and setled amongst vs when any calamitie doth befall vs wee straight cry out Bad lucke bad fortune If any losse or crosse betide vs oh say we what lucke and fortune was this In euery misery blinde fortune is complained of And so è contra when any good thing happens Lucke and Fortune must be thanked for it thus walking after the lusts of the Gentiles Te facimus Fortuna Deam coeloque locamus Iuuen Satyr 10. who held Fortune as a Goddesse and assigned her a place in heauen representing her by a woman sitting vpon a ball as if the whole world were at her command hauing with her a rasor as if shee could at her pleasure cut off and end mans happinesse bearing in her right hand the sterne of a ship as if shee could turne about all things at her pleasure and in her left hand the horne of abundance as though all plenty came from her Which palpable Idolatry that was amongst them should be renounced and abhorred by vs Christians Yea so farre should it be had in detestation that the very name of Fortune should not once be named amongst vs and much lesse any thing ascribed to it whereof we see not an apparent cause Vse 2 Secondly seeing afflictions are inflicted by the hand of God this should teach vs patience as it did Dauid when Absolon rose vp against him p Psal 39.10 I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it It must needs be a bold audacious impudencie to murmur in afflictions considering God is the author and inflicter If our inferiour strike vs we reuenge it treble if an equall we requite it if a superiour we haue learned this wisdome not to repine or if we mutter yet not to vtter our discontent Thinke whose hand strikes It is Gods who-euer be the instrument the blow was his whatsoeuer was the weapon It is vsually seene that in corrections comming immediatly from Gods hand we are not ordinarily so impatient as in those which come by meanes of wicked instruments and what is the cause but this we doe not so apparently behold Gods holy hand striking vs in these latter as in the former Did we but seriously consider that it is God that scourgeth vs by them we would be then ashamed of our folly in being angry at the rod without any regard of the smiter in snarling like dogs at the stone neuer considering the flinger Doe we not see how patiently Lords and Nobles condemned to die suffer the stroke of death at the hands of the base hangman shewing therein their subiection and obedience to their Prince Euen so should we quietly and patiently endure all the indignities that are offered vnto vs by wicked worldly men therein giuing testimonie of our obedience to God who vseth them as instruments of his iustice to correct vs. See then that thou dost so neuer seuer the crosse from Gods hand though there be neuer so many instruments but Heare the rod who hath appointed it so shalt thou with patience and meeknesse beare that affliction that is inflicted But if otherwise if when the crosse comes thou art willing to see any thing rather than God running vpon inferiour causes gazing on men or meanes regarding more the staffe wherewith thou art smitten than the hand mouing and ruling it it will then be intolerable and thou must needs breake the bounds of patience But may we not haue an eye vpon second causes Quest Are we vtterly to neglect the instruments of our afflictions In all afflictions Answ we are to consider not only the action and worke as it is simply naturall and the disposition of them to the manifestation of Gods glory and our good in which respect God is the chiefe author of them but also an accidentall confusion and malignitie of the action which is wholly to be ascribed to mans corruption by whom it is performed in regard of which malignitie and sinne we are to haue some respect vnto them that we may hate and flie that euill and iniustice that is in them and vse all good and lawfull meanes whereby we may crosse them in their wicked purposes and free our selues from their iniuries and oppressions hauing herein the word of God for warrant which enioyneth vs to vse all honest courses that spirituall wisdome can suggest vnto vs for our preseruation and safetie Thirdly if God be the author of affliction this may Vse 3 serue for direction vnto vs what course to take in time of danger euen that which is giuen vs by the Prophet Hosea to q Hos 6.1 come and returne vnto the Lord for it is he that spoiles and he must heale it is he that wounds and he must binde vp there is none that can r Iob 10.7 take off Gods hand but himselfe He is a foolish malefactor that seekes to the executioner and not vnto the Iudge yet as foolish are we who in the day of trouble rest vpon vaine helps that cannot profit hoping to haue releefe from some Saint or Angell in heauen or which is worse from Coniurers and Witches here vpon the earth Flectere si nequeo Superos Acheronta mouebo As sometimes the Heathen man said If I cannot intreat the gods I will goe vnto the deuils and as King Ahuziah did who being sicke sent to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron ſ 2 King 1. whether he should recouer of his difease or no. Wofull is that cure which is wrought by such Physitians We haue learned better things The generall rule for all troubles is t Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me u Psal 123.2 As the eyes of seruants therefore looke vnto the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the hand of her Mistresse so our eyes shall wait vpon thee our God vntill that thou haue mercy on vs. Vse 4 And lastly seeing God hath a hand in all afflictions that befall this may afford great comfort to the godly in that they are not left into the hands of their cruell and crafty enemies but are in the hands of so gratious and mercifull a God and louing Father through whose sweet hand the sharpest and bitterest afflictions doe passe As for our aduersaries they are but as the rod in the hand of him that smites As therefore the rod can of it selfe doe nothing further than the force of the hand vsing it giues strength vnto it no more can they doe any thing vnto vs further than they haue * Iohn 19. power giuen them from aboue Boisterous Tubeco may haply dismay vs with his thundering speeches but let vs know there is an ouer-ruling hand to moderate and restraine him The swinging rod the childe sees in his fathers hand may somewhat terrifie him yet the childe may certainly perswade himselfe his father will so vse it as it shall doe him no more harme than
our charge Vse 2 And so to fall from reprouing to perswading and exhorting let euery one beware how they refuse or reiect the Ministerie as thinking themselues their friends or children too high for it and it too low for them No man may be thought to be too good to serue God at his Altar and to administer at his Table If any so thinke he deceiueth himselfe and ouer-valueth his owne condition Amongst the Iewes the x Ioseph Antiq. 11. hist tripart lib. 9. Euseb hist 10. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 2. cap. 8. Priests were sometimes matched into the bloud Royall Numa Pompilius would be a Priest amongst the Romanes And the Aegyptians chose their Kings from amongst their Priests and shall we then thinke basely of them our fore-fathers counted it an honour to haue one of their children an Abbot or a Bishop in which callings then they liued like Epicures hauing nothing of a good Christian saue the title only Yea Princes of this Land haue renounced their Crownes and Kingdomes and entered into Monasteries and haue put their sonnes and daughters into Cloysters Shall not these condemne vs Nay will not the very heathen rise vp one day in iudgement against vs who haue giuen their sonnes y 2 Chron. 33.6 for sacrifice vnto their Idols and caused them to passe through the fire thinking them not too deare to be offered to their gods Let vs looke on these and be ashamed of our selues For certainly the best and noblest amongst the sonnes of men are a thousand-fold more vnfit for that high place than that calling is or can be thought vnworthy of them And as for such as are already called to this high place let all beware of despising of them It is the Apostles rule z 1 Tim. 5.17 that they which rule well should haue double honour First honour of countenance and then of maintenance one of these is not enough without the other for it must be double a Isai 52.7 Beautifull are the feet saith this our Prophet Isaiah of them that bring good tidings that publisheth saluation c. If their feet be beautifull how beautifull should their face be who should be so welcome to vs as these who more esteemed or reuerenced Remember how the Lord hath euery way endeuoured to make them so as by giuing them titles of highest respect as b 2 Cor. 5.20 Embassadors for Christ and c Mal. 2.7 Messengers for the Lord of Hoasts d 2 King 13.14 Fathers the first title of honour that was in the world e Reuel 1.20 Angels which are the noblest of the creatures Besides he hath giuen them wonderfull authoritie He hath put the f Matth. 16.19 Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen into their hands to open and to shut g Iohn 20.23 Power to remit and retaine sinnes Thus the Lord is pleased to ratifie their regular proceedings in the Court of Heauen Likewise he hath giuen them h Ephes 4.8 9 10 11. extraordinary gifts aboue the common rate as Knowledge Experience Comfort and the like Is it safe despising these whom God hath thus highly dignified Vse 3 A last vse may be for comfort vnto vs who wait at Gods Altar Let vs count it our honour to be called hereunto and preferre it before all other callings whatsoeuer not giuing way to any thoughts of discontentment in respect of the many ignominies or persecutions that we daily doe or are like to vndergoe so as to be grieued at the Lords leading of vs to so toilesome and in mans iudgement disgracefull a vocation or to be moued to leaue and giue ouer our function in that respect As sometimes that Cardinall of Loraine did who after he had preached once vnto the people and was therefore derided by the Prelates of his Order left off vtterly the Office of preaching as a calling too base for his Cardinals Hat-ship Let this be farre from vs. If we doe our duty the world will hate vs True But if we doe it not God will curse vs By the first we are in danger to lose our goods our names our liues by the second our soule our heauen our God Now whether it be better to please God or man iudge ye Let euery Minister therefore doe his dutie and albeit most in the world contemne vs yet we shall finde some in the world who are not of the world that will reuerence and respect vs. So long as the i 1 King 17.9 widow of Sarepta hath any oile we shall not want Howeuer though here we haue troubles to weary vs yet in the end we shall haue heauens ioy to refresh and comfort vs. It is enough we haue deserued our worke shall haue a reward And thus much for the first particular to be considered in this Preface the second followes And that is the nature and kinde of the Treatise indited and it is A Song or Poem And here occasion is offered to speake somewhat in the defence of Poetrie and Verse The Position is Doct. Poetry is an Art ancient and commendable Poesie and Poetrie is an Art and exercise ancient lawfull and praise-worthy The practises of the seruants of God make this good Moses that man of God was excellent herein as appeareth by that same k Exod. 15.1 Canticle which he made in commemoration of Gods goodnesse for his peoples deliuerance out of Egypt and for the destruction of their enemies Iosephus de Antiqu lib. 7. which Song is held to be the most ancient Song that euer was I am sure it is that we reade of in Scripture and is thought to be first composed in Hexameter verse though it is not certaine For it is no easie matter to finde out the Scansion of verse vsed amongst the Hebrewes such was the varietie of their Measures As also by that which he made l Deut. 32. a little before his death which he commanded should be taught the Children of Israel yea the text saith m Cap. 31.19 vers 22. he himselfe wrote it and taught it them Thus n Iudg. 5.1 Deborah and Barak also composed a Song and sang it to the Lord. So Dauid that same o 2 Sam. 23.1 Qui noster Orpheus est Euthy sweet singer of Israel had an excellent gift this way as is euident by that same p 2 Sam. 1.17 Ioseph de Antiq. lib. 7. cap. 10. funerall Song or Epitaph which he made for Saul and Ionathan after their deaths Besides diuers Odes and Hymnes which he composed to the honour of God in various kindes of Verse This likewise was the practice of Christians in the Primitiue Church as q Eccles Hist lib. 2. cap. 16. Eusebius reporteth out of Philo Iudaeus They contemplate saith he not only diuine things but they make graue Canticles and Hymnes vnto God in a more sacred ryme of euery kinde of metre and verse If any doubt remaine notwithstanding what hath beene shewed of the truth of our
All creatures in their kinde glorifie their Maker Motiues to seeke after Gods glory and employ themselues in the setting forth of his praise h Psal 19.1 The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke by their admirable structure motions and influence they preach his praise and that 1. All the night and all the day without intermission for i vers 2. one day telleth another and one night certifieth another 2. In euery kinde of language for k vers 3. there is no speech nor language where their voyce is not heard and 3. In euery part of the world in euery Country Citie Towne Village Parish for l vers 4. Their sound is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world Thus m Bellarm. in Psal 19. saith one they be diligent Pastors preaching at all times And learned Pastors as preaching in all tongues And Catholike Pastors preaching in all Townes And the subiect of all their preaching is no other than the glory of God And as the Heauens so doe the Fowles of the Heauens as the n Ier. 8.7 Storke Crane Turtle Swallow And so also the beasts of the field for o Isay 1.3 the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib as I say sheweth Remember againe how little glory God getteth at the hands of most in the world which I thus make euident Put case the whole world should be diuided into foure parts three of the foure we shall finde to be ouerspread with Turcisme Paganisme c. they not so much as professing the true God in Christ and therefore amongst them God can get no glory but is continually dishonoured by their liues and actions so that there is but a fourth part of the world if that which doth professe him in his Sonne and amongst those though all professe him in word how many are there which denie him by their workes Should we make a subdiuision and againe diuide that fourth and least part into foure parts more we shall finde the least part truly to seeke his honour One part we shall finde are Hereticks who rob him of his glory by their superstition and Idolatrie A second part are Atheists and notorious euill liuers who are so farre from honouring him as that they daily belch out blasphemies against him A third part are Hypocrites and carnall Protestants backsliders and luke-warme Christians who p Isay 29.13 honour him with their lips but haue their hearts farre from him Now there is but a fourth part and hardly that who are sincere and faithfull and if they should not bend themselues with all their might to maintaine and aduance Gods glory it would be trodden vnder foot of all Should not this consideration be a spurre in our sides to make vs forward in this dutie Call to minde the practices of Gods Saints Moses that man of God q Exod. 32.32 preferred it before his own saluation no maruell then if he preferred it before r Heb. 11.24 the honours and treasures of Egypt the like did blessed Paul Å¿ Rom. 9.2 who professeth that for Gods glory in the saluation of the Iewes he could wish himselfe accursed or separated from Christ Remarkable also is the Apostles care in the cure of the Creeple t Acts 14.11 that the least part of Gods praise might not cleaue to their fingers but all might be ascribed to the Lord. The 24. Elders u Reuel 4.10 cast their Crownes before the Throne they emptie themselues of all glory merit and worthinesse whatsoeuer that they may giue all praise vnto the Lord. And lastly haue we not our Sauiours owne example for our imitation who both by praier and practice sought his Fathers glory and only it * Iohn 12.28 Father saith he glorifie thy name and againe x 8. 49 50. I honour my Father and seeke not my owne glorie And in that sweet praier of his y Iohn 17.4 I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the worke which that gauest me to doe Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses and haue so many examples before vs for our encouragement let vs lay aside all pride of heart selfe-loue vaine-glorie and euery such like weight and sinne which doth so easily beset vs and in simplicitie of heart aime at our masters praise in all we vndertake Euery dull iade will follow though he will not leade the way we are but iades in Christianitie and godlinesse if we continue carelesse when so many haue gone before vs in this dutie Remember further how we pray Doe we not desire daily the hallowing of Gods name now to say it with our mouthes and not seeke it in our liues is damnable hypocrisie a sinne that God abhorres Doe we not likewise pray that Gods will may be done in earth as it is in heauen Now tell me how doe the Angels spend their time doe not they cry continually one vnto another z Isay 6.3 Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hoasts the whole earth is full of his glory Oh take heed lest thou multipliest lies as thou multipliest praiers see that thy heart and tongue be not at variance what thou praiest for with thy lips see thou practisest in thy life Let not your workes giue your tongues the lye Againe for our further encouragement hereto consider we the benefit that comes hereby For by glorifying God we bring glory to our selues the greatest fruit thereof redounds to vs His glory is as himselfe eternall infinite and so abides in it selfe not capable of our addition to it or detraction from it As the Sunne which would shine in its owne brightnesse and glory though all the world were blinde and did wilfully shut their eies against it so God will euer be most glorious let men be neuer so obstinate or rebellious Yea God will haue glory by Reprobates though it be nothing to their ease and though he be not glorified of them yet he will glorifie himselfe in them Yet notwithstanding this he will trie how we prize his glory and how industrious we are to magnifie and exalt it wherein if he finde vs painfull he will plentifully reward it and returne glory for glory according to his promise a 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me will I honour Lastly if all that hath beene said worke not vpon vs yet let the danger that followes vpon the neglect of this dutie moue vs. How many examples are recorded in Scripture of Gods iudgements vpon such as did either derogate from God or arrogate to themselues any part of that praise which was due vnto his name Moses and Aaron yet his owne deare seruants b Numb 20.12 were debarred out of the Land of Promise because they glorified him not at the waters of strife The high-Priesthood c 1 Sam. 2.29 31. 3.13 was remoued from the house of
take notice first of the poisonfull Vse 1 nature of sinne which corrupteth and altereth the nature of all things be they neuer so good so excellent making that hurtfull which in it selfe is healthfull Christ the Word the Sacraments the Creatures yea God himselfe are by it made occasions of euill Yea looke as Gods wisdome and goodnesse can draw good out of the greatest euill as out of mans fall Iudas his treason the Iewes abiection c. So mans sinne can draw euill out of the greatest good and make it hurtfull and pernitious to his soule Should wee not then hate it and abhorre it And secondly of the wretched estate of the sinner who is poisoned by sinne Needs must his condition be fearefull who brings swift damnation on himselfe not only by foule grosse sinnes but euen by the most holy things of God as the wicked doth For as m Rom. 8.28 all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose as witnesseth the Apostle So by a rule of contraries to them who are vnregenerated all things worke together for the worst They corrupt all things they defile all things Their tongues are Adders speares their lips are instruments of guile their hands worke iniquitie and their feet are swift to the shedding of bloud Their wits they abuse to cauill with their wealth to oppresse their strength to steale their friends to bolster them out in all with their knowledge they beguile and deceiue the simple and vnstable soule The Scripture they make a couer for their prophanenesse for when they be espied or reproued they will tell you they doe no more than what they can iustifie by holy warrant Their mariage they abuse for lust their children for couetousnesse the day for open euill and the night for secret shame How neere must their damnation be when euery thing doth further it Euery word euery action yea euery thought doth hasten it Oh! the misery of the wicked who in the top of their happinesse and in the midst of their store and plentie are hastening to death to Hell Vse 2 Againe let this admonish vs not to content our selues with the enioyment of things in themselues good vnlesse we haue a sanctified vse thereof And surely herein many doe delude themselues in thinking all is well and they are the blessed of the Lord in that they haue so many good things and such plenty of Gods good blessings showred downe vpon their Tabernacles when alas as we haue seene many haue as much whose n Rom. 11.10 table becomes a snare vnto them and their prosperitie their ruine Doe not then content thy selfe in the simple enioyment of things good vnlesse they be good to thee Better be as poore as Lazarus than with Diues to haue much wealth and haue no grace to vse it o Eccles 7.11 Wisdome is good saith wise King Solomon with an inheritance but an inheritance without wisdome is passing hurtfull Vse 3 Lastly learne that the meanes which God affordeth for mans good shall neuer returne in vaine for if they further not mans saluation they will hasten his destruction and confusion If wee will not be the better for his mercies we shall be a great deale worse Some effect will follow thereupon if they produce not sweet grapes they will sowre For p Esay 55.10 11. as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread vnto the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it saith the Lord The preaching of Gods word and all other of his ordinances is such physicke as will either cure or kill none euer heard the one or vsed the other but was thereby made either much better or much worse they became either more barren or more fruitfull The Word in Scripture is called q Hebr. 4.12 a two edged sword that cuts both waies it is either a conuerting or a conuincing power A sauour it hath to all either of death or life And looke as fire hath a double operation vpon the seuerall subiects it workes vpon it fires stubble but refines the gold So hath the Word some hearts as we haue heard it enflames with zeale and loue vnto it other hearts it sets on fire to persecute and molest it and the bringers of it At one Sermon r Act. 13.7 8. Sergius Paulus was conuerted and Elimas obdurated at another Sermon Å¿ Act. 17.4 5. some beleeued and some beleeued not And vpon our Sauiours preaching we may reade how t Iohn 6.66 some went backe and walked no more with him but others stuck more fast close vnto him knowing full well that he had the u Verse 68. words of eternall life and therefore whither should they goe Thus is it to conuersion if beleeued to confusion if despised How should this stirre vs vp to a zealous preparation before wee come to the house of God Wee returne not to our owne homes as we came from thence but wee are one step neerer to heauen or to hell Oh! what a griefe and heart-breake will it be vnto thee at the last day to see many who haue heard the Word with thee beene of the same Parish vnder the same Ministery sate in the same stoole to be receiued into heauen because they beleeued and repented and thou thy selfe thrust downe to hell for thy infidelitie and hard-heartednesse Looke therfore well about thee and regard the means * Exod. 4.3 When Moses threw the Rod out of his hand it became a Serpent but when he laid hold of it and tooke it to him it became that Rod wherewith he wrought those many and mighty miracles Thus if thou castest the word thou hearest from thee looke to finde it as a Serpent that will sting thee to the heart but lay hold of it and take it vp obey it and apply it and thou shalt haue the great worke of thy saluation wrought thereby Before we leaue this verse one thing more I would haue obserued The fruit that it brought forth is said to be wilde fruit The word as was before noted signifieth x Baaschim Vuas putridas seu foetidas Moller in loc Acerbas ac insuaues Vatab. such a kind of fruit which in smell is most odious and stinking and in taste most loathsome and vnsauourie And this teacheth vs thus much Doctr. The fruit of disobedience is a wilde and stinking fruit The fruit of disobedience and sinne is a stinking and vnsauourie fruit It is such a fruit as is odious and vnsauoury in Gods nostrils bitter and vnpleasant to his taste Moses in his last song speaking of the wicked and vngodly enemies of the
the stroke of death and destruction hell and damnation Can any wicked man say with warrant I am here free from the dart of death I shall surely carry my selfe from hence iudgement shall not seize on me in this place Can any of them say at any repast or recreation I shall continue out this feast or game or sport to the end before my fall or ruine This delight shall not be interrupted and broken off by feare and torment before it be fully finished Alas they cannot for euill shall p Psal 140.11 hunt the wicked to destruction and q Prou. 13.21 pursue him and in the end r Deut. 28.45 ouertake him and seize vpon him So that as the Hare runneth in hazard and ieopardie before the Greyhound and is at last snatcht vp so is it with the wicked whose damnation sleepeth not True it is no mens estates seeme to be more happie nor no mens stayes more strong and who more secure than these men are But all is not gold that glisters Their hope is as the Spiders web their staffe they leane on is but an Egyptian reed that will in the end breake runne into their shoulders and lay them flat along the earth Their securitie is but senselesnesse and blockish stupiditie and well compared to that of Ionahs Å¿ Ionah 1. who slept most soundly when hee had most cause to watch and pray The Lord is pursuing him as a vagrant and fugitiue The officers of God are about him to apprehend him the winde rageth the waues of the sea roare and beat against the ship wherein he was and roule with violence against the Barke refusing all other satisfaction offered by the Mariners so that all the company that be with him are afraid and compelled to crie euery man vnto his god yet Ionah is still sleeping vnder hatches Thus fareth it with the wicked The Lord stands offended with them the heauens aboue are closed vpon them Hell beneath is open to receiue them Gods fearefull iudgements are ready to lay hands vpon them the Deuill is at hand waiting when they shall be deliuered to him yet they lie snorting in their sinnes sleeping betweene Death and Hell as Peter did t Acts 12.6 betweene the two souldiers being fast bound with chaines or to vse Solomons Prouerbe As a Sailer vpon the top-mast in the midst of a storme there being but a haires bredth betweene them and their destruction See then thy estate thou who art from vnder Gods protection liuing in thy sinnes thou liuest in perpetuall perill thou maist eat and drinke make merry and be iocund but thou hast little reason Belshazzar u Dan. 5.2.5 may carowse it in golden and siluer vessels but hee had little cause when his doome was written on the wall * 2 Sam. 13.28 Amnons heart may cheere him but as little reason had he Death being so nigh at hand Be then as merry as you will you wicked ones this I am sure of your wretched estate giues you no leaue Lastly here is a ground of encouragement for the Vse 4 faithfull when they haue iust cause to band themselues against the wicked and are constrained to meddle with euill men Pax populi patriaeque salus gloria Regni or to vndertake warre against the enemies of the Church either for the defence of true Religion or for the releeuing and deliuering of such as are oppressed for religion or for the safetie and defence of Land and people or for other such like iust causes that wee lift vp our heads and hearts with hope of victory because we haue to doe with weake and naked men Thus Iosua and Caleb comforted the people against the Canaanites saying x Num. 14.9 Rebell yee not against the Lord neither feare ye the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not This was that also wherewith Abijah the King of Iudah y 2 Chro. 13.10 11 12. comforted himselfe going against the mightie armie of Ieroboam with this let vs and all Gods people comfort our selues when we are to goe out against our aduersaries for they come out into the field as souldiers without weapons they haue neither shield nor buckler nor breast-plate nor helmet nor sword nor speare their loines are vngirt their feet vnshod their heads are vncouered in the day of battell they lie open as naked men to be wounded and destroyed and therefore z 2 Chron. 32.7 Be strong and couragious feare not neither be afraid for the wicked nor all their multitude for there is more with vs than is with them with them is an arme of flesh but with vs is the Lord our God for to helpe vs and to fight our battels And so much for this Now we goe on Text. It shall be eaten vp and trodden downe This followes vpon the former The hedge and wall being pluckt vp and broken downe way is made whereby the beasts of the field that is the enemies of the Church shall haue free egresse and regresse to eat and deuoure and not only so but to tread downe and spoile they should not only trouble and afflict them but also ouercome them and enter into their possessions carrying away what they list making strip and waste of the rest Doctr. The wicked cannot hurt vntill God forsake The first point hence to be obserued is Vntill God breake downe the wall and plucke vp the hedge of his protection wherewith his people are encompassed the wicked and vngodly cannot hurt them or any way harme them God must giue yea make way before they can come in vpon them to afflict them a Deut. 32.30 How should one chase a thousand Id est Qui fieri potuisset vt hostis vnicus persequeretur mille Israelitas nisi quod c. Vatab. in loc and two put ten thousand to flight saith Moses in that same sweet song which he sang a little before his death except their rocke had sold them and the Lord had shut them vp This was a thing impossible that one enemie should chase a thousand Israelites and two Gentiles put a thousand Iewes to flight had not that God who had beene before their rocke deliuered them vp into the hands of those their enemies The Deuill himselfe who is the greatest of all their enemies and strongest of that hellish band being the great Goliah in that armie of Philistines can doe nothing without permission hee must haue a commission to goe forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets b 1 King 22. vers 22. that he and his people may fall at Ramoth Gilead He must beg leaue at Gods hands to touch Iob c Iob 1.11 such a hedge being made about him and all he had on euery side that there was no comming at him except God leaue open some gap for this foule beast to
ad Dom. 10. Trinit Horses Asses Dogs Cats Rats were good vnto their tastes But this food failing they were driuen to eat courser fare yea those things which vnreasonable creatures would not eat as the leather of their shooes and of their targets of their bridles and of their girdles and the like Oxe dung was a pretious dish vnto them and the shreddings of pot-herbes cast out and trodden vnder foot and withered were taken vp againe for nourishment What miserable meat was this And yet as miserable as it was the childe would snatch it from his parent k Rapiebant parentibus filij parentes filijs de ipsis faucibus cibus proferebatur Egesip de excid Hieros l 5. c. 18. and the parent from his childe euen from out his iawes Yea some to prolong their liues would not sticke to eat vp that that others had vomited and cast vp And yet harken to a far more lamentable accident than all this yet The mother takes her owne childe from her brests a harmelesse suckling filly infant and thus speakes to it l Ioseph de bell Judaico lib. 7. cap. 18. Little infant poore wretch in war in famine in sedition for whom shall I preserue thee for whom shall I saue thee aliue If thou liue thou must be a slaue vnto the Romanes but famine preuents thy seruitude yea and the mutinous Iewes are more cruell than either the Romans or the famine Be thou therefore meat to me a furie to the mutinous and euen a mocke of the life of man And when shee had thus spoken shee kild it and boyled the dead bodie of it and eat the one halfe and reserued the other for another time The mutinous Iewes drawne by the sent and sauour of this meat brake into this womans house and threaten to slay her if shee bring it not forth vnto them Shee tels them shee hath meat indeed but shee had reserued it for her selfe neuerthelesse seeing they did so vrge her shee would bring it to them So shee brings them the reliques of her sonne at which sight they standing amazed and shrinking backe with feare and horrour the mother said thus vnto them This meat you see is indeed part of my owne sonne it was my deed to kill it eat yee of it for I haue eaten Will you be more tender than a woman more pitifull than a mother Eat I say for I haue eaten If you will not eat it shall remaine for me his mother Oh fearefull horrid inhumane actâ— The famine still continuing they are compelled to begin to issue out of their Citie gates and no sooner were they out bur they were still taken and crucified vpon Crosses and Gibbets set vp before the walls that they who were within might by beholding of this spectacle be moued to giue ouer but yet they continued obstinate and would not Fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp till there were neither trees to be gotten nor any more space left to set them in and desire being made to know the number of dead carkasses which were carried out of the Citie for want of buriall to bee throwne in ditches as dung vpon the earth they found the number to be numberlesse so that no way could it certainly be knowne but out of one Gate the keeper had noted an hundred and fifty thousand dead bodies to be carried out And thus what with the extremitie of the famine what with the furie of the sword and what with sicknesse during the time of this warre there perished in Ierusalem and the Prouince adioyning as some credible m Euseb in Chro. Orosius lib. 7. Authors affirme about six hundred thousand able men to beare armes or as others hold n Ioseph de bell Iud. lib. 7. cap. 17. who were present at the warre there died eleuen hundred thousand besides others taken captiue to the number of ninety seuen thousand The Iewes thus dead and scattered what became now of their glorious Citie Their holy Temple it was burnt their strong and high walls were throwne downe all the Citie became waste and desolate and so it remaines to this day And thus we see what Moses there threatned is here fulfilled to the vtmost both which proue my doctrine and make it good That albeit warre finde a land like Eden it will leaue it like a Sodome a desolate and forsaken wildernesse If these be not sufficient Lament reade the whole booke of Ieremiahs Lamentations and there we shall finde that the mercies of warre are cruell As also what this our Prophet Isaiah saith in the ninth of this his prophesie where speaking of the troubles that should befall the people for their sinnes saith o Isai 9.19 20. The people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shal eat on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eat euery man the flesh of his owne arme Where we see warre is compared to the fire and it feedeth vpon and destroyeth the people as the fire consumeth straw or wood or like as an hungry man who snatcheth at the right hand and at the left and is not satisfied such is the vnsatiable hungrie desire of warre there is no measure nor satictie of bloud Let vs thus apply this point Vse 1 First for Admonition vnto vs all that wee be heartily and vnfainedly thankfull for the long peace and prosperitie that we haue enioyed vnder the conduct of our worthy Deborah our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and still doe enioy vnder the gouernment of our peaceable Solomon and Princely Ecclesiastes who came vnto vs like Noahs Doue p Gen. 8.11 with an Oliue branch of peace and hath shut their on gates of warre and setled peace amongst vs so that we may sit q 2 Sam. 7.1 euery one vnder our owne Vines and Fig-trees and there is none to make vs afraid Which blessing is no common blessing that we of this little Iland at this day doe enioy Our neighbours round about vs are at this day whirled about in tumultuous broiles while our Britaine like the Center standeth still vnmouable in so much that it is hard to say whether other Nations more enuie or admire vs. In peace our Merchants trade abroad and bring home r Psal 104.15 Wines to make glad the heart of man and Oyle to make his face to shine In peace our Magistrates fit at home Å¿ 2 King 7. and giue iudgement in the gates of Israel for maintaining of peace In peace the Messengers of peace t Isay 52.7 preach vnto vs the sweet tidings of the Gospell In peace our Husbandmen u Iames 5.7 sow their corne in hope and reape with ioy In peace * Psal 144.12 13 14. our sonnes as plants grow vp in their youth and our daughters are as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace Our garners are full affording
Ministers must labour herein and not Vse 1 content our selues with idle or intricate discourses further than to lay them as grounds for exhortation A lesson without vse u Bernards Faith Sheph. saith one is as a deuised thing idly without end And it is lesse cunning to giue a precept than to shew aptly the vse thereof Wee are Stewards now saith the Apostle * 1 Cor. 4.1 2. It is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull Faithfull first in prouiding wholesome food for the whole family and secondly in a wise distribution of the prouision giuing to euery one in the house their portion Thus must we first see our prouision be good and seasonable deliuering not for Doctrine mens precepts nor the fancies and inuentions of our owne braines which fill full of winde and not sound nourishment And secondly giue euery one their part out of the wholesome word of life Comfort to whom comfort belongs and Iudgement to whom iudgement belongs making difference not seruing all alike nor sending that to the Masters board which was prouided for the men for there is no faithfulnesse in this but setting before euery one what is fittest for him giuing the bread of consolation to the childe and the whip and staffe of reprehension to the dog This is the course whereby holy doctrine is fastened as with nailes by the Masters of Assemblies And the want of this is the cause why many mens paines are so liuelesse fruitlesse for as rich man discoursing of bread to a hungrie begger or a Physitian describing his Patients disease and leauing him to himselfe so is a Preacher not applying Or as a whole loafe set before children would doe them no good for they might starue well enough vnlesse it be diuided So is a generall Doctrine amongst our auditors In it selfe indeed it is nourishable but being not applied it seldome is so to them I end this Vse with a Meditation of a Worthy of our times x Dr. Halls Vowes and Meditations third Cent. Med. 35. Those that are all in Exhortation no whit in Doctrine are like to them that snuffe the candle but powre not in oyle Those that are all in Doctrine and nothing in Exhortation drowne the wike in oile but light it not making it fit for vse if it had fire put to it but as it is rather capable of good than profitable in present Doctrine without Exhortation makes men all braine no heart Exhortation without Doctrine makes the heart full but leaues the braine emptie Both together makes a man One makes him wise the other good One serues that we may know our dutie the other that we may performe it In both which wee must labour and who can say in whether most Men cannot practise vnlesse they know and in vaine they know if they practise not Let none thinke I take vpon mee to taske or censure any I only as my dutie is and occasion giuen mee by this our Prophets practise labour to shew what we ought to doe Vse 2 And now for Hearers let them learne to suffer with meeknesse the word to be brought home and applied close vnto their consciences and quietly to receiue that which is their appointment In these misinding daies faith one it is a hard matter to ouerreach the Deuill if we let sinne alone his kingdome flourisheth if wee strike at him and hit not the bough he sits on we moue him not if we hit him by taking the very sinne on the head then we are iudged partial personall and wreakers of our owne spleene Hence growes the quarrell betwixt vs and you for were it not for speciall application we should please you well enough but because we tell you the truth we are become your enemies Beloued if it were profitable for you it were peaceable for vs to shoot at Rouers and speake at randome but both our dutie and your necessitie cals for particular application Art thou a blasphemer a Sabbath-breaker an vngodly vsurer or such like Why then thou hast thy portion appointed thee and that is brimstone and fire it is somewhat hot indeed but this is the portion of thy cup y Psal 11.6 as the Psalmist speaketh this is appointed for thee to drinke Art thou angry with thy Minister for telling thee this If then beest thou hast little reason for it For where is the fault in thee or him I pray thee heartily repent and amend thy life and such things shall not be spoken to thee become a childe and thou shalt haue a childs part the bread of consolation But while thou continuest thus profane and dissolute looke for no other than the whip of reprehension and content thy selfe therewith if thou wilt become no better Yea let euery one helpe the Minister in this his labour and learne to apply what is taught to their owne consciences accusing or excusing We vsually heare the word as we doe newes out of forraigne Countries as not pertaining to our selues and come to heare Sermons as women come to costly banquets to pocket vp and carry away for others that are at home more than for themselues or as they doe at Feasts laying liberally on their neighbours trenchers letting their owne lie empty Thus when we heare any sinne threatned or disgraced we can post it off to others Oh such a one is met withall and that is for him But heare not so idly the Lord speakes to thee and intends that exhortation or reprehension to thy foule take it then as spoken to thy selfe Is it comfort Repent and beleeue and it is meant to thee Is it Iudgement If thou repentest not it is to thee as surely as if he had named thee And this is the way to heare sauingly So much in generall Text. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hoasts is the house of Israel God himselfe as we see here is the owner of this Vineyard who is called A Lord and A Lord of Hoasts From the first of these we learne Doctr. God is an absolute Lord ouer all creatures God is an absolute Lord ouer all creatures He it is that hath all absolute dominion power authoritie and soueraigntie ouer all This Nebucadnezzar after he was himselfe acknowledged z Dan. 4.3 2.47 Whose dominion is an euerlasting dominion and his kingdome is from generation to generation Dauid in his prayer makes an ample confession of it a 1 Chron. 29.11 12. Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victorie and the maiestie for all that is in the heauen and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head aboue all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest ouer all and in thy hand is power and might and in thy hand it is to make great and to giue strength vnto all And in that forme of prayer which our blessed Sauiour hath giuen vs wee are taught to acknowledge