The Great Assize, Dedication 2 – Table of contents
❧ 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 vntounto the Godly. Paul, that ſanctified Ʋeſſell of the Lord, did eſteeme all things elſe but Dung in compariſon of it.Phil. 3.8. Moſes regarded not the pleaſures he might hauehave 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. 84.12before 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 vsus, 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 hauehave 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 vntounto 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 the height, and the meaſure of her iniquitie is once full, according to that of Sainct Iohn in the Reuelation: Shee is fallen, ſhee is fallen, euen Babylon that great Citie, &c. God put it into the hearts of all chriſtian princes, to riſe vp againſt her,*By ſuppreſſing of Poperie. that their warre with them may aſſure them of a peace with themſelues, and with their Lord God. For, how dangerous they be vntounto a chriſtian common-wealth, euen theyr helliſh Attempts do ſhew. Neyther is it an error in practiſe, as many would beare men in hand, but it is an error in doctrine, teaching, yea and maintaining it, that they may ſafely kill, and take away the life of a chriſtian Prince, that will not yeelde and ſubiect himſelfe vntounto the Pope of Rome. *Therfore traitors to Chriſtian Princes in action or affection, and ſo much the more dangerous to be ſufferd.And no maruell then, though they can not endure the manifeſtation of God his Word, which is a Lanthorne vntounto our feete, and a Light vntounto our Paths, directing vsus to heauen: For this Light, if the Pope did not ſmother it, euen little children in the Streetes would long ere this hauehave cryed: Fie vponupon them, fie vponupon them. Jt is my care, both in publike and priuate (out of my ſmall reading) to diſcouer, as much as in me lieth, the myſterie of Iniquitie, and to lend one blaſt to the ſounding of that Horne,The word. that ſhall at laſt ſhake downe the walles of this Iericho. Jt is the old and ancient Doctrine of Faith and Repentance that I heere intreate of: As for the plaineneſſe of the manner of deliuery of it, I do truſt you will acknowledge that the power of the ſpirit is beſt ſeene in weakeneſſe: and that plainelineſſe do beſt anſwere a ſtraight and euen Leuell: the euidence of the ſpirit is beſt ſeene in plaineneſſe.
J hauehave preſumed to prefixe your Worſhippes Name vntounto this ſmall Worke: Jt ſhall (by Gods good bleſsing) increaſe your louelove vntounto the truth and goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt: A zealous profeſſour whereof you hauehave ſhewed your ſelfe to be theſe many yeares: and worke in you a further deteſtation of Poperie. As you hauehave begun well, ſo proceed, and let your workes be more at laſt then at firſt: Be ſtill for God in all his wayes, and God will be ſtill for you in all your waies: aduance him ſtill, and hee will aduaunce you. Thus I adde this poore Mite to the treaſurie of the Church, aſcribing the Patronage to your ſelfe, the vſe to the world, and the ſucceſſe of it to God. I pray God to keepe you in his holy feare, and fauour, vntounto the end: and ſo remaine
Your worſhips in the ſureſt bond. SAMVEL SMITH.
A Table of the Doctrines contained in theſe two Sermons.
THE FIRST SERMON. CANT. 1. v. 6.7.
Doctrine 1. CHRIST IESVS muſt bee loued with the ſtrongeſt affection of LoueLove. p. 234
Doct. 2. True note of a Sheepe of Chriſt, to hunger and thirſt after the word of God. p. 225
Doctr. 3. The church of God doth acknowledge Chriſt to bee her chiefe ſhepheard. p. 267
Doctr. 4. The church of GOD ſometimes is in the very heate of perſecution. p. 274
Doctr. 5. Chriſt leaueth not his church in the heate of perſecution, but prouideth comfort for them. p. 285
Doct. 5. It is altogether impoſsible for men to holde out in time of triall, that are not aſsiſted by God. p. 296
THE SECOND SERMON CANT. 1. v. 7.
Doctrine 6. CHRIST eſteemeth of his church, as if they had no ſinne. p. 308
Doctr. 7. The church of GOD ſometimes may bee at ſuch a ſtreight, as not to diſcerne the truth. p. 317
Doctr. 8. A direction to know which is the true church. p. 324