beene spoken before and sayth I pray thee remember iudgement thou must giue account for all these things for vnlesse you repent you shall surely perish No sayth the fleshe talke not of such graue matters but tell mee of fine matters of soft beddes and pleasant things and talke mee of braue pastimes Apes Beares and Puppits for I tell thee the forbidden fruite is sweetest of all fruites for I doe not like of your telling mee of iudgement but take thou thy iewels thy instrument and all the strings of vanitie will strike at once for the flesh loues to be braue and tread vpon corks it cannot tell what fashion to bee of and yet to bee of the new fashion Reioyce O yong man in thy youth O this goes braue for while wickednesse hath cast his rubs and vengeance castes his spurres and his foote and thus shee reeles and now she tumbles and then shee falles therefore this progresse is ended Pleasure is but a spurre riches but a thorne glorie but a blast beautie but a flowre sinne is but an hypocrite hony in thy mouth and poyson in thy stomacke therefore let vs come againe and aske Salomon in good sooth whether hee meaneth in good earnest when hee spake these words O sayth Salomon It is the best life in the world to goe braue lie soft and liue merrily if there were no iudgement But this iudgement marres all it is like a dampe that puts out all the light and like a boxe that marreth all the oyntment for if this bee true wee haue spunne a fayre threed that wee must answere for all that are not able to answere for one why Salomon maketh vs fooles and giueth vs gawdes to play withall what then shall wee not reioyce at all Yes there is a godly mirth and if wee could hit on it which is called Be merry and wise Sara laughed and was reprooued Abraham laughed and was not reprooued And thus much for the first part But remember for all these things thou shalt come to iudgement This Verse is as it were a Dialogue betwixt the fleshe and the spirite as the two counsellers the worst is first and the fleshe speaketh proudly but the spirite comes in burdened with that which hath beene spoken The fleshe goeth laughing and singing to hell but the spirite casteth rubs in his way and puts him in minde of iudgement that for all these thinges now ends reioyce and heere comes in but if this but were not wee might reioyce still if young men must for all the sportes of youth what then shall old men doe being as they are now Surely if Salomon liued to see our old men liue now as heere hee saith of young men so high as sinne rageth yet vengeance sits aboue it as high as high Babell Mee thinkes I see a sword hang in the ayre by a twine threed and all the sonnes of men labour to burst it in sunder There is a place in hell where the couetous Iudge sitteth the greedie Lawyer the griping Landlord the carelesse Byshop the lusty youth the wanton Dames the theefe the robbers of the Common-wealth they are punished in this life because they euer sinne as long as they could while mercie was offered vnto them therefore because they would we bee washed they shall bee drowned Now put together reioyce and remember thou hast learned to bee merry now learne to bee wise nowe therefore turne ouer a new leafe and take a new Lesson for now Salomon mocked not as hee did before therefore a checke to thy ruffes a checke to thy cuffes a checke to thy robes a checke to thy gold a checke to your riches a checke to your beautie a checke to your mucke a checke to your graues woe from aboue woe from belowe woe vnto all the stings of vanitie doest thou not now maruell that thou hast not a feeling of sinne for now thou seest Salomon saith true thine owne heart can tell that it is wicked but it cannot amend therefore it is high time to amend as Nathan commeth to Dauid after Belzebub so commeth accusing conscience after sinne Mee thinkes that euery one should have a feeling of sinne though this day bee like yesterday and to morrowe like to day yet one day will come for all and then woe woe woe and nothing but darkenesse and though God came not to Adam vntill the euening yet hee came although the fire came not vpon Sodom till the Euening yet it came and so comes the Iudge although hee bee not yet come though hee haue leaden feete hee hath iron hands the arrowe slayeth and is not yet fallen so is his wrath the pitte is digged the fire kindled and all things are made readie and prepared against that day onely the finall sentence is to come which will not long tarrie You may not thinke to bee like to the theefe that stea leth and is not seene nothing can bee hid from him and the Iudge followeth thee at thee heeles and therefore whatsoeuer thou art looke about thee and doe nothing but that thou wouldest doe openly for all things are opened vnto him Sara may not thinke to laugh and not bee seene Gehezie may not thinke to lye and not be knowne they that will not come to the banquet must stand at the doore What doe you thinke that God doth not remember our sinnes which wee doe not regard for while we sin the sore runs on and the Iudge setteth downe all in the table of remembrance and his sscrowle reacheth vp to heauen Item for lending to Vsurie Item for racking of rents Item for deceuing thy brethren Item for falshood in wares Item for starching thy ruffes Item for curling thy haire Item for paynting thy face Item for for selling of benefices Item for staruing of soules Item for playing at cardes Item for sleeping in the Church Item for prophaning the Sabboth day with a number more hath God to call to account for euery one must answere for himselfe The fornicator for taking of filthy pleasure O sonne remember thou hast taken thy pleasure take thy punishment The careles Prelate for murthering so many thousand soules The Landlord for getting money from his poore Tenants by racking of his rents see the rest all they shall come like a very sheep when the trumpet shall sound and the heauen and earth shall come to iudgement against them when the heauens shall vanish like a scrole and the earth shall consume like fire and all the creatures standing against them the rocks shall cleaue asunder and the mountaines shake and the foundation of the earth shall tremble and they shall say to the mountaines Couer vs fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of his anger and wrath whom wee haue not cared for to offend but they shall not bee couered and hid but then they shall goe the blacke way to the Snakes and Serpents to bee tormented of Deuils for euer O paine vnspeakable and yet the more I expresse it the more
onely but the richest and greatest the nobles and king also and so all escaped now soone after they returned to their vomit and neuer ceased to adde sin to sinne till they were by open wars miserably wasted and at length fulfilling the prophecie of Nahū vtterly consumed Therefore first for the comfort of the godly since Nah 3. 19 1. King 21. 26. 27. 29 2. Chro. 10. 5. 1. King 14. 22. 2. Chro 14. 6 Ahab humbled himselfe before the Lord Ahab I say that had done exceeding abhominably infollowing Idols and sold himselfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord submitted himselfe vnder the hand of GOD fasting in sack-cloth though he did all in hypocrisie had not the euill threatned brought vpon him in his dayes seeing Roboam and the princes of Israel who had forsaken the Lord and the whole tribe of Iudah which wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord prouoked him more with their sins then all that their fathers had done hūbling thēselues before the Lord and confessing him iust had not the wrath of the Lord powred vpō them by Shishak K. of Egypt were not destroyed but shortly deliuered yea also thinges prospered in Iudah though the Lorde had threatned to leaue 7. 12. them in the hands of Shishak albeit they truely repented not lastly for as much as Niniuie that bloudie cittie full of lies and robberie the beautifull harlot with multitude of 5 13. Nah. 3. 1. 4 fornications that mistresse of witch-crafts which sold the people through her whoredomes and the nations through her witch-crafts humbling themselues with fasting and putting on of sack-cloth the Lord repented of the euill he had threatned them and did it not how assured may we bee that whatsoeuer iudgement the Lord threatneth vs Ionah 3. 7. 8. 10. and howsoeuer he threaten it it shall not light on vs when we vnfainedly humble our selues in true fasting turning from our euill wayes and from the heart vowing to serue God in all holinesse For this is the cleare promise of the faithfull God If I shut the heauen that there bee no raine or 2. Chro. 7. 13. 14. if I commaund the grashopper to deuour the land or if I sende pestilence among my people if my people among whome my name is called vpon doe humble themselues and pray and secke my presence and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare in heauen and be mercifull to their sinne and heale their land Againe as generally most plainely sayth iust Iehouah Iere. 18. 7 8. I will speake suddenly against a nation or against a kingdome saying I will plucke it vp and roote it out and destroy it but if this nation against which I haue pronounced this turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them Let vs then O beloued of the Lord whosoeuer loue the Lord Iesus bee carefull to fulfill the condition and then confident not doubting of the performance of the promise by so much the more by how much the fewer wee bee and by how much the longer and clearer the Lord hath threatned most terrible iudgements Now for the terror of the vngodly as many of them as repent onely when Gods hand is vpon them then humble themselues outwardly onely that but only when the fiercenesse of his wrath appeareth or else after they haue escaped the feared iudgement fall to their wonted wickednesse againe let them bee sure the strong and iust God that consumed Niniuie slidden backe will ouertake them also in wrath and for euer turne them ouer to ceaselesse woe For the greatnesse the beauty the strength and riches of Niniuie could not withstand the hande of God or keepe it from destruction but rather furthered and hastened it For with the more excellent ornaments that it was adorned by the Lord the more hainous and grieuous in his sight was the abuse of them Therefore the hugenesse or the strength of this or any other Cittie cannot saue it from the iudgement of God being sinfull in his sight Gen 15. Iosu 6. 1. King 24. 25. Reuel 18 2 Great Sodome is destroyed great Ierico is destroyed great Niniuie is destroyed great Ierusalem is destroyed and great Rome the roome of all vncleane spirits stayeth for her destruction like a whore that stayeth for her punishment till shee bee deliuered and all these were and shall be punished for vnthankfulnesse and contempt of the word of God Yet Niniuie Ierico Sodom nor Rome haue had halfe the preaching that wee haue had yet wee Gen. 19 21. Iere 41. 17 Gen 17. 18 Esa 19. 17. 5. 6 Gen. 45. are vnthankfull too then what haue we to looke for but when Sodom was burned Zoar stood safe when Ierusalem was destroyed Bethelem stood still so the Lord doth alwayes prouide for his people though hee make neuer so great a slaughter and destruction amongst his enemies For the Lord because of his couenant doth alwayes prouide for his chosen although they bee but a remnaut like the gleaning after haruest or like a cluster of grapes on the top of the vine after the vintage and though there bee neuer so great calamitie or trouble as we see in the booke of Gen 45. chap. when there was a great time of dearth and scarcitie to come vpon the land where Iacob was the Lord had sent Ioseph to prouide for his father Iacob least he should want bread hee or any of his sonnes and folkes and so ordered the matter that Ioseph was treasurer ouer all the corne in Egypt And so among the Turkes and Spaniards and Infidels the Lord will find meanes to doe them good which vnfainedly loue him and in the dungeon in prison in bonds yea and in death the godly shall find God FINIS FOVRE SERMONS Preached by Maister Henry Smith And published by a more perfect Copie then heretofore LONDON Printed by T. D. for Cuthbert Burby 1607. The Contents 1 The Trumpet of the soule 2 The sinfull mans search 3 Maries choyse 4 Noahs drunkennesse 5 A Prayer to be said at all times 6 Another zealous Prayer THE TRVMPET OF the Soule sounding to Iudgement By Henry Smith The Text. Ecclesiastes 11. Chap. 9. verse Reioyce O yong man in thy youth and let thy heart be merry in thy yong dayes follow the wayes of thine owne heart and the lustes of thine eyes But remember for all these things thou come to iudgement WHen I should haue preached vnder the Crosse I mused what text to take in hand to please all and to keepe my selfe out of danger and musing I could not finde any text in the Scripture that did not reproue sin vnlesse it were in the Apocrypha which is not of the Scripture this text bids them that be voluptuous be voluptuous still let them that bee vaine glorious be vaine glorious still let them that be couetous be couetous still let them that be drunkards be drunkards still
let them that be swearers be swearers still let them that be wantons be wantons still let them that be carelesse prelates be carelesse still let them that be vsurers be vsurers still but saith Salomon Remember thy end that thou shalt be called to iudgement at the last for altogether This is the counsell of Salomon the wisest then liuing what a counsell is this for a wise man such a one as was Salomon In the beginning of his booke he saith All is vanitie and in the end he saith Feare God and keepe his Commandements in the 12. Chapter he saith Remember thy maker in the dayes of thy youth But here hee saith Reioyce O yong man in thy youth Here he speaketh like an Epicure which sayth Eate drinke and bee merry heere hee counseles and heere hee mockes yet not after the manner of scorners although they deserued it in shewing their foolishnesse as it is in the first of the Prouerbes Hee laughed at the wicked in derision as in the second Psalme God seeing vs follow our owne wayes For when he bids vs pray wee play and when he bids vs runne wee stand still and when he bids vs fast wee feast and send for vanities to make vs sport then hee laughs at our destruction Therefore when Salomon giueth a sharpe reproofe and maketh you ashamed in a word hee scoffingly bids you doe it againe like a Schoolemaister which beateth his Scholer for playing the truant hee biddeth him play the truant againe O this is the bitterest reproofe of all But least any Libertine should misconster Salomon and say that hee bids vs be merry and make much of our selues therefore he shutteth vp with a watchword and setteth a bridle before his lips and reprooueth it as he speaketh it before hee goeth any further and sayth But remember that for all these things thou must come to iudgement But if we will vnderstand his meaning hee meaneth when hee saith Reioyce O young man Repent O young man in thy youth and when hee saith Let thy heart cheare thee Let thy sinnes greiue thee for hee meaneth otherwise then he speaketh hee speaketh like Michai in the booke of Kings the second Chapter Goe vp and prosper or like as Ezechiel Goe vp and serue other Gods or as Saint Iohn speaketh in the Reuelation Let them that be wicked bee wickea still But if there were no iudgement day that were a merry world therefore saith Salomon when thou art in thy pleasures flaunting in the fields and in thy braue ruffes and amongst thy Louers with thy smiling lookes thy wanton talke and merry iestes with thy pleasant games and loftie lookes Remember for all these things thou shalt come to iudgement Whilest the theefe stealeth the hempe groweth and the hooke is couered within the baite wee sit downe to eate and rise vp to play and from play to sleepe and a hundred yeares is counted little enough to sinne in but how many sinnes thou hast set on the score so many kinds of punishments shall bee prouided for thee Howe many yeeres of pleasure thou hast taken so many yeeres of paine how many drammes of delight so many pounds of dolour when iniqui tie hath plaid her part vengance leapes vpon the stage the Comedie is short but the Tragedie is longer the blacke gard shall attend vpon you you shall eate at the table of sorrow and the crowne of death shall bee vpon your heads many glistring faces looking on you and this is the feare of sinners when the deuill hath entised them to sinne hee presumeth like the old Prophet in the booke of kings who when he had entised the yong Prophet contrarie to the commaundement of God to turne home with him and to eate and drinke he cursed him for his labour because he disobeyed the commaundement of the Lord and so as a Lyon deuoured him by the way The foolish virgins thinke that their oyle will neuer bee spent so Dina stragled abroad whilest shee was defloured what a thing is this to say Reioyce then Repent what a blanke to say Take thy pleasure then thou shalt come to iudgement It is as if he should say Steale and be hanged steale and thou darest strangle sin the cradle for all the wisdome in the world will not helpe thee else but thou shalt be in admiration like dreamers which dreame strange things and knowe not how they come He saith Remember iudgement If thou remember alwaies then thou shalt haue little list to sin if thou remember this then thou sahtl haue little list to fall downe to the deuill though hee would giue thee all the world and the glorie thereof Salomon saith The weede groweth from a weede to a cockle from a cockle to a bramble from a bramble to a brier from a brier to a thorne Lying breeds periury periury breedes haughtines of heart haughtines of heart breeds contempt contempt breedes obstinacie and brings forth much euill And this is the whole progresse of sin he groweth from a lyer to a theefe from a theefe to a murtherer and neuer leaueth vntil hee hath searched all the roome in hell and yet hee is neuer satisfied the more hee sinneth the more hee searcheth to sin when he hath deceiued nay he hath not deceiued thee assoone as hee hath that he desireth hee hath not that hee desireth when he hath left fighting he goeth to fighting againe yet a little and a little more and so wee flit from one sinne to another While I preach you heare iniquitie ingender within you and will breake forth as soone as you are gone So Christ wept Ierusalem laughed Adam brake one and wee breake ten like children which laugh and cry so as if wee kept a shop of vices now this sinne and then that from one sinne to another O remember thy end saith Salomon and that thou must come to iudgement What shall become of them that haue tryed them most Bee condemned most Reioyce O young man in thy youth But if thou marke Salomon he harpes vpon one string hee doubles it againe and againe to shew vs things of his owne experience because wee are so forgetfull thereof in our selues like the dreamer that forgetteth his dreame and the swearer his swearing So wee begge of euery vncleane spirit vntill wee haue bumbasted our selues vp to the throat filling euery corner of our heartes withall vncleannesse and then we are like the dogge that commeth out of the sinke and maketh euery one as foule as himselfe therefore sayth Salomon If any one will learne the way to hell let him take his pleasure Me thinke I see the Dialogue betweene the flesh and the Spirit the worst speaketh first and the flesh sayth Soule take thine ease eate drinke and goe braue lye soft what else should you doe but take your pleasure thou knowest what a pleasant fellowe I haue beene vnto thee thou knowest what delight thou hast had by my meanes but the soule commeth in burthened with that which hath
good God would prosper them better that vse it but neither winners nor losers are gainers I know not how but there is not so much wonne as lost as though the Deuill did part stakes with them and drawe away with a blacke hand when no man seeth for the winner saith he hath not won halfe so much as the loser hath lost One would thinke that some of them should flow when so many ebbe there is neuer an ebbe without a flowing neuer one looseth but another winneth but at dice. What a cursed thing is this that turnes no man to good which robs others and beggars themselues the schoole of deceit the shop of oathes and the field of vanities Thou doest not onely hazard thy money in this game but venturest thy saluation and castest dice with the Deuill who shall haue thy soule For euery thing that commeth well to a man hee giueth thankes but for that which commeth by dice hee is ashamed to giue thanks which sheweth that in conscience that gaine is euill gotten and that he sought it without God Can this be good when worst men vse it most if it were good the euill would like worse of it then the good but the more a man sauoureth of any goodnesse the more hee begins to abhorre it and his conscience doth accuse him for it as for sin They which doubt whether God doe allow it neede but looke how he doth prosper them that vse it but they trust not in God the termes of their occupation discrie for they call all their casts chances as though they relyed not vpon God but vpon chaunce Therefore if dice make strife without cause if they take away others goods for nothing if wee may not liue by playing but by labour if they which haue beene dicers repent it among their sins if the holy men neuer vsed this recreation but the worst most delight in it if thou wouldest not haue God see thee when thou playest at Dice nor take thee at it when hee comes to iudgement if nothing but pleasure and couetousnesse speake for them if they doe not prosper which take pleasure in it if they trust not vpon God but relie vpon chaunce if thou doest not onely venture thy money but hazard thy soule then the best cast at dice is to cast them quite away And the lot fell vpon Ionah The lot fell vpon Ionah not because he was the greatest sinner of them all for so is the opinion of the common people to censure them worst whom they see most afflicted Luke 13. 1. 2. c. If any one be seene to beare his crosse then many will say This is a wicked man and so thinke well of themselues supposing that God is not bent against them to punish them as well but because Ionah should feele the Heb. 5. 8 1. Pet. 4 17. 18 hand of the Lord both punishing and preseruing him and bee reformed for God correcteth all his 〈◊〉 hee did his Sonne to learne them obedience But if iudgement begin with the house of God what shall become of the vngodly And the lot fell vpon Ionah Now when the sinner that troubled the ship is taken now Ionah can hide himselfe no longer Now hee might also feare to bee sacrificed by the mariners presently For the mariners partly for the paine they had endured partly for the losses they had sustained partly for the danger wherein they remained were no doubt as the shee-Wolues robbed of their whelpes out of measure furious and fully bent to sacrifice him on whome the lot fell to appease the wrathfull God But God stayed and restrained the rage of the mariners and made them afterward willingly to abide the tempest a while and put themselues to more paine to saue him endeuouring by rowing to recouer land For hauing heard of the true God and though they lost their goods hauing found God who is all good shall wee say they destroy him that hath saued vs Shall wee giue him vp to death vnnecessarily that hath brought vs to life and assured vs to raigne with God in all glorie euerlastingly Surely the thankelesse are gracelesse especially they that loue not and shew not forth the labour of loue for their gratious guide to God but therefore wee may see that the hearts of men are in Pro. 20. 1. Psal 33. 15. Ps 106. 40. Isa 3. 10. 6 Ezra 1 14. Isa 3. 24. Ne 11. 1 Ps 105. 1 Sa. 2. 30. Ps 146. 3. the hands of God and hee turneth them which way hee list hee fashioneth their hearts euery one yea euen kings hearts as riuers of water doth hee turne to water and make fruitfull his vine to pittie and to persecute to honour and to shame to loue and hate his people to deliuer their power to the beast Reue. 17. 13. and againe to eate the whores fleshe and to burne her with fire 17. 16. 17. Therefore let vs neuer feare to performe our duties whatsoeuer to whome soeuer for hee formeth the hearts of all who hath promised to honour them that honour him but to make them contemptible that doe despise him Neither let vs put confidence in man nor in Princes for their hearts are riuers of water of them selues fleeting easely as they bee led following But especially let vs not forget chiefly to make praiers supplications intercessions and to giue thankes for all those on the godlinesse or prophanesse of whose hearts the flourishing 1. Tim 2. 1. or defacing of the gospell of Christ Iesus and the chosen of God doth most depend And the lot fell vpon Ionah Now Ionah could not deny he was that sinner vnlesse hee would accuse God of vnrighteous iudgement for the lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition there of is of the Lord. Now therefore he must needs confesse it The winds thundring the waues tumbling the ship cracking the mariners quaking vpon their gods crying their wares forth casting Ionahs prayers requested to cast lots consulting Ionah kept himselfe close hee would not bee thought that sinner The wind said I will ouer turne thee the water said I will drowne thee the ship said I cannot hold thee the mariners said We cannot helpe thee his prayers said Wee cannot profit thee his conscience within bleeding and God at the doore of his heart knocking and the lots now ready for casting said threatningly For thee the tempest is come thoufugitiue and wee will discouer thee Yet Ionah conceales his sin so much did heabhorre the shame of men of strange men a few men fraile men or the feare of the furie of the fleshe Therefore after the windes had roared and also the waues raged and the ship reeled and the mariners cryed and the lot his conscience and God himselfe threatned him the lot also condemned him and the feare of being sacrificed by sinners to Sathan terrified him so that he foorthwith repented throughly he declared it openly and confessed his sinne freely Such a stir hath God