Two sermons preached by Master Henry SmithTvvo sermons preached by Master Henry Smith

But Jonah rose up to fly to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

But Ionah rose vp to flie to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

We cannot stand to speak of Tarshish, nor what it is to fly from God, but this shall be our meditation: Jonah the Prophet was commanded to go to Nineveh, and there to cry out against sin, to preach against pride, and all kind of ungodliness, thereby to reclaim them, and stir them up, in laying open their sin, and the punishment that banged over them, that they might speedily repent, and so turn away from them the wrath of God thereby deserved. How beautiful should have been the feet of him that should have brought so powerful a message, as should have wrought such an happy effect? How blessed should Nineveh have been ⟨image 59⟩when the Lord had vouchsafed them so great mercy? but still one fly or other mars the whole box of ointment: As soon as he was commanded to go thither, Satan stood in the gap, and enticed him to go to Tarshish, for he thought, that if he could let Jonah from going ¹to Nineveh, then first of all he should put a singular Prophet out of Gods favour, and bring upon him some judgement, not only inward, as torment of conscience, decay of gifts, or the like: but visible also, whereby the people to whom he had preached, might think he was some false Prophet, as they are ever ready to condemn for hated of God, whom they see grievously afflicted. And so secondly the people should be hardened in their sins, and obstinately condemn ever after, him, his like, and their preaching too. And thirdly, the godliest, the most populous, & the wealthiest City in Assyria should be destroyed, the good with the wicked, the young with the old, one with another, all should unrepentant die in their sins, and so the very Angels in heaven should mourn. So that he thought he should by stopping Jonah, every way gain well by his labour.

We cannot stand to speake of Tarshish, nor what it is to flie from God, but this shall be our meditation: Ionah the Prophet was commaunded to goe to Niniuie, and there to cry out against sin, to preach against pride, and all kind of vngodlinesse, thereby to reclaime them, and stirre them vp, in laying open their sinne, and the punishment that banged ouer them, that they might speedily repent, and so turne away from them the wrath of God thereby deserued. How beautifull should haue beene the feete of him that should haue brought so powerfull a message, as should haue wrought such an happy effect? How blessed should Niniuie haue beene