SECT. XI. The conclusion to the Christians; who are admonished of their duty upon occasion of the foregoing things.

HAVING finished this last dispute, I come now to the conclusion, which regards not strangers but Christians of all sorts and conditions: briefly shewing the use of those things which have been hitherto said; that those which are right may be done, and those which are wrong may be avoided. First, that they lift up undefiled hands⁸⁰⁰⁸⁰⁰   1 Tim. ii. James iv. 8. Tertullian in his Apology: “Thither the Christians direct their eyes, with hands extended, because innocent; with head uncovered, because we are not ashamed; without any instructor, because from our heart we pray for all emperors, that they may enjoy a long life, a secure government, a safe house, courageous armies, a faithful senate, an honest people, and a peaceful land.” to that God who made all things, visible and invisible, out of nothing;⁸⁰¹⁸⁰¹   Coloss. i. 16. Heb. xi. 3. Acts iv. 24. 2 Mac. vii. 28. with a firm persuasion that he takes care of mankind,⁸⁰²⁸⁰²   1 Pet. iii. 12. v. 7. since not a sparrow falls to the ground without his leave:⁸⁰³⁸⁰³   Matt. x. 29. and that they do not fear them who can only hurt the body,⁸⁰⁴⁸⁰⁴   Matt. x. 28. Luke xii. 4. before him who hath an equal power over both body and soul: that they should trust not only on God the Father, but also on Jesus,⁸⁰⁵⁸⁰⁵   John xiv. 1. Heb. xiv. 15, 16. Ephes. iii. 12. and 17. since there is none other name on earth by which we can be saved:⁸⁰⁶⁸⁰⁶   Acts iv. 12. which they will rightly perform,⁸⁰⁷⁸⁰⁷   John viii. 41. and following. Matt. vii. 21. John iv. 14. 1 John ii. 3, 4. if they consider that not they, who call one by the name of Father, and the other by the name of 242Lord shall live eternally; but they who conform their lives to his will. They are moreover exhorted carefully to preserve the holy doctrine of Christ, as a most valuable treasure;⁸⁰⁸⁸⁰⁸   Matt. xiii. 44, 45. 1 Cor. iv. 7. 1 Tim. vi. 20. 2 Tim. i. 14. and to that end, often to read the sacred writings;⁸⁰⁹⁸⁰⁹   Colos. iv. 16. 1 Thess. v. 27. Rev. i. 3. by which no one can possibly be deceived, who has not first deceived himself. For the authors of them were more faithful,⁸¹⁰⁸¹⁰   Tertullian speaks thus concerning the heretics in his prescription: “They were wont to say, that the apostles did not know all things; being actuated by the same madness, by which they again change, and say that the apostles did, indeed, know all things, but did not deliver all things to all men; in both of which they make Christ subject to reproach; who sent apostles either nut well instructed or not very honest.” See what there follows, which is very useful. and more full of the divine influence, than either willingly to deceive us in any necessary truth, or to hide it in obscurity; but we must bring a mind prepared to obey,⁸¹¹⁸¹¹   John vii. 17. v. 44. Matt. xi. 25. Philip. iii. 15. 2 Pet. iii. l6. Hosea xiv. 9. which if we do, none of those things will escape us, which we are to believe, hope, or do;⁸¹²⁸¹²   2 Tim. ii. 15, 16. John xx. 31. 1 Pet. i. 23. and by this means, that spirit will be cherished and excited in us,⁸¹³⁸¹³   2 Tim. i. 6. 1 Thess. v. 19. which is given us as a pledge of future happiness.⁸¹⁴⁸¹⁴   Ephes. i. 14. 2 Cor. i. 22. v. 5. Further, they are to be deterred from imitating the heathen; first, in the worship of false gods,⁸¹⁵⁸¹⁵   1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. which are nothing but empty names;⁸¹⁶⁸¹⁶   In the same, ver. 4. x. 19. which evil angels make use of⁸¹⁷⁸¹⁷   1 Cor. x. 20. Rev. ix. 20. to turn us from the worship of the true God;⁸¹⁸⁸¹⁸   Ephes. ii. 2. Rev. ix. 20. 2 Thess. ii. 9. wherefore, we cannot partake of their rites,⁸¹⁹⁸¹⁹   1 Cor. x. 20. and at the same time be profited by the sacrifice 243of Christ. Secondly, in a licentious way of living.⁸²⁰⁸²⁰   Ephes. ii. 3. Tit. ii. 12. having no other law but what lust dictates, which Christians ought to be the furthest from;⁸²¹⁸²¹   2 Cor. vi. 15. because they ought not only far to exceed the heathen,⁸²²⁸²²   Matt. v. 47. vi. 7, 32. but also the scribes and pharisees among the Jews;⁸²³⁸²³   Matt. v. 20. xxiii. 23. Rom. iii. 20. Gal. ii. 16. whose righteousness, which consisted in certain external acts, was not sufficient to secure them a heavenly kingdom. The circumcision made with hands availeth nothing now,⁸²⁴⁸²⁴   1 Cor. vii. 19. Gal. v. 6. vi. 15. Philip. iii. 3. Ephes. ii. 11. Coloss. ii. 11. Rom. ii. 29. but that other internal circumcision of the heart, obedience to the commands of God,⁸²⁵⁸²⁵   1 Cor. vii. 19. a new creature,⁸²⁶⁸²⁶   Gal. vi. 15. faith which is effectual by love,⁸²⁷⁸²⁷   Gal. v. 6. by which the true Israelites are distinguished,⁸²⁸⁸²⁸   Rom. ix. 6. 1 Cor. x. 18. Gal. vi. 16. John i. 47. the mystical Jews, that is, such as praise God.⁸²⁹⁸²⁹   Rom. ii. 29. Philo, concerning allegories: “Judas was a symbol of him that professes (God).” The differences of meats,⁸³⁰⁸³⁰   Acts x. 13, 14, 15. xv. 19, 20. 1 Cor. x. 25. Coloss. ii. 16, 21. sabbaths,⁸³¹⁸³¹   In the fore-cited place of the Colossians. festival days,⁸³²⁸³²   In the same place, and Rom. xiv. 5. were the shadows of things, which really are in Christ and Christians.⁸³³⁸³³   Coloss. ii. 17. Heb. x. 1. Mahometanism gave occasion for mentioning the following admonitions: it was foretold by our Lord Jesus, that alter his time there should come some who should falsely say they were sent of God;⁸³⁴⁸³⁴   John v. 43. 2 Thess. ii. 9. Matt. vii. 15. xxiv.11. Mark xiii. 22. 1 John iv. 1. but though an 244angel should come from heaven,⁸³⁵⁸³⁵   Gal. i. 8. we are not to receive any other doctrine than that of Christ, confirmed by so many testimonies.⁸³⁶⁸³⁶   1 John v. 7, 8. Heb. ii. 4. xii. 1. John i. 7, 32. v. 32, 37, 39, 46. Luke xiv. 27. Acts ii. 22, 32. x. 43. In times past, indeed, God spake in many and various manners to the pious men that then were;⁸³⁷⁸³⁷   Heb. i. 2. but last of all he was pleased to call us by his Son, the Lord of all things,⁸³⁸⁸³⁸   1 Cor. xv. 27. Heb. ii. 5. the brightness of his Father’s glory,⁸³⁹⁸³⁹   Heb. i. 3. and the express image of his substance; by whom all things were made,⁸⁴⁰⁸⁴⁰   In the same chap. Col. i. 16. which were or shall be; who acts and upholds all things by his power;⁸⁴¹⁸⁴¹   Heb. i. 3. Rev. i. 5. and who having made atonement for our sins,⁸⁴²⁸⁴²   Heb. i. 3. ix. 12. Matt. xx. 28. 1 John ii. 2. iv. 10. Matt. xxvi. 64. Mark xvi. 19. Acts ii. 33, 34. vii. 55, 56. Rom. viii. 34. Ephes. i. 20. Coloss. iii. 1. Heb. viii. 1. x. 12. xii. 2. is advanced to the right hand of God, having obtained a higher dignity than the angels;⁸⁴³⁸⁴³   1 Pet. iii. 22. Heb. i. 13. Ephes. i. 21. and therefore nothing more noble can be expected than such a lawgiver.⁸⁴⁴⁸⁴⁴   Heb. ii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. iii. 3, 4, 5, 6. They may also take occasion from hence to remember, that the weapons appointed for the soldiers of Christ are not such as Mahomet depends upon, but proper to the Spirit,⁸⁴⁵⁸⁴⁵   Rom. xiii. 12. 2 Cor. vi. 7. x. 4. Ephes. vi. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18. fitted for the pulling down of strong holds, erected against the knowledge of God, the shield of faith,⁸⁴⁶⁸⁴⁶   See, beside the afore-cited place to the Ephes. 1 Thess. v. 8. which may repel the fiery darts of the devil; the breastplate of righteousness, or holiness of life; for a helmet which covers the weakest part, the hope of eternal salvation; 245and for a sword, the word delivered by the Sprit,⁸⁴⁷⁸⁴⁷   See, beside the fore-mentioned place, Ephes. vi. 17. Heb. iv. 12. Rev. i. 16. which can enter into the innermost parts of the mind. Next follows an exhortation to mutual agreement,⁸⁴⁸⁸⁴⁸   John xiv. 27. xiii. 34, 35. xv. 12, 17. xvii. 20. and following; xx. 19, 26. 1 John iii. 23. Also Ephes. iii. 14. and following; iv. 16. Heb. xiii. 20. Matt. v. 9. which Christ seriously commended to his disciples when he was about to leave them: we ought not to have amongst us many masters, but only Jesus Christ:⁸⁴⁹⁸⁴⁹   Matt. xxiii. 8. James iii. 1. all Christians were baptized into the same name,⁸⁵⁰⁸⁵⁰   Rom. vi. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 13, 12. Gal. iii. 57. Ephes. iv. 5. Coloss. ii. 12. therefore there ought to be no sects or divisions amongst them:⁸⁵¹⁸⁵¹   1 Cor. i. 10. xi. 18. xii. 25. to which that there may be some remedy applied, those words of the apostle are suggested, to be temperate in our wisdom,⁸⁵²⁸⁵²   Rom. xii. 3, 16. 1 Cor. iv. 6. according to the measure of the knowledge God has afforded us:⁸⁵³⁸⁵³   In the fore-cited place to the Romans, and xii. 6. 2 Cor. x. 13. Ephes. iv. 7, 15, 16. if any have not so good an understanding of all things,⁸⁵⁴⁸⁵⁴   Rom. xiv. xv. 2. 1 Cor. viii. 7. that we bear with their infirmities, that they may quietly, and without quarrelling, unite with us:⁸⁵⁵⁸⁵⁵   Rom. xiv. 1. 2 Cor. xii. 20. Gal. v. 20. Philip. i. 16. ii. 3, 15. 1 Cor. xi. 16. if any exceed the rest in understanding, it is reasonable he should exceed in goodwill towards them:⁸⁵⁶⁸⁵⁶   Rom. viii. 1, 2, 3, 9. xii. 8. xiii. 3, 14, 16. 1 Cor. xiii. 2. 2 Cor. vi. 6. viii. 7. 2 Pet. i. 5, 6. and as to those who in some things think otherwise than we do,⁸⁵⁷⁸⁵⁷   Philip. iii. 15. Ephes. iv. 2. 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 7. 1 Thess. v. 14. 2 Cor. vi. 6. Gal. v. 22. Coloss. iii. 11. 2 Tim. iv. 2. Luke ix. 54, 55. we are to wait till 246God shall make the hidden truth manifest unto them: in the mean time, we are to hold fast, and fulfil those things We are agreed in.⁸⁵⁸⁸⁵⁸   Philip. iii. 16. James i. 22, 23, 24, 25. Now we know in part;⁸⁵⁹⁸⁵⁹   1 Cor. xiii. 9, 12. the time will come when all things shall be most certainly known.⁸⁶⁰⁸⁶⁰   1 Cor xiii. 10, 12. 1 John. iii. 2. Matt. v. 9. But this is required of every one, that they do not unprofitably keep by them the talent committed to their charge,⁸⁶¹⁸⁶¹   Matt. xxv. 15. and following. but use their utmost endeavours to gain others unto Christ;⁸⁶²⁸⁶²   1 Cor. ix. 19, 20, 21, 22. in order whereunto, we are not only to give them good and wholesome advice,⁸⁶³⁸⁶³   Gal. vi. 6. Ephes. iv. 29. 2 Tim. i. 13. Titus ii. 8. but to set before them an example of reformation of life;⁸⁶⁴⁸⁶⁴   1 Pet. iii. 1, 16. Ephes. vi. 6. 2 Tim. ii. 24. 1 Pet. ii. 12. Ephes. iv. 1. Phil. i. 27. that men may judge of the goodness of the master by the servant, and of the purity of the law by their actions. In the last place, we direct our discourse, as we did in the beginning, to common readers, beseeching them to give God the glory, if they receive any good from what has been said;⁸⁶⁵⁸⁶⁵   James i. 17. 2 Thess. i. 3. 1 Cor. i. 4. and if there be any thing they dislike,⁸⁶⁶⁸⁶⁶   James iii. Gal. vi. 1, 2. let them impute it to the errors all mankind are prone to fall into; and to the place and time in which this was delivered, more according to truth than elaborately.⁸⁶⁷⁸⁶⁷   Because this very excellent and learned man was kept in Lipstadt prison, to which he was condemned for life; at which time, and in which place, he could never have taken so great pains in accomplishing so many pieces remarkable for great learning, accurate judgment, and singular brightness, without incredible firmness and constancy of mind, and unshaken faith in Cod; for which endowments bestowed upon him by God, for the benefit of all Christendom, let every one who reads his other works, or this, with a mind intent upon truth, give thanks to God, as I do from the bottom of my heart. Le Clerc.