reiected and disallowed togither with all the powers and desires thereof as far vnfit to be in any of Christs disciples What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Iob. 15.14 we are b Psal 51.5 borne in iniquity and our mothers haue conceived vs in sinne yea we are servants of sin c Gen. 6.5 all the imaginations of our hearts haue been evil even from our youth By this corruption of our nature selfe loue hath beene so rooted in vs that we marveilously please our selues even in our worst desires But S. Paule telleth vs that the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God because it is not subiect to the law of God nor indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Wherefore since they that liue in the flesh overruled by the affections and pleasures which are naturally engrafted in them cannot please God it is very necessary that we deny our selues in renouncing all such delights in humbling our selues vnder the almighty hand of God and consecrating our selues wholy to him through the obedience of faith We then being cōmanded to deny our selues are commanded nothing else then that which is signified by the mysterie of regeneration Iohn 3 3. by the mortifying of our earthly members Colos 3.5 In the first place Christ telleth vs d Ioan. 3.3 Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God In the other S. Paule warneth vs e Coloss 3.2 to set our affections on thinges which are aboue and not on things which are on earth Abraham denied himselfe when he went out of his country and from his kindred and from his fathers house not knowing whither hee should go or where he should finde any rest Gen 12.1 Moses denied himselfe when he refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sins for a season Heb. 11.24 Paule denied himselfe when he accounted all things losse iudged them to be filthe for Christs sake Phil. 3. ◠Wil t thou know what it is to deny thy selfe saith S. Chrys hom 56. in 16. Matt Then consider what it is to deny another man If thou seest another beaten with rods or imprisoned or stoned or suffer any other ill as hunger thirst cold nakednes or the like and doest not seeke to helpe him nor takest pitty vpon him then thou deniest him * Sic nullo nos pacto corpori nostro parcere vult vt neque si caeditur neque si pellitur neque si vritur nec si quid aliud eius modi patitur ei parcamus so if thou wilt deny thy selfe thou must not favour thine owne body whensoever it shal be beaten or stoned or burnt or howsoever it shall bee afflicted S. Gregory vpon Ezechiel saith Semetipsum aburgat quicunque mutatur ad meliora incipit esse quod non erat definit esse quod erat Be thou changed from worse to better and beginne to be that which thou hast not beene and leaue of to be that which thou hast beene and thou hast denyed thy selfe S. Hierom in 16. of Matth. saith that he * Qui deponit vererem hominem cum operibus suis denegat semetipsum that putteth of the old man with his workes denieth himselfe But howsoever Christ hath commanded vs to deny our selues we may not presume of our owne ability herein For he that is f 1. Pet. 1.23 borne againe is borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God by the seed of his word by the liuely operation of the holy Ghost Yet God would not haue vs to be idle and carelesse he hath therefore appointed certaine exercises for vs as good helpes for our denying our selues 1. We must pray for Gods assistāce So did David Create in me a cleane heart O God renue a right spirit within me Psal 51.10 So did the spowse draw me we wil follow thee Cant. 1.3 So did the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Luk. 17.5 2 We must vse a dayly a serious meditation of our professions and vocations As God hath called every man so let him walk Rom. 7.17 We giue no smal occasion to sin when we careleslie forget our estates or but seldomly thinke of them and that as by the way nothing mindfull of our accompt which we are to render vnto God who is ready to require at our handes the bloud of all such as shall perish by our negligence The consideration hereof without doubt made Dauid pray to the Lord that he would lay the pestilence vpō him his fathers house and spare the people committed to his charge 2. Sam. 24.17 the like affection was in Moses when he praied that his name might be rased out of the book wherin God had written him rather then the sinnes of the people vnder his governement should not be for forgiven Exod. 32.32 Such was the zeale of S. Paule when he wished with his owne damnation to redeeme the reiection of the Iews Rom. 9.3 Such should be the affection loue and zeale of all the ministers of Gods word But as shee in respect of her tribulations said g Ruth 1.20 call me no more Naomi but call me Mara that is call me no more beautifull but call me bitter so may too many of the ministery of this age say very iustly call vs no more Pastors that is freeders of our flockes and call vs no more Doctors that is teachers of others but call vs robbers for such wee are call vs sleepers for we never watch in our vocations neither is there any other reason why they should be called pastors and doctors which feed not teach not the people committed to their charges then that the Idols which h Gen. 31.19 Rachel stole were called Gods because in Labans iudgment they were like Gods when indeed they were very stockes Such may learne of Salomon that as a bird is that wandreth from her nest so is a man that wandreth from his owne place Prov. 27.8 3 We must duely consider the estate of the things of this world and conferre them with things celestiall and eternal so finding nothing vnder heaven worthy to make vs desirous of our liues we shall be the more ready to deny our selues The preacher considered all the works that were done vnder the sunne and behold all was vanity and vexation of the spirit Eccle. 1.14 i Eccl. 2.4 He made great works he built houses he planted vineyards he had large k Ver. 7. possessions of beeues and sheepe and he l Ver. 8. gathered togither silver and gold the chiefe treasures of kings and provinces he provided himselfe men singers and women singers yea all the delights of the sonnes of men m Ver. 10. whatsoever his eies desired he withheld it not from them he withdrew not
Apes in Egypt clad in purple Thence came the proverbe o Lucianus in orat cont incruditum Simia Simia est etiamsi aurea gestet insignia A carter may put on Doctors attire The Ostrich may haue gallant fethers yet not be able to flie You may hold it for a truth Christianitie is rei non speciei it is a matter of substance not of forme and shew St Bernard found fault with certaine Monks which thought it impossible the Sunne should shine any where but in their cell Were he now liuing how would he entreat many among vs who thinke themselues so godly so wise so sincere so pure so perfit so Christianlike as if Gods holy spirit had only lighted vpon them It will not bee amisse for them to consider how our Saviour Christ hath in one p Mat. 23. chapter pronounced a sevenfold woe against this sinne of Hypocrisie Woe vnto you Hypocrites yee are like vnto q Vers 27. painted Sepulchers or white◠tombes which appeare beautifull outward but within are ful of dead mens bones and all filthinesse woe vnto you Hypocrites for yee r Vers 25. make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but within are full of all bribery and excesse I will not trouble you with the repetitiō of the rest they are al to be read Mat. 23. And it may be for their bettering to giue eare to the wise mans counsell he hath said be not an Hypocrite in the sight of men for the Hypocrite shall not come before God Iob 13.16 Neither can it be lost labour for them to meditate vpon that which followeth chapter 15.34 where he ioyneth the Hypocrite with the houses that are built and maintained with polling and briberie for hee saith The congregation of the Hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall devoure the houses of bribes he addeth this reason because they cōceaue mischiefe and bring forth vanitie and their bellies haue prepared deceit What did it availe Iudas to seeme to bee a blessed Apostle when in the end he proued himselfe a cursed traytor Luk. 22.48 What did it profit the people to seeme to follow Christ for his miracles when indeed they followed for nothing but for bread Ioh. 6.26 Felix could tremble and seeme to be moued at St Paules Sermon as he disputed of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come Act. 24.25 but deepe was his dissimulation his drift was to get money of Paule as appeareth vers 26. The Scripture telleth vs that the fathers of Israel turned vnto God and sought him early they remembred that God was their strength and the most High their redeemer Psal 78.34 You see here a goodly shew of religious yet were such fathers of Israel Hypocrites for the same scripture addeth in the words that follow vers 37. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth dissēbled with him in their tongues for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant They which call themselues Iewes and are not because they lye shall be of the Synagogue of Sathan Apoc. 3.9 Thus may many professe that they knowe God when their workes will shew that they deny him themselues inwardly being abominable and disobedient and vnto every good worke reprobate Tit. 1.16 Wherein as I take it you may fitly compare them with falling starres which commonly are thought to bee in the firmament and to be true starres indeed but thinking so we are deceaued for they are only certaine fat exhalations lifted vp from the earth by the operation of the Sunne carried through the vpper region of the aire from whence being kinled by the heate and force of the firie element they fall againe Is it not so with Hypocrites Such is their carriage among vs that commonly they may be thought to be spirituall lights enflamed of God and in mind to be conversant in heaven when indeed they are farthest from it and therefore as the light of such supposed starres is momentary and vanishing so the ioy of the Hypocrite lasteth but a moment Iob. 20.5 though his excellency and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shall hee perish for ever like his owne dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is he he shall fly away as a dreame and they shall not finde him he shall passe away as a vision of the night Thus you see the portion of Hypocrites Can you now endure to drinke of their cup Then shall you ſ Esai 33.11 conceaue chaffe bring forth stubble and the fire of your owne breath shall devoure you O yee sonnes of men sunken deepe in rebellion turne againe yet the day is with you therefore cast away those Idols of gold and silver which your owne hands haue made I meane your sinnes cast them from you Why will you be like them of whom the Lord hath said This people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but haue remoued their heart from me Esay 29.13 Why will you not labour to be such as you would seeme to be what shall it profit you to be like gloe-wormes which although they shine in the night are notwithstanding in the day to behold vncleane and vile wormes What shall it profit you I say to shine in the night of this world through a false shew of godlinesse when in the day time that is in the world to come you shall present your selues before your iust iudge foule and abhominable When the king of Iudah proclaimed warre against the king of Israel the king of Israel returned this answer the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar 2. King 14.9 And yet what was there but a king against a king but a man against a man Humble thy selfe thou proud earth not before men for thy hypocrisie will soone be espied but before the Lord. For if thou shalt dare continue in thy rebellion shall not the king of Heaven much more iustly say to thee the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar The Iewes thought themselues holy by offering of sacrifices when in the meane season they had neither faith nor repentance But was God well pleased with them No for he detested him that killed a bullocke as if he had slaine a man him that sacrificed a sheepe as if he had cut off a dogges neck him that offered an oblation as if he had offered swines blood him that burned incense as if he had blessed an Idole Esay 66.3 and all to make you knowe that he detesteth all your sacrifices your prayers your fasts your almes yea all your good workes too when they are done without faith and repentance as much as he detested the sacrifices of the Heathen when they offered men dogges and swine vnto their Idols Wherewith then shall you t Micah 6.6 come before the Lord how your selues before the high God Shall you come before him with burnt offerings calues of a yeare old Will the Lord
seaven eies which goe through the whole world Zach. 4.10 You may interpret them with me many millions of eies he is i Hieronym in Psal 94.9 See my 10. Lecture vpoÌ„ Amos. 1. p. 115. totus oculus altogether eie for he seeth all things We might haue long since learned that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heavens Esay 40.12 You may interpret it with me that hee hath many Millions of hands he is totus manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We may well remember that God hath feet to set vpon his footstoole Mat. 5.35 You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of feet he is totus pos altogether foot fot he is every where O then farre be it from vs to plucke out the eie of knoweledge as when we sinne to say with those Psal 10.11 Tush who seeth vs God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will never see Let vs rather confesse with the blessed Patriarch that all places are filled with Gods Maiestie as he said the Lord was in this place and I was not aware how fearefull is this place This is the house of God and the gate of HeaveÌ„ Gen. 28.16.17 So let vs for that place and this place and all other places vpoÌ„ the face of the earth are alike let vs I say let each of vs in particular wheresoever and whensoever we shall be entised with sinnes too pleasing bait rouse vp our selues and bee awaked as Iacob was and say with him The Lord was in this place and I was not aware how feareful is this place this is the house of God and the gate of Heaven The due consideration of this all-eyed all-handed all-footed presence of God as it must needs strike a terrour into the hardest hearts of the children of darknesse while they k In circuitu impii ambulaÌ„t Psa 11.9 vul walke by compasse in their crooked and circular endlesse waies so also must it needs affoord a sweet comfort to the afflicted soules of the children of light walking with a right foote toward the l Phil. 3.14 marke in hope to attaine to the price set before them For wheÌ„ they shal perswade themselues that God is at hand with them in all their crosses and tribulations they cannot chuse but endure with patience the worst that may befall them especially knowing that all all things worke together for their best because they loue God Rom. 8.28 So doth Gods presence perswade his children that it is he the Lord none but Hee since all worldly helpes are vaine that it is He the Lord that will lift them vp A second motiue to the same perswasion is the Lordes liberalitie whereof many things worthy our meditation might be delivered but let it suffise for our present occasion to vnderstand that all the good things we haue are from the Lord. Meate to nourish vs wee haue it from the Lord apparell to cloath vs wee haue it from the Lord the Sunne to comfort vs the Moone to pleasure vs wee haue them from the Lord life for our being riches honour whatsoever else for our wel being all commeth from the Lord. What hast thou saith St Paul that thou hast not receaued 1. Cor. 4.7 Art thou rich it is not of thy selfe the LORD giueth saith Iob. ch 1.21 Art thou in estimation in this world It is not of thy selfe The LORD setteth vp saith Hannah 1. Sam. 2.7 Hast thou cuÌ„ning or skil in any thing whatsoever It is not of thy selfe God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke Himselfe saith so to Moses Exod. 31.3 It is impossible for me to recount those manifold blessings wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath blessed vs such is their infinitie Let every one goe downe into the closet of his owne breast and then say hee whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him O yee righteous m Psal 33.1 reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull yea it becommeth each of vs very well to take vp Davids song and to say with him O Lord let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Psalm 71.8 Vpon which place a blessed n Augustine Father hath this meditation What meaneth the Prophet by these words al the day long He meaneth saith he continually O let my mouth bee filled with thy praise CONTINVALLY because in prosperitie thou hast been to me a comfort in adversitie thou hast given mee chastisement when I was not thou madest me since I haue beene thou hast preserued me when I had offended thou forgavest mee at my conversion thou receavedst me and for my perseverance thou hast crowned me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long that I may sing continually And the rather doe I commend to you the due consideration of the liberalitie of our God because I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid desperation It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatioÌ„ to cal to mind the goodnesse of the LORD forepassed either to our selues or others If we thâ—nke with our selues that it was the LORD that tooke vs from our mothers wombe that HEE hath beene our hope ever since we hung at the breasts that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vs with his goodnesse if thus we think vnfeignedly can we thinke that HE will not blesse vs still Here should we compare and lay the times together as Davids vse was Thus he argued I haue heretofore slaine a Lion and a Beare at the fold therefore God will also enable me to prevaile against the hand of this Philistine 1. Sam. 17.37 So may we reason The mercies of the Lord haue beene bountifull towardes vs in former times to create vs of the slime of the ground to breath into vs a living soule to nurse vs vp in a civill countrey to redeeme vs with the blood of his only begotten sonne to visit vs with the light of his glorious Gospell to blesse our garners with store and our baskets with increase to be nowhere wanting to vs in any thing that may doe vs good such and in such sort haue the blessings of God beene vnto vs his arme is not now shortned hee is the same to day that hee was yesterday therefore shall his loving kindnesse be vpon vs for evermore Why should any afflicted child of God take vp Sions complaint Esai 49.14 and say The LORD hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Never would any so complaine if hee would thinke vpon the Lords name as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai Exod. 34.6 7. The LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Never would any so complaine if hee would remember why Ioel would
should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 And therefore be the crosse never so bitter yet is it sweet to the hungry soule Prov. 27.7 Resolue wee then to take vp our crosses dayly which is my last note of the second precept The body is then of best liking when it is dayly exercised and the godly are then of best living when they are dayly afflicted Agur knew it well and therefore he prayed God not to giue him riches but only to feed him with food convenient lest hee should be full and deny God and say who is the Lord Prov. 30.9 When Israel waxed fat hee spurned with his heele and regarded not the strong God of his salvation Deut. 32.15 When Gedeon was poore and a thresher of wheat the Angel of the Lord visited him but after that the Lord had giuen the Midianitâ— into his hands he made an Ephod of golden earings and placed it in his citie OPHRAH so that all Israel went a whoring after it Iud. 8.27 Wee find not that Ieroboam was reputed evill as long as he was of low estate but when he was once preferred to be ruler of the 10 tribes he made two golden calues called them the Gods of Israel 1. King 12.28 We likewise since God hath giuen vs prosperitie since hee hath withholden from vs his afflicting hand are very ready b Ierem. 5.7 to forsake him to swear by them that are no Gods yea impiously to sweare by him that is the revenging God to commit adultery to assemble our selues by companies in harlots houses to rise vp in the morning like c Ierem. 5.8 fed horses to account religion a prety policie to keepe the meaner sort in awe to thinke him scarse worthy a Gentlemans company that will make a conscience of committing any vice be it never so brutish Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soule bee avenged on such a nation as this Ierem. 5.9 Many of these were the sinnes of Iudah and all of them are our sweet sinnes Would you knowe what was the portion of Iudahs cup for these her transgressions The 15. vers of the 5. Chap. of Ierem. will shew you what the LORD hath said I wil bring a nation vpon you from farre a mightie nation an ancient nation a nation whose language thou knowst not neither vnderstandest what they say whose d Vers 16. quiver is an open sepulcher they are all very strong e Vers 17. they shall eate thine harvest and thy bread thy sheepe and thy bullocks thy vines and thy fig-trees they shall devoure thy sonnes and thy daughters they shall destroy with the sword the fenced cities wherein thou hast trusted Shall our trespasses against God be more then Iudahs were and can wee looke that our punishments should bee lesse Let vs not flatter our selues there is scarse any one of vs that hath not heard newes of a nation that is * This SermoÌ„ was preached March 28. 1596. coÌ„ming against vs from far a mightie nation an ancient nation a natioÌ„ whose language we know not neither vnderstand wee what they say If they come wee haue learned so much that God in his good providence bringeth them vpon vs who knoweth whether God wil strengthen them that they shall be able with fire and sword to beate downe all our forces to devoure our sonnes and daughters to eate vp our harvest and our bread our sheepe our bullocks our vines and our fig-trees It may bee that the strength of our country maketh some little to regard the invasion of any forraine enemie O put your trust in God for vaine is the helpe of man The king is not saued by the multitude of an host neither is the mighty man delivered by his great strength Psal 33.16 Iabin with his confederats even thirtie and one Kings with all their forces must fall by the edge of the sword if the LORD doe but send Ioshua with a few against them Iosh 12.24 The whole host of the Midianites shall be discomfited if the LORD doe but once bid Gedeon goe with his three hundred men Iud. 7.7 The Moabites and Ammonites be they never so many shall yeeld to Iehoshaphat and his small number without resisting 2. Chron. 20.17 And what are we that wee may bee sure that the LORD will not deliver vs into the hands of our enimies how can we presume to thinke so since as a cage is ful of birds so are our houses full of deceits Ier. 5.27 Many among vs are become great and rich f Ier. 5.28 they are waxen far and shining they doe overpasse the deeds of the wicked they execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse g Vers 29. Shall not the LORD visit for these things shall not his soule be avenged of such a nation as this He turneth the floods into a wildernesse and the springs of waters into drinesse a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.33 It may be h Iosh 7.20 Achan offendeth yet three thousand Israelits shall be put to flight for it Ios 7.4 David i 2. Sam. 24.1 committeth the sinne yet seventie thousand of his people must die for it 2. Sam. 24.15 Baasha may bee the man that k 1. King 16.2 transgresseth yet his whole houshold his kinsfolke and friends shall smart for it 1. King 16.11 Rent your harts therefore and turne vnto the LORD your God with fasting with weeping and with mourning for hee is gracious and mercifull slow to anger of great kindnesse repenteth him of the evill that he hath said he will do Ioel. 2.13 Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leaue a blessing for vs and make his cup to passe from vs His mercies are called everlasting because they endure for ever but his anger is compared to the clowds because it lasteth but a season whom hee loveth he loveth to the end but whom he scourgeth he scourgeth till they repent Ezechias was sicke but vntil he wept 2. King 20 3. Nebuchadnezzar was banished but vntil he repented Dan. 4.34 And no doubt if we wil repent vs vnfeignedly of our sins we shall finde that to be the best remedy against our present famine and the warres we looke for Now as peace plenty and prosperity maketh men yea manie of vs to thinke that there is no God at least to forget him so on the other side daily afflictions will make vs feele that there is a God and daily to remember him The blewnesse of the wound serveth to purge the evil and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Prov. 20.30 Sharp punishments that pierce even the inward parts are profitable for vs to bring vs to amendment When we are tried we shall receiue the crowne of life wee shal then bee blâ—ssed when we endure tentations Iam. 1.12 Let vs therefore take vp our crosses daily that is
receaue evill Iob. 2.10 God hath promised and hee cannot but performe that whosoever calleth vpon his name giueth care to his voice as to the only shepheard of his soule good things shall betide him in this world and his soule shall liue Ier. 38.20 his plants shall prosper his counsels shall take effect his corne and oyle shall multiplie he q Deut 15.6 28 12. shall lend to many but shall not borrow himselfe his children like so many oliue branches r Psal 128.3 shal enclose his table round about If this cannot perswade you and what godly heart can it not perswade to forsake those your wicked helpers and to rely only on the Lord then heare farther God hath promised he cannot but performe that whosoever will not giue care to his voice but will relieue himselfe by the practises of cunning men witches coniurers and the like preferring Belial before Christ the Prince of darknesse before the ever-shining morning starre errour because it pleaseth before truth because it smarteth may ſ Deut. 28.38 sow his field but shall never reape it for the grashoppers shall destroy it may t Vers 39. plant his vineyard and dresse it but shall never drinke of the wine nor gather the grapes for the wormes shall eate it may haue u Vers 40. oliue trees in all his coasts but shall not annoint himselfe with the oyle for his oliues shall fall may x Vers 41. beget sonnes and daughters but shall not haue them for they shall goe into captivitie The Lords still-stretched-out hand shall smite such a one with a y Vers 22. consumption with a fever with a burning ague with fervent heate with a sword with blasting with mildew all these shall pursue him till hee perish z Vers 23. the Heaven that is over his head shall be brasse and the earth that is vnder him shall be yron You that haue knowne it may remember you that haue not knowne it may learne that in the 28. of Deut. from the 15 verse to the 68. there are besides those which I haue recited many other as grievous plagues assuredly allotted to all such as disobeying the Lords voice shall rely vpon such helplesse helps as I haue already mentioned We read 2. Chron. 16.12 that King Asa was punished with death for no other cause but because in his sicknes he sought for help at the Phisitians not of the Lord and can we be so senselesse as to thinke when for recovering of our lost goods or of our healths wee seeke to Sathans instruments that we shall escape vnpunished If Ahaziah consult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron about the recovering of his health the Lord wil send him word that he shall not come downe from his bed but shall there die the death 2. King 1.4 If Saule aske counsaile of a witch the archers shall wound him and his owne a 1. Chro. 10.4 sword shall kill him 1. Chron. 10.13 If Manasseh vse them that haue familiar spirits God wil send him such evils that who so heareth of it both his eares shall tingle 2. King 21.12 If this cannot perswade you and what godly heart cannot this perswade to forsake those your wicked helpers and to rely only on the Lord as you haue heard what dome abideth you for running to such helpers heare also how such may bee deciphered vnto you out of the holy Scriptures Would yee knowe how to cal them yee may tearme them rebels against the light Iob. 24.13 brethren to dragons Iob. 30.29 snares of a fowler in all their waies snares for the vngodly Hos 9.8 if thou list to scanne their descent they are the seed not of Iudah but of that cursed father of Canaan their fathers are Amorites and their mothers Hittites Ezec. 16.45 If their alliance Samaria is their elder sister Ezech. 16.46 If the lot of their inheritance it shall be a never-ending kingdome but full of weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 where their table shall bee a table of Devils 1. Cor. 10.21 their diet worse then that Coliquintida 2. King 4.40 their mirth folded vp in the pride of a smoake Esay 9.18 So is it not for nothing that witches may not be suffered to liue The charge is giuen against them Exod. 22.18 The Prophet Ieremy hauing roundly glanced at their faults foretels their fall that they shall surely bee consumed with famine and with the sword chap. 14. ver 15. with famine for their disquiet with the sword for their execution And c. 50. v. 35. he saith there shal be slaughter vpon the Chaldeans a slaughter vpon the southsayers the rather because they are the vengeance of the Lord the vengeance of his Temple Ch. 51. v. 11. The like favour for all the world is to be found at the hands of Ezechiel chap. 13.9 where hee denounceth against all glosing Prophets which see vanitie divine lies that the scourge of God shall be for ever vpon them that they shall not bee in the assembly of Gods people that they shall not be written in the writings of the house of Israel in the booke of life that they shall not enter into the land of Israel that heavenly Ierusalem Of like severitie is that sentence pronoūced by the Prophet Esay chap. 47. Where willing the Babylonians to repaire to their sooth-sayers to their astrologers to their starre-gazers to their Prognosticators for all these names hee there vseth verse 12.13 And to make triall whether they can finde profit or strength among them he speaketh to them in the 14. vers thus Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burne them they shall not deliver their owne liues from the power of the flame yea they shal be so consumed with the flaming fire as that there shall not be anie thing remaining no not to much as one coale to warme at nor anie light to sit by Considering then your owne lots and this their portion can yee hope for anie helpe at their hands Iudge vprightly you shall finde that neither their leaues are delightfull nor their blossoms gracefull nor their fruits restoratiue yea you must confesse that they are but so manie broken reedes full of splinters whereto if you leane you may wound your hands you may pierce your hands you shall never helpe your selues By this I doubt not but it appeareth what affiance may bee had in all worldly helps of what sort soever Now would I perswade you that all true helpe is to be sought for at the hande of the God of Iacob For it is he the Lorde none but he since all worldly helps are vaine it is he the Lord that will lift you vp And of this shall yee be well perswaded if yee meditate vpon Gods presence vpon his liberality vpon his ability vpon his willingnesse for as he is most present with you most liberall to you most able to helpe you when you stand in need so also