churches are admonished of their duetie namely that they put themselues betweene the people God being angry For although the glory of intercession or atonement doe belong properly vnto Christ alone yet is it their partes neuer to ceasse praying whereby they may asswage the wrath of God and reconcile the people vnto him So wee reade Aaron intermingled himselfe umb 16. and stood in the middest betweene the quicke and the deade when the plague of GOD grew hote among the people 1. Sam. 12. And Samuel thought it a greate offence if hee shoulde ceasse to pray for the people which had cast off Gods yoke and gouernement For seeing GOD complaineth of this in the Prophets more then in one place or two that no man woulde offer himselfe or stand in the breache of the wall Ezech. 22. Esay 59. to stoppe the course of his wrath and fury it cannot but exceedingly displease him if the ministers themselues bee in this case forgetfull of their dueties c. Now he prescribeth the prayer in this sort Spare thy people O Lord A fourme of publike prayers and giue not thine heritage to reproche c. The petition is briefe Spare say they thy people These wordes haue in them a confession of sinne and with all they shew that all hope of saluation is to be sought onely in Gods mercy As though he should say We haue sinned O Lorde and are vtterly vnworthy of any better successe but spare vs we beseech thee and enter not into iudgement with vs. c. Vnto these wordes they adioyne reasons and the first they draw and alleadge from their owne person whilest they cal themselues Gods people and adde Neither giue thine heritage into reproch for the sense is this Exod. 19. whatsoeuer we be we are thy people thine inheritaÌ„ce thy chosen but who I pray thee will suffer his inheritance to perish if hee may saue it And thus he sendeth theÌ„ to the free couenaÌ„t of god who had made theÌ„ his peculiar people The other reasoÌ„ they fetch froÌ„ the person of god whose glory they say should be called into questioÌ„ why shal they say amoÌ„g the people where is their god for as the vngodly acknowledge no God at all but visible So are they wont to iudge of the true God and of his worship onely according to the present successe Assoone therefore as they see the professours of the true fayth and religion to bee in danger by and by they cast them in the teeth with their fayth and worship of the true God as in these daies alas for sorrow is euery where to bee seene But wee are taught in this place how prayers as well publike as priuate ought to bee ordered Publike praiers how they are to bee made when publike calamities doe vrge and oppresse vs. First and before all thinges we haue neede of the confession of sinnes which must be ioyned with faith so as wee may haue the hope of our saluation fiâ—ed onely in the grace and mercy of God Because if we looke vpon our selues we must perish without remedie seeing our sinnes doe on euery side bewray them selues and euen our righteousnesses are nothing but vncleannesse Esay 64. Secondly least this hope should wauer as a thing vncertaine Gene. 17.22 c. wee must haue recourse to the couenant of God which beeing made with our fathers and confirmed by the death of Christ cannot at any time become voyde or frustrate For if no person by his owne priuate authoritie may abolish the testament and wil of a man Gala. 3. which is lawfully written confirmed then perdy must the authoritie of Gods will and testament of necessitie bee greater wherein hee hath inrolled made vs his heires And as the Prophete calleth these folke still the people and inheritance of God notwithstanding that they were presently to bee punished for their sinnes euen so at this day the Lorde doth not by and by reiect his Churche although some spottes and infirmities doe cleaue vnto it 〈◊〉 that shee hold-fast the seede of faith and be desirous to bee reconciled with him But especially wee must bee carefull to promote gods glory which ought to bee more heere vnto vs then our owne proper welfare and saluation For this thing doth the order of the Ten commaudementes and the course of the Lords prayer teach vs euen the common sense and experience of nature which causeth children to be vigilant and carefull for the fame and honour of their parents This thing saw Moses Exod. 32. NuÌ„ 14. c. who as ofte as hee maketh intercession for the people alleadgeth chiefly godâ— glory least God shoulde giue it vp to the reproche of the Heathen And the godly cry out in the Psalmes Psal 115. Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the glory c. Most detestable therefore is their sinne and iniquitie who when they are not ignorant how Gods glory is blasphemed of the wicked by reason of their enormities and most corrupt maners yet can by no meanes bee brought to consider of the amendment of them Moreouer it is full of comfort in that wee see our saluation coupled with Gods glory For in as much as God is a ielous God hee will not suffer the glorye of his name to fall to the grounde and therefore his chozen in whoÌ„ the same is in hazarde hee will neuer forsake Let vs be mindefull of these things in these most dangerous dayes and return vnto God who will be mercifull to so many as conuert vnto him through Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord to whom be giuen blessing honour glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen Sermon 8. The text 18 THen will the Lord bee ielous ouer his lands and spare his people 19 Yea the Lorde will answere and say vnto his people Beholde I wil sende you corne and wine and oile and you shall bee satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproch among the heathe 20 But I will remoue farre off from you the Northren armie and I will driue him into a lande barren and desolate with his face towarde the East Sea and his ende to the vttermost Sea And his stinke shall come vp and his corruption shal ascend because he hath exalted him selfe to doe this 21 Feare not O land but bee glad and reioyce for the Lord will doe great thinges 22 Be not afraid yee beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse are greene for the tree beareth her fruit the figtree the vine do giue their force The argumeÌ„t and vse of this present place GOD vseth indeede to punish mens sinnes with sundrie and greeuous penalties and yet so many as returne vnto him hee graciously receiueth into fauour There are extant of this matter many promises which are confirmed with inâ—umerable examples amongest which that is very notable that is propounded and set foorth by
all faces shall gather blacknes 7 They shall runne like gyants or strong men and goe vp to the wall like men of warre and euery man shall goe forwarde in his wayes and shall not stay in their pathes 8 No man shall thrust his brother but euery one shal walke in his path and when they fall vpon the sworde they shall not be wounded 9 They shall runne to and fro in the citie they shall runne vppon the wall they shall clime vp vppon the houses and enter in at the windowes like a theefe 10 The earth shall tremble before him the heauens shall shake the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the Starres shall withdrawe their shining 11 And the Lorde shall vtter his voyce before his host for his armie is very great for hee is strong that doeth his woorke for the day of the Lorde is great and very terrible and who can abide it Sermon 5. The argumeÌ„t of the second Sermon IOel beginneth now his other Sermon wherein hee handleth the same that he did in the former but hee intreateth more largely and euidently of euery point adding also some things which are not there mentioned yet serue they excelleÌ„tly wel to the preseÌ„t treatise For he exhorteth them to repentance that were oppressed with a greeuous warre by the Assyrians And there are three partes of his discourse In the first hee agayne describeth the danger to the entent that they beeing wakened by the consideration therof might perceiue that they had neede of repentance In the seconde hee teacheth the maner of true repentance and sheweth in what pointes it consisteth In the last hee declareth the effectes or fruites thereof and by that occasion prophesieth of the happie state of the Godly and destruction of the enemies which finally is fulfilled in the kingdome of Christ Now these things are so to bee considered of vs that wee beeing distressed with aduersities and afflictions may from hence fetch those thinges that serue to our instruction and comforce at this time wee will onely examine the first part A Tragieaâ— beginning wherein chiefly he stirreth vp the Prophets The beginning of his Sermon is very tragicall and warlike wherein hee rouzeth vp the secure and carelesse that they might prepare themselues for the punishmentes nowe readye to light vppon them And because they were to bee punished with warre he alluding to afeate of warre willeth the watchmen or spies to sound out Alarum and proclaime the batteil For hee sayth Blow the trumpet in Sion and shout in my holy mountayne Hee maketh mention of Sion and of the holy hill or Temple partlye leaste they shoulde thinke themselues to hee safe for the holynesse of the place and partly that they might vnderstand this thing especiallye to bee enioyned to the. Prophetes whome GOD had appointed watchmen to his people Ezech. 3.33 as wee may read in Ezechiel He addeth Let all the inhabitantes of the lande tremble Hee nameth all leaste anye shoulde thinke him selfe to bee without faulte And he biddeth them tremble to the end they might perceiue God to deale in good earnest and therefore that they also must not dally Whereunto serueth the cause which he by and by addeth For the day of the Lord commeth that is the time is at hand which God hath nowe long since appointed for veÌ„geaÌ„ce which euen now also waiteth at your dores Heere commeth the goodnes of God to be noted of vs who like a kinde father first dealeth in woordes The goodnes of God in giuing warning before he punisheth before hee addeth stripes Neyther doubtlesse are suche prophesiynges in vayne or appointed to stirre vp a vayne feare or terrour For as many as beeing terryfied with them are conuerted to GOD doe escape the punishments as GOD himselfe promiseth in Ieremie But if in cace the number of the wicked doe preuayle Ieremie 18. vnto whom these thinges seeme but as toyes and trifles and therefore GOD cannot deferre the punishment yet doe the Godly receiue greate comforte hereby For when they call these prophesiynges to minde they vnderstande also that all these thinges are ordered by Gods gouernment who because hee is faythfull and loueth vs suffereth not his to be tempted aboue their strength but that for his mercies sake hee causeth that all thinges woorke for the best vnto them God vseth his ministers as watchmen Further wee haue to marke that God oftentimes by his Prophets and ministers of his woord doth foretell his punishments and that as before wee haue sayde hee ordeyned them to the ende that as watchmen they shoulde sounde the Trumpet and stirre vp the people committed to their charge vnto that spirituall fight which consisteth especially in the exercise of repentance and woorde of GOD and whiche alone is able to turne away the plagues imminent and at hand The consideration hereof admonisheth as well ministers as also the whole people and euery creature particularly of their dueties For it belongeth vnto them to attende vppon theyr flocke and to marke the state and condition of euery one and with all the dangers that eyther publikely or priuately â—ang ouer their heades Moreouer to reprooue and denounce the same so as euery man maye perceiue what hee ought to doe This did the holy Prophets in times past and the selfesame doeth Paule very grauelye require of the Ministers of the new Testament Actes 20. 2. Tim. 4. Mat. 24. and 25. And they that doe their duetie in this behalfe shall enter into the ioye of their Lorde But as many as are carelesse and negligent at their handes shall bee required the blood of them that perishe Againe it shall bee the parte of all those that will bee numbred amongest the people of GOD to tremble at the sound of Gods woorde Ezechi 33. and with speedie repentance to preuente the daye of the Lorde The Prophet admonisheth vs thereof when hee sayth it is at hande For by that threatning he putteth them in hope that they may as yet escape the punishmentes nowe ready to light vpon them if they will applye them selues vnto GOD giuing them warning These thinges were of vs to be considered O Brethren when as turmoylinges and dangers doe euery where arise And GOD truly for his parte executeth his office neither want there faythfull watchmen by him raysed vp whiche reprooue sinne and denounce the plagues hanging ouer vs. But in the meane time there want not such as are negligent also Esay 56. who eyther by diminishing Gods threatnings do fauoure and maynetayne wickednes or else by the lewde example of their life doe shamefully prostitute the authoritie of the woorde and ministerye This occasion euery lewde and wicked verlet catcheth holde of and heerevppon it commeth that the carelesse libertie of sinning doeth euerye where preuayle and the warninges of the faythfuller Ministers are wicke dly scoffed at and laughed to skorne But Gods iudgement shall not slacke who will rayse vppe most cruell enemies
let the bride groome goe foorth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet 17 Let the priestes the ministers of the Lorde weepe betweene the porch and the altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine heritage to reproch that the heathen should rule ouer them Wherefore should they say among the people where is their God The argumēt vse of this present place AS God hath beene accustomed to punish mens sinnes with warres famine pestilence and other plagues innumerable so doe the scriptures teache no other way of escaping out of afflictions but repentance whereby men returne vnto God from whom by sinning they went away But for so much as in repentance it selfe there is much wandering and straying the holy Ghost also boeth euery where set down the order and maner thereof but of all other most diligently by Ioel who is altogither in this that he might couze those vp to repentance that were in extreeme danger and withall declareth at large how the same ought to be ordered and accomplished And of late forsooth he admonished what euery one ought priuately to doe But by cause they were altogether infected as yee woulde with one maladie and disease and therfore had need of publike and solemne repentance he now preseribeth in like maner the order of this which as it ought to be obserued of euery one so it especially admonisheth them of their duetie whom God hath appointed keepers defenders of the publike welfare Hee will haue repentance to be appointed by publike authoritie For he beginneth with them when hee sayth Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast c. For this place must bee vnderstoode of the holy trumpets by the sounde whereof the feastfull dayes were proclaimed and the holy assemblies gathered together as Moses had commanded by Gods ordinance Numb 10. But for because the Prophet requireth heere a certaine extraordinary matter which must be ordered not by any priuate mās authority but publik he speaketh this vnto those especially vnto whom belonged the chiefe gouernement and whose commaundementes it was no light matter to despise namely to the kinges and states of the realme whome heere hee will admonishe of their duetie For inasmuche as vnto these was committed the safetie of the people vnto the same especially do appertaine the thinges which serue for their preseruation and whereby the plagues at hand may bee driuen away to witte the true worshippe of God and repentance This thing sawe all the excellent princes whose fayth and godlines is commended in the scriptures For in as much as they knewe howe that God in teaching and deliuering the maner of his worship woulde vse the help and ministerie of Moses who bare the chieft rule and authoritie among the people they thought not without cause that the care thereof belonged most especially vnto them ◠Sam. 6.7 1. Chro. 29. ◠Chro. 19.20.29.34 c. Therefore Dauid began his reigne with the restoring of Gods worship and caused his sonne Solomon to doe the same Whose steppes wee reade afterwarde that Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias followed who were not onely carefull as touching the outwarde worship but also prouided that publike repentance shoulde of all men bee imbraced and taken in hand if at any time they perceiued Gods wrath to bee kindled Yea and the Scripture for this cause commendeth the king of Niniue Ionas 3. for that the Niniuites repented by his commandement And that this thing belongeth as well to the times of the newe Testament Psal 2. it may appeare by this that Dauid exhorteth kinges to kisse and embrace Christ and to submit themselues vnto his dominion and God promiseth the selfe-same in Esay namely Esay 49. that kinges shall bee nourses to his Church For howe shall they embrace Christ or preserue his church like nourses if they neglect those things without the which neither the worship of God nor the publike welfare can consist Al flouthful Magistrates therefore are reprooued who either thinke this charge to belong nothing at all vnto them or else are perswaded that ciuill lawes in this behalfe will doe no good For albeit they cannot enforce or change the mindes of men yet may they take away publike offences and by their example prouoke others yea and bring many backe into the right way before they be altogether past recouery Heereupon grewe the imperiall lawes as touching diuine matters for the reuiuing wherof in these dayes the princes and magistrates ought to be carefull that are desirous of the safetie of the common weale The partes of of a publike and solemne repentance But let vs see what the Prophet would haue instituted by publike authoritie and the whole order of publike repentance wil appeare vnto vs which is contayned altogether in foure heades First hee willeth them to sanctify a fast Wee haue spoken of this in the first chapter 1 A Fast But yee shall obserue agayne that by the worde sanctifiyng is betokened the true ende and vse of fastings which is that they may both be holy vnto God and also serue to the mortifiyng of the fleshe least it shoulde hinder the deuotion of the minde and the dueties of true christianitie which also is the chief and principall point in priuate fastes But here he will haue a publike fast to be summoned which may answere to the profession of a solemne repentance and be as it were a witnes and testmonye thereof This place therefore doth nothing at all help the superstitions professours of fastes For if wee take awaye from fastings the thinges which we spake of eueu now there will be no more vse of them neither can they be approoued vnto God Secondly Call a solemne assemblie 2 Solemne assemblies sayth hee The same hee touched also before where wee shewed that holye assemblies are therefore required for that they make to the mutuall preuocation and deuotion of mindes and for that they helpe and further prayers which by the consent of many doe after a forte gather the greater strength But here are two thinges to be obserued First the way and ende which it behooueth to keepe in gathering of assemblies How holy assemblies ought to be handled The prophet also expresseth this by the worde sanctifyng For albeit he had respect to the law which would haue those that were to offer sacrifices first to bee purged least they shoulde come vnto them vncleane yet doth hee rather require that which was ment and signified by these washings and purifiynges of the Law namely the purenesse and holynes of the heart Heb. 12 Leuit 19. Psa 15. without the which as the Apostle sayth no man shall see God For in deede it cannot be that they shoulde keepe companie with the holy God which are not themselues also holy And although it becommeth vs continually to bee in loue with this thing yet is the same most chiefly necessary for vs when we come
togither to the hearing of Gods word and vnto publike prayers and doe enter into the holy congregation as it were into the presence of God himselfe Then therefore ought wee to goe downe into our selues to examine our dealinges to correct our vices and especially to embrace Christ Iesus who is made vnto vs of God holynesse and sanctification This except we doe neyther shall we heare Gods worde with any fruite 1. Corinth 1. neither shall our prayers bee accepted of God which are accompanied with handes full of blood Esay 1. Wee see therefore what wee haue to iudge of those that shew foorth their pride and superfluitie in the very temples them selues and doe not onely giue ouer them selues to moste vile thoughtes and cogitations but also minister matter vnto others of the like vile thoughtes and desires They are of the number of those of whome the Lorde speaketh by the Prophet This people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouthes Esay 29. and honoureth mee with their lippes but their heartes are farre from mee c. But what shall wee say of the assemblies of our time suche as are gathered together in the dedications of Churches and in very many feastes of the Christians where a men shall see nothing but riot and superfluitie and an vnbrideled libertie of drinking dauncing playing and reuelling They sanctifie their assemblies not vnto God but vnto Bacchus and Venus and shall one day bee punished of God whose name they so shamefully and and impudently abuse Who they be that must assemble and meete together Secondly wee haue to obserue who ought to assemble and come together First hee willeth them to gather the whole people And by and by least any man should suppose himselfe not to be conteined vnder the name of people hee specefieth two fortes or kindes wherein hee comprehendeth all estates and degrees of men whatsoeuer For like as all folkes ought to runne together to the quenching of a common and publike fire euen so to the quenching of Gods wrath it becommeth all and euery one to sette to theyr helping handes that will bee called and accounted good citizens Wherefore he nameth the elders together with the children and euen the sucking Babes also or such as hang vpon the brestes the elder sorte that by their example they might go before others whom either through their negligence or euill example they had before corrupted and the infantes that the parents being prouoked by beholding theÌ„ might acknowledge their offence whereby they procured destruction not onely to themselues but also to their infantes and by remembrance thereof might bee stirred vp to the more effectuall and feruent desire of repentance For like as we haue seene in Hosee Gods wrath is wont to stretch it selfe euen vnto infantes Hosee 13. and brute beastes also as is declared at large in the first chapter Whiche onely reason ought to bee sufficient to awaken vs from sinning sith it is so prouided by nature that al men wish well to themselues and to those that belong vnto them In the meane time we are admonished that no man ought to be exempted from repayring to the church or resorting to holy assemblies For why all the sort of vs haue neede of the instruction of Gods woorde and prayers and it is a ioyfull thing to the Godly to be conuersant among those with whom they knowe God to be present Greeuous therefore and shamefull is the errour of those that either neuer come theÌ„selues or do not enure their children to followe the exercises of godlines and religion Men offend euery where now adayes in this behalfe so that euen heereby it may appeare howe little Christianitie there is in them that doe glory in the name of Christ Thirdly hee sayth Let the Bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber 3. Publike mourning and the Bride out of her closette By whiche woordes he proclaimeth a publike mourning and commaundeth them to abstaine euen from lawfull delightes For vnder the name of marriage and the companye betweene man and wife hee comprehendeth all other thinges of like sorte the vse wherof is otherwise lawfull But because in the time of peace wee doe commonly abuse our lawfull and honest pleasures it is conuenient that we afterwarde abstaine from the same and euen by this meanes punishe the wantonnesse of our fleshe 2. Sam. 11. This thing Vrias obserued who thought it vnlawfull to company with his wyfe so long as Israel was entangled with a greeuous and dangerous warre Heerevpon therefore let vs gather a generall doctrine that there is no pleasure or delight so honest and lawfull that ought not to be layde aside if at any time God publikely requireth vengeance for sinnes For first of all there is no man without faulte sith it is playne that euen the iust man falleth seuen times a day Prou. 24. Agayne albeeit some peraduenture bee voyde of those crimes for the which Gods wrath is especially kindled yet shall it be their partes to weep with theÌ„ that weepe Rom 12. least they should seeme vtterly to renounce the fellowship which wee haue all of vs in Christ Iesus Further seeing the corruption of our nature is such that the things which are lawfull doe withdrawe vs from the exercises of fayth and prayer euen for this cause ought the same to bee intermitted that wee may the more feruently bee occupied in those thinges that concerne Gods glory and our â—wne saluation 2. Corin. 7 So Paule wiâ—â—eâ— married folkes to goe aparte some times by coâ—â—â—t that they might the more conueniently giue them selues to fasting and prayeâ— Howe then shall wee think of those who when afflictions doe euery where hang ouer them seeke their owne priuate pleasures yea and abstaine not euen from thinges vnlawfull but breake foorth into all kinde of lust and licentiousnesse This is too too common in these dayes so as euen by this argument a man may well discerne the maners and conditions of the last time Fourthly hee instituteth publike prayers 4. Publike praiers where he setteth downe the forme of a Letanie not such a one as the superstitious sort and men giuen to their owne gayne doe vse but such as beeing ioyned with true fayth seeketh onely the glory of God The ringleaders heereof hee appoynteth the Priestes not that other ought to holde their peace but for that hee might put them in minde of Christe the Mediatour a Type whereof they did represent and without whome their prayers coulde not please GOD. Let the Priestes sayeth hee weepe betweene the porch and the altar c. The porche was the place of the people and the altar resembled the presence of God himselfe vnto whom there the sacrifices were offred and that the Priestes bare the person of Christ it is better knowne out of the Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 2. 5.9 c. then that it needeth with many woordes to bee prooued In the meane season the ministers of