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
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
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
we do liue heere For this life is the time of a Christian mans warfare neither must we looke to finde Heauen vpon Earth for if we will be Christs Disciples we must take vp his Crosse and follow him we must not dreame of a victory before we fight For it is the lot of the godly to suffer persecution yet this may bee the comfort and stay of a Christian Soule in the middest of them all That the Lord will dispose of them so as that they shall worke to the best to them that loue God and neuer depart from vs but shall leaue a blessing behind them so that wee shall bee sure of this that we shall gaine more in the Spirit then we can loose in the flesh Vse 3 Thirdly seeing it is the will of God that his owne true Church and faithfull children shall be tried and vndergoe the heate of persecution let vs heere learne to bee wise neither to thinke that wee are out of Gods fauour if wee bee tried or to thinke the worse of the Gospell of Christ because the crosse and triall goes with it Wee are ready to thinke the Lord loues vs not or that the Gospell the which wee professe is not a good profession because wee see it hated persecuted and railed on by wicked men Well it is that which God will haue it was the condition of Christ Iesus before vs and vnlesse wee looke that the seruant should bee greater then the Maister it must bee ours Secondly wee learne from Doctr. 4 hence Christ leaues not his Church in the heat of persecution but prouides comfort for them that though it may bee sometimes Noone-day with the Church of God hot and bloudy persecution yet Christ hath euer a shelter and shadow for his people Hee hath a Lair for them a place of shelter shadow and comfort he is euer present with his Church and people in the hottest times of persecutions and afflictions to comfort them to refresh them to ease them of their miserie to deliuer them This the Lord expresseth in the Prophet Esay 54.7.8 For a litle time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee Psalme 2. This doth the Prophet Dauid make manifest that notwithstanding the rage and malice of Gods enemies Hee that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision This comfort is excellently set forth by the Prophet Esay when hee saith in cha 43.1.2 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they doe not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neyther shall the flame kindle vpon thee For I am thy Lord God Thus prouided hee for his Church in the dayes of Hester Ester 3. when they could see no meanes to escape What a mischiefe had Herod inuented against the Messiah so secretly Matt. 2.13 as that hee disclosed the secret of his heart to none but pretended to the Wise men that his intent was to worship Christ yet the Lord did bring his deuice to naught and Ioseph and Mary with the child Iesus was deliuered Acts 12.16 Peter being cast into prison should euen the next day haue beene executed yet through the prayers of the Church was deliuered This Doctrine is further cleared by the examples of Ioseph Iob the Church in Egypt Cen. 41.14 Exo. 12 41 Dan. 6.23 Dan. 3. Daniel the three children Sidrach Mishach and Abedâ—â—go who for a time indured shame and reproach of the crosse yet afterwards the Lord returned vnto them when the time of refreshing came So that howsoeuer Gods children may be vnder the heate of persecution for a time it shall be but for a time hee will not leaue them destitute of his helpe and comfort for euer but will in the end deliuer them The Reasons seruing to confirme this Doctrine are manifest Reason 1 First consider the Titles by which GOD is called as a Father to shew the care that he taketh ouer his Church as his children to prouide for them and to gouerne them For what father will not saue his childe if possible hee can from fire or water or some other eminent danger Rom. 8.15 Iohn 10 1. Matt. 7.11 Now then if wee that are euill know how to helpe our children how much more shall our heauenly Father that knoweth all things giue good things vnto his children Againe Christ is called by the name of a Shepheard as the Church doth confesse in this place Now wil the Shepheard see the sheepe goe astray and not bring them into the right way againe or suffer the wolfe to deuoure the sheep and not rescue them And what shall wee thinke that Christ the true Shepheard of his Church will bee more carelesse of his Flocke whom he hath purchased vnto himselfe with no lesse price then with his owne heart Bloud then an earthly man is of his Sheep Seeing then that Christ Iesus is the King of his Church the shepheard of his Sheep we need not doubt but that hee will defend his Church and saue his sheep so that none shal be able to destroy them or take them out of his hands Secondly our weaknesse and naturall corruptions are not hidden from the LORD Hee knoweth whereof wee are made hee remembreth that wee are but dust And therefore saith the Apostle God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that wee shall bee able to beare it So then whether wee consider the Office of Christ as a shepheard to keep his Church or the mercie of Christ that is euer ready to couer the wants of his Seruants making their afflictions to be but momentarie in these two respectes wee may safely gather that the Lord will neuer forsake his children nor leaue them in their daungers but prouide for them both shelter and comfort when they shall finde the heate of afflictions to shine most hottest vpon them The vse serues to direct vs to Vse 1 whom wee should goe in time of trouble and great distresse for if Christ be our sheepheard wee are to flie to him He is a faithfull preseruer of them that trust in him Shall wee goe to Saints or to Angells Doubtlesse Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Esa 63.16 What then shal we trust in our chariots or in our horses doubtlesse a horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man Psal 37.17 Surely we cannot honour him more then when we depend on him and rest vpon his mercie Thus
pray to CHRIST as the church doth heere That hee would teach vs by his Spirit that hee would open our eyes that wee might see the truth and that he would giue vs hearts to beleeue it to loue it and to liue and die in it That hee would giue vs the Spirit of Discerning 1. Iohn 4.1 To try the Spirits whether they be of God that so wee may discerne the truth from falshoode Yea wee must so labour to bee fast grounded in the Truth Matt. 7.26 that no winde nor weather may remoue vs That wee be sure to lay a good foundation that we do digge deepe into our owne hearts builde on the Rocke To hate Poperie and all Idolatrie to loathe it as the Doctrine of Diuells Though they say they be the true Church and the companion of Christ yet be they the Synagogue of Sathan The maine points of their Religion being cleane contrarie vnto the word of God as are their Doctrine of Merites Inuocation of Saints worshipping of Images praying for the dead Sacrifice of the Masse that so wee may for euer stand out against that cursed and damnable doctrine of the Church of Rome Yea let vs intreate the Lord that hee would neuer suffer it to get head againe in this Land notwithstanding wee haue deserued as great a iudgement but especially that hee keep vs that wee neuer ioyne with them in that bloudy Religion Vse 3 It condemnes all those who are ready either for feare of persecution or by blindnesse and ignorance to embrace any Religion or ioyne with any Church who to keepe their Liuings hold their Lands to enioy their honours and pleasures would turne as doth the winde and embrace any Religion ioyne with Papist Iew Turke yea the deuill himselfe for liuing sake Oh! the true Church of Christ feare themselues and their weakenesse that they should bee drawne away and seduced to embrace false religion And therefore they doubting the worst and fearing the corruption that is in their owne hearts pray vnto Christ that they may not bee left vnto themselues but that they may finde strength from him to withstand them The end of the first Sermon A Folde for Christs SHEEPE THE SECOND SERMON CANT 1.7 7 If thou know not O thou fairest amongst women get thee forth by the steps of the Flocke and feede thy Kiddes by the Tents of the Shepheards WEE haue heard before of the earnest request of the Church vnto Christ That he would in mercy shew her where hee feedes his Flocke and where he prouideth comfort for them in time of trouble Heere is the most kind louing and gracious answer of Christ Iesus vnto the Request of his Church Parts of the Text. in the which note three things 1 His exceeding loue and kindnesse in that he calls her the fairest among women 2 His gentle reproofe of her If thou know not q.d. This is very strange that thou which art the true Church shouldest not know where Christ feeds his sheep 3 His direct Answer to her request wherein hee doth answer her to the full If thou wouldst know where I feede my sheep that so thou maist feede with them and finde consolation vnto thy Soule then thou must go in the steppes of the Flocke That is thou must embrace the Faith Religion the worship and seruice of God the which my ancient church from the beginning haue imbraced The Faith Religion the Worship and Seruice of GOD which my ancient Seruants Abraham Isaac and Iacob haue done and tread in their steps Secondly thou must place thy Tent where the shepheards haue done the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles of CHRIST their doctrine taught before This is the summe and substance of Christs answere vnto his Church First obserue heere how Christ describes his true Church and Spouse Hee giueth her a most kind and louing name expressing his kinde and singular loue vnto her O thou the fairest among women Quest Obiect But this may seeme strange for the Church confessed before that shee was blacke and Sun-burnt deformed c. How then can Christ call her the fairest amongst women Ans The Church Resp and euery true Beleeuer are black and deformed in themselues vile and vncleane and they can see no beautie in themselues but are blemished yea and stained with sins originall and actuall But as they be sanctified by his Spirit washed in his Bloud and clothed in his Righteousnesse they be faire and beautifull in the sight of Almighty God because Christ hath washed them from all their sinnes in his Bloud and couerd them with the pure roabes of his owne Righteousnes decked and adorned them with the holy and heauenly graces of his Spirit knowledge faith repentance zeale patience c. According to that speech that the Lord himselfe vseth Ezech. 16. thou art faire through that beauty of mine which I haue put into thee Doctr. 6 Here marke the endlesse loue of Christ Iesus vnto his poore church and people Christ esteemes of his church as if they had no sin that esteems so highly of them as if they had no spot of sin or vncleanenesse though they in themselues bee blacke deformed and polluted yet all those who doe truely repent embrace Iesus Christ and beleeue in him that are washed from their sinnes sanctified by his Spirit and obey his will all these are faire yea most beutifull in his eyes Hee will not looke vpon their sinnes and blemishes but wincke at them so long as they endeuour and desire to doe his will This is confessed by wicked Balaam when he saw that no policie or deuice could take any place against the Church of God He seeth no iniquitie in Iacob he beholdeth no transgression in Israel Nu. 23.21 Againe how goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thy tabernacles O Israel as the vallies that are stretched out c. Num. 24.5 So that the nature and condition of the true Church farre exceeds all other societies of men whatsoeuer and is pretious and deere vnto Christ Hereunto cometh the titles and commendations giuen vnto the Church so often in this most excellent booke of the Canticles Cant. 2.2 She is as the Roe of the field the Lillie of the Valley the Fairest amongest Women an Orchard of Pomegranats a Fountaine of Gardens and 4 13. and 5.9 a well of springing waters the Spouse and Sister of Christ the Beauty of the Earth the Glorie of the world a Lillie among Thornes c. And againe Thou art all faire my Loue and there is no spotte in thee These and the like examples whereof the Scripture is full all serue to confirme the euerlasting trueth of this Doctrine vnto vs how deare and precious the Church is in Christs sight that of al Societies and Assemblies of men in the world none are more excellent and worthy none more amiable and louely none more beutifull and precious then the Church of God the Spouse of Christ Reason 1 And the Reason of