fauour he is with-holden sometimes bribes blind his eies and peruert the right sentence But it shall not be so with this Iudge of the whole world His sentence is a righteous sentence he will iudge according to trueth he is able to finde out any cause and will examine it to the bottome hee feareth no mans person he will not be moued with fauor to conceale the truth And as for rewards hee contemnes them all therefore no doubt hee will proceede according to iustice This serueth for the comfort Vse 1 of Gods people in this world we see oftentimes the righteous cause is troden vnder foot mens lands and liuings are detained and taken from them by vnrighteous Iudges and that vnder colour of Law Well let men haue patience and know this that there wil come a day wherin there shal be Iustice and true Iudgement doone vnto them Here thy cause shall be heard it shal be righted for Christ Iesus will bee a righteous Iudge for the poore the fatherlesse and the widow Againe we see how the members of CHRIST which make conscience of sinne and care of their liues to heare the word and to walke accordingly they be disgraced and despised of the world Well let vs learn here to possesse our soules with patience for there will come a day of reckoning when as our righteous cause will bee heard and we shall haue iustice and all the contemners of Christ Iesus and persecutors of his poore members shall feele the smart of it Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christ Iesus the Iudge commeth thus with might and Maiestie not as a Sauiour or Mediator but as a Iudge It must admonish all men and women now to repent and turne vnto God in the time of mercy Esay 55.6 to seeke the Lorde while he may be found and to call vpon him while hee is neere Now while we liue Iesus Christ commeth vnto vs by his Ministers as a Sauiour to saue our Soules in mercie to bring vs to Repentance But after this life hee will no more come as a Sauiour or a Mediator but as a mightie Iudge full of Maiestie full of Might Power and Glory And therefore looke how men die so shall the Iudge finde them If thou die in thy sinnes and doest not repent and seeke for pardon at the hand of the Iudge whilest thou liuest heere There is no hope of mercy after death For how death leaueth thee so shall iudgement finde thee Cain died many thousand yeares agoe and Iudas in their sins so shall the last day find them For after death there is no mercy but iustice and iudgement And one fitting thereon NOw who this is which sate vppon this Great White Throne The Person of the Iudge described Reu. 14.14 you may see in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the foureteenth chapter and the foureteenth verse I sawe a White Cloud and one sitting on it like the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden Crowne and in his hand a sharpe Sickle So that wee see that it is the Sonne of man euen CHRIST IESVS GOD and man that shal be the iudge And so doth Saint Mathew call him Mat. 25.31 When the Sonne of man cometh in his glorie and all his holie Angells with him then shall hee sit vpon the Throne of his glorie And againe he titles him by the name of a King Verse 24. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. This is taught by the Apostle Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ .1 Cor. 5.10 True it is that our Sauiour Christ is King Priest and Prophet a true Prophet in whom vvas contayned all the secrets and whole counsell of God A true high Priest whose Sacrifice alone was able to put avvay the sinnes of the vvhole world But when he comes in the Throne of his Maiestie to iudge the quicke and the dead he shall not come as Priest or Prophet for these Offices of Christ are finished For his Propheticall Office he hath sufficiently reuealed the whole counsell of God his Father to his Church and People First by his holy Prophets then by himselfe after by his Apostles and Minsters And therefore seeing that his Prophetical Office is finished he calles not himselfe a Prophet but a King Againe CHRIST IESVS our Priest hauing once for all offered vp that Propiciatory Sacrifice for the sinnes of all the Elect now this Office of a Priest is likewise finished and this Sacrifice must be no more iterated and repeated But now hee commeth as a King in all Maiestie and Glorie For though his Propheticall and Priestlie Office be accomplished yet his Princely Office is not finished But now CHRIST IESVS the Iudge of quicke and dead shall beginne to manifest himselfe to be a King to all Nations to men and Angells Novv shall hee shevv himselfe to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords full of all Diuine and Heauenly power and glory For that now at the name of CHRIST euery knee shall bow When our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST liued on earth he came in misery very base and lowly euery childe durst look him in the face Then euery base fellow euery sinfull wretch durst mock him and spit in his face Herod and Pontius Pilate and the rabble of the Iews durst then vse him at their pleasure But now Hee shall come as a King full of maiestie and glorie guarded and attended vpon with many thousands of heauenly Souldiours euen all his holie Angells and then he will make Herod and Pontius Pilate yea the greatest Kings and Monarchs to stoope Nay then all his enemies shall tremble and quake Zach. chap. 12 ver 10. and not dare to open their mouthes against him Oh then what a terrour may this bee to all vvicked and vngodlie sinners that liue in sinne to see him come in that wonderfull Maiestie to be their Iudge whom they haue contemned vvhose members they haue persecuted and whose word and glorious Gospel they haue not regarded but troden vnder foot for he shall come with a sharpe two-edged Sword to cut them in peeces and a consuming fire to burne vp all vngodlie sinners And as hee is a King to the vvicked so is hee a King to the godlie Hee alone hath the Scepter of Dauid to the endlesse comfort of those that bee the children of his Kingdome For who is it that curbs Leuiathan snaffles the Diuell brideleth his force and malice Surely this our King Who is it that cuts the throate of sinne in his members and taketh away the strength of sinne Surelie this King of Kings Who breaketh the brasse barres of Death and pulleth out the sting of Death Our sinnes that they sting not our soules to the eternall death None can doe that but this our King CHRIST IESVS Who opens the gate of heauen who puts his spirit into the hearts of his children making them to crie Abba Father to lift vp their soules and with ioy to long
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
contemne the Word of GOD profane the Lords Sabboth that make no conscience at all of drunkennesse c. what a treasure of plagues the Lord hath reserued for the damned Oh let vs thinke often of this that these torments bee both endlesse and easelesse Oh what madde men and women what fooles be wee if wee will now enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and then to lie in torments for euer What shall it benefite or profite vs to enioy a litle worldly pelfe mony lands or liuings heere to liue in all pleasures delights some sixtie or eightie yeares and then to be tormented in hell fire for euermore And yet doe we see that such is the extreame follie and madnes of many men that they will haue their penyworths heere though they pay neuer so deare for it in the life which is to come Thirdly these torments as they be endlesse and easelesse so they be remedilesse This we may beholde in the Glutton in hell who would haue giuen a world if hee had beene owner of it and yet for all that could he not haue it it was then denied him For there is no ease nor remedy in hell no redemption after death no siluer nor golde no witte nor policie no appealing to another Iudge but hee must lie by it for euermore euen in this close prison till he haue paid the debt and vttermost farthing For if all the Saints and Angells in the Kingdome of heauen should fall at the feete of Christ to begge but for one soule it could do him no good CHRIST would deny them al they must haue the repulse O consider this this is it that ought to make all men to quake and all hearts to tremble that in hell is no ease nor hope of redemption This is that which makes the deuils and damned spirits to feare and to tremble and yet it cannot moue flintie and stonie-hearted sinners once to be afraid O I beseech you let vs thinke of these things now in these daies of mercie now is remedie to bee had now wee may auoide this woefull miserie now wee may escape this fearefull torment If wee will now repent if we will now leaue our sinnes and begge pardon of almighty God for them we may escape but after death there is no time of mercie but iudgement and torment but fire and brimstone and the wrath of God for euermore And therefore now let vs repent let vs bewaile our sinnes and liue as the seruants of God and not as the slaues of sinne and Sathan any longer and then the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs. Our Sauiour Christ tels vs Mat. 16.26 that the soule of a poore begger is more worth then many thousand worlds And therefore the losse of a soule is greater then the losse of the whole world If a man should loose House Land Wife Childe and all hee hath yet it is nothing in comparison of his soule that is a losse of all losses to bee seuered from God and from Christ and to bee in hell torments for euer O then let vs know what our soules bee worth let vs learne to prize them aboue the whole world But alas men can not so esteeme of them Oh no men will for one penny or an houres pleasure hazard losse of soule and bodie for euermore Ah poore soule thou didst neuer yet know what thy soule is worth Christ Iesus sayth it is more worth then all the world Oh let vs so esteeme of it and value it and account all riches pleasures or profites as dung so that our soules our poore soules may be saued in the day of our Lord. The end of the fourth Sermon A FOLD FOR Christs Sheepe Deliuered in two Sermons vpon the first Chapter of the CANTICLES vers 6.7 BY SAMVEL SMITH Minister of the Word of GOD at Prittlewell in Essex ESAY 55.3 Hearken and your soule shall liue LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES 1617. ⧠TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND VERtuous Gentlewoman Mistresse MARY BVTLER of Tooby SAMVEL SMITH wisheth al Grace Prosperitie and true comfort in this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come THe Booke of the holy Scripture Right Worshipfull is as the Princely Prophet Dauid calleth it Ps 119 125 A Lanthorne to our feet and a Light to our Paths The Elect of God are therein enlightened and taught of God through the inward operation of Gods Spirit Iohn 6. the knowledge thereof hath beene deare and pretious vnto the Godly Paul that sanctified Vessell of the Lord did esteeme all things else but Dung in comparison of it Phil. 3.8 Moses regarded not the pleasures he might haue enioyed in king Pharaohs Court Heb. 11.24 in comparison of this And Dauid preferred the Office of a Dore-keeper in Gods house Psal 84.12 before the chiefest Pallaces heere below This was that that Salomon the wisest did ayme at especially 1. Reg. 3.5.9 hauing his choice of many things offered him from God and no maruell though the children of God do prefer the choice of it before all other inward things whatsoeuer because our Sauiour will teach vs that the knowledge thereof will bring a man to Life Eternall Iohn 17.3 Jt will safely conduct a man to God his kingdome and make him decline from the by-waies of sinne and error which leade to destruction Heere is Milke for Babes and strong meate for men of riper yeares so that none that are inuited to this Feast but may finde some refreshing Yet notwithstanding that this is the excellencie of the holie Scriptures and that this hath beene the choice of God his seruants in all ages to prefer the knowledge of it before all things and to conforme theyr liues thereunto The Papists the malicious ennemies of Gods truth will notwithstanding shew themselues to be of the Serpenticall broode Gene. 3.15 euer treading on the heele of God his church euen with their Templum Domini Ieremy 7. Templum Domini the Church the Church as if the church-Keyes hung euer at their girdle These their paynted shewes of piety and holinesse hath caused many to stagger in the way of godlinesse who haue not taken deepe roote in christian profession Let such with a single eye reade ouer these two sermons where they shall finde a Fold pitcht for all Christ his Sheepe The true church made knowne from the flockes of his Companions which howsoeuer they come with Iesus Iesus in their mouthes yet doe deny the power of godlinesse seeking vtterly to extinguish the light of Gods truth that it may not shine vnto men Indeed a palpable darkenesse hath yet ouerspread all the Dominions of that Romish Pharaoh more palpable then the darkenesse of Aegypt but the Truth shall preuaile maugre the spite and malice of Antichrist and all that bloudie Crew And the Bright Beames of the gospell shall dispell those foggie mists of Poperie and Jgnorance when the pride of the Whoore of Rome is once at
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
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