Sixe sermons: preached by Maister Henry Smith at Clement Danes Church without Temple barre. VVith tvvo prayers of the same author hereunto annexed.

THE SECOND SERMON OF THE RE∣BELLION OF IONAH.

Ionah. 1. 3. 4. 5.

3 But Ionah rose vp to flie to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and vvent dovvne to Iapho, and he found a ship go∣ing to Tarshish, so he paid the fare therof, and vvent dovvne into it, that he might go vvith them vnto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 But the Lord sent out a great vvind into the sea, and there vvas a mightie tempest in the sea, so that the ship vvas like to be broken.

5 Then the mariners vvere afraid, and cried euerie man vnto his God, and cast the vvares out that vvere in the ship to lighten it thereof: but Ionah vvas gone dovvne into the side of the ship, and he lay dovvne and vvas fast asleepe.

But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish from the presence, &c.

THe last time you heard how the righteous fall, and now no lesse then a Prophet, yea such a Prophet as was the figure of Christ. But who would haue thought that such a Prophet should flie from the Lord, yea and that when he should do him most seruice, who counteth that wickednesse now, that he neuer thought off while he was among the wicked? A feareful example, therefore let him that thinkes he standeth, take heede lest he fall, for the way is slipperie wherein we are to walke. When thou remembrest the fall of the Prophet, then consider that thou art much weaker then a Prophet, and therefore the easier to be encountered and ouerthrowne, where∣fore thou art likelie to haue a more grie∣uous fall, except the Lord do mightily vp∣hold thee, seeing such a one cannot stand in the sight of his so mortall enemie by his owne strength.

Secondly, if thou see Ionah flie, Moses mur∣mure, Ieremie complaining, Esay repining, Dauid fall to adulterie, Salomon to idolatrie, and Peter to forswear, his master, then maist thou learne not to trust vnto thine owne

strength, for it is weaknesse, nor to thine owne flesh, for it is sinfull, but seeke helpe and craue strength at the hands of almigh∣tie God, which giueth to euerie one that as∣keth * 1.1 indifferently, and hitteh no man in the teeth, which doth not bruse the broken * 1.2 reed, nor quench the smoking flax, but doth rather increase our zeale then diminish it.

Thirdly, iudge wisely of the fall of Ionah, not rashly condemning him for his fault, for although Dauid ioyned murther with adulterie, yet he repented, and is the deare child of God.

But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish.

Ionah being sent to Niniuie, he flies to Tarshish, yet he went to Niniuie at last, not of free will, as meaning onely to performe his dutie, but being terrified by the whale, and all the other creatures of God which were bent against him for his disobedience. So we serue God and do his will, when ter∣rors do compell vs by thundering into our eares, & glauncing before our eyes, & mel∣ting our harts for feare. And this is my opi∣niō, that they which come hither to Church onely on the Sabboth, come not of consci∣ence, but for feare of the law, yet let them know, that in so doing they flie from their comfort, yea they flie from God. Now Ionah

went to the hauen, and there he found a ship not going to Niniuie but to Tarshish. As soone he set forward to flye from God, Sathā straight wayes prepared a ship, so that temptation and occasion of sinne do al∣ways go together. Shal Iudas lack money, or Ionah stay for a ship? no (saith Sathan) by the mouth of his ministers, here Iudas take thee money and betray thy master, and Ionah here is a ship for thee, go hast thee away, and flye from the presence of the Lord. There∣fore if any will aske what the deuils occu∣pation is, it is to prouide snares and gins whereinto to entice, and therein to catch thee and me.

And he payed the fare thereof.

This money was cast into the sea, for it did him much harme, yet it did him small good. There are many which will spend & wast they care not how much vpon cards & dice, an vnlawfull game: this money also is cast into the sea, for it doth thē much more harme then they know of, but it doth thē no good. And so men care not what they pay for vanities and braueries, the most part of which is vnprofitable, & rather hurtfull thē necessary for thē, but onely for the vaine vse of the present time, and for some vayne res∣pect: this also is cast into the sea, and thus

men care not what they pay for vanities, so it do please their minde for the present, without consideration of the end and pur∣pose thereof, but they will giue litle or no∣thing to do good withall: so that Lazarus * 1.3 cā get nothing, and Dauid can get no meat. Shall I take my bread and my wine and the flesh which I haue prouided for my shea∣rers, & giue them vnto thee, whom I know not, saith churlish Naball? We can be con∣tent to giue any thing or do any thing to winne the world thereby, but we will giue nothing, nor do nothing, thereby to winne the kingdome of God.

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest, so that the ship was like to be broken.

The sinne is past, but the punishment is to come: so after sinne followeth reuenge, the heauiest companion of wickednesse, al∣though she loue not sinne, yet she wilbe al∣wayes where wickednesse is, full of strēgth like a Lyon which will not be tamed. For seeing obedience to the commaundement was wanting, therefore the tempest would beare rule, for vnlesse it be an imperious crosse, we wil not yeeld, so head strong sinne is: therefore it is said that God sent a migh∣tie tempest that sinne might haue the foyle,

and the tempest the victorie: he that sailes to Tarshish whither he is forbidden to go, would haue as good wind as he that sailes to Niniuie, or whither he is commaunded, but he that doth one thing for another, shall receaue one thing for another, like Achab * 1.4 which ceased not til Michaiah had said like the other Prophets go vp and prosper, but he went vp and perished. Ionah thought to ariue at Tarshish as surelie as the Spaniards thought to ariue in England, whose destru∣ction their fellowes at home do wonder at, how their inuincible power could be de∣stroyd. But God is strōg inough for thē that kicke against him, & disdaineth to be cros∣sed of dust and ashes. Now Sathan thou hast brought him into the ship, and perswaded him to flye from his defence for his safetie, and made him beleeue that he should come safe to Tarshish, that is, to liue at ease & li∣bertie, enioying all temporall benefites at his pleasure, & now thou hast left him, whē he is in greatest daunger, and rather seekest to drowne him then to saue him. O most wretched and deceiptfull lyer, he that tru∣steth his enemie, and he that beleeueth thee, shall euer be deceaued, for now might Ionah say, beware by me, for thus hath the tempter deceaued me, he hath allured me with flat∣tering

fantasies, and perswaded me that it was but an easie thing to flie from the pre∣sence of the Lord, that seeth alwayes all * 1.5 things, and from whom no man, no nor se∣cret lurking in any mans heart can be hid, but all are alwayes in his presence. He made me beleeue that light could be brought out of darknesse, that good may come of euill, for he assured me, that if I would set forth toward Tarshish, I should not onely shun the presence of the Lord, but should liue at ease like one vnknowne, both for my voca∣tiō and also for my behauiour in the execu∣tion therof, and so I might creepe into a fa∣miliaritie with these people, and enioye the benefit of their societie. Otherwise if I went to Niniuie as the Lord commaunded, they would hate and persecute me, yea and so I should end my life in miserie, both because they being Gentiles and I a Iew, they can not abide me, for the one holdeth the other in cōtempt: and also because of my message, namely a Prophecie of destruction, groun∣ded vpon a reproofe of their vile and sinne∣full pleasures. Which message, Sathan per∣swaded me that it would be so hainously ta∣ken, that no death nor torment that they could deuise for me would be thought suf∣ficient, & so I should be sure neuer to escape

their hands aliue if I wēt, as though the eter∣nall and most glorious God which sent me thither, were not able to defend me from all euill when I come thether, as well as he did Damell in the den of Lyons, and Iohn in the Isle of Pathmos among the sauage beastes. And when Sathā had thus perswaded me, I beleeued him, & so tooke my iourney to fly frō the presence of the Lord (if I could haue performed my intētion.) But the Lord who seeing the stubburnesse and disobedience of my heart, followed me with great displea∣sure, sending such a tēpest vpō the sea wher∣on I was, that it had like to ouerwhelmed vs all, and so neare as I was to the water, so neare I was to death by all likelihood.

Thus Sathan perswadeth vs as he did Io∣nah, he saith to vs as he said to Christ, if you will fall downe and worship me, I will giue * 1.6 you all things you would haue: if you will leaue the societie, the exercises, the professiō, and the companie of the children of God, and of the seruice of God, and serue me, and worship me, in preferring your couetous∣nesse, your pride, your enuie, your lust, be∣fore the seruice of God, then you shall grow rich, and you shall not be so scrupulous to sweare for your gaine sometime, or to lye for your pleasure, and to cosin for riches, and

you shall haue good lucke, and shall haue euery thing at your hearts desire. But if we do his will, we shall speede as Ionah did, we shall haue the wrath and vengeance of God vpō our heads: for he hath nothing to giue vs, although he makes vs beleeue we shall haue great kingdomes. Yes we shall haue hell for our reward, which wil make al their hearts to ake which receaue it, other reward he hath none. So the deuill is alwayes a very seruiceable and pleasant deuill to such as fly from God: he can finde occasiōs at all times, and meanes and instrumēts fit for that pur∣pose. If thou wilt fly from God, the deuill will lend you both spurres, and a horse, (yea a post horse) that will carrie you swiftlie & lustilie away vnto all vanitie and vngodlie lusts. But see what Ionah got by his iourney, notwithstanding all the furtherances that Sathan could worke for him, he lost his mo∣ney, lost his ioy, lost his credit, and almost lost his life too. Thus we see in Ionah what it profiteth a man to flye frō God, in obey∣ing and practising the euill motions and tēptations of Sathan in steed of the knowen will of God, for the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience: the wind blowes as though it would ouer turne all, the waters roare as though they

will drowne all, the ship reeles and tumbles as though she were wearie of all, & the ma∣riners crie and cast out their wares apace, as though they would loose all: And yet the wind could not ouerthrow him, nor the wa∣ters drowne him, nor the whale eat him; and thus Ionah fled from God but not God from Ionah.

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a great tempest, so that the ship was like to be broken.

First God spake gentlie to him, Arise Io∣nah, go to Niniuie: then he would not go, but seeing wordes would not serue, the Lord would take another way, and try whether that could make him obedient to his voice. So the Lord caused a mightie tempest to a∣rise in the sea, which set them all in a maze, and made them examine both whence the tēpest came, & also wherefore, or for whose sake it troubled them so sore, that Ionah might see (at the least) if he would see it, that the vegeāce of God doth alwayes accōpany the stubburne and disobedient whither soe∣uer they go: and for the accōplishment ther∣of, that all the creatures of God are bent a∣gainst them, to molest trouble, and crosse them in their euill wayes.

God sent a great wind.

He that made the windes, commaunded * 1.7 them, and they obey his voyce: the wind & the waters obey him, but man will not obey him. He saith not, that a wind arose, but saith, The Lord sent a great wind; then it was not by chance, nor yet by witchcraft, for the mariners (notwithstanding they were infidels) were not so grosse as to ascribe it vnto anie such cause, but rather thought it to be sent from some reuenging power, be∣ing prouoked to indignation by some par∣ticular person among them, that had com∣mitted some hainous fact: else why did they cast lots, to know him and find him out that had sinned, and whose sinne did procure the tempest to be sent? Though this tempest had almost drowned Ionah, yet he saith, the Lord sent it: so the Lord sendeth wind to bring ships to land in safetie, and the same Lord sendeth tempests to drown, & breake, and sincke other ships. Therefore Iob sayd when he was bereft of all his substance at once, and left as poore as might be, that the Lord had taken them from him (which also gaue all to him,) adding also a thāksgiuing * 1.8 euen for the persecuting hād of God, which did so molest him. If some had so much losse by tempest as Iob, and such danger as Ionah, they would surely say with Iob, Blessed be

the name of the Lord for it.

Now the wind blowes, the water tosses, the whale swims, & all to meet Ionah which flies from God, to see if they can turne his hart which sleeps in disobedience. The ship goes roundly for a time, the Prophet is slee∣ping, the mariners are sporting, their sailes flaunting, the waters calming, the windes guiding, so merily sinne goes on before the tempest comes. The wind blowes not yet, therfore go on yet a litle, & yet a little more, but yet the tempest rushes vpō them before they be ware of it, and tumbles them vp and downe, & suddenly all is like to be vndone. Now Ionah is in more danger then the Ni∣niuites. And now, ó that he had stayed at home and saued his money, saued his credit, & saued his life from the danger of the furi∣ous & vnmerciful streame. Here we may see what paines a sinner takes, & all to hurt him selfe. He came to the hauen, and payd the fare, and entred the ship, and hoist vp sailes, and went on forward, and all to flie from God, and yet he fled not from him but to him. Therfore Dauid saith, if I take the mor∣ning * 1.9 wings and flie aloft, lo thou art there, if I go into the neathermost depth, thy hand will find me out: therefore whither shall I flie from thee? so that when we thinke that

we flie from God, in running out of one place into another, we do but run from one hand to the other, for there is no place where Gods hand is not, and whither soeuer a re∣bellious sinner doth run, the hand of God wil meet with him to crosse him, and hinder his good successe, although he prophecieth neuer so much good vnto him selfe in his iourney. The winds could not further Io∣nah, the waters could not beare him, his sleep could not saue him, the ship could not hold him, the mariners could not helpe him, the whale would not spare him, but he poore man must be cast out, lest all through him be cast away. The ship that was full of wares of great value, was readie to sinke when Io∣nah entred into it. He trusted to the winds, and the winds could not further him; he tru∣sted to the waters, and the waters could not beare him; he trusted to the ship, the ship could not hold him; he trusted to the mari∣ners, the mariners could not help him. What had he offended the winds, or the waters, or what had he offended the ship that bare him such enmitie? The winds and the waters, and * 1.10 all Gods creatures, are to take Gods part a∣gainst Ionah or anie other rebellious sinner.

Though God in the beginning gaue power to mā, & authoritie ouer all his crea∣tures

to rule them, yet whē mā sinneth God giueth power & strēgth vnto his creatures to rule & bridle man. Therfore he that euē now was Lord ouer the waters, now the wa∣ters are Lord ouer him. But if Ionah had thought that God would haue brought things thus to passe, he durst not haue been so bold in this enterprise. Therfore we may see that sinne hath no eyes while it is on go∣ing. Tush (saith the foole) it is faire weather yet (while he goeth to the stockes.) * 1.11

But God sent a mightie tempest into the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Such a stirre hath God before he can come by his owne, he must crosse vs, and set him selfe and all his creatures against vs, he must straine our bodies and constraine vs to it before we will yeeld him due obediēce. The tempest must blow, the sea must rage, the ship must reele, the heart must trēble, & all must be in an vprore against vs, & God must crosse vs in all our doings afore we will returne frō our wicked wayes. The bee when she hath once flung doth leese her sting•• so that she cā sting no more: so is not punishment for it goeth in generall, when one tempest is gone, another comes vpō vs, for if we be sicke, sicknesse is not dead with vs, if we be poore, pouertie endeth not, if we

be in daunger, daunger is not therefore put downe for euer after: and if we be vexed, vexation hath not therefore left his sting in vs•• but all these things are Gods weapons whereof he hath store, and if thou be diso∣bedient, he will lead thee through them all, * 1.12 vntill he hath humbled thee, and made thee to glorifie him with obedience or vtterly destroyed thee.

God sent a mightie tempest into the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

This ship which was so faire and goodly euen now, is now like a poore ship tost & readie to be torne in peeces, such strife is al∣wayes betwixt Gods wrath and mans diso∣bedience. When Gods word will not turne vs, Gods sword must spurne vs.

I obserue that oftentimes many are puni∣shed for one mans sinne (as all the host of Is∣raell * 1.13 were punished for the sinne of Achan, and here all the mariners for Ionahs sinne.) &c. To the end that men might learne ther∣by to admonish one another when they see them do amisse, with loue: and not to say with Cain, am I the keeper of my brother? for he that is not carefull to keepe his bro∣ther * 1.14 from sinne, is not carefull to keepe him selfe from sinne, therefore let vs take heede that a wicked one be not found amōgest vs

vnadmonished. I would there were not ma∣ny worse then Ionah amongest vs. Will you know what I thinke of you? I thinke you are worse thē Infidels, Turkes, or Pagans, that in this wonderfull yeare of wonderful mercies, are not thankefull, do not beleeue in God, nor trust in him, nor glorifie his name: but like Pharoes sorcerers, who seeing the great workes of God which Moses ex∣pressed, * 1.15 passing their skill, confessed saying, surely this is the finger of God: so you confesse that it is the great worke of God (as you must needs,) but where is the fruites it hath brought forth in you? The Captaine saith, I haue done nothing, the souldier saith, I stur∣red not, but the Lord sent out a mighty tē∣pest vpon thē, & after that they escaped our handes, the Lord stretched out his might 〈◊〉〈◊〉 arme against them, and Pharao is drowned in the sea, so that he neuer attained the land of promise which he gaped for, and made full accompt to po••••esse. Further, herein we * 1.16 may note, that extremitie is Gods oportu∣nitie: for when the wind had almost ouer∣turned all, and the waters had almost drow∣ned all, and destruction had almost deuou∣red all, then, and not afore, was Gods opor∣tunitie, to set forth his glory. While the ship reeled, and the waters flushed, and the mari∣ners

shriked, Ionah slept in securitie and voyde of flying, which should haue admo∣nished all the rest, and repented of his sinne which was the cause thereof.

The ship was almost broken, but not al∣together brokē, and Ionah cast into the sea, and then was he not almost drowned, but altogether drowned, had not God prepared a great whale, which saued his life in a mi∣raculous maner, out of which God brought him foorth like Lazarus in his winding sheete, that he might glorifie God once a∣gaine, and see if he could finde the way to Niniuie.

The effectes, that this great tempest wrought were these. The ship was like to be brokē & the mariners were sore affrayd. The ship which was so strong that it might haue encountred with instrumēts of warre, and made so strong that it might be able to go many voyages, and indure great tem∣pestes and many waues, was now with one tempest and at one voyage in such a ta∣king, that they which were in it feared that it should haue been torne all to peeces, and so they should loose their ship, their liues, goods & all: & so vehement was the tēpest, that they were fully perswaded it was no cōmō nor ordinarie thing, but extraordina∣rie,

& for some extraordinarie cause sent v∣pon thē by some great diuine power. And the mariners (which liue in the sea almost * 1.17 like the fishes, and haue the waters as their necessariest element) now trēbled for feare, like women which shrike at euery stirre in the boat, & like little childrē when they are frighted. Now these couragious fellowes are brought downe by daunger, which de∣fied daunger, like a young souldier which starteth at the sound of a gunne.

Then the mariners were afrayd, and cryed euery man vnto his god, and cast the wares out that were in the ship to lighten it thereof. But Ionah was gone downe into the sides of the ship, and he lay downe, and was fast a sleepe.

This verse is deuided into two partes. The first, that the mariners at this sodaine storme were frighted and cast into amaze. The second as touching Ionah his sleeping. After that God had spokē gentlie vnto Io∣nah, & saw that his wordes would not moue him, the Lord sent out a mightie tempest like the messengers which were sent to cō∣pell folkes to come to the banquet: such a * 1.18 stirre hath God before he can come to his due, he is faine to summon vs by all his crea∣tures afore we will yeeld vnto his voyce.

They cryed eueryman vnto his God, and cast

forth their wares into the sea, &c.

This is no vsual matter among mariners, vntill they plead for life and death, for now or neuer they must besturre them. Euery one vnto his God: which sheweth that they were of diuers nations, for among the Gentiles euery natiō had a seuerall God whom they worshipped. Chamos was the god of the Moabites, & Belzebub the god of the Ebro∣nites, Dagon the god of the Philistines, and * 1.19 the Ephesians worshipped Diana. Whē the wicked see that all their inuentions will not bring their enterprises to passe according to their minde, but are in extremitie, and like to be cast away for want of succour, thē they flye vnto God being driuen by com∣pulsion as a beare vnto a stake, and they crouch and kneele, and make great shewes outwardly, of humiliation and pietie, all in hope of helpe from God, & as it were thin∣king to deceaue him by their hypocrisie.

In our necessitie we flie euerie one vnto * 1.20 his god (as these mariners) in whom we re∣pose our confidence: euerie one flieth vnto those vanities which most feed their humor, perswading them selues of sufficient releefe from them. Come Phisicke heale me; come musicke cheare me; come dainties seed me; come gold enrich me; come flatterie please

me; come mirth glad me; come honors ad∣uance me; & come all pleasures when I wish for you, come when I need and I will trust in you: so euery man doth flie vnto such va∣nities (in their necessitie) as they take most pleasure in, supposing that they are able of them selues to ease them: so leauing the crea∣tor which is all powerfull in him self, & run∣ning to his creatures, which haue no power saue that they receiue from him. Euerie one vnto his god. That is, in the time of necessi∣tie euerie one doth flie for helpe and ease vn∣to that, wherin he reposeth most confidēce: some run to their coffers, thinking that there it is that is able to procure ease frō any trou∣bles: other some run to their delights and wanton sports, supposing that there is no trouble so great, but it will ease them of it: some to their glorious attires & costly iew∣els, as thinking those can make them accep∣table in the sight of God: some to their dain∣tie meates: some to their soft beds and easie standings, &c. But when they begin to per∣ceiue that these wil not helpe, which they in all the time of their prosperity reposed their confidence in, and made more account off then God, then they begin to crouch and kneele, & to seeke out the true God in hope of releefe. If thou canst heale thy selfe, what

needest thou a phisitian? or if thou canst help thy selfe out of troubles, what neede hast thou of succour? Therefore these mariners seeing that they could not helpe themselues, cried vnto their gods, and laboured with all their strength that they might not be cast a∣way. First they vsed prayer vnto the diuine powers for assistance: then they vsed such ordinarie meanes as they knew best in such a time, by casting out their wares to lighten the ship of them, which rule is necessaire to be vsed of all Christians in their necessitie: * 1.21 first to seeke for ayde and assistance at the hands of God, and then to vse all such good meanes to helpe them selues, as God shal en∣able them to do, trusting that of his good∣nesse he will blesse their endeuors, else may they go ouer all the world to seeke helpe & haue none, for there is no other way. God in deed is last refuge, but he is also the first refuge which is to be sought vnto, for he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

And cried eueryman vnto his God.

They did wel in that they prayed, but they prayed not well, for they prayed euery man vnto his god, that is, vnto fayned gods, gods in name but not in nature, & such gods they were, as could not helpe so much as them selues.

And they cried. Which sheweth that their gods were deafe and could not heare them, no more then they could helpe them. Here is a distinctiō in prayer: the righteous pray when they are in need, but the vngodly rore and crie like beares without their pray, for they dispaire of helpe before they pray for it. Euerie mā vnto his god. They prayed much like the Papists, which in extremitie cry out * 1.22 some to one saint, some to another, some to saints some to Angels, for they thinke, if one will not helpe another will. But true prayer hath two wings, betweene which it must be carried vp to heauen, else it cannot ascend at * 1.23 all, namely faith and loue, without which no prayer can be acceptable or amiable before God. These cried and prayed, & their pray∣ers did beate the skie, but could not lay the tempest, yet their prayer is here noted, to shew the custome of naturall men: for the heathen do wel perceiue that there is a God, (nature and experiēce doth teach it them,) who hath made the stately and most glori∣ous frame of the world, with all the excel∣lent creatures therein, yet they know him not. For though the lamps be wasted since Adam cōsulted with the deuil that he might be a God, yet there is a litle light which still dwelleth in darknesse, like a sparke hid in

ashes. They would not haue prayed at all, but that nature taught them that there is a God, whose mightie power they beheld so expresly in all the creatures, that they ima∣gined it to be impossible for one God to worke them all: therfore they thought that there were diuerse gods as there were diuerse seasons, diuerse nations, diuerse trades, di∣uerse languages, diuerse and sundry kinds of all things; and so diuerse nations worship∣ped diuerse gods. Euerie of these mariners did now in their extremitie call vpon his god, euerie one vpon that god which he thought most highly off, and in whom he hath in his prosperitie reposed most confi∣dence. And now while none could help but * 1.24 one, they cried to many, and by this meanes while they sought to lay the tempest, they stirred it more: for their prayers being ido∣latrous, were so wicked, that it had bene suf∣ficient to prouoke the Lord vtterly to de∣stroy them, if his mercie were not wonder∣full * 1.25 ouer all his works, therefore blessed is he that hath the Lord for his God. What trou∣ble soeuer commeth vnto the child of God, yet he hath some consolation, patience, and moderation of mind, to beare it withall, but when the Lord sendeth aduersitie vnto the vngodly, they haue such a guiltie conscience,

that whē they feele the great hand of God, they are euen distracted of their wits, and made as it were senslesse, that they know not what they do: yea when trouble comes, it makes them like a heedlesse bee, which buz∣zeth about she knowes not whither, or like the swallow, which by compulsion of the wind, flyeth backward & forward till it fall into the sea, or like Cain whose head was giddie, that he knew not whither to go, fea∣ring to be slaine of euery one whom he * 1.26 seeth.

And cast the wares out that were in the ship into the sea.

Now the mariners are content to cast their wares into the sea, in hope of some furtherance to saue their liues thereby, for though many will venter their liues for riches, yet they rather part with all their riches then their liues. If I regard wicked∣nesse in my heart, saith Dauid, the Lord will * 1.27 not heare me. And Paule saith, though I cast my life into the fire if I haue no chari∣tie, if I retaine malice in my heart, it profi∣teth me nothing, if I cast not away sinne, I * 1.28 cast away all. Some will giue to the poore, and yet vse extortion and vsurie to get mo∣ney by: but God saith to such, that if they regard wickednesse in their hearts it profi∣teth

nothing. Though they thinke them selues beneficiall to the poore thereby, yet God will accept of them but as hypocrites, he will none of their oblations, vntill they haue humbled them selues and refor∣med their owne hearts before him from such vncleannesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iames 5. 5.
• * 1.2

  Mat. 12. 20.
• * 1.3

  Luk. 16. 21. 1. Sam. 25. 10. 11.
• * 1.4

  1. King. 22. 15. 35.
• * 1.5

  Pro. 15. 11. Iere. 23. 24.
• * 1.6

  Luke. 4. 7.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 141. 18 Isa. 13.
• * 1.8

  Iob. 1. 21.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 139. 7. 8. 9.
• * 1.10

  Iob. 5. 23.
• * 1.11

  Pro. 7. 22.
• * 1.12

  Le••it. 26. 18. 24. 28. 36. 37. 38. 39. &c.
• * 1.13

  Ios. 7. 5. 12. Many pu∣nished for ones sinne, therefore suffer sinne in none.
• * 1.14

  Gen. 4. 9.
• * 1.15

  Exod. 8. 19.
• * 1.16

  Mans ex∣tremitie, Gods opor∣tunitie.
• * 1.17

  Marine•• like the fishes.
• * 1.18

  Luk. 14. 23.
• * 1.19

  1. Sam. 5. 5. Act. 19. 35.
• * 1.20

  In necessitie euery one flyes to that he hath con∣fidence in.
• * 1.21

  In necessitie first pray, thē vse law, full meanes.
• * 1.22

  Papistes to their sundrie Saints.
• * 1.23

  Prayers wings to bring it to heauē: faith and loue.
• * 1.24

  Seeking to lay the tem∣pest, they in∣crease it.
• * 1.25

  Psal. 144. 15.
• * 1.26

  Gen. 4.
• * 1.27

  Psal. 66. 18 1. Cor. 13. 3.
• * 1.28

  Cast away sinne or tho•• castest a∣way all.