lingeringly and by degrees they consume and eat the moth by eating now one thread and then another in the Garment prepares it with much ease to be rend and torn in pieces and the worme in the Tree soon eats out the heart it causeth it to rot and prepares it to the fire God by smaller and lesser Judgments would be as a moth and a worme to that people but when Ephraim shall see his sickness and Judah his wound that is when they shall perceive the weaknesse of their Kingdom and decay of their State if they make not the right use thereof in repenting and returning to the Lord but will trust to their own Councels and put their trust in their own Confederacies and go to Assyria or King Jareb for succour I will then be saith God to Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the House of Judah I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue he will be terrible in his future Judgments for making no better use of the former And Amos to the same purpose Amos 4.6 12. Explained Cap. 4.6 I have given you cleanness of teeth in all your Cities and want of bread in all your Places yet you have not returned unto me saith the Lord that is I have endeavoured to reclaime you by afflictions and therefore have sent want and scarcity amongst you yet that did not amend you then I added to your hunger thirst I have withholden the rain from you so that two or three Cities wandered unto one City to drink water but they were not satisfied but yet you have not returned to me saith the Lord vers 7.8 Then I smot you with blasting and mildew your Gardens and your Vineyards and your Figg-Trees and your Olive Trees did the Palmer worm devour I punished you in all these things wherein you took any delight and might any way refresh you under that calamity which I layd upon you and yet you have not returned unto me saith the Lord vers 9. I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Aegygpt a very noysome and deadly Pestilence such a one as I plagued the Land of Aegypt withall ver 10. this was a soarer Judgment then the former yet they returned not to the Lord God proceeds yet higher I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah that is by the fire of the Assyrians as Sodome and Gomorrah were destoyed by fire from Heaven and those of them of Samaria that were left out of the common destruction were but as a brand snatcht out of the fire miserably burnt and scorched yet you returned not unto me saith the Lord vers 11. All this doing no good therefore this will I do unto thee O Israel vers 12. that is I am resolved to do this that I have foretoâ—d by my Prophets I will take you away with hooks and your Posterity with fishhooks as it was said before vers 2. I will execute upon thee the severest of all my Vengeanâ—es and by the Assyrian snarch you out of your own Country as the fish is caught up out of the water by the hock of the Angler And thus God proceeded by degrees from the lesse to the greater with the ten Tribes by one Judgment warning them of another And such warnings have we had from time to time easier afflictions were bittered amongst us before extreamity of mischief seised on us The moth and the Timber-worme were many years at work before the Lyon roared and the young Lyon seised upon the prey This Nation hath bin moth-eaten for divers years Trading hath much decayed whereof great complaint hath bin a long time made illegal Taxes and Impositions we have groaned under Monopolists and corrupt Officers like moths and timber-worms have eaten into our estates c. yet all this did us no good God hath smote this Nation with scarcity and famine within these few years albeit in a moderate way It hath not bin like the scarcity that was in Aegypt he hath seemed onely to pick those teeth that were furred and sowled with excesse 2 King 6.25 we have not yet seen with our eyes an Asses head sold for 80 pieces of silver and a Cab of Dovesdung for 20 peices nor have we heard of any Mother amongst us that hath rewomb'd and reintomb'd the fruit of her body for want of sood yet famine and scarcity hath â—odd up and down this Kingdom upon her black Horse with a paire of Ballances in her hand Revel 6.5 sometimes clad in a roab of immoderate rain and showers drowning our Lands provision sometimes bearing on her shoulders Heavens of Brasse and treading under her feet the Earth of Iron sometimes attended with Catterpillars innumerable and other such like Creatures to eat up and devour the fruit that the Earth brought forth for our sustenance so that we have sowed much Rev. 6.6 Ealightened and brought forth little we have seen a measure of wheate for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny Rev. 6.6 The penny was the Labourers hire allowed for his dayes work Math. 20.9 Math. 20.9 and was as much as our twelve pence as some think others conceive it to be lesse And the measure was so much as was allowed for a Servant every day for his maintenance now it must needs go very hard with the poor Labourer when having wife and Children to maintain the wages of his dayes labour would do no more then provide Bread for his own mouth when he shall rise early to eat the Bread of carefulnesse and yet at night upon his returne from his soar labour Stow Chro. of Eng. in the 5. year of the Conquer 1069. Hen. 3.18.1234 Edw. 2.9.1316 Hen. 6.18.1440 Hen. 8.18.1527 Rev. 6.8 Deut. 32.22 23. Num. 16.46 2 Sam. 24.1 1. Psal 78.50 Gen. 41.48 56. Ruth 1.1 Ps 91.5 6. B. B. Hall his Sermon of thanksgiving on Ps 68.19 20. have Bread to care for Of such a scarcety we have larely tasted yeâ— and somewhat worâ—e then so aâ—beit the extremiâ—y of Famine which our Chronicles mention England hath been afflicted withal we have not lately tasted albeit we have deserved it God hath been very moderate therein as if he had given that charge unto Famine The Wine and the Oyl hurt thou not And yet we have not returned unto God We being nothing bettered by this scourge Pestilence hath issued forth upon his Pale horse killing with sicknesses and death thousands and ten thousands in the streets A Judgment that alwaies manifests God's wrath and heavy indignation against a people as appears Deut. 32.22 23. Numb 16.46 2 Sam. 24. 1. Psal 78.50 Store-houses may serve against Famine Gen. 41.48 56. or another Country may preserve us from it Ruth 1.1 But in this contagion of the Pestilence at home our houses stifle us abroad the aire infects us it flyeth by night and killeth at noon day Psal 91.5 6. It leaves the
Sometimes the Condition is not expressed but is Included and so to be understood Gen. 20.3 So Gen. 20.3 Abimelech thou art but a dead man because of the Woman which thou hast taken He conceiveth aright of this commination restoreth Abraham his wife untouched Abraham prayes for him and Abimelech was spared Ver. 17. Jer. 26.18 19. Lalightned and he and his Family were healed ver 17. In the daies of Hezekiah God threatned that Zion should be as a plowed field and Jerusalam be layed on heaps and the mountains of the House the high places of a Forrest i.e. the Temple should be ruinated the City desolated and the whole Kingdom utterly overthrown Here no Condition was expressed but the King and his People understood that threatning to be Conditionall and therefore they besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of that evill which he had denounced against them Jer. 26.18.19 The like we have Isa 38.1 Hezekiah was commanded to make his Will Isa 38.1 and put his House in order For thou shalt dy not live saith the Prophet The good King conceived aright of the message albeit no Condition was exprest he turns his face to the Wall prayes and weeps Ver. 5. and then God sends a new message to him and addeth to his daies fifteen years ver 5. And such was that Jon. 3.4 Yet forty daies and Nineveh shall be destroyed Jon. 3.4 The King though a Heathen and Idolatrous yet conceiving aright of this threat fasted prayed and repented and Nineveh stood 40 years after that And thus are we to understand the threatnings Generally that are made against Sins and Sinners Comminations and Threatnings are the heaviest Texts that we can light upon in the Scriptures and they are the saddest and heaviest Commentaries saith a great Divine of our own that a man can make upon these Texts When God hath awakened a man out of his Dream Dr. Donn 2. Vol. p. 71 and rowsed him up out of the Bed of his security he suffers him to read to the Quia but not to the Tamen he comes to see a Reason of that Threatning of that Judgment that shall befall him but not to see the Remedy His Eye is carried to an hundred places of Commination against such sins as the Land is guilty of or himself is guilty of and there makes a Period a full stop But he reads not with a Comma he makes it not as an imperfect Sentence he takes not in what followes either expresly or implicitely he takes not in the Remedy the Relief Yet turn to God by Humiliation by Prayer then God will turn to you How heavy soever God's threatnings are against a Nation or any Particular Person in that Nation yet still there is room for David's Question Quis scit Who knoweth whether God will be gratious or no 2 Sam. 12.22 2 Sam. 12.22 There is no room for it as it is a Question of diffidence and distrust every one of us must know it and believe it that there are Conditions upon which the Lord will be gratious Be they spoken never so peremptory and set down never so absolutely yet God hath reserved to himself power of Revocation in case he be sought unto by Prayer Repentance Secondly Know that God's eternall Decree takes in the Means as well as the End so that according to God's Decree when his threatning of ruine and desolation is gone out against a Land or Nation Prayer and other Means falling in to hinder Execution Mutat sententiam non decretum Greg. Mar. l. 2. c. 24. His decree stands and the present sentence only falls It alters not what God hath decreed to do but effects it and accomplisheth his purposes Nor are his threatnings made voyd and of none effect when by Prayer and Repentance the execution of them are stayed but then rather are they most effectuall for then they do most of all accomplish their proper end and the thing for which they were principally intended But if God threaten one thing and doth another Object it seems that either he hath two wills or else his will is changeable The Will of God is but One Resp. 1 Cor. 12.4 5. as he is One but as there is one spirit yet diversity of manifestations So this one will of God doth exercise and extend it self diversly and upon divers Objects and so it may be said to be manifold as His wisdom is said to be Eph. 3.10 It is usually distinguished into Secret and Revealed which Distinction is grounded on that of Moses Deut. 29.29 Deut. 29.19 The Secret Will of God is of things hidden in Himself and not manifested in His Word The revealed Will of God is of things made known in the Scriptures or by daylie experience and event The secret Will of God is Absolute and peremptory without any condition and alwayes effected no man can hinder it the Devils themselves are subject unto it but that is secret and not our rule to walk by His Revealed Will is with condition and for the most part is joyned with Exhortation Admonition Instruction and Reprehension This is said to be four-fold First His Determining Will What shall become of us Ephes 1.5 Secondly His Prescribing Will What he requires of us Ephes 1.5 Ephes 1.9 Math. 18.14 1 Cor. 1.1 Rom. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13.22 Ephes 1.9 Thirdly His Approving Will by which he gratiously accepts and tenderly regards us Math. 18.14 Fourthly his Disposing Will which is the Will of his Providence 1 Cor. 1.1 Rom. 1.10 It is said of David that he should fulfiill all Gods Wills for so it runs in the Original resigning himself over to God's determining Will as the highest cause of all things resting in his approving Will as his chiefest happinesse obeying his prescribing Will as the most absolute form of holinesse and subjecting himself to his disposing Will with all patience but all this is spoken to our Capacities for the weaknesse of our understandings Psal 39.9 who cannot conceive how God doth after a divers manner Will and not Will the same thing His Will is still one and the same and not two Non est De Volunt as d diversa se loquutio diversa est de voluntate Mag. Sent. l. 1. Dist 45.46 but rather two several parts of God's one and most simple Will and are so far from being repugnant or contrary the one to the other as that they do most fitly and subordinttely agree one with another But we hasten to make some Application of the Point If Gods threatning and complaining time should be our praying time and his complaints and threatnings bring us upon our knees Then without question there was never more need to seek unto God by humble prayer and supplication than now Use 1 God threatens us for our wickednesse calls upon us to behold the wrong that he suffers in his Name by our unprofitablenesse Behold saith God
his Serm. preached before the House of Parliament Ap. 5. 1628. p. 22. Trop in Math. 17. Vers 27. Mich. 6.9 and that to the Commons House of Parliament in a Sermon that he Preached before them at a publique Fast And his Observation upon it is That such a Book should in such a manner and to such a place and at such a time be sent when by reason of Peoples confluence out of all parts notice might be given to all places of the Land can be construed for no lesse then a divine warning and to have this Voyce with it England prepare for the Crosse And what may we think of the coming up of that fish of an extraordinary biggness almost to the City of London there taken and killed this year 1658. Surely the sending of this fish so near the City hath a voyce to the City The Lord give us wise hearts to hear it and understand the meaning Fiftly Our home-bred divisions and distractions civil Rents and garboyles factions and fractions in Church and State are no other then warnings of God's heavy displeasure Lament 4.16 1 King 12. The anger of the Lord hath divided them saith Jeremiah Lament 4.16 In Rehoboams Reign division amongst Councellours caused the rending of the Tribes ten from two and that rending ruined all So whilst Israel was hot against Judah and Judah against Israel the King of Syria came and smote both whilst the Frogg and the Mouse are fighting for the prey the greedy Kite devours both it and them In the Church who sees not and seeing laments not unlesse they be such as cry Raze it raze it even to the ground The difference in Judgment and Opinion that is amongst us which is carryed with such heat that like brinish lights we spit fire in the faces of one another and so it may be feared will continue till we be extinct and go out in a stinch and smoak In short not a City not a Town of note not a Village scarce a Family if any whitt numerous that is not divided the Husband against the Wife the Wife against the Husband Father against Child and Child againâ—â— Father c. and can we look upon these divisions without great thought of heart doth is not cry aloud in our cars that a Kingdome a Church a Family divided against it self cannot stand Division is a thick black Cloud that threatens â—estruction what is divisible is corruptible Omne Divisible est corruptibile is a dictate in Nature And Religion teacheth that the Daughter of Division is desolation saith Nazianzene and holds true in all States and Societies whatsoever Sixthly Innovation alteration and change of a good Government for a worse either in Church or State Isa 3.1 9. Explained Vers 2.3 is a Testimony of God's heavy displeasure So we read Isa 3.1 9. I will take away from Jerusalem the stay and the staff anâ— what he means there by stay and staff he shews vers 2.3 The mâ—ghty man and the man of War the Judge and the Prophet and the Prudent and the Antient c. such as are as stakes in the hedge and keep it from reeling and shall substitute in their room Children and Babes to Rule as you have it vers 4. that is Vers 4 such as are inept and unexperienced for Government Then followes as the effect of this Oppression and Sedition one neighbour shall oppress another every one his Brother the Child shall behave himself proudly-against the Antient and the Babe against the Hunourable Vers 5 vers 5. no respect shall be had of mens callings and conditions every one shall seek to have Magistrates after their own hearts and not after God's and choose to themselves Governours when they best fancy thinking thereby to repair their ruins and have their Liberties restored Vers 6 vers 6. the turbulencies and discontentments of the People shall be such as that none shall be found either fit or willing to take upon them the administration of the Kingdome and the Government of so head-strong and seditions a people vers 7. when it is thus with a Nation and Oh that it were not so with ours Vers 7 then this presageth the fall of that People and their ruine is at hand Vers 8 as you have it vers 8. Jerusalem is ruin'd and Judah is fallen because their tongues and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory I may not say that it is thus with us but this I may say Our present condition is as like it as if it were the same God hath taken from us our chief staff and stayes our principal Goâ—ernours gravest Judges wisest Counsellours ablest Divines and that within these few years a sad presage that some great evil will befall us Isa 57.1 Isa 57.1 God seldome beheads a State but it is for Treason The Heart Plotts it the Hand Acts it but it is the Head that payes for it How weary were we growen of a good Monarchical Government under which we prospered and flourished for many years which indeed is the best forme of Government under Heaven You weary said Themistocles to the Athenians of receiving so many Benefits by one man Indeed we were weary and longed for a change we had it and were as soon weary of that we longed for as Ammon was of his Sister Thamar after he had enjoyed his longing or lusting rather And now as Sampson did by the jaw bone of the Asse Judg. 15.17 19. which he flung away after he had slain therewith many of the Philistins he being a thirst and ready to dye for want of water upon Gods command returns to his jaw-bone again and thence hath water to refresh him we are returned to that Government which we despised from which if ever we look for comfortable refreshment we must find it and yet still we are a discontented people nothing will please us and who can but look upon this as an evident token of God's heavy wrath and displeasure against us When Bees make a great humming noyse it is likely they will forsake their Hives and are about to take their flight Seventhly and Lastly God hath warned us by many lesser and lighter Judgments that have befallen us 1 Sam. 20.20 which are like to the lighting of Jonathan's arrows one beyond the other and call upon us to provide with all speed for our own safety God dealeth with man herein after the manner of men he usually taketh a distress by gentle and fatherly corrections before he takes out an Execution by greater Judgments God was unto Ephraim as a moth in the Garment and unto the House of Judah as a worme in the Tree which caused rottennesse before he was to Ephraim as a Lyon Hos 5.12.14 Explained and as a young Lyon to the House of Judah to teare and go away with the prey Hos 5.12 14. The moth in the Garment and the worme in the Timber are but small Creatures yet
from which the Similitude is taken The second is the Root The Intention or purpose of the Parable The drift or scope of it beyond which the similitude may not be extended The third is the Fruit or profit which is to be gathered from it and that ariseth from both the former for the very Letter of the Parable will afford some good matter for heavenly meditation But in the Letter we may not rest the Rind is modesty to be put aside the Vaile is to be drawn and the spiritual Sense is especially to be perused Take we notice then of the Mystical meaning of what is here propounded to us in this Parabolical way under this Similitude A certain man had a Figg-tree Text. The Mystical sense c. By this Man understand we the God of Heaven who is so termed not that he is so or hath any humane shape but for the Capacity and comfort of men on earth he is pleased to resemble himself to man and ascribe unto himself sundry positions notions and transitions of men and so to speak in mans Language that he may be the better understood by man Lex loquitur liuguam filiocum hominum Here he resembles himself unto a Husbandman to set forth his care over his Church which is here resembled unto a Vineyard This Vineyard is the Church Catholique here on earth and so it is often termed in Scripture Psal 80.7 9. Isa 5.7 Math. 21.33 45. Psal 24.1 2 95 4 5. Deut. 9.26 29. Psal 33.12 68 9 78 62 71 79 1. 106 5. as Psal 80.8 9. Isa 5.7 Math. 21.33.45 And however the whole earth be the Lords and the fulnesse thereof as we read Psal 24.1 2 95 4 5. Yet this Vineyard the Church he termeth his Inreritance as if he counted himself to be owner onely of that Deut. 9.26 29. Psal 33.12 68 9 78 62 71 79 1 106 5. This Figg-tree planted and fited in his Vineyard is principally intended of the Jewish Nation but more generally to be extended to every Particular Church and Congregation yea to every Individium or Particular Person that professe themselves members of the Church Catholique and live within the pale of it saith Austin The Dresser of this Vineyard mentioned is to be understood of Christ principally and primarily and of the whole Company of Prophets Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel secundarily who are all the Under-Dressers of it and though many yet by an Enallage numeri are summ'd up in one Dresser not Dressers The fruit expected is faith and good works as is shewed Isa 5.2 Math. 21.34 This fruit God finds not but the contrary Isa 5.2 Math. 21.34 Isa 5.7 The three years spoken of in reference to the Jews may not amisse I conceive be understood of the time of Christs publique Ministery amongst them which had now bin three years and upwards And his comming for fruit of his several goings up to Jerusalem at three solemn Passovers year by year John 2.13 John 5.1 John 6.4 for three years together But in reference to us that live under the Gospel I understand that large proportion of time which God allowes to us for our Repentance and producing of the fruits of Faith and Obedience Three being put for many a definite for an indefinite a certain for an uncertain number as elsewhere we find 2 Cor. 12.8 2 Cor. 12.8 The Cutting down of this Figg-tree as it respected the Jewish Synagogue and state sets forth the utter subversion and extirpation of it with the destruction of the City and Temple by the Romans But as it concerns us so it notes the Lord's rejecting and casting off a people for their barrennesse according to that we read Heb. 6.8 Heb. 6.8 The year craved for sparing of it in respect of the Jews is thought by some to be that very year when as Christ propounded this Parable unto them which was the fourth current of his publique Preaching but better they who understand it of the time of the Apostles preaching amongst them after Christ's death and before the destruction of Jerusalem One year put for forty saith Cajetan And in Relation unto us we understand it of the time of Gods patient forbearing of us obtained by the Prayers of Gods faithful Servants notwithstanding our manifold provocations The Digging dunging about the Jewish Figg-tree sets forth unto us the paines and labours that Christs Apostles and faithful Servants bestowed on that people to bring them to Repentance immediately after the Death of Christ and so likewise it denotes the paines and labours that the Ministers of the Gospel now take about the Christian Figg-tree for the fructification of it All this with other particulars we shall God willing declare more fully in the Prosecution and Explication of each part in order And first of the Preface He spake also this Parable Text. Which words are the words of the Evangelist and not the immediate words of Christ Obs and yet no lesse to be esteemed the word of God then that which Christ spake with his own mouth Of all holy Writ it is Generally said 2 Pet. 1.21 Luke 1.70 Heb. 1.1 Exod. 4.12 Jer. 1.9 Acts 1.16 Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 In the old time God spake by his Prophets Luke 1.70 Heb. 1.1 I will be with thy mouth said God to Moses Exod. 4.12 I have put words into thy mouth said God to Jeremiah Jer. 1.9 The Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David said Peter Act. 1.16 And this is true also of those who wrote the New Testament for all Scripture is given by inspiration from God 2 Tim. 3.16 saith Paul 2 Tim. 3.16 Gods spirit did suggest and dictate both for matter and manner whatsoever they wrote or delivered for Doctrine It is not you that speake but the spirt of my Father which speaketh in you saith Christ Math. 10.28 Math. 10.28 I do not say that all things which these holy men wrote were written by divine inspiration for some things which they wrote were written humanely as their humane affaires common to them with other men Robins Essay of the Holy Scripture Obs 8. required nor was all which they spake suggested by the spirit immediately neither was all wherein they were divinely inspired both in preaching and writing brought into the publique treasury of the Church and made a part of Canonical Scripture but onely so much as the Lord in wisdome saw requisite to leave to his Church as the Rule of Faith and Obedience so as that the Scripture should neither be defective through brevity nor yet burthensome by too great largenesse and prolixity But this I say that whatsoever we find written in the Holy Scripture albeit upon some special occasion penned by the Pen-men thereof as this Preface was is no lesse to be esteemed than the word of the eternal God than that which
they bring forth no fruit and these kind of branches soon dye and admit of a cutting off not having the sap of grace ministered unto them from the stock Others are bearing-branches such as are both externally and internally engrafted into Christ and receive sap from him and bring forth fruit in him These shall live and abide for ever And unlesse thou beest such a branch engrafâ—ed into Christ by a true and lively faith and made one with him as the Branch is with the Vine Thou wilt perish eternally for all thy outward Profession How these may be known from the other we shall shew you afterwards Lastly If the Church be as a Vineyard despicable when it hath left bearing Oh! then look unto your selves that you cast not your leaves and become barren Indeed there is no Vine but hath a Winter season but still the sap remaines in the Root and after it is cut and hath bled it recovers it self again and brings forth abundantly as before In case it do not it is good for nothing but for the fire as God shews Ezekiel in that Parable Ezek. 15. Ezek. 15. Hast thou then bin forward and fruitful in works of piety mercy c. but now hast given over bearing make use of God's corrections bleed for thy provocations and recover those things that are ready to dye in thee for fear burning be thy end And so much of the Uses which we may make of the Allegory in general in that the Church is resembled to a Vineyard Now something of the Unity of it and Gods propriety and Interest therein would be said Vineyard Text. It was One not Vineyards many And from hence we may conclude that The Church of Christ is one Doct. and but one My Dove my undefiled is but one saith Christ of his Church and she the only one of her Mother Cant. 6.8 9. And yet there were threescore Queens and fourscore Concubines and Virgins without number Cant. 6.8 9. As if Christ should say There are a great number of people and Nations of Churches and Assemblies Dr. Hall Paraph. in loc which challenge my name and love and seem to plead a great Interest in me and much worth in themselves Yet thou my true and chaff Spouse pure and undefiled in the truth of my Doctrine and the imputation of my holinesse art one in thy self and the onely one in my love Thou art she that Gal. 4.24 Jerusalem which is above us all acknowledgeth for her onely true and dear Daughter Psal 144.15 Psal 87.3 Joh. 10.16 1 Tim. 3.15 1 Cor 12.12 Eph. 1.23 Object Gal. 1.22 Rev. 1.20 and whom all Forraine Assemblies which might seem to be Rivals with tâ—ee of this praise do applaud and blesse in this estate saying Blessed is this people whose God is their Lord. And thus it is termed a City not Cities A Sheepfold not Sheepfolds A House not Houses One body Mystical not many And it is an Article of our Faith to believe the holy Catholique Church not Churches But we read of Churches Paul was unknown by face as he saith unto the Churches of Judea which were in Christ Gal. 1.22 So Revel 1.20 The seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches How then is the Church but one The multiplicity of Particular Churches do not hinder the unity of the Catholique all these are but parts of it Resp Multae Ecclesiae una Ecclesia Aug. as one tree that hath several arms and branches Many stones make but one house many houses one City many Cities one Kingdom so many men one particular Congregation many Congregations one visible Church many Churches one Catholique One. Or as the Ocean-Sea is but one in it self yet running by divers Countries and Coasts hath the name according to the Coast it runs by As the English Sea the Irish Sea the German Sea c. yet all but one Sea So we distinguish of Churches yet all is but one and the same One Catholique Church and no more For it hath one Head and no more Reas Eph. 1.22 2 21. Colos 1.18 2 19. Christ is the alone Head of his Church and can have no other partner to share with him in this Dignity Ephes 1.22 2 21. Colos 1.18 2 19. It is great arrogancy in the Pope to Style himself Caput Ecclesiae the head of the Church But they distinguish of Heads There is a Principal and a Ministerial Head the Pope is onely the Ministerial Christ the Principal But the Prerogative of the Head is not to serve and minister but to command and govern In different respects one may be said to have divers heads for besides the natural head which every man hath he hath a Spiritual Head which is God and a Politick Head which is the Soveraign Magistrate but there is nothing in the World that can have two Heads of the same respect and rank but it is a Monster and so should the Church be if it had both Christ and the Pope for Heads Albeit one be above and another under as they pretend for that their Headships is of one and the same kind Spiritual Secondly It is One for that all the godly are Mystically united into one Body Ephes 4.15 16. Rom. 12.4 5. 1 Cor. 12.12 13 20 27. Gal. 3.28 1 Cor. 10.17 As we are knit to the Head by Faith so are we knit one to another by Love and Charity The members of the body are many some have a higher place and more honourable Office than others yet the Body is but one So is it in the Church Jew and Gentile Bond Free Male Female all one in Christ Gal. 3.28 This is lively testified and expressed in the Use of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10.17 We being many are one bread and one body many graines of wheat go to make one loaf and many members make up the body of Christ And as one body can have but one head so one head but one body Thirdly It is one in respect of the visible profession of the same service to God holding the same entire Doctrine of Fundamental Faith and Religion acknowledging one and the same God believing in one and the same Father even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and one Saviour and Mediator betwixt God and Man having one Hope one Faith one Baptisme one Spirit to quicken us Ephes 4.4 5. and one Law to guide and rule us Ephes 4.4 5. Now let us briefly Apply this Basil Reports with astonishment what he found by experience in his travails Ascet p. 186. that when in all Arts and Sciences and Societies he saw peace and agreement yet onely in the Church of Christ for which he died he found discord Vse 1 Needs must their sin be great who break the Churches unity by their heretical opinions and make a rent in her by Schismatical distractions This was the disease of the Church of Corinth she fell asunder
without mans fault and sin and so Aggravates More Particularly you shall see the Point proved in sundry Instances This aggravated the sins of the Old World as appears by that of Peter 1 Epist 3.20 God waited all the while that the Ark was preparing expecting their amendment and turning 1 Pet. 3.20 but they jeared when they should have feared and so the Flood came and swept all except eight souls from off the Earth and it was layd to the charge of Israel Jer. 8.7.8 as an aggravating circumstance of their wickednesse Jer. 8.7 8. the Fouls of the aire are preferred before them as having more skill to know their time and observe it than they had and it is rendred as one cause of their great Fall They should so fall as to rise no more vers 4. And this was that which Christ bewayled with reats over Jerusalem Luke 19.41 42. Oh! Luke 19.41 42. Enlightened if thou hadst known at least in this thy Day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes This was no small aggravation of Jerusalems sin that she knew not what concerned her happinesse No not on that their Day that time that was now lent unto them that Christ was amongst them and did Preach unto them And what was likely to follow thereupon Christ shews in the words following Thy enemies shall cast a bank about thee c. And the reason of all these fearful Judgments that would befall them is this because thou knewest not that is wouldst not know the time of thy Visitation Revel 2.21 This likewise did aggravate the sin of that Jezabel of whom we read Revel 2.21 God gave Her space to Repent of Her fornication but She had neither bea rt nor grace to make good use of it for which God threatens to cast Her upon a Bed of sickness and inflict a grievous Disease upon Her Vers 22.23 and plague all those that commit adultery with Her with many soare Judgments and that He would sweep away her followers the Children of her fornication with violent death vers 22.23 and all for that she despised this mercy of making good use of that time granted to Her to bring forth the Fruit of Repentance I shall not need to insist any longer upon the proof of the Point being in these few Instances sufficiently cleared I shall onely render you the reason of it and then come to apply it Reas 1 It is a controuling of Gods Wisdom who layes out for us the fittingest season He is the Disposer of times and hath appointed them as Job speaks of this Life Job 14.14 all the dayes of my appointed time But this choyce of God for us we sleight and think he hath not given us a due and fitting portion of time we will choose for our selves Secondly The greater the mercy is the greater is the sin in the contempt of it To neglect the time affoarded for our good is a despising of the Riches of Gods goodnesse and mercy saith the Apostle Rom. 2.4 we are said to despise a thing not onely when we set it at nought Act. 13.41 Prov. 15.5 Prov. 5.30 1 Thes 5.20 and make leight accuont thereof as Acts 13.41 Behold you despisers and wonder But likewise when we neglect to make the good use thereof which we ought So Children that follow not their Parents Counsel are said to despise it So the leight regarding and carelesse hearing of the word is a despising of it Prov. 1.30 1 Thes 5.20 And so in this Case we despise the Riches of Gods mercy when we make not the right use of his patience and long-sufferance in being led thereby unto repentance And how provoking a sin that is I shall hereafter shew you but for the present leave it to your felves to consider of And now let us put what hath bin said to some Use Use 1 By this it may appear that long-life is not alwayes a blessing it may be given for the hurt of the owner To the wicked it is not a blessing through their own default it may be prolonged and continued to fill up the measure of their sin as in the next verse shall be shewed Use 2 If this be such an aggravating Circumstance of the sin of sterility and barrennesse in not bearing and bringing forth fruits meet for Repentance and new Obedience then it makes exceedingly against this sinful Land in general and many of us living within the pale of the Church in special What Nation under Heaven hath God come so near unto in mercy in this respect as he hath to us What a long Jubilee hath this land enjoyed Jer. 13.27 how long hath God waited expecting our amendment saying as Jer. 13. last When shall it once be Not onely three years but threescore yea fourscore years and upwards have we enjoyed Halcyon dayes to the admiration of all other Nations of the World Under the Reign of Queen Elizabeth we had a flourishing Land and Church for the space of 44 years and 4 months Under the Reign of King James 22 years the Church of England flourished Under the Reign of King Charles almost 23 years 11 months till a Cloud overcast our Sun All which time we have had our standing and yet do remain in his Vineyard a growing Figg-Tree but whether this fourth year be the year of reprieve God only knows but we have cause to fear it for the time of fruit is not yet Acts 5.31 We read Acts 9.31 that when the Church had a little rest throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria they were edified and walking in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost they were multiplyed But hath it bin so with us Indeed the long time of peace enjoyed hath bin an edifying time we have improved it to edifying and building never so much in any Age within such a space of time but what edifications have we reared Surely sieled Houses for our selves glorious Structures goodly Fablicks for the credit of our Worships which we have Built by the strength of our Purses as Nebuchadnezzar did great Babylon by the might of his Power and for the honour of his Majesty Every City Town Village is graced with such but the House of God lyes wast the inward Temple of our souls is not kept in good reparation Isa 1.8 It is like a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers like a be sieged City Isa 1.8 But I shall come somewhat closer and with Athanasius and Theophylact apply these three years to the three Ages of man Youth Manhood and Old Age and endeavour to give you a taste of the Fruit that is produced by us in each of these Years or Ages which being done I hope we shall be convinced of much guilt that lyes upon us by reason of our neglect of the time allotted us for Fruit. As for out Infancy and Childhood spent in misery and folly and ratled
threatned do not presently befall you you are ready to conceive that we have but deluded and affrighted you with needless fears It was thus with the ten Tribes as we read Jer. 23.33 God sent his Prophets to them to forewarn them of those Judgments which afterwards befel them Jer. 23.33 40. Ealightned and Explained whose predictions and prophesies and denunciations were usually termed Burthens and because these Judgments denounced did not presently fall upon them they began to scoff and mock the Prophets when they came unto them and to say in scorn Now Prophet What is the burden of the Lord what is the burden you now bring Say unto them saith the Lord This is the burden of the Lord I will even forsake you that is I will urterly cast you off and that you shall find to be burden enough Would you have yet more weight upon you why then as it is elegantly and emphatically added vers 36. every man's word shall be his burthen that is that which he saith shall be that which shall be laid to his charge his scorning his idle questioning of the Prophet What burden now What Sword What Famine What Pestilence Is not all Quiet all at Peace all well with us for all your crying out of tune out of season Wo Wo Well saith God your mocking and deriding of those denunciations and forewarnings in the mouths of my Prophets shall be your burthen and aggravate those Judgments that shall befall you and seeing you say this word the burden of the Lord I have sent unto you my Prophets and charged them saying you shall not say any more unto them The burden of the Lord vers 38. that is they shall not bestow any more such care upon you as to tell you that the Lord threatens you And this is a heavier burden then the former Gods presence in anger His frowning and threatning yea smiting and punishing is heavy but God's absence and dereliction is a farr heavier burden for mark what follows vers 39. Therefore Behold I even I will utterly forget you and I will forsake you and that City that I gave you and your Fathers and cast you out of my presence and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetual shame which shall not be forgotten Now the Lord look in mercy upon us and forgive us this sin in despising these warnings which he hath given us and doth daylie yet give us by the mouths of his faithful Ministers Secondly He hath warned us by himself more immediately by wonders from Heaven Joel 2.30 Blood and Fire and Pillars of Smoak strange and fiery impressions in the Aire our eyes have seen Sometimes the Heavens have seemed to be of a light fire and to burn over our heads Brinâ—â—â—y his third part of the true watch c. 3. p. 16. Sometimes hath appeared as it were a fiery Tent spread directly over us with Pillars of horrible darknesse Pillars of fire and Pillars of Blood Sundry prodigious Comets and blazing Starrs have appeared of which albeit some natural reason may be rendered yet being extraordinary they do warn us of God's anger Anno. 1618. 1652. and threaten Judgment By terrible Thunder and Lightning the most High hath uttered his Voyce and that a Mighty Voyce beating down and consuming therewith not onely many Houses and Villages Psal 18.14 29 3. but some of his own Houses and Temples wherein his name is called upon and even then whilst People have presented themselves before him to serve him and call upon his name as if he would warn us to approach his presence with more reverence and fear And how often hath he made our Heavens as Brasse in withholding the Clouds from watering the Earth so that the grasse withered and the fruits were parched by reason of extream heat and drought Serr Fren. Hist l. 1. p. 521. In the French History we read of a year which the French termed the year of Rosted Vines Such years we have had which might be styled years of parched corne Thirdly As God hath given us warning from Heaven above so from the Earth beneath as by the quaking and shaking of it Acts 2.29 which however Philosophy imputes to the Aire shut up in the bowels of the Earth yet we are taught to look higher and apprehend it as a manifest signe of God's fierce wrath and anger Prov. 18.7 8 9. Zach. 14.15 Psal 18.7 8 9. Zach. 14.15 Warnings of this nature England hath had many In the year 1579 our Chronicles make mention of such an Earth-quake here in England as that it tolled the great Bell at Westminister and threw down a piece of Dover Castle and a part of Sutton Church in Kent In the year 1601 there was another great Earth-quake that made St. Maries Bell in Cambridge to toll And in the year 1626 March 27 there was another felt in some places very terrible The like hath bin in some other places of latter years as hath bin credibly reported This quaking and shaking of the Earth is to awaken and shake the Inhabitants thereof out of their security if it be possible and doth commonly precede and go before the alteration of Religion as hath bin by some observed Tops on Joel p. 253. Add hereunto the strange sinking of the ground in the year 1657 at Bickly in Cheshire as not being able to bear the load of sin that is committed upon it And the monstrous births that have bin brought forth of late years both of Man and Beast as warnings to repent of our monstrous sins Luke 21.25 Distresse of Nations on Earth with perplexity is made a prodigious signe of God's anger and of approaching vengeance by our Saviour Luke 21.25 And who can say that this Nation hath not bin thus warned Fourthly As we have had extraordinary warnings from Heaven above and from the Earth beneath So from the waters under the Earth The Sea roaring and swelling after an unwonted manner as if that signe were fulfilled likewise which our Saviour makes mention of in the former Text that we quoted Luke 21.25 The Inundations and breaking in of that unruly Creature into the firme Land See the Reports of Englands floods Anno. 1607. in divers parts of this Realm to the overthrowing and breaking down of whole Towns and Villages to the number of 26 Parishes in one Shire The unwonted flux and reflux of it The doubling of the Tides in the River of Thames a thing not ordinary yet twice or thrice happening within these few years And not long before these bloody Warrs began and within a while after that Comet which appeared 1618 there was a Book found in a Pike's belly which was brought to the University of Cambridge a little before the Commencement The fish being taken and opened John Frith's Preparation to the Crosse was in the maw of it This we find related by a Reverend Divine and one of great Note Jer. Dyke
very streets of our Cities empty Therefore as the learned have well observed thaâ— from that word in the Hebrew which signifies the Plague is derived another which signifies a Desert for that usually where it comes it turns the most populous City into a Desert what slaughter what lamentation what horrour was there in the Mother-City of this Kingdome the last morrality not so long since but yet fresh in many of our memories More then twenty thousand Families sayth my reverend Authour ran from their houses as if they had been on fire over their heads and sought shelter in Zoar and the mountaines Then was there a voyce heard in Rama lamentation and weeping and great mourning Mat. 3.18 the Wise wringing her hand the distracted Mother falling into a swound whilst she kist the insensible cold lips of her breathlesse Infant poor desolate Orphans mourning the untimely losse of their Paâ—eâ—ts In one place Bells heavily tolling and ringing out in another nothing in a manner to be heard but groaning and crying and dying and burying and instead of the Tradesman asking you What do you lack The Vespillo calls Who is here dead I shall need to say no more of this Subject both City and Country know what kind of Judgment it is They have marble bosomes that will not be shaken with these terrours and yet it must be said of England as well as of Israel and Judah For all this we returned not unto the Lord. And now the Lord hath lately sent forth another Pursivant upon his redhorse Rev. 6.4 and he unbrideled and hath given power to him to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another there hath been given to him a great sword And the Sword is the most deadly Arrow in all God's Quiver Exek 5.16 more terrible it is then either Famine or Pestilence It is as the last billow or wave when it comes it overwhelmes all There may be some help by Physick against the Plague by Plenty against Famine by neither against the Sword Look what sorrowes are in both the former usually attends this one nor is either of the former so great a devourer of humane flesh 2 Sam. 24.15 2 Chr. 13.17 as the sword is Seventy thousand men the Pestilence did devour in three daies space 2 Sam. 24.15 but the Sword devoured five hundred thousand chosen men in one day 2 Chron 13.17 No Famine so great nor pestilence so contagious but some escape But the Sword is so greedy that if God restrain it not it will suffer not one to escape alive as we read 2 Chron. 20.24 2 Chr. 20.24 Isa 34.5 6 Explained When God sends this messenger abroad God is highly displeased indeed Read Isa 34.5 6 7. My Sword shall be bathed in Heaven it shall come down upon the people of my curse to Judgment that is my Judgment decreed in heaven shall be fearfully execured upon my known and professed enemies whom I have accursed to an eternall condemnation yeâ— it shall be filled and made drunk with blood their land shall be so soaked with it as that the dust of it shall be made fat with fatnesse A Slaughter that siâ—ll be like an universal Sacrifice the matter of which Sacrifice shall be not onely Lambs and Goats which have no power to resist but the Unicorns and Bulls the most Great and Potent Personâ—ges they shall be exposed to this bloody Oblation so that the whole land shall be drenched in blood This is an extraordinary warning of Vastation and Raine if it be not prevented Ezek. 14.17 Isa 9.18 19 20. but especially if it be civill and intestine the worst of warrs Intestine it is truly termed for that it is as a burning in the bowels and intrals and Civill as unaptly for of all warrs they are most unnaturall and uncivill here the Father fights against the Child and the Child against the Father Brother against Brother and one Friend against another We read in History that when the Civill warrs were betwixt the Romans themselves in the daies of Vitellius some being for him others for Vespasian that when the women brought the Vitellians victuals by night into the Camp they not onely refreshed themselvs but their adversaries with meat and drink and each man would call upon his adversary by name in a very friendly manner and say Accipemi Commilito ede c. Come my fellow-Souldier Dio. in vit Vitel. ear I do not onely offer thee my Sword but bread take again and drink that whither thou slay me or I thee we may dye the easier c. Thus they greeted over night and the next day dispatched each the other They gave wounds and took wounds saith the Historian they slew and were slain No warrs so unfriendly friendly as these are Nor is there any warr so cruell as warr of this nature the hatred of Brethren is most bitter when they fall out A Brother offended is harder to win than a strong City saith Solomon and their contentions are as the barr of a Castle Pro. 18.19 Explained Prov. 18.19 Kinsmen or Friends displeased by any offence or estranging themselves upon injuries offered resist all intreaties of peace and means of reconciliation more stoutly and stifly then a defenced town doth the assaults of the weapon or the embassies which intreat for peace and there is many times as much yielding in the iron barrs of a strong Castle when they are thrust against as there is in the hearts of Brethren when they are pressed to peace they are implacable and when they come to joyn issue most cruell and Tyger-like You have an example hereof in the Israelites against the Benjaminites Judg. 20.48 who Jud. 20.48 when they had conquered them did not only kill every man they met withall but they killed every Beast and all that came to hand saith the Text also they set on fire all the Cities that they came to The strife betwixt Brethren concerning things of this World is very fierce but when it ariseth about matters of Religion then are their contentions most bitter and durable The Persians and Turks are both Mahometans and yet disagreeing about some 〈◊〉 poynts in the Interpretation of their Alchoran the Persians burn whatsoever Books they find of the Turkish Sect and the Turks hold it more metitorious to kill one Persian Turk Hist. than Seventy Christians Theologicall hatteds as one termeth them are most bitter hatreds and are carryed on for the most part with Cain like rage bloody opposition The higher the place is from whence a stone doth fall the more dangerous is the bâ—ow no wounds so mortall as that of a Thunder bolt So of all other those hatreds which make pretences unto Heaven and which arise from Moâ—ives of the highest nature are ever most desperate Men think their Souls engaged in one Quarrell their Fortunes onely in another Dr. Lawrence Ser. oâ— 1 Cor. 1.12 He that
Isa 1.14 24 7 13 43 24. Amos 2.13 Mich. 6.3 24 7 13 43 24. Amos 2.13 God complaines of their burthen they are cumbersome unto him he finds a pressure under them he is dishonoured by them and cannot long endure it Sixthly The Dressers of the Vineyard are burthened and cumbered by them Christ the Principal Dresser laments the barrennesse of Jerusalem Luke 19.41 Math. 23.34 Joh. 11.38 Luke 19.41 Math. 23.24 Joh. 11.38 Rom. 9.1 2 10 16. Heb. 13.17 Christ groaned as it seems under the Jews malice And the under-Dressers the Ministers of the Gospel they complain of it Rom. 9.1 2 10 16. Heb. 13.17 They are blamed shamed and discredited by them For as the thriving of the Flock is the glory of the Shepherd and the flourishing and fruitfulnesse of the Trees the praise of the Gardiner so on the contrary when things thrive not under their hands they suffer by it The Cynick spying a Boy unmannerly did strike his Master that did teach him So the Scribes and Pharisees told Christ of his Disciples fault as if it had tended to his Disgrace Thus do men of this Generation they lay the blame of barrennesse upon the Dressers Back as if it were onely their fault that the Tree is unfruitfull And so much let serve for the explication and confirmation of the Point Application followes Use 1 You may from hence be rightly informed who they are at this Day in Court City and Country that are the greatest troublers of Church and State and with whom the Vineyard of the Lord is most cumbred In the Primitive times the Christians were charged with all the troubles and calamities that did befall the people See my Exposition on the Parable of a Friend coming to his Friend at Mid-Night Pag. 239. If Sword Famine or Pestilence were amongst them or that Nilus did not keep her wonted bounds then Christianos ad Leones the Christians were the Cause thereof they must be cast unto the Lyons But this did not begin with them nor with them did it end Let Pharoah be asked the question Who cumbers Aegypt He will tell you that it is this Moses and Aaron the Messengers and Ministers of God they are the Incendiaries and Causes of all these Mutinies and Murmurings in the Kingdome Not Pharaoh nor his Sorcerers they must be over-looked Let Ahab be asked who it was that troubled Israel Exod. 5.4 5. he will tell you strait that it was not Ahab nor the Prophets of Baal but banished Elijah 1 King 18.17 that busie fellow that would be filling Peoples head 's with needlesse fears he it was that troubled all Let Amaziah the high Priest of Bethel be enquired of Who troubles the Court he will tell you that it was not Amaziah nor the flattering Sycophants of Court but Amos the Prophet and such like they conspire against the King's Life Amos 7.19 16. and will be prying into State-affaires nor will the Court be quiet till such be benished the Kings presence and forbid his Chappel Let Haman be demanded who it was that cumbered the Kings Provinces and he shall tell you that the Jews are they a People refractory to all good Laws Esth 3.8 they would not pay their Tax and Tribute nor was it for the King's profit to suffer them to live but for himself and his Comrades they aimed at the filling of his Treasury Ask once more Who troubles the City and you shall have some Rulers and others to wink at themselves and point at Paul and Silas Act. 16.20 and tell you that they are the men that trouble the City yea that turn the World upside down Nor shall some Tertullus be wanting Cap. 17.6 who with much Eloquence and Learning will charge Paul to be a pestilent fellow yea a botch or pestilence it self Acts 24.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a mover of sedition amongst the Jewes throughout the World c. And if you enquire of the Jews concerning the point in hand they will charge Christ himself to be an enemy to Caesar Luke 23.2 forbidding paying of Tribute to him and warn Pilate not to let him go for then he would shew himself no friend to Caesar Joh. 19.20 As it hath bin thus in all Ages so it is now in this last Age of the World Who are most charged as the Authors of our Churches miseries and Nations calamities but those who are most innocent Serpents and Draggons Woolves and Doggs are past-by and the Sheep and Lambs of the Flock Holy and Religious persons they are those that stand charged with England's troubles Oh! that we had more men of Elijah's spirit then the ungodly Ahabs of the World should be told to their faces It is Thou and thy Fathers House that troubles Israel Then should you that are of wicked Religion or of wicked Life 1 King 13.18 heart it with with both your ears that it is for your Idolatryes your Witch-crafts and Adulteries your drunkennesse Whoredoms and Blasphemies your mocking and deriding of godtinesse your despising of God's Ministers and persecuting of his Messengers c. that hath brought all these great evils upon us But albeit there want these in this World that dare tell you this yet there will not be wanting a Judge in another World who shall tell it you and prove it to your consciences that you were the Aehans that troubled Israel and for your so doing God will trouble you Jos 7.25 1 Thes 1.6 and it is a righteous thing with him so to do 2 Thes 1.6 Use 2 In the mean time let all such know as live unprofitably or wickedly and lewdly within the pale of the Church or that bring forth no fruit conducible to the Owners profit and common good of the Vineyard that they are no other than a burthen to the Earth that bears them and cumbersome to all that are about them It were happy if the injury of a wicked Liver could be confined to his own bosome that he only should fare the worse for his sins Ecel 9.18 But it is otherwise One Sinner destroyeth much good Eccles 9. ult Thou art not onely hurtful to thy self that is the least part of thy illness but likewise hurtful to the Place the Town Country City Family where thou inhabitest As Achan was to all Israel For his Trespasse in the accursed thing wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel That man perished not alone in his Iniquity Jos 22.20 Jos 22.20 He is an ill Member for which all the Body fares the worse All fare the worse for thee Isa 14.20 that are about thee Read Isa 14.20 Thou hast destroyed thy Land and laid it desolate and apply it to thy self It is said of some that they are kind men harmlesse Souls As they do no good so they do no harm to their neighbours and that they are enemies to none but themselves c.
encrease of the Land of Seed and Fruit of great and small Cattle Levit. 27.30 Besides Lev. 27.30 Lev. 27.26 27. Exod. 13.13 they had the First-born of all sorts of Câ—rtle as of Sheep Beevs and Goats and the price of the rest which were to be redeemed according to the Priests estimation Levit. 27.26 27. and more plainly expressed Exod. 13.13 Numb 18.13 14 15 16 17. Neh. 10.36 Num. 18.13 c. Neh. 10.36 Lev. 32.10 Lev. 23.17 Numb 15.20 Numb 18.12 Numb 18.18 Deut. 18.3 Num. b 18.9 10 11. Numb 18.8 9. And the First-fruits of four other kinds as of the Sheaf Levit. 32.10 Secondly Of their Bread two wave-Loaves at the Feast of Pentecost Lev. 23.17 Thirdly The First-fruits of their Dough Numb 15.20 Fourthly The First fruits in general of all things which the Earth brought forth then payable when men had gathered in their Fruits Numb 18.12 They had certain portions appointed them out of all kind of Sacrifices either the Shoulder Breast or Skin Numb 18.18 Deut. 18.3 c. The Meat-Offerings the Sin Offerings the Trespasse Offerings the Heave-Offerings and the Wave-Offerings were all theirs Numb 18.9 10 11. All Votive and Voâ—untary Obâ—â—tions and Consecrations and every hallowed thing was theirs Num. 18.8 9. In case of Restitution to be made upon a fraudulent Act committed If neither the Party wronged were living nor any Kinsman known of his Num. 5.2 8. the Restitution was performed to the Priest Num. 5.7 8. They had 48 Cityes for their Habitation and two thousand Cubits of ground from the Wall on every side for the Suburbs for Gardens and for a gleib for their Cattle Num. 35.2 Numb 35.2 which Cityes were next to the best and in many places the very best of all when the greatest of the other Tribes had but 19 Cities Add unto all this that whereas the Tribes were to appear thrice every year before the Lord they were not to come empty handed Exod. 23.15 17. Now if we consider the Tythes Exod. 23.15 17. Offerings and Oblations the Cities and other constant revenues that were coming in to the Levites and put all together it will appear that though they were but about a quarter as many as one Tribe yet they had about three times the revenues of one Tribe All which was payd them very freely and willingly by the People Philo lib. de Sacerd. honor Ezek. 44.30 Mal. 3.10 as Philo the Jew who was well acquainted with the Customs of his Nation tells us being confident that it was the onely way to be rich to tythe well and that the blessing of God would follow such as did so according to that Ezek. 44.30 Mal. 3.10 This Substance was theirs which Moses prayes for and desires that God would blesse unto him and encrease he did not grudge it him and say It is too much for Levi a lesse portion by far would serve his turn It will make him proud How comes it then to passe that the Ministers of the Gospel are grudged that maintenance which both the Law of God and the Land hath allotted them for their painful labours Is their Ministry lesse glorious That it is not if the Scriptures may be judge in that case 2 Cor. 3.8 9. 2 Cor. 3.8 9. Mar. 11.11 And doth not our Saviour prefer the Ministers of the Gospel before the other when he telleth us that they are greater than John the Baptist Math. 11.11 And yet nothing is more enviously grudged than the Livings of the Clergy The Gentry hath got into their hands already near upon three parts of the Ministers maintenance and have left the Church but one Quarter and yet there are those that would eat her heart with Salt as we say because she hath so much Many Edomites there are amongst us that say of the Church as they did of Jerusalem Raze it Raze it even to the ground Psal 137.7 Psal 137.7 Ps 83.3 4. Geball and Ammon and Amalek conspire against it and consult how they may destroy it Psal 83.3 4. But how shall this be effected Why Let us take the houses of God into our possession Ver. 12 ver 12. No such ready way as that that is the speeding blow So Psal 74.9 they say in their hearts Let us make havock of them Psal 74.9 And to lay a foundation for that Let us burn all the Houses of God in the Land The Hony cannot be had but by burning of the Bees nor Church-means but by destroying of Church-men and smoaking them out of their Hives This God be praised we are not yet come unto All the Houses and Synagogues of God in the Land are not burnt up and consumed with fire yet but few of our Churches and Temples which have not been robbed plundred and prophaned in a very high degree With God's House men began before they went unto their Neighbours And the desires of many look still that way hoping to see no not one stone left upon another nor one sheaf left for the maintenance of the Ministry Such is the praying we make for Levi's Substance But take away his Substance and maintenance you overthrow his Calling and take away his Calling what becomes of Religion The free passage of the Gospel is to be prayed for 2 Thes 3.1 2 Thes 3.1 Now the passage of the Gospel must needs be hindred when Levi's maintenance is with-held he thereof defrauded In this respect it was that the Persecution which the Church suffered under Julian was esteemed greater than that under Dioclesian Dioclesian's Persecution was against Presbyters intending thereby to root out all Religion as Eusebius speaks But Julian's was worse in that it was against the Presbytery their whole race and revenew livelyhood and maintenance He took away their Inheritances and dissipated them into so many hands as that without a miracle they might never return again to their right owners as if he had vowed saith a Worthy of our times B.B. King to sow Church-lands with Salt so that it might ever after remain barren and never bear any more fruit to Prophets or Prophets Children But I shall not strike any longer upon this string Lastly Their Persons are prayed for by Moses Smite through the loyns of them that rise against him and of them that hurt him that they rise not again Protection and deliverance is to be craved of God on their behalf Rom. 15.30 31. Rom. 15.30 31. 2 Thes 3.2 I beseech you Brethren strive with me that I may be delivered from them that do not believe And again Brethren pray for us saith the same Apostle 2 Thes 3.2 that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men or as the words may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from absurd fellows and from their malice and treachery from such men whose Industry and labour is spent in bringing labour molestation and vexation upon those who are the Ministers of the Gospel nor do they care
discern There is another more ordinary way whereby he restrains the Godly from this duty in the behalf of others and that is by suffering them to be asleep as Jonas was under Hatches when the Ship is in greatest danger or else by with-drawing the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and denying assistance to pray for such Their hearts are marvellously taken off from them so as they scarce remember them in their devotions and when they do Isa 64.7 it is but very coldly and faintly they stirr not up themselvs to lay hold upon the Lord on their behalf And when it falls out thus it is a wofull sign that God makes way for Judgment To apply this briefly If fâ—equent and faithful Prayer be so prevalent with the God of Heaven Use let it be had in high esteem with us and of great account as the chiefest means ordained of God to stay his wrath and in time of trouble to obtain deliverance for us If Prayer prevail not nothing will For such is the wonderfull working efficacy of fervent Prayer that nothing is impossible to it And that we may think more highly of it than we have done call to mind some of those mighty things that have been effected by it and recorded in History both divine and humane Do we not read in Scripture how Moses divided the red Sea and caused it to run back Exod. 14.15 so that God's Israel walked upon firm ground in the midst of it This was done by the power of his Prayer Exod. 14.15 Do we not read of the Sun 's standing still in the midst of Heaven Josh 10.13 14. not hasting to go down a whole day together so that there was no day like that before or after it This was done upon Joshuah's Prayer 2 King 20.11 And have you not read at another time of the Sun 's going back in the Firmament ten Degrees according to the shadoâ— on Ahaz his Dyall This was also done upon the Prayer of Isaiah Have we not heard of the stopping of the mouths of greedy Lyons and closing of their gnashing chapps being almost famished for want of prey Dan. 6. 3. And of quenching the violence of raging fire so that it could not sindge a haire of the Head nor leave the smell of it on the Garments Why These things have been effected by the Prayers of Daniel and the three Children Have we not read of Fire that was brought from Heaven three times together 1 King 18.38 Jam. 5.17 and how the Heavens were shut up three years so that they gave no rain and then opened again so that the clouds powred down in abundance These things were brought to passe by the Prayers of Elijah Have we not read or heard of the Earth's opening her mouth and swallowing up of Korah Mumb. 16. Dathan and Abiram with all their Goods and Families and closing again upon them This was done upon the Complaint and Prayer of Moses unto God against them for their Rebellion It were infinite to recount all the noble Acts of Prayer recorded in the Scripture as of the raising of the dead 1 King 17.21 Act. 12.5 Mat. 17.21 Oratio fidelis omnipotens Luth. Est quaedaÌ„ Omnipotentia Precum Alsted Syst Theol. lib. 4. c. 2. See my Friend at Midnight p. 432. Psal 34.15 Exod. 3.7 9. 2 Sam. 24. Exod. 8,13 opening of Prison doors and loosing the Prisoners bands healing diseases that have seemed incurable to flesh and blood casting out of Divels It is a kind of Omnipotent thing it can command Heaven Earth and Hell as I have shewed you upon another Parable Nothing under God Omnipotent but it Luther was wont to call it the great Ordnance and indeed with that we make our battery at the walls of Heaven In a moment it pierceth the Clouds and procures a Victory sometimes before the Report be heard on Earth or We imagine that it is gone out of our lips It bowes God's Ear and causeth Him to hear Psal 34.15 It opens his Eyes and causeth Him to see Exod. 3.7 9. It plckâ—s out his Sword and causeth Him to smite and on the other side it causeth Him to put it up again and smite no more 2 Sam. 24. It over-rules God in any thing that may be for the Church's good The Lord did according to the word of Moses saith the Text Exod. 8.13 That Moses did according to the Word of the Lord is evident enough and no wonder at that but that God should do according to the Word of Moses and obey the voyce of man that is strange indeed yet So it is In humane History we have many very memorable Examples of the prevailing power of Prayer with God By Prayer the good Constantius was said to strengthen his Family but Constantine his Son did hereby fortify all his Empire Euseb de Vit. Const 2.4 4.15 When his Enemy Licinius began his Warr with Exorcisms and Charms he undertook all with Prayer and holy Meditations and therefore the Lord of Heaven made him to be Lord of the Field Such comfort did he find in Prayer that he stamped upon the Coyn the Image or Effigies of himself kneeling unto his God as ascribing all his Victories to Prayer especially rather than to the Sword When Marcus Aurelius Verus the Emperour was in Germany and in the Field against 970000 Enemies Eâ—seb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 5. Germans and Sarmatians and in great distresse for want of Water the Legion called Melitina afterward Julineae being Christians fell down on their knees in the open field Tertul. in Apolog. Xiphilinus de Marc. Anton. Cum ipsa affuit oratione Deus Just Mart. Apol. z. Ambros de obit Theod Ruffinus Socrat. Socr. Scol Euseb l. 7. c. 22. Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 5. c. 23. and relieved him for so soon as they had prayed God was with them and sent Thunderbolts on the heads of their Enemies and a cooling showr to refresh their own wants so that the Prayers of the Church were received as a garrison into the Empire Afterwards In the time of that good Emperour Theodosius in a fought field against Eugenius when he had almost lost the day he alighted from his Horse and stepping before his Army in the face of his Enemy he kneeled down and cryed to God Ubi est Deus Theodosii Where is Theodosius his God And God gave him the day he won the field And upon another occasion at another time upon earnest Prayer to Christ made by the whole City being assembled together A grievous Tempest was suddenly turned into calmness and their former dearth and scarcity into abundance of plenty When Rhadogesius King of the Goths with a puissant Army recovered Rome and by reason of the small preparations in the City no hope could be expected from man then they cryed to the Lord and he fought for them in that their extremity and so discomfited the Enemies that in one day an
fellow Quis furor hic Cives which had the command of the inferiour City These weakened themselves much more by their civil and intestine Wars and continued-slaughters then the Enemy by his invasion They turned their Swords upon themselves as if their own hands had bin ordained to be their Executioners Insomuch as that the whole City and Temple were filled with dead Bodyes and the Kennels rann with the blood of the slain Besides the common insolencies and publique rapins that were amongst them They fired the City and dispoyled the Temple killed the Priests and without any regard at all of their future defence set fire on the store-store-house wherein their provision lay for the sustentation of their City Hence arose a great Famine amongst them such as no History can parallel For their ordinary sustenance being consumed and spent Pedro Mexia in vitis Imperat in Vespasian p. 126. the flesh of Horses Asses Doggs Rats Snakes Adders seemed good and pleasant unto their tastes when such food fayled them they were driven to eat that which unreasonable Creatures would not of their leather bridles of their leather girdles of their leather shooes they made them meat some would feed upon Snails Worms others upon old Hay chopt small Pontan Pibliothec Conc. Tom. 4. ad Dom. 10. Trinic Egesippus de exâ—idio Hierosolym l. 5. c. 17 18. The shreddings of Pot-herbs cast out trodden under foot and withered were taken up again for nourishment Doves dung Oxe dung and Mâ—ns dung they were constrained to feed upon Miserabilis cibus escalachrymabilis miserable meat lamentable food yet would the Child snatch it from the Parent and the Parent from the jawes of the Child nearest and dearest Friends would kill one another for a crust of Bread and cut one anothers throats for the morsels they had in their Bellies The fairest Lady would commit open Adultery for a little sustetenance Et plerisque alioruÌ„ vomitus esca fuit some to prolong their miserable lives would after the manner of Doggs eat up that which others had vomited yea feed on the dead bodyes of those who a little before had dyed and perished Mothers stuck not to eat their own Children and those Wombs that gave them harbour were now become the places for their Sepulture and burial Amongst many other accidents in this unheard of Famine one is very memorable Joseph de bello Judai lib. 7. c. 18. Egesip de Excid Hier lib. 5. c. 40. Nicephor Chrysost mentioned by Egesippus and Josephus who was an eye-witnesse of this their misery of an outrage which a Mother committed upon her own Son her name was Mary of the stock of Eleazer and of the Town Bethezor she was of a Noble and Rich Family and went to Jerusalem in hope of safety thither she carryed her Riches and all her Substance but the Seditions soon spoyled her of all took away her Substance and Sustenance and utterly deprived her of all means of livelyhood upon her knees she desired but some little part of that she had for the preservation of her life and sucking Infant but the Seditious gave little ear to her intreaties when she saw that nothing would prevail and that through the whole City not one morsel was to be found and being prest partly by extream necessity and partly with furious rage she-took her tender Babe as it was sucking from her Breast and thus spake to it Miserum te Infans inbello fame seditione cui te servavero c. Little Infant poor Wretch in War in Famine in Sedition for whom shall I preserve thee Redi fili in illud naturale secretum In quo domicilio sumpsisti spiritum in eo tibi tumulus defuncto paratur for whom shall I save thee alive If thou livest thou must be a slave to the Romans but Famine prevents thy servitude yea and the mutinous Jews are more cruel then either the Romans or the Famine Be thou therefore mihi cibus seditiosis furia humanae vitae fabula Meat to me a fury to the Mutinous and even a mock of the life of Man Return Oh my Child into nature's secret closet for in that Chamber where thou receivedst breath there is a Tomb prepared for thee What wouldst thou do my Boy if thou hadst a Son Why I have done hitherto what piety commanded Now let me do what Famine enforceth When she had thus spoken saith my Authour she swallowed down her grief and fell into a fit of frenzy and imbrued her hands in the blood of that harmelesse sucking and silly Infant the fruit of her own Womb The body of it she boyled or roasted and eatt the one half the remainder she reserved for another repast Contaminatissimi nidoris odore capti The mutinous Soldiers of the Town drawen by the scent and savour of this meat brake into this Womans house threatned to slay her unlesse she would discover where that meat was hid She told them she had meat indeed and had reserved it for her self notwithstanding since they so urged her she would bring it to them which she did and so brought them to the reliques of her son which she uncovered shewing them the head and feet and offered it unto them saying Look here is just half here is your proportion Ecce pueri manus una ecce pes unus ecce dimidium reliqui corporis Lo here is one of my boy's hands here is one of his feet and here is half the rest of his body And think not that it was another's I tell you it was my own sweet Child's Nunquam mihi fuisti dulcior fili Thou wert never sweeter to me O my Son thy sweetnesse hath upheld my life And when the seditious through horror started back she cryed unto them Why eat you not I am not hungry now my Child hath satiated me Gustate et videte quia suavis filius meus est Taste ye and see how sweet my Son is make not your selves more tender then a Mother more faint-hearted then a Woman If you will not eat it shall remain for me his Mother The Soldiers departing related that execrable fact at which every one that heard it trembled as though himself had done the deed When the Famine had thus played his part then came the Pestilence procured partly through the stench of the bodyes that lay unburyed and partly by the multitude of massacres that daylie happened The Contagion of which disease was so violent as that it took away the senses of many and they became mad It layd along whole herds of them groveling upon the Ground nor was there any Room or Time to bury them For as Wives and Kindred were putting the dead into the grave they also dyed Within the compasse of eleven weeks saith Egesippus there were carryed out by one gate of the City 111000 dead bodies yet could not the City be emptyed but Houses were filled with the dead Carkasses of Infants and
Children And multitudes cast over the Walls into the Ditches of the City for that the Earth could not contain their Dead Which when Titus saw and that the putrefaction swamm upon the brim of the Ditch he lifted up his eyes and hands to Heaven and with a deep sigh he called God to witnesse that it was not his cruelty but the Judgment of God upon them for their Impiety Jerusalem being brought thus low with Sedition Famine and Pestilence was now ready to become a prey unto the Enemy who perceiving that the Jews did not appear upon the Walls as in former times caused his Engins of battery to be brought and at length with great difficulty won one Wall and then another at last a third He took the Tower of Antonia and there placed a Garrison And the North-Gate which they burnt down with fire They made a breach into the Temple and first fired the Gate of it which was all covered over with Gold and Silver Then the Soldiers three Days after fired the Temple it self which was seven years a Building and which Titus would fain have saved for the sumptuousnesse of it but could not After this he won the lower City whereof Johannes Giscalenus had the Command to whom he before had made a speech gently entreating him to leave off his Rebellion and the City should be spared and no more outrages committed but it little prevailed whereupon in a rage he gave the signal to his Souldiers who with Fire and Sword consumed it and within a short space after took Giscalenus alive whom he reserved for a more cruel death The inferiour City being thus taken and destroyed he began to batter the Walls of the upper City which within the space of eighteen dayes after with great labour and skill he layd flat to the Ground wasting all with Fire and Sword sparing neither Man Woman nor Child not leaving one stone upon another Only the three Towers which were built by Herod viz. Hippicus Phaselus and Mariamxe which were all of shining marble were left standing that future Ages seeing the statelinesse of those Buildings might judge of the rest But these were also destroyed afterwards by Adricanus Caesar Thus the Land of Jury with the famous City Jerusalem which was the glory of the World Joseph de bello Jud. lib. 7. c. 17. Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 3. c. 7. See Euseb Eccles Hist lib 3. cap. 6. dead in sin and trespasses became a Carkasse or smelling Carrion and so fit to be a prey for the ravening Eagle An innumerable company dyed by Famine and Pestilence by Fire and Sword ten hundred thousand And besides those dead Fame Morbo Ferro by Famine Sicknesse Sword there were to the number of 7900 taken Captive others said many more 7000 were sent into Aegypt the properest and most able were reserved for Triumph many were distributed through the Provinces some were slain by the Sword and by wild Beasts for publique Spectacles and those that were 16 years of Age and under with many others Caesar sold thirty for a penny Seven times before had Jerusalem bin besieged as in the Old Testament we may read First by Shishak King of Aegypt 1 King 14. 1 King 14. 2 King 4. 2 King 18. 2 K ng 19. 2 Chron. 33.11 2 King 24. 2 King 25. Secondly by Joas King of Israel 2 King 4. Thirdly by Reshim King of Aram 2 King 18. Fourthly by Senacherib King of Ashur 2 King 19. Fifthly by the Assyrian in the time of Manasses 2 Chron. 33.11 Sixthly by Pharoah Necho in the time of Jehojakim 2 King 24. Seventhly in the time of Zedechiah by Nebuchadnezzar 2 King 25. That desolation was fatal but not final Divers times the Axe hath bin layd to it but never to the Root of this Figg-Tree till now so as to be utterly cut down and cast off and made a Reproach and Curse amongst all Nations as they are at this Day wandring like Vagabonds in all Countryes and made slaves to all Nations even to the Mores Barbarians and Turks bringing upon their heads that imprecation of theirs His blood be upon us Mat. 27.25 and upon our Children which hath lyen on them for 1600 years and yet lyes upon them Insomuch that some Jewish Rabbins entering into a serious consideration of this their last and greatest Calamity that ever befell them together with the continuance of it and casting wiâ—h themselves what sinne might countervail so heavy a Judgment have in the end concluded that it can be no other then the rejecting of the Messiah and shedding of his blood which cryeth to Heaven for this Vengeance on them and certainly if all Circumstances be observed it will appear evidently that Divine Justice did not onely make eaven reckonings with them in every particular of our Saviour's sufferings but also kept the precise Day and place of payment beginning first with Galilee Christ's own Country the place where Christ first preached the Gospel of the Kingdome and declared the Power of his Deity by many Signs and Wonders but because his Countrymen shewed least respect unto his Person and gave least credit unto his Doctrine it so fell out by the just Judgment of God that the Galileans first smarted for their unbelief the whole Country being spoyled and wasted by Vespatian Then for the time that he besieged Jerusalem which was at the Feast of the Passover at which Feast Christ was Crucified Baronius yea even on the same Day that our Saviour did suffer did the Siege begin in the same Place for from mount Olivet did Titus view the City whence our Saviour had viewed it and wept over it There the Authors of Christ's Death suffered a most just revenge where he but eight and thirty years before had suffered And whereas his Blood was sold for money the Blood of many of them was shed for money Divers of them flying for their safety being taken by the Romans had Gold found in their Excrements which for madnesse they had swallowed down that the Enemy might not have it which the Soldiers hearing and supposing all the Jews had bin full of Gold through covetousnesse of that gain in one Night killed 2000 of them ripping up their Bellyes and searching their intrals for it Thirty pence Christ was sold for so thirty of them were sold for one piece of Silver who bought his life for thirty pieces of Silver The Death which they put Christ unto was the Death of the Crosse they hang him on a Tree And that was repayed in kind and with advantage for so many of the Jews were crucifyed on the Walls every day by the Romans whom they took as they issued forth that they wanted in the end Crosses for men's bodyes and Trees to hang up any more upon Thus we find it true that the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.16 1 Thes 2.16 Wrath is come upon this Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the utmost even to perfection as