A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

¹This same reason here propounded, must induce us to make a true confession of Christ against the world, & all Christs enemies: which to do is a very hard matter, and man of himself cannot stand out; but yet the consideration of this, that Christ will confess him at the last day, will be a notable motive and means to enable him thereto. If an earthly Prince should come to a man among a great company and call him by his name, speaking kindly unto him, he would esteem it a great honour unto him; and for that he would not stick to die in the Princes cause. Oh then, what honour is this, that Christ Jesus will in the last day vouchsafe to all those that in this life do sincerely confess him, and overcome! he will confess them to be his, and receive them to his own glory. But on the contrary, those that will not confess him here, but disgrace him; either by false doctrine or profaneness of life, will Christ at the day of judgement utterly disgrace, by denying them to be his, and there pronounce upon them the fearful sentence of condemnation, Go ye cursed, &c. Which if we would then escape, and also procure unto us the joyful voice of absolution: we must here labour to hold the truth of Christs doctrine, & also keep a good conscience unto the end. But if we only profess him in judgement, and not in the practise of a holy life, surely Christ will profess that he knows us not, and then give us our portion with the devil and his angels.

¹This same reason here propounded, must induce vs to make a true confession of Christ against the world, & all Christs enemies: which to doe is a very hard matter, and man of himself cannot stand out; but yet the consideration of this, that Christ will confesse him at the last day, will be a notable motiue and means to inable him thereto. If an earthly Prince should come to a man among a great company and call him by his name, speaking kindly vnto him, hee would esteeme it a great honour vnto him; and for that he would not sticke to die in the Princes cause. Oh then, what honour is this, that Christ Iesus will in the last day vouchsafe to all those that in this life doe sincerely confesse him, and ouercome! he will confesse them to bee his, and receiue them to his owne glorie. But on the contrary, those that will not confesse him heere, but disgrace him; either by false doctrine or profanesse of life, will Christ at the day of iudgement vtterly disgrace, by denying them to be his, and there pronounce vpon them the fearefull sentence of condemnation, Goe ye cursed, &c. Which if we would then escape, and also procure vnto vs the ioyfull voyce of absolution: we must here labour to hold the truth of Christs doctrine, & also keep a good conscience vnto the end. But if we only professe him in iudgement, and not in the practise of a holy life, surely Christ will professe that he knows vs not, and then giue vs our portion with the diuell and his angels.