Christ endure that any other should haue with him a portioÌ„ in his church For he is a iealous God Exodus 20. verse 5. So then the force of the reason standeth thus Gods people which are married vnto CHRIST must loue CHRIST alone because we are linked married to him alone as a wife to her husband vnto whom alone she is bound Therefore if we forsake the Lord and breake the promise wee made to him in Baptisme and betroth our selues vnto others then will he surely cast vs off giue vs a Bill of Diuorcement as shamelesse strumpets and punish vs for our vnfaithfulnesse Secondly hee loued vs first Reason 2 and best according to that of Iohn Wee loue him Iohn 4.19 because hee loued vs first Yea he loued vs first when we were his enemies and had made a voluntary separation betweene him and our soules committing Spirituall fornication with sinne and Sathan yea as the Apostle Paul witnesseth Eph. 2.4.5 Yee that were dead in trespasses and sinnes hath hee quickened And lest wee should any whit doubt of his loue hee hath manifested it Reuel 1.6 in that Hee hath washed vs from our sinnes in his Bloud Oh then greater Loue then this can no man shew And therefore seeing Christ hath loued thy Soule so dearely as to suffer a cursed death yea to shed his owne heart Bloud to saue thy soule Oh how oughtest thou to loue Christ agayne If a man vvere taken by the Turkes and put to extreme slauery and bondage where hee should remayne for euer vnlesse a great summe of money were payd for his ransome the which hee were neuer able to pay how miserable were the estate of this man But if one should come that out of his meere loue vnto him pittying his miserie that should pay his ransome and set him free who can expresse how much this poore wretch were bound vnto him VVee are all taken prisoners and that not by the Turkes which onely can but hold vs in temporall bondage but by Sathan the Prince of darkenesse where wee should haue indured not a temporall but a spirituall and eternall bondage and slauery and that in hell for euermore And nothing but onely the bloud of the Sonne of God could bee our ransome O how should this worke vpon the affection of euery Christian man and woman and euen bind vs to loue Christ againe Now what might moue Christ but onely his loue to giue himselfe to death for vs Surely nothing that was in vs. Ephe. 2.4.5 But God who is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together by Christ by whose grace yee are saued And againe 1. Ioh 3.16 Hereby haue we perceiued loue that hee layd downe his life for vs. Ephes 1.7 By whom saith the Apostle we haue redemption through his bloud and therefore the loue that Christ Iesus hath first sheâ—ed vnto vs must constraine vs to loue Christ againe Reason 3 And lastly because CHRIST IESVS is most excellent in him selfe and therfore most worthie of our loue For so saith the Church of Christ My beloued is white and ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefe of ten thousand In the world we see it commoÌ„ that some are beloued because they are faire and beautifull some because they are rich and wealthy some because they are wise and prudent and some because they are honourably descended Now Christ Iesus hath all of these For what soeuer may affect a mans heart and any way procure loue the same is Christ Iesus fully and absolute without any shadow of mutabilitie or change For wisedome he is the fountaine for truth hee is the authour of truth for mercie he is the store-house of all mercie for riches hee is the Lord of heauen and earth euen the store-house of durable riches and for beautie hee is the most holy and blessed sonne of God full of grace and truth Oh how may this serue to reproue Vse 1 all carnall and prophane Gospellers worldly men Epicures couetous Cormorants who loue any thing more then Christ Iesus and his glorious Gospell like the Gadarens who preferred their hogges before Christ yea one messe of pottage with Esau that can be content to sell Christ for lesse then thirtie pence that loue their filthy plesures eating drinking pride vncleannenesse c. more then CHRIST and their owne soules like the Bethlemites let Christ lie in the stable amongst beasts for they can not affoord him one corner in their hearts Againe it is the sin of thousands that professe Christ to be their Husband and Sauior that yet breake their couenant and serue the world and the flesh that pretend they loue the Lord Iesus Christ and yet betroth themselues to the world the flesh and the diuell and serue them Now how could any man be content with this That his wife should say she loues him and yet sets her heart vpon another man So how can wee thinke that God will take it at our hands if we will make shew that we loue Christ and yet are euer dallying with the world Christs enemy Oh he is a iealous God and will neuer indure it at our hands And lastly by the rule of this Doctrine of the Papists heere no lesse to be reproued who so much rob God of his honour calling vpon Saints and praying vnto them nay preferring the virgin Marie before Christ himselfe giuing honour and adoration to Saints and Angels making them Mediatours and Sauiours they shall finde one day that GOD will not put vp this robbery at their hands but will shew his iealous and terrible anger against them as most sacrilegious persons and robbers It must stirre vp euery Christian Vse 2 man to labour to finde his heart rauished with the loue of Christ Iesus so as he can say out of the affection of his heart O thou whom my soule loueth so as if the question were demanded what I loue best I can truly say Phil. 3.7.8 I loue Christ Iesus more then the whole world yea I account all things but losse and dung to win Christ And where men find this true affection loue of Christ in them it is a certaine signe of their saluation that God hath cast his loue vpon them that so the loue of God drawes loue to him againe As the light of the Sunne lights on the eie and by it we see the Sunne again And as by the picture in the Waxe wee know the Seale so by our loue to God we know his loue to vs. O how should this cause euery man and woman and euery mothers childe amongest vs to examine their loue towards Christ that so they may gather some assurance vnto their owne soules that Christ hath cast his loue vpon them And to doe this aske me this question of thine owne soule Doest thou desire Phil. 1.25 with the Apostle Paul to be loosed and to be with Christ Tell mee
his wife hath made herselfe ready Reu. 19.7 So then this booke containes in it the wonderfull loue and mutual affection betwixt Christ Iesus and his Spouse the true Church of GOD and euerie true beleeuer Thus much may serue touching the book it self we will now come to the words of the Text. Shew thou me O thou whom my soule loueth c. IN the beginning of this chapter the Church beginneth to speake to Christ and being rauished in heart with his Loue desires most earnestly to be embraced of him that shee might be ioyned vnto him and haue fellowship with him preferring Christ Iesus with the blessings and benefites she reapeth by him before all other things in the world In the third Verse shee confesseth her vntowardnesse and her want of power to embrace Christ and therefore she desireth him to draw her heart by his Word and Spirit whereby shee sheweth her earnest desire to receiue Iesus Christ Verse 4. She remoues an obiection that might be made for it might be said Alas thou art black and deformed how canst thou then hope that hee will take any pleasure in thy beauty seeing that hee is the most pure blessed and glorious Son of God To this she confesseth that though by Nature shee be blacke ful of blemishes and naturall corruptions by reason of her originall sinne and naturall corruptions as also her actuall transgressions yet notwithstanding being washed in Christs Bloud cloathed in his Righteousnesse and being decked and beautified vvith the Graces of his Spirit Knowledge Faith Repentance Zeale Patience Loue Obedience c. shee is faire and comely Now in the sixt Verse shee puts vp an earnest request vnto Christ that he would in mercie shew her where hee feedeth his Flocke and where he prouides comfort for them in the time of trouble For Christ being the great Sheepheard his Church on earth seekes onely after him to be fedde resting assured that there is but one true shepheard who feedeth all his Sheep with wholesome pasture In these two Verses we haue two things to be considered of vs Viz. 1 The Request and Petition the which the Church doth make vnto Christ Verse 6. The Texâ— diuided 2 The most kinde and louing answere of Christ Iesus vnto his Church directing her and comforting her according to her Petition Verse 7. In the first of these wee are to consider two things First the Request and secondly the reason of the Request In the Request note First the person to whom she resorts Oh thou whom c. Secondly the Request it selfe which is twofoâ—d First that Christ Iesus would shew her where he feeds his Flocke with his holy Word Sacraments to this end that hee would feede her as he fed the Flockes of former times Secondly where hee prouides shelter and shadow in the heate of persecution as the manner of those Shepheards was in those hot countries to driue their sheepe to shade in the heate of the day And lastly the Reason For why should I bee as shee that turneth aside after the Flockes of thy companions So that if CHRIST doe it not it will not bee for His honour nor yet for her good The person vnto whom the Church seekes for direction First for the Person to whom shee seeketh for direction and comfort it is CHRIST IESVS the Sauiour and Redeemer of his church and people whom shee describeth thus Oh thou whom my soule loueth c. q. d. O Lord IESVS CHRIST my Sauiour and Redeemer whom I loue with all mine heart yea whom I loue most earnestly aboue all the world So as if the question were asked what I loue best in all the world I speake it from my heart It is thou Lord alone Doctr. 1 Christ Iesus must be loued with the stFaida Hamdiongest affection of loue Hence wee learne with what affection euery childe of God and true beleeuer must loue IESVS CHRIST namely with the greatest and strongest affection of loue they can So as if it were asked what or whom dost thou loue most thou canst truely say with the Church here the Lord Iesus CHRIST O thou whom my soule loueth So did S. Peter whose loue was so great that he died for CHRIST So that hee might verie well say to Christ when hee asked him this question Whether he did loue him or no Yea Lord Iohn 21.15 thou knowest that I loue thee The like is to be seene in Marie whose loue was so great to Christ that in testimonie thereof shee washed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head So that CHRIST giues this testimonie of her to her euerlasting praise Luke 7.47 That shee loued much So doth the Church and Spouse of CHRIST testifie her loue to Christ in diuers places of this most worthy book calling CHRIST IESVS her Beloued Cant. 2.10 My beloued spake and said c. And againe Stay mee with Flaggons and comfort mee with Apples for I am sicke of loue Cant. 2.5 Yea it is a Precept giuen by the Lord God himselfe that hee must haue the chiefest loue and the first roome in our hearts Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with al thy soule with all thy strength Deut. 6.5 The Lord will not be satisfied with the loue of our eyes to behold his workes the loue of the eare to listen to his word the loue of the tongue to talke of him the loue of the feet to go to his Sanctuary but the Lord doth require all these loues together in one So as a man may truely say with Dauid the prophet Psal 83.25 Whom haue I in heauen but thee And 〈◊〉 desire nothing in earth in comparison of thee The Lord cannot abide that a man should haue a heart and a heart one for God another for the Diuell We can not serue God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 wee must not part our loue to the world the Flesh or the Diuell but Christ must haue all Now the reasons are diuerse to shew with what an ardent affection wee must loue CHRIST IESVS First because he is our Husband Reason 1 and wee are his Spouse for so saith the Prophet Esay Esay 54.5 Hee that made thee is thy Husband whose name is the Lord of Hoasts And agayne Reu. 19.7 Let vs reioyce and giue glorie to him for the Marriage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready Now our Spirituall seruice and worship of God is as it were a certaine Marriage of our soules vnto God When wee take vpon vs the profession of Christ Iesus as in Baptisme then wee betroth our selues to Christ as to an husbaÌ„d entring into couenant with CHRIST To keepe vs onely to him vnto our liues end So then by this meanes the Lord is become our husband we his Spouse Now then as an honest man can not endure that another man should haue a portion in his wife so will not
Note is it meate and drinke vnto thee to doe the will of Christ Is thy hand euer ready according to thy abilitie to bestow any thing vpon Christ for the aduancement of his glory Doest thou labour in the place vvherein thou liuest to aduance the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ Canst thou bee content to vndergoe shame disgrace trouble persecution and bonds yea death it selfe for Christs sake Doth the remembrance of his comming to Iudgement cheere vp thy heauy soule And doest thou cry with the spouse of Christ Come Lord Iesus come quickly These bee markes and tokens whereby thou maist discerne whether thou dost loue Christ Iesus yea or no. But because all men are ready to say that they loue Christ or else it were pitty they should liue and the like when indeed the loue of Christ is not in them Markes to discerne our loue to Christ I will yet proceed a little further and obserue a few notes and markes of this pure and hearty loue to Christ which are most certaine signes of grace 1. By our loue to his word First if wee loue Christ wee will loue his word delight in it and esteeme it aboue gold and pretious stones Psal 119.67 Lord what loue haue I vnto thy word saith Dauid all the day long is my study in it Yea it is altogether impossible for a man to be religious to feare God and to loue him that hath no sound loue nor delight in the word of God so that by our loue to his word wee may iudge of our loue to Christ No loue nor delight in the word surely no loue nor delight in Christ great loue to the word great loue to Christ In the valewing of this pearle Dauids practise is notable who made the Testimonies of God his heritage Verse 111. and the very ioy of his heart and esteemed them aboue gold yea aboue fine gold And therefore seeing most men haue no delight in the word seldome or neuer heare it vnlesse it be for fashion sake read it or meditate in it day or night it is a certaine token that the loue of Christ is not in them 2. By our loue to his Saints Secondly if wee loue Christ Iesus with all our heart we will loue those whom he loues his blessed members true Christians 1. Iohn 3. Hereby saith Saint Iohn wee know that we are translated from darknesse into light because we loue the brethren Dauid testifies of himselfe Al my delight is vpon thy Saints It is our duty to loue all but wee must loue the Saints with a peculiar and speciall loue as heires with Christ and members of the same body with vs. Therefore seeing men generally hate the members of Christ contemne them and despise them doth not this make it verie apparent that the loue of Christ is not in them For the world loues her owne Iohn 15.19 But because I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Thirdly if we loue Christ Iesus 3. By our obedience we must shew it by our obedience to his word and to his holy Lawes for so saith Christ If ye loue me Ioh. 14 23. keep my Commandements Little obedience little loue no obedience to Christs will no loue hearty obedience hearty loue And therefore seeing generally men rebel against his word and breake his Commandements thogh these men should swear they loue Christ yet are they liars and the loue of Christ is not in them For who can beleeue that a traytor can loue his Prince Fourthly if we loue Christ Iesus 4. By our suffering for Christ we cannot endure to heare him blasphemed rayled on reuiled his word contemned or his Sabaoths prophaned but it will grieue vs at the very heart we will to the vtmost of our power defend his cause as a louing childe the cause of his father and a faithfull seruant the credit of his maister And withall it will make vs be content to indure some triall and persecution for his sake yea losse of libertie wealth riches yea life iâ—selfe who hath so loued vs that he shed his bloud for vs. Thus much of the affection of the Church towards Christ Iesus Now we are to come to the petitions themselues Shew thou mee O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest c. THe Church heere as in many other places of the holie Scriptures compares Christ Iesus to a good and faithfull shepheard as the Prophet Esay describes him Esay 40. He will gather together his Lambs And againe Behold Ezech. 34. I will require my flocke of the Shepheards and I my selfe will feede my sheepe and cause them to rest quietly This is acknowledged of the Prophet Dauid Psal 23.1 The Lord is my shepheard therefore I cannot want Yea Christ doth thus entitle himselfe saying Ioh. 10.11 I 〈◊〉 the good shepheard c. Now the Church of Christ doth put vp her request to this great Shepheard and Doctour of his Church that hee would be pleased to tell her where hee feedes his sheep with the preaching of the Word and the vse Of the Sacraments that so shee may ioyne with them there to be fed and comforted Quest But Obiect was not this the true Church that moueth this question what is then that other Church or flocke she enquires after Resp Ans I answere Howsoeuer the Church of God is but one in all the world yet it hath diuerse partes As the Ocean sea though but one yet it is called by diuers names according to the place where it lies Euen so the Church of Christ though but one yet it hath diuers parts as the Holy-Ghost distinguisheth of it Reuel 1.4 writing to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Now of the whole Church of Christ some parts of it be at peace and rest free from persecution when other partes may suffer persecutions molestations and be vexed by the Diuell and his instruments whom he sets a worke Now in this place the Church of God in persecution and great affliction desieth to know of Christ Where he feedes his sheepe that is where the Church is at rest and peace where the word is purely preached the Sacraments duly administred and Discipline duly performed that she may ioyne with them in the seruice of Almightie God From this request and earnest Doctr. 2 sute of the Church vnto Christ to know where he doth feed his sheepe wee learne that it is a true note of a sheepe of Christ Iesus The true note of a sheep of Christ to hunger and thirst after the word of God to hunger and thirst after the word of GOD to enquire where Christ feedes his flocke where the word is truely and faithfully preached and the Sacraments truelie administred And this doubt our Sauior him selfe obserueth to be the eare-marke of his sheepe Iohn 10.27 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow
For then thy conscience will accuse and lay to thy charge euery one of them in order Thou hast set my misdeeds before me and my secret sins in the sight of thy countenance saith Dauid Againe in the heart of man what anger what enuy what malice lurke therein and they passe it ouer and thinke it no matter Well know beloued that vnlesse you repent of the very thoughts of the hearts euen these things will be found written in the bookes at the day of Iudgement and what a lamentable thing will that be 2. Our thoughts Secondly as conscience is priuie to all our thoughts and wil accuse vs of them at the day of Iudgement so all our speeches are noted therein What a number of wicked speeches passe out of the mouth of wicked and vaine men and women what horrible and blasphemous oathes what cursed speaking lying and slaundering Now a wicked person that thus abuseth his tongue so many thousand times in a day he cannot for his life remember them VVell know that euerie sinnefull word thou speakest is written in this booke there it is recorded and when this Booke of thy conscience shall be opened it will discouer all thy sinnes not onely thy filthy thoughts but euery wicked word Our Sauiour tels vs Mat. 12.36 that we must giue an account of euery wicked word at the day of â—udgement For though men labour to forget them yet they are written in their consciences one day shall come to iudgement O how this should awaken vs all and cause vs to looke vnto our liues to make a couenant with our eyes as Iob did and to set a watch before our mouths as Dauid did and to lay aside our vaine oathes and idle mirth which as Salomon saith cannot want iniquitie seeing one day they must all of them come to iudgement 3 Our workes Thirdly if we come vnto the liues of men and women why alas they bee nothing almost but a continuall practise of sin as the sinnes of mens liues they bee innumerable euen as the Sands on the Sea shore Now though mens liues abound with so many thousand sinnes yet we see man perceiues not nor knowes not one quarter of his sinnes It may be hee knoweth some but alas they forget the greatest part of them But yet they be all written in this booke of thy Conscience and they shall all come to Iudgement When these Bookes shall bee read then all thy sinnes shall be made manifest though neuer so secret for thy Conscience doth marke them all and pen them downe against this day of account Now seeing what is meant by this booke our Conscience and likevvise what bee written in them euen all our thoughts words and workes let vs come to see what vse wee are to make of this Doctrine first Hence first of all wee may obserue the endlesse loue and mercie of our God towards vs foretelling euery Vse 1 one of vs novv of the opening of these Bookes that our consciences shall be layd open these Bookes vnclasped and all our thoughts words and works must come to iudgement Surely it is to this end and purpose that we might preuent the danger that is to come and labour to keep a good conscience washed and purged in the bloud of Christ that it may not lay to our charge any one sinne but assure vs that we are in the fauor of God Vse 2 Secondly we see here that it is not enough for a man or a woman to abstayne from euill wordes and workes but euill thoughts likewise the very lust of the heart Paul complaines of this Rom. 7. and Peter bids Simon Magus to repent and pray Actes 8. if perhaps the thoughts of his heart might be pardoned I doubt not but the children of God are carefull ouer their very thoughts For a wicked carnal man may abstaine from some grieuous sinnes But it is a note of the true childe of GOD to repent of his euill thoughts and to be carefull ouer them Thirdly seeing euery mans Vse 3 conscience is this booke and euery mans sin is penned downe therein we may see the wofull misery of all those that haue defiled consciences filthy and vncleane hearts For looke how their consciences doe accuse them euen so will God condemne And hauing not repented of their sinnes they carry a tormentor within them namely a guilty and an accusing conscience which is their Iudge to condemne them and their hell to torment them Vse 4 Fourthly seeing the bookes must be opened and euery mans conscience must come to scanning because sentence shall passe and iudgement shall bee awarded accordyng to the things written in euery mans conscience How should this cause vs all both Minister and people to labour to get a good conscience If thy conscience be good thou shalt not faile to bee blessed if thy conscience be filthy and polluted thou art accursed The mean to get a good conscience And therefore it should bee our chiefest care our chiefest study and our chiefest desire all our life time to keepe a good conscience Now if you aske how is it possible to get a good conscience I answere for the getting and keeping of faith and a good conscience we must know that it is done by the vse of the word of God Ioh. 17. Sanctifie them by thy Trueth Thy word is the Trueth All graces of Gods spirit are wrought by his word But that wee may get a good conscience we must First repent of all our sinnes wee must know by the Lawe of God what is sin what is not Secondly we must know the heauie curse of GOD euen for sinne that the reward of sinne is death eternall both of Bodie and Soule For men doe by nature blesse themselues in their sinnes and though we heare of Gods Iudgements against sin yet whose heart is touched and troubled Thus men runne on still in sinne and feare nothing They meane well they say but yet liue ill and thinke all is well Thirdly til we see what sinne is and then see the curse of God due to sinne we shall neuer seriously try our consciences and see how our sins haue wounded them that so we may repent vs of sinne Fourthly we must be grieued for our sinnes wee must acknowledge and confesse them begging for pardon of them and to hunger and thirst after Christ Iesus For there is nothing that can purifie the conscience and quiet the heart but onely the bloud of Iesus Christ applied to our soules by Faith with perswasion of the forgiuenesse of them Marke heere then beloued when a man is thus humbled for his sinnes and beggeth the pardon of them earnestly with sighes and groanes then will the Lord send downe into his soule his blessed Spirit to assure vs of gods mercy of the pardon of our sinnes that our wounds in conscience are healed and this is done by the meanes of Faith Acts 15.9 which purifies the conscience Hereby we
may perceiue Vse that most men and women are in a woefull case For alas the greatest part are ignorant of the law of God and know not what is sinne and what is not sinne and therefore cannot possible haue a good Conscience For Hebr. 11. whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Againe though men see their sinnes and oftentimes their consciēce checks them for sins yet how few doe bewaile their sinnes for I am perswaded that there is not so wicked a sinner but sometimes his conscience checkes him Indeede men see not the danger and feele not the wounds of conscience because now their Bookes be clasped they be shut vp their seared Consciences bee now asleepe But the day will come that their Bookes must be opened and their secrets declared and then conscience will accuse them condemne and torment them Againe when a man or woman hath gotten a good conscience so as being truely humbled for their sinnes and begging pardon they finde some assurance of GODS loue in Christ and that now their consciences doe not accuse them euen then must men take no lesse paines to keepe and preserue a good conscience to do nothing to wound thy Conscience A mans Conscience is a very tender thing The meanes to keepe our cōscience pure It is like the apple of the eye if it be prickt but with a pin it will not onely blemish the eye but endanger the sight So conscience it is a tender thing if yee pricke it by sinne it wil blemish thy conscience wound it and euen make hauocke of thy soule And therfore saith Salomon Counter-gard thy heart watch ouer thy soule Prouerbs 4.14 that thou do nothing that may wound thy conscience Now that we may keep these books of account our consciences pure and good we must doo two things First auoide all things that may any way hurt a good conscience Secondly vse all good meanes and helpes to cherish a good conscience In truth all sin hinders a good conscience Sinne is that vvhich wounds the Soule and maketh hauocke of a good conscience that is the verie cut-throate of mens soules And therefore if you would keepe a good conscience take heede of sin which wounds a good conscience and makes it vnable to stand before God at the last day But there bee two especiall lets and impediments of a good Conscience First ignorance of the Lawe and the word of God For when a man knowes not what is sinne and what not how can he take heed lest hee wound his Soule And therefore wee see let a man come into his House at Midnight hee can see nothing amisse and out of order but let a man come in at Noone then hee can espie the least disorder euen so poore blinde ignorant soules not knowing the Law of God cannot see any wounds in conscience nor nothing amisse in them But let them come to the word of God and looke in this Glasse then they shall find themselues much out of order to haue wounded soules and defiled consciences The other impediment of a good cōscience is worldly lust namely the loue and exceeding desire of riches honours pleasures c. And hee that suffers these desires to haue place in his heart hee cannot possible keepe a good conscience Secondly the meanes to preserue and to keep a good conscience be three First to doe all things that may saue and cherish true sauing faith whereby our soules be assured of the loue of GOD in Christ Iesu for the pardon of our sins For Faith is the root and the foundation of a good conscience and without faith there can be no good conscience Rom. 10. Now to preserue Faith wee must often heare and reade the word of God repent of our sins acknowledge and confesse them and be humbled for them and walke in the dueties of faith and repentance And in so doing wee shall finde more and more the comfort of a good conscience And therefore wee must take heede we do nothing to break off the feeling of Gods loue or to wound our conscience Secondly we must indeuour in all things to obey Gods will and beare a constant purpose not to sin in anie thing For a purpose to liue in sin and conscience cannot stand together so that where there is a purpose to liue in sinne there is neither faith nor a good conscience Thirdly we must walke with God as Henoch did so to order our liues as alwayes in the presence of GOD and this will make vs keepe a good Conscience and the want of this maketh men bold to sinne because they consider not that GOD seeth them and that they haue a conscience within them And another Booke was opened which is the Booke of Life THus when Christ hath examined the Bookes of mens Consciences to view what is therein written that Iudgement may bee avvarded thereafter Now hee sheweth that hee will open a second Booke euen the Booke of Life What is meant by the booke of Life And of this booke of Life we shall see often mention in the word of God both in the olde and new Testament as that of Moses Exodus 32.31.32 Oh this people haue grieuously sinned Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare But if thou wilt not I pray thee rase mee out of the Booke which thou hast written Psal 69.28 Agayne Let them be put out of the Booke of Life neither let them be written with the righteous Reuel 3.5 Againe He that ouercommeth shall be clothed in white array and I wil not put out his name out of the Booke of Life And the Holie-Ghost speaking of the glory of the heauenly Ierusalem saith Reu. 21.27 There shall enter into it no vncleane thing neyther whatsoeuer worketh abomination or lies Phil. 4.3 But they which are written in the Lambes Booke of Life Now if you would know what is heere meant by the Booke of Life it is the Book in the which all the names of Gods Elect which in his eternall purpose he hath chosen be written as it were with Letters of Gold and it is nothing else but GODS eternall councell purpose and decree wherein he hath elected and chosen a certaine company of mankinde to bestow eternall life vpon them for we must not thinke that God hath any need of a Booke but only for our vnderstanding hee speaketh thus Euen as a Captaine records the names of his Souldiers to call them one by one and as in Cities the names of the chiefe men be recorded So God hath as it were enrolled the names of all his Saints and engrauen them in the booke of Life with letters of gold for euer so as not one of them shall perish Thus seeing what is meant by the Booke of Life let vs see what we may learne hence Vse 1 First hence wee may see the blessed and happy estate of all the elect and chosen children of God For all those which be
an especiall grace of God to iustifie a poore sinner that must be saued And whosoeuer is not iustified cannot be saued Iustification hath two parts First the pardon of sinne secondly the imputation of Christs righteousnesse For that before a man can be iustified hee must repent him of his sinnes know them hate them and begge the pardon of them and then Christ Iesus will assure vs of the pardon of them And therefore if wee would know whether we be iustified or not we must looke whether we haue truely repented yea and haue beene truely humbled for our sinnes and got the pardon of them all Secondly that wee may bee truely iustified wee must haue a true faith in Christ Iesus to lay hold vpon him to be perswaded and assured in our soules that Christ died for me shed his Bloud for me obeyed the Law for me and will couer all my sinnes in his Righteousnes So then marke the conclusion where there is repentance there is Remission of sinnes where there is remission of sins there is iustification and where there is iustification there is saluation And on the contrarie parts where there is no repentance there is no remission of sinnes where there is no remission of sinnes there is no iustification and where there is no iustification there is no saluation O then what shall become of those that liue in sin delight in sin and neuer as yet could shed one teare for their manifold and grieuous sinnes They can not finde themselues to bee iustified they can haue no pardon of their sinnes so long as they liue in sin And therefore if you would knovv vvhether you shall be saued or not labour first of all to repent and to lay hold on Christ by Fayth that so he may couer your sins in his Bloud Thirdly fruite of Election is sanctified And this is a speciall marke of Gods childe 2 The. 2.13 to be regenerate to be sanctified Now Sanctification standeth in two parts first they must dye vnto sinne secondly they must rise to righteousnesse And would you know then assuredly whether your names are written in the Booke of Life Looke vnto your soules If you finde that you are sanctified if you hate your olde sinnes and filthie wayes if you loue Vertues and delight in all holy dueties then it is a certaine token that ye belong vnto God Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ But if you do sauour the things of the flesh lying in the old sins Drunkennesse c. why then certainely you haue no assurance of saluation that you can be saued But you must needes sing this dolefull Song I know not what shall become of my poore Soule whether I shall be saued or damned Nay if thou liue in sinne thou maist iustly feare that thou art a firebrand of hell For Hee that is borne of God sinneth not 1. Ioh. 5.18 And Let euery one that calles on the name of the Lord depart from iniquity 2. Tim. 2. Thus to die to sin and to liue to righteousnes is a sure token that wee belong to God Thus you see how a man may come to know whether hee be elected and ordayned to Life or not Now let vs see what vse ariseth hence Seeing God hath his Booke Vse 1 of Life in which be written the names of all those that shall bee saued and none of them shall perish hence cometh endlesse comfort to all Gods children If thou finde that thou art the childe of God and thy name is written in Heauen nothing can hurt thee though thou bee poore sicke full of sores in prison hated contemned yet nothing can hurt thee Nay all the gates of Hell can not preuaile against thee no damnation can come vnto thee For if God do iustifie who can condemne for at the day of Iudgement Christ Iesus will take his Booke of Life and call vs saying Come yee blessed So as we shall not come to a terrible Iudgement but to a louing Sauiour Secondly seeing that it is so excellent a thing to haue our names written in this Booke to be the Elect childe of God we should labour for this aboue all things in the world for without this wee can haue no sound comfort either in life or death And therefore our Sauior bids vs in the tenth of Luke not to boast our selues of Learning of Wisedome of Riches whereas these are but vaine things but to reioyce that our names bee written in heauen Thirdly seeing God hath a Booke of Life and hath written downe the very names of euery man and woman that shall be saued and hath withall shewed vs the way that leads vnto Life and vnlesse we walk in this way we can not come vnto it It is our wisedome to walke in the way that leades to Life in the practise of Godlinesse VVee are Vesselles of Honour and therefore must liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world Not to serue sinne and Sathan any longer But as the redeemed of the Lord to walke from strength to strength from vertue to vertue from one degree of Perfection to an other till at length wee appeare before the Lord and there to reape the happie revvard euen the ful fruition of all happinesse and that for euermore The end of the second Sermon The great Assize THE THIRD SERMON REV. 20.12.13 And the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the Bookes according to their workes 13 And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and Death and Hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes COncerning the Booke of Life we haue heard already what is meant by it namely the Councell and Decree of GODS Election whereby hee hath chosen certaine men and women from out of the lump of Mankinde vpon whom hee will bestow Eternall Life Secondly wee haue learned that a man may nay euery Christian man and woman ought to be assured that his name is writen in it Thirdly wee did set downe some means out of the word of God Rom. 8.16 whereby a true Christian may be assured hee is elected namely 1. Cor. 2 First the testimony of Gods Spirit which cannot lie Secondly by the fruites and effects of Election as Vocation Iustification Sanctification loue of the Brethren 1 Ioh. 3.14 and obedience vnto all the Commaundements of God And therefore it stands vs all in hand to labour for this assurance of Election else wee cannot be saued Luke 10.20 and without it wee can haue no true ioy vnto our soules Surely mens carelesnesse in this poynt is great Nay their care to make their Lands and Leases sure will be a means to condemne them for their want of care in this point Now Saint Iohn proceedeth in the Description of this last Iudgement After what maner all men shal be iudged euen as it was declared vnto him by the Lord Iesus Christ
the height and the measure of her iniquitie is once full according to that of Sainct Iohn in the Reuelation Shee is fallen shee is fallen euen Babylon that great Citie c. God put it into the hearts of all christian princes to rise vp against her * By suppressing of Poperie that their warre with them may assure them of a peace with themselues and with their Lord God For how dangerous they be vnto a christian common-wealth euen theyr hellish Attempts do shew Neyther is it an error in practise as many would beare men in hand but it is an error in doctrine teaching yea and maintaining it that they may safely kill and take away the life of a christian Prince that will not yeelde and subiect himselfe vnto the Pope of Rome * Therfore traitors to Christian Princes in action or affection and so much the more dangerous to be sufferd And no maruell then though they can not endure the manifestation of God his Word which is a Lanthorne vnto our feete and a Light vnto our Paths directing vs to heauen For this Light if the Pope did not smother it euen little children in the Streetes would long ere this haue cryed Fie vpon them fie vpon them Jt is my care both in publike and priuate out of my small reading to discouer as much as in me lieth the mysterie of Iniquitie and to lend one blast to the sounding of that Horne The word that shall at last shake downe the walles of this Iericho Jt is the old and ancient Doctrine of Faith and Repentance that I heere intreate of As for the plainenesse of the manner of deliuery of it I do trust you will acknowledge that the power of the spirit is best seene in weakenesse and that plainelinesse do best answere a straight and euen Leuell the euidence of the spirit is best seene in plainenesse J haue presumed to prefixe your Worshippes Name vnto this small Worke Jt shall by Gods good blessing increase your loue vnto the truth and gospell of Iesus Christ A zealous professour whereof you haue shewed your selfe to be these many yeares and worke in you a further detestation of Poperie As you haue begun well so proceed and let your workes be more at last then at first Be still for God in all his wayes and God will be still for you in all your waies aduance him still and hee will aduaunce you Thus I adde this poore Mite to the treasurie of the Church ascribing the Patronage to your selfe the vse to the world and the successe of it to God I pray God to keepe you in his holy feare and fauour vnto the end and so remaine Your worships in the surest bond SAMVEL SMITH A Table of the Doctrines contained in these two Sermons THE FIRST SERMON CANT 1. v. 6.7 Doctrine 1. CHRIST IESVS must bee loued with the strongest affection of Loue. p. 234 Doct. 2. True note of a Sheepe of Christ to hunger and thirst after the word of God p. 225 Doctr. 3. The church of God doth acknowledge Christ to bee her chiefe shepheard p. 267 Doctr. 4. The church of GOD sometimes is in the very heate of persecution p. 274 Doctr. 5. Christ leaueth not his church in the heate of persecution but prouideth comfort for them p. 285 Doct. 5. It is altogether impossible for men to holde out in time of triall that are not assisted by God p. 296 THE SECOND SERMON CANT 1. v. 7. Doctrine 6. CHRIST esteemeth of his church as if they had no sinne p. 308 Doctr. 7. The church of GOD sometimes may bee at such a streight as not to discerne the truth p. 317 Doctr. 8. A direction to know which is the true church p. 324 A Fold for Christs SHEEP THE FIRST SERMON CANT 1.6.7 6 Shew thou me O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest and where thou liest at noone For why should I bee as shee that turneth aside to the Flocks of thy companions 7 If thou know not O thou the fairest among women get thee forth by the steps of the Flocke and feede thy Kiddes by the Tents of the Shepheards BEFORE I enter into the Text it selfe which I haue now read vnto you it shal not be amisse for my better proceeding and your vnderstanding to speake something concerning the order of placing this Booke the Title of it and the subiect matter therein contained Touching the order of placing this Booke wherein king Salomon labours to build vp the Spirituall Temple of the Soule It is the same hee obserued in building the materiall temple 1. Reg 6. where he framed three Courts the vtmost for the Common People the second for the Priests and Leuites and last of all that Sanctum Sanctorum the Holiest of Holies onelie for the High Priest to enter in at and that but once a yeare euen so in this Spirituall Temple of mans Soule hee hath likewise framed three Courts First an vtmost Court which is his Booke of Prouerbes where all sorts and degrees of men whatsoeuer are taught instructed a ciuill course of maners Next to that he hath a second Court which is his Ecclesiastes leading men on further in the wayes of godlinesse and Christian piety And last of all hee hath a Sanctum Sanctorum which is his Canticles wherein not euerie one but onely those which delight in heauenlie and Diuine Mysteries may behold the pure free perfect eternall and constant loue of Christ Iesus towards his Church and euerie faithfull Soule as also the loue of his Church towardes him and what great and princely benefits she reapeth by him Secondly for the Title and subiect matter of this most excellent Booke as there is Sabbatum Sabbati so this is a Song of Songs because of all that Salomon did endite this is most Diuine and most excellent In the which hee doth most liuely and affectionately by Allegoricall and Parabolicall Speeches cipher out and describe vnto vs the most holie and perfect loue of Christ Iesus towardes the Church his blessed Spouse For CHRIST and his Church are heere brought in in this worthie Booke as two Paramours Psalme 45 who are in loue the one with the other as a time of wooing euer goeth before the solemnization of Matrimonie and which in due conuenient time haue a purpose to marrie Math. 1.11 as Ioseph and Mary were first espoused before they came together So the same order is obserued in this Spirituall Vnion betwixt Christ and his Church Iohn 3.29 They must first bee contracted then after married The Contract is when a man is regenerate and borne anew Reuel 21 9. translated out of Nature into Grace depending only vpon Christ for saluation and finished and made vp in the day of Iudgement when all the Elect shall fully enioy Christ For so witnesseth the Holy ghost where it is said Let all be glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the Marriage of the Lambe is come and