himselfe in a Vision and sheweth after what manner we shal be all iudged Euen according to those things written in the Booke according vnto our workes You haue heard before that hee saw all both great and small stand before God none shall bee wanting or absent themselues Now it might bee wondered how this great multitude shall bee iudged how euerie mans Booke should bee read and euerie mans cause should bee tryed For wee see what a long time it holdes our Iudges heere to trie a few persons such calling for Euidences such prouing of witnesses such preferring of Inditements But Saint Iohn saith It shall not bee so heere for all must proceed according to the written Records And according to these things which bee written in the Booke So as when Christ Iesus the great Iudge shall once sit vpon the Throne of his Glorie attended by his holy Angells then shall the Bookes of euerie mans conscience bee opened and then they shal afresh call to minde all their sinnes In these words we are to obserue three speciall points Parts of the Text. First who they are that must come to this Iudgement namely the dead euen they which haue lien many thousand years rotten in the graue Secondly the means whereby they must be tryed euen by those things which bee written and recorded in their Bookes Thirdly the Touch-stone of this tryall namely the written word of God And first of the persons It is not to bee doubted but that Saint Iohn meaneth that all must come to Iudgement Both great and small must stand before God But why doth he say heere And the dead shall bee iudged It is to be obserued that he names so expresly the dead euen those which haue lyen rotting so many thousand yeares must come to Iudgement they must be called to accompt yea their olde sinnes must be now brought to light For this is rhe wicked thoughts of many carnall men that when a man is dead hee is well then all his sinnes die with him hee is forgotten and his sinnes are not spoken of But Saint Iohn saith heere that euen the dead must come to iudgement euen their olde sinnes must come to light and they must answer for them It is nigh sixe thousand yeares since Caine slew his brother yet this sin of his is not forgotten though Caine bee dead so long since yet his sins are not dead No no Caine one day shall come to accompt for his sinne Iudas he did for vile lucre sell his Maister many hundreds of yeares agoe hee is dead and gone but at this day hee shall be called to accompt So in our dayes many men thinke when they die their sins shall neuer be brought to light The Vsurer hee getteth his goods by wicked and vngodly meanes he groweth in wealth when hee dieth hee thinkes hee shall neuer heare of this sinne agayne So the Drunkard Swearer Profaner of the Lords Sabboth c. they are persvvaded that death will end all their miserie Ah poore soules it were well with them indeede if death might end their wofull miserie But alas alas death is euen as a wide Gate to let them haue some passage to endlesse woe and miserie For when they be dead and buried their sins doe not die with them their misery is not then ended O no then begins their endlesse miserie torment Oh it were good they might haue no more being after death It had beene good for such men they had neuer beene borne or being borne that they had been made rather a Toade or a Serpent for in death they haue an end But it is not so with a filthy and and vngodly sinner For when hee is dead and buried euen then beginnes his greatest woe and misery for euen the sinner that is dead a many thousand yeares must for all this come to iudgement And therefore thou that liuest in sinne in adultery c. remember that although thou die yet thy sinnes doe not die with thee No no both thou and they must one day come to iudgement thy old sinnes and those which thou hast committed in secret they must come now to light Seeing that the dead must come to Iudgement Vse that haue laine a many hundred yeares in the graue and then their old sinnes and secret sinnes must come to light Oh let vs then watch ouer our liues and haue this still in our mindes Well though I die and rotte in the Graue yet my sinnes shall not die my euill wayes cannot be buryed they must come to light that so wee may neuer dare to sinne thinking as many doe that when they be once dead they shall neuer come to accompt for their sinnes But Saint Iohn sayth heere that the dead were iudged euen those whom wee forgot and whose sinnes wee would thinke would neuer be called to accompt euen they must come to a reckoning In the next place Saint Iohn tells vs how all men shall be tryed and according to what Sentence shall bee avvarded Namely according to those things Written in their Bookes Heere is the Euidence heere is no witnesse to bee produced for a mans conscience shall bee euen as good as a thousand witnesses Novv what is heere meant by the bookes you haue heard already namely the particular Conscience of euerie man and woman Thy conscience is the Booke that is the Euidence No other witnesse shall bee produced but euen thy owne conscience Againe the things which be written in these Bookes I told you they be all our thoughts wordes and workes not onely our grosse sinnes as murder c. but in our Bookes bee recorded euen our idle and vaine words euery vile and filthy thought and by these Sentence must proceede and according to these must Iudgement be awarded Now then those which haue good thoughts yea and holie things written in their Bookes they be blessed and happie for they shall not be ashamed nay they shall be glad to haue their Bookes layd open that their repentance their faith loue zeale and patience c. might bee knowne and come to light But woe then to all filthie sinners adulterers c. For the reward of these sinnes is death the wrath and curse of God for euer Vse Seeing that heere is the Euidence and by the things written in our Bookes in our consciences we must be arraigned and seeing in our Bookes bee recorded all that we do all our words thoughts and deedes First it must teach vs aboue all things to looke to our Bookes our consciences to keepe them very faire and cleane that our Bookes of Accompts bee in a readinesse For our consciences shall eyther excuse or accuse vs at the day of Iudgement Acts 24. This was the care of the blessed Apostle saint Paul Acts 24 in regard of this that wee must all come vnto iudgement and our consciences must be layed open and wee iudged according to the things therein recorded it made this holie seruant of God to take all
Saint Paul doth proue this with many reasons 1 Cor. 15. If the dead rise not againe then is not Christ risen And if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vaine c. And why should we thinke it impossible for God to raise our bodies out of the dust Wee see a poore ignorant man is able of Ashes to make a verie beautiful Glasse How much more then is the Euer-liuing and almighty God able to raise our bodies out of the dust But you will say are mens bodies eaten of fishes men eate them againe How is it possible to saue the bodies of men thus consumed to dust and mingled with the bodies of fishes and of beasts I answere that though it be impossible to men yet it is not impossible to God For he that created all our bodies of nothing can make them againe of something namely of their owne matter and to seuer their bodies from all other matters As wee see that a Gold-smith can seuer one matter from another So then this place doth proue and confirme that Article of our faith that wee beleeue the Resurrection of the dead For howsoeuer a man dieth by Sea or by Land in his bed or in the field Saint Iohn saith heere the Sea shall giue vp all that haue beene drowned death and hell that is the Graue shall deliuer the dead in them so as all must come to Iudgement of what death soeuer they die O then see beloued how the diuel bewitcheth many a poore ignorant soule Vse When he is in miserie in great distresse and calamitie the Diuell hee perswadeth him to become his owne executioner to end his misery and to end his shame by hanging himselfe cutting his owne throate drowning himselfe c. And wee know and heare that hee preuaileth much by these meanes in these dayes Some being in disgrace as Achitophel some with the guilt of sinne and of conscience as Iudas and some being crossed with wife and children cut their throates or otherwise make an end of themselues Now they foolishly thinke by this means to end their griefe Alas alas they do by this means euen hasten their ovvne destruction And doe as if a man should to auoyd a little smoake cast himselfe head-long into a flaming fire So they to auoyd this little griefe of their body plunge body and soule into eternal torments For what ease is it for a man to kill himselfe or cast away himselfe seeing they must come to Iudgement though they kill themselues or drowne themselues Why the water and the Graue must one day deliuer vp their dead And therefore hence let vs learne to arme our selues if Sathan shall tempt vs to such horrible facts to cast away our selues c. Let vs answere him Wee may not cast away that which Christ hath bought with his owne bloud Nay let vs answere him That wee shall not thereby end our miserie but encrease it Now if you demand of me by what meanes the dead shall then arise at the last day I answer It is by the mighty power of the voice of CHRIST The houre shall come saith CHRIST in the which all that are in the Graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and come forth Iohn 5.28 And to shew the wonderful power of the voice of Christ it is compared to the sound of a Trumpet the lowdest and the shrillest of all Instruments And the Lord Iesus himselfe shall descend and come with a shout 1 The. 4.16 and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God and then the dead in Christ shall arise first Such shall bee the power force of this voice of the Lord IESVS as that it shal be heard ouer all the whole world Nay though men haue laine many a thousand yeares rotten in the Graue yet they shall heare it and come forth to iudgement Nay the very diuels and damned spirits in spite of their teeth shall be constrained to appeare at his Voyce No Prince no Monarch no King no Angell shall bee able to absent themselues but they must all bee enforced to obey the Voyce of the Sonne of GOD and come to Iudgement Vse O then seeing wee must all heare the voice of the Lord IESVS at the day of Iudgement and wee cannot but come forth of our Graues vnto Iudgement Oh let vs now obey his Voyce in the Ministerie of the Gospel now embrace the Gospell and the voyce of his Ministers If wee will not now leaue sinne heare CHRIST IESVS speaking vnto vs in his Word and embrace his Gospell then let vs well know that wee shall one day heare another Voice when wee shal be compelled to come before him to be condemned Thus you may see that all the dead must arise and come to Iudgement and you see how and by what meanes our bodies shall be raised namely by the mighty and the wonderfull power of the voice of the Lord Iesus Let vs now come to the Vses First seeing of vvhat death soeuer men shall die either by fire or water or howsoeuer they must one day come to iudgement Let vs then beware of that vngodly thought and diuelish perswasion that runnes in most mens minds namely that thinke that when they die there is an end of all their miserie And though they haue beene grieuous and horrible sinners yet if they can escape till death all is well And thus they thinke that they and their sinnes shall be buried together No no poore soules they doe much deceiue themselues Howsoeuer thou diest thou shalt come to iudgement And death is so farre from ending thy misery that it is a broade gate to let thee in into it Luke 16. For so soone as the Glutton died hee was presently in hel in torment And therefore let vs take heed how we wish as foolish men do in their sicknesse or age or miserie O I would I were dead then I should bee out of my paine O no no if thou bee not the child of God and a repentant sinner it had beene better for thee neuer to haue beene borne or to bee a Toade or Serpent And thou shalt finde that death is so farre from easing thy paine that it shall bring thee ten thousand times more paine and torment euen in hell fire for euer Therefore let vs not thinke that death shall end the miseries of wicked men Secondly seeing all men must rise to iudgement and by what meanes soeuer they die they must bee called to accompt this is a wonderfull comfort to Gods poore children Who abides more trouble and griefe then they Who be more hated reuiled crossed and wronged then they So as their life here for the most part is nothing else but a life of miserie But their comfort is heere in this that they shall rise againe and then the case shall bee altered then our miserie shall bee turned into felicitie ioy and happinesse Hast thou beene poore heere then thou shalt bee rich and
as for wicked and vngodly sinners that liue in sinne delight in sin that haue no part in the first resurrection their case is wofull they be subiect to the secōd that is eternall death and damnation for if ye liue after the flesh Rom. 6.8 ye shall die And therefore deceiue not your selues as many do which thinke if they come to Church heare the word receiue the Sacraments all is well they hope God will be mercifull to them they hope they shall not bee damned Well marke what I say thou maist come to church duly thou maist heare the word of God as long as thou liuest thou maiest receiue the Sacrament as often as thou wilt but if thou haue not thy part in the first resurrection that is vnlesse thou liue a godly life vnlesse thou mortifie thy filthy sinnes and vngodly desires vnlesse thou become a new creature surely surely thy estate is lamētable and thy part is in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death And therfore let no man deceiue himselfe and sooth himselfe because he heares the Word professes the Gospel receiues the Sacramēt that therfore he is well enough No no though thou heare neuer so much if thou liue in sin in swearing drunkennesse c. thy estate is as wofull as before because thou art not freed from the second death And marke this difference The children of God haue two resurrections and one death they rise from sinne in this life to newnesse and holinesse of life and they rise at the last day to eternall life in Heauen and therefore truely blessed But alas gracelesse and godlesse sinners that haue two deaths and but one resurrection they die in sinne here they are dead in sin and delight in sinne heere and so they die the first death of the body and eternall death the second death of body and soule in hell And as they neuer had part in the first resurrection so the second resurrection is onelie to iudgement to death and to damnation And therefore if you would liue when you bee dead you must die to sin whiles you be aliue Only the penitent sinners shal liue for euer in eternal life onely those which die to sinne shall escape the second death But the impenitent sinner that liues and delights in sinne here he shall die for his sinnes eternally nay hee shall neuer taste of the life to come But as hee would not labour to haue his part in the first resurrection so he shall be sure to haue his portion in the second death which is so fearefull a thing that it might make euen flintie hearts to breake in peeces to lie in fire burning for euer without anie ease or end O let vs looke vnto it and liue a godly life and labour to haue part in the first resurrection and then shall the second death doe vs no harme but wee shall liue for euer in heauen with God 15 And whosoeuer was not found written in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire THE former verse did shew to vs the execution of the last Iudgement vpon all wicked and vngodly sinners and of that we spoke the last time Now in this Verse wee may obserue the different estate of the children of God and of the wicked for as there bee but two sortes of men Good and Bad Elect and Reprobate Penitent and Impenitent the children of GOD and the limbes of Sathan So there bee but two places Heauen and Hell Ioy and Paine the Right hand and the left and the reward shall be according either Blessed or Cursed for so Saint Iohn saith heere The Elect shall haue eternall life But they that be Reprobates shall be cast into the lake of fire First concerning the Elect and those that be chosen in Iesus Christ and whose names be written in Heauen As their liues do differ from the wicked and vngodly so their estate after this life is farre different for they shall be blessed for euer And if you do aske what is this Blessednesse that all the Elect shall haue I answere with Paul 1. Cor. 29. The eye of man neuer saw it nor it neuer entred into the heart of man to conceiue the hundreth part of this happines yet we may out of the word of God gather some taste of it as it is described vnto vs in the word of God And first formost this blessed state of the godly at the last day stands in this That God shall be all in all vnto vs what good thing soeuer the heart of man can wish 1. Cor. 15.28 that will God be vnto vs. If thou desire wealth why GOD will be it vnto thee If honour or pleasure why Almighty God wil be all in all vnto vs nay euery childe of God shall haue a kingdome Matth. 25. come yee blessed c. Reue. 21. Secondly in the Kingdome of Heauen there shall bee no wants for wee shall bee freed from all sinne and all wants in body and soule shall be supplied And though now wee see God but in part yet then wee shall behold him face to face 1. Cor. 15.28 to our eternall comfort we shal euermore liue in his blessed presence Iohn 17.3 Reuel 21. Psa 17.15 Reu. 22.3 and reigne with him for euer Thirdly all the Elect shall be like vnto Christ Iesus so saith Paul Phil. 3.2.1 Hee shall change our vile bodies make them like his glorious body Christ was most holy pure incorruptible and glorious euen so shall wee be we shall be for euer freed from both sinne Sathan death and hell Fourthly in heauen we shall reape endlesse ioy and happinesse Psal 16.11 and shall delight in praysing of God for euer so as wee shall keepe a perpetuall Sabboth and rest in the seruice and worship of God for euer And this shall be done to all which feare GOD and whose names bee vvritten in the Booke of Life O then cursed be these men and women which thinke Vse and say Matt. 3.14 It is in vaine to serue the LORD O no then men shall know it is not in vaine to serue the Lord Nay God will put a difference betweene them that serue him and serue him not And this should encourage all men to labour to abound in all holy duties seeing God will reward euen the least worke of faith If thou giue but a cup of cold water in the name of Christ verily thou shalt not loose thy reward Though our workes cannot merite yet hee will in mercy for Christs sake thus Crowne the good workes of his children And seeing a few shall be saued ô let vs labour to be of the little Flocke let vs aboue all things seeke this Kingdome of God If thou winne this thou art happy and blessed though thou loose all the world besides And if thou loose it thou art miserable wretched though thou winne the whole world O then what mad men are we if
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
shall their punishment be Ah what a wofull haruest hath many a poore soule now to reape at this day that all his life time hath sold himselfe vnto sinne that neuer had any care nor conscience to liue a godly life They shal weep they shal howle lament when they shal see their reward shall be according to their workes O how should this doctirene moue vs all as we haue any care to our poore soules to looke to our selues to watch ouer our wayes to hate sinne as the very bane of our soules and to auoid euery euill worke because euen by our workes shall we be iudged O then as you loue your selues and as you desire life and saluation abound in good workes and as you feare the wrath and endlesse vengeance of God and as you feare the torments of hell take heed of sinne of euery euill thought of euery euill word and of euery euill work for by them we shall be iudged at the last And if our workes be euill let vs assure our selues this will be the sentence of the Iudge Depart from me yee cursed c. But if you haue care to liue here a godly life to abound in good works O then see what a cheerefull and comfortable voyce yee shall heare Come yee blessed of my father c. For iudgement shall proceede according to our workes O that God would touch our hearts that we could but truely learne and beleeue this one lesson That our sentence shall be as our works be and iudgement shall be awarded according to our workes O it would bridle vs from many thousand sinnes and impieties How should any man dare to sinne to sweare to lie to steale c. when as hee knoweth that his reward shall be according vnto his workes and it would inflame our soules to labour to abound in good workes in knowledge faith repentance humiliation care and conscience because if wee abound in these our sentence shall bee happy blessed and comfortable and our glorie and reward shall be great in the Kingdome of heauen The end of the third Sermon The great Assize THE FOVRTH SERMON REV. 20.14.15 4 And death and hel were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 5 And whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire IN the handling of this weighty poynt of Religion the second comning of CHRIST to Iudgement wee haue learned from he mouth of God First what maner of person the Iudge shalâ— be namely that he shall come like a mighty Prince with great Power Maiestie and Glorie to the great comfort of all his poore members to the great terrour and dread of all his enemies Secondly we haue seene who shall be iudged Both great and small Thirdly the manner hovv iudgement shal proceed namely by the written Records of mens consciences And now in the last place we are to come to the execution of iudgement vpon the wicked reprobates and vngodly in these two last verses for when iudgement is pronounced according to their workes when CHRIST IESVS shall say vnto them Depart from me c. then immediately the execution of this senâ—ence shall follow for so saith Saint Iohn here And death and â—ell were cast into the lake of fire â—hat is the second death First here we are to seeke the â—rue meaning of the Text beâ—ause there is neuer a word that â—s plaine but may moue a quetion For First what is Death that hee â—hould bee cast into Hell Is Death any creature Is Death â—ubiect to paine and torment Surely no. Death is no bodie â—t hath no sense nor feeling Death is no creature but onely â—he depriuation of life Againe â—hat a strange speech is this â—hat death should be cast into â—ell how can this be Secondly what is meant by â—he lake of Fire Is hell a water â—r fire like our fire And lastly wee are to consider what is meant by the secoÌ„d death into which al reprobates must be cast First heere by death and hell is meant not death it selfe or hell it selfe but the heires of death and hell that is all the Reprobates that shall bee cast into hell fire and there die for euermore Thus then you see what is heere meant by death and hell namely the heires of death and fire-brands of hell All reprobates all impenitent sinners that liue and die in their sinnes all those shall be cast into the lake of fire Seeing the holy-Ghost giues these Titles and Names to all wicked and vngodly sinners euen death and hell Surely this shewes the wonderfull miserie and the cursed estate of those that liue and die in their sinnes without repentance Alas it is so woefull and damnable that they be euen called death and hell it selfe Oh then let all sinners that liue and delight in sinne Vse take heed vnto themselues You do see the woefull miserie of all impenitent sinners Namely that they are no better then the vessells of wrath the heires of eternall death and fire-brands of hell for euermore O that all sinners could forethinke of this wofull miserie that hangs ouer their heades What a strange kinde of speech is this and of what force when God calleth such Reprobates euen death hell it selfe Ah poore wretches Ah miserable and wofull creatures which are but death and hell it selfe Oh would that the Drunkards c. could lay this to heart That howsoeuer they see not their misery nor the woefull estate wherein they liue but blesse themselues in their sinnefull wayes yet they are no better then the heires of vengeance and wrath of God nay indeed very death and hell it selfe True it is that many wicked men doe as the people did in Esay his time Esay 28.11 though they liued in horrible sinnes yet they made a league with death and were at an agreement with the Graue they had taken a Lease of death and hell to liue in sin by Licence without punishment But the Lord tells them he will breake their couenants and disannull their agreements and although they haue liued a long time in sinne yet in the end death will knocke at their doores and he will lay hold vpon them and they must pay full deare for their long Lease euen the losse of bodie and soule for euer And is not this the practise of most men and women Doe they not euen make a couenant with death and do they not labour to be at agreement with hell Men liue in swearing lying drunkennesse c. and yet they thinke they shal neuer die they thinke they shall escape for all their sinnes But poore soules let them well know that death and hell will seize vppon them Nay if they liue and die in their sinnes without repentance let them know that they be not better then death and hel it selfe and they must be cast into the lake of fire True it is you shall see many a notorious sinner contemner of the
Word a drunkard c. they think themselues to be iolly fellowes and who but they Alas alas their case is feareful poore soules they doe not see they be the sonnes of death the heires of vengeance and the wrath of God the fire-brands of hell nay euen death and hell it selfe Vse 2 Heere wee may see what a horrible and cursed thing sinne is in the sight of God for sinne maketh men become guiltie of eternal death and firebrands of hell as we see when the traitour is executed for treason his son smarteth for his sinne Euen so sinne which is treason against the maiesty of God when wee haue brought it foorth it bringeth vs to death and hell For death and hell is the reward of sinne And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Would you know what shall become of the profane wretches of the world would you know what shall become of the blasphemer would you know what shall become of the adulterer drunkard idolater swearer c. S. Iohn saith here in plaine termes They shall be cast into the lake of fire Thus was the rich Glutton Luke 16. for his gluttony drunkennesse want of pitty c. cast into this wofull lake of fire And thus shall all impenitent sinners one day be cast into this wofull Lake of fire Now if a Blasphemer or an Adulterer c. should haue but this punishment to holde his little Finger in the flame of a candle one houre how could hee endure it But if a man should bee roasted on a Gridiron or boyled in a Cauldron of molten lead what miserie were this whose heart wold not quake and melt to thinke on it O these are nothing in comparison of these most extreme and endlesse torments in this lake of fire when both body and soule shall both burne and boyle and as it were fry in the scorching flames which cannot bee quenched All men almost are afraid to commit Treason because Traytors are so grieuously punished they are hanged drawne and quartered But alas men be not afraid to commit Treason against the King of Heauen though they must bee cast into a lake of fire for euermore Men are afraid to offend the Prince for feare of death And yet our Sauiour bids vs Not feare them that can kill the body and can do no more but feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell fire And yet wee see that men and women bee more affraid to offend man then God that can cast both body and soule into hell fire If wee should see a little child fall into the fire and heare it cry pittifully and the very Bowels should bee burnt out O how it would grieue vs and make our very hearts bleed within vs How much more then should it grieue vs to see not a childe but euen our owne bodies and soules cast away for euer by sin into the lake of fire that cannot be quenched If a man should come amongst vs and cry fire fire thy house is all of a flaming fire thy Corne thy Cattell thy Wife and Children and all that thou hast were consumed with fire Oh how would this astonish vs that would make the very haire to stand vpright on our heads and teares to gush out of our eyes Behold then and see the Spirit of God cries out vnto vs Fire euen the dreadfull fire of hell gapeth ready to deuoure not thy house thy corne or thy cattell but thy poore soule and that for euermore Oh how should this breake our hard and flintie hearts asunder and make our soules to bleed if wee haue any sparke of grace any care of our soules that they may not bee tormented in this Lake of Fire for euer I will leaue the further handling of this poynt vntill I come vnto the next verse where the holy-Ghost saith agayne the better to make it sinke into our verie hearts That Whosoeuer is not found written in the Booke of Life shall be cast into this lake of fire Now the better to expresse what is meant by this Lake of Fire Not a bodily death nor a materiall fire like to ours But the holy-Ghost meaneth heere euen the second death that is not of the bodie onelie Double death but of eternall death and damnation both of bodie and soule for euermore This is the second death and by this we may see there is a double death there is the first death and the second death The first death is the separation of the soule from the body this is common to all the children of GOD doe die this death aswell as the wicked yet there is a difference For death is no curse to the children of God because Christs death hath taken avvay the Sting of death that it can not hurt the children of God No it is as a doore to let our soules into the Kingdome of Heauen But the second they neuer taste of No childe of God needes to feare the second death Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Wherein the second death consisteth Now as the first death is onely the seperation of the soule from the body so the second death is a totall and finall seperation of both soule and bodie from God for euermore And this second death doth stand principally in these three points First that all the wicked and vngodly sinners that liue and die in their sinnes they shall be seuered from the glorious and blessed presence of GOD for euer Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2. Thes 1.9 O what a wofull death is this to be plucked and torne from the blessed and comfortable presence of God whereas our Sauiour CHRIST saith Matth. 5. â—8 that our happines and all the ioy of GODS children shall stand in the beholding of God and being in his presence for euermore Then what miserie and what woe will this be vnto the wicked to be cast out of the glorious presence of God for euer seeing that he alone is the fountaine of Life and of happinesse Secondly the second death stands in this that wicked men and women shall not onelie be seuered in body and soule from the blessed and glorious presence of God for euer but they shall be cast into the lake of fire and haue all their abode with the diuels and all the damned spirits in hell where shall be no ioy nor comfort nor ease but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth If a man should be cast into a deepe and darkesome dungeon full of Toades and Serpents what comfort I pray could he haue but to wish for death This is the death that all the impenitent sinners must die They must be cast out of the sweet and comfortable presence of the Lord CHRIST IESVS and bee throwne into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone there to be tormented for euermore Mat. 25 41 Thirdly
the third thing wherein this second death doth consist is that all reprobates shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition they shall bee tormented in body and soule with vnspeakable torments the wrath and vengeance of God shall seize vpon them and feed on them as fire doth on pitch or brimstone where they shall bee euer burning and boyling and yet neuer consumed euer in paine and torment and neuer haue ease And to shew the wonderfull torment of hell of this second death our Sauiour compareth it vnto a furnace of fire Mat. 13.24 Now what a woefull torment is it to bee cast into a furnace of fire and to lie many thousand yeares therein this is a torment that cannot be expressed Againe he saith that Their worme sh ll not die Esay 66.24 and their fire shall not bee quenched Now how should a man doe if hee should haue a worme alwayes crawling in his belly gnawing alwaies at his heart This is the estate of all wicked men and women They shall alwaies haue a worme euen griefe and anguish of heart euer gnawing at their hearts and biting at their consciences And this worme shall neuer die nor kill them but euer gnawing and wounding them So then you see by this which hath been spoken what this second death is and also wherein it doth consist Now all the Question will be Who shall be cast into this Lake of Fire VVho are they that shall die this second death Who they bee that shall partake of the second death which is such a miserable and wofull death For there is no man nor woman that liueth I thinke but they suppose that they shall escape this death they hope that they shall be saued and so escape this flaming fire And therefore now you shall see who they be that shall be cast into it Looke they are there marked out vnto vs Reu. 21.8 The fearefull and vnbeleeuers and abhominable and murtherers and whooremongers and sorcerers and lyars c. shal haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death So then rhe holy-Ghost telleth vs that all impenitent sinners shall bee damned 1 Cor. 6.10 shall be cast into this lake of fire which is the second death Then what a strange thing is this The Holy-Ghost tells vs who shall be damned and cast into the Lake of Fire all impenitent sinners the Blasphemer the Drunkard c. and yet no man almost will beleeue this Well the Spirit of God cannot lie He sayth That all the wicked and vngodlie sinners shal be cast into the lake of Fire which is the second death now tell neuer so wicked a wretch of his sinnes of his swearing c. And what will they say Tush GOD is mercifull I hope I shall be saued Is not this I pray to giue the Holy-Ghost the lie Tell the drunkard or the profaner of the Lords day c. they shall be damned doe they beleeue this Oh no no For if they did beleeue it how durst they be so bold to liue in sinne Well hovvsoeuer these vile wretches say they hope to be saued aswell as the best of them all yet know this is the truth of God the holy-Ghost telleth vs plainly That all vnbeleeuers and theeues and murderers c. shall be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone which is the second death But to you whose hearts doe tremble for feare of these things whose soules doe melt for feare of this second death now if you would know how to escape this Lake of Fire and how to auoyde this second death which is th' eternall damnation and torment both of body and soule you shall see how the Spirit of GOD doth not onelie shew you how to escape hell but to come to heauen not onely to auoide damnation in this Lake of fire but to obtaine saluation and ioy in the blessed and glorious presence of Almightie God for euermore Now see what the Holy-Ghost doth teach thee in the sixth Verse of this chapter Blessed and holie is hee that hath his part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death shall haue no power But they shall bee the Priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeares that is for euermore So then would you know what manner of men and women shall escape the second death and eternall damnation in this lake of hell fire why the holy-Ghost saith They and none but they that haue their partes in the first Resurrection So then it is manifest in these words that there be two resurrections and also a double death The Children of GOD they haue a double resurrection and one death But all wicked and vngodly sinners they haue one resurrection and a double death So then let vs see what is meant by this first resurrection namely our rising out of the graue of sinne to newnesse of life This is the first resurrection Ephes 2.1 You that were dead in trespasses and sinnes hath hee quickned Rom. 6.4 And we are buried with Christ in Baptisme that like as he rose againe to the glory of the Father euen so wee should walke in newnesse of life So then would you know whether you shall escape eternall fire in hell euen this second death then looke vnto your owne soules Are you dead to all your old sins and new sins Are you quickned in the inner man Do you hate sinne as well when it is committed by your selfe as by others Doe you labour to mortifie and to keepe vnder the workes of the flesh and walke in all holy duties and obedience both vnto God and men Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Blessed and holy are they that haue part in the first resurrection where he shews that none shall be blessed none shall haue part in the first resurrection and be freed from the second death but such as be sanctified to liue a godly life that are partakers of the first resurrection And therefore if you desire to bee blessed to escape the second death which is the euerlasting damnation both of bodie and soule then labour heere to liue a godly life For these two Iustification and Sanctification cannot be seuered And this is a very great comfort to all the true members of Christ Vse that do repent and leaue their sinnes and liue a godlie life though they be in miserie in pouertie in want and in the end die the first death of the bodie yet they shall bee freed from the second death that is from eternall death the gates of hell shal not preuaile against them And therfore as you loue your soules as you desire to be blessed and to escape eternall damnation which is the second death Labour I say to haue a part in the first Resurrection to die vnto sinne and to liue in newnesse of life But
THE GREAT ASSIZE OR DAY OF IVBILEE Deliuered in foure Sermons vpon the 20. chapter of the Reuel ver 12.13.14.15 Whereunto are annexed two Sermons vpon the 1. chapter of the Canticles verse 6.7 The second Impression corrected and amended by the Authour SAMVEL SMITH Minister of the word of God at Prittlewell in Essex Math. 12.36 I say vnto you That of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue an account thereof at the day of Iudgement LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES 1617. ⧠TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND VERtuous Gentlewoman Mistresse IANE ELIOT of Newland Hall SAMVEL SMITH wisheth the encrease of all true comfort in this life and eternall happinesse in the next RIGHT Worshipful the Apostle Paul hath told vs That In the last dayes shall come perillous times For men shall bee louers of their owne selues couetous boasters prowd cursed speakers Disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholie without Natural affection Truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no Louers at all of them which are good traytours heady high-minded Louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but yet denie the power thereof And they are the words of our Sauiour himselfe that as it was in the dayes of Noah So shall the comming of the Son of man be And againe vvhen the Sonne of man commeth shall hee finde Faith vpon earth When were these perilous times Saint Peter speaketh of if not now When was there the like securitie When gaue men themselues ouer to their owne hearts lust more then now By the which then wee see that we are they Vpon whom the ends of the world are come and that wee must all shortly be called to accompt for these things The Nineuites fast and repent the Publicans do feare and quake when Ionas cryeth to the one and Iohn to the other of iudgement to come Ahab is humbled and Felix trembles when from Elias and Paule they heare of death and Judgement yet alas where is the man among vs that thinkes of these things Doe not men crie Peace peace till destruction come vpon them as the Trauell vpon a woman with childe Shee thinketh not of the paine vntill it come and they thinke not of this day of reckoning till it come This is the security of our Age so that we may now looke for an end to be put vnto these sinnefull daies for vvhat are they but the fore-runners of that last and dreadfull day The Lord make vs wise betimes that we may think of that Great Assise and the account that we are then to make I haue heere endeauoured in a weake measure to vnfold the Doctrine of the day of Judgement the which J here present vnto your Worship in regard of the demonstration of my vnfained thankefulnes for your extraordinary kindnesse bestowed vpon me As also in regard of the great affection and good deuotion you beare to the Truth Accept therfore I pray you what is heere offred vnto you and take in good part my indeuour therein so I humbly take my leaue Resting Your Worships in all Christian duetie to be commanded SAMVEL SMITH ⧠To the Christian Reader Grace and Peace from IESVS CHRIST the Prince of Peace CHristian Reader I present heere vnto thy view the third publique fruite of my Ministerie wherein I haue endeuoured that those especially of mine owne Hearers might a second time take notice of my Exercises that in publike I deliuered vnto them The night commeth when no man can worke therefore it stands vs all in hand both Minister and People to esteeme of Time as the most precious thing in the world and the rather because we know not how soone we shall be called to an account of our Works Many haue had many times many good purposes of hart to cleaue vnto the Lord that haue beene preuented by Death for want of timely Repentance It shall then be our wisedome To agree with our Aduersarie while wee are in the way with him for if wee be but once arrested by Death we shall be sure to pay the vtmost farthing Vse this as a help vnto thee to better thee in the performance of that dutie which concerns thee so nearly That thou must one day giue an accompt of thy Workes If thou reape any benefit by it giue the praise vnto God from whom euery good perfect gift proceedeth and help me in thy praiers which I shall take as a full recompence of all my Labours and be encoraged to spend some houres more in the like dueties for thy good In the meane time I remaine Thine in the common Sauiour SAMVEL SMITH THE GREAT ASSIZE The first Sermon REVEL 20.11.12 c. 11 And I sawe a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose Face fled away both the Earth and the Heauen and their place was no more found 12 And I saw the dead both small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another book was opened which is the book of Life the dead vvere iudged of those things vvhich vvere vvritten in the books according to their deeds 13 And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and Death and Hell deliuered vp the dead that were in them and they were iudged euery man according to his deeds 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 15 And whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire HAVING spoken not long since of the Comming of CHRIST into his Garden Cant. 5.1 or into his Church and of his kinde and princely offers vnto vs suing for entertainment at our hands being his first comming vnto vs heere in this vale of Teares I thought it verie necessarie to speake something of his second comming that those that will not be moued with the former might be terrified with the latter To which purpose I haue made choyce of this place of Scripture in which this matter as you see is at large described with many necessary circūstances needfull to be knowne and learned of euerie one of vs all For heere the second comming of Christ is reuealed to Saint Iohn in a vision from Heauen euen in that manner in which Christ will come at the last day For these fiue Verses containe in them nothing else but a liuely and heauenly description of the second coming of Christ to Iudgement with all the circumstances belonging to the same The parts of the Text. For first if you would know with what Maiestie Power Integritie Seueritie and Terrour this great Iudge will come you may see the person of the Iudge described in the first verse of this present Text. Secondly if you would vnderstand what persons must be cited and summoned who must appeare Saint Iohn saith heere he Sawe the dead both great and small stand before the Iudge all that euer are that haue been or shall bee vnto the end of the
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
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
them all Thou canst not take one peece of golde or siluer with thee but all must bee left behinde Onelie thy conscience onelie thy bookes onelie thy workes must accompany thee O then what madnesse is this to seeke and hunt after such things as cannot helpe vs nor stand vs in no steade in the day of Iudgement Nay if they be got or kept with a badde conscience they will be a very terrour vnto thee at the last O then let vs looke to our selues let vs not set our hearts too much vppon these things which cannot profite vs in this hote fierie day of triall Why should wee bee so foolish to set our hearts vpon that cannot helpe vs nay which we must leaue behinde vs. And for faith that which might bee our comfort both in life and death and in the dreadfull day of Iudgement I meane a good Conscience which as it is a blessed and a sweete companion in life and death so it will be a blessed comfort to our poore Soules at the day of Iudgement O then I beseech you againe and againe seeing that nothing shall goe with you vnto iudgement but onely your works let vs lay aside our immoderate care for the world yea and the things of this world for these must stay behind vs and cannot helpe vs in the day of Iudgement Let vs labour for better things for durable treasures for a good conscience to abound in good workes in knowledge faith and repentance Let vs take heed wee be not found naked of these O what a woefull case are they in that haue nothing in the world to goe with them to iudgement but an euil heart a galled conscience full of all vncleanenes their state is most woefull and miserable it had beene good for them that they had neuer beene borne Here may a question be moued How this saying of Saint Iohn can stand with that of our Sauiour Iohn 3.18 He that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie Now then if the faithfull children of God shall not come into iudgement and the wicked vnbeleeuers be condemned already How saith he that all shal be iudged at the day of Iudgement I answere it is true that the faithfull children of God shall not come into Iudgement that is of condemnation Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation c. But God wil pronounce that blessed sentence Come yee blessed c. As for the wicked it is true they be condemned already first in the Decree and Councell of God being Reprobates and Cast-awayes secondly in the word of GOD thirdly in their owne conscience they be condemned already But the full manifestation of this Sentence shall not bee vntill the day of Iudgement And so we are to vnderstand that saying of Salomon Eccles 3. God shal iudge the iust and vniust The iust to saluation the vniust to condemnation Now the third point that I propounded is the touch-stone of this Triall whereby all mens thoughts words and workes shall be tryed To this S. Paul answereth At the day of Iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of all mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 1.16 Our thoughts our words and our workes must be tryed by the word of God and that thought word or worke which is not according to the written VVord of GOD is an euill thought a vile word and a wicked worke Vse Seeing that all our thoughts wordes and workes must bee tryed and examined by the written word of God by the Lawe and by the Gospell wee haue neede to labour to know them to bee acquainted with them that wee might know what is sin and not sinne good and bad that so wee may leaue the one and doe the other Oh what a woefull case are all they in which are ignorant in the word of God blinde men and vvomen without knowledge they know not what is good or euill And therefore saith the Apostle Paul 2. Thess 1. That the Lord Iesus will come in a flame of fire to render vengeance to them which know him not and obey not the Gospel of Iesus Christ And therefore as you doe loue your soules loue this word of God labour to know it embrace it If thou be ignorant of it and yeelde not obedience vnto it it shall stand against thee at the daie of Iudgement and thou must be tryed by it Therefore let vs all labour to be instructed in it to reade it to remember it and to leade our liues by it For whatsoeuer is done contrarie to it is sinne it must come to iudgement and the Word will condemne it 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 YOV heard in the twelfth Verse immediately going before how Saint Iohn saw the dead both great and small stand before GOD that is all men and women that euer liued or shall liue vnto the end of the world Now heere might a question arise How this can bee How is it possible that all men should come to Iudgement There haue beene many thousands which haue beene drowned in the Sea and the fishes haue deuoured them some haue beene slaine in the field and the fowles haue eaten their flesh and many haue been burnt and consumed to ashes Then it is a very high poynt a matter beyond all reason that all the dead should rise againe Men that haue beene drowned fishes haue eaten them men againe perhaps haue eaten the fishes and they that haue beene burnt to ashes their ashes haue beene scattered who knoweth whither How then is it possible for them to arise againe Indeed the profane Atheists and filthy epicures are not ashamed â—o say that there shall be no resurrection but when a man dies there is an end of all his ioy and of all his miserie But that the dead shall rise againe is an Article of our Faith We beleeue the resurrection of the dead And so wee know it is a speciall point of Gods glory in mercie to reward his poore children and in punishing in iudgement the wicked and vngodly But as Salomon saith In this Life all things happen alike to the iust and vniust Nay oftentimes Diues is full and at ease when Lazarus is empty and in misery How then should God bee iust if hee should suffer his poore children that loue and feare his Name heere to liue in miserie and neuer to reward them Or again how should God be iust if hee should suffer the wicked and vngodlie heere to liue at ease if there were not a time when they should taste of vengeance Therefore they must come to Iudgement they must rise againe the godlie to bee made partakers of life and ioy and the wicked of shame and confusion Iob saith in his nineteenth chapter That though the wormes did eate his flesh yet hee should beholde God with his eyes And
possesse a Kingdome Hast thou beene hungry and thirsty heere then thou shalt taste of the Tree of Life Hast thou beene poore and naked heere Then thou shalt bee cloathed with the precious Robes of Christs righteousnesse and in steede of the rags of Infamie and Reproch which wee must put on heere wee shall bee crowned with a Crowne of immortall Glorie c. Agayne vnto the wicked and the vngodlie it is not so with them but they hauing taken their pleasure here and receiued their portion in this present world shall arise now to Iudgement to heare the Sentence of Condemnation denounced against them and Mohammed Bouaziziow to bee cast into the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for euer Iohn 5.29 which is the second death Thirdly seeing Saint Iohn saith that wee shall all come to iudgement these bodies of ours though they be drowned though they be burnt to ashes or howsoeuer they bee consumed yet they shall rise againe eyther to Life eternall or death eternall Should not this make vs all Beloued to looke vnto our selues to take heed we doe not vse our bodies to the dishonour of God Wouldest thou haue thy bodie to bee partaker of Life Felicitie Glorie and Saluation in heauen Then vse thy bodie now to the glorie of God vpon earth to heare his word to sanctifie Gods Sabboth c. But if thou vse thy bodie to sinne to swearing to drunkennesse whooredome c. then know that thy bodie shall rise againe to iudgement to be tormented for euer Do not looke vpon the rich Glutton Luke 16. hee had abused his bodie to swearing drunkennesse c. and what became of it was hee not fearefully tormented in Hell at last And hee which had giuen his tongue to swearing c. Now he cries his tongue his tongue O that all sinful wretches could but thinke of this one example of GODS iudgements that if they abuse their bodies as this man did that they shall then taste of the same Iudgement Wouldest thou haue thy body glorified then glorifie God in thy body Dost thou thinke that thy soule shall bee saued and thy body glorified if thou vse the members thereof to sinne to vncleanenes c. O no let vs not deceiue our owne soules it can not be For saith the Apostle Rom. 6.2 How can wee that are dead to sinne yet liue therein Fourthly seeing the Holie-Ghost saith that of what death soeuer wee doe die wee shall all rise againe and Gods children they shall rise to life and to glory This must teach vs all this Doctrine namely not to weepe and mourne immoderatly for our friends deceased True it is that CHRIST IESVS wept for Lazarus Iohn 11. and the Disciples made great lamentation for Stephen Acts 7. And so wee haue great cause to mourne and weepe when as some speciall member of the Church of God is taken away we may not be as stockes or stones or senselesse creatures without affection It must needes grieue the heart of a husband to part with his louing godly and religious wife But heere is a meane for this mourning to moderate our weeping that wee weepe not and mourne not ouermuch for they shall rise againe I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning those that bee asleepe that you should mourne at they that haue no hope 1. Thess 4.13 Where the holy-Ghost tells vs that the dead in Christ doe not die properly but lay them downe to take a sweet sleepe after their long and tedious labors and troubls in this world and afterward they must rise againe to life to happinesse to liberty to glory and saluation And wherefore then should we mourne so excessiuely weep and lament at the death of our friends seeing they doe not perish they are not cast away O no their soules are presently in ioy and their bodies are buried in the graue as in a bed of dowlne to take a sweet sleepe till the day of Iudgement and then they shall rise to glory And they were iudged euery man according to their workes MArke I pray you how the holy Ghost repeates this point againe and againe he beates vpon it he can neuer haue done with it He said before The Bookes are opened and the dead were iudged according to those things written in the books And now againe he saith They were iudged euery man according to his workes What should bee the cause why the Holy-Ghost so often repeats this point and beates so vpon it againe and againe I answere The cause is in vs because wee are hardly brought to beleeue this poynt hardly perswaded of so necessary a matter for hardly one man of a thousand beleeueth this That he shall be iudged according to his workes Oh it is a hard matter to perswade men and women of this That they must giue an accompt of their workes and be iudged by their workes Tell the wicked sinner of his vngodly wayes of his profanenes contempt of Gods word c. And what doe they say Doe they quake and tremble Doth their heart and soules euen erne in them O no no they flatter themselues with this conceit God is mercifull And thus they make the mercie of God a packe-horse for all their abominations And thus it is in the vile heart of man to thinke he shall neuer come to account for his sins that he shall neuer bee called to a reckoning for them and receiue his reward according to his workes Heere then we may perceiue there bee but two sorts of men and women there is the repentant sinner and the impenitent sinner and both of them must come to iudgement The repentant sinner is he or she that mourneth for their sinnes bewaileth them hateth them and leaueth them and doth hunger and thirst after good things Now the impenitent sinner is he or shee that liues in sinne and will not in any wise bee brought to leaue sinne They neuer with teares beg the pardon of them at the handes of God but wallow in all vncleannesse heaping sinne vpon sinne and one vngodly way vpon another whereas all the sinnes of GODS children who doe repent be quit and pardoned in Christ Iesus hee hath nayled them to his Crosse and hath washed them away in his owne Bloud and they shall neuer come to light But their faith their religiō their good deeds as their feeding and cloathing of CHRIST IESVS in his poore members Matth. 25. and according to these they shal receiue their reward life happinesse and eternall saluation and as their good deeds be many and great so shall their honour praise and glory be greater in heauen And therefore we should labour to abound in good works in faith knowledge repentāce loue zeale c. seeing our reward shall be according to our workes But as for the vnrepentant sinner that liues in sinne delights in sinne as they do not repent nor haue no faith nor good workes euen so as their workes shall bee so
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
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
the Doctrine is apparent man was first cast out of Paradise for sin neither is there any thing that doth hinder his returne but only sin for it is sinne that makes vs execrable to the Lord and doth hinder all good things from vs. Psal 38.4 For as long as sinne remaynes it is as a weightie burthen to presse downe a sinner into hell and the wages and stipend of it is eternall death Therefore Romans 6 if sinne be taken away and pardoned as it is from all the Elect what should hinder their happinesse God hath against them no matter of displeasure and the obedience of Christ Iesus being imputed vnto them heauen can not bee denyed vnto them but they must needes bee saued Secondly Christ Iesus doth Reason 2 esteeme highly of his Church and the Church is most excellent in her selfe because in it alone saluation is to be found and no where else When the Lord brought the great and generall deluge ouer the face of the whole earth What place was there left more excellent then the Arke in the which Noah and his Family were saued and out of the which the whole world besides perished What was that Arke but a Type and Figure of Christs Church wherein saluation is to bee found and out of the which there is no saluation to bee looked for Seeing therefore that remission of sinnes is proper onely to Christs Church and that therein is saluation and eternall life to bee found wee may safely therefore conclude that the estate of Christs Church and of euery member thereof is most excellent and blessed The vses of this Doctrine is Vse 1 excellent as the nature of the Church is First then seeing that Christ will thus passe by the sinnes of his children and iudge them faire without any spot and blemish of sinne if they do truely repent and embrace Him and his Righteousnesse by faith Here is matter of endlesse comfort to euerie poore childe of God Note Doest thou repent of thy sinnes and art truely humbled for them Doest thou embrace CHRIST IESVS for the pardon of them Hath God sanctified thy heart by his Spirit so as thou hatest euerie wicked way and dost desire and endeuour to obey God his will in all his Commandements Well then comfort thy selfe and cheere vp thine owne soule Christ Iesus will couer all thy sinnes they shall neuer be layd to thy charge but hee will wrap thee in his own righteousnesse whereby thou shalt appeare faire and beautifull in his sight Indeed many a poore child of God looking on their owne infirmities and manifold corruptions see themselues to be black indeed deformed and stained with sinne it grieueth them that they do hang downe their heads and goe drooping all their dayes striuing and also struggling with their rebellious hearts and vile corruptions and thinke that CHRIST IESVS cares not for them cannot loue them being so defiled with sinne But I say againe Be not discouraged for if thou doest repent of them beleeue in Christ hate thy sinnes and prayest often vnto God to giue thee power to withstand them vsing all godly meanes to withstand them Christ Iesus wil couer them and passe by them all as he did deale with Dauid Peter c. Oh then how carefully ought all men daily endeuour themselues to be the members of this Societie that so they may haue a part in all these excellent prerogatiues and then howsoeuer the world doe esteeme of them counting them miserable grinding at them with their teeth and nodding at them with their heads and euerie way contumeliously reproching them yet are they deere and precious in the sight of Christ who hath redeemed them with the ransome of his owne bloud Let vs learne by Christs example Vse 2 heere that if we see anie good thing in the childe of Almightie God to commend it and to embrace it and if we see any blemish or infirmitie that we wincke at it and couer the same with the cloake of Loue and not as the maner of wicked and vngodly men who though they see many good giftes and graces in GODS children as knowlege faith patience loue zeale c. passe by them all and if they shall espie but one blemish or infirmitie or weakenesse by and by they blaze it abroad with open mouth note them with a blacke cole calling them Puritanes Precisians Hypocrites and the like reuiling them in a most odious manner like a Coorrector of a Booke passe by all that is well and if but one fault find that out like the horse-Flie passing by many floures and sweet hearbs lights vpon some noysome sore these are not like vnto CHRIST but to their sire the Diuell who is the Accuser of the Brethren Thus much for the exceeding loue and kindenesse of Christ Iesus toward his church in that he cals her by this kind appellation The fairest amongst women Secondly his gentle reproofe of her If thou know not q. d. This seemeth strange 2 Christs gentle reproofe that thou shouldest be ignorant where I doe feede my sheep where my truth and gospell is truely preached and soundly professed But if thou know not The church of God somtimes may be at that straight as not to discerne the truth I will direct Doctr. 7 thee and shew thee how thou shalt finde it out Hence we are taught that the church of God and true beleeuers may sometimes be so blinded and left to themselues that they stand at a stagger and doe hardly know which is true religion Where Christ doth feede his Flocke where the word is faithfully preached soundly professed For we are all of vs readie to erre by nature How apt are wee in matters that do concerne our Soules to be mistaken partly through our owne blindnesse ignorance and carelesnesse in not searching of the Truth and trying of the spirits and partly by the subtile policy of the diuell who is Gods Ape and so like him in many things as that it is hard to discerne his slights and falshoods Wicked men false teachers lying prophets set such a face and shew on their errors and beare them out with such a countenance credite and authoritie and the truth is so neglected plaine and simple troden vnder foot that it is hard for a man yea the true Church of God sometimes to discerne where Christ feedeth his Flocke 1. Reg. 18.12 When as Elias was left alone and Baals foure hundred and fiftie prophets who could almost then discerne the worship of GOD from Idolatry when all was corrupted So when Michaiah told the trueth and Ahab had foure hundred false Prophets it was hatd to discerne the truth of God from the lying of Sathan In Christs time how did the Scribes and Pharisees confound Religion dimme and dazell the truth for the which our Sauiour himselfe did often reprooue them And in our times how doe the Papists labour to obscure Religion how bold and impudent are they to defend Idolatrie