that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God These things are hid from the wise and prudent and are reuealed to babes and sucklings Alas what were manif he were once left to himselfe A map of misery and a sinke of calamitie Alas how vvere he able to resist the fierie dartes of the aduersary who cōtinually goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may deuoure Here ye may note first his malice for he daily accuseth vs before the chiefe Iudge of the kinges bench when hee cannot preuaile in this court but seeth his billes of accusation repelled then hee remooueth the matter to the court of our owne consciences where on the one side hee laieth the bookes of the lawe and statutes made against sin on the other side the billes of accusation brought in against vs out of the bookes of the Law alleadging these strict places against vs The soule that sinneth shall die the death Cursed is he that abideth not in euery point of the lawe to doe it On the other side hee bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vs and then inferreth this harde 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 worldlinges deale in matters of lawe who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes bring downe their case into the countrie 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 So our aduersarie though God himselfe do discharge vs though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie yet hee accuseth in the third court before men where he is bolde to powre out his vvhole venome and poison of his malice against vs and to forge what lies and slaunders and lybels hee list because hee knoweth they shall bee receiued as true Thus hee accused Christ Iesus our blessed Lorde and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him But if hee vvere malitious onely to vvish our destruction and not mightie to vvreake his malice wee shoulde haue little cause to feare but he is mightie therefore hee is tearmed alyon the power of darkenesse a great dragon which drewe to the earth the thirde part of the starres of heauen that is with earthly temptation to haue ouerthrowne them which seemed to shine in the church of God as Lamps and Starres O then how easie is our ouerthrow if the Lord did not holde vs vp which shine not as starres in heauen but creepe like wormes on earth 3 Yet if he were but malicious and mightie it were better with vs but he is fierce and therefore called a roaring Lyon who laying waite for the bloud of the godlie stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors to make themselues drunke with the bloud of the saintes as most grieuoussy he did from the time of Iohn Baptist to the raigne of Maxentius the space of 294. years flaying some by the sworde 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 hee doth not pitch his tentes in any one place but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduauntage in the night hee soweth Tares and in the daie hee hindereth the growth thereof 5 He proceedeth after further and addeth to his policie industrie hee considereth our natures and dispositions and to what sinnes wee doe most incline and thereunto he applieth himselfe sometimes by flatterie sometimes by feare sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly entiseth vs sometimes by violence he goeth about to enforce vs sometime by changing himselfe into an Angell of light he endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands and in whatsoeuer estate he 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 nowe your selues whether yee haue any thing in yourselues and you shal finde nothing but weakenesse and corruption It is God that giueth strength to the mightie wisedome to the prudent and knowledge to the vnderstanding he teacheth Dauids hande to fight and his fingers to battaile hee giueth strength to his armes to breake a bowe euen a bowe of steele wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that glorieth glory only in the Lord. Secondly we are to seeke vnto God alone because none is so present as he for God because he is almightie 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 neere to all that call vpon him in truth he heareth our gronings sighs and knoweth what things are necessary for vs before we aske The third reason vvhy vvee must seeke vnto God is none is so able to helpe vs as he but of this I shall haue particular occasion to speake when I come to this point And pray to the Almighty The fourth reason vvhy vve 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 sute vvhen we are perswaded of the willignesse of him to whom vve make sute and I praie ye vvho vvas euer more carefull for our saluation and more vvatchfull ouer vs than the Lorde vvho euer put his trust in him and vvas confounded In this respect he is called a Father because as the father tendreth his sonne so the Lorde doth al those that put their trust in him Can there bee anie more willing to helpe vs than Christ vvhose vvhole heade vvas sicke and whose hart was heauy for our sakes yea in whose bodie from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the heade was nothing but woundes and swellings and sores But alas this was nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes He was compassed about with feares and horrours till his sweat was drops of bloud and his bones bruised in the flesh he was whipped and scourged and chastised with sorrowes till he cried out in the bitternes of his soule O Lorde if it bee possible let this cup passe from me The heauy hande of God was so grieuous vpon him that hee bruised his verie bones and rent his raines asunder hee could find 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 nailed to the crosse his face was wrinkled with weeping and wailing his sides imbrued and gored
IH̄S FOVRE SERMONS PREACHED BY MASTER HENRY SMITH And published by a more perfect copie then heretofore ET VSQVE AD NVBES VERITAS TVA AT LONDON Printed by P. S. for Cutbert Burby 1599. PS The contents 1 The trumpet of the soule 2 The sinfull mans search 3 Maries choyce 4 Noahs drunkennes THE TRVMPET OF THE SOVLE SOVNDING TO IVDGEMENT By Henry Smith Ecclesiastes 11. Chap. 9. verse The text Reioyce O young man in thy youth and let thy hart be mery in thy young dayes follow the wayes ofthine owne hart and the lustes ofthine eyes But remember for all these thinges thou must 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 daunger and musing I could not finde anie text in the scripture that did not reprooue sinne 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 be 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 bee wantons still let them that be careles prelates be careles still let them that be vsurers be vsurers stil but saith Solomō Remēber thy end that thou shalt be called to iudgemēt at the last for altogether This is the coūsell of Salomō the wisest then liuing what a counsel 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 keepe his commaundements in the 12. Chapter he saith Remember thy maker in the daies of thy youth But heere hee sayth Reioyce O yong man in thy youth Here hee speaketh like an epicure which saith Eate drinke and be merrie here he counsels and heere hee mockes yet not after the maner of scorners although they deserued it in shewing their foolishnes as it is in the first of the Prouerbes He laughed at the wicked in derision As in the 2. Psalme God seeing vs follow our owne waies For when he bids vs pray wee play and when he bids vs runne wee stand still and when hee bids vs fast wee feast and send for vanities to make vs sport then he laughes at our destruction Therefore when Salomon giueth a sharpe reproofe and maketh you ashamed in a word he scoffinglie bids you do it agayne like a Schoolemaster which beateth his Scholler for playing the truant he biddeth him play the truant againe O this is the bitterest reproofe of all But least anie Libertine should misconster Salomon and saie that he bids vs be merry and make much of our selues therefore he shutteth it vp with a watchword and setteth a bridle before his lips and reprooueth it as hee speaketh it before hee goeth any further and sayth But remember that for all these thinges thou must come to iudgement But if wee will vnderstand his meaning hee meaneth when hee sayth Reioyce O young man Repent O young man in thy youth and when he sayth Let thy hart cheere thee let thy sinnes greeue thee for hee meaneth other-wise then he speaketh he speaketh like Michal in the booke of Kinges 2. Chap. Go vp and prosper or like as Ezechiell Go vp and serue other Gods or as Saint Iohn speaketh in the Reuelation Let them that hee wicked bee wicked still But if there were no iudgement daye that were a merrye world therefore sayth Salomon When thou art in thy pleasures flaunting in the fieldes and in thy braue ruffes and amongst thy louers with thy smyling lookes thy wantō talke and merry iestes with thy pleasant games and loftie lookes Remember for al these thinges thou shalt come to iudgemēt Whilest the theefe stealeth the hempe groweth and the hooke is couered within the baite we sit downe to eate and rise vp to playe and from playe to sleepe and a hundreth yeeres is counted little enough to sin in but how many sinnes thou hast set on the score so many kindes of punishments shall be prouided for thee Howe manye yeares of pleasure thou hast taken so many yeeres of payne how many drams of delight so many poundes of dolour when iniquitie hath playd her parte vengeance leapes vpon the stage the comedie is shorte but the tragedie is longer the blacke guarde shall attend vpon you you shall eate at the table ofsorrowe and the crowne of death shall bee vpon your heads manye glistring faces looking on you and this is the feare of sinners when the deuill hath entised them to sinne hee presumeth like the olde Prophet in the booke of Kings who when he had entised the yong Prophet contrary to the commaundement of God to turne home with him and to eate and drinke he cursed him for his labour because hee disobeyed the commaundement of the Lord and so a Lyon deuoured him by the way The foolish virgins thinke that their oile wil neuer be spent so Dina stragled abroad whilest she was defloured what a thing is this to saie reioyce and then repent What a blanke to say take thy pleasure and then thou shalt come to iudgement It is as if he should say steale be hanged steale thou darest strangle sin in the cradle for all the wisedome in the world will not help thee else but thou shalt bee in admiration like dreamers which dreame strange thinges and knowe not how they come He saith Remember iudgement if thou remember alwaies then thou shalt haue little list to sinne if thou remember this then thou shalt haue little list to fall downe to the diuell though hee woulde 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 breedes periurie periurie breedes hautines of hart hautines of hart breedes contempt contempt breedes obstinacie and brings forth much euill And this is the whole progresse of sinne he groweth from a lyar to a theefe from a theefe to a murtherer and neuer leaueth vntill hee haue searched all the roomes in hell and yet hee is neuer satisfied the more hee sinneth the more hee searcheth to sinne when he hath deceiued nay he hath not deceiued thee assoone as he hath that he desireth he hath not that he desireth when he hath left fighting hee goeth to fighting agayne 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 we breake ten like children which laugh and crye so as if wee kept a shop of vices now this sinne and then that from one sinne to another O Remember thy end sayth Salomon that thou must
Sabboth day With a number more hath God to call to account for euery one must answere for himselfe The fornicator for taking of filthie pleasure O sonne remember thou hast taken thy pleasure take thy punishment The careles Prelate for murthering so many thousand soules The Landlorde for getting money from his poore Tenants by racking of his rentes see the rest all they shall come like a verie sheepe when the Trumpet shal sound and the heauen and earth shâ—l 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 rockes shall cleaue a sunder 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 whome wee haue not cared for to offend but they shall not be couered hid but then they shall goe the blacke way to the snakes and serpents to bee tormented of deuils for euer O paine vnspeakeable and yet the more I expresse it the more horrible it is when you thinke of a torment passing all tormentes and yet a torment passing all that yet this torment is greater then them and passing them all Imagine you see a sinner going to hell and his somner gape at him his acquaintance looke at him the Angels shoute at him and the Saintes laugh at him and the deuils raile at him and many looke him in the face and they that said they would liue and die with him forsake him and leaue him to pay all the scores Then Iudas woulde restore his bribes Esau would cast vp his pottage Achan woulde cast downe his golde and Gehezi woulde refuse his giftes Nabuchadnezzar would be humbler Balam would be faithfull and the Prodigall sonne would be tame Me thinkes I see Achan running about where shall I hide my golde that I haue stolne that it might not be seene nor stand to appeare for a witnes against me And Iudas running to the high Priests saying hold take againe your money I will none of it I haue betraied the innocent bloud And Esau crying for the blessing when it is too late hauing sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Woe woe woe that euer we were borne O where is that Diues that would beleeue this before hee felt the fire in hell or that woulde beleeue the poorest Lazarus in the worlde to bee better then himselfe before that dreadfull day come when they cannot helpe it if they woulde neuer so faine when repentance is too late Herod shall then wish that he were Iohn Baptist. Pharaoh woulde wishe that hee were Moses and Saul would wish that hee had beene Dauid Nabuchadnezzar that he had beene Daniel Hammon to haue beene Mardocheus Esau would wish to bee Iacob and Balam woulde wish hee might die the death of the righteous then hee will say I will giue more then Ezekias crie more then Esau fast more then Moses pray more then Daniell weepe more then Mary Magdalen suffer more stripes then Paul abide more imprisonment then Michai abide more crueltie then any mortall man woulde doe that it migh bee Ite goe ye cursed might become yee blessed Yea I would giue all the goods in the worlde that I might escape this dreadfull day of wrath and iudgement and that I might not stand amongst the goe O that I might liue a begger al my life and a Leaper O that I might indure all plagues and sores from the top of the head to the sole of the foote sustaine all sicknes and griefes that I might escape this iudgement The guiltie conscience cannot abide this day The sillie sheepe when shee is taken will not bleate but you may carrie her and doe what you will with her and she will bee subiect but the swine if shee be once taken shee will roare and crie and thinkes shee is neuer taken but to bee slaine So of all things the guiltie conscience cannot abide to heare of this day for they knowe that when they heare of it they heare of their owne condemnation I thinke if there were a generall collection made through the whole worlde that there might bee no iudgement day then God woulde bee so rich that all the world would goe a begging and bee as a waste wildernes Then the couetous Iudge woulde bring forth his bribes then the craftie Lawyer woulde fetch out his bagges the Vsurer would giue his gaine and the idle seruant would dig vp his talent againe make a double thereof But al the mony in the world vvil not serue for one sin but the Iudge must answere for his bribes hee that hath money must answere how he came by it iust condemnation must come vpon euery soule of them then shall the sinner bee euer dying and neuer deade like the Salamander that is euer in the fire and neuer consumed But if you come there you may say as the Queene of Saba said of King Salomon I beleeued the report that I heard of thee in mine owne countrie but the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde mee If you came there to see what is done you may say Now I beleeue the report that was told me in mine owne countrie concerning this place but the one halfe as now I feele I haue not heard of now chuse you whether you will reioyce or remember whether you wil stande amongst you blessed or amongst you cursed whether you will enter while the gate is open or knocke in vaine when the gate is shut whether you wil seek the Lord whilest he may be found or be found of him when you would not be sought beeing run into the bushes with Adam to hide your selues whether you wil take your heauen now here or your hell then there or through tribulation to enter into the kingdome of God and thus to take your hell now here or your heauen then there in the life to come with the blessed Saints Angels so that heereafter you may lead a new life putting on Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse FINIS THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH Iob. 8. 5. 6. 7. 5 If thou wilt early seeke vnto God and pray vnto the Almightie 6 If thou be pure and vpright then surely hee will awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous 7 And though thy beginning be but small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase IN a sicke and euill affected bodie dearelie beloued wee vsuallie see preparatiues ministred that the maladies maie bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholsome medicines The like yea and greater regard ought we to haue of our soules which being not crasie onlie or light ly affected with sinne but sicke euen vnto death had neede to be prepared with threats and exhortations comforts and consolatioÌ„s one way or other that they may be made fit not to receiue the preparatiue but the perfection of happie
faithfull Father Abraham beleeued before hee was circumcised so Zaccheus belieued before he was circumcised As Abraham left his countrey and all that he had when God called him so Zaccheus left his office and the most part of his riches when he was called by the sonne of God and as Abraham desirêd to see the day of Christ and saw it and reioyced so Zaccheus desired to see Christ and he sawe him and reioyced Now is Zaccheus a Gentile become the child of Abraham and not only he but his whole house also is become the house of Abraham for when Zaccheus is conuerted his whole house is conuerted As the master is such are the seruauntes if he bee godly and religious they prooue godly and religious if he bee an Atheist they prooue Atheists likewise Therefore keepe no companie with the wicked for it is most pernitious but associate thy selfe with those that feare the Lorde that thou also mayest learne to feare the Lord who for his mercie graunt that we may with Zaccheus be desirous to see Christ ioyfull to receiue Christ liberall to releeue the members of Christ and readie to make a mends when we haue wronged anie of our brethren that so with Zaccheus we may be heites of saluation and the true sonnes of Abraham to raigne with Christ in heauen for euer by the meanes and merites of him that dyed and rose againe for vs. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glory Amen FINIS A praier for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to pray O Lord GOD our heauenly Father wee thy poore and wretched creatures giue thee most humble and heartie thankes for our quiet and safe sleepe and for raising vs vp from the same Wee beseech thee for Iesus Christs sake to prosper vs this day in our labour and trauell that it may bee to the discharging of our duety in our vocations principally to thy glory nexte to the profit of this Church and common-weale and last of all to the benefite and content of our masters Grant deare father that we may cheerfully and conscionably do our businesse and labours not as men-pleasers but as seruing thee our God knowing thee to bee the chiefe master of vs and that thou seest and beholdest vs with thy fatherly eies who hast promised rewarde to them that faithfullie and truly walke in their vocation and threatned euerlasting death and damnation to them that deceitfully and wickedly do their works and labours We beseech thee O heauenly father to giue vs the strength of thy spirit that godlie and gladlie we may ouercome our labours and that the tediousnesse of their irksome labour which thou for our sinnes hast powred vpon all mankind may seeme to vs more delectable and sweet Fulfill nowe O Lord these our requests for thy sonne our Sauiours sake in whose name we pray as hee himselfe hath taught vs. Our father c. A godly praier to be said at all times BEcause I haue sinned O Lord and done wickedly in thy sight and prouoked thee to anger by my abhominable wickednesse making my body which thou hast ordained as a vessel for thine honor an instrument to most detestable filthines O Lord be mercifull vnto me and pardon me this great wickednesse looke not vpon me good Father with the eyes of iustice neither doe thou drawe against mee the sword of iudgement for then howe shall I that am but dust stand in thy presence when thy wrathful indignation commeth forth as a whirle wind and thy heauy displeasure as a mighty tempest seeing the earth trembleth the depths are discouered and the very heauens are shaken when thou art angrie Exercise not therefore thy fury against me that am but chaffe before the winde and as stubble against a flaming fire though I haue sinned grieuously in thy sight preferring my wicked desire before thy holy commandement esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternal euerlasting ioyes nay which is worse making more account of vilenes and vanity and extreame folly and madnes then of the glory and maiesty of the most excellent wonderfull and blessed God nothing dreading his displeasure whose wrath maketh the diuels to quake burneth vnquenchable vnto the bottomles pit of hel whose might is so great that by the breath of his nosthrils he can in the twinkling of an eye destroy a thousand worlds yet am I bold prostrating my selfe before the throne of thy maiestie heartily to beseech and humbly to intreate thee that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my merites for I haue deserued y t thoushouldest raine down fire brimstone from out of heauen vpon me to deuoure me or to open the earth vnder me to swallow me vp quicke vnto hell but thou art gratious and ful of compassion and rich in mercies therefore do men put their trust vnder the shadow of thy wings I haue none in heauen to flie vnto but thee nor in earth of whom I may receiue any comfort but at thy fauorable hands which are stretched out day and night to receiue all that by earnest repentance turne to thee being ready to ease all those that are ladē with the burthen of their sin and to refresh their distressed consciēces In the multitude of thy mercies I approach vnto thee O Lord desiring thee to looke down from the height of thy sanctuary vpon me poore and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences to blot out my misdeeds especiallie this my vngratious vncleane and vngodly act that it may not come vp in remembrance with thee nor bee imputed to me for euer for thy sonnes sake O Lord in whome thou art well pleased in whome thou wast fullie satisfied vpon the crosse for my sinnes grant me free pardon and remission of that I haue so foolishly by my exceeding frailetie committed against thee in this shamefull deede But O thou my vncleane and vnthankefull soule my vngodly and rebellious heart what did I sinful wretch execrable caitife so blindly and desperately attempt Howe art thou become quite senselesse that thou wast so ready to anger thy most louing God and to prouoke thy most mightie Iudge that thou mightest satisfie thy filthie flesh suborned both by thine Gods most malitious aduersarie to grieue and vexe the spirit of the Lorde and to damne thy selfe for euer Hath not God of his singular fauour made the heauens of olde and placed the Sun and Moone in thē two glorious lights with innumerable starres a wonderfull workmanship for thy vse and benefit Hath he not lifted vp the cloudes by his strong arme and heaped treasures of raine haile and snowe to doe thee seruice Hath he not in the midst of the world laide the foundations of the earth that thou mightest haue a stable habitation and mightest from thence beholde euerie waie thou lookest the walles of his beautifull place Hath hee not gathered the waters into one place and made the drie land appeare and drawne forth