And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt ⟨p. 282⟩know the Lord. The external betrothing by outward covenant, so as God betroths himself to all professing the true faith,1 may be broken, for though God offer them mercy if they will believe, yet he gives not faith to them, but the internal by effectual disposition, of which the Prophet speaketh in this place, is indissoluble. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, & doth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. But all the faithful are built upon the rock, not upon the rock now, and anon upon the sand,2 but once built upon the rock, they remain unmoveable. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it: assail it they may, prevail against it they shall not.3 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand: My Father which gave them me, is greater then all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation; or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 4Nay, in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, 5and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 6Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when he shall appear, we ⟨p. 283⟩shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is.
And I will betroth thee vnto me for euer; yea I will betroth thee vnto me in righteousnesse, and in iudgement, and in louing kindnesse, and in mercies. I will euen betroth thee vnto me in faithfulnesse, and thou shalt ⟨p. 282⟩know the Lord. The externall betrothing by outward couenant, so as God betrothes himselfe to all professing the true faith,1 may be broken, for though God offer them mercie if they will belieue, yet hee giues not faith to them, but the internall by effectuall disposition, of which the Prophet speaketh in this place, is indissoluble. Whosoeuer heareth these sayings of mine, & doth them, I wil liken him vnto a wise man, which built his house vpō a rock: And the raine descended, and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat vpon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded vpon a rocke. But all the faithfull are built vpon the rocke, not vpon the rocke now, and anone vpon the sand,2 but once built vpon the rocke, they remaine vnmoueable. Thou art Peter, and vpon this rocke I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it: assaile it they may, preuaile against it they shall not.3 My sheepe heare my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, And I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand: My Father which gaue them me, is greater then all: and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ? Shall tribulation; or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword? 4Nay, in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Blessed bee the God and Father of our Lord I•sus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, 5and vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in Heauen for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation, ready to be reuealed in the last time. 6Beloued, now we are the sonnes of God, and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be: but we know, that when he shall appeare, wee
- 1Rom. 9.24, 25. 1. Pet. 2.8, 9, 10 Math. 7.24, 25.
- 2Math. 16.18.
- 3John 10.27, 28, 29. Ezek. 34.15, 16.Iohn 10.27, 28, 29. Ezek. 34.15, 16.
- 4Rom. 8.35, 37. Rom. 11 29.
- 51. Pet. 1.3, 4, 5.
- 61. John 3.2.1. Iohn 3.2.
