The Great Assize, Sermon 2
A Folde for Chriſts SHEEPE. THE SECOND SERMON.
CANT. 1.7.
7 If thou know not, O thou faireſt amongſt women, get thee forth by the ſteps of the Flocke, and feede thy Kiddes by the Tents of the Shepheards.
WEE hauehave heard before of the earneſt requeſt of the Church vntounto Chriſt, That he would in mercy ſhew her where hee feedes his Flocke, and where he prouideth comfort for them in time of trouble. Heere is the moſt kind, louing, and gracious anſwer of Chriſt Ieſus vntounto the Requeſt of his Church:Parts of the Text. in the which note three things.
1 His exceeding louelove and kindneſſe, in that he calls her, the faireſt among women.
2 His gentle reproofe of her, If thou know not, q.d. This is very ſtrange, that thou which art the true Church, ſhouldeſt not know where Chriſt feeds his ſheep.
3 His direct Anſwer to her requeſt; wherein hee doth anſwer her to the full: If thou wouldſt know where I feede my ſheep, that ſo thou maiſt feede with them, and finde conſolation vntounto thy Soule; then thou muſt go in the ſteppes of the Flocke: That is, thou muſt embrace the Faith, Religion, the worſhip and ſeruice of God, the which my ancient church from the beginning hauehave imbraced: The Faith, Religion, the Worſhip and Seruice of GOD, which my ancient Seruants, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob hauehave done, and tread in their ſteps. Secondly, thou muſt place thy Tent, where the ſhepheards hauehave done, the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apoſtles of CHRIST, their doctrine taught before. This is the ſumme and ſubſtance of Chriſts anſwere vntounto his Church.
Firſt, obſerue heere, how Chriſt deſcribes his true Church and Spouſe: Hee giueth her a moſt kind and louing name, expreſſing his kinde and ſingular louelove vntounto her: O thou the faireſt among women!
Queſt. Obiect. But this may ſeeme ſtrange: for the Church confeſſed before, that ſhee was blacke and Sun-burnt, deformed, &c. How then can Chriſt call her, the faireſt amongſt women?
Anſ. The Church,Reſp. and eueryevery true Beleeuer, are black and deformed in themſelues, vile and vncleane, and they can ſee no beautie in themſelues, but are blemiſhed yea and ſtained with ſins originall and actuall: But as they be ſanctified by his Spirit, waſhed in his Bloud, and clothed in his Righteouſneſſe, they be faire and beautifull in the ſight of Almighty God, becauſe Chriſt hath waſhed them from all their ſinnes in his Bloud, and couerd them with the pure roabes of his owne Righteouſnes; decked and adorned them with the holy and heauenly graces of his Spirit, knowledge, faith, repentance, zeale, patience, &c. According to that ſpeech that the Lord himſelfe vſeth,Ezech. 16. thou art faire through that beauty of mine, which I hauehave put into thee.
Doctr. 6 Here marke the endleſſe louelove of Chriſt Ieſus vntounto his poore church and people,Chriſt eſteemes of his church as if they had no ſin that eſteems ſo highly of them, as if they had no ſpot of ſin or vncleaneneſſe: though they in themſelues bee blacke, deformed, and polluted; yet all thoſe who doe truely repent, embrace Ieſus Chriſt, and beleeue in him, that are waſhed from their ſinnes, ſanctified by his Spirit, and obey his will; all theſe are faire, yea moſt beutifull in his eyes. Hee will not looke vponupon their ſinnes and blemiſhes, but wincke at them, ſo long as they endeuour and deſire to doe his will. This is confeſſed by wicked Balaam, when he ſaw that no policie or deuice could take any place againſt the Church of God: He ſeeth no iniquitie in Iacob, he beholdeth no tranſgreſsion in Iſrael, Nu. 23.21 Againe, how goodly are thy tents, O Iacob, and thy tabernacles O Iſrael, as the vallies that are ſtretched out, &c. Num. 24.5. So that the nature and condition of the true Church farre exceeds all other ſocieties of men whatſoeuer, and is pretious and deere vntounto Chriſt. Hereunto cometh the titles and commendations giuen vntounto the Church ſo often in this moſt excellent booke of the Canticles; Cant. 2.2.She is as the Roe of the field, the Lillie of the Valley, the Faireſt amongeſt Women, an Orchard of Pomegranats, a Fountaine of Gardens, and 4 13. and 5.9.a well of ſpringing waters, the Spouſe and Siſter of Chriſt, the Beauty of the Earth, the Glorie of the world, a Lillie among Thornes, &c. And againe, Thou art all faire my LoueLove, and there is no ſpotte in thee. Theſe, and the like examples, whereof the Scripture is full, all ſerue to confirme the euerlaſting trueth of this Doctrine vntounto vsus: how deare and precious the Church is in Chriſts ſight, that of al Societies and Aſſemblies of men in the world, none are more excellent and worthy, none more amiable and louely, none more beutifull and precious then the Church of God, the Spouſe of Chriſt.
Reaſon 1 And the Reaſon of 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 vsus execrable to the Lord, and doth hinder all good things from vsus. Pſal 38.4For, 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 vntounto them, heauen can not bee denyed vntounto 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 onelyonly 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 eueryevery 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 louelove 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 vntounto God to giuegive 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 hauehave 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 vsus 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 LoueLove; 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, louelove, 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 vponupon ſome noyſome ſore: theſe are not like vntounto CHRIST, but to their ſire the Diuell, who is the Accuſer of the Brethren. Thus much for the exceeding louelove 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 vsus 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 vnderunder 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, their owne traditions and conſtitutions.
Vſe. How ſhould this ſtir vp eueryevery chriſtian man and woman to ſtudy the word of God; ſo that knowing the truth, & beleeuing the doctrine of God, we may be able to diſcerne betweene light and darkeneſſe, truth and falſehood; idolatry, and the ſeruice and worſhip of God. Secondly, to intreate the Lord in all humilitie, to open our eyes to diſcerne the truth; to giuegive vsus his holie Spirit, to leade vsus into all truth, to giuegive vntounto vsus the Spirit of Diſcerning, to trie the ſpirit and the doctrine, whether it be of God, or not: for otherwiſe we may be ledde awry, and take light for darkeneſſe, and darkeneſſe for light. Let vsus then confeſſe our ignorance and blindeneſſe, and bewayle it: Let vsus ſtriue againſt our careleſneſſe; Let vsus prooue the Doctrine by the touch-ſtone of the Word, if they be according to the law and the Prophets, elſe abhorre them.Acts 17. Let vsus doe as the men of Berea did, intreate the Lord to giuegive vsus the Spirit of Diſcerning, that we may trie all things, and hold the truth. And if euer wee had neede to pray for the Spirit of Diſcerning, now is the time: we ſee how bold the Diuell is, how diligent to deceiue vsus; and the Papiſts they be impudent and ſhameleſſe, euen to thruſt vponupon vsus their curſed Idolatrie, and tell vsus it is the true worſhip of God; their abominable Maſſe, their Merites, Purgatorie, prayer for the dead, worſhipping of Images, calling vponupon Saints, vnwritten Verities, their vile Traditions, and filthy abhominations, their Conſtitutions and vile Decrees; as if they were the written word of God. Now vnleſſe we hauehave knowledge, and bee able by Gods Spirit to diſcerne the ſpirits; alas! wee ſhall drinke in poyſon, idolatry, and ſuperſtition. O then, let vsus labour to know the Word of God, beleeue it, obey it, bee reformed by it, confeſſe our ignorance, and with all humilitie pray vntounto God to open our eyes to giuegive vsus the ſpirit of diſcerning, to know true Religion from falſe; which if wee do, certainely the Lord will reueale his Truth vntounto vsus. And thus much ſhall ſerue for Chriſts gentle reproofe of his Church.
3 Chriſts anſwere vntounto his churchThe third and laſt point, is the direct anſwere of Chriſt to the requeſt of the Church; ſhee deſired to know of Chriſt where he fed his flocke, and comforted them in the time of perſecution, that ſo ſhee might ioyne with them; and be defended by him from falſe worſhip, and the idolatrous Church. Heere Chriſt doth anſwere her to the full: If thou know not, Oh thou faireſt among women! get thee foorth by the ſteppes of the Sheep, and feede thy Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards. His counſell ſtandeth in two parts, to ſhew her where he feedeth. q. d. Wouldeſt thou know where I feede my Sheep, and where I cauſe them to lie downe at Noone, that thou mighteſt feed with them, and be in my Fold, to be defended and protected by mee? then I counſell thee: Firſt, to walke in the ſteppes of the Sheepe: that is, thou muſt walke in the ſteppes of the faithfull ſeruants of God, Abrabam, Iſaac, and Iacob; thou muſt embrace that faith, religion, & worſhip of GOD, which they beleeued and embraced; that is meant by the ſteppes of the ſheep. Secondly, thou muſt feede thy Kids; that is, thou muſt receiue and embrace that Doctrine which the ancient Shepheards, Paſtors, Prophets, and Apoſtles hauehave taught and deliuered. And if thou ſhalt thus treade in the ſteps of the ſheepe, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob; and embrace and obey the doctrines taught by the Prophets and Apoſtles, in the old and new Teſtament, thou ſhalt then know where I feed my ſheepe, that thou maiſt feed with them, and take mee for thy true Shepheard.
Doctr. 8 From this anſwere of Chriſt we learne a cleere direction,A directiō to know which is the true Church. to know true Religion, and the true worſhip of God, from falſe religion, and falſe worſhippe. If men doe deſire to know where Chriſt feedeth his ſheepe, and where GOD is truely worſhipped, where is true religion, we muſt then treade in the ſteppes of the Sheep. That is, we muſt worſhip God, as Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob did, as Moſes and the Prophets did; treade in their ſteppes, and follow their godly examples; beleeue, repent, and walke with GOD, as they did, whom (by the iudgement of Faith) wee may conclude of, that they were the Sheepe of Chriſt; for of them doth Chriſt ſpeake heere, and not of a company of Popes, Cardinalls, Ieſuites, and the like, of that rabble; of whom to thinke that they ſhould belong to this Folde, I know not whence I ſhould fetch my charity. Againe, wee muſt embrace and beleeue the doctrine taught by Moſes, and the Prophets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles, who were the true Shepheards and faithfull Paſtors of the Church of GOD: To the Law, Eſay 8.20.and to the Teſtimony, if they ſpeake not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them. Iere. 6.16.And againe, Thus ſaith the Lord, ſtand in the wayes, and behold, and aske for the olde way, which is the good way, and walke therein, and you ſhall finde peace and reſt for your ſoules. So then, if we deſire to know true Religion, and the true worſhip and ſeruice of God, this is the way, which I heere teach and deliuer from the Lord IESVS CHRIST, againſt the doctrine of all the Shauelings of Rome; namely this, and none but this; To inquire of the faith, Religion, and maner of the worſhipping of God, performed by Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, Patriarkes and Prophets, Preached and publiſhed by Chriſt and his Apoſtles; beleeue that, imbrace that, and reſt our ſoules on that.
This may ſerue to decide a great queſtion, and long controuerſie, betweene vsus and the Papiſts. They affirme that they are the true Church, and we are Heretickes; wee beleeue and hold that we are the true church of God, and that they bee not, but Babylon, and the Synagogue of Sathan. This then is the maine Queſtion, whether they, or wee, bee the true Church? Who ſhall iudge? euen Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe in his owne word: wee reſt vponupon him and flie vntounto him: which if the Papiſts would do likewiſe, they would neuer hauehave runne into a labyrinth of controuerſies as they hauehave euen at this day: For Chriſt would quickly hauehave put an end vntounto all. For he ſaith, that they be the true Church, which Treade in the ſteps of the Sheep, and feede by the Tents of the Shepheards: That is, that people that beleeue and worſhip God, as Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob did; and alſo that old Religion which they beleeued and embraced as the true Religion, for that was taught by the holy ſeruants of God, who were the faithfull Shepheards, and Paſtors ſent of God to his Church. Now let triall be made, whether the Papiſts or Proteſtants, the Church of Rome, or the Church of England do thus.
For the Papiſts, although they call their Religion, the old Religion; yet alas, it is newly deuiſed, the gteateſt parts of it, within theſe foure or fiue hundred yeares: It is ſuch as was neuer knowne to Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, Moſes, or the Prophets; it was neuer knowne to Chriſt or his Apoſtles; they hauehave loſt the Steps of the Sheepe, and the Tents of the Shepheards: that Doctrine, manner of Religion, the worſhip and ſeruice of God, which was vſed by the Patriarkes, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, taught by Moſes, and the Prophets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles; and they hauehave got a new Religion of their owne deuiſing: They walke not in the ſteps of the Flocke, but in the ſteps of their proud Popes, couetous Cardinals; filthy Friers, mangy Munkes: They hauehave deuiſed a thouſand things in the ſeruice and worſhip of God againſt his Word, and againſt the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apoſtles. Where ſhall we euer finde that Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, and the Prophets did euer pray to Angells, or Saints, worſhipped Images, prayed for the dead, looked to bee ſaued by their owne workes, or merites? If they can ſhew me, any foule-mouth'd Ieſuite of them all, but any one example, in the whole booke of God, of any of all Gods children that hauehave performed them, I will then lay my hand vponupon my mouth. In the meane time giuegive me leaue, O ye Papiſts, to tell you, that you are none of Chriſts Church, you are none of Chriſts Sheepe; for you hauehave left the Steppes of the ſheepe, and the Tents of the ſhepheards, the Doctrine taught by the Prophets of God, Chriſt, and his Apoſtls; and are no better then the whoore of Babylon, the Synagogue of Sathan.
But as for the Church of England, wee doe beleeue and embrace that olde and true Religion, that ſame Faith which Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob did vſe: we holde that Doctrine taught by the ancient Prophets, and holie Apoſtles of CHRIST IESVS, without either adding or detracting: And if wee ſhould dare to deuiſe a new kinde of Faith, Religion, and worſhip of God, not vſed nor knowne to the ancient Prophets, Patriarkes, and Apoſtles, as the Church of Rome doth; it were to leaue the Steps of the Sheepe, and to ioyne with the Flockes of the Companions, euen to ſhake hands with Idolaters.
Vſe 2 Well, let vsus then euer ſtand out againſt the Antichriſt of Rome,Reu. 18.4. and as Chriſt ſaith, Come out of her, ioyne not with her in her falſe Religion, and Idolatrous ſeruice of God, leſt you partake of her plagues, but let vsus hold faſt ſtill the true Religion of God: Treade in the ſteps of the Sheep; Feed by the Tents of the Shepheards. Let vsus liue and die in the true Church of God, & for euer hold faſt the true, ancient, & holy religion, which we hauehave receiued frō the holy Patriarks Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, Moſes, the Prophets, and the holy Apoſtles of Ieſus Chriſt, & then we ſhall be ſafe and ſure; yea bleſſed and happy for euermore.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Smith, The Great Assize (1617)