A32047:159
The noble-mans pattern of true and real thankfulness presented in a sermon preached before…The noble-mans patterne of true and reall thankfulnesse presented in a sermon preached before…
The noble-mans pattern of true and real thankfulness presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, at their late solemn day of Thanksgiving, June 15, 1643 : for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody design tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament and of the famous city of London / by Edmund Calamy ...The noble-mans patterne of true and reall thankfulnesse presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, at their late solemne day of Thanksgiving, June 15, 1643 : for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody designe tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament and of the famous city of London / by Edmund Calamy ...
London: printed by G.M. for Christopher Meredith, 1643
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, Let me persuade you to appear more and more §1publicly in this Cause. There are many that think it fit only for poor men that have nothing to loose, to appear openly in a good Cause, but as for those that have great Estates, it becomes them to be wary and circumspect, and to seek rather to save their Estates then to hazard all. Such a one was Nicodemus that came to Christ by night, though afterwards he repented and amended, as you may read, John 7. 50, Such were those chief Rulers, Joh. 12. 42, That believed in Christ, but durst not confess him so fear of the Pharisees, least they should be put out of the Synagogue. And many such there are in our days. But a true Christian is so far from being hindered by his riches and greatness from appearing for God, 1that he is glad that he hath riches and Honours to loose for God, he receives joyfully the spoiling of his goods. He willingly parts with all for Christs Cause. And if you ask him why he doth so, he will answer with Paulinus Nolanus, Ut levius ascenderet scalam Jacobi, That he might go the lighter to Heaven. He saith as that famous Noble-man Hormisdas did, who when he was deposed from all his Honours because he would not forsake his Religion, and afterwards restored to his Honours again, and then commanded by the King of Persia to renounce his profession. Answered, Si propter ista me denegaturum Christum put as, ist a denuo acoipe. If you think I will deny Christ for to keep my Honours,2 take them all back again. S. Austin in his Confessions relates an excellent Story of one Victorinus a great man at Rome that had many great friends that were Heathen, but it pleased God to convert him to the Christian Religion, and he comes to one Simplicianus, and tells him secretly that he was a Christian. Simplicianus answers, Non credam, nec deputabo ⟨p. 48⟩te inter Christianos, nisi in Ecclesiâ Christi te videro. I will not believe thee to be a Christian, till I see you openly profess it in the Church. At first Victorinus derided his answer, and said, Ergone parietes faciunt Christianum? Do the walls make a Christian? But afterwards remembering and often pondering that Text of our Saviour, He that is ashamed of me before men,