horrible it is when you thinke of torment passing all tormentes and yet a torment passing all that yet this torment is greater then them and passing them all Imagine you see a sinner going to hell and his sumner gape at him his acquaintance looke at him the Angels shoute at him and the Saintes laugh at him and the deuils rayle at him and many looke him in the face and they that said they would liue and dye with him forsake him and leaue him to pay all the scores Then Iudas would restore his bribes Esau would cast vp his pottage Achan would cast downe his golde and Gehezi would refuse his giftes Nabuchadnezzar would bee humbler Balam would bee faithfull and the Prodigall would be tame Mee thinkes I see Achan running about where shall I hide my golde that I haue stolne that it might not bee seene nor stand to appeare for witnesse against mee And Iudas running to the high Priests saying Hold take againe your money I will none of it I haue betrayed the innocent bloud And Esau crying for the blessing when it is too late hauing sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Woe woe woe that euer wee were borne O where is that Diues that would beleeue this before hee felt the fire in hell or that would beleeue the poorest Lazarus in the world to bee better then himselfe before the dreadfull day come when they cannot helpe it if they would neuer so faine when repentance is too late Herod shall then wish that hee were Iohn Baptist Pharaoh would wish that hee were Moses and Saul would wish that hee had bene Dauid Nabuchadnezzar that hee had beene Daniel Haman to haue beene Mardocheus Esau would wish to bee Iacob and Balam would wishe might die the death of the righteous then hee will say I will giue more then Ezechias crie more then Esau fast more then Moses pray more then Daniel weepe more then Marie Magdalen suffer more stripes then Paul abide more imprisonments then Michai abide more crueltie then any mortall man would doe that it might bee Ite Goe yee cursed might be come yee blessed Yea I would giue all the goods in the world that I might escape this dreadfull day of wrath and iudgement and that I might not stand amongst the goe O that I might liue a begger all my life and a Leaper O that I might endure all plagues and sores from the top of the head to the sole of my foote sustaine all sicknesse griefes that I might escape this iudgement The guiltie conscience cannot abide this day The silly sheepe when shee is taken will not bleate but you may carry her and doe what you will with her and shee will bee subiect but the swine if shee bee once taken shee will roare and cry and thinkes shee is neuer taken but to bee slaine So of all things the guiltie conscience cannot abide to heare of this day for they know that when they heare of it they heare of their owne condemnation I thinke if there were a generall collection made through the whole world that there might bee no iudgement day then God would bee so rich that the world would go a begging bee as waste wildernesse Then the couetous Iudge would bring forth his bribes then the craftie Lawyer would fetch out his bagges the Vsurer would giue his gaine and the idle seruant would digge vp his talent againe and make a double thereof But all the money in the world will not serue for our sinne but the Iudge must answere for his bribes hee that hath money must answer how hee came by it iust condemnation must come vpon euery soule of them then shall the sinner bee euery dy ing and neuer dead like the Salamander that is euer in the fire and neuer consumed But if you come there you may say as the Queene of Saba sayde of King Salomon I beleeue the report that I heard of thee in mine owne Countrie but the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde mee If you came there to see what is done you may say Now I beleeue the report that was told mee in my owne countrie concerning this place but the one halfe as now I feele I haue not heard of now chuse you whether you will reioyce or remember whether you will stand amongst you blessed or amongst you cursed whether you will enter while the gate is open or knocke in vaine when the gate is shut whether you will seeke the Lord whilest he may be found or be found of him when you would not bee sought being run into the bushes with Adam to hide your selues whether you will take your heauen now here or your hell then there or through tribulation to enter into the kingdome of God and thus to take your hell now here or your heauen then there in the life to come with the blessed Saintes and Angels so that hereafter you may lead a new life putting on Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse FINIS THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH Iob. 8. 5 6. 7. 5 If thou wilt earely seeke vnto God and pray vnto the Almightie 6 If thou bee pure and vpright then surely he will awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous 7 And though the beginning be but small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase IN a sicke and euill affected body dearly beloued we vsually see preparatiues ministred that the maladies may bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholesome medicines The like yea and greater regard ought wee to haue of our soules which being not crasie only or lightly affected with sinne but sicke euen vnto death had need to bee prepared with threates and exhortations comforts and consolations one way or other that they may bee made fit not to receiue the preparatiue but the perfection of happie saluation And for this cause haue I made choyse of this part of Scripture as of a light to shine vnto vs in darkenes a direction to our steps and a lanthorne to our pathes while wee wander through the boystrous waues of this wicked world The text is plaine and obiect to euery mans capacitie naturally budding vnto blossomes The first containing our duetie which we are to performe towards God The second Gods promises if wee performe this duetie Our duetie towards God is implyed in these three conditions First If thou wilt earely seeke vnto God Secondly If thou wilt pray vnto the Almightie Thirdly If thou be pure and vpright so thot the whole consisteth on these three points First what it is that God requireth namely Diuision a diligent and speedy search in these words If thou wilt seeke earely Secondly how thy search is to bee made in prayer in these words If thou wilt pray to the Almightie Thirdly what effect these things ought to worke in vs a puritie and sinceritie of life in these words If thou be pure and vpright As our duetie towards God consisteth in three points so Gods
TWO SERMONS OF Ionahs punishment Preached by Maister Henry Smith And published by a more perfect Copie then heretofore LONDON Printed by T. D. for Cuthbert Burby 1607. THE FIRST SERMON OF the punishment of Ionah Ionah 1. 4. 5. 6 4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the Sea and there was a mightie tempest in the Sea so that the ship was like to be broken 5 Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed euery man vnto his God and cast the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it of them but Ionah was gone downe into the sides of the ship and layd downe and was a sleepe 6 So the ship-maistr came to him and said vnto him what meanest thou O sleeper Arise and call vpon thy God if so be that God will thinke vpon vs that we perish not THE sinne is past but punishment is to come for after disobedience followeth wrath the heauie companion of wickednesse For although shee loue not sinne yet shee will be alwayes where wicked nesse is yea also full of strength like a Lyon which will not be tamed Hee that made the windes commanded them and they obey his voyce the windes and the waters obey him but man will not obey him Hee saith not that a winde arose but saith The Lord sent great winde Therefore we see the cause of this tempest and so of Ionahs punishment The iust Iudge of the whole world may not suffer sinne vnpunished therefore hee sends the Lord sent out a mightie winde Then it was not by chance nor yet by witchcraft for the Mariners notwithstanding they were infidels were not so grosse as to ascribe it to any such cause but rather thought it to bee sent from some reuenging power beeing prouoked to indignation by some particular person among Psal 107. 25 to 31 them that had committed some hainous fact else why did they cast lots to know him and find him out that had sinned and whose sinnes did procure this tempest to bee sent Though this winde had almost drowned Ionah yet hee said The Lord sent it so the Lord sendeth wind to bring ships to land in safetie and the same Lord sendeth winde to drowne and breake and sinke other ships Therfore Iob said when hee was bereft of all his substance at Iob. 1. 21. once and left as poore as might bee that the Lord had taken them from him who had first giuen all to him adding also thanksgiuing euen for the persecuting hand of God which did so molest him If some had so much losse by tempest as Iob and such dangers as Ionah they would surely say with Iob blessed bee the name of the Lord for it But Iob. 2. 9. moe it is to be feared would say with Iobs wife Curle God and die And there was a great tempest in the Sea First God spake gently to him Arise Ionah goe to Niniuie then he would not goe but seeing wordes would not serue the Lord would take another way and try whether that could make him obedient to his voyce So the Lord caused a mightie tempest to arise in the Sea like the messengers that were sent to compell folkes to come to the banquet that seeing the commaundement could not the tempest might beare rule For vnlesse it be an imperious crosse wee will not yeeld so head-strong is sinne Therefore it is said that God sent out a great winde so that there was a mighty tempest that sinne might haue the foile and God the victorie Hee that sayles to Tharshish or whether hee is forbidden to goe would haue as good wind as hee that sayles to Niniuie or whither hee is commanded to goe But he that doth one thing for another shall receiue one thing for another as Achab did who hoped according to the saying of foure hundred false Prophets to goe vp and prosper but hee went vp and perished As surely as Ionah thought to arriue at Tarshish so surely the Spaniards thought to arriue in England but as Ionahs companie wondred at this tempest so at these Spainards destruction their fellowes at home wondred yea were astonied how their inuincible power could bee destroyed But God is strong enough for them that kicke against him and disdaineth to bee crossed of dust and ashes And there was a great tempest in the sea The ship went on roundly for a time the Prophet sleeping the Mariners sporting their sayles flaunting the waters calming the winds guiding so merrily sinne goes on before the tempest comes The winde blowes not yet therefore goe on yet a little and yet a little more but suddenly the tempest rushes vpon them before they are aware of it and tumbles them vp and downe and suddenly all is like to be vndone Hee came to the hauen and paide the fare and entred the ship and hoist vp sayles and went on forward and all to flie from God but now it appeares hee fled not from him but to him Therefore Dauid sayth If I take the mornings wings and flie aloft loe thou art there If I goe into the neithermost depth thy hande will finde me out therefore whither shall I flye from thee So that when we thinke that we flie from God in running out of one place into another wee doe but runne from one hand to the other for there is no place where Gods hande is not and whither soeuer a rebellious sinner doth runne the hand of God will meete with him to crosse him and hinder his hoped foâ— successe although hee securely prophecieth neuer so much good vnto himselfe in his iourney What had hee offended the windes or the waters that they bare him such enmitie The windes and the waters and all Gods creatures are to take Gods part against Ionah or any rebellious sinner for though God in the beginning gaue power to man ouer all his creatures to rule them yet when man sinnes God giueth power strength to his creatures to rule and bridle man Therefore hee that euen now was Lord ouer the waters now the waters are Lords ouer him But if Ionah had thought that God would haue brought things to passe he durst not haue beene so bold in this enterprise Therefore wee may see that sinne hath no eyes while it is on doing Tush sayth the soole it is faire weather yet while he goeth to the stockes So that the ship was like to be broken Wee haue heard of the cause and greatnesse of this tempest the effects follow whereby the greatnesse of it is the better exprest First in the ship then in the Mariners The ship was like to be broken The ship was faire and goodly so strong that it might haue encountred with instruments of warre and so sure made that it might haue endured great tempestes and made manie voyages Yet now with one tempest and at one voyage it was so deformed so weakned in such a taking that it was like to bee shiuered in pieces and all because Ionah was in it Such
and quite changed the matter and said You shall not dye Thus sinne creepes vpon vs while doubt fulnesse remaineth in vs so God saith You shall bee saued the trembling flesh saith Peraduenture I shall c then commeth Sathan and he saith Thou shalt die so that if you will aske what is the faith of sinners or if you would haue it defined it is this peraduenture yea peraduenture The sinners faith no if you will aske mee whereupon this faith is grounded it is vpon ifs and ands this is the faith of the vngodly to say If so bee God will helpe vs for they can not assure themselues of any helpe But we may not doubt of our God and say It may bee or If peraduenture for we may freely pray to our God with confidence and may say Our God and the God of Ionah will surely helpe vs and hath helped vs. But yet let vs know that we haue sinned like Infidels and doe deserue to bee punished like the Egyptians If so be he will c. Thus if commeth in like a little leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of dow and like the moth which eateth the whole wedding garment and this same littletheef hath stolen away all the Papists faith Therefore with them wickednesse lyeth sicke in bed and calleth to euery one that commeth by Call vpon thy God and pray for me if so bee hee will looke vpon vs and helpe vs and so their hope when the tempest commeth is either an easelesse horrour or a comfortlesse doubting If so he will thinke vpon vs. Our God thought vpon vs in the time of trouble he thought vpon vs and layd the tempest when our enemies called vpon their Gods Saints and Angels But what doe wee meane beloued whē mercie is come to send for iudgement for though we bee saued with Israel wee deserue to be plagued with Pharao because wee are not thankefull for this namely that the Lorde hath thought vpon vs in our distresse for hee trauelleth with mercie and laboureth till hee bee deliuered hee goeth laden like a Bee but wants a hiue There are two hands a hand to giue a hand to receiue Gods hand to giue and mans hand to receiue the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand a hand loden with liberalitie full of gracious gifts therefore let vs stretch foorth the good hand to receiue it thankefully to embrace it chearefully to entertaine it and carefully to keepe it let vs receiue it by the hand of faith the hand of loue and the hand of prayer for who so commeth with his hand shall be filled and who so commeth without it shall goe emptie away because they haue despised the wayes of God for when I instructed them they would not heare and what I taught them they would Pro 1. 24 25. not learne saith the Lord. Ionah wakened thus and thus exhorted to call vpon his God soone no doubt perceiued his danger and partly with the horrour for his sinne partly for feare of the deserued and thus threatned drowning and other punishments without question was grieuously vexed For hee could not but see that the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience the wind blowes as though it would ouerturne all the waters roare as though they would drowne all the ship tumbles as though shee were weary of all and albeit the Mariners had cryed and cast out the wares as though they would loose all yet the tempest rageth still their danger is greater then euer Wherefore now one might haue saide to Sathan Sathan thou perswadedst him to flie from his defence for his safetie and madest him beleeue that hee would come safe to Tarshish and there liue at libertie and ease enioying all temporall benefits at his pleasure but now thou hast brought him into the prison of the ship and it is tost thus by this tempest likely to destroy him thou leauest him in the greatest danger and reioycest that Ionah quaketh at the tempest and hath his heart a king for feare of the danger thus threatned due to rebellion yea seekest also to drowne him and that also in hell howsoeuer thou pretendest a desire to preserue him from troubles and procure him many pleasures with much securitie O most wretched and deceitfull lyer he that trusteth his enemie and he that beleeueth thee shall euer bee deceiued And now might Ionah say Beware by mee for thus hath the tempter deceiued me he hath allured mee with flattring fantasies and perswaded me that it was but an easie thing to flie from the presence of the Lord that seeth alwayes all things and from whom no man no nor secret lurking in any mans heart can be hid but all are alwaies in his presence Hee made me beleeue that light could bee brought out of darknesse that good may come of euill for he assureth mee that if I would set forth toward Tharshish I should not onely shun the presence of the Lord but should liue at ease like one vnknowne both for my vocation and also for my behauiour in the execution thereof and so I might creepe into a familiaritie with these people and enioy the benefite of thy societie Otherwise if I went to Niniuie as the Lord commanded they would hate and persecute mee yea and so I should end my life in miserie both because they being Gentiles and I a Iewe they cannot abide mee for the one holdeth the other in contempt and also because of my message namely a prophecie of destruction grounded vpon a reproofe of their vile and sinfull pleasures Which message Sathan perswaded mee would be so hainously taken that no death nor torment that they could deuise for mee would bee thought sufficient and so I should bee sure neuer to escape their hands aliue if I went as though the eternall and most glorious God which sent me thither were not able to defend mee from all euill when I came thither as well as hee did Daniel in the Den of Lyons and Christ in the wildernesse among the sauage beastes And when Sathan had thus perswaded mee I beleeued him and so tooke my iourney to flye from the presence of the Lord if I could haue performed my intention But the Lord hath beheld the stubbournnesse and disobedience of my heart and therfore followeth mee with great displeasure hee hath sent out this tempest vpon the sea whereby wee are like to be ouer whelmed and so neere as we are to the water so neere we are to death by all likely-hood THE SECOND SERMON OF the punishment of Ionah Ionah 1. 7. Afterward they said euery one to his fellow Come and let vs cast lots that we may know for whose cause this euill is come vpon vs So they cast lots and the lot fell vpon Ionah NOw followeth another meane which the Mariners vse to appease the tempest They cast lots But first they consult and consent to cast lots The tempest was so strong that they concluded with
alleadging these strickt places against vs The soule that sinneth shall die the death Cursed is hee that abideth not in euery point of the law to doe it On the other side hee bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vs and then inferreth this hard conclusion Therefore there is no hope in saluation Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercie and say At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hee dealeth with vs as craftie worldings deale in matters of Lawe who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes bring downe their case into the Countrey to bee decided by the Neighbours who either for their simplicitie cannot or for their fauour dare not iudge of the truth of the matter 1 So our aduersarie though God himselfe doe discharge vs though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie yet hee accuseth in the thirde court before men where hee is bold to powre out his whole venome and poyson of his malice against vs and to forge what lies and slaunders and libels he list because he knoweth they shal be receiued as true 2 Thus hee accuseth Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him But if hee were malicious onely to wish our destruction and not mightie to wreake his malice wee should haue little cause to feare but he is mightie therefore he is tearmed a lion the power of darknesse a great Dragon which drewe to the earth the third part of the starres of heauen that is with earthly Luke 11. Ephe 6. Reue. 12. temptation to haue ouerthrowne them which seemed to shine in the church of God as lampes and starres O then how easie is our ouerthrow if the Lord did not hold vs vp which shine not as starres in heauen but creep like wormes on earth 3 Yet if hee were but malicious and mightie it were better with vs but hee is fierce and therefore called a roaring Lion who laying waite for the bloud of the godly stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors to make themselues drunke with the bloud of Saintes as most greiuously hee did from the time of Iohn Baptist to the raigne of Maxentius the space of 294. yeares slaying some by the sword burning other with fire hanging some on the gallowes drowning some in riuers stabbing some with forkes of yron pressing others vnto death with stones deuouring many thousands of the tender lambs of Christs flocke 4 To this malice might and rage is added his subtil policy which he vseth in circumuenting the faithfull he doth not pitch his tents in any one place but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduantage in the Iohn 1. night hee soweth tares and in the day hee hindreth the growth thereof 5 He proceedeth after further and addeth to his pollicy industrie hee considereth our natures and dispositions and to what sinnes wee doe most incline and thereunto hee applyeth himselfe sometimes by flattery sometimes by feare sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly inticeth vs sometimes by violence hee goeth about to enforce vs sometimes by changing himselfe into an Angell of light hee endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands and in whatsoeuer estate hee findeth vs hee thereby taketh occasion to lay siege to our soules Thus ye see noted in a word the force of our aduersarie examine now yourselues whether you haue any thing in your selues and you shall find nothing but weaknesse and corruption It is God that giueth strength to the mighty wisedome to the prudent and knowledge to the vnderstanding hee teacheth Dauids hand to fight Psa 144. and his fingers to battle hee giueth strength to his armes to breake abow euen abow of steele wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. Secondly wee are to seeke vnto God alone because none is so present as hee for God because hee is Almighty and with his power filleth both heauen and earth is present alwaies with them that feare him and readie to succour them in distresse The Lord is neare to all that call vpon him in truth hee heareth our gronings sighs and knoweth what things are necessarie for vs before wee aske The third reason why we must seeke vnto God is none is so able to helpe as hee but of this I shall haue particular occasion to speake when I come to this point And pray vnto the Almighty The fourth reason why we must seeke Christ alone is because there is none so willing to helpe vs as hee It is a great courage to vs to make suite when wee are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whome we make suite I pray yee who was euer more carefull for our saluation and more watchfull ouer vs than the Lord who euer put his trust in him and was confounded In this respect hee is called a Father because as the father tendreth his sonne so the Lord doth all those that put their trust in him Can there bee any more willing to helpe vs than Christ whose whole head was sicke and whose heart was heauie for our sakes yea in whose bodie from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head was nothing but wounds and swellings and sores but alas this was nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes Hee was compassed about with feares and horrours till his sweat was drops of bloud and his bones bruised in the flesh hee was whipped and scourged and chastised with sorrowes till hee cryed out in the bitternesse of his soule O Lord if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee The heauie hand of God was so grieuous vpon him that hee brused his very bones and rent his reynes asunder hee could finde no health in his flesh but was wounded yea wounded to the death euen the most bitter death vppon the Crosse His tender fingers were nayled to the Crosse his face was wrinkled with weeping and wayling his sides imbrued and gored with his owne bloud spurting and gushing fresh from his ribbes the shaddow of death was vpon his eyes O what greife could bee like this or what condemnation could bee so heauie sith there was no wickednesse in his hands sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the Sunne of righteousnesse that shined in the world as to see his dayes at an ende to see such throbbing sighs and carefull thoughts without cause of his so deepely ingrauen in the tables of his brest But was this all No my brethren sith his excellencie was such aboue all creatures that the worlde was not worthy to giue him breath it was a greater greife vnto him to see himselfe made a worme and not a man ashame of men and contempt of the people to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches how could