O Lord, saith he, I desire now to be dissolved and free from the bondage of sin, which so long hath inhabited in my mortal body, for now he is come, by whom thou hast promised to free and set us at liberty, he is come by whom thou hast promised to break the Serpents head, and he is come that will heal our infirmities, and give strength against sin and satan by faith & peace towards God through love. And now, saith he, I have embraced him, and thankfully do receive him. I believe, & am persuaded that this is the same Messiah, whom the Father promised, and the Prophets fore-told, all Israel longed & expected for, who is the light of the Gentiles, the glory of Israel, and the God of the whole world. So they which love the truth of God, and wait with desire to be ⟨image 32⟩filled with the knowledge thereof, such shall not die until they have their harts desire with contemplation thereof. 1For as Peter was sent to Cornelius, and Philip to the Eunuch: so the Lord will stir up such of his servants, as may be fit instruments to minister the same unto us. Judas indeed died before the time, and lived not to see Christ crucified, but the Disciples which loved Jesus, did see him die like an undefiled innocent Lamb, and that to their exceeding joy and comfort, when they understood how that he suffered death for love of them and for their redemption. Now if Christ cannot hide him from such as hunger after him through love, then what shall we say of our Fathers which lived in the time of ignorance, that longed to see his light, although they had a mist cast before their eyes? Surely, such died not till they saw Christ, and embraced him in their hearts. And this is our judgement concerning them that died in the time of Popery. And likewise as concerning the rest, which thought to be saved by Purgatory and Masses after that they are dead, we say that they which sleep without oil in their lamps they die ere they are aware of, and ere they wish for it, like the Philistines which sent for Sampson to laugh and mock at him, and to sport 2themselves, upon whom the house fell and destroyed them all: or the Egyptians, which thought that the waters had made passage for them aswell as for the Israelites, 3both which died in and for their security because they were not watchful, nor prepared against the Lord called them.
O Lord, saith he, I desire now to be dissolued and free from the bondage of sin, which so long hath inhabited in my mortall body, for now he is come, by whom thou hast promised to free and set vs at liberty, he is come by whom thou hast promised to breake the Serpents head, and he is come that will heale our infirmities, and giue strength against sin and sathan by faith & peace towards God through loue. And now, saith hee, I haue embraced him, and thankfully do receiue him. I beleeue, & am perswaded that this is the same Messias, whom the Father promised, and the Prophets fore-told, all Israel longed & expected for, who is the light of the Gentiles, the glory of Israel, and the God of the whole world. So they which loue the truth of God, and waite with desire to bee ⟨image 32⟩filled with the knowledge thereof, such shall not die vntill they haue their harts desire with contemplation therof. 1For as Peter was sent to Cornelius, and Philip to the Eunuch: so the Lord will stirre vp such of his seruants, as may bee fit instruments to minister the same vnto vs. Iudas indeed died before the time, and liued not to see Christ crucified, but the Disciples which loued Iesus, did see him die like an vndefiled innocent Lambe, and that to their exceeding ioy and comfort, when they vnderstood how that he suffered death for loue of them and for their redemption. Now if Christ cannot hide him from such as hunger after him through loue, then what shall we say of our Fathers which liued in the time of ignorance, that longed to see his light, although they had a mist cast before their eyes? Surely, such died not till they saw Christ, and embraced him in their hearts. And this is our iudgement concerning them that died in the time of Popery. And likewise as concerning the rest, which thought to be saued by Purgatory and Masses after that they are dead, we say that they which sleep without oyle in their lampes they die ere they are aware of, and ere they wish for it, like the Philistines which sent for Sampson to laugh and mocke at him, and to sport 2themselues, vpon whom the house fell and destroyed them all: or the Egyptians, which thought that the waters had made passage for them aswell as for the Israeliers, 3both which died in and for their security because they were not watchfull, nor prepared against the Lord called them.
- 1Acts 10. Acts 8.
- 2Judg. 16.Iudg. 16.
- 3Ezod. 16.
