that he suffering for sinfull and wretched man was a conquerer ouer hell and all euill and had ouercome death The Scribes are against him the Pharisies were against him the rulers bande themselues against him the atheists against him and all the spitefull and enuious Iewes against him whose birth was glorious whose life was famous and whose death was meritorious but God was with him and in him by which power he hath ouercome them all Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. I thought when first I began this song to end it in foure or fiue sermons and I know not what keepes me from it so long but if it be as pleasant to you as it is to me you will not be wearie of it though I go forward but like a snaile but hereafter I will go faster take more and giue you the best thereof Let vs proceede Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. He speakes this to the ende that the eyes of all mankind may be fixed vpon him as the eyes of all Israell were fixed vpon the Brasen serpent in the wildernesse that when Num. 21. they be stinged with the sting of that firie serpent which deceiued our forefathers they may flie vnto him for helpe lest they perish in their sinne and their bloud be on their owne heads Dauid being to encounter with Goliah 1. Sam. 17. Saule tooke and put on his harnesse but he could not weare it it was too heauie for his litle bodie therefore he tooke nothing but a staffe and a few stones in a scrip and so Dauid slue the pride of the Philistines the feare of Israell And euen thus the Lord set his Sonne to fight with the Prince of this world not with swords and targets bowes and billes but with the word and spirit of God with the which he hath ouercome and through him we also haue the victorie and for this cause hath he bene prepared that all people might haue cause to reioyce in him Which thou hast prepared He was prepared long ago as it doth most plainly appeare for the Virgine which bare him the place of his birth the poore estate wherein it was his miracles his Apostles his torments his crosse his death his resurrection his ascensiō into heauē al these were foreshewed and foretold long before they came to passe Therefore some sayd who is this that is so often spoken of by the Prophets who is this that can do many miracles that the Scribes and Pharisies cannot do Luke 4. 7. Iohn 11. Luke 8. Mat. 27. Iohn 10. Mar. 6. that can raise the dead that can ceasse the windes calme the waters at whose suffering the earth quaked the sunne hid his face darkenesse came ouer all and being dead rose againe by his owne power and ascended into heauen in the sight of a great multitude How can it be then but it must be known before the face of all people which was so manifest by dreames by visions by oracles by power by authoritie euery thing had a tong to speake for God Euerie thing was prepared for him before he came to be reuealed he came not in the beginning nor in the ending he came not in the ending that we which come after him might long for his second comming He came not in the beginning because that such a Prince as he should haue manie banners and triumphs before him He came not in the beginning because the eyes of faith should not be daseled in him and lest they should forget him and his comming so long since which liued in the latter ages euen as you forget that which I haue sayd as soone as you are gone hence He came not in the beginning because if he had come before man had sinned man would haue acknowledged no need of a phisitian but when man had sinned that he might feele the smart of sinne therfore he came not then for when they were cast out of Paradice they ran vnto Christ as the Israelites did to the serpent He came not in the beginning but in the perfect age of the world to shewe that he brought with him perfection perfect ioy perfect peace perfect wisedome perfect righteousnesse perfect iustice perfect truth signifying therby that notwithstanding he came in the perfect age thereof yet he found all things vnperfect The Iewes thought that he should come like some great Prince with pōpe glorie which was a carnal conceipt for herein they were maruelously deceiued his father was but a poore carpenter and his mother but a simple woman and he a sillie babe wrapt in clouts Then ought not we to reuerence our Lord and to praise his name for that he became so humble for vs most vile wretches that are worthie of nothing and yet we see how cruelly they dealt with this blessed one which came to saue them Ignorance sate in the chaire deceipt gaue the sentence and crueltie executed him with the most painfull shamefull death of the crosse O that your eyes do not dasell your eares tingle and your hearts maruell at this dealing of theirs to our louing Sauiour which came to saue them if they would and now see that he will abase him self for our sakes euen to the vttermost ô wonderfull thing to thinke of If you would marke I would make you in loue with him before I haue done with you I say vnto all those that come hither to be edified take your fill of pleasure enter into Paradice lift vp your eyes stretch foorth your hands and eate your fill of the tree of life and the Lord will go home with you imbrace him and kisse him entertaine him well and he will dwell with you for euer But you that come hither for fashions sake either to see or beseene to finde fault with somewhat or to make an hypocritical shew of godlinesse where there is none I tell you that comfort shall shake hands with you at the dore marke it and you shall see that my wordes are true Shewe me what it is that is better then saluation I would haue none of you to be damned if I might preuent it nor so much as a peece of you to be giuen to Sathan therefore I would I knew that stone that would kill Goliah for I would strike it with all my might into his temples If you will you may be saued and the Lord will one day put those words in my mouth that will touch your hearts Therefore now arise kisse and imbrace the sweet babe Iesus and then afterward frame your selues to obey him for then the Lord will knocke at your hearts and if ye will let him in he wil teach you all things The Lord came not in the beginning nor in the ending but he came in the middle age of the world to shew that if it will not learne now it will neuer learne to come vnto God by repentance amēdment that they
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
may learn to kisse the sonne Psal 2. lest he be angrie and so they perish in his wrath like Sodome He came in the middle age of the world to shew that he was indifferent for the world to giue light and life vnto all that returne vnto him for God respecteth Act. 10. no persons but euerie man of what nation or countrey soeuer he be that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him and he will fulfill their ioyes through Christ yet not when we will but according to his owne good pleasure wheÌ„ he thinketh good Therefore stay Daniell thou shalt haue thy diner anon the Angell and Habacuc are about it Stay Helias anon 1. Kings 17. Exod. 14. the rauens will bring thee meate and thou shalt haue enough Anon Moses will deliuer Israell So saluation is alreadie prepared of God and hath bene long since with fulnesse knowledge and all excellent gifts and he will giue them to vs when he seeth good but we like whining children that will not stay till their milke be cold but would haue it though they be scalded with it so we would haue the knowledge of God and libertie before we know how to vse it We would know the high mysteries and deepe counsels of God before we know our selues we would haue the libertie of the Gospdll when we know no way how to vse it but in securitie But the Lord he will wisely giue vnto vs as it were our bellies full when he seeth it good and when heseeth vs ready for it who knoweth our hearts better then we ourselues A light to be reuealed to the Gentilos and the glorie of thy people Israell You haue heard Simeon shewing the cause why the Sonne was sent froÌ„ the Father why he became man which raigned before in Paradice What moued God to leaue his ioy and his blisse and suffer more then all the world could suffer together A great cause it is that would make a king leaue his kingdome and fal to beggerie A great and wonderfull cause it was that made Iehouah to come downe from heauen to suffer miserie vpon the earth Two causes Simeon sheweth why this Messias came from heauen The first that he might enlighten the Gentiles which sate in darknesse and the second that he might be the glorie of Israell which gloried in their sacrifices in their ceremonies and so had no glorie before he came but were like the Moone when the Sunne doth shine vpon it or like Rachel which despised Lea and became barren And they despised Gen. 19. the Gentils light like that sonne which was angrie because his lost brother came home Luke 15. againe or like those labourers which checked the Lord of the vineyard because he gaue vnto the other labourers more then he Mat. 20. gaue vnto them But the Gentiles are like Gen. 29. Lea who being despised became frutefull Simeon reioyced in Christ not onely for that he was the glorie of Israell but also for that he was the light of the Gentiles Shall the head be sorowfull because the hand is well nay rather the hand should be glad because the head is well and the head because the hand is well The father should be glad because his sonne is stronger then himselfe the mother should be glad because her daughter is wiser then her selfe the brother should be glad because his brother is richer then him selfe the mistresse should reioyce because her mayd is a better houswife then her selfe But we enuie our brethren and our neighbours because they are better then we and because God hath blessed them with temporall or spiritual things aboue vs if we see that they haue learning then we enuy them for their learning if he haue more gifts we enuie him for his giftes if he haue more knowledge we enuie him for his knowledge if he haue more zeale we enuie him for his zeale if he haue more riches we enuy him for his riches and how can we reioyce when euery bodies good is our euill and euerie bodies ioy is our sorow But fixe your eyes vpon Christ alone and he will fulfill your ioy if you looke not backe to Sodome like Lots wife If you loue ioy and gladnesse Gen. 19. Christ is ioy gladnesse if thou loue comfort why Christ is the comforter of all that beare his crosse if thou loue life Christ is eternall life if thou loue peace Christ is peace if thou loue riches Christ is full of heauenly riches and full of liberalitie to bestow them vpon all such as loue God so Christ is all in all vnto the godly they haue more ioy in Christ alwayes and in all things then the richest and glorious and sumptuous Prince in the world then SalomoÌ„ him selfe had in worldly riches honors pleasures ease or felicitie For the wicked which put their trust in riches make theÌ„ gods of gold and money ease and pleasures though they do all that they can to fulfil their lusts and take neuer so much pleasures and be neuer so merrie yet they can haue no true ioy nor no peace of conscience for all the peace the mirth sport they haue is but deceipt all false and indurable like the grasse greene in the morning and withered ere night But when the Lord doth knocke at their hearts and strike them with a feeling of their horrible transgressions as no doubt he wil then they are all in a maze and they can haue no Isa 48. and 58. ioy no peace no rest but they may say in laughter my soule is sorowfull in ease my soule hath trouble in mirth mone in riches pouertie in glorie shame in life my soule is euen dead in plentie my soule wanteth all things wherein it should reioyce it is destitute of all comfort and possessed with all slauish feares like Cain who being Lord of Gen. 4. all the earth yet had no ioy in it when God had once forsaken him Likewise Saul wheÌ„ 1. Sam. 16. God had forsaken him he had no ioy of all his kingdome nor of all his riches and then who had more ioy Saule the king or Dauid the subiect So then we see that perfect ioy can be had in nothing but in God and in Iesus Christ Wherefore as by the streame you may be led to the fountaine euen so let the ioy and peace of this life serue to leaâ—e vs to God which is perfect ioy and peace there rest like the wise men which were guided by the starre to come to the true sonne of grace Iesus Christ when he was borne and if we rest not in him when we haue found him there is no rest for vs but like the restlesse doue which fluttereth about findeth no rest any way til she returned to the Ark but we seeme as though we sought him and found him when as we do but play the hypocrite Salomon saith that the wayes of a whore are prosperitie
be called the foolish nation again then ye are most vnhappie and most cursed So now we haue heard that the Lord doth â—eueale all his counsels vnto his Prophets and how the glory of Israell is now reuealed to be the light of the Gentiles And you haue heard the cause why because the Jewes reiected their owne saluation You haue heard that the cause was onely his mercie his loue because mercy can not containe it selfe within Ierusalem A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles and the glorie of thy people Israell You haue heard why Christ is called light why he is called the light of the Gentils why the Lord did change a curse vnto a blessing why the Gentils did chaÌ„ge darknesse for light and a thousand gods for one true God Then the Gentiles receiued more grace then they desired for the Lord came vncalled into their houses and made a feast vnto them in their owne houses The light of the Gentiles is our light your light and my light Christ is our grace your grace my grace and Christ is our saluation your saluation and my saluation He came vnto the Iewes for the Iewes and yet his comming vnto the Gentiles was better then to the Iewes He came into the world when the world did abound in all wickednesse and saued vs when we most deserued wrath Wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the Lord would come to bring saluation to redeeme our lost soules euen as it were against our willes so that now we would not be as we were for a thousand worlds I shewed the blindnesse of the Iewes who hauing heard of their reiection and of our conuersion yet vnderstood it not neither sought to preueÌ„t Gods wrath in reiecting of them Therefore the rocke which should haue saued them did shiuer them in peeces wherin was shewed their wonderful blockishnesse hauing it so ofteÌ„ foretold by their Ptophets figured in their Law shadowed in their sacrifices and read in their churches from Saboth to Saboth Euery thing that commeth to passe in churches in common weales in cities in countreys in kingdomes and in prouâ—â—ces these are all foretold in the scriptures and yet none do vnderstand it sauing a few chosen ones whom God loueth For the comming of Antichrist the ouerthrow of kingdomes the darknesse of Poperie the light of the Gospell the conuersion of the Gentiles and the reiecting of the Iewes all these are set downe in the scriptures and yet we can not vnderstand it though we heare it day by day because we do not giue our minds to vnderstanding Such hearers shall stand in a maze before the righteous terrible throne of God the dead shall rise the trumpe shall blow and all the world shal be in an vprore and they shall stand quaking when their hearing without profiting shall be layd to their charge and they shall say ô we haue knowne no such things but surely if the Iewes could come out of hell they wold admonish vs to take better heed how we heare for we heare as though we did not heare at all our minds are otherwise occupied Now when we see any thing come come to passe as it is foretold in the Scriptures then we must say as Christ sayd this prophecie is fulfilled for all things that are written are come to scriptum est factum est that is as sure as it is written so surely doth it come to passe It prophecieth nothing but that which truely is fulfilled in due time and the more often it speakes of a thing the more certaine the more excellent and the more to be beleeued it is Like a iewell that is beset with pearle so is our calling ordained with scriptures for so doth God tender our calling which is so often in his mouth and we so often in his remembrance that he speaketh of vs in euery book throughout the whole scriptures like a kind spouse whose loue is in a straunge countrey and he delighteth him selfe with thoughts and meditations of her so he did long vntil the Gentiles were come to him againe like the prodigall child whose father did long Luke 15. vntill he had imbraced him When shal my prodigall sonne come home againe saith he I will put my best garment on his backe my gold ring vpon his finger and his fare shall be the daintiest morsel And thus God longeth for our saluation and he knocketh at our doores Is faith here is loue here is one called the feare of God in this place And as loue maketh louers sometime to speake plainly and familiarly one to another sometime by darke speeches and riddles sometime by letters sometime by dumbe shewes and signes and sometime to hide them selues one from another so our God speaketh sometimes playnely vnto his Church sometime darkely and mystically somtime he turneth his face froÌ„ his Church and deare spouse as though he would not speake vnto her for loue as appeareth in the booke of the Canticles The first type or figure was Caine and Certain types figures of the electioÌ„ of the Gentiles and the reiection of the Iews which here he rehearsâ—d for the confirmation of this doctrine Gen. 4. Abell Caine was the eldest sonne of Adam and Abell the yonger yet God loued Abell and accepted his sacrifices but God reiected Caine for his wickednesse and he became a reprobate euen so doth God he reiecteth the Iewes which were the eldest sonne the true oliue and the seede of promise and Gods deare children if theâ— had continued in obedience and he taketh vs being but the yongest sonne the wyld oliue and maketh vs children by adoption vnto him only of his meere mercie without anie other cause The 2. example was Sem Iaphet both Gen. 9. which were Noahs sons Sem was the first son Iaphet the third yoÌ„gest of this Iaphet came the Gentiles of him said Noah God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the teÌ„ts of Sem that is that they may be vnited together as we see it is come to passe Other sheepe I haue saith Christ which are not of this fold them also will I bring they shal heare my voyce there shall be one sheepe fold and one shepherd Iohn 10. The third type or figure of Christ was Gen. 21. Ismael and Isaac both the sonnes of Abraham Ismaell was the eldest Isaac the yonger yet Isaac was chosen of God a figure of Christ at that time when he went to haue bene offered as a sweet sacrifice at Gods coÌ„mandement And Ismael his eldest brother was a mocker of his brother and therfore he was put away and the Lord was not with Gen. 22. him The fourth type or figure was Iacob and Gen. 25. Esau both sonnes to Isaac Esau was the elder brother and Iacob the yonger yet God loued Iacob and hated Esau because Esau contemned his birthright and sold it to Iacob for a messe of pottage and