reuealed vnto whole nations And so solemne is our calling as that in so manie places of the scripture it is foretold whereby we see how dearely the Lord tendereth our saluation like as a kind spouse which was longed for while she was in a strange countrie so Christ longed for the gentiles till they came home againe vnto him Therefore let vs now consider what he giueth vs namely righteousnesse and saluation first righteousnesse then saluation first repentance and then forgiuenesse of sinnes the sunne of the gospel least we should see heauen in hell and light in darknesse and ioy in anguishes Let vs not contemne our light or grow carelesse of it let vs not build with one hand ouerthrow with the other by prophanesse like those men which while they surfetted at their gluttonous tables did call vpon God for health Christ is not receyued with the hand if the father offering a gift do see the sonne stretch foorth his left hand he will withdraw his gift from him I say let vs not contemne our light as the Iewes contemned their glorie For what is light to him that will shut his eies against it What is this light It is such a glorious light and such an excellent reuelation that great and mightie kings haue earnestly desired to see and princes haue laid downe their crownes to reueale it Let vs embrace this light Let vs take put on the wedding garment and go to the banket vnto which a thousand messengers haue inuited vs and do alledge none excuses I haue married a wife I haue bought oxen I go to see a farme Mat. 22. c. and therefore I cannot come neither will I come Well do so if that ye will needes but remember that thou wast inuited and therfore the blessing shall be giuen to another Therefore shall Esau weepe for the blessing but shall not haue it Heb. 1â— But giue me a reason I pray thee why thou wilt be called the seruaÌ„t of God which doest not serue him or the child of God which dost not loue him or the disciple of Christ which dost not learne of him yet his raine falleth vpon all the iust vniust and he giueth thee al things for nothing â— the sun doth giue his light for nothing the dewe doth giue his moisture for nothing the â—â—uers do giue their waters for nothing and the earth doth giue her fruit for nothing What shall we do then when the sunne shineth We must not do as we do in the darke for then men ought to betake them to their labour Learne of the sauage beasts who as soone as the day springs betake theÌ„ to their trauell and euery bird welcommeth it with many a sweet song Christ is light and this light is come Therefore he that seeth not now is blinde and he that heares not now is deafe and he that workes not now is maimed But we will not worke holy workes according to the word neither in light nor darkenes we can see to sin in the darke as well as in the light for the light discouereth both the harlot â—â— the theese for he is afraid of the light where light is not Christ is not but Christ Iohn 1. is light and let none be afraid to seeke this light which is so good so excellent and so profitable for vs. For it doth not onelie desoâ—e it solfe but al other things round about it Therfore if thou hast this light thy faith thy feare thy loue will shew it selfe good things cannot now hide themselues for he that is light doth delight to please God in the light It is no maruell though a man stumble in the darke but he which stumbleth in the light is not verie strong because he seeth his way before him Once we stumbled at euerie straw when we walked in darknesse for then light had a fall pride had a fall lust had a fall drunkennesse had a â—al penurie had a fall ignorance had a fall or if you will pride rose and we fell lust rose and we fell c. Were Egypt as light as Goshen that is whether the Iewes haue receiued their glorie or no yet if thou sin in the darke the light wil bewray thee and thy conscience will accuse thee and condemne thee for it Therefore now giue ouer darknes and arme thee with light for your life shineth like the light therefore now we should be Israel for Israel is reuolted But many scrolles may be written of our sinnes and thus the gentiles are as gentiles still He that beleeueth not the word is an infidell he that beleeueth not God is an Atheist he that worshippeth anie thing more than God is an idolater euerie mans conscience shall condemne himselfe Men will leaue godlinesse for riches but they will not leaue their riches for godlinesse The Iewes neuer serued God at any time with such deuotion as they doe now their gold and their riches Many theâ—e are which could be content neuer to die but liue here with their riches and pleasures Is not the godly more despited for his godlinesse than the wicked for his wickednesse Are not the members of Christ more hated and worse entertained by vs then the limmes of Sathan So dearely doth euerie one loue sinne and drawes sinne vpon sinne like a chain or monsters drawne in a chain pride sheweth drunkennesse sheweth euerie man his sinne They came vnto vs and said your fathers loued vs well and said vnto vs if you wil be faire you shall be wise if you will be drunke you shall be rich and so euerie one pointeth at and sheweth vs the way which leadeth to destruction and how few are the number of them which sheweth vs the way of vertue and godlinesse And thus we are euen as forward as those Iewes which striue who shall come to hell first Who did euer thanke God that he was not borne an hundred yeares ago when ignorance spred ouer all and all Egypt was smitten with darknesse or that the Lorde hath not left him to himselfe to become an Atheist or an Epicure which liues without God in the world VVe haue all Gods gifts offered vs but we haue refused them Christ brought light but we had rather he had brought darknesse for we loue darkenesse more then light The Angels the heauens the word the spirit are light and we which see it are darknesse for we can not abide light but are like an Owle which flieth out of a haâ—e field from the light of the day such a death is day vnto vs. Faith is flowen away truth is become a pilgrim and euerie string is out of tune He which should weep and bee sorrowfull laughes and truth is brought to the ground yea poore truth is euen persecuted to the death therefore sinners are stubble and their sentence is burne them How fine would be the way of vertue if you would pare away the rubs that are in it if you would take away all occasions of
SIXE SERMONS PREACHED BY MAISTER HENRY SMITH AT CLEMENT DANES CHVRCH without Temple barre VVith tvvo Prayers of the same Author hereunto annexed Imprinted at London by R. F. for Robert Dexter dwelling at the Brasen serpent in Paules church-yard 1592. The contents Tvvo Sermons of the song of Simeon The third of the calling of Ionah The fourth and fift of the rebellion of Ionah The sixt of the punishment of Ionah Tvvo Prayers TO THE RIGHT NOBLE LORD THE LORD EDWARD EARLE of Bedford grace and peace from the Lord. AS the litle bee gathereth not honie for her selfe alone but for others so right Honorable I am bold to present your good Lordship with my Choice my Care and the Issue The first your honorable self in The Châ—iâ—e this as you are the hope of the reuiuing of your vndoubted noble grand-father and father so my heartie wel-wishings together with the prayers of all the godly is that what the Almightie here graced them with in you may be redoubled The second is the fountaine The Care whence the first had his streame and being in me as a meÌ„ber of the Church what I wish to the same assured assemblie of Gods people I leaue to the alone determiner of all controuersies whatsoeuer The last I commend to the onely The Issue direction of the Lord. Now as the faithfull disposer of Gods truth was a man linked vnto me in assured friendship whilest he liued so I hauing with care long sithens collected these his sermons together do now with singlenesse of heart present the same vnto your Lordship and therwith am prest to performe all such duties to your Honor as God shall enable me vnto both in prayer for your health and increase of zeale to the maintenance of his poore flocke which I hope is the onely aime and ende of all your Honorable purposes Thus with all other graces I most heartily desire that father of light to enrich you in this life and after this to blesse you with immortalitie in that place of rest for euer Your Lordships to command W. S. THE SVVEETE SONG OF OLD FATHER SIMEON IN TWO SERMONS Luc. 2. verse 29. Lord novv lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy vvord for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation vvhich thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to be reuealed to the Gentiles and the glorie of thy people Israell THis is the sweet song of old father Simeon wherein is set forth the ioyfull peaceable death of the righteous after that they haue imbraced Christ Iesus with heart and minde vnfainedly as he did Seeâ—ng their death is to be the beginning of a better and more ioyfull and pleasant life theÌ„ the other But before we proceede further in it let vs heare a litle of that which went before The Euangelist saith and behold ver 25. There vvas a man in Ierusalem vvhose name vvas Simeon this man vvas iust and feared God vvaited for the coÌ„solation of Israell and the holy Ghost vvas vpon him And a reuelatioÌ„ c. Sâ—meon feared God saith he Religâ—oÌ„ may well be called feare for there is no Religion Pro. 1. where feare is wanting for the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome and this priuiledge hath God giuen to them that feare him that they neede to feare nothing els Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel vntil he had imbraced in his armes him whoÌ„ he so long loÌ„ged for to see feele how many waiters be there in the world yet few waite as Simeon did but some waite for honours some for riches some for pleasures some for ease some for rewardes some for money some for a deare yeare and some for a golden day as they call it but Simeon waited and expected with many a long looke vntil he had seen and imbraced Christ Iesus the light of the Gentiles the glorie of Israell and the saluation of all that with a faithfull and zelous affection and loue doth wait for his comming to the comfort of the afflicted and to the terrifying to the wicked vngodly which haue not already waited neither imbraced him as Simeon did Faith in all afflictioÌ„s doth lift vp her head waiting in assured hope beyond all hope seeing the clouds scattered ouer her head yet she is euer coÌ„fortable to her selfe saying anon it will be calme and although all the friendes in the world do faile yet it neuer faileth nor fainteth but euer keepeth promise in that which by the veritie of the spirit of God it assureth vntill her ioy be filled All are not Israelites that are borne in Israell Simeon was an Israelite Rom. 9. indeede for he waited for the messias froÌ„ God with patience and expectation so the spirite of God dwelleth alwayes with them which alwayes say thy will be done The seede Luke 〈◊〉 is not cast all on a heape but it is cast all abroade therfore where be the fruites of the spirit that you haue brought forth for the spirit of God is not like a dead potioÌ„ in the stomach which worketh not neither can we haue this spirit in vs and feele it not For if thou hast it it will leade thee to the Temple and when thou art there it will leadâ— thee to Christ and when thou hast receiued and embraced him it will possesse thee with godly care to keepe him and to entertaine him and to be obedient vnto him But can we care to serue God when he commeth cannot care to heare him when he speaketh vnto vs there If Simeon had not wayted should he haue had this consolation and caÌ„ we receiue comfort by the coÌ„ming of Christ when we wayt not nor wish not for it If we wayt as he did the spirit will assure vs that we shall see God before we die and they that long in faith to see the ioyes of heauen the spirit assureth and promiseth faithfully vnto them that they shall see it Now Simeon came into the Temple at this time by the prouidence of God the worldlings wil call it chaunce but the Euangelist would not Pro. 16. Mat. 10. chop that in because it is manifest that all things come to passe by the prouidence of God without which there is nothing done By this prouidence Rebecca came foorth to Gen. 24. wayt on her fathers cattell when Abrahams sernant prayed looked for her comming that he might take her for Isaac to marrie withall By this prouidence Saule was annointed 〈◊〉 Sam. 9. king by Samuel when he thought he had no such thought in his heart but weÌ„t about seeking for his fathers asses that were lost Happie are they blessed which see the Mat. 13. things which we see and the eares that heare the things that we heare saith Christ but cursed are we that hearing seeing do not repent for we cannot be blessed by hearing and seeing onely vnlesse we heare and see with profit as
did will daunce about the Arke as Dauid did and that with ioy and 2. Sam. 6. gladnesse Isaac was a good man his name signified laughter wherby was shewed what ioy laughter there should be about Christ Iesus for he was the only figure euē Christ him selfe The Virgin song when she knew Luke 1. that she should beare him the Angels song ioyfully when he was borne and Simeon song Luke 2. when he was brought into the Temple but as soone as he saw Christ he desired of God that he might die depart out of this earthly prison So soone as a man knoweth God euer henceforth he crieth with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued that he might be with Christ for Christ is light as soone as they Phil. 1. 23. see him they see also them selues his glorie and their shame filthinesse which maketh them wish for death that they might liue with him and this made the martyrs desire death or any other torment that their dayes of iniquitie might be ended and that sinne might cease against God by them for all sin is blood in their eyes and all worldly pleasures vanities Simeon desired death for the feruent loue of God made life irksome vnto him which naturally is the most pleasant thing of all vnto mā death pleasant vnto him which all men hate naturally and would giue all the riches in the world if they had it that they might not die such loue they beare to life So I conclude that no man is willing to die till his conscience be quiet in Christ for then the loue of the world falleth away like the mantell of Elias when he was rapt into 2 Kings 2. heauen Simeon had seene many things in his dayes but when he saw Christ he was vnwilling to liue any longer to see more but like the hart which panteth with desiring after the Psal 42. water brookes so he longed so long till he had seene with his eyes the Sauiour of the world and then he so thirsted for death that he sought nothing else And thus they that hunger after righteousnesse are satisfied and Mat. 5. filled It is enough for me saith Iacob that my Gen. 46. sonne Ioseph liueth so let vs be satisfied with Gen. 46. this that our sauiour Christ liueth where he is thither shal we come I would go saith one through heate and cold through ehalth and sicknesse and through all kinde of miseries that I might hunger after God and after his righteousnesse They that beare the crosse of Christ haue al the marks of Christs Disciples None are so wel fed as they which went with Christ into the wildernesse and Iohn 6. where there was no food there they all were satisfied and filled with wholsome food Simeon knew Christ as soone as he sawe him and embraced him as soone as he knew him and enioyed him as soone as he embraced him Some know the word of God as soone as they heare it others heare it as though they heard it not like deafe adders which stop their eares at the voyce of the charmer So Pharao would not heare the voyce of Moses nor Baals priests would not heare the voyce Exod. 5. c 1. Kings 18. of Elias Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. Christ brings peace with him not the peace of the world but that peace which passeth all vnderstanding my peace I leaue with you my peace remaine with you saith he Our peace is laid vp in Christ and all the peace we haue by him els it is no true peace Simeon had peace enough that he departed Psal 37. 37 in peace so marke the ende of the iust and you shall then depart in peace like the lambe vpon the crosse Faine would Balaam die the death of the righteous but Balaam Num. 23. must then liue the life of the righteous therfore all men looke to this Happie are they that depart in peace when death saith feare and the serpent saith despaire then saith the spirit to the flesh crouch bids the serpent flie while death openeth the prison doores If the Papists beleeued that they depart in peace they wold neuer say that those which depart go to Purgatorie so by their own saying the worst part is behind Some say this Purgatorie is in the earth neare to hell and other say it is in the aire neare to heauen Some say they are punished there by fire and some say by water some say by fire and water and some say that if it be in the earth it is too farre then from heauen to be saued Others say that if it be in the aire it is too farre from hell to be damned Some say the good Angelles torment and other say that the euill spirits do it But we must vnderstand that it is a painted sepulcher made rather for the liuing then for the dead For the Locust of Rome doth liue altogether by such Trentals and by such traditions and this is the profitablest dreame that euer any of thē dreamed but it is manifest by the word of God that where the tree falleth there it lyeth shall Eccles 11. lye for euer Diues and Lazarus are dead Luke 16. where they are thither shall we all go Sathā hath many sleightes to deceiue vs of which this is one of the greatest to bring vs from the word of God to dreames and traditions and things inuented by the braines of mortal men which haue not the spirit of God in them Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. In my last lecture I vnfolded two questions the first whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to wish to die The second whether we may pray for the dead and say Lord haue mercie vpon them But all the seed is not fallen into good ground therfore some thinke it but a small matter to say so or as it were a venial sinne if it be a sinne But let vs take heed how we make trifles of sinnes for there is no dalying with God who is iealous as a consuming fire when his people make such small accoūt of his words Heb. 12. Other demaund whether it be not better to say God be with them then the deuill be with them both which are naught and to be eschued And herein they aske this question like a thiefe hauing robbed a man by the high way and being taken with it and demāded why he did such a villany he saith is it not better to rob him then to kill him as though he must needes do the one of thē then what a shamelesse answer is this for it is manifest that of two euils none is to be chosen Some wil say it is a testimonie of our good Three bucklers wherewith some do vse to maintaine prayer for the dead will To such we must replie saying so it is a
sinne and giue it gall to eate and when you haue done so set a crowne of thornes vpon his head and when you haue thus crow 〈…〉 you haue condemned it put it to death and when you haue put it to death burie it and when you haue buried it â—oll a great stone vpon the head of it and set watch men to keepe it and let your watch-men be fasting and prayer that it may neuer rise againe to raigne any more the which the Lord for his mercie sake grant Amen THE CALLING OF IONAH Ionah 1. 1. 2. 1 The vvord of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai saying 2 Arise and go to Niniuie that great Citie and crie against it for their vvickednesse is come â—p before me YOu haue heard the sweet song of old father Simeon like the pleasaunt song of a sweet bird before her death setting foorth the ioy of the righteous which embrace Christ Iesus Before Christ Iesus vouchsafed to come vnto vs we would not come vnto him but in all our doings we wrought our condemnation through the innumerable heapes of our iniquities laboured to driue him without all hope of mercie from vs. So we continued like flies which flutter about the candle till they haue consumed them selues When we had done as much as in vs lay to driue him away from vs then he saued and recompenced good for euill vnto vs. So that if God had loued vs no better theÌ„ we loued our selues we might haue perished in our sinne and our bloud should be vpon our owne heads If Christ be the light of the Gentiles let vs embrace himâ— and let euerie one walke as becommeth the children of light but many do shut their eyes against it least they should see and many do not onely smoother their owne light but the Sunne sayth vnto the Moone shine not and the Moone sayth vnto the Stars be not bright And many haue smothered their light so long that the dampe hath put out the candle and thus they labor to bring the darkenesse of Egypt vpon Goshen so that their eyes haue forgotten to see and so manie goe out of the way because they would not looke vpon the candle and the deuill giueth to euerie one that which he wisheth so it may be for his hurt to the bramble fire and who can but pittie that the same Manna which commeth from heauen should be poysoned with it The Iewes had no cause to enuie our light for he gaue theÌ„ glorie he was poore and yet he gaue them riches he was counted base and yet he made them honourable he was contemned and yet he made them beloued they were full of darknesse and he brought them light but they contemned this light and so procured their owne condemnation And therefore now it is come to passe that they are become vagabonds vpon the earth and most contemned of all other nations euerie people haue a dwelling but since they prophesied euill vnto themselues saying his blood be vpon vs and our children goodnesse hath put on the face of bath fulnesse amongst them If thou embrace Christ as Simeon did then Christ is thy glorie but if thy glorie consist in beautie which fadeth in gay clothing which weareth in wealth which wasteth or in gold which rusteth then Christ is not thy glorie We haue gone long with an olde man and now we haue lost him but we are loth to part with him he is such a good companion neuerthelesse we hope to finde him againe in Ionah We haue gone but slowly with him as with an olde man which is not verie swift on foote but now we must runne with Ionah as with a poste least Niniuie be destroied The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah I neede not shew the authoritie of Prophets but concerning their sorts and difference there are three sorts of Prophets The first were such as called vpon the name of the Lord in prayer for the people and receiued an answer from the Lord in the peoples behalfe of which sort was Samuell these 〈◊〉 Sa. 10. 9 were called Seers A second sort of Prophets were such as God raysed to expouÌ„d the law and declare the will of God vnto the people when the Priests and such as should do so were slacke in their callings of which sort was Esay Ieremie Ezechiell Damell Hose Ioell Aâ—â—os Obadiah Ionah and the rest of the holy Prophets A third sort were such as haue beene since Christ woorking such like effectes of which sort was the Prophet Agabus of whome mention is Act. 11 28. made in the eleuenth of the Acts and the 28. verse Now in the second sort of these was Ionah whom God sent to declare his wil vnto his people vnto whom also the Lord did reueale the subuersion of kingdomes the ouerthrow of Tribes the captiuitie of Nations and calamities that were to come vnto the sonnes of men for iniquitie and rebellion against God As all wise men were not borne at once nor liued togither so these holy Prophets haue not beene at once but were raised vp by the Lord God some here some there according to his pleasure and as he sawe the people stand in need of them by reason of the corruption of the times And furthermore the Lord hath not at any time reuealed vnto one of these all things that might be reuealed but as much as was sufficient for them euerie one in their times and places Neither hath any of them told as much of the will of God as might be nor the expounding of his lawes But the Patriarkes haue left some to the Prophets and the Prophets haue left some to the Apostles but they haue left none for vs but they haue all left open the whole will of GOD vnto vs and euerie one bringeth Golde and Myrrhe and Frankensense like the wise men which came to see our Lord. There are three things which moued me to take this storie in hand aboue al others First because you know the storie and therefore can the better conceiue of the matter as I go forward with it Secondly because it is brief and doth containe a great deale in a little Thirdly because it is most agreeable for the time and state of this sinfull age wherein we liue and therefore most conuenient for vs. It is manifest that Ionah liued in a very troublesome time namely in the time of Ieroboam a wicked king of whom it was said that he not only sinned himself against the Lord but it is he which is called the IeroboaÌ„ that made Israell to sinne Also this commeÌ„deth the constancie of Ionah that he in the midst of all the corruptions wherwith all the people were ouerflowne kept him selfe vncorrupted and vnspotted amongst them all And furthermore it layeth open and magnifieth the great loue of God in that he sent a Prophet to admonish his vngodly people when as he should haue sent a thunderbolt to terrifie them or rather vtterly to destroy