The Great Assize, Title page 1 – To the reader
THE GREAT ASSIZE, OR, DAY OF IVBILEE.
Deliuered in foure Sermons, vponupon the 20. chapter of the Reuel. ver. 12.13.14.15.
Whereunto are annexed two Sermons vponupon 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 vntounto you, That of eueryevery idle word that men ſhall ſpeake, they ſhall giuegive 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 vsus, 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 vponupon 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, VponUpon 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 vsus, that thinkes of theſe things? Doe not men crie, Peace, peace, till deſtruction come vponupon them, as the Trauell vponupon 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 vntounto theſe ſinnefull daies: for vvhat are they but the fore-runners of that laſt and dreadfull day? The Lord make vsus wiſe betimes, that we may think of that Great Aſsiſe, and the account that we are then to make. I hauehave heere endeauoured in a weake meaſure to vnfold the Doctrine of the day of Judgement, the which J here preſent vntounto your Worſhip, in regard of the demonſtration of my vnfained thankefulnes for your extraordinary kindneſſe beſtowed vponupon 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 vntounto 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 vntounto thy view, the third publique fruite of my Miniſterie, wherein I hauehave endeuoured, that thoſe eſpecially of mine owne Hearers, might a ſecond time take notice of my Exerciſes, that in publike I deliuered vntounto them. The night commeth when no man can worke: therefore it ſtands vsus 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 hauehave had many times many good purpoſes of hart to cleaue vntounto the Lord, that hauehave 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 vntounto thee, to better thee in the performance of that dutie which concerns thee ſo nearly, That thou muſt one day giuegive an accompt of thy Workes. If thou reape any benefit by it, giuegive the praiſe vntounto God, from whom eueryevery 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.