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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12478	An exposition of the Creed: or, An explanation of the articles of our Christian faith. Delivered in many afternoone sermons, by that reverend and worthy divine, Master Iohn Smith, late preacher of the Word at Clavering in Essex, and sometime fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Oxford. Now published for the benefit and behoofe of all good Christians, together with an exact table of all the chiefest doctrines and vses throughout the whole booke	Smith, John, 1563-1616.; Palmer, Anthony, fl. 1632.	1632 (1632)	STC 22801; ESTC S117414	837,448	694

bleate and take on til they have found the shepheard and be brought home againe to the sold Such a sheepe was David Psal 119. ult saith he I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant c. And therefore when men have lost Christ by their sinnes and can passe away the time and yeares merrily never socking after Christ it is a fearefull token they are none of the true sheepe of Christ The fifth is that they will carry fleece and wooll to the shepheard If there be any grace or vertue in them wherby they may doe service to Christ or good unto his members they will be ready to doe it He shall have the honour and glory of it therefore when men doe not carry their fleece and wooll to Christ to let Christ have all the honour and glory of the good things they have they are none of the sheepe of Christ Let me exhort you all therefore to labor to finde these properties of a sheepe in you to heare the voice of Christ and be contented to leave all to follow him to desire to live under his government and never be at rest when thou hast lost him till thou finde him againe to carry your fleece and wooll to Christ if there bee any vertue or grace in you let Christ have the glory of it therefore let every one labor to be a true sheepe of Christ and he shall sit at his right hand I doe not say labour to live amongst the sheepe but to bee one of the sheepe of Christ for a man may live amongst the sheepe that is in the visible Church and yet he may be shufled out amongst the stinking Goates It is good observation of a learned man that the World may be didivided in three rankes or conditions In the first are Heathen Infidels and Atheists and such as know not God In the second are Carnall professors such as know God Christ and his Word and yet they feele not the power of it in their lives and are not reformed by it In the third ranke are Gods Elect neere unto the center Christ and therefore O man consider thy standing of what ranke thou art of if thou bee of the first ranke such as know not God then never rest till thou art got within the second ranke till thou know God and his Word and when thou hast got within the second ranke labour to come within the third to be one of Gods Elect and to be as neere the Center Christ as may be Therefore labour to be a true Sheepe of Christ and then thou shalt bee set at the right hand of Christ We have done with the Sheepe and are come to the Goats whose properties or uses are chiefly these foure which I must dispatch in one word First the Goates in the Law were offered for a sinne offering to teach us that our sinnes will make us sit at the left hand of Christ Secondly a Goate is a stinking thing so our sinnes stinke in the nostrils of God Thirdly they toyle with their horne and annoy the water So wicked men are turbulent as Ezekiel speakes Fourthly they will feede on the toppe of the Rockes they cannot abide to feede on the Plaines so they will bee in the darke places of the Scripture they will not feede in the plaine places where Gods people feede but are full of wranglings and janglings which profit not SERMON XLVIII REVELATION 20. 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another Booke was opened which is the Booke of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Bookes according to their workes TWo things now onely remaine to bee handled of the last judgement 1. The conviction of the Offenders 2. The sentence of the Iudge First The conviction of the offenders for before the sentence of the Iudge the offenders shall bee convicted and shall acknowledge that the judgement of Christ is just upon them in regard of their sinnes Chrysostome saith well O man by the quality of thy place thou mayest read thine owne doome as when thou art brought into the presence of a Iudge or a King by the quality of the place thou mayest know whether it be for good or ill if thou art bid to come up neere to the King or to the Iudge then it is for good but if thou keepe aloofe or hee bid thee stand apart then it is for ill so by the quality of the place thou mayest know what shall bee thy sentence if thou be set at the right hand of Christ then thou art a sheepe of Christ but if thou bee set at his left hand then thou art a Goate and yet notwithstanding though every man may know what his sentence shall be by the quality of his place because there shall be as the Apostle saith a declaration of the just judgement of God therefore before sentence bee given there shall be a conviction of the offenders for the bookes shall bee opened and every mans sinnes shall be made manifest Now in this conviction we observe foure things 1. That there shall be a conviction of the offenders 2. The meanes by which they shall be convicted 3. The persons that shall be convicted 4. The effects of this conviction First that there shall be such a conviction it is plaine by Scripture and by Reason first by Scripture Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing at that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ So also 1 Cor. 4. 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest So it is plaine by Scripture that there shall be a conviction of the wicked of all their sinnes and offences Secondly by Reason for in all courts of justice there is no man condemned till first he be convicted so because the court of Christ is the most exactest court of equitie and justice wee may well thinke that no man shall be condemned till he be first convicted and evident proofe made of all his sinnes and offences Now this conviction shall be in laying open of all our sins and offences for there be a number of sinnes that we have committed which wee doe not know the devill doth so blinde our eyes that we cannot see them but at that time all shall be made patent and open there is no sinne that we have committed all our life long but it shall come into our minde as fresh as if we had committed them at the present and ten thousand of sinnes which we tooke to be no sinnes then we shall know them to be sinnes and thousand thousands that we have forgot shall come into our mindes and then we shall know how we have offended God and

kingdome Secondly All our good workes shall bee remembred and rewarded at the day of judgement and Christ will make rehearsall of them there is never a good deed we have done but it shall be remembred and rewarded so that our labour shall not bee in vaine as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. ult so Revel 20. 12. it is said And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of Life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes So the Lord hath all the good deeds of his servants written in a booke which shall bee remembred reported and rewarded therefore what a comfort is this to a poor Christian that in the hearing of all the world all his good deeds shall be reported how many painefull Iourneyes they have taken to heare the Word how many houres they have spent in prayer how many teares they have wept for sinne that they have entertained the Saints that they have fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke what a great inticement this is to doe good to thinke what honor it is that all their good deeds shall be remembred and rewarded Matth. 26. 15. Christ saith of the woman when she had powred the ointment on him that this which shee had done should bee spoken of her wheresoever this Gospell shall bee preached for a memoriall of her But what is the speech of men to the speech of Christ the praise of men to the praise of Christ when hee shall stand out and make a report of all our good deeds wee have done therefore what a comfort will this be I but have not the people of God sinne I answer they have their sinnes and their great sinnes too even the best men that be but here is the comfort when the day of judgment commeth they shall not bee remembred but pardoned and carried on the shoulders and necke of Christ and our good deeds onely shall be remembred As Esay 33. ult it is said The people that dwell therein shall have their iniquity forgiven So Ieremie 31. 33 34. saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with them and I will write my lawes in their hearts and I will bee their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the greatest to the least saith the Lord and I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more Here is the comfort of Christians that all their sinnes shall be forgotten onely their vertues shall be remembred Exodus 34. Moses put a veile on his face that the children of Israel should not see the glory of it but Christ hath hanged a veile over our sinnes that they should not be seene even his holinesse and sanctifie that the world should not see nor behold them for they are all pardoned remitted and covered with the Robe of his righteousnesse Thirdly the judgement which shall passe upon us shall bee according to the workes of mercie and not only workes of mercie but all other good workes shall have a reward as Malach. 3. 16. it is said Then spake they that feared God every one to his neighbour and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared God and thought upon his Name So there was a booke written of all the good deeds of them that did feare God and so Matth. 5. 11 12. saith our Saviour Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my Names sake falsly Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in Heaven as also Matth. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I also confesse before my Father which is in Heaven So then wee see all our good workes shall be rewarded But why doth Christ mention onely workes of mercie I answere there be two reasons of it First because the Lord doth not accept of any worke we doe of hearing of the Word of praying nor of any other good dutie we doe if wee doe not shew mercie and compassion to our brethren As 1 Cor. 13. 3. And though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I give my body that it bee burnt and have not love it profiteth me nothing and Esay 1. 14. saith God My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burthen to me I am wearie of bearing them and the reason was because they did not shew compassion to their brethren as may be gathered out of the 15. verse In like manner the Prophet bringeth in the people expostulating with God and he answering them Esay 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted and thou seeft not wherefore have we punished our selves and thou regardest is not c Is not this the fasting that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heavie burthens is let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake every yoke verse 6 7. Is it not to breake thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander unto thy house and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh and therefore wee may assure our selves the Lord will accept of none of our workes without we be mercifull to our brethren Secondly because as it is Hos 6. 6. The Lord desires mercy and not sacrifice when both may stand together then God will have both But if they cannot he will have mercy shewed hee had rather lose his owne part than a poore man should lose his So the command is Heb. 13. 16. But to doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Such is the tendernesse of God that hee is contented to abate of his owne service rather than man should want of his comfort As Matth. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Hence we see though it be a great dutie that we owe to God yet for mans good hee will bee contented to stay for his owne service Philosophers say that the fire which is farthest remooved is the hottest and most vehement so it is in love that love which is furthest remooved from God is the hottest and the most vehement love of all other It is an easie matter to love God in himselfe O but for a man to love God in his poore distressed members to love him in his poore Saints and People this is the hottest

hosts O how shall men quake and tremble and how terrible will that day be To illustrate this unto you and presse it home to your consciences give me leave to relate a story the truth whereof is not to the purpose to enquire for the morall is that which I intend and you may make profitable use of and this it is There was a certaine king that did weepe and was heavie and sad which when his brother saw he asked him why he was so heavie and sad Saith hee because I have judged others and now I must bee judged my selfe Why saith his brother art thou so heavie and sad for this it will be a long time ere that day come and besides that it is but a slight matter the king said little to it for the present now it was the order in that country when any man had committed any treason there was a Trumpet sounded at his doore in the night time and he was brought out the next day to bee executed now the king commanded a Trumpet to bee sounded at his brothers doore in the night time who waking out of his sleepe when hee heard it arose and came quaking and trembling to the king How now saith the king what is the matter you quake and tremble and are so afraid I am attached of treason answers he and I shall be executed the next morning why saith the king to him againe art thou so afraid and dost thou so tremble at that knowing that thou shalt bee judged by thy brother and for a matter that thy conscience tells thee thou art cleare of how much more therefore may I be affraid seeing that God shall judge me and not in a matter that my conscience frees me in but of that which I am guilty of and besides this if the worst come it is but a temporary death that thou shouldest dye but the death I am subject to is eternall both of body and soule Hereby wee may see what terrour will bee to a guilty conscience that hath not repented of his sinnes how dreadfull will that day bee when the bookes shall bee opened and all the thoughts words and works of every man shall be manifested as well the secretest lusts of the heart-adultery as the shamelesse blasphemies of open profanenes aswel the private corruptions of bribed justice as the publike gratings of heard-hearted oppression then neither poverty nor riches neither meanenesse nor honour no state or condition shall free us all must appeare and answere for themselves But what shall we doe in this case may some man say I answer we must doe as Iaakob did when his brother Esau came against him with foure hundred men Genes 34. I will pacifie his wrath with a present if I have found grace in thy sight then receive my gift so when wee know that God is comming our against us not with foure hundred men but with thousand thousands of his Angels we must doe as Iaakob did say I will give him a gift I will pacifie his wrath with a present that so I may finde favour in his sight to compose the matter with him before that great and terrible day come Now the next thing that shall be at the day of judgement is the assembling and gathering together of all men at that day so that which we heare now with our eares wee shall see then with our eyes for the Angels shall gather together God elect from the one end of heaven to the other so the words of Christ be In which gathering together of the elect wee observe three things 1. What they be that shall be gathered 2. By whom they shall be gathered 3. To whom they shall be gathered First who they bee that shall be gathered Gods elect as the text sheweth now it is out of all question that not onely Gods elect shall be gathered but the wicked also which Christ shewes in two parables first of the tares Matth. 13. 41. for as the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world saith our Saviour The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and then vers 44. in the parable of the draw-net that is cast into the Sea and gathereth of all kinde of fishes which when it is full men draw to land and sit and gather the good into vessels and cast away the bad so the wicked shall bee gathered too I but seeing the wicked shall bee gathered aswell as the godly why is it said that the Angels shall gather together the elect onely I answer to shew the tender care that Christ hath of the elect that he would not have so much as a little bone lost or a finger or a toe or a haire of their heads such a tender care hath he of them as David gave a charge to his Captaines 2 Sam. 18. 5. concerning Absalom If you meet with the young man intreat him kindly for my sake such a charge Christ shall give to his Angels intreat the elect well for my sake have a tender care of them that there be not one of them wanting Now what is the reason that Christ hath such a tender care of the elect I answer because they be his mysticall members and he will bee compleat in all his members therefore if we be of hsi elect there shall not a bone or a finger or a little toe nor so much as the haire of their heads bee wanting such a tender care God hath of his elect but the wicked they shall be hurried and haled to the barre as theeves villaines and traytors when the other shall bee brought tenderly by the hands of Angels Therefore seeing there shall be such an assembly of all men both good and bad at that day how great should our care bee to provide our selves against that dreadfull appearance O man whoever thou art doe but consider with thy selfe and thinke what a number of men there have beene of the Romans since it was Rome what a number of men there have beene in England since it was inhabited or in France and so of all other Countries and then thinke of all the men that have beene in all ages and at all times from the beginning of the world to the latter end and that all these shall bee gathered together before Christ and then how canst thou chuse but bee carefull how thou passe thy daies heere that thou may'st stand with comfort before Christ in such an assembly David saith Psalm 1. the wicked shall not stand in the Iudgement if a man be a wicked man though he be a king or a lord or a kinght or whatsoever he be hee shall not bee able to hold up his head in judgement but the godly man though he be a poore man he shall lift up his head with comfort whereas there is never a man that is wicked which shall