giuen of them These are they which are not defiled with women for they are Virgins these follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe Reu. 14.4 Thus you see how we should goe after Christ and be well content to leaue all the world to follow him The reasons to moue vs herevnto are these First Reason because he is our husband and we are his wife Ephes 5.26 For the wife must follow her husband and forsaking all other friends must cleaue onely vnto him Gen. 2.25 Secondly because he will then take a great delight in vs and satisfie himselfe in our loue according to that which is in Psal 45.11.12 where it is said Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine owne people thy fathers house So shal the King haue pleasure in thy bewtie for hee is thy Lord and reuerence thou him Thirdly because wee are dead to the world and a liue in him Câ—l 3.3.4 Lastly because he will liberally reward all such as doe come after him Verily saith he I say vnto you that when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his Maiestie ye which followed me in the regeneration shall sit also vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake he shall receiue an hundred-fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life This reproues those that care not for Christ Vse but followes this world altogither Whatsoeuer they be whether rich or poor high or low wise or vnwise bond or free male or female certaine it is that they are none of Christs Hee will disclaime them and not approue them for his owne If any man saith he come to mee and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my Disciple And whosoeuer beareth not his crosse and commeth after mee cannot be my Disciple Luk. 14.26.27 wherefore let this worke repentance in the harts of worldly men and turne them to the louing Lord. As this doth serue to reproue all such as preferre the world before Christ so it may serue also to prouoke vs all to preferre Christ before the world Surely it should moue vs to set him still before vs and pricke vs forward to goe after him if a man were in a farre country farre from his friends and neerest kinsfolkes though his eyes did behold the fairest pictures his eares heare the sweetest musicke his mouth tast the daintiest meate his body lie vpon the softest bed and all his senses compassed about with the rarest obiects of tenne thousand yet would his heart be at home vnlesse hee were bewitched as the poets faine of Vlisses whom the cups of Circe did make to forget his natiue country and faithfull wife So cuen so vnlesse we be inchanted with the witchcraft of the deuill all the trash and pelfe of this world cannot hold vs here below but our harts will mount vpward and be fixed vpon our Bride-grome in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore and all our trauell will especially tend to attaine vnto our country in the heauens and to celestiall Ierusalem that is aboue For wee are here as strangers and pilgrimes vpon the earth 1 Pet. 2.11 and our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or corporation whereof wee are members is in the heauen Phil. 3.20 Surely our earthly houses are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is rather an Inne to lodge in then a permanent mansion to abide in 2 Cor. 5.1 wherefore I pray you let vs euermore set our hearts vpon Christ and follow him It is recorded in the greeke and Romaine stories that Hypsicrataea did so excedingly loue her busband Mâ—â—hridates King of Pontus that when hee was put to flight and enforced to wander vp and downe the woodes and deserts to saue his life she attyred in mans apparrell did follow him euery way through thâ—â—â—e and thinne reputing her kingdome her wealth her country and her happinesse to be there where her husband was So after the same manner if we be so faithfully affected to our most sweet and louing husband in the heauens we must not settle vpon our lees nor set our affections on things that are below but follow on hard though it be through the thorny path of persecution or the strait way that hee is gone before vs wee must count all things but dunge and drosse in respect of him Phil. 7.8 If any man would here know how wee must goe after Christ Obiection the answere is that we must doe it first by contemplation Answere secondly by desideration thirdly by determination fourthly by conuersation or imitation By contemplation wee euermore thinking of him and hauing our thoughts in heauen where hee is 2 Cor. 4.18 By desideration wee euermore desiring to be in his presence and to haue a fellowship with him in ioyes vnspeakeable Col. 7.1 Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 By determination we euermore resoluing with our selues to cleaue continually to him and to repute all things but trash in respect of him Act. 11.23 Phil. 3.8 Reu. 12.11 By conuersation or imitation wee euermore labouring to doe as he hath done and to walke in such steps as hee is gone before vs. Ephes 5.2 Ioh. 13.15 Math. 11.29 Oh my brethren striue and contend to follow Christ after these waves if there be any thing that will hinder you from the same cast it away Heb. 12.1 Be it that the right hand or the right eye should cause you to offend herein yet spare them not cut off the one and pull out the other Math. 18.8.9 There are many Lords doubtlesse striuing for vs. The world with her pleasures allures many to follow her but pretend what she will in truth her word is Decipion I will deceiue you The flesh would haue man a seruant to her lusts shee wants not her baites wherewith to beguile him but in truth her word is Inficiam I will infect you Satan strongest of the three vsurpes superiority ouer man hee craues that man should fall downe and vvorship him he vvante not promises enough faire in shew but in truth his word is Interficiam I will destroy you Iesus Christ our lawfull Lord bee also calls vpon vs and exhorts vs to serue him he hath life in the one hand durable riches and honour in the other and in truth his word is Reficiam I will refresh you Now in this strife to vvhom shall vvee yeeld our selues but vnto him vvho cries Reficiam Let vs therefore doe as vve are here vvilled for to doe come away and then doubtlesse vvee shall vvant nothing Habent enim omnia qui habent Christum habentem omnia For they haue all vvho doe enioy Christ the Lord of all And so I end and commend you to God and to the vvord of his grace vvhich is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified To the vvhich inheritance the Lord bring vs all for his sonnes sake to vvhom vvith the father and the holy Ghost one eternall God and three distinct persons be all honour and glory ascribed both novv and euermore Amen FINIS
Israelites hardning of their hearts in the wildernesse the crying sinnes of the Sodomites the haynous offences of the old world and the woefull disobedience of our first Parents in Paradise haue antiquitie for the maintenance of them if that would serue the turne but alas that is so farre from making any fault alowable that it causeth the committers thereof to be more in excuseable in as much as they haue not beene admonished by the falls of such as haue gone before them Therefore let vs neuer beare our selues in hand that we may warrantably take this or that course of life because others haue done so before vs vnlesse wee can euidently proue out of the scriptures that they haue done well in so doing Otherwise let vs rather feare as in this text wee are exhorted than presume to walke in their steps To God the Father to Iesus Christ his Sonne and to the holy Ghost be all honour and glory ascribed both now and for euermore Amen THE SECOND SERMON OF GODLY FEARE HEBREVVES 4. VERSE 1. Least at any time by forsaking the promise of entring into his rest any of you should seeme to be depriued LEast at any time These wordes doe shew the continuance of our watchfulnesse that it must be constant not at some times alone but at all times whence obserue this point that Whosoeuer vvould attaine to euerlasting life Doct. 4 Constant vvatchfulnesse required must stand constantly and perpetually vpon his guard euery Christian must keepe a continuall watch ouer his owne soule as well one day as another as well hereafter as for the present there is no time of intermission or of interruption granted Therefore is it that this same Apostle exhorteth saying Take heede brethren Heb. 3.12 least at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Pro. 28.14 And the vvise man saith Blessed is hee that feareth alwayes but hee that hardens his heart shall fall into euill Implying thereby that where this godly feare is at any time wanting there that partie is prone to fall into hardnesse of heart and so to proceed from one wickednesse vnto another The like caution is giuen by our Sauiour to his Disciples Take heede to your selues saith he least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting Luk. 21.34 and drunkennesse and the cares of this life Neither is this vncessant watchfulnesse more than needes Reasons for First the diuell goes about continually at a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure 1 Pet. 5. Hee is as it were a strong and cunning thiefe that hath often marked euery place in our house where hee may breake in and if wee haue not a continuall eye vnto him hee is ready to take vs at an aduantage and to spoyle our soules of those good things vvhich the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs and when he is least suspected then is hee most industrious about his mischieuous practises Our warfare is different from that which earthly Princes doe exercise for they are some times altogether without danger but wee goe in continuall perill wee know not how soone Sathan will be vpon vs there is no moment wherein wee can secure our selues from his assaults and if we be not euermore in a readinesse to award off his blowes we are likely to receiue a deadly wound Yea vvee haue not onely our aduersary the diuell to encounter with but a more neere and dangerous enemy and withall very subtill euen our owne flesh which is ready vpon euery occasion to betray vs into the hands of Sathan haue we not then good reason alwayes to walke in feare If we had in our houses a theevish seruant albeit he did not lay waite for our liues nor were any way likely to endanger our whole estate but onely to defraud vs of some part of our substance vvould wee not haue an eye to such an one and that continually But especially if we had one within our doores that sought all opportunities to deliuer vs into the hands of our mortall enemy would wee not be euermore watchfull for the preuenting of such a mischiefe How much more vigilant then should wee be in matters spirituall seeing that our naturall corruption is exceeding treacherous and ready vpon euery occasion not to procure vs some slight inconuenience or small losse but to bring vs vnder the power and dominion of the Prince of darkenesse vvho is a vowed aduersary vnto all Gods elect Thirdly in regard of the Lord wee had need to keepe a perpetuall watch ouer our hearts for vvho knoweth how seuerely he may proceede against vs if vve for neuer so little a while doe wilfully shake off the yoake of obedience May not hee iustly giue vs ouer to a deluded minde and a profane spirit if we beginne to alow our soules in any knowen euill If vvee carelessely reiect his holy lawes may not his spirit iustly forsake our soule If wee conclude thus in our owne thoughts now will I take liberty for vvantonnesse and vncleanenesse for oppression and hard dealing and such like sinnes and hereafter I vvill become more chast and more mercifull c. May not God euen at this time deliuerws vp as prisoners vnto Sathan as hee hath dealt vvith sundry others and cause him so to manacle our hearts and affections that it shall cost vs many a bitter teare ere wee recouer our former libertie and freedome of spirit Nay further how if God should take vs with the manner and at that time strip vs of life it selfe Surely albeit wee being the seruants of the Lord and dying in repentance cannot perish vtterly yet shall we depart hence very vncomfortably and not leaue so good a report behinde vs as otherwise vve might haue done The doctrine thus confirmed serueth First Vse 1 for the sharpe reproofe of such aspropose vnto themselues set times vvherein they will giue their flesh the swing and let loose the raines vnto too much licenciousnesse And as at other times so especially vpon the Lords day when God would haue them wholy to attend vpon him then they take liberty for their vile and sinfull lusts giuing themselues ouer either to idlenesse at home or which is worse vnto profanenesse abroad For the weeke dayes many containe themselues ordinarily vvithin some good compasse being imployed in the workes of their vocation but on the Sabbath which the Lord hath set apart as holy vnto himselfe they runne violently vnto all manner of sinnefull recreations and base exercises and sports and so of Gods day they make that the Diuels day in so much that hee then knowes whereabout hee shall finde them euen busily imployed in his worke for they at sundry seasons openly professe and that a twelue moneths before Ryot and Drunkennesse and Carding and Dicing and dalliance and such like horrible abuses and make it knowne that then they minde to keepe open house for sinne and Sathan when they should set
seare by others falles least wee be ouertaken in the same sort Lâ—t that had carried himselfe holily and chastely in Sodome was a man very vnlikely as wee would haue thought to fall into incest and to commit filthinesse with his owne Daughters yet such vvas the vilenesse of his nature that by his Daughters meanes hee was drawen first vnto drunkennesse and then vnto that other fowle and notorious euill before mentioned And if such a man as hee vvere so shamefully foyled who can secure himselfe from falling Secondly Sathan is the same now that heretofore hee hath beene yea and much more malicious because he hath since then had a number of foyles his time is still shorter in which regard hee is more imbittered and enraged and therefore more violent in tempting vnto all manner of iniquitie and haue not we then cause to tremble when we consider the falles of those that haue gone before vs Thirdly the Lords threatnings denounced against sinne are the same still and the strictnesse of his iustice in executing them is no whit diminished but as hee is constant in his goodnesse towards such as obey him so is hee in his righteousnesse toward such as disobey him and if there be any difference betwixt these our times and the dayes of old it standeth herein that those that are offenders now are likely to speede worse than those of former times because they haue had their examples vvhich should haue made them more fearefull of prouoking the LORD and yet haue not taken benefit thereby but rushed vpon those greiuous sinnes for which others haue beene much condemned and seuerely punished Let this therefore be an instruction vnto vs Vse 2 that we seriously consider what breaches of the commaundements the Lord hath pursued with sorest plagues heretofore and so become watchfull ouer our owne hearts and wayes that we be not found guiltie of the same Nehem. 13 17 18. thus did Nehemiah when he saw the Sabbath prophaned by the Iewes Then saith he I reproued the Rulers of Iudah and said vnto them what euill thing is this that ye doe and breake the Sabbath day Did not your fathers thus and our God brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon our Citie Yet yee increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabbath In the same manner should we reason hath not the Lord smitten sundry particular persons in their estate for the prophaning of his holy rest besides other stroakes that haue lighted vpon their bodies and soules Nay hath he not brought vpon our whole Nation sundry iudgements euen for this haynous sinne among many other Why then should wee persist in prouoking him still and so pull downe vpon our heads one plague after another So for the abusing of the Lords supper the Apostle saith that many among the Corinthians were smitten with weakenesse 1 Cor. 11. and sicknesse and with death it selfe what vse should wee make thereof Surely this Did not they then escape Gods afflicting hand that came vnpreparedly and vnworthily without examining and iudgeing of themselues vnto the holy Sacrament then how can we expect to goe vnpunished if we pollute and defile that holy ordinance of God as they did The like may be said of other sinnes as namely of those wherewith the old world is charged Luk. 17.26.27 viz. That they eat and dranke and maried and gaue in mariage vnto the day that Noe entred into the Arke and the floud came and destroyed them all That is they liued in a profound worldlinesse being altogether carelesse of heauenly matters and setting their mindes vpon nothing but the things of this life they did traffique onely for their bodies not at all for their soules And was this so great a fault will some say for men to follow after their commodities and delights Yes that they should wholy giue ouer themselues vnto the pursuite of these was so offensiue vnto the Lord that hee swept them all away by an vniuersall deluge they had so defiled the whole world that it could not be throughly clensed till they were all washed away that were the offenders And if wee follow them in those carnall courses wee may iustly feare that the Lord will cut vs off as hee did them though not in the like manner if we be men of the world and for the world making it our whole life and the very end of our being here to eate and drinke and buy and sell and plant and build in a word if we be wholy addicted to our profit and pleasure and credit and in particular for the matter of mariage if wee looke wholy or for the most part to personage and portion when wee are to make choise of yoake-fellowes for our selues and our children not regarding vvhether they be Papists or Atheists or any manner of way prophane so that they can satisfie our fleshly affections for outward things if I say we be thus disposed either wee shal be cut off by an vntimely death as the old world and the Sodomites were or if our dayes be prolonged it shal be to the increase of our woe and misery either in the time of our life or after our death or both And whereas concerning that former matter of carnall matches some may imagine that albeit they mary recusant Papists or others that are as bad they can so order matters that they will receiue no hurt by them but bring them to Church and so doe good vnto them let them not presume too much vpon their vaine conceits Salomon was as wise as they yet was not he able to conuert his Idolatrous wiues but was himselfe peruerted by them and so haue many moe beside him Wee can be thus prouident for our bodily safety that when wee see one to be swallowed vp in some griefe or to perish in a quick-sand or the like wee will retire and not aduenture vpon the perill and surely the examples of Gods word though of things that haue beene acted many yeeres since should be more forcible to cause vs to shunne spirituall dangers than fearefull spectacles that are present before our eyes should be to make vs carefull of eschewing corporall euils Therefore in the second place Vse 2 here is a iust reproofe of those that are so farre from being afraid at the consideration of the saults of their Ancestors that they are thereby much emboldned vnto wicked practises of which number are all Papists and sundry els that are popishly minded Oh say they this is an ancient religion an ancient custome c. And what of that Therefore let all Churches be defiled and all particular persons corrupted therewith and so for the breaking of the Sabbath it hath beene an vsuall thing time out of minde say they and therefore why should you finde fault with it This is a bad argument and if it might stand for a rule that the antiquity of a thing doth euer proue the lawfulnesse thereof what grosse euill could be condemned as vnlawfull The
is that it must be perpetuall and not temporall We must not loue him for a time alone as for certaine dayes weekes monthes or yeares but we must loue him beyond all time euen for euer and euer Be thou faithfull vnto the death saith Christ to the Church of the Smirnsans Reu. 2.10 and I will giue thee the crowne of life The Spouse doth tell vs in Cant. 8.6.7 First that her loue is so well grounded towards Christ that nothing can ouer come it or take it away from her neither persecutions on the one side nor worldly promotions on the other Surely as nothing can turne God from louing them Rom. 8.39 so nothing can turne them from louing God Reuel 12.11 Act. 21.13 In this respect they are like the Vine Oliue and Fig-tree that would not leaue their goodnesse to go to be aduanced aboue the other trees Iudg. 9.9 c. So that in this regard we must follow Christs Commandement when he said vnto his Disciples Abide in my loue Ioh. 15 9. Thus you haue heard in a few words what manner of loue it is that we must beare towards Christ when we doe accept of him for our Husband Examine now in your owne soules whether you haue this loue or no if you haue it blesse God for it but if you haue it not neuer be at rest till you haue gotten it And so I leaue the Appellation and come to the Declaration containing in it Christs teaching then the person whom hetaught Spake and said Here are two words vsed to expresse his teaching by they differ not much in signification The former of them noteth out as it were the opening of his mouth and that he began first The later sheweth what he vttered when he did so open his mouth and begin to speake The which to be so we may see not only by the force of the Hebrew word here vsed in the first place which doth signific in sermonem prorumpere vel clamare to breake out into words or to cry but also by the vse of both the words here vsed as they are ioyned together elsewhere in the Scriptures for if we marke them well wee shall finde them so taken as namely in Daniel Chapter 3.14.24.26 and Chapter 5.13 and Chapter 6.20 So that here is no mysterie as I take it included in this that two words are vsed and not one onely It is to shew that Christ began to speake first and that he himselfe was content to teach his Church A man might iudge that it was the part of the Church first to haue spoken to Christ considering that hee had beene now absent from her for a time and was now come againe in kindnes to visit her She should haue called out of the housevnto him and haue willed him to come in But alas there was too great carelesnesse in her and therefore he is faine to begin with her himselfe Thus doth God preuent vs with his graces he comes home to our houses and knockes at our doores and doth call vpon vs alowde before we will heare him and let him in Behold saith Christ in Reuel 3.20 I stand at the docre and krocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in vnto him and will suppe with him and he with me Yea oftentimes when he doth knocke we will not seeme to heare and so suffer him to lay on knocking still vntill his head be full of dew and his lockes with the drops of the night yea which is more after that he hath awakened vs and we cannot but speake to him we are loath to arise to let him in making many vaine excuses for that purpose saying amongst other things I haue put off my coate how shall I put it on I haue washed my feete how shall I defile them Cant. 5.3 Thus I might runne on to shew how backward the Church is on the one side and how forward Christ is on the other to doe her good but these things I will leaue to your owne deeper considerations Here a man may demand and aske Obiection how Christ did speake to his Church for we findein the Scriptures that he doth it after sundrie sorts and chiefely foure wayes First by his owne voice and in his owne person Secondly by the voice of his Spirit Thirdly by the voice of an Angell Lastly by the voice of his Minister Amongst all these wayes Answere this last doth seeme to be the onely way because that which is here vttered belongs to the Church at all times and in all ages of the world Howsoeuer Doct. in that Christ is said to speake and say when the Gospell was deliuered vnto her wee are taught this Doctrine that our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe is there teaching men where his Word is truly taught and deliuered vnto men When Wisedome had sent forth her maidens they are not said to cry in the highest places of the Citie but shee is laid to cry Prou. 9.3 When Noth spake to the old World and for the space of sixescore yeares together did call vpon them for repentance and amendment of life that so they might not be drowned with the Floud hee is not said to preach vnto them but Christ by his Spirit in him 1 Pet. 3.19.20 Lastly when the Apostles went vnto the Gentiles that were a farre off and sounded out the words of eternall life vnto them for their saluation they themselues are not said to preach to them but Christ himselfe euen then when he was in his owne person ascended vp into heauâ—n and sate there at the right hand of his Father in the highâ—st places Epheâ— 2.17 Thus then you see that it is Christ that doth teach men in the Preaching of the Word And this our Sauiour doth for two causes Reason the one is in regard of his office for hee is the Angell of the Couenant Mal. 3.1 the Doctor of his Church Matth. 23.8 The Wisedome of his Father 1 Cor. 1.24 the word of God Ioh. 1.1 and in one word he is sent by God to preach Ephes 61.2 The other is in respect of his loue to man who came into this world to saue him and not to damne him for he knowes on the one side where no vision is there the people perish Prou. 29.18 Hâ—sea 4.6 Matth. 15.14 And on the other that none can know his Fathers will without him vnlesse he doth rouelle the same vnto him Ioh. 1.18 This may teach vs Vse what to iudge of the preaching of Gods word we must not take it for the word of man but as it is indeed for the word of God So did the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2.13 As for the Minister hee is but the voice or truncke whereby Christ doth conuev heauenly things vnto vs in which regard they are compared to Stewards who must administer not their owne goods but their masters and one day must account for them 1 Cor. 4.1 And therefore looke whatsoeuer the Minister of Gods word doth deliuer
vpon the things But to leaue the reasons of this doctrine Vse and to come to the vses of it this loue that is in Christ towards his Church may seruevs well for foure purposes The first is to assure vs of glory to come For it is vnpossible that they should perish whom the sauiour of the world doth loue and whom hee hath chosen for his vvife Doubtlesse nothing shall hinder their saluation but all things shall worke for there best for the accomplishment thereof Rom. 8.28 Well therefore might our sauiour say of them as he doth in Iohn Chapter 10.27 28.29 My sheepe here my voyce and I know them and they follow mee and I giue to them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand My father which gaue them mee is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my Father are one The second is to open vnto vs our dignitie aboue others As Iohn did say behold what loue the father hath shewed on vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3.1 So may I say behold what loue the sonne hath shewed on vs that we should be called the wife of God for so we are in many places of the scriptures Surely there are none in the world aduanced to this degree of honour but our selues vvho are of the Church Oh my deare brethren can vvee consider enough of this or can vvee expresse it as it doth deserue What is it true indeede that the sonne of God yea the onely sonne of God who is the heire apparent of all the world doth loue vs poore and sinnefull vvretches and that hee is well content to marry with vs and to take vs home to himselfe for his wife wonderfull Oh wonderfull what a thing is this meditate Oh meditate I beseech you vpon this point both day and night and turne it to your good The third is to comfort vs against the hatred of this world Here wee shall be dispised and be had in great contempt and disgrace Iohn 15.19 Math. 10.22 But as Elkanah said to Hannah his wife Why weepest thou and why eatest thou not and why is thine heart troubled am not I better to thee then ten sonnes 1 Sam. 1.8 So may not Christ say vnto vs why are you sad or why are you grieued Is not my loue better to you then the loue of all the world Doubtlesse Gods children doe finde it so to be Their owne life is not so sweet vnto them as the loue of Christ according to Dauids words in Psal 63.3 Where speaking vnto God he doth say for thy louing kindnesse is better then life therefore my lips shall praise thee But that we may indeede receiue full comfort from hence let vs consider in few words what manner of loue it is that Christ doth beare vnto vs. In it I commend vnto you foure considerable properties The first is the greatnesse of it The second is the singularitie of it The third is the commodity of it The fourth and last is the perpetuitie of it For the first it is so great that wee cannot by our shallow reaches comprehend it if all the land vvere paper and all the vvater vvere incke and all the plants were pens and all the creatures were writers yet they would not nay yet they could not expresse the greatnesse of it as it doth deserue For as the Apostle Saint Paul doth teach vs the loue of Christ passeth knowledge Ephos 3.19 For the second it is so singular that all are not made pertakers of it but the elect onely onely the Church is interessed in this loue Ephes 5.25 In this respect she is compared to a garden that is inclosed to a spring that is shut vp and to a fountaine that is sealed fast in Cant. 4.12 So then as Christ did not pray for the world but for his Disciples onely vvhich were in the world Iohn 15.9 So hee loues not the world but those of his owne which are in the world For the third it is so commodious that to vs it is better then all the world yea more sweet and pleasant vnto vs then any costly banquet vvhatsoeuer made of wine and other pretious things Let him kisse mee saith the spouse with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is better then wine Cant. 1.1 We need not doubt of this because without Christ we are all but damned persons but hauing Christ wee shall be saued Ioh. 3.16.18 and 1 Ioh. 5.11.12 But yet remember what the CHVRCH doth say like the apple tree saith shee among the trees of the forrest so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men vnder his shaddow had I delight and sate downe and his fruit was sweet vnto my mouth Cant. 2.3 For the fourth and last it is so perpetuall that nothing can breake it off but it doth continue for euer well the mountaines may remoue and the hills may fall downe but Gods mercy shall neuer depart from vs neither shall the couenant of his peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on vs. Esa 54.10 Those whom Christ doth once loue hee will be sure to loue to the end Ioh. 13.1 So that nothing can seperate vs from the loue of our God Rom. 8.39 Now my brethren shall not this comfort vs against the hatred of the vvorld When any doth beginne to despise vs let vs cheere vp our hearts with this that Christ doth loue vs. For what are they to Christ Is not his loue better then all their loues Behold they are poore but he is rich they are weak but he is strong they are foolish but he is wise they are base but he is honorable in a word they are mortall but he is a God immortall Therefore let not the displeasure of this world daunt vs but let his fauour euermore comfort vs. The last is to inflame our loues towards him and to blow the coales thereof that they may burne out more and more The loue of Christ saith Saint Paul constraineth vs 2 Cor. 5.14 And the Church doth tell vs that Christs loue was as a banner ouer her to draw her vnto him Cant. 2.4 Let it then worke vpon our soules and moue them to affect him What shall hee loue vs and shall not we loue him againe What shall he preferre vs before all the world and shall we preferre the world before him God forbid as he doth loue vs so let vs loue him againe Doubtlesse if some great man should offer his loue to a poore woman of the countrey and be well pleased to take her for his wife we might well thinke her to be distracted of her wits if she should refuse him and not requite him againe with the like loue towards him So after the same sort may we thinke our selues bereft of all our senses if we loue not the Lord Iesus seeing he hath loued vs so dearely Wherefore to end this point let