Christ Iesus the true looking-glasse in whom he shall finde vs most pure and innocent and to shine most clearely in the righteousnesse which hee had giuen vs by faith so that wee appeare not in our owne righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse of the Lambe who hauing taken away the sinnes of the worlde and hauing made vs as white as snowe though wee were as red as crimson sayth hee will be mercifull to our iniquities and will remember our sinnes no more Of him doe all the Prophets beare witnesse that through his name all that beleeue shall receiue remission of their sinnes Againe Drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud which is shed for the remission of sinnes Christ gaue himselfe for our sinnes that hee might deliuer vs from the curse of the Law euen according to the will of the Father Christ bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we being deliuered from sin might liue in righteousnes by whose stripes wee are healed for we were as sheepe going astray but are now returned to the shepheard and bishop of our soules It is no more but beleeue and be saued beleeue and receiue remission beleeue and lay off thine owne righteousnesse and inuest thy selfe with the righteousnesse of the vnspotted Lambe Dauid was young and after was old yet in all his daies he neuer saw the righteous forsaken Sometimes he scourgeth his children but like a louing Father hee layeth no more vpon them then they are able to beare for hee afflicteth them for his owne iustice because they are sinners for his wisedome to exercise their faith for his mercie to cause them to repent but this is the end of all hee helpeth them in their distresses hee reuengeth himselfe vpon his enemies and giueth to his people rest and quietnesse O that we would therefore prayse the Lord and forget not all other his singular benefites O that wee woulde confesse that his mercy endureth for euer The third thing to note in his promises is his bountifull kindnesse in requiring so small a thing with so great and liberall blessings and bindeth himselfe by obligation as it were that as sure as we performe the one so hee will notfaile to accomplish the other The fourth is his patience and long suffering which is not slacknesse as some men account slacknesse but is patience because willingly hee would haue no man perish but gladly woulde haue all men to come to repentance Hee is content to stay our leasure till wee seeke and pray vnto him and neuer smiteth till there bee no hope of redresse The fift is his loue in that hee is content to stirre vs vp to holy exercises and puritie of life and to allure vs with faire promises of ayde and prosperous increase of all his blessings in this world The particular examination of these blessings would require a larger discourse then fearing tediousnesse I dare presume to trouble you withall wherefore a word of each and so I end Touching the first where it is said God will awake vp vnto thee it is a greater benefit then the words import for it signifieth not onely that he will heare thee but that hee will also doe what thou desirest and satisfie thy request As long as the sinner sleepeth the Lord is sayd to be asleepe but as soone as the sinner awaketh from sinne Psal 78. God will arise saith Dauid and his enemies shall be scattered and they that hate him shall flye before him as the smoake vanisheth before the wind and as the waxe melteth before the fire euen so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God Wherefore as Paul exhorted the Ephesians so I exhort you Awake thou that sleepest stand Ephes 5. vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light awake vnto God and God will awake vnto thee and Christ euen the sonne of God the bright morning starre shall giue thee the light of life In the second hee promiseth aboundance of worldly blessings in recompence of prayer for it is sayd Hee will make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous that is Reue. 22. 2. Ps 1. 12. Prou. 28 the Lord will make peace within thy wals and prosperitie within thy places hee will commaund his blessings to be with thee in thy storehouse and in all thou settest thy hand vnto hee will open vnto thee his good treasures euen the heauens to giue raine on thy land in due season Thou shalt lay vp gold as the dust and the gold of Ophir as the flint of the ryuer thou shalt wash thy pathes with butter and thy rockes shall powre out riuers of oyle thou Iob. 22. Ps 1. 28. shalt call saluation thy wall and prayse shall be in thy gates Loe thus shall the man be blessed that feareth God Lastly for being pure and vpright hee will make thy latter end greatly increase and that thou mayest the lesse mistrust his promise he will doe it though thy beginning be but small Heere brethren yee see what a sea of matter is offered me whereunto if I would commit my selfe I might discourse vnto you what strange euents by Gods prouidēce haue hapned in the worlde what great Kings and potentates haue been plucked downe from their thrones and what contemptible persons in the eye of the world haue Hest 8. Gen. 30. Dan. 6. beene aduanced to their roomes How Mardocheus a stranger was exalted into Hamans place how Ioseph and Daniel the one a bond-man in Egypt the other a captiue in Babylon were made Princes in those kingdomes But because I will not ouermuch transgresse the bondes of modestie or hold you longer then in this place I haue beene accustomed onely remember what the Prophet sayth He raiseth the needie out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the mire that be might set him with the princes euen with the princes of Psal 113 the world Remember the example of Dauid whom the Lorde Psal 78. chose and tooke from the Ewes great with yong that hee might feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel Remember the example of Iob how the Lord turned the Iob. 42 captiuitie of Iob as the riuers of the south how hee blessed the last dayes of Iob more then the first how hee gaue him sheepe and camels and oxen and shee asses in more abundance then he had before how hee increased him with sons and daughters euen to the fourth generation so that hee died being olde and full of dayes Remember euen our Psal 126 owne estate for whome the Lord hath done great things alreadie as created vs and redeemed vs and sanctified vs and not long since deliuered vs from the gaping iawes of those that sought to sucke our bloud Vpon some he hath Psal 41. bestowed humilitie whereby their mindes are adorned with vertue honor vpon others whereby their persons are inuested with maiestie vpon others comelines wherby the other two are graced vpon others Orchards
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
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
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