if thou findst not again in some measure some holinesse and cleannesse inherent in thy self; thou shalt neuer stand before God: for where the righteousnesse of Iesus is, wher remission of sins is in any man, there of necessitie must be some measure of holinesse & purenesse of life in him also. If thou be justified by the fre mercy of God in Christ, of necessitie thou must be sanctified & must haue some spark of godlinesse in thy selfe: for those whom he hes justified, he also hes sanctified. So when euer a man hes the justice of Christ imputed vnto him, of necessitie he must haue a share of this justice inherent in himself: wants he a part of this holinesse, brag as he will, he hes no cleannesse throgh the blood of Christ. Iames sayes, If thou hast faith, let me se it thy vvorks. 2. 18. If any by grace be sanctified in Christ, let them vtter it in some measure in works: otherwaies they lie. So this holds sure. No standing to vs before God, except there be holinesse in vs.

Now the stiles are to be marked in the text which are giuen to God; First he is called God: then our Father. The name of God, a name of Majestie and of great glorie. The name of Father, a name of homelinesse and louingnesse. Marke it. If God vvere nothing else to vs but God, that is to say, but an high Maiestie, full of all glorie: if that Majestie dimmitted not himselfe to be a louing Father to vs through Iesus, there were no standing for vs before him, our heart durst neuer present the selfe before him. A sinne is not able to looke vpon God, as he is God onelie, in Majestie, Honour, Glorie and Iustice. No, the whole Majesties of the world dare not face him as he is God onely. All our compearing before him is, because, as he is God in Majestie and glorie: so in Christ he is become a louing Father to vs: and if vve receiue not the Spirite (that is called the Spirite of adoption, testifying to our spirite, that he is become our Father in Iesus Christ, and we are adopted in Christ; and therefore opens our mouthes to cry Abba, Father) vve would neuer haue a face to looke to him, nor a mouth to speake to him. And so as he is become a Father to vs in Christ, so craue that thou mayst get that Spirite of adoption, that thy mouth may be opened wide, with sweetnesse, to cry, Abba, Father Moreouer, these very stiles learns vs, how our harts should be disposed when we come and stand before him, euen heer in his congregation, & church, where his presence is. (We are now in his sight and presence.) He is a God in Majestie; A Majestie would haue feare and reuerence. So ther is the first thing, stand before this Majesty of God in feare and reuerence. Then there must be more then this: he is a Father, and therefore, thou shouldst loue him: so thou shouldst both reuerence and loue him together: If these two be together, they shall mak thee to be in good temper to stand before God.

Now come to the time when the hart shal be established. It is, at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. It is true brethren, euen in this life, before that glorious appearing of Christ, we stand before God in holinesse, and our hearts are established before him without rebuke in a manner: and euen now at this present time, who euer they be who hes holinesse in their hearts, they finde, in effect, their harts standing in his presence; when they looke to that face of his Majestie shining in the Gospell, with the eye of faith, the heart is established before the face of God, and God is pacified, and beholds them in quietnesse. Let all men discend in their hearts, and if they haue holinesse, I assure them they will haue peace and quyetnesse in the hart, when they think on him, Then this is true. Euen in this life before the great day, we stand before him established in holinesse: but it is as true, so long as we liue in this life, ther is euer a peece of vnquyetnes in the harts of the most godlie: and there are none of vs who can find so peaceable an heart before God, as we should haue. There is euer so long as we liue heere a peece of euill conscience for sinne. The cause is, because so long as we liue heer, we are but holy in a part and that in a verie sober part: sinne leaues vs neuer, and therfore the prick in the conscience for sinne leaues vs neuer, And where this euill conscience is, there must euer be a peece of feare and terrour to stand before that heauenlie presence. But vvhen the Lord shall come in that latter day, which is called the day of judgement, when Christ shall appeare in that great day, the heart of the godlie shall be established before him, without any feare or terrour. If thou be one of the chosen of God, thou shalt stand before the face of God, vvith an heart in peace, vvithout any terrour. (But ô how great shall the feare of the heart of the wicked men be?) the cause is, because thou shalt not so soone see the face of the Lord Iesus, that faire glorious face, but as soone in the moment of thy resurrection, thou shalt be transformed in a perfite holinesse, both in body and soule. And therefore the Apostle sayes. Philip. 3. 21. When we shall see him, We shall be transformed, and this vyle body of ours, shall be made conformable to his glorious body, and vvhen vve shall see him, vve shall be made like him in glorie and holinesse, vvithout any spot or vvrinckle, or any part of deformitie in bodie or soule. What then is it, that puts this terrour in our heart to stand before God? Onely sinne. So when all sinne shall be taken away, all feare shall be taken away. Then, seeing there is no perfite quyetnesse vntill vve see him; why should not our desire be to see him? wherefore should all this feare be of this latter day, seeing thou wilt neuer be established in heart, nor get thy full glorie vntil his comming at that day? thy blessednesse shall be perfite there. I finde in the Scripture the perfection of all graces differred vntill that time. Ye shall finde no grace, Perfectiō of al graces differred til the latter day. but the perfection thereof is remitted vntill that day. Paul in the same Epistle. 2. chap. 19. vers. My joy is in the sight of God, and of Iesus Christ, at his comming: He gets not perfection of joy, vntill he come. And therefore he will not promise to the Thessalonians their joy vntill that day; no perfection of grace, mercie and peace, vntill God put an end to sinne, to death, and wickednesse. Looke then if we should long for that latter day; we looke heere and there for this thing and that thing; but who lookes for that comming of the Lord? Alas, if we knevv vvhat grace and joy Christs comming brought to vs, vve vvould looke for nothing so much, as for his comming. We are earthlie, and therefore all our lookes are for earthlie thinges: we are not spirituall, and so we cannot looke for that spirituall grace. The Lord prepare vs to looke for, and desire that glorious comming. All these earthlie thinges goes away; Heauen onelie abydes. What foolishnesse is this, seeing we are subject to mortality, that we should set our hearts on this world: our dwelling must not be here; but in Heauen in endliesse joy. Seeke it earnestly therefore.

Novv in the end of this verse he telles vs in vvhat company, and with whom we shal be established in holinesse before God: thou shalt not be holy thy selfe alone: thou shalt not be an a per se in holinesse, doe as thou wilt, either shalt thou be in a societie, in a companie vvith many more nor thou; All graces in the societie of the sants or else thou shalt neuer be holie, nor see the face of God. This is plaine. Either thou shalt be in the Church, which is the communion of the Saintes of God, or else thou shalt neuer see Gods presence. He will leape out of it at this side, and he at that side; but if thou come not in again in that same societie (yea, and to the number of this church and of the Saintes that professes Christ this day in Scotland) thou shalt neuer see Gods face. All blessinges, grace, mercie, and peace euerlasting before God is in the companie of the Church, that professe the truth and puritie of the Gospell of Christ: not in the company of them, who will take the name of a Church, or that false Church, the Romane Church. So let him vvho vvill stand vvith holinesse in the number of the Saintes, seuere from Babylon, or else he shall be partaker of the judgement. So (brethren) to come againe, ye shall not read in the Scripture of any grace giuen to any man, but ye shall finde that it is giuen to him as a member of that bodie, as one of the Saintes, in the societie of the Saintes. In the first to the Ephesians verse 18. speaking of the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of Heauen; he sayes, thou shalt neuer get it but among the Saintes. Then againe he sayes, chap. 3. vers. 18. Who shall vnderstand the loue and charitie of God? None but they that are in the societie of the Saintes. No light, mercie nor knowledge of God, but to them that stands knit vp as members in the bodye of Christ: ye see, cut off a member of the body and cast it away; no sap can follow from the body to it: So, if thou be cut off from the number of the Saintes, vvho are the Church of God, thou shalt neuer get any grace of Christ.

Now to the next chapter. In the fourth and fift chapters followes the last part of this Epistle, containing the doctrine of maners, exhorting to holinesse of lyfe, and godlinesse. But to the wordes. He sayes, And furthermore, As he would say, all is not tolde: I will tell that which rests, which is the doctrine of maners, precepts of godlie lyfe and conuersation. When we haue teached all the yeere ouer; when we haue tolde you the doctrine of justification, sanctification, &c. so long as there is no speaking of a godly lyfe and conuersation; and so long as we haue not tolde you, how ye should lead your lyfe; there is euer something behinde vnspoken of. Neuer a full and perfite preaching, wher there is nothing spoken of a good or of an euill lyfe and conuersation. For, there is such a necessitie laid on men and wemen in this world, that all serues for nothing, except they liue a good & holy life: Thy profession of loue, righteousnesse, mercie, & all the rest is but vanitie and winde, if thy conuersation toward thy neighbour be not aunswerable to thy profession: it is a shame to thee to speake of Christ, of holinesse, of righteousnesse, of life euerlasting, except thou liue conforme thereto. And therefore, ye shall neuer read any Epistle of Paul, but euer vvhen he hes spoken of faith, justification, &c. then in the end he subjoynes precepts charging vs to liue a godlie lyfe. And more then this; Trow ye, in the end, at Christs comming to judgement, that the pretence of faith or righteousnes will be sufficient to thy eternal saluation. No, but we must liue holie: for, al the blessinges of God in Christ tends to this end that we may liue holie: yea, this is the end of election it selfe. Ephes. 1. 4. Paul sayes. We are chosen from all eternitie that we should be holie. Then we should liue soberlie and justlie with our neighbour. Tit. 2. 12. And therefore either cast avvay profession of Christianitie, and heare neuer a word of faith, righteousnesse, &c. or else striue to liue conforme thereto. This in generall.

Now to the wordes. I beseech and exhort you, and that in the Lord Iesus Christ. What exhorts he? that they increase more and more in godlie lyfe and conuersation. As for the forme of your going forward, I haue tolde you the forme. hovv ye should vvalke in this world; walke conformable thereto. The words would be well marked, I beseech and exhort you, sayes he, in the Lord Iesus. He might haue well said, I command you; as wrytting to Philemon vers. 8. 9. he sayes, When I might command thee, in the name of Iesus: yet, rather, for loues sake, I pray thee. Loue turnes the command in a prayer. All doctrin that comes from any person must come of loue, or else it is deare of the hearing. Now he showes his loue, in speaking; for the wordes comes from the heart, and so among al the rest of the wayes, whereby he vtters the loue he had in his heart, this is one, when precept and commaund is turned ouer to requeesting. When he may commaund he will not, but he turnes it ouer and exhortes. Ye may marke this verie oft in the Epistles of Paul. Now the wordes are dowbled: He is not content to say, I beseech you: but he sayes also, I exhort you. There is no vvord lost heere. This doubling of the vvordes testifies of the earnestnesse that vvas in his heart to haue this people going forvvard in this godlie life: and consequentlie of the necessitie that lyes on euerie one of vs, to liue holie in this life. For, vvhere there is no necessitie, why should a man be earnest? but seeing there is a necessitie lying on all people, that either they must liue a godlie life in this worlde, or else be damned, woe to that Pastor that is no busie to stirre vp the people to liue godlie and holilie. As there is a necessitie in them to liue holie; so, there is a necessitie in him to charge them to liue holie. And therefore, blame not the Pastor to be busie, eyther to pray, admonishe, or othervvayes to correct, and to reproue sinne. For, he hes a necessitie laid on him, vnder the paine of damnation, to pushe you forvvard to Heauen. For the Lord Iesus sake, that is, as euer they vvoulde looke for mercie and grace at Iesus hand; as he would say, if ye liue wel, ye shall finde him to be a merciful God: otherwaies, if ye liue euill, to be a terrible judge to you. This is some seueritie against them. Sweetnesse and sharpnesse must be joined together, thou must be moued to thy duetie, partlie by sweetnesse, & partly by sharpnesse: therfore, with his request he joines this so weghty an obtestation; & this is a common custome to this Apostle. 2. Cor. 10. 1. More, this telles that howbeit a man vse prayer and faire wordes where he might command, yet, we should not abuse his lenitie and patience; for, if thou meete lenitie and patience with disobedience, it shall bring on a greater judgement: nor if he had vsed threatning and seueritie. The greater lenitie that a man vses to thee to winne thee; if thou wilt not be winne, the greater shall be thy condemnation, and thou heapst on coales on thy owne head.

Now what is this he exhorts them to? That they euer ease more and more. That they goe forward still on with instantnesse, vntill they come to the mark: for, this course of holinesse hes a faire end. Brethren, there is no standing for vs in this course of Christianitie and holinesse of life. When thou enterst once in the way, stand not there. A man will begin and runne on till euening, and then set down his staff and rest him: but we must ay runne, sleeping, waking, eating, drinking, &c. ay forward: there is not an halfe houre granted thee, no, not so much tyme as to looke ouer thy shoulder to rest thee, but ay thou ought to haue thy eie on the marke. And when thou runnest, striue, not onely to ouerrunne them that runnes with thee: but more, the words meanes, that thou shouldst ouerrunne thy owne selfe; if thou runnest fast this day, runne faster to morrow, and ay prease to run forward, and when thou art lying on dead-bed, runne fastest then, and so shalt thou finde exceeding great comfort in thy running. The Lord hes bidden thee run, and cryes out of Heauen, Run as thou wouldst saue thy selfe. What is the Pastors office? Paul when the Thessalonians are running out before him, he cryes, Runne: ye are in the rinke, runne forward, excell your selfe, runne out before your selfe vntill ye come to the end of the rinke. This is the office of the Pastor, to cry behinde you when ye are running: and this shout of the Pastor behinde the people, when they are in the rinke, is so needfull, that except he cry continuallie, Run out and excell, they shall linger and ly down. That all the world may see the great necessitie we haue, to haue this ministrie continuallie crying in our eare, runne, runne. Would to God we could let the necessitie of this cry (to runne) to sinke in our harts that we might obey it. If ye would be safe, haue pleasure in this cry, and runne on identlie, vntill ye come to the high prease of our calling.

Now followes the forme and manner of this running forward vntill they come to the end of their rinke. No other forme but the forme set downe before, ye haue receiued of vs hovv ye ought to vvalke, and please your God. Brethren, as there is a running and an instant course craued of vs, so we must run, not in euerie sort, nor after euerie manner, but we must runne with an ordor. There are rules prescryued to vs how we should runne. Order in running. The Apostle 1. Cor. chap. 9. verse 24. sayes, Runne so that thou mayest get a grip of the crovvne. To Timothie he saies, ye who striues, and wrastles, and runnes, if ye striue not lavvfullie according to a good ordor, ye shall not winne. 2 Tim. 2. 5. So when we runne, we must runne according to good ordor, not rashlie, according to our owne fantasie, but according to the good lawes of God. There is no well ruled life on earth, but that life that is ruled by the rule of God. So we all running in this rinke, must be ruled by good lawes. As Paul besoght them to runne and cries, grow more and more: euen so he giues them the Lawes to runne by. So as the Minister is bound to cry to men to runne; so the word of God is giuen to him to tell thee thou shouldest runne by this rule, or that rule: the King by his rules, the counseller in his own calling by his rules: what man that euer he be, except he run in his owne calling according to his rules he shall neuer attaine to the marke. And if the Lord take away this word that telles vs the rule, whereby we should runne, miserable shall we be. This is plaine. Take this word out of the land, all shall runne wrong. Yet there is one word heere to be marked. He calles their going forward walking: Borrowing the language from a man who is going a iourney. Ye will see in the worde, many lawes, many commands, many admonitions to put men forward in the way, to go and run: but ye heere no precept in the Scripture, to sit still, eat, drink, and take thy pleasure, seeing thy life is short. So we learne, the Lord bids vs walke. The Lord hes not ordained vs to rest heere. Whatsoeuer calling he hes giuen thee, he hes giuen thee a continuall walking and trauelling therein, vntill thou come to the end of thy journey and then thou shalt rest: he is a foolishe bodie, who will promise to himselfe rest heere: if thou rest before thy journey be complete, it shall be to thy vtter destruction. And therefore doe as he hes bidden thee; albeit it be painefull heere, yet in the end thou shalt find rest.

Now in the next words he defines this (vvalking) and calles it to please God. It is a paine to a man to walke all day, from morning to euening, and then to finde no rest, nor fruite of his labor at night: but, I say to thee, if thy walking be not to please God, thou shalt neuer get any frute of thy walking: if thy walking be not euer to please thy God, thou shalt neuer get the right way, thou shalt goe like a doting bodie, and be the farther from that glorious butt, and in the end thou shalt effectuat nothing, but in that great day thou shalt curse all thy labors and exercises; and thou shalt say, Alas my labours are all lost: I haue wearied my selfe, and now I am no better. But if thy walking be to please God, thou shalt finde a sweetnesse in thy labor, and joy in the end thereof: And when that blessed day of resurrection shall come, thou shalt say, Blessed am I in my labours, that I wrought to please my God, for now I haue gotten the butt: I finde the frute of my laboures. Paul sayes, 1. Cor. 9. 26. I runne, but not to an vncertaintie. Learne neuer to runne to an vncertaintie, but euer runne to a butt; effectuat something by your doing. The onely way to make you runne well, is to please God. A Minister, or any other in the world, who woulde runne right, must run to pleasure their God, and then they shall finde sweetnesse in their running. Now well is the soule that can endeuore the selfe to pleasure God: for, ther is no joy in the creature, but when it is set to glorify God night and day in this world: for, to this end are we set in the world. 1. Cor. 10. 31. and if we doe this, he shal set vs in the heauens to glorifie him.

Now in the next verse, he takes themselues to be witnesses that he had set before them the preceptes and lawes, whereby they should walke in the journey. Ye knovve vvhat commandement vve gaue you by the Lord Iesus. It is an happie thing to a Minister in his calling, when with a good conscience, he appeals the consciences of the people, that he cried to them and saide, ô people I bade you goe, I prescriued you rules to goe into, your blood be on your owne head; I haue discharged a faithfull duetie to you. Brethren, what auailes it vs if we should euer preache the Gospell, if we be not saued thereby? And when we teache you the Gospell, we also stir our selues forward to come to that butt Christ; our owne teaching is the meane whereby we are saued, as it is the meane whereby ye are saued. Therefore, let all goe forward together in the rinke.

Now, in the verse following, he beginnes to set down to them the rules of walking and going forward. That which he had spoken by tongue, being at Thessalonica, the same thing he puts in writ, by his pen. It is a foolish thing to a man, to say, The Apostle spoke one thing, and wrote another. No, brethren, Paul neuer spake one sentence to confirme any people, but it is registrate to vs. It is blasphemie, to thinke, that, Paul and Peter, &c. wrote not that, which they spoke: it is follie; for, there was no sentence they spoke pertaining to our saluation, but it is written. Then, the rule is, The vvill of God, vvhich is your sanctification. That is, that ye be holie in your soules, and the whole affections thereof; in your bodie, and all the members of your bodie, and all the actions of your members. So, he drawes the whole rules, which are to be obserued in this course and rinke, we haue to Heauen and life euerlasting, to holinesse and sanctification. Then, in one word, there is the manner, how thou shalt goe forward to this butt. Be holie, be holie, thou must be holie, holie in heart, hand, mouth, foot, in all the members of thy body: separate thee from the worlde, which is full of sinne, full of foull affections, displeasing the eye of thy God, and put on holinesse. Who euer they be, that goe forward in holinesse, assuredlie they shall come to the marke. Liue thou an holie life, what vocation that euer it be in, assure thee. thou shalt come to the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus. Philipp. 3. 14. To turne it ouer againe. Busie thy self as thou wilt, if that thy businesse be not in holinesse, thou art foolishe, the faster thou runnest, thou art the farther behinde. Alas, how many are there, who busies them selues in wickednesse, and the more they wearie themselues, the farther are they from Heauen: Blessed are they, who can goe forward to Heauen. Stryue to holinesse, and say. Lord, I am on my journey, I cannot goe forward, except I finde an holie heart, to thinke; an holie mouth, to speake; an holy hand, to touch: Lord, sanctifie them, that I runne not in vaine. The way to runne holilie, is to keepe euer before thy eies, God, that holie one, in the face of Iesus; and to cry, O Lord, guide me in holinesse: And I assure thee, if thou wilt striue to liue holilie, and cry to God, to guide thee in holinesse, thou shalt come to that endlesse joy: But, if thou let God out of thy eye, thou shalt perishe. Brethren, this life will away, and therefore, set your harts to run to that euerlasting life.

Nowe, hauing set downe the generall, he deduces it in parts, and the first part, he takes vp, is cleannesse of the bodie: as he would say, fyle not the bodie with fornication; fyle thou thy bodie with fornication, thou shalt not thinke a cleane thought, speake a cleane word, or, doe any cleane deed. Surelie, all sinnes pollutes, and fyles: The sinne, that comes from the heart, if it were but an euill motion, it goes back againe and leaues a foull blot behinde it: a rotten deed, leaues a blot behinde it, a foull worde in the mouth, goes back, and leaues a foull blot in the hart: when thou hast spoken a word, thou art not quite thereof, but, it comes back againe and fyles the soule. It goes not from thee so lightlie as thou trowest, no, it leaues ay a foull blot behinde it. So, this corruption growes daily. Brethren, I tell you, all sinnes fylles the bodie: yet, of all sinnes, harlotrie especiallie fyles the bodie. Looke the comparison, the Apostle vses 1. Cor. 6. 18. The bodie of an harlote, of all bodies is the foullest. Alas, such a fyling of the bodie and soule, followes vpon adulterie, that it is wonderfull to tell. Seeing, therefore, speciall pollution of the bodie, followes on fornication. I beseech you, (as ye would present your selfe before God in cleannesse) abstaine from harlotrie: An harlot will trauell long, ere he come to heauen, thy heart and bodie must be sanctified, before thou come to Heauen. And so as thou would come forward to Heauen, stryue to keepe a cleane bodie and soule to God; and speciallie, abstaine from this vyce of fornication. Lord keepe vs from it, vntill we come to the end of our journey, that we may be presented clean before christ. To whom with the Father, and holie Spirit, be honour and praise for euer.

AMEN.