time to vaine pleasures to idle talke to much sleepe wantonnes If God should account with me for yeres I can not with comfort answere him for dayâ—s nor well for one day in a yeere well and holily spent in good duties O how many Items may be found written in Gods Books of prouidence last iudgement for pleasures and sports and fleshly daliances and worldly couetousnes scarce a line seene registred in the same for any good exercise wayes and doings of good report Thus should euery Christian make a kinde of backe reckoning with the compassing of his wayes Thus should he retire himselfe for the due consideration of his life past and hauing opportunitie in secret beate his sins vpon his naked conscience by aggrauation and say I haue not onely sinned but most traiterously obstinately carelesly continually and rebelliously sinned and am not only a sinner but a most filthy leper and sinner not an ordinary offender but a stubborne offendor and disloyall person whose whole nature soule and body will and affections minde and iudgement words and deeds are onely euill and perfectly euill and continually so Gen. 6.5 Thus no doubt the lost Sonne came to himselfe and thus without doubt must we come to our selues if we will come home with him confesse with him and triumph vvith him So much for the worke of his minde the words of his lips follow How many hired seruants of my Fathers haue bread enough This yong man considered that the meanest seruant his Father kept was in better case then he for he was wel prouided for hauing bread enough and to spare where he had nothing And this made him looking homeward it is like with teares in his eyes and repentance in his heart for his former lewd life to say how many hired seruants of my Fathers c. as if he had said this necessitie that I am in is caused by my selfe who forsook the house of plenty for this land of dearth my Fathers house for the house where the dead are Pro. 9.18 Euery one there is prouided for and I perish with hunger in my absence thence This being his meaning the thing taught is God prouideth all things necessarie for those that serue him Dauid neuer found it otherwaies and therefore saith he neuer saw the righteous forsaken Psa. 37.25 as if he had said he neuer saw any long destitute or vnprouided for who followed righteousnesse and serued the Lord. S. Iohn sheweth that they who followed Christ were fed though Christ wrought a miracle of Loaues and Fishes to feede them Ioh 6.9.12 And how did God feede his people fourtie yeeres in the vvildernesse when they could not plow the Earth did not he plow the Heauens for bread and vvanting ordinarie food had they not Angels food for the Wheat of the Land the Wheat of Heauen Psa. 78.24.27 the Text saith it rained downe Manna v. 24. and they had meat enough ver 25. Elijah was zealous for the Lord and his altars therefore when men would not feed him the Rauens fed him 1 Kin. 17.6 and when men forsooke him an Angell looked vnto him 1 Kin. 19.5.6.7 Did God forget the widow of that Prophets son that feared the Lord and died in some debt did he not strangely prouide for her by Elisha and so as she had enough both to pay her debt and to finde her selfe and her children vvith the ouerplus 2 King 4.1.7 To be short of all the righteous it is sayd they shall not be confounded in the euill time and in the day of famine they shall be satisfied Psa 37.19 that is whosoeuer is ashamed they shal not take shame and vvhen others are famished they shall haue enough Thus nothing shall be wanting to them that serue God the reasons are First God hath promised to feed al his seruants Psal. 37.3 Now God will doe what he promiseth to doe for he is faithfull and can doe what he will for he is Almightie Secondly Gods seruants depend on his promise and take his word for their vvhole estate their eyes are vnto him Psal. 123.1.2 and their repose is in his prouidence and vvill he cause their eyes to faile Iob 31.16 Thirdly if it be a iust thing that the Master of a Familie should prouide for all he hath in his familie vvhether the children of the house or seruants in the house will not the iust God count it as iust and fitting for him to doe as much for his Familie and household to wit for the familie of his Saints and the household of Faith Vses A comfort to all that truly serue God for they shall haue good wages for that they do who faithfully serue him they shall want nothing that is good that is that is good indeed or good for them Ps. 34.10 When meanes faile God can and will without meanes and against them prouide for his The Sea shal run back and serue the Lords prouidence for the glorie of his name and safetie of his people vvhen Pharao with his fierce armie pursueth them to the sea Exo. 14.21 When men can not make tillage God can and hath giuen bread vvithout tillage as in the dayes of Hezekiah and Esa. Esa. 37.30 This Sommer the Lord laid his rod in Water the continuall raine that fell did much weaken the force and plentie of our common bread Yet if all our Graine had beene washed away with the waters that so preuailed God could haue set euen in those waters an Arke of reliefe for his Noahs that obey his word and sayings to enter into As the vvaters rose so rose the Arke Gen. 7.17 and so as the markets rise which are floods to the poore that lift vp their waues Psal. 93.3 God vvill arise to the helpe of his people An admonition to liue in Gods seruice and not out of our fathers house in the seruice of sin if we would be prouided for and not perish vvith vvant in the day of famine For as they who serue God in his House and by his Word are sure to be fed so contrarily they cannot expect with comfort any such assurance who serue their lusts and sinne in their mortall bodies In our seruice of God the creatures are ready to serue vs the Heauens with their blessing the Earth vvith her increase in our seruice of sinne all is contrarie For God vvill shut vp the Heauens as a Purse and turne a fruitfull Land into barrennesse Much raine shall destroy our fruits or lacke of raine much hinder them The Earth shall yeeld nothing or but store of vveedes good for nothing Obedience I meane to God in his Seruice and Word is the Chaine that bindeth all the creatures from hurting vs vvhere disobedience breaketh that Chaine and turneth them loose vpon vs for euill and not for good in the day of our necessitie In it there is perfect freedome and vvith it assured riches and blessed contentment To be called the seruant of God is an honorable title
commaunded to his Sonne 1 Chron. 28.9.10 By this Salomon ascended into a most glorious seate as is noted by the Lyons at his feete on eyther side and sate downe aboue all the Kings of the earth whose glorie so sitting vvas such that he seemed to be a new Adam reentred into the Paradise of God or rather as the Sonne of God vvhose glorie in a sort vvas shadowed in his And the Lord greatly prospered Hezekiah because with his morning care he opened the doore of the Temple of the Lord which his Father Aâ—az had shut vp 2 Chron. 31.21 Moe examples and precepts to this effect might be alledged but these may suffice that haue beene spoken of The Reasons First Religion and Godlinesse which are the Iachin and Boaz the two strong and durable Pillars of Gods Church 1 King 7.21 are the two and principall two necessarie proppes of a sanctified state without which it falleth Secondly if a man that hath the charge of the Kings house in the Kings absence will carefully looke vnto all the roomes of the same but specially to those that they be cleane and in good order into vvhich the King in person vvill come shall not they vvho haue the keeping of Gods house which is his beautifull Temple though they must not neglect the out-roomes of the Common-wealth yet specially looke to the presence and those holy Chambers in the vvhich Christ will keepe his Passe-ouer with his Disciples that they be trimmed Mark 14.15 Thirdly the Church as the first moueable must be first stirred and vvell ordered or the wheeles of the Common-wealth will all of them either stand still or goe in no order Therefore were they reproued by Haggai the Prophet vvho builded their owne houses and dwelt in setled houses but neglected or did not regard Gods house Agg. 1.2.4 Vses An admonition to all Rulers and Gouernours in all their purposes specially in their Parliament and State-consultations to set the motions of policie vnder the waightie billes of the Church till Gods tabernacle haue all his pinnes and vvhole furniture And here that which Azariah the Prophet said to Asa the King and to all Iudah and Beniamin may truly and fitly be spokenâ— to all Kings as to Asa and to all their Nobilitie as to the royall seede of Iudah and to all the people as to Beniamin the Lord is with you while you be with him and if you seeke him He will be found of you but if you forsake him hee will forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 The first fruits are Gods He that denieth these denieth Gods right and refuseth to giue him his royalties But there are in the holy Citie that is in the Church wicked persons as theâ—e vvill euer be that must be cut off Where the point taught is the Church visible is a mixt assembly vvherein are good and bad true beleeuers and hypocrites Some are sound members and some not members but certaine superfluous and troublesome humours in the veines of the Church liuing in it as Goates among Sheepe and being in it as tares among Corne Matth. 13.27 Ierusalem in the dayes of Christ was called the holy Citie yet in it were blinde leaders of the blinde a corrupt Priest-hood and ministrie of sacriledge Matth. 15.14 This is that great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein are all manner of beasts and fowle cleane and vncleane Act. 10.11.12 and this is that draw-net of soules that gathereth of all kindes good and bad soules Matth. 13.47.48 The Reasons There must be heresies in the Church and Schismes in Doctrine But there can be no heresies but there must be heretikes to teach them euen in the Church nor Schismes but where are Schismatikes to make them euen from the Church 1 Corinth 11.19 Further the faith of the good must be tried 1 Pet. 1.7 And how can that be if there be no bad to trie them Secondly Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it Eph. 5.25.26 And wherefore sanctifie it but because it was vncleane and yet a Church When hee presents it to his Father it shall be without spot but till hee take it from the drosse of mortalitie to present it it shall haue spottes yea it selfe shall be spotted and liue with spotted men Vse The vse reproueth those who thinke there can be no sound Church vvhere are any corrupt members and vvho for the euill vvhich are in the Church forsake the good that are in it Hebr. 10.25.38.39 There was a Iudas in Christs companie and at Christs table yet did Christ suffer him neither shewed him to the other Apostles that they might seperate from him Which he did no doubt to shew that among Professours there will be alway faultie Professours The Magistrate should reforme them but Christians may not separate for them neither depart from the company of the Church because of that euill companie that is in the Church Indeede vvee should not make them our companionâ— and we ought alwaies to separate from their sinnes But shall I runne from my Fathers house because a bad seruant is in it No doubt but there were good men who abode in that Church where the watch-men vvere blinde and where they were all dumbe Dogges who should with wholesome barking haue driuen away the Wolfe or giuen warnâ—â—g of his comming or vvhere were they Esa. 56.10 If a brother walke inordinately vvee should with-draw our selues from him not from the Church because of him 12 Thessalonians 3.6 1 Corinthians 5.11 So I conclude that to separate from a Church is vnlawfull where many things vnlawfull and not so refined from the drosse of flesh are practised in that Church ROM 16.27 To God onely wise be praise through Iesus Christ for euer Amen IOS 24.15 I and my house will serue the Lord. ACT. 10.1 Cornelius with all his houshold feared God FINIS GODS Gentle Remembrance this last Sommer Anno 1613. OR AN EXPOSITION on part of the Parable of the lost Sonne BY ROBERT HORN PSAL. 111. vers 4. Hee hath made his wonderfull workes to be had in remembrance the Lord is mercifull and full of compassion LONDON Printed by T. S. for Francis Burton and are to be solde at the signe of the greene Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1614. TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL RICHARD ATKINS Esquire at Tuffe-leigh in the Countie of GLOCEST My speciall good friend Grace and Peace YOur bountie Worshipfull Sir besides my obligation to your Fathers name after his blessed death hath deserued a better oblation then the tender of this small Booke which by way of thankefulnesse to you and remembrance of Him in all thankefulnesse I send to you and abroad into the world vnder your Name It pleased that your Religious and truly godly Father to seeke Mee out in a darke skie or night of distresse to doe me good which he spared not to doe while he liued For as another Onesiphorus he often refreshed mee 2 Tim. 1.16
such want or is the Lord prouoked for these onely to bring great necessitie vpon a Land Surely though these be great Wormes of the wealth of a Nation yet there are moe consumers then these For haue not the Prodigall Sonnes of our Countrey some of them vvasted their goods and flesh with Harlots who rising vp full haue neighed after their neighbours wiues as a fed Horse after his Mateâ— Ier. 5.8 Haue not some laid but all vpon vaine and chargeable brauery from their Hat-string to their shooe-strings Haue not some hid their Talent and Patrimonie in gorgeous and costly buildings desiring to dwell in larger houses then their fathers builded without all desire and care to keepe the good houses their fathers long maintayned Haue not some turned all into smoake by making that to passe through their mouth and nosthrils in townes and Cities which should in good and charitable Hospitalitie haue gone through the chimnies of their fayre Houses in the Country whereof some like a Plague-house stand euer shut vp Haue not some hauing turned all to destruction with the riots of Dice and Gaming turned beggars who were Gentlemen well descended and left And how great is the number of those who hauing filled their mouths with the smoke that hath beene spoken of call in for their pottels and gallons to quench it with large drunkennesse When wee consider such generall abuse of Gods blessings and mens vnthankefulnesse for them what maruell if God punish vs with scarcitie of fruits and pouertie of estate For this cause the Lord wrought fearefully in our eyes the last Summer and the beginning of this Let vs not forget his worke his great worke worthy to be remembred The last Summer there was little grasse to make into hay this Summer and yeere a great yeere of grasse the ground neuer in mans memorie better clad with that commoditie Yet how was her faire cloathing with grasse soyled with dirt in many flouded Medowes within the Land this yeere The last Summer the Sunne in his open chariot this Summer or the beginning of this in his chariot couered with clouds The last Summer glorious the beginning of this wading in water The Heauens the last Summer as brasse ouer our heads this Summer or beginning of this as a Spring or Conduit The last Summer bright and shining this Summer blacke like a Hayre-cloath ouer-cast vvith darknesse The earth the last Summer as an Iron-earth the beginning of this as a marish-earth The last Summer gaping with thirst the beginning of this drowned in raine and waters Doth the Lord worke so strangely and contrarily in two yeeres so neare together and in two Summers immediately following one another to leaue no impression and to get no audience Is it not to shew what power he hath both in his right and left arme that the carelesse in our Land may feare and be humbled before his great glory Is it not to make them to call their sinne to remembrance and their hearts to repentance This is the end of the Lords smiting a Land with sore diseases and long dearth that that Land by such visitation and humblings might mourne girded with sacke-cloath like a virgin for the husband of her youth Ioel 1.8 But if for all this it laugh and reioyce with sinners the Lord hath not lost that correction for hee will loose nothing by any that is hardened desperately in his sinne but hath left it as his witnessâ— among vs of a smarter if the easier cannot preuaile or of our most certaine destruction if he shall say why should ye be smitten any more Esa. 1.5 A reproofe of those who in a matter of such punishment as this Land hath beene lately vnder by two vnseasonable Sommers looke not into their sinnes as causes but altogether into the face of the skie and the distempers there blaming them Wee set our sinnes against God and hee setteth his creatures for sinne against vs. Wee refuse to serue God they grudge as much to serue vs. A wise man considereth this and considering findeth in his Christian search the true cause of all such distempers in the skie and alterations on earth to be in that ill vveather that commeth from the corrupt Ayre and mud of the age and times in which wickednes so aboundeth Hee that gathereth other wayes is vnwise or as one that is blinde and can not see a farre off 2. Pet. 1.9 It is so then that God did thunder maruailously with his voyce this yeere Iob 37.5 and in these parts on the Sabbath What maruaile when on the Sabbath vvee drumme against God hee on the Sabbath also should thunder against vs two or three Moones haue changed but vvith small change of the weather from euill to better and what maruaile if the weather bee not changed when our hearts are not changed and vvhen we looke into the change of the Moone and not to the change of our wayes If we would set the signe of the weather not in the Moone or Starres but in our good conuersation in Christ we should haue better signes of better seasons then haue lately appeared But some when there is any ill weather vp talke and complaine of some Coniurings abroad To such I may say if they would driue out of themselues Satans great host of lusts and those more then seuen or seuen-times seuen Deuils which haue so possessed them by customary and familiar sinnefulnesse they shall see a present calme and end in all stormes Iob sayth Miserie commeth not foorth of the dust Iob 5.6 his meaning is these miseries that so many complaine ofâ— come from sinne not from the dust of the earth but from these bodies of dust and the bodie of sinne God is able to giue vs raine in season and the appointed weekes of the Haruest Ier. 5.24 The raine we haue had hath beene vnseasonable and the weekes vve haue seene haue proued vncomfortable Commeth this from the Earth and altogether from a troubled skie no but our iniquities haue turned away these things and our sinnes haue hindred good things from vs Ier. 5.25 When the childe beginneth to play vvith his meat a wise Father will take it from him vvee haue abused our plentie and doe still abuse it and what can vve looke for from so wise a Father as our Father in Heauen but penury and dearth after fulnesse so abused So farre of the punishment which was by occasion and generall vpon the Countrie that which was particular vpon this lost Sonne followeth And hee began to bee in necessitie The Countrie being punished with a great dearth the lost Sonne is here sayd to haue had his part in the generall affliction for hee also began to be in necessitie that is the generall want extended to him as his sinne was in it and hee tasted of the cup of the common calamitie Hee was in want and as appeareth by the 16. verse in great want which want and great want was layd vpon him iustly