<P_36>

7 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.2)

<font> Edifie your selues . </font> (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.3)

The speech is borrowed fro~ material builders , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.4)

and must be spiritually vnderstood . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.5)

It appeareth in the 6. of <font> S. Iohns </font> gospel by the Iewes ,
that their mouthes did water too much for bodilie food ,
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.6)

<font> Our Fathers </font> , say they , <font> did eate Manna in the
Desert , as it is written , He gave them bread from heaven to eate ;
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.7)

Lord , evermore giue vs of this bread </font> ! (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.8)

Our Saviour , to turne their appetite another way , maketh the this
answere , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.9)

<font> I am the bread of life , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.10)

hee that co~meth to me shall not hunger , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.11)

and hee that beleeveth in mee , shall never thirst </font> .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.12)

8 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.13)

An vsuall practise it is of Satan to cast heapes of worldly baggage in
our way , that whilest we desire to heape vp gold as dust , wee may be
brought at the length to esteeme vilely that spiritual blisse .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.14)

Christ , in the 6. of <font> Matthew </font> , to correct this evill
affection , putteth vs in minde to lay vp treasure for our selues in
heaven . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.15)

The Apostle , <font> 1. Tim. 3. chapt. </font> misliking the vanity of
those wome~ , which attired themselues more costly , then beseemed the
heavenly calling of such as professed the fear of God , willeth them to
cloath themselues with shamefastnes and modestie , and to put on the
apparel of good workes . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.16)

Tabiter pigmentatae Deum habebitis amatorem , saith <font> Tertullian
</font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.17)

Put on righteousnesse as a garment : (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.18)

in steed of Civit haue Faith , which may cause a favour of life to
issue from you , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.19)

and God shall be enamoured , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.20)

he shall be ravished with your beauty . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.21)

These are the ornaments , & bracelets , and jewels , which inflame the
loue of Christ , and set his hart on fire vpon his spowse .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,36.22)

We see , how he <P_37> breaketh out in the Canticles at the beholding
of this attire , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.23)

How faire art thou , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.24)

and how pleasant art thou , O my loue , in these pleasures !
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.25)

9 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.26)

And perhaps <font> S. Iude </font> exhorteth vs here not to build our
houses but our selues , foreseeing by the spirit of the Almighty ,
which was with him , that there should be men in the last daies like to
those in the first , which should encourage and stirre vp each other to
make bricke & to burne it in the fire , to build houses huge as cities
, and towers as high as heaven , thereby to get them a name vpon earth
; men that shoulde turne out the poore , and the fartherlesse , and the
widdow to build places of rest for dogs & swine in their roomes ; men
that should lay houses of praier even with ground , and make the~
stables where Gods people haue worshipped before the Lord .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.27)

Surely this is a vanity of all vanities , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.28)

and it is much amongst men , a speciall sicknesse of this age .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.29)

What it should meane , I know not , except God haue set the~ on worke
to provide sewel against that day , when the Lord Iesus shal show
himselfe from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.30)

What good commeth vnto the owners of these things , saith <font>
Solomon </font> , but only the beholding thereof with their eies ?
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.31)

<font> Martha , Martha , thou busiest thy selfe about many things ,
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.32)

One thing is necessarie . </font> (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.33)

Yee are too busie , my brethren , with timber , and bricke ;
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.34)

They haue chosen the better part , they haue taken a better course ,
that build themselues . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.35)

Yee are the Temples of the living God ; (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.36)

as God hath said , I wil dwel in them , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.37)

and will walke in them , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,37.38)

& they shal <P_38> be my people , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.39)

and I wil be their God . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.40)

(HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.41)

Which of you wil gladly remaine , or abide in a mishapen , a ruinous ,
or a broken house ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.42)

And shal we suffer sinne , and vanity to drop in at our eies , and at
our eares , at every corner of our bodies , & of our soules , knowing
that we are the Temples of the holy Ghost ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.43)

Which of you receiveth a guest , whom he honoureth , or whom he loveth
, (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.44)

and doth not sweepe his chamber against his comming ?
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.45)

And shal we suffer the chamber of our hearts and consciences to lie
full of vomiting , full of filth , ful of garbidge , knowing that
Christ hath said , I , and my Father will come , and dwell with you ?
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.46)

Is it meete for your Oxen to lay in parlours , and your selues to lodge
in cribs ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.47)

Or is it seemely for your selues to dwell in your setled houses and the
house of the Almighty to lie wast , whose house yee are your selues ?
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.48)

Do not our eies behold , how God every day overtaketh the wicked in
their iourneies , how suddenly they pop downe into the pit ? how Gods
iudgements for their times come so swiftly vpon them , that they haue
not the leasure to crie , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.49)

Alas ? how their life is cut off like a threed in a moment ?
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.50)

how they passe like a shadow ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.51)

how they open their mouthes to speake , and God taketh them even in the
midst of a vaine or an idle word ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.52)

And dare we for all this lay downe , take our rest , eate our meat
securely and carelessly in the midst of so great and so many ruines ?
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,38.53)

Blessed and praised for ever and ever be his name , who perceiuing of
how senselesse & heavy mettall we are made , hath instituted in his
Church a <P_39> spirituall supper , and an holy communion , to be
celebrated often , that we might thereby bee occasioned often to
examine these buildings of ours , in what case they stand .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,39.54)

For sith God doth not dwell in Temples which are vncleane , sith a
shrine $can $not {TEXT:cannot} be a sanctuary vnto him ; and this
supper is receaued as a seale vnto vs , that we are his house and his
sanctuarie , that his Christ is as truly vnited to me , and I to him ,
as my arme is united and knit vnto my shoulder , that hee dwelleth in
me as verily as the elements of bread and wine abide within me , which
perswasion , by receiving these dreadfull mysteries , we professe our
selues to haue ; a due comfort , if truly , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,39.55)

and if in hypocrisie then woe worth vs . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,39.56)

Therefore ere wee put forth our hands to take this blessed Sacrament ,
we are charged to examine , and to trie our hearts whether God bee in
vs of a truth or no : and if by faith and loue vnfained we be found the
temples of the holy Ghost , then to iudge , whether we haue had such
regard every one to our building , that the spirit which dwelleth in vs
hath no way beene vexed , molested , and grieued .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,39.57)

Or if it haue , as no doubt sometimes it hath by incredulitie ,
sometimes by breach of charitie , sometimes by want of zeale ,
sometimes by spots of life , even in the best and most perfect amongst
vs , <paren> for who can say , his heart is cleane ? </paren> O then to
fly vnto God by vnfained repentance , to fall downe before him in the
humilitie of our soules , begging of him whatsoever is needfull to
repaire our decaies , before wee fall into that desolation , whereof
the Prophet speaketh , saying <P_40> <font> Thy breach is great like
the sea , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.58)

who can heale thee </font> ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.59)

11 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.60)

Receiving the sacrament of the Supper of the Lord , after this sort
<paren> you that are spiritual , iudge what I speake </paren> is not
all other wine like the water of <font> Marah </font> , being compared
to the cup , which we blesse ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.61)

Is not <font> Manna </font> like to gall , and our bread like to <font>
Manna </font> ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.62)

Is there not a tast , a tast of Christ Iesus in the hart of him that
eateth ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.63)

Doth not hee which drinketh , behold plainely in this cup , that his
soul is bathed in the blood of the lambe ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.64)

O beloued in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ , if yee will tast how
sweet the Lord is , if yee will receaue the king of glory , <font>
Build your selues </font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.65)

12 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.66)

<font> Young men </font> , I speake this to you , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.67)

for yee are his house , because by faith , yee are conquerers over
<font> Satan </font> , and haue overcome that evill .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.68)

<font> Fathers </font> , I speake it also to you ,
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.69)

yee are his house , because yee haue knowne him , which is from the
beginning . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.70)

Sweete <font> Babes </font> , I speake it even to you also ;
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.71)

yee are his house , because your sinnes are forgiven you for his
namesake . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.72)

<font> Matrons </font> and <font> Sisters </font> , I may not hold it
from you , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.73)

yee are also the Lords building , and , as S. <font> Peter </font>
speaketh , heires of the grace of life as well as we .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.74)

Though it be forbidden you to open your mouthes in publike assemblies ,
yet yee must bee inquisitiue in things concerning this building , which
is of God , with your husbands and friends at home , not as <font>
Dalila </font> with <font> Sampson </font> , but as <font> Sara </font>
with <font> Abraham </font> , whose daughters yee are , whilst yee doe
well , and build your selues . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.75)

13 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,40.76)

Having spoken thus farre of the exhortation , <P_41> as whereby we are
called vpon to edifie and build our selues . It remaineth now , that
wee consider the thing prescribed , namely wherein we must bee built .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.77)

This pr.scription standeth also vpon two points , the <font> thing
</font> prescribed , and the <font> adiuncts </font> of the <font>
thing </font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.78)

And that is our most pure , and <font> holy faith </font> .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.79)

14 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.80)

The thing prescribed is <font> Faith </font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.81)

For as in a chaine , which is made of many linkes , if you pull the
first , you drawe the rest ; and as in a ladder of many staues , if you
take away the lowest , all hope of ascending to the highest will be
remoued , So because all the precepts and promises in the law and in
the Gospell doe hang vpon this , <font> Beleeue </font> ; and because
the last of the graces of God doth so follow the first , that he
glorifieth none , but whom he hath iustified , nor iustifieth any , but
whom he hath called to a true , effectual , and liuely faith in Christ
Iesus , therefore S <font> Iude </font> exhorting us to <font> build
our selues </font> , mentioneth here expresly only faith , as the thing
wherein we must be edified , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.82)

for that faith is the ground and the glorie of all the welfare of this
building . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.83)

15 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.84)

<font> Yee are not strangers & forrainers , but citizens with the
Saints , and of the houshold of God </font> , saith the Apostle ,
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.85)

<font> and are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets & Apostles ,
Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone , in whom all the
building being coupled together , groweth vnto an holy Temple in the
Lord , in whom we also are built together to be the habitation of God
by the spirit </font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.86)

And we are the habitation of God by the spirit , if we beleeue .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,41.87)

For it is written , whosoever confesseth <P_42> that Iesus is the sonne
of God , in him God dwelleth , and he in God . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.88)

The strength of this habitatio~ is great ; (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.89)

it prevaileth against Satan ; (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.90)

it conquereth sinne ; (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.91)

it hath death in derision ; (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.92)

neither principalities , nor powers can throwe it downe ;
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.93)

it leadeth the world captiue , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.94)

& bringeth every enimie , that riseth vp against it , to co~fusion and
shame , and all by faith ; (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.95)

for this is the victorie that overcommeth the world , even our faith .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.96)

Who is it that overco~meth the world , but hee which beleeueth , that
Iesus is the sonne of God ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.97)

16 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.98)

The strength of every building , which is of God , standeth not in any
mans armes or legs : (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.99)

it is only in our faith , as the valour of <font> Sampson </font> lay
only in his haire . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.100)

This is the reason , why wee are so earnestly called vpon to <font>
edifie our selues in faith </font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.101)

Not as if this bare action of our minds , whereby wee beleeue the
Gospel of Christ , were able in it selfe , as of it selfe , to make vs
vnconquerable and invincible , like stones , which abide in the
building for ever and fall not out . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.102)

No , it is not the worthinesse of our beleeuing ,
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.103)

it is the vertue of him in whom we beleeue , by which we stand sure as
houses that are builded vpon a rocke . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.104)

He is a wise man , which hath builded his house vpon a rocke ;
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.105)

for he hath chosen a good foundation , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.106)

and no doubt his house will stand . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.107)

But how shall it stand ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.108)

verily by the strength of the rocke which beareth it , & by nothing
else . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.109)

Our fathers , whom God delivered out of the land of Egypt , were a
people , that had no peeres amongst the nations of the earth , because
they were built by faith vpon the rocke , which rocke is Christ .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,42.110)

<P_43>

<font> And the rocke </font> , saith the Apostle in the first to the
<font> Corinthians </font> , the tenth Chapter , <font> did follow him
</font> . Whereby we learne not only this , that being built by faith
on Christ as on a rocke , and grafted into him as into an Oliue , wee
receiue all our strength and fatnesse from him , but also that this
strength and fatnesse of ours ought to be no cause why we should be
high minded and not worke out our salvation with a reverent , tre~bling
, and holy feare . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.112)

For if thou boastest thy selfe of thy faith , knowe this that Christ
chose his Apostles , his Apostles chose not him ; that Israel followed
not the rocke , but the rocke followed Israel , and that thou bearest
not the roote , but the root thee . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.113)

So that every heart must $thus {TEXT:this} thinke , and every tongue
must thus speake , <font> Not vnto vs , O Lord , not vnto vs </font> ,
nor vnto any thing which is within vs , but vnto thy name onely , only
to thy name belongeth all the praise of al the treasures and riches of
every Temple which is of God . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.114)

This excludeth al boasting and vaunting of our faith .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.115)

17 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.116)

But this must not make vs carelesse to edifie our selues in faith .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.117)

It is the Lord that delivereth mens soules from death , but not except
they put their trust in his mercy . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.118)

It is God that hath given vs eternall life , but no otherwise then thus
, If wee beleeue in the name of the sonne of God ;
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.119)

for hee that hath not the sonne of God hath not life .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.120)

It was the spirit of the Lord which came vpon <font> Sampson </font> ,
& made him strong to teare a lion as a man would rent a kid :
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.121)

but his strength forsooke him , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,43.122)

and he became like other men <P_44> when the razer had touched his head
. (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.123)

It is the power of God whereby the faithfull haue subdued kingdomes ,
wrought righteousnesse , obtained the promises , stopped the mouthes of
Lions , quenched the violence of fire , escaped the edge of the sword :
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.124)

But take away their faith , (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.125)

and doth not their strength forsake them ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.126)

are they not like vnto other men ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.127)

18 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.128)

If yee desire yet farther to knowe how necessarie and needfull it is ,
that we edifie and build vp our selues in faith , marke the words of
the blessed Apostles , <font> without faith it is impossible to please
God </font> . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.129)

If I offer vnto God all the sheepe and oxen , that are in the world ,
if all the Temples , that were builded since the dayes of <font> Adam
</font> till this houre , were of my foundation , if I breake my very
heart with calling vpon God , and weare out my tongue with preaching ,
if I sacrifice my body and my soule vnto him , <font> and haue no faith
</font> all this availeth nothing . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.130)

<font> Without faith it is impossible to please God . </font>
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.131)

Our Lord and Saviour therefore being asked in the sixt of S. <font>
Iohns </font> Gospell , <font> What shall we doe that we might worke
the workes of God </font> , maketh answer , <font> This is the worke of
God , that yee beleeue in him , whom hee hath sent </font> .
(HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.132)

19 (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.133)

That no worke of ours , no building of our selues in any thing can be
available or profitable vnto vs , except we be edified & built in faith
, what need we to seeke about for long proofe ? (HOOKER-B-E2-H,44.134)

looke vpon Israel once the very chosen and peculiar to God , to whom
the adoption of the faithfull , and the glory of Cherubins , and the
covenants of mercy , and the lawe of <P_45> <font> Moses </font> , and
the service of God , and the promises of Christ were made impropriate ,
who not-6 onely-7 were the ofspring of <font> Abraham </font> , father
vnto all them which doe beleeue , but Christ their ofspring , which is
God to be blessed for evermore . (HOOKER-B-E2-H,45.135)