Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	church_n	doctrine_n	invocation_n	1,848	5	11.0599	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08096	The great assize, or, Day of iubilee. Deliuered in foure sermons, vpon the 20. chapter of the Reuel. ver. 12.13.14.15. : Whereunto are annexed two sermons vpon the I. chapter of the Canticles, verse 6.7. / [By] Samuel Smith, minister of the work of God at Prittlewell in Essex..	Smith, Samuel, 1588-1665.	1617 (1617)	STC 22847.7; ESTC S95246	88,613	364

labour to be approued for the Sheepe of Christ 2 Papists Secondly the Papists which barre the people from the preaching of the Word and keepe them in miserable ignorance and blindnesse And all others which seeke by all meanes possible to hinder CHRISTS sheep from endeuoring to be taught which otherwise would enquire Where Christ feedeth his Sheepe where the Word is truely preached and taught and the Sacraments duly administred These are like the Scribes and Pharises Who shut vp the Kingdome of heauen that will not enter themselues nor suffer them that would Oh what sacrilege doth that adulterous church of Rome commit that take from the people the key of Knowledge yea and nuzzle them in ignorance teaching that it is sufficient to beleeue as the Church doth beleeue Rom. 12.2 Phil. 1.10 Whereas the Scriptures do require of all men the spirit of discerning Eph. 5.15 Try the Spirits whether they be of God that so they may allow of those things that are good and bee without offence vntill the day of Christ otherwise if they follow their false teachers they are sure to perish Mat. 15.14 For when the blinde leade the blinde they both fall into the pit of destruction 3 Carnall Protestāts Thirdly all carnall Protestants and secure worldlings who although they do enquire where they may buie a good bargaine or get a good purchase and labour for that yet neuer inquire where Christ feeds his Sheep Oh it is a wonder to see how men do couet plesures profites and preferments these they seeke for with might and maine But for the Ministerie of the Word to haue it truely taught them that their soules may be saued this they esteeme not they looke not after it Surely by this they declare to the whole world that they are none of Christs sheepe For if they were They would heare his voyce and follow him Iohn 10.27 Seeing the true Church of Doctr. 3 God doth heere seeke to Christ IESVS to be taught and directed The Church of God doth acknowledge Iesus Christ for her chiefe shepheard we learne that it is the dutie of the true Church of God to acknowledge Christ Iesus alone for their great Pastor and Shepheard the onely Head and chiefe Doctor of his Church and therfore to be ruled by him and his Word alone to be content to be ledde and guided by this great Pastor and Shepherd of the Church as in Iohn 10.28 I am the True Shepheard and doe know my Sheepe and am knowne of mine This is acknowledged by Peter in the behalfe of all the Disciples Iohn 6.68 Maister to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternal life And CHRIST hath promised to be present with his Church Euen to the end of the world Eph. 2.22 Colos 2.19 Matth. 28. And agayne hee saith that Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the middest amongest them Now the duety of Christ this great Shepheard it standeth in two things First to gouerne his Church prescribing vnto them Lawes binding the consciences of all his Members And secondly by his grace to quicken and to put a spirituall life into them So that they shall be able to say That they liue not but CHRIST in them Reason And the reason is to be marked and considered which serue likewise for the confirmation of this point of Doctrine vnto vs is because the worke of saluation is wholy and onely wrought by him and no part thereof is reserued to any creature as the Apostle witnesses when hee saith That amongst men there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby wee may bee saued but onely by Iesus Christ And the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes witnesseth the same thing when he saith that hee is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him This condemnes the Church Vse 1 of Rome as no true Church of God First because they will not content themselues with Christ Iesus to bee their great Pastor and general Shepheard but they haue set vp the Pope his Vicar and matched him yea preferred him before Iesus Christ Nay they will not bee content with that pasture which Christ alloweth for his Sheepe the greene pastures of his holie Word and cleare streames of his blessed Gospell but they will feede on the filthie Trash and dirty Drugs of their owne deuising the fond and foolish deuices inuentions and traditions of men of their Popes Cardinalls So as they declare to the world they are no sheep of CHRIST In that they will not heare his voyce and follow him Iohn 10.17 nor be content with the foode hee hath prepared for them but feede on the filthy and foule pudles of mans traditions Vse 2 This may serue to admonish all the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ which stand in Christs steed That they teach nothing but the truth of God wholesome doctrine not their owne deuices and dreames but that which they perswade themselues Christ would speake if hee were present So on the contrary part you that are the hearers must content your selues with the Pastures of Gods Word the plaine and the pure Preaching of the word of God and not to bee carried away to listen after strange Sheepheards that teach erroneous doctrine that may corrupt or the deuices of man which may tickle the eare and not worke grace in the heart And such are the vile Doctrines of the Church of Rome which will rather bane and poyson mens soules then edifie them as their doctrine of Merites Inuocation of Saints praying for the Dead and a thousand the like The which because they haue no footing in Gods word are here condemned as no wholesome pasture for Gods sheep to feed vpon Thus much for the Churches first request The second followeth And where thou causest them to lie downe at Noone FOr the better vnderstanding of these VVordes we must know how that it was the manner of the Shepheards in those hote Countries to driue their sheep to the pasture in the morning and after when the Sunne waxed hote to driue them to the water and at noone to carry them to some shadow where they might rest in the heate of the day lest they should bee annoyed with the scorching heate and beames of the Sunne So heere the Church of God and the Spouse of Christ compares Christ to a faithfull and true Shepheard and intreates him to tell her where hee doth cause his Flocke that is his faithfull people to finde shelter and comfort in the heate of persecution when the Sunne is hottest at Noone day that is in the greatest and hottest persecution of the Church of God in the most dangerous and troublesome trials and times of great extreamitie which is heere meant by Noone day when the Sunne is most hote and scorching according to that of our Sauiour speaking of one sort of euill hearers And when the Sunne was vp Mat. 13.6 and v. 21. they

pray to CHRIST as the church doth heere That hee would teach vs by his Spirit that hee would open our eyes that wee might see the truth and that he would giue vs hearts to beleeue it to loue it and to liue and die in it That hee would giue vs the Spirit of Discerning 1. Iohn 4.1 To try the Spirits whether they be of God that so wee may discerne the truth from falshoode Yea wee must so labour to bee fast grounded in the Truth Matt. 7.26 that no winde nor weather may remoue vs That wee be sure to lay a good foundation that we do digge deepe into our owne hearts builde on the Rocke To hate Poperie and all Idolatrie to loathe it as the Doctrine of Diuells Though they say they be the true Church and the companion of Christ yet be they the Synagogue of Sathan The maine points of their Religion being cleane contrarie vnto the word of God as are their Doctrine of Merites Inuocation of Saints worshipping of Images praying for the dead Sacrifice of the Masse that so wee may for euer stand out against that cursed and damnable doctrine of the Church of Rome Yea let vs intreate the Lord that hee would neuer suffer it to get head againe in this Land notwithstanding wee haue deserued as great a iudgement but especially that hee keep vs that wee neuer ioyne with them in that bloudy Religion Vse 3 It condemnes all those who are ready either for feare of persecution or by blindnesse and ignorance to embrace any Religion or ioyne with any Church who to keepe their Liuings hold their Lands to enioy their honours and pleasures would turne as doth the winde and embrace any Religion ioyne with Papist Iew Turke yea the deuill himselfe for liuing sake Oh! the true Church of Christ feare themselues and their weakenesse that they should bee drawne away and seduced to embrace false religion And therefore they doubting the worst and fearing the corruption that is in their owne hearts pray vnto Christ that they may not bee left vnto themselues but that they may finde strength from him to withstand them The end of the first Sermon 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 haue heard before of the earnest request of the Church vnto 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 vnto the Request of his Church Parts of the Text. in the which note three things 1 His exceeding loue 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 vnto 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 haue imbraced The Faith Religion the Worship and Seruice of GOD which my ancient Seruants Abraham Isaac and Iacob haue done and tread in their steps Secondly thou must place thy Tent where the shepheards haue done the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles of CHRIST their doctrine taught before This is the summe and substance of Christs answere vnto 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 loue vnto 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 euery 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 haue put into thee Doctr. 6 Here marke the endlesse loue of Christ Iesus vnto 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 vpon 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 vnto Christ Hereunto cometh the titles and commendations giuen vnto 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 Loue 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 vnto vs 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