continuall sight and remembrance then shal they not be forgotten or couered when the number shall be rehearsed And surely me thinkes that the conscience of this matter should mightily terrifie our natures from sin seeing that all our offences are continually in the Lords memorie Some thinke that because the time is long since they committed adulterie or sacriledge or theft or drunkennes or idolatrie now God hath forgotten it and it shall neuer more be laide to their charge But they must knowe that a thousande yeeres are with the Lorde as one day seeing that is past as a watch in the night and therfore the Lord doth as well remember their old committed sinnes as a watchman remembreth who came by him in the night their childish vanitie their youthful wantonnes their sinfull sporting their filthie resting their babish trifling and their merrie pastimes are fresh before the Lord 1. Sam. 15. 1 2 3. The Lord telleth Samuel that he remembreth what Amalek did to Israell Exod. 17. how he was the first that bid them to battle after they came out of Egypt and therefore commandeth Saul to destroy them man woman and childe This was many hundred yeeres after the acte committed and the iniurie offered yet God thinketh vpon it although they had beene alreadie well punished for it And so doth he remember how thou hast oppressed the poore long ago how many acres thou hast encroched how many pounds thou hast gathered by vsurie how many mens cattle thou hast bought by extortion and finally how often in thy yonger dayes thou were negligent to sanctifie the sabbaoth If thy sinnes might fall from thy life as thy teeth in age doe fall from thy mouth thou were happie or if thy life could be chaunged into holines as thy old yeeres turne thy blacke haire into whitenes blessed were thou but alas thy strength faileth thy beautie fadeth thy life weareth thy hand weakeneth thy blood dryeth thy head chaungeth and thy whole bodie stoopeth to the earth yet thy wickednes remaineth vntouched and vnblasted as the Iuie which is thickest and greenest when it hath killed and withered the great oake The vse which commeth of this doctrine is the same that the most wise preacher that euer was taught vs Eccles 12. 13. That seeing God woulde bring euery secret worke into iudgement therefore feare him and keepe his commaundements Howe many waies wee are taught to feare the Lorde appeereth in the former sermons and therefore it were needlesse to vrge this exhortation any farther in this place But if we consider that if it be such a shame to endure the speeches of friendes and enemies in this life for the faultes we haue committed how much more ought wee to blush before the Lord with all the angels of heauen and all the men that euer were are or shall be in the world when at the latter day our faultes shall bee opened when euery one shall hisse at our filthinesse and laugh at our wickednesse Oh confesse thy selfe to a fewe in this world rather then deferre to bee reuealed before all in the ende of the world Thinke not that thy owne estate will be any thing more tolerable because all other men shall haue their faultes also ripped vp and repeated for the more the worse a Iudge will bee more easily entreated for one then for twentie and therefore God will be lesse partiall because so many shall be found guiltie feare not shame but death abstaine not from sinne for the worldes sake but for the Lords sake and let not other mens voices more appalle thee then the sentence of God It hath beene heretofore and shall be hereafter more manifestly shewed that God doth no more spare a multitude then a man or many then one and therefore neuer flatter thy selfe in the matter but onely vse the time and these admonitions that God may forget thy sinnes and then they shall bee forgiuen thee and if they bee forgiuen they shall not bee opened but silenced at the latter day For although we shall then heare of the murder that Cain did of the mocking that Ismael did of the filthinesse that Er and Onan did of the rebellion of Absolon and the treason of Iudas yet wee shall not heare of Noahs drunkennesse or Lots incest or Iosephs oath or Moses vnfaithfulnesse or Dauids adulterie or Peters deniall or of any of the faultes of the elect for their sinnes shall remaine in the graue when their bodies are raised vp to the ioy of another life The xxxiiij Sermon FOr my people In these words we may obserue that God will iudge the world for the iniuries done to his church and for nothing more Psal 9. 17. for hee will then open the counsels thou hast conceiued against the godly how many stripes thou hast giuen them how many times thou hast reuiled them how many waies thou hast oppressed them how often thou hast imprisoned them and how many thou hast murdered of them He will aske thy poore neighbour howe thou didst releeue him howe often thou didst lend him how much vsurie thou tookest of him how many times thou didst harbour him and with what affection of hart thou didst embrace him I graunt that he will open thy other sinnes and condemne thee for them but yet the speciall cause why he sitteth in iudgement at the latter day with all the world before him is that he may make inquisition for the blood of his saints and iustifie his children whom the world condemned The reasons are First because he is the life of the faithfull Col. 3. 4. Secondly because this doth shew his righteousnes 2. Thess 1. 6 7. when he doth acquite the faultlesse and condemne the guiltie The vses which wee may make thereof are these First that wee neuer grieue any of the saints of God Psal 105. 15. when Iehu was to kill all the prophets of Baal he bad them search diligently for the seruants of God and be sure that there were not one among them to be hurt This care ought men to haue of the least and basest in the church that they prouoke them not to complaine vpon them to the Lord for surely if the poorest member of Christ that liueth among vs doe iustly complaine of the greatest Lord and potentate of the world vnto the God of heauen it were better for that Lord that a milstone were tyed about his necke and he were cast into the sea Againe seeing it is so dangerous to offer any violence to any of the Lords children let vs abide in the Lord Iesus Ioh. 2. 28. and then will he reuenge our cause for hee cannot forget his owne stripes and for his sake are we buffeted disdained and mocked and reuiled persecuted martyred and therefore by him shall we be defended reuenged vpō them If we be of the Lords body we cannot hurt the Lords members therfore they which persecute the church speak euil of the poore are none of the
preachers tell vs goe forwarde I beseech you in all other sinnes and you shall finde but a verie small number that say I beleeued and therefore I heard The medicine to purge out all these corruptions is a true faith the which if either you leaue at home or lose it by the way the labour is all lost that you take therein Oh how lamentable and damnable a sinne is infidelitie when the iudgements of God are not beleeued and the mercies of God are abused But this greeueth all godly hearts to the quicke that euen in our daies and times there should be such that as a godly father saith are armed with the name of good christians yet fight against the faith of true beleeuers Looke vpon it in time least as death followeth sicknes through want of phisicke so the death of your soules follow their sickenes through want of faith Beleeue saith Christ and al things are possible the dead haue beene raised by faith the sicke haue beene releeued by faith the mountaines may be remooued by faith and the diuell himselfe is droue away by faith therefore bring faith with you vnto the hearing of the sermons the scriptures are the Lords wordes and they are set to sale by the preaching of the ministers themselues beeing his factors faith must buye them as money doth or bee exchanged for them as one thing is for another for there is no crediting vpon wordes no obligations vpon dayes that can get them from vs but present payment of a liuely faith Therefore if any will knowe howe to heare the Gospell with profit and to enioy it with comfort let him bring faith with him that the worde deliuered may bee sealed for truth and sinnes beeing reprooued may bee receiued for truth and suffer no starting holes of infidelitie to carrie our soules from the rocke of God his truth into the sea of heathenish securitie or endlesse aduersitie O yee elders That is you gouernours of the people whom the Lord hath honoured with long life and the world with great authoritie And from hence we note this doctrine that the most honourable must most of all giue eare to the worde of God whether that honour bee in the Church as the ministers or in the common wealth as the magistrates or in the familie as the father thereof or in the warres as the generall thereof all these beeing exalted aboue other haue also a charge aboue other that euerie one walke worthie of his profession which is onely by studying and hearing the word of the Lord. The Lord so commandeth Deut. 17. 19. That the king himselfe shall cause to be wrote a booke for him of the lawe that he keepe it with him and read therein all the daies of his life Those which haue the greatest charge must vse the greatest labour to discharge their places as none could be iudges in Israell till the Lord had giuen them of the spirit of Moses so none can sincerely execute their duetie that the world may be satisfied the Lord may be glorified and their owne soules comforted vnlesse they receiue of the spirit of God and by the ministerie of the word is the spirit deliuered Gal. 3. 2. Hearken therefore you rulers of the Lordes people that which excelleth all glorie being richer then all wealth and wiser then all learning euen the spirit of God may be receiued when the word of God is deliuered Oh how are they deceiued that thinke the ministerie a base profession not meete for any but for the poore to liue by for the lame disfigured for yonger brothers for bankerupt for seruingmen for blunt-headed-schollers and such as can be good in nothing How are they also deceiued that thinke it not an exercise fit for noble men and persons of estate knights and gentlemen and such great ones which haue the world at their wils and the countrey at their pleasures shall these say they make themselues drudges to the Gospell schollers to the preachers and goe on pilgrimage to a publike sermon Yea all these must resigne their crownes of maiestie their gownes of nobility their swords of chiualrie and their estimation of gentrie vnto the voice of the blessed spirit of God speaking in the scriptures and preaching in his ministers And if these must bend their knees we must bow our bodies to the earth and put our necke vnder the yoke of Christ Iesus that he may lift vp our head liues to the participation of glorie The Lord that bindeth kings in chaines and nobles in fetters of Iron and maketh the mountaines to cleaue in sunder at his roaring willeth and commandeth vs from heauen to heare his son and it shal so come to passe that the soule shal be cut off from the Lords people that hath not kissed the prince of glorie and commeth not to offer obedience and seruice to his royall Lord who is able to cast him body and soule into fire euerlasting Let vs therefore study to enter into the courts where the Gospell of Christ soundeth and reigneth least we fall away from grace and glorie after the euill example of those long agoe condemned infidels and reprobated apostataes which gaue their eares to falshood their toongs to blasphemie their liues to vanitie their bodies to luxurie and their soules to euerlasting miserie Let not the graye haires of old men the great wealth of rich men the worship of Magistrates nor the honour of gouernement draw away our hearts from the hearing of this message which being hid from vs maketh vs cursed castawaies but being declared vnto vs regenerateth vs to the hope of eternall happines The reasons of this doctrine are also easily gathered out of the word of God First the same which Samuel vseth in his first booke cap. 12. ver 14. at the annointing or crowning of their new king Saule to perswade them and their king to the diligent hearing of the word and reuerent feare of God he vseth this as a reason That then they shall be the people of the Lord God As if Samuel had said vnto them you know that this is the glorie of our nation that we alone are the selected band and chosen soldiers to fight the Lords battles and this is an honour against all the world beside that they seruing Idoles and worshipping diuels we serue the Lord of hostes if therefore you will indeed be the Lords people you must in truth heare the Lords word what could be said more forcibly to mooue a rebellious nation to a quiet submission And this being the badge and liuerie of the Church of God we may be bold to say openly and defend confidently that they which heare not the Gospell as now it is preached in our English nation are none of the true followers of his heauenly maiestie Euen all whether they be the archenimies of Christ the Papists or the new sectary of Recusants the Brownists or the vaine religion bablers the Newters or the priuy haters of the
such bridegromes which keepe them for to serue the lustes of their owne bellies haue no care to marrie thē to the Lord. Take you heed you that haue the wealth of the world search and rake in the sinkes of your houses in the stables of your horses in the staules of your oxen and in the harts of your seruants that you may bring soules into the kingdome of heauen a pearle taken out of the dung is as good as that which is hoarded vp in a princes treasurie and a simple soule saued from the walking of horses or turning of spits is as glorious to the Lorde as he that ruleth in the throne Another reason for the çonfirmation of this doctrine our sauiour giueth Iohn 10. 26 27. There are none that heare not Christ which beleeue in Christ and there are none the sheepe of Christ but those that heare the voice of Christ meaning that at that time when he was liuing in the worlde and preaching to the Iewes they could not be his flocke that came not at the call of the Gospell and when he should be dead and taken from the earth they shoulde not bee reckoned for the lambes of his church which flocked not to the cries and sermons of the preachers So that in one word he setteth vs downe thus much that they are none of the Lordes which are not hearers of his worde Therefore one saide well Ecclesiae non iungitur qui ab Euangelio separatur Hee which is separated through ignorance or idlenes from the Gospell is also through infidelitie parted from the church for they which heare not Christ are none of his The weight of this reason must be put into the balance of euery ones hart and let him reason thus with himselfe My poore seruant my drudge my simple slaue my maid my cooke and euery one of my familie they knowe nothing of the Gospell but some voices that there is a Sauiour and a Christ that they must come once in a yeere or peraduenture once in seauen yeere and receiue the Lords Supper and neuer know or thinke more of it they are diligent to me they worke when I play they runne when I ride they watch when I sleepe they fare hard when I feast and they finde me all things keeping nothing to themselues onely indeede through my busines they come not at the church except very seldome they know little more then infants they haue beene baptized when they were yoong they may follow any religion or rather superstition their obedience is so little to the Scriptures yea they hardly can tell me whether there be any Scripture whether the holie Ghost had any hande therein or no if I will let them plaie on the Sundaies according to their pleasures the popes profession the Turkish religion the Infidels practise and all heretikes opinions may be sected in them But what shall become of their soules Surely it greeueth vs that such diligent and faithfull seruants shoulde after a miserable and slauish life haue a mercilesse and a cursed death Yet Christes words are generall they are none of his that heare not his voice and follow not his call O consider this you wealthy and poore people of this lande thinke on the miserable condition of these your owne flesh and fly from that terrible danger which threatneth your soules horror all yea euery mothers childe must be present when the worde is preached bicause this trieth vs whether we bee ashamed of Christ or no. When Dauid was absent from Saules court the king presently missed him and asked after him for his place was voide In like maner if we be absent from the assemblies of the faithfull the king of heauen and earth seeth our roomes be emptie and calleth for our presence Let this therefore perswade vs that we cease not hearing the Lordes word and following his heauenly call least of sheepe we become goates wanton and wilde and so when the generall appeering shall be the Lorde separate the goates from the sheepe and sende them to euerlasting perdition The vses which may arise from this doctrine are these first that sharpe sentence of our Sauiour Mark 10. 14. Suffer little children to come to me and forbid them not for vnto such belong the kingdome of heauen The well minded people desiring the blessing of Christ to rest vpon them their posteritie brought their little babes to be touched by our Sauiours hande the which thing was reprooued and forbidden by the disciples and therefore they were rebuked and reprehended by Christ There is none though they be as yoong as babes as simple as children as weake as women as base as seruants or as bonde as apprentices but if at the ordinarie times of preaching I meane the Sabbaoth they will trauell to the Lords house and there spend their time they must not be restrained they must not be forbidden I am not ignorant of the vaine and wicked authoritie which some chalenge to haue ouer their families thinking that their duties are discharged although their seruants be wandring from the Lorde about their idle busines and seruants thinke themselues satisfied bicause their masters who haue rule ouer their bodies command them thereunto And thus men crosse one line of their reckoning and leaue a whole sheete behinde and race out the condition letting the obligation stande they heape vp one sinne vpon another and while they mende one breach in a christian life they make two more For by this meanes it commeth to passe that masters thinke it lawfull to busie their seruants whom they hire for their money at al times when any smal occasion offereth it selfe sending them on messages in keeping them at home to waite on themselues and in sauing an houre or two or three to worke in the weeke daies they make bolde with the Lorde and giue them leaue on the Sabbaoth daies to visite their friendes Doe we not thinke that the ministers of God may haue their actions of maintenance against such carelesse masters which beare out their seruants and themselues contrarie to the law of God whereby their owne hearts are hardened their neighbours offended the glorious worke of the minister despised the heauenly voice of the Gospell neglected and themselues with their seruants in danger both body and soule to be damned May we not call for the law if not of man yet of God to turne away these euils from vs But Oh lamentable maners in this latter ende of the world which regardeth as little the voice of Christ as wise men do the noise of yoong children Againe sometime the seruants are of godly disposition and would willingly vse the libertie of Christians to goe as the Israelites did and sacrifice to the Lord but then commeth one or other and many times their parents and gouernours of their owne mother wit forbiddiding them to vse it encreasing as Pharaoh did the measure of their workes and forbidding them to come neare vnto Christ as these disciples
shall be of the church triumphant Oh how can they looke euer to come into the heauens which in this life neuer come into the temples nor outwardly obey the Gospell Therefore if euer you will come into ioy and enter into euerlasting pleasures ascend vp to the house of God there dwelleth the Lord you may see him there soundeth his word you may heare it there is giuen the spirit you may receiue it there are gathered the godly you may be with them and there beginneth saluation you may obtaine it If you be high stoope downe to it if you be base arise vp to it if you be rich ride to it if you be strong walke to it if you be lame be carried to it if you be blinde be leade to it if you be sicke long to be in it and if you be old euen there desire to die Runne I beseech you with speed goe with ioy labour with pleasure and desire with zeale to be ioyned to your Sauiour They which forsake it God will forsake them they which despise it God will despise them they which embrace it God will receiue them Let not any thing I beseech you keepe you from the churches seeing you would haue nothing keepe you from heauen Liue with the church pray with the church suffer with the church and die with the church As all the angels appeare before God in heauen so must all the saints appeare before him in earth they which are missed are excluded they which are present shall be blessed Another vse which we must make of this doctrine may be this that it shall be good for vs not only to visite the church but to continue in the assemblies with all diligence Euerlasting is the commendation of Anna Luk. 2. 37. which continued in the temple seruing God day and night and so wee read Act. 20. 7. that the church continued hearing of Paul till midnight It is a thing most strange to see men not onely negligent to come to the church but also being present they are impudent to depart out of the church and who are these but those which come seldome there for by reason therof they haue least taste of spirituall hunger and so are soone wearie of spirituall foode Abide therefore in the congregation for there is alway something behinde woorth the learning when all is done yet tarrie for the blessing as the people did for Zacharie Luk. 1. 21. Come I say with a continued diligence and omit not one time especially vnto that church whereof thou art a member whensoeuer praier or preaching calleth for thee Be assured of this the oftner thou commest the more thou delightest and the more thou art absent the lesse shall be thy comfort If thou wouldest say with Dauid O Lord how sweete is thy word vnto my mouth thou must also first sing with him all the day long is my study therein If woe belong to the Pastor that preacheth not the word then also damnation belongeth to the people that heare not the worde By vse thou shalt thinke a day too little for a sermon and a yeere too little for a praier By continuance thy hard heart will be softened and thy wicked life conuerted A woman married to a stranger by familiar and daily conuersation groweth into great loue where was great dislike so shall thy soule being married to our assemblies which it abhorreth in time to come delight in them most cheerefully which it loathed most wickedly The priests the Lords ministers mourne The better to perswade the people to lamentation hee bringeth in the ministers to moane them shewing that their pastors and spirituall fathers were alreadie in teares for this calamity and therfore also they must follow them By this we may note that the ministers are alwaies the first that come into danger If there be afflictions they are first apprehended if there be famines they are first oppressed and if there be warres they are most spitefully handeled There were seuen thousand good men in Israel but the prophets they were slaine and Eliah being left aboue all other was most of all endangered 1. King 19. 10. 11. There were many faithfull soules in Iewrie at Christs passion but him alone and his Apostles did the Iewes persecute crucifie So that hereby we may appeare to be of all men most miserable The world doth much enuie our honor our liuing and our estimation and our names insomuch as there is not any which hath not beene either enriched by our demesnes or conuerted by our sermons but they holde vs in exceeding hatred Well in this wee will saie with Ieremie This is our portion and we will beare it By this then let them knowe which are entred into our calling or purpose to put on a preachers gowne that his life must be full of danger his danger full of crueltie and he alwaies the foremost in any trouble I will saide the Lord make you to be hated of all men for my names sake Wouldest thou bee a minister of the Gospell thou desirest a woorthie worke Knowe then if thou liue in peace thou shalt bee enuied if in warre thou shalt be derided if thou be rich the world will murmure at thee but if thou bee poore then it will tread vpon thee Thinkest thou to liue easilie thou deceiuest thy selfe thinkest thou to liue in mens fauour thou deceiuest thy soule hopest thou for maintenance beware of flatterie lookest thou for friendship thou shalt receiue enimitie Thou must bee a seruant to seruantes thou must bee a slaue to base mindes and an open marke for wicked toongs Thy owne shall be withholden thy doctrine vpbraided and thy life liue thou neuer so warilie shal be endited Wilt thou please men thou shalt displease God wilt thou please God thou must displease men if thou speake thou shalt bee controuled if thou bee silent thou must be reproched if the worlde laugh on thee the Lord will laugh at thee if it frowne then thou art first in danger The reasons why this should be so are these first bicause in them the Lorde doth punish the whole people Zech. 13. 7. I will strike the shepherd and the sheepe shall be scattered If the pastors be good they are troubled for their people if they bee euill they are troubled for themselues A good man was woont to say that of all creatures a good minister was the best and a bad minister the woorst Therefore they are sometime troubled for the peoples cause yea sometime by the people as Christ died for the people and yet was put to death by the people And the cause is good for if the pastor let any people perish their soules must bee required at his hande so if a good pastor be molested of a bad people not his worde but his bloude shall be reuenged on them So then we are not alway sued for our own debts imprisoned for our owne obligations but being pledges hostages or rather sureties
by outward shewes and the giftes of the spirite by worldly professions so that if men liue neuer so vprightly and yet be poore or teach neuer so diligently and yet be not famous and pray neuer so feruently and yet be not a flatterer or write neuer so excellently and yet reprooue sinne he is no more accounted then a base and common professour Men will not studie religion because they say the doctors can neuer knowe all things and therefore they will knowe nothing but if none should studie phisicke but he that would cure all diseases sicknesse would quickly ouerthrowe vs and if men follow not religion because they cannot know euerie mysterie the diuell will speedily ouercome their soules Be ye ashamed O ye husbandmen howle O ye vine dressers for the wheate and for the barly because the haruest of the field is perished Now he commeth to the particular persons that dresseth the earth and the fruites thereof bidding them to bee ashamed to see their cunning faile their labour lost their price receiued in vaine because all was destroied whereabout they were imploied From hence we may note that seeing the prophet calleth to these husbandmen it is our dutie that are of the ministerie to speake the word and rebuke sinne and exhort euery kinde of profession vnto religion The princes the nobles the rich the poore the husbandmen the artificers and the seruingmen and the gentlemen must all be exhorted and rebuked by the voice of a preacher And this was the most singular comfort that Paul receiued by his labour Actes 20. 31. That they all coulde beare him witnesse that hee had not ceased daye nor night to admonish euery man of life eternall wherein wee see that the paines of a minister are infinite that must not feare any mans person nor spare any mans profession nor loue any mans sinnes nor bee silent at any mans iniuries nor bee controuled for any iust offence by him rebuked Looke I say to the labours of watchmen in the Lordes house hee warneth them by chiding saith Aug. he instructeth them by preaching he prepareth them by admonition he hath a calling from God to warrant him from the word to enconrage him from the spirit to inflame him and from his conscience to comfort him He must rebuke the rage of great men the folly of old men the vanitie of yoong men the deceit of crafts men the trade of husbandmen the idlenes of seruingmen the wantonnes of women and the sinnes of all men that by wounding them with the word of God both they and he might escape the iudgement of God The reasons of this doctrine may bee these First because as Paul saith in the forenamed place ver 26. 27. that by this means they are free from the blood of all men And we know that the blood of a poore husbandman will staine as much as the blood of the greatest prince in the world But euermore when I haue occasion to talke of the bloode of men which is committed to the preachers and shall bee againe required at our hands me thinkes that the blood and life and hearts and soules should tremble hereat the minister for his charge the people for their danger The captaine doth answere for the body of a man the factor for his masters wealth the scholler for his learning the man for his seruice and the noble man for his princes affaires but the minister must answere for the peoples sinnes Againe what is the danger to keepe thy soule is it not committed to a man hath it not all the diuels in hell to lay siege vnto it and yet wil not men come to their pastors to haue their soules fed being hungrie nor yet cured being sicke nor yet salued being wounded nor yet defended being besieged nor yet to be saued although they be like to bee damned Another reason of this is because our commission must stretch it selfe as far as Christes redemption who is an aduocate for all men that is for all sorts of men and therefore it is most requisite that we speake to all kinds of men that so they may come to the knowledge of redemption Wouldest thou then be exempted from comming to sermons then thou must also be exempted from comming to saluation Is it hard vnto thee and intolerable that the word of God shall restraine thy pleasures then shall it be harder for thee to haue the blood of Christ to annoint thy soule from hell Would not all men come to the kingdom of heauen then wil I open vnto them the gate of the Lord and tell you that obedience to the ministerie is the way and the righteous will enter therein The vses which come of this doctrine are these First seeing that all men must receiue the word of the minister that the ministers flatter not the people and conceale not the iudgements of God from their sinnes Prou. 24. 24. 25. The Lord promised pleasure to them that rebuked the sinne of the wicked and the blessing of goodnes shall bee vpon them What is the hope of the Lords workman we haue already declared But now let me exhort and be exhorted vnto this necessarie doctrine I know that since the world grew to a multitude and the church to a monarchie the great men haue euer enuied the rebukers of sinne I meane the ministerie bicause they liued in greater sinnes themselues and this is the cause why reproofes are so hardly endured that although we speake but generally against a particular sinne yet some or other who is gauled with the conscience thereof will accuse vs for ayming at him and peraduenture threaten vs mortall hatred this was not so in the primitiue church 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. but rather men obeyed gladly then threatned maliciously but so it is in our church and therefore are the ministery afraid in many places to preach the word least they should offend But harken my deere brethren feare them not for it shal come on vs that the Lord threatned Ieremie If we spare his word he will confounde vs in their presence What is there in them that we should feare they are but men in nature so are we they are many in number so are we they haue the world we haue the word they touch but our names or our bodies our soules are the Lords they cannot accuse vs iustly of sinne but themselues they cannot worke their will but the Lords will their wrath is nothing to the Lordes wrath shall we silence the word because they loue it not Beloued haue not mens persons in admiration the word of God is not bound though we be imprisoned that cannot be hurt though we be blamed our soules cannot be touched though our bodies be martyred Let vs wish with Luther that God would make vs woorthie to die for his word Another vse of this doctrine is that the people of all sorts must heare the worde of the minister let them take heed that they beare the
not the angels 2. Pet. 2. 4. and therefore he will not spare the lesser creatures for the angels are the most glorious creatures of the world who sinning against God in the beginning were cast downe from heauen into eternall torments Oh this should much terrifie vs which are lower then the angels viler then the creatures and more woorthie of death then all the works of God are of corruption that al the world for our sinne and sake should be euery day in danger of destruction And seeing the angels being in heauen found no place of mercie but present banishment and euerlasting fire how should we come into heauen with our sinnes or thinke to escape on the earth seeing the Lorde is as powerfull and wrathfull beneath among men as he is aboue among angels The vses which arise from this doctrine are these first as we might hereby gather an excellent argument to enforce the irefull wrath of God so may we also learne by this how miserable is the estate of worldy men which trust in the things of this life which shall be all destroied Deut. 28. 52 63. What do men that satisfie their lustes that gather their wealth that enlarge their dominions and other worldly things as building of faire houses leauing monuments of their names to posteritie but heape vp a great deale of dry wood for the wrath of God to consume them Take them from their desire you take them from their god pul them from their profits and you pull them from heauen but the wealth which they haue gained shoulde serue their turnes and their posterities in this life and afterward bee consumed This were but a tolerable estate and to be endured but alas the rust of that which they hoorded the crie of that they misgayned the riot of that which they haue wickedly consumed shall torment their liues in another worlde Why doest thou worship thy goods in louing them more then God bicause thou thinkest on thē more then on him and why dost thou trauaile for this worlde and the thinges thereof with so insatiable and greedy desire for if thou gaine them thou gainest more burthens to thy life and more woe to thy soule if thou haue them thou canst not long keepe them for death will part them and thee in sunder or vengeance will take them out of thy handes Oh tell me I beseech you which care for your parts and portions in this life what benefite haue you by louing them nothing but feare to loose them what profite commeth by enioying them nothing but labour to keep thē what hurt is there by wanting them nothing but a poore life and a peaceable death the loue of these is the losse of heauen and the lacke of these is the loue of God Another vse which euerie one euen the wicked must make heereof is the same which the Lorde exhorteth the Edomites vnto Esay 21. 14. Seeing their vines and fruits and corne and all other things shall come to an ende and be taken awaie with the wrath of God therefore let euery one that hath them giue them to the thirstie for drinke to the hungrie for meate to the naked for cloth and to the poore for maintenance Oh consider what is our dutie while as yet there is a little corne and comfort to our lande and deale with it as one woulde deale with his owne body for anone it shall be taken by violence therefore nowe bestowe for deuotion if wee tarrie but a little vengeance will take them and vs therefore let charitie dispende them what what are they but earth if we deliuer not them to earth shall they come againe Now they haue force to succour our liues and if we spende them not well anone they will haue powre to subuert and condemne our soules Howe is ioy withered from the sonnes of men Nowe hee complaineth what this want hath wrought when he saith that ioy is withered away as mowen grasse doth from his greenenesse so this from the sonnes of men that is the people of the lande For we cannot bee ignorant that of all times of the yeere there was most sweete singing and pleasant sporting at the time of haruest as we reade Esay 9. 5. bicause that then were the fruits reaped and comfort receiued of men but when these were destroyed their vines had no grapes their trees had no apples and their fieldes had no corne then I say was their mirth laide aside into most solitarie and sorrowfull mourning By these words note that the want of worldly comfort and the feeling of worldly and carnall sorrowe is a great and fearefull iudgement of God Deut. 28. 63. If men see no ioy in their children or comfort in their possessions or profite by their labour but in all these they are made more heauie and solitarie and the Lorde taketh from them a cheerefull countenance nay if the fruites of the earth bee destroied as heere they were so that there be none euen then I say although there be none occasion of ioy but all of sorrowe to be tormented with griefe bicause we haue not to supplie our liues is fearefull in the sight of God We cannot I grant but sorrow when we haue none occasion ofioy but yet we ought to make our griefe a godly sorrowe and the feare of famine to be the feare of condemnation for this shoulde we weepe that howsoeuer these thinges goe with vs in this life the other may be certaine in the life to come The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause it causeth death 2. Cor. 7. 7. 10. Worldly sorrow causeth death for as the fire wasteth the woode and the sunne consumeth the frost so doth carnall care eate vp the life of man Somtimes these sorrowfull worldlings are raging with enuie sometimes ouercome with malice and many times at their wits ende through couetousnesse so that the beautifull waxe pale therwith the lustie and strong man is weakned they which were pleasant are heauie and they which seemed godly are made wicked This worldly sorrowe made Achitophell that wise man to hang himselfe and Saule that strong man to kill himselfe and Zimrie that wicked king to burne himselfe for the Lorde suffered many to fall into it that they might despaire of his mercie and be excluded from his kingdome Oh therefore whosoeuer will shewe any care of his owne soule or any account of Christes woundes let him meddle little in worldly businesse keepe in the boundes of thy vocation and range not into much dealing and many trades and occupations for thou dost but thrust thy soule into danger and a thousande to one but thou wilt repent in teares bloud thy ouerreaching policie Another reason of this doctrine is bicause it is a deere and not the least blessing of God to reioyce in thy possessions be they small or great Eccle. 5. 8. and therefore it is not the least curse of God to be troubled and tormoiled therewith What beast
that they might know that as none but God could be the author of these so none but his maiestie coulde bee the sender of them These heauenly signes or rather signes in heauen are described in the two next verses first the shaking of the world secondly the darkening of the lights and thirdly the great and terrible thunders which should then be heard all which is supported by a strong reason vers 11. By this verse we may first of all learne that the extraordinarie signes of heauen are the forerunners and most euident prophets of calamitie and destruction following Isa 29. 6. God which woulde haue all his iudgements not onely felt but feared doth not let them come stealing on the world as if he could not doe them against our will or not hinder them against their nature but proclaimeth them by manifold fearefull signes in heauen The reasons are first because we should knowe that the euill onely proceedeth from him 2. Sam. 5. 24. it doth not any whit distaine the Lords honor to be a reuenger of sinne vpon the bodies and soules of many thousands but rather it maketh for his glorie for hee must iudge the world in righteousnesse Another reason is because by this meanes the Lorde doth most earnestly affect good mens harts and afflict the wicked Ezech. 32. 9. for the sight of terrible signes cannot choose but mooue the brute beastes of the earth much more reasonable men who are more giuen to feare because they are more giuen to sinne and our Sauiour saith in the gospell that mens harts shall faile them because of the signes of heauen The vses are these first let vs not be superstitious or heathenish in fearing the signes of heauen aboue the rule of faith Ier. 10. 2. For alas what can any planet or any signe doe but by the Lordes assignement and therefore in fearing it superstitiously we feare not God we distrust his prouidence we restraine his power and we cast away our owne confidence and faith It was a great signe in heauen when fire came downe and destroyed Sodom and Gomor and all cities cattel and pastures of the plaine Gen. 19. yet little Zoar was saued standing among them when all the residue were burning about it therefore beware of the slauish feare of the signes of heauen for it is the Lorde that gouerneth the starres Another vse as we are not to feare them too much so wee are not to regard them too little but vse them as promptors and furtherances to another life Luk. 21. 28. when you see these saith Christ then lift vp your heads and know that your redemption draweth neere Be it therefore that the heauens be burning the lights be darkening the stars be falling the earth be shaking and the ayre be thundering yet feare it no more then the Israelites did in Egypt but rather now thinke that the Lord will amaze sinners erect his throne of righteousnes to stand for euermore This must much encourage vs in these our later daies wher in euerie hower we looke for the accomplishing of all the signes before Christs comming and let vs watch for the appearing of our Sauiour that we be not comfortles when other shall bee both witlesse and faithles but know that good men shall stand in the middest of all these terrours and fires as the men did walke in the middest of the Babilonish furnace and not haue one haire of our head diminished When he saith that the earth shall tremble he noteth that earth quakes are notable tokens of the Lordes wrath Psal 18. 7. we are not onely to impute it to the ayre shut vp in the furrowes of the earth as in philosophie they do but we must goe to the principall cause which is the hand of God and the finall cause which is to shew his wrath for in his wrath saith the scripture he casteth downe whole mountaines Oh how terrible is this to consider that the whole earth should be shakē at the chiding of God yet man which is made of earth and standeth on earth and liueth on earth and shall returne to earth againe will not shake or tremble for the same I thinke there is more terrour in the dead bones in the graues then in liuing bodies in their houses The reasons hereofare these because the law of wrath was giuen in fire and earth-quakes Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 18. for God did then shew himselfe most terrible when the mountaine seemed to burne and there was nothing but cursing and death for the law that then was giuen did condemne many millions which now do know the same Againe earthquakes do commonly proceede and goe before the alteration of religion Reuel 6. 12. for as when Iehu altered the idolatrie of Baal the prophets and the God were both displaced so when religion is altered God is as it were displaced and all his seruants persecuted which must of necessitie shew the heauie indignation of God for he will not haue his image defaced nor endure that his glorie should be giuen to another Let vs therefore learne that if the strong earth be not able to abide the wrath of God then much lesse shal weake and sinnefull men Num. 16. 1. Againe let vs learne to preach the word more earnestly by the consideration of earth-quakes We may read Amos 1. 2. that two yeere before the earth-quake the Lord sent him to prophesie as it were to plant the minds of his church that they might haue liued without wauering Now it is well knowen that wee haue had one great and terrible earth quake in our times would God it might so worke that the preachers would for that cause preach more diligently and the people heare more attentiuely least it prooue vnto vs a token of the decay of religion Truely as yet blessed be God religion is not altered but it is much defaced and God graunt that as the earth-quake at the death of Christ was the decrease of Iudaisme and Paganisme but the increase of christianitie so that in our time may worke the like effect and may seale vnto vs the decay of Poperie and heresie but may assure vs of the continuance of veritie and pure religion We might also note out of this verse that seeing the heauens and earth are afraide of him therefore the most guiltles creatures of God cannot abide his anger But this we will deferre vnto the next chapter Againe in that the sunne and moone are darkened we may obserue not onely that God is the author of light and darkenes but also that he will not let sinners in his anger haue any benefit of them Isa 13. 9 10. The reasons are First because they are enimies to good men and good things Exod. 10. 22. Secondly bicause they are ashamed of the sinnes of men as we may see at Christs death Matth. 27 45. Let vs therefore so glorifie God in our places as these creatures do in theirs for they
and speake for thy conuersion Seest thou not the danger of life worse then death so long as thou liuest in an vnrepentant state there is but a little aire twixt thee and death there is but a little time twixt thee and hell Repentance is the Lordes gift and he giueth it to them that aske it I dare be bolde to saie that of all suites commenced before God this was neuer denied and if thou haue any minde to bee saued praie that thou maiest be conuerted Art thou dissolute in life and resolute in vanitie yet hearing some sermons of death and fearing some iudgements for thy sinnes wouldest willingly wish that thou couldest doe better and dost thou sometime wring out teares to see the preacher so earnest and yet by no meanes thou canst reforme thy life then commune with thy soule and praie to the Lorde that thou maiest so liue as hee hath taught and so die as thou shalt wish Praie I say not onely in companie but secretlie not for a season but continually not with an indifferent minde but with an earnest affection and then I assure thee drunkennes shall not drowne thee couetousnes shall not preuaile with thee pride shall not deface thee whoredom shall not vndoe thee stealing shall not shame thee the worlde shall not deceiue thee nor the flesh shall euer condemne thee Another vse is this seeing wee must aske repentance of God we must needes know our sinnes before we can repent them Ierem 3. 13. So then if thou wouldest praie most earnestly for thy conuersion and bring all thy euidence into the Lordes sight that hee might pronounce sentence on thy side thou must not come with general words say I am a sinner as other men are I haue liued sinfully as my neighbours haue done and I knowe I haue offended thy maiestie greeuously But thou must knowe thy sinnes thou must account them to knowe the number so neere as thou canst possible thou must weigh them vprightly fee which were directly against God and which were against thy neighbour thou must aggrauate them mightilie and make them as heinous as the greatest thou must condemne thy selfe open thy whole soule and abhor thy owne life Then shalt thou knowe thy sinnes that their number is infinite their rewarde is damnation that their power is execrable that their presence is intollerable Tell them as a couetousmā doth his siluer look on them as the husbandman doth his furrowe consider them as the carrier doth his loade condemne them as the iudge doth the theefe pray against them as a marriner against a storme fight against them as a souldier against an enimie accuse them as a lawyer doth his aduersarie and forsake them as a lambe doth a lyon Then shalt thou knowe that one sinne is woorth a soule that one drop of mercy is worth a world and that true repentance hath winges to beare thee vp to heauen If the preacher tell thee thy sinnes then knowe them if the lawe tell thee them then remember them if thy conscience accuse them then repent them if thy brother rebuke them then euer after loue him if the church reprooue then yeelde vnto it and if thy enimie cast them at thee yet receiue it for this will make thee know them and if thou know them thou wilt pray against them and if thou praie against them thou wilt repent them Turne you vnto me By this sentence wee may obserue that God neuer regardeth any of our sufferings or crosses till wee be repentant Or more plainly be it that our houses are burned our children murthered our inheritances remooued and our owne liues tormented yet all this doth not appease his wrath except wee adde contrition the which thing the prophet insinuateth when hee maketh this conclusion vpon all the former iudgements Therefore nowe saith the Lorde turne vnto me c. As if hee had vsed more wordes saying you O people haue had your land wasted with beastes your liues pined with famine your cattle mourning for foode the heauens obscured with darknes the earth quaking to trouble you and terrible thunders roaring to disquiet you yet for all this is not the Lord contented with you except you be repentant The selfe-same thing may wee see Esay 57 3 4 5. where the Lorde telleth them that it was not their fasting and sorrowes that he regarded but their vnfeined conuersion As a father hauing an euill sonne is not pleased with him bicause hee is whipped openly in the streetes or imprisoned and so arraigned for his follie except he bee repentant euen so is it with the Lorde hee regardeth not the punishment saith Augustine but the person that suffereth It is not our sufferings voluntarie or inuoluntarie our sicknes warre famine pouertie or bloud that can satisfie the Lord or saue our soules insomuch as after thou hast endured harde fits wicked slanders wrongfull oppressions many hungrie daies manie sharpe stripes and many dangers of death yet for all this without the ornaments of a christian thou are neuer the neerer to God Some will saie this is harde meate to be digested that the Lorde is not pleased nor pacified although hee punish vs why are not all these sufferinges the punishments of sinne and when wee are punished heere is not the Lorde too rigorous to punish vs also hereafter I answere wee suffer for our sinnes but not to satisfie for our sinnes for the rewarde of sinne is death euerlasting and all miseries which may bring vs to our ende Therefore excuse not your selues for pouertie or sicknes or famine or labour or slauerie or seruice or anie other crosse for a man may haue all this and yet bee a cast away The first reason heereof is Matth. 24. 8. That all the sufferinges of this life are but the beginning of sorrowes they are not one quarter of that vengeance which the Lord will take for our sinnes except we repent Oh consider the intollerable hande of the Lordes wrath which regardeth not our bloude nor woulde looke on a burnt sacrifice made of a whole nation and yet regardeth the broken harts cast down soules what are the plagues in the worlde to come and the wages of sinne in another life if heere wee may haue a pining sicknes a despised life an easelesse heart and an endlesse feare one man neuer lyeth in bed another neuer eateth bread another neuer liueth merrie day som lie tormented in a burning fire some bed-redden with the gout some tormented with a collicke some scalded to death some cut in peeces inchmeale some are put into furnaces of burning lead and yet all these are but the beginning of sorrowes and without repentance if it were possible for one man to endure all yet afterwarde he might goe to hell fire Another reason is bicause the sufferings of this life are alike common to good and bad vncircumcised and the people of God Ezec. 32. 28. Although God chasten euerie one that hee loueth yet he
loueth not euery one that hee chasteneth Christ his best beloued was crucified and yet beloued but Herod was eaten with worms yet hated shal we think that the estate of Herod was any whit better in another life bicause his miserie was begun in this life no verilie no more may wee extoll or accuse those which liue long or miserable daies in this life Iosiah a good king of whom God pronounceth that he shoulde be gathered to his fathers in peace but yet hee was slaine in warres and Ahab an euill king died also in warres was his estate the better bicause he ended his life as a good man did no no it had bin better for him he had neuer bin Yet despaire not in thy afflictions and presume not to aduance worldly sorrow into the place of godly sorrowe and make not thy calamities thy Christ to lift thee vp to heauen Hauing learned that our calamities will not cōmend vs to God let vs do as the prophet here exhorteth Turne vnto the Lord our God Ier. 3. 1. Bloud cannot pacifie him but water can death cannot satisfie him yet teares can bodily plagues will not mooue him but spiritual sorrowes wil vengeance staieth him not but repentance will alter him Therefore turne vnto the Lorde Shall not wee thinke my deere brethren that all these iudgements which wee for these many yeeres haue endured haue wrought mightily in them and on them which were taken by them and is there yet an ende of them either in sight or in hope Haue not many souldiers fighting dying in their owne blood cried alowde in the eares of God Haue not many houses beene suddenly swept away with the pestilence Did not the Lord see it and if hee sawe it why did hee not pitie it and if hee pitied it why did hee not stay it haue not many hundreds in the first yeere of famine perished most miserably for want of bread whose cries must needs pearse the heauens and whose last gaspes might mooue him to pitie yet it hath continued some yeeres since Then may wee see and say if sufferings coulde haue satisfied the Lorde the blood of souldiers the liues of citizens the crie of poore men and the feare of all men might already long agoe haue pleased him but he will neuer be altered till we bee altered Therefore now let me remember you with Ioel Turne vnto me saith the Lord c. Alas alas our health is turned into sicknesse our liues into death our plentie into famine our peace into warres our mirth into mourning our store into want our people into perishing and our poore are turned into their graues and yet we haue not turned vnto the Lorde oh let vs turne before all be ouerturned Let vs fill our chambers with mourning rather then all our land be filled with howling let vs pray for repentance let vs sue for repentance let vs worke for repentance and bestowe all that we haue vpon repentance or else vengeance will come and take all away Another vse is this Rom. 8. 18. seeing God regardeth not our miseries then it followeth that all our sufferings are not woorthie of the life to come Art thou good then despise these worldly sorowes and hope for heauenly ioyes art thou an euill man then repent with speede least thy intolerable euils be turned into intolerable woe Wouldest thou by paine seeke aduauncement they deserue it not wouldest thou by paine bee amended then pray for repentance Oh how are we punished in this life nay rather how shall we be blessed in another life Couldest thou which liest in some strange torments bee content to end thy life in sorrowe to spende thy good for ease or to become any base seruant that thou mightest be released are thy paines so great so comfortlesse and so continuall yet for all this be not disquieted be not discouraged for anon thy ioyes may be farre more pleasant and continuall But why doe I spend time in vaine fearest thou any of those euils which happen in the world for thou canst not but feare all wherefore a Father said it is better to suffer one death and so to die then by liuing to feare all manner of deathes Then I say consider with thy selfe whether is greater thy sorrowes or thy comforts thy body or the heauens thy sufferings or the ioyes of the world to come there shall famine be banished warres shall be conquered sicknesse shall bee cured labour shall be ceased pouertie be forgotten enmitie shall be cooled paines shall be remooued teares shall be dried vp and death it selfe be euerlastingly destroied therefore suffer much to liue so labour much to die so and die in despite of death to raigne so All the miseries of this life are not worthie of this blessednesse but there is not any man liuing that can endure the one halfe of them therefore precious is the bountie of God who giueth vs this glorie for his promise not for our crosses nor yet for our vertues for our crosses are the deserts of sinnes and our vertues are imperfect goodnesse Thirdly in these words we may obserue the definition of repentance namely that it is a turning vnto the Lord so that so long as we are vnrepentant so long we goe from the Lord. I might also make many words on the metaphor turne and not without profit to shew you how our life is a iourney our faith the legs whereon we walke the scripture our guide the church our companion and heauen our waies end seeing all is done elsewhere I will not now stand vpon it Onely in these words I will vrge this that there is no repentance except the whole hart be changed it is not in good words nor yet in an outwarde good practise but in the motions and affections of the hart 1. King 8. 47 48. for this cause our Sauiour biddeth first cleanse that which is within and then that which is without As men doe first cleanse the inside of a vessell not the outside and then put goodnesse therein so must the hart which is a vessell be first cleansed or else all is vaine which the hande doth the mouth speaketh and the minde beleeueth Thy memorie must bee turned thy vnderstanding will and affections must bee changed thy memorie by remembring God and his truth thy vnderstanding by knowing God and his Gospell thy will by beleeuing God and his promises and thy affections by louing desiring meditating and reioycing in and on heauenly things and then is thy whole hart conuerted Some haue knowledge and vnderstanding but no sounde faith or sweete loue some againe loue but they want knowledge and so some haue a good will to the Gospell but they want memorie For the amending of all this follow my direction conferre and you shall haue memorie read and you shall haue knowledge heare and you shall haue faith pray often and you shal haue al good affections all which must be done before you can be saued The first
charge his communing is for peace and not for wrath and his call is more for thy good then for his bee not discomforted because thou hast a guiltie crying conscience for thou seest that the Lorde is as vnwilling to strike as thou art to beare But thou wilt say that hee hath alreadie witnessed thy destruction yea but I say hee will repent him of the euill seeing thou repentest of thy sinnes his iudgements are conditionall hee which gaue the worde can recall it and who can saie he doth not his word Feare not I say though thou be as neere to death as Isaac was to be sacrificed for the Lorde hath an angell in heauen to saue thy life the godly shall come out of trouble but the wicked shall come in his steade Seeing the Lorde is vnwilling to take vengeance of our sinnes let vs bee as vnwilling to grieue him with our sinnes that so wee may bee the children of the most high For it cannot bee but that hee is mightily grieued when wee fall into newe follies in that hee is enforced to open once againe to vs the woundes of Christ and let more bloude issue foorth out of the side of his mercy Iacob was much offended with his two sonnes Simeon and Leui Gen. 34. when they slewe the Sichemites for saide he you haue made my presence to stinke in the sight of this people much more must the Lorde be offended with vs his sonnes being a more tender father then euer was Iacob when we grieue him with our sins for we bring his glorious name into contempt and religion into hatred Once bee thus affected and assured that thou art the childe of God then take part of the godly nature loue all as hee doth doe good to all as hee doth repent of euill as he doth and be as much afraide to sinne as hee is vnwilling to punish thee He euer thinketh on thee doe thou so on him he euer watcheth for thy sake do thou so for his he euer worketh for thy profite doe thou euer liue for his praise He woulde forgiue thee if thou offend and therefore although thou canst offende yet do not he endureth griefe to saue thy health and do thou endure tentation to saue his truth hee coulde reuenge yet doth not that thou mightest learne not to followe what thy hart suggesteth and thy flesh allureth The xxiij Sermon Vers 14. Who knoweth whether he will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him euen a meate offring and a drinke offering vnto the Lord your God THis vers containeth another reason taken from the works of God to mooue them to repentance which is this that God will spare them and leaue something for his owne seruice although it be but a little For I take not this question for a simple affirmation as in other places but rather if it please him he may leaue an offring and for any thing they knew to the contrarie hee woulde From hence wee learne that God concealeth from vs the issue of our sorrowes and the ende of our liues that we may be kept in a continuall practise of repentance as appeareth by Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 23. Some are desperate in their miseries bicause they know not howe or by what meanes they shall be deliuered from it But good men and good mindes must take another course seeing they cannot know in these thinges the minde of the Lorde nor as Salomon saith who shall bee after them therefore their watch and care ouer their liues must bee more continuall This is a good lesson for vs to marke bicause our case is the verie same with the case of the Iewes wee are threatened as they were and we knowe no more then they did Let vs therefore watch in repentance that if our calamitie encrease we may bee readie for the graue and if it be reuersed we may be readie for praise Art thou desirous to make profite of the thing thou knowest not then be repentant for death and life ioy and sorrowe paine and ease riches and pouertie freedome and danger are both alike to a repentant man The first reason bicause by this meanes we are taught humilitie Rom. 9. 20. bicause wee are not able to reason with God or to plead against him for we are in his hande as clay in the hande of the potter Where are all our gallant youthes and lustie minded persons whose heades are so full of knowledge that they are able to teach the Apostles and no maruaile for it appeereth by their liues bearing themselues like Gods in the worlde But looke on your mindes againe you shall finde them stuffed with vanitie and not filled with knowledge if you knowe one thing you are ignorant of a thousande Therefore let this teach you that your mindes are carnall your liues bee sensuall and your soules endangered except you thinke better of others and baser of your selues Learne humility of thy selfe thy body is earth thy glory is earth thy brauery is earth and no maruaile for gold is but earth Why shouldest thou be lifted so high canst thou number thy sinnes or saue thy life or tell when or what death shall take thee away cast thy minde to the earth for then it will looke vpwarde for as yet it looketh downward and deceiueth it selfe Another reason No man can tell things to come Eccl. 7. 2. no not so much as the worke of an howre hence therefore seeing we are assured of nothing but death let death be our life that is let the death of our sins be the life of our soules But we can neuer slay them but by repentance and therefore euerie hower of our life to come calleth for it at our hands we know not when therefore now is the time we know not how therefore this is the meane we know not where therefore this is the place Youth biddeth vs repent age biddeth vs repent sickenes biddeth vs repent and all that is to come calleth vs to amendment because we know not what is to come From hence let vs learne to be contented with that ordinarie and certaine knowledge which the Lord hath shewed vs in his worde I meane to make vs repentant Paul telleth of himselfe that he regarded to know nothing saue Iesus Christ him crucified 1. Cor. 2. 2. the which hee learned from the Lord himselfe This was certaine that Christ was crucified therefore oughtwe to learne the same This is heauenly this is comfortable and this is glorious heauenly for God did it comfortable for it was for our sinnes and glorious for neither man nor angell could do the like and in this short sentence the Apostle hath lapped vp all religion Wouldest thou knowe how to be saued looke to the death of Christ Wouldest thou know how to liue looke on the crosse of Christ and wouldest thou know what to professe then consider the sorrowes of Christ This is heauenly wisedome not knowen of the angels this is
hee may remember thee in thy death for as thou seruest thou shalt be serued againe The xxxj Sermon Vers 30. And I will shew woonders in the heauens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke 31. The sunne shall bee turned into darkenes and the moone into blood before the great and terrible daie of the Lorde come 32. But whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shall bee saued for in mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath saide and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call NOw we are come to the last parte namely the manifestation of the power of God by great and fearfull signes in heauen and secondly by giuing saluation to the faithfull Concerning the great and feareful woonders much hath already beene spoken and nowe the lesse shall suffice For the interpretation take thus much That when Christ is come and ascended into heauen and the worlde conuerted from infidelitie vnto him then shall appeere manie extraordinarie tokens of the Lordes power both in the heauens and in the earth the lights shall bee most fearefully ecclipsed being in shew turned into darkenesse and blood the aire shall bee troubled and many terrible and strange things shall be seene So that heerein is described the constitution and euent of all thinges at the change of the worlde when God shall come to take vengeance on his enimies as it is in the chapter following I will briefely touch euery thing that I purpose to handle in this vers First in that hee telleth vs of these fearefull woonders presently to succeed or rather to accompanie the preaching of the Gospell the powring foorth of the spirite and conuersion of the worlde we may learne that God will giue vs temporall calamities with spirituall benefits Luk. 21. 9. So that there is no maruaile that in our times there haue been seene so many terrible things in heauen and earth seeing the Gospell hath beene preached vnto vs for calamities make vs to beleeue it more willingly Hos 5. 15. And if the Gospell bee not shadowed in this trouble and wee not ouerthrowne by them then haue wee a notable triall of the Lordes promise towarde vs Luk 21. 18. For as Gedeons fleece was drie when all the earth about it was wet so shall we be safe when many shal be cast down Let vs learne to commit our soules vnto him 1. Pet. 4. 19. that although the heauēs fall down the earth be remooued the sea be dried and the light be darkened yet we may possesse our soules and our soules may possesse our Sauiour for it is God that sendeth woonders ruleth all signes the same cloude did leade the Israelites to Canaan that brought other to destruction the same signes are for our saluation which are for other mens condemnation Secondly when hee saith hee will set woonders in heauen wee are taught that God will manifest his wrath before it commeth Rom. 10. 18. Heauen is in the sight of all and naturally we are inclined to looke vpward so that whatsoeuer we there see we know it commeth from God and therefore there are the signes manifested because euery one might see them The reasons first because wee may either confesse them or be confounded by them Isai 2. 18. Secondly that the greatest enimies of God may be stilled Psal 8. 2. Therefore learne so soone as you see the rod to feare him that ordained it Mich. 6. 9. Againe let vs make a good vse of the signes that wee haue alreadie seene and not trie the Lords patience any longer or tempt the power of God any more Amos 5. 18. The wicked Iewes would haue had Christ shewe them a miracle when he was on the crosse and then they woulde beleeue him but yet they were wicked and so you which desire more tokens of the Lords power that you may be amended are still wicked for if you cannot beleeue the liuing word you shall not beleeue the dead miracles Thirdly when he saith that all these shall come before the great and terrible day of the Lord we must note that all the woonders and signes in the aire must prepare vs to iudgement Isa 29. 6. Oh how can the Lorde change vs when he thus changeth the world and how doth hee prouide for our safetie and preach our repentance by all the woonders of heauen and earth Darknesse putteth vs in minde of hell fire putteth vs in minde of the latter day blood putteth vs in minde of destruction smoke doth admonish vs of the vanitie of our life the earth would moue vs to repentance by remoouing her selfe the light would couer our sinnes in darknesse by withdrawing it selfe and the cloudes would call vs to heauen Let vs learne to feare the power of God more earnestly in his creatures that if these strange things come vpon vs yet we may not forget our Sauiour who shall come in the cloudes But whosoeuer Least wee should thinke that these troubles shoulde ouerturne and ouercome all in the world when there shall be no light but darknesse no peace but thunders no comfort but fires nor any appeerance but wrath and iudgement the prophet in these words telleth them that then euen in those most desperate miseries God would remember to heare the praiers of his children for the godly cannot choose but feare mightily when they should see all the world in an vprore and heauen and earth roaring to their destruction Whereby I might note that good men must endure the feare of those euils which shall come on the world Isa 33. 4. because they loue their life too much Psal 119. 108. and because their whole life must bee mortified and mangled with many sorrowes Rom. 8. 36. yet let vs not so feare that we despaire how neer soeuer we seeme to destruction Isa. 41. 14. but be obedient as Noah was Heb. 11. 7. though the waters and cries of all the world be as neere to vs as they were to him First when he saith that all that call on the name of the Lorde shall bee saued we may note that saluation must bee praied for before we can haue it Heb. 7. 25. Saluation commeth not as honour came on Dauid which made him a king before hee thought on it but it must come on vs as cleannesse and health came on Naaman which he trauelled for and praied for and washed for seuen times in Iorden before he could be cleansed And as the poore Canaanitish woman entreated Christ a good while before he would graunt so the Lord looketh that men should entreate for saluation many daies and nights and times with many teares and sighes and grones thorough many sorrowes and cares and troubles before they can be saued The reasons first because saluation is the Lords Psal 3. 8. and therefore it must be praied for secondly we must be saued by faith now faith is no faith that praieth not for grace Ephes
for I will keepe the commandements of my God Another vse let vs pray for kings and kingdomes that the worde of God may take place in their hearts and landes for verilie if it onely make them blessed we shall be very vncharitable to make them cursed for seeing God doth so highly delight in our praiers that when we pray but for our owne peace he heareth and granteth our petitions much more will he be mercifull vnto vs when we pray for his worship and for the enlarging of his kingdome And surely if Paul wished that king Agrippa were like himselfe his bonds excepted then let vs also vnfainedly praie that all kinges and people were like ours our sinnes excepted which are as heauie on vs as were Pauls bondes on him The xlij Sermon Vers 18. And in that day shall the mountaines drop downe new wine and the hils shall flow with milke and all the riuers of Iudah shall runne with waters and a fountaine shall come foorth of the house of the Lorde and water the valley of Shittim HAuing promised them his presence nowe hee also granteth them his bountie for as the barrennesse of the earth wrought their famine and their famine wrought their curse so the fruitefulnesse of the earth must worke their plenty and their plenty must bring their ioye Nowe then the church being deliuered the warres quieted the godly sanctified and religion or the true worship of God once againe established all the mountaines and hilles and valleies and riuers flow with abundance of worldly comforts That the mountaines should drop wine and the hilles flowe with milke and all riuers runne with water it is but a figuratiue or hyperbolicall speech whereby is noted the woonderfull plentie and abundance that shoulde come vnto them after their peace yea beyonde the nature of the earth and the expectation of man In this verse there are these two thinges to bee spoken of First of the plentie of victuals and foode and secondly of the fountaine that shoulde come out of the house of the Lorde and water the valley of Shittim which was a place in the countrey of Moab where the Israelites committed fornication with the daughters of Moab Numer 25. 1. First in the large promise of so great plentie as these Iewes shoulde haue after the restitution of worldly things wee may note that if God giue peace to his church then al the creatures of the worlde are the better for it Esa 30. 24 25. For and in the peace of the church there is nothing in the worlde but are reioiced in it The heauens are cleerer the sunne is lighter the oxe is stronger the sheepe are fatter the riuers are fuller the breade is sweeter the fieldes are fruitfuller and the worlde is ioyfuller So that when they grow which worship God they shall also growe that serue man Till Adam sinned there was not any creature that knewe the curse and so if the church could liue without sinne there is not a creature but should be free from euill Wherefore when their sinnes are purged and themselues reconciled to God established in peace then the herbs grow the fields abound the trees blossome the cattle labour the wines nourish and all things prosper forgetting their curse as a man recouering health forgetteth sickenes or as a reconciled friend forgetteth his malice The godly therefore being in captiuitie in Babylon had good cause to put away all mirth and ioy vntill they saw the deliuerance of the church of God And if euer any nation in the world had the experience of this prophesie that they could say their land was quiet their earth was fruitfull their people were many their hils flowed with milke their houses with wine their coffers with gold their pastures with sheepe their yokes with oxen their fields with corne their bread with strength and their health preserued by the fruits of the earth then may wee in England say that the Lords plentie hath beene among vs because his church is with vs. We haue had no warre but we conquered no sicknes but we were comforted no famine but we were deliuered no danger but we were preserued no occasion of mourning in our streets and all because the spouse of Christ dwelleth among vs. Our earth hath not lost her strength our children haue not beene left fatherlesse our sommers haue not burned vs our winters haue not killed vs our haruest hath not failed vs our season hath reached our barley haruest our barley haruest our wheat haruest our wheat haruest our vintage and our vintage our season againe and this is all because the lambes of Christ feed with our flockes the seruants of Christ sit at our tables the spouse of Christ dwelleth in our houses and the church of Christ is at peace in our lande oh wake not the beloued of Christ vntill she please and let her not bee imprisoned as Ioseph was because all things prosper vnder peace The first reason because when the church is at peace the people haue the Lord about them as riuers and their iniquitie pardoned Isa 33. 21. 24. The Lord is all things to the world as he is all things to the elect in another life What is the reason that the angels hunger not that the saints in heauen die not or be not sicke or cold that they liue without bodies or without meate that they see without day or sunne that they watch and neuer sleepe that they speake and neuer be wearie and that they liue and shall neuer die but because the Lords presence is all vnto them Reuel 21. 22 23 24. and so is it in the church when the Lord giueth quietnes vnto it he bringeth all ioy and peace and comfort and glorie and plentie that not onely men but his dumbe and sencelesse creatures may reioyce in them Then it followeth that the peaceable estate of the church in this life is little inferiour to the ioy of another life In the other life they haue no want no more haue we there they haue no sorrow no more is heere there is no feare of enimies no more is here there they take no care for life no more doe they here there they haue immortalitie heere they bee assured of it onely death hindereth there they worship God continually so they do here only naturall infirmitie letteth and to conclude there they haue God and so haue we here Oh who would not liue in the church that he may haue a heauen in this world Secondly another reason the angels of heauen reioyce at it and therefore much more men and creatures of the earth for when Christ was borne a number of heauenly souldiers sang glorie vnto God because peace was on the earth and good will toward men Luke 2. 13. 14. Blessed therefore is that peace which glorifieth GOD that sendeth it and reioyseth angels that heare of it and comforteth good men that haue it and blesseth all creatures that grow in it Surely they which take
preachers the carnall and time seruing professours these shall goe to the place from whence they came there to be tormented world without end It is not cold and idle hearing that maketh vs the people of God but a sincere and diligent frequenting the place where his person dwelleth We must not be contented to be the Lords retayners but we must sue to be made his houshold seruants The Apostle Peter in his first epistle cap. 2. ver 5. calleth vs all that professe the Lord Iesus a spirituall priesthood now this was the office in old time of a priest euery day to appeare at the altar and their very lodging was in the Temple therefore must we come often to the Lords house and desire to dwell in his tabernacle that we may euermore heare and speake his worde The second reason of this doctrine is taken from the continuall course of the Iudgements of God All Egypt was plagued because they heard not the worde of God euen their king lost his eldest sonne and afterwarde he himselfe for the same follie was drowned and swallowed vp of the sea The noble man which would not beleeue and harken to the voice of the prophet when he told him of the great and sudden cheapnes of corne answered him that it was impossible except the windowes of heauen shoulde bee opened but he sawe it accomplished and for his infidelitie was troden to death by the people Reade the whole booke of God and you shal euery where plainly perceiue that for disobedience to God his worde and contempt of his messengers Kings haue been deposed and Queenes haue beene punished Lords Ladies Magistrates and subiectes old men and children haue tasted of the deadly cup of the Lords heauie wrath Lay vp this in your harts my bowels in the Lorde happy are they which auoide danger by the fals of other men Oh that the teares of our countrymen couldewash away the guilt of this sinne for our score is growne so great by our long continued credit that we haue made no conscience to pay the Lord his owne and we haue vrgent cause to consider and also to feare least the Lord sue the extremitie of the lawe vpon vs and neuer spare till we haue paide the vttermost farthing and felt the full weight of his hande and spent euery drop of bloud in soule and body for the notorious contempt of his most glorious Gospel There is no sacrifice to be compared to the hearing of the Lords worde and therefore the neglect thereof in whomsoeuer is most fearefull most deadly most damnable The vses which offer themselues vnto vs out of this doctrine are these first that the ancient and great men must suffer the words of the Lords ministers patiently and for this cause the Apostle willeth vs Tit. 2. 2. To exhort the elders to sobernesse and faith There be two things which should shine as bright in age and authoritie as the eies do in the heads of strong yoong men that see and be seene of others and yet see not themselues euen so ought sobrietie and faith to offer themselues vnto the view of all persons where the graie haires appeere like the buddes of an almond tree whereby the aged may see and correct the follies of youth and yoong men may see their example to be drawne in loue with their liues but they themselues ought not to be proud for that honour which the Lord hath bestowed vpon them Oh how vnhappie is that time when olde men and great men are as wanton as children and as faithles as those which neuer knewe God Wo bee to that lande whose Prince is a childe saith Salomon Meaning that the whole countrey is distressed where the gouerners thereof haue as little stay as children or as little faith as children In our daies if the Lords ministers which keepe the soules of our countrymen shall in meekenesse admonish old men they tell them they are but boyes to themselues and they knew what religion was before they were borne not knowing their antiquitie cannot preiudice the spirite of the Lord or not considering what our sauiour saide to the labourers in the vineyard They which were first shall be last and they which were last shall bee first Others thinke that if they beare an office in the common wealth no man may dare to counsell them in the Lorde they themselues thinke they are iniured and their friends thinke they are disgraced if the word of exhortation passe vpon them shall I say they being a gentleman well descended well instructed of so many hundred poundes reuenues bee in as much slauerie to this preaching as the poore artificer But vnto these we may answere that if their natures or offices exempt them from sermons they also exempt them from saluation For it pleased God through the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue What is a King better then a farmer a noble man better then an artificer a gentleman better then a plowman and a magistrate better then a subiect without true religion and obedience to the gospel Surely nothing for now whether had you rather bee poore Iacob bowing to the earth alone or rich Esau attended with fowre hundred men whether had you rather bee Pharaoh or Moses Ieroboam or the prophet Ziakijah or Ieremie the rich man or Lazarus Pilate or Christ Herod or Iohn Baptist the Apostles or the high Priests stagger not heereat but shew your consciences whether of these you woulde be you cannot bee both therefore choose one The way to heauen is narrowe and we being clothed with our owne conceites can neuer enter in there is too little roome for both we cannot beare the yoke of Christ and the worlde at one time the least of both requireth a whole man Therefore you my beloued fathers beare with the voice of vs your yoongers for when we exhort you it is not done in our name but in his who is the ancient of daies elder then the oldest wiser then the wisest stronger then the strongest and yoonger then the yoongest who is euery day borne in his members It is not vs but him that you heare who knoweth your harts seeth your liues and shall condemne your incredulitie The Lord told the rebellious Israelites when they refused Moses and Aaron that it was not against them but him that they had murmured and refused so it is not our youth it is not our frailtie it is not our weaknes that you blame for if wee were not ministers you woulde loue vs the better for it but it is against the Lorde that you striue Oh staie your toongs before they go too farre God which dasheth in peeces yoong infants careth not for your gray haires your swordes auaile not against him neither can your reuenues redeeme your soules Secondly we may make this one vse of this That forsomuch as the Elders and Magistrates must aboue others vse the hearing of the worde of God what is their estate
their body were changed into wormes as Herods was should not this neither Oh yes but seldome times will you say are these things wrought I graunt it so indeede but much seldomer are men amēded by hearing of them in other or feeling them in themselues Tarry not to conuert I beseech you till these wonders be wrought againe tempt not the Lord of heauen and earth with deferring the day of repentance For bee you assured that contemning the riches of his grace and abusing the patience of his long suffering while his word and Gospell is preached and not beleeued he will verifie that prophesie vpon you that was long agoe pronounced Reuel 19. 17. vpon the enimies of Christes Gospell Come ye foules of the heauen to the great supper of the great God that yee may eate the flesh of kings and captaines and mighty men of horses and riders offree and bond of small and great Oh then will it be too late to cast away pleasures to curse your delaies to imbrace the Gospell and to crie peace when the sword of God is dipped in blood Another vse hereof may be this that seeing the greatest and strongest creatures were by nature and creation subiect to man now not onely they but also all other both great and small through our transgressions are become either our enimies or else our conquerors This must teach vs how odious and abhominable a thing is sinne and wickednesse in the presence of the eternall God and his vnreasonable creatures it was forbidden by God it was condemned by angels it is reuenged by beastes and punished by diuels it droue Adam from paradise it kept Moses from Canaan it destroyed the inhabitants of Ierusalem and hath excluded infinite thousandes from the kingdome of heauen It was committed by the blood of soules it was redeemed by the life of Christ it was reprooued by the death of martyrs and yet it is maintained by the practise of multitudes Oh whose hart is not diuided to see such a monster more made of than all good things which was hatched by the diuell and fed by the life of soules and yet raigneth that it may winne millions of soules to condemnation Shall reasonable men rescue it when vnreasonable beastes fight against it euery creature in his kinde cries vengeance against it It made the angels damnable it made the world abhominable it maketh the beastes corruptible and it maketh men miserable Miserable I say by birth for they are borne in it miserable by life for they are vexed with it and most miserable by death for they are cursed with it We haue already heard that the sinnes of Egypt were punished and reuenged by lice and the sinnes of Herod were requited by wormes and vnto these adde the sinne of the prophet that reprooued Ieroboam 1. Reg. 13. 24. which was rewarded by a lion Thus doth the earth crie woe vnto it for it cursed her thus doth the heauens hate it for it destroyeth her children thus doth the starres fight against it because it dazeleth their light and thus doe wilde beastes warre against it because it encreaseth their grones Oh then let not vs men bring vp that mōster hatch vp the coccatrices egs which so soone as it is deliuered and conceiued it giueth our liues mortall woundes If wicked Herod in slaying the children of Bethleem thinking thereby to slay Christ did not refraine his crueltie from his owne houshold but also put his owne sonnes to death least they should afterward trouble him for his kingdome how much more ought we not to imitate his crueltie but his policie to bridle our natures to chaine our affections to subdue our lustes to conquer our desires and to forsake our pleasures that we might bathe the sword of God his lawe in the blood of our owne sinnes seeing if it liue we must die and if it die we shall liue It commeth vnto vs with the Sirens song it embraceth vs friendly as Ioab did Abner but while it saluteth vs with one hand it stabbeth vs with the other It promiseth vs faire as Iael did to Sisera and it giueth vs milke in steede of water it serueth vs in plate it clotheth vs in purple it lodgeth vs in ease but in the end it slaieth our soules as she did Sisera it maketh much of vs as the high priests did of Iudas it maketh vs gentlemen of rascals it maketh vs rich men of beggers it maketh vs companions of princes it deliuereth vs when others are endangered but in the ende it tieth the halter to our necks and maketh speede for our execution it serueth vs as the harlot did the yoong man Prouerb 7. it kisseth vs it flattereth vs it pleaseth vs and it promiseth vs all sugred ioyes but yet it draweth vs as the oxe is drawen to the slaughter it biddeth vs take our ease followe pastimes auoide preaching loue not the prophets come not at the churches and forget all manner of godlinesse but in the ende it serueth vs as a noble man doth his olde spannell commending some to the gallowes some to the prisons some to noysome sicknesse some to pouertie some to slauerie some to madnesse some to vntimely death and some to vnmercifull hell Therefore heare and follow Salomons counsell Prou. 7. 24. Heare O my children let not your hearts decline to her waies and walke not in her pathes for she causeth many to fall downe wounded and strong men are slaine by her her house is the way vnto the graue which goeth downe to the chambers of death The sixth Sermon Vers 5. Awake O yee drunkards and weepe and howle O yee drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouth NOw we are to handle the exhortations of the prophet made and grounded on the premised calamitie The which exhortations for our more orderly and formall proceeding I will thus diuide some of them concerne the miserable ouerthrowe of their countrey by famine whereunto they are prepared by the prophets sermons and these are in this first chapter and to the twelfth verse of the second chapter the other generally stirre them vp vnto repentance from the twelfth to the eighteenth The first of these whereby the inhabitants of the land are admonished prepared for the iudgement is either for the people as in ver 5. 8. 11. or for the cleargie or ministerie as in the 13. of the first chapter the first of the second chapter That part which is directed to the people is by speciall names notes of persons described which are of two sorts either for their manners as drunkards ver 5. or for their occupation or trade of life as husbandmen ver 11. And also these exhortations haue their seueral reasons to mooue the people withall as in this we haue in hand he moueth the drunkards either to awake or to lament ver 5. 8. Vpon these causes the first concerne themselues vnto the nienth and from the nienth to the
miserable aduersitie Another reason of this doctrine is that which Dauid giueth Psal 17. 14. They haue no portion but in this life they can haue no comfort of the graces of the Lords children so that when they are perplexed and weaned from these things they are more vexed then other men This is the iust iudgement of God that where men haue most of al set their hart there aboue others they should receiue their hurt Now my deere brethren take vp a taste of this foode which I haue prepared for your soules and lust not after the wilde Doe when the tame kid may serue your turne Vse I beseech you these plaine and easie doctrines to shew vs the miserie of our times wherein we liue and of their liues among whome we liue We are altogether set on eating and drinking as if our soules delighted in wine or should be saued by meate wee regarde not the want which the poore endure wee thinke not on the hand which is ready to strike vs and we feare not the calamitie which doth alreadie compasse vs. Make not your belly your God and take not your portion in this life onely knowe you that a good Christian cannot come to heauen but by often fasting and continuall watchfulnesse and see you not how little this was practised till the dearth came and put vs in minde hereof now then let vs redeeme the time that we haue euill spent and spare that meate for the poore which we may saue for our selues We haue long liued by bread but now let vs liue by the word of God let vs I beseech you cast off our carnall desires and take no rest in our owne houses with Vrijah till the Lords people be in quietnesse let this preuaile with vs that looke how much comfort we take in abusing these so much discomfort shall we finde by forsaking them The vses which offer themselues out of this doctrine are these first that the confidence which the wicked raise vp to themselues in the things of this life shall bee their vtter ouerthrowe Isai 20 5 6. that whereas Egypt and Ethiopia were the comfort of Israell contrarie to the expresse commandement of God the Lorde threateneth to captiuate these nations and to destroy the people in their owne expectation that both the comfort and comforters should be at once confounded Euen so doth he in like manner in these daies where men leane more on the weake staffe of meate and drinke then on the strong rocke of God his word he breaketh the staffe in peeces and maketh the flitters to pearse through our owne harts This is the rewarde of belly-gods that their ioyes are remooued their hope is decayed their consolation confoundeth them and the want of those things wherein they most delighted shal procure them most easelesse paine because they most corrupted them The rich glutton which exceeded in delicious fare and in all abundance of wines and pleasant drinks was tormented without all pitie for want of water The prodigall sonne who lauished out riotously his fathers legacy like our English spend-thriftes at tables at drinking at whooring at gaming in brauerie of apparell horses houndes and delicates was constrained for his office to be a swineheard for his meate to want that which his beastes were fed with for his brauerie to bee basely and beggarly araied and his whole felicitie was turned into most lamentable yet due deserued miserie Harken therefore vnto me my brethren and heare me when I tell you the issues of your pleasures If you be aged thinke what were your sorrowe that if those riches which in youth you laboured for with your hands to comfort you withall when you should be olde should be suddenly taken from you then may you say my yoonger yeeres I consumed in vanitie and elder daies must perish in pouertie If you be yoong men consider with your owne harts that if the libertie you tooke should be abridged the pastimes you plaied should cause you so many stripes and your youthfull daies shoulde bee turned into languishing infirmities would not this amaze you to feele it and discomfort you to consider it Yes yes my beloued when your riches are the coles your desires are the fire your pleasures are the bellowes and your owne liues are the irons to be burned in this miserable miserie I delighted shall one say in hunting and nowe the beasts deuoure me I delighted in dauncing but now my woonted mirth is turned into hellish yelling I delighted in drinking but my cuppes are emptie and the naturall heate of my stomacke deuoureth my body like a fire I delighted in stealing but now doth the world rob me of my life the diuel of my soule I delighted in whooring but alas my diseases are become loathsome to God and man I delighted in slandering and hurting other but my lyes are recompensed with my owne life I was a swearer but the Lords wounds which I blasphemed haue witnessed my death I was a coniurer the diuell hath me I desired large fields but now haue I lost mine owne And thus shall all sinners come to their endes as Esau which louing hunting by his loue lost his blessing Another vse arising from the same doctrine shall be this that seeing we which be most abusers of the Lords benefits shall by their want be most of all punished let vs before this time of aduersitie come humble our soules and amende our sinnes as the prophet calleth vpon Babylon many yeeres before shee was destroyed Isa 47. 1. 23. Come downe and sit in the dust O virgin daughter Babell sit on the ground for there is no throne O daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate So my beloued come you downe now while you heare me calling vnto you and while this wrath is but comming vpon you you haue euery one aduanced a throne for your sinnes to sit on but pull it downe or else it shall defile your soules Yet there is time turne you from your euils you drunkards to sobernes you wantons to modestie you swearers to pitie you idle ones to diligence you rich men to humility you gentlemen to religion you women to righteousnes you yoong men to learning you old men to praying and you poore men to patience turne turne I say before this aduersitie that either your chaunge may change the Lords meaning or vse may ease the rigour of your punishment Come downe I beseech you take vp your crosse and follow Iesus Christ let temperance rule you let religion perswade you let your Sauiour win you let his ministers warne you let the earth speake vnto you and be yee all conuerted or else continue in your delights and cease not to offend God which hateth your liues or the church which wisheth your wealth or the poor which pray for your peace or the earth which threatneth want or the diuell that gapeth for your soules Howle allye drinkers of wine Now the prophet telleth
father hell is our bondslaue but their hangman We reioice as if we reioiced not but they reioice as if they were borne for nothing else we sorrowe as if we wept not but they haue their eies weeping in life their harts weeping in death and their soules weeping in hell Thinke nowe my beloued that this is our time of lamentation and this is our lamentation of time to see men weeping that should reioice men reioicing that should lament Woe be vnto them for they haue their consolation Therefore if once the worlde turne with the wicked then shall happines be like ise their pleasure like a sommer dewe their friends shall forsake them their feare shall possesse them and their miserie shall ouercome them Seeing therefore this is the case of the wicked that know not nor feare not God hence ariseth this most assured and fearefull and yet comfortable vse to be knowne that such as is the life of the wicked such shal be their end Amo 4. 1 2 3. The prophet in the saide place calling vpon the heads and rich men of Israell by the name of the kine of Bashan that fedde in the mountaine of Samaria telleth them that the Lorde hath sworne that seeing they behaued themselues like beastes he woulde also vse them like beastes for the thornes should stifle them and their posteritie shoulde be taken with fish-hookes and they shoulde go out of the gaps and breaches forwarde like kine and they shal be cast headlong out of the pallaces And these kinde of beastes are the oppressors of the poore the deuourers of meate and drinke the neglecters and despisers of the Lords worship and such as prophane the Lordes sacrifices with their owne inuentions vers 1. 4. 5. Consider nowe if euer there were mo beastes in Israell then are in England O lamentable world wilt thou euer proceed to prouoke the Lordes wrath to oppresse thy owne flesh to spill the life of thy owne brother and to shed the bloud of thy owne soule dost thou not yet knowe that if thou delight in cursing thou shalt receiue cursing and bicause thou louest not blessing it shall be farre from thee Yea I will adde this also thinkest thou not that thy cruell life shall haue a cruell death and thy mercilesse hart shall receiue a mercilesse plague doth not the scripture say That the same measure shal be heaped on thee that thou didst powre vpon other Hast thou lead all thy life in swearing and dost thou thinke thou shalt die with blessing hast thou walked wantonly passed the time pleasantly pampered vp thy owne bodie delicately consumed thy strength lecherously wasted thy wealth prodigally despised the ministerie wickedly frequented euill companie ioyfully vsed all maner of gaming greedily and wilt thou hope for all this to die the death of the righteous and to make a blessed latter ende Then is it not true which is most true that such as men sowe such shall they reape and if their life be the season their death is the haruest Oh that I coulde perswade you to liue well as you perswade your selues to die well then shoulde your times bee happie your liues be godly and all our endes bee blessed Therefore on the other side wee that are in league with the Lorde of glorie howe happie is our case seeing as wee liue so shall wee die our wearied bodies shall rest in his kingdome our sorrowfull soules shall bee refreshed in his kingdome our wounds shall be healed in heauen our teares shall be wiped from our eies our liues shall be disburdened of slaunders and to conclude seeing we being aliue are buried with Christ by our profession wee shall also at our death be raised vp with Christ to his euerlasting possession Secondly another vse which doth arise from this point is this that seeing the wicked are so beastly in their sorrowes and so desperate in their afflictions that sometimes wickednesse is rewarded in this life though not alwaies for their comfortlesse estate is the iust punishment of their wretchlesse behauiour We haue manifold examples hereof in the sacred worde of God who was more cruell then Adoni-bezek who cut off the thumbes and toes of seuentie kings and afterward by the Lords commandement he was so serued himselfe Iudg. 1. 6 7. Who was more proud then Nabuchadnezzar yet in this life was his vnderstanding taken from him and he driuen to eate his meate with brute beastes Tzedechias which burned the booke of God was taken by his enimies had his children slaine before his face and afterward had his owne eies put out and died at Babylon Herod that wicked wretch was eaten of wormes Ananias and Saphira were slaine by the Lord himselfe with a great many of like terrible iudgements of God of which you may read both in the scriptures and in the writings of other There are a viperous broode among vs which are not ashamed openly to professe that they care not so much for the pains in another life if they may escape the plagues of this life that is present and notwithstanding they feare the punishment of their sinnes shoulde bee executed on them in this life to their open shame and in the life to come to their vtter destruction yet they will neuer bee amended by Gospel or iudgemen t let such persons thinke what shall be their danger if they continue in this wicked opinion and wretched life For assuredly as Dauid once saide so will we euer say that the same which the wicked feareth shall come vpon them why shouldest thou bee more ashamed to be punished before a few of thy friends in this life then to bee laide open to the full vnto all the world at the latter day Learne therefore to purge thy hands and hart from sinnes wherein thou dwellest and when they shall bee burned thou shalt bee saued thinke that thou art not better then those which are already named and therefore thou maist be hanged with Absolon be stoned with Achan be cursed with Canaan be brained with Abimelech bee eaten with dogs as Iezabel was bee slaine with the sword as Adoniah was and finally fall from the top of honour to the bottome of ignominie as Haman did Because of the newe wine This is the cause why hee biddeth the drunkards and drinkers to awake because they should loose that which they best loued your newe wine that is so sweete to your mouthes wherein you dwell day and night shall bee taken from you And in this the prophet noteth vnto vs the whole corruption of carnall and wicked men that if they be ioyfull or if they be sorrowfull it is onely for the things of this life present when their barnes and storehouses are filled their fieldes clad with cattell their names exalted with worldly honour then they strike vp the ioyfullest musicke to their harts that they can inuent but when their wealth decreaseth or sicknesse taketh them or the famine vexeth them or the rumors of bloodie and
as he doth the Pismires and conies Prou. 30. 25. 26. Then he sheweth for the terrour of the people howe they are armed to destroy euen as lyons with their greedie iawes and sharpe teeth which teare in sunder whomsoeuer they meete neither shall they onely execute this malice vpon men but they shall take vengeance on the vines and figge trees stripping off the barke breaking downe the branches and deuour the fruit and the body togither From hence we may first of all note seeing he maketh these beastes infinite in number mightie in power and a nation for pollicie and vnitie that it is in vaine to resist the iudgements of God seeme they neuer so small What coulde bee more base then to threaten the Iewes which had so many cities so many castles so many corne fieldes so many store-houses and so many inhabitants to be destroied by a few grashoppers and caterpillers which a man may treade on the ground or phisicke or naturall meanes may driue away yet wee see in this place the spirite of God so dealeth and armeth them with sufficient power to dismay and deuoure all things Shall we nowe saie that anie iudgement of God is small and of no reckoning when hee can make the vnarmed wormes to wearie the harnished souldiours No verily for he hath set his iudgements some in the heauens some in the earth some in the aire and some in the waters that euery where we might be driuen from rebellion and drawne from disobedience We may see in the heauens sometimes darknesse who can remedie it we may feele in the earth barrennesse who can redresse it we may smel in the aire loathsomnes who can purge it and a little billowe of the waters can ouerwhelme vs who then can saue vs For this cause Salomon Prou. 27. 12. called him a foole that running against iudgement destroyed himselfe Oh saith he in sicknesse why should I repent I hope the physician can remedie this and so delaieth till it be too late If he be poore then saith he I will take of other mens goodes and they shall maintaine me and considereth not that the gallowes are at hand Nay that which is woorse they see the iudgements of God against idle teachers vnfruitfull hearers vncleane liuers and intolerable blasphemers and yet they cannot hide themselues from it Oh my deere brethren we haue many iudgements in our lande and how doe men resist them the husbandman by plowing the gentlemen by fining the rich men by gayning and almost euery one by vngodly flattering therefore I beseech you let vs no longer be hardened for we doe striue against the streame and bid warre against the almightie if there be any meanes to escape them it is by yeelding or else assuredly we shall neuer bee eased Let vs then set our harts at rest and neuer wage battell against the Euerlasting for he as we may reade Iob. 34. 20. and 29. 37. can easily without all might destroy the strongest catch the wisest ouerturne the swiftest and confound the noblest why doe we then take a contrarie course as Balaam did which the Lorde hath not hitherto blessed It is not in our labour to releeue vs or in the earth to redresse vs it is not in our repentance or submission but principally in the mercie of God to deliuer vs. Then I beseech and entreate by your morning and euening praier that our harts may be plowed and then shall our barnes and garners be filled Againe why should we delay to worke our owne reconciliation who is able to abide the angrie countenance of the Lord for the Psalmist saith If his wrath bee kindled but a little then blessed are they that trust in him Oh how infinite is his mercie towards vs which haue so long felt his iudgements and yet hath not his wrath beene kindled I may feare and all that haue any soules may feare that all this time the coles of our transgressions are in gathering together and shortly will the Lords wrath set them on fire and then who shall not bee burned This is euident that wee resist the iudgements of God because we seeke not a truce with him And therefore looke shortly to be serued as the Iewes were to haue our flies turned into lions our wormes into beastes our friendes into foes and these small euils which already we haue shall be growen vnsufferable The vses which arise from hence is first the same that Elihu Iobs friend maketh Iob. 37. 24. when he had reckoned vp the wonderfull iudgements and works of God he thus concludeth Let men therefore feare before him for he regardeth none that are wise in their owne conceites Wherein he teacheth vs that although the Lord worketh strangely in the world and yet forbeareth to destroy vs it is because that thereby we should learne to feare him for in the feare of God is all religion and assurance of saluation Dauid saith it is the beginning of wisedome Peter telleth vs it is the continuance of our adoption and Paul saith it is the ende of our profession when he biddeth vs to finish vp our saluation with feare and trembling Then my beloued let vs feare God for so the word of God exhorteth and the Lord commandeth and the worlde and course of nature teacheth Feare him not as a iudge for then thou shalt bee condemned feare him not as a seruant for then thou shalt be punished but feare him as a father and then thou shalt be deliuered But some waxe desperate through feeling of the Lords iudgements and others are hardened because they haue seene others taken and themselues escaped and in our times although we haue so many causes to feare him oh fearefull times wherein is so little feare we may feare this one thing least as it falleth out with a sicke man a little before his ende he hath a lightening of his paines so that he feeleth himselfe voide of pangs and then presently dieth so now hauing so little feare after so long feare we be suddenly destroied But some will say if wee knew that the Lorde had sent it and not appointed any meanes to redresse then we would rest contented and in the meane time we cannot choose but labour to be eased by some way or other I graunt if the Lord should sounde from heauen vnto you or send an angell to reprooue your rebellion then it is like you would giue ouer but why are you not contented to knowe this by his word that it is the punishing of your sinnes and till you doe away your sinnes he will not doe away his iudgements Well saide Elihu Iob. 33. 13 14. Why dost thou striue against God for he doth not giue account of all his matters for God speaketh once or twice and man seeth it not then he openeth the eares of men by their corrections which he had sealed that hee might turne them from their euill hide their pride and keepe their soule from the pit So long therefore as
times yea if it can be most times to cast away ioy to put away pastime to depart from mirth to stop thy eares from musick and thy heart from laughter giuing ouer foolish and vnlawfull iesting merie and pleasant friends and companions and so enter into a deepe consideration of thy sinnes and dangers and troubles and life and death that it may worke an exceeding lamentation for all thy sinnes Remember Moses which forsooke the court of all Pharaohs disports to liue among his poore brethren which daily laboured in making bricke gathering staw and bearing many a heauy burthen and so if we should be exercised in a voluntarie and willing submission vnto teares and weeping sorrowes and lamenting crosses and enduring afflictions we shall kill the hearts of many sinnes and stop the breath of many euils and auoide the danger of many troubles Better it is saith Peter to suffer for well dooings then for euill now when in the feare of God we chastice our selues we suffer for well doing but if we tarrie till famine or warre or sickenes or pouertie or age or death then we suffer for our sins as a thiefe or murtherer for his robbing and killing The twelfth Sermon Vers 13. Girde your selues and lament yee priestes howle yee ministers of the altar c. THe exhortations to the people being finished the prophet goeth on to the priestes and giueth them a speciall direction how to behaue themselues in this time of dearth and famine And this part as hath bin alreadie declared is contayned in this chap. and in the second wherein he putteth thē in mind of their duties which may be reduced to these generall heads particular members First he exhorteth them to a farther humiliation giueth reason for the same vers 13. as that they should be girded with sackcloth vnto lamentation Secondly that they should bee all night long in sorrowing for the same afterward in this chapter he biddeth them sanctifie a fast vers 14. and in the second chapter vers 1. he biddeth them shew the people their woefull danger For the fast he telleth them how it should bee solemnized namely with all the people in the house of God Secondly with praier and the forme or example to pray by is described vers 15. and so to the end of the chapter First when he calleth vnto the priests to be farther humbled whom alreadie he had said to be mourning and lamenting for this matter vers 9. hee thereby giueth vs to vnderstand that there are none so forward in any good action but they haue neede of a farther prouocation and may receiue good instruction to proceed in their godly enterprise For this cause the Apostle 2. Peter 1. 12. telleth the faithfull in his time that he would neuer be negligent to put them in minde of their duetie although they had knowledge and were confirmed in the truth The which thing may reprooue many in our daies which will not abide any wholesome word of exhortation especially there are in the ministerie those which hauing rare gifts and great learning and therefore despise both men and meanes which shall any way put them in minde of their duetie thinking it a disgrace to their persons if any of the inferiour sort shall note vnto them their slips and infirmities But Peter had more modestie which easily yeelded to the reproofe of Paul Would God that men were as much ashamed to commit euill or omit goodnes as they are to be blamed for any default and it were to bee wished that they would as hardly abide the temptation of their enimie the diuell as they will the reprehension of their most christian friends Againe we haue many which haue a little shew of religion and an vnprofitable forme of seruing God the which thinke all knowledge is lapped in their braines and all holines practised in their liues and therefore they despise sermons and preachers reading and hearing conuersion and repentance and will say flatly they haue enough alreadie and therefore will receiue no more Against those let the exhortation of this Prophet and the example of these priests preuaile that they may both either shame them for their folly or reclaime them for their stubbornnes The reasons of this doctrine are these First because it is a true token that we are the Lords when we are exhorted to farther righteousnes Ioh. 15. 3. so that on the other side it is a fearefull signe that wee are none of his when we stop our eares and harden our hearts against the exhortations of the godly ministers wherfore let them which with Peter and Iohn would haue heauen to be on the earth and make a dwelling for their faith on a worldly mount instead of heauēly Sion let them I say know that as the desire of the apostles could not be performed in this life so in this life although they haue clymed vp neuer so great hils of knowledge and secret hidden mysteries and haue seene the graces of God as plainely as they sawe Elias and Moses yet must they come downe againe and labour to goe further before they come to heauen But me thinkes the earnest consideration of this point should make vs all more earnestly to thirst after our spirituall gaine of godlines and neuer to giue ouer till all our vices are remooued all our vncleannes purged and all our wickednes forgotten Doe we not see how the earth after one showre of raine thirsteth for another and so following euery yeere euen so exhortations and reprehensions are like showres of raine to make our hearts to beare fruit the which wee should desire for the loue of more holines as the earth desireth for the encrease of more fruitfulnes Another reason is because it is a notable assurance vnto a mans soule when he beareth exhortation increaseth in knowledge that he hath tasted of the goodnes and grace of God 1. Pet. 2. 3. A yoong childe tasting his mothers milke groweth thereby a sicke man tasting his phisitions potion is strengthened thereby and desireth more phisicke and more meat and therefore if wee can desire to bee more righteous more holy more faithfull more zealous and more carefull of good things we may be assured that our soules are in good and perfect health But alas how many faile herein which taste but finde no relish in the graces of God and suffer the most wholesome foode of their soules to perish in their stomacks they had rather eate the grasse of their own gathering then the meat of the Lords prouiding Stolne bread is swete vnto them that is that which is forbidden them they delight in but that which is commaunded and allowed them they cannot away with they loue better to liue in one forbidden sinne then to liue in a thousand commanded and authorized vertues From this doctrine we may make these vses First seeing there is none so holy and so good in this world but he hath neede of more holines and goodnes then it
before the Lord when wee euer meete againe about the like occasion and this I would haue practised both in priuate and publike humiliation The reasons that may mooue vs vnto this dutie to be throughly humbled are these first because the Lorde will not looke on our aduersitie without this perfect and absolute contrition Isa 58. 3. for he then especially looketh to the inwarde disposition of euery soule to see who they be which tremble at his word and iudgements and they which then will not nor cannot there is little hope of grace and goodnesse in them The heathen king of Niniueh and all his subiects had that conscience when the Lord sounded their destruction by the prophet Ionah Ahab mourned when he heard the words of Elijah the prophet and when God speaketh to the Assyrians and Moabites he biddeth them come downe into the dust and ashes to lament their miseries Alas why doe I rehearse either precepts or examples to mooue men vnto this which they would not doe for if their owne liues and bloud and soules will not prouoke them hereunto other mens waies will not perswade them yet let them thus consider that it will greeue them more to loose this their counterfeite humilitie as the Iewes doe in the forenamed place when they shall say we fasted we praied we trauelled and we desired to iustifie our soules and yet their fast shall be as vanitie their praier abhomination and their comming into the Lords presence like his which had no wedding garment and therefore was hee and so shall they bee cast into vtter darknesse Another reason is this because that those iudgements which call for this humiliation must teach vs righteousnesse Esa 26. 9. and so we encrease in righteousnesse as we exceede in humilitie and for this cause we must know that the more religion a man hath the more humble he is and the more hee saith hee encreaseth in goodnesse the more he must studie to shew it outwardly As for those which thinke they serue God well enough when they neither pray with their toongs nor bende with their knees nor vncouer their heads nor mooue out of their houses I leaue them to their fancies let euery beast bird of the aire confute their fancies for the Lord which hath assigned euery member his office will haue euery one to execute it himselfe The vses which offer themselues by the consideration of this point are these seeing we must bee throughly humbled therefore let vs auoide all manner of idlenesse in this worship of God Iam. 2. 19. when we are once perswaded of this point we shall not onely lende an eare to this businesse but thinke all time too little that we spend not herein The poore saintes of God in that forenamed place crie in the night watches as these priestes which lay all night in lamentation and so when the feare of the Lords wrath and the conscience of our owne dangers doe once meete together then there is not any thing that will bee so acceptable to vs as praier This feare will driue from vs our sleepe as the windes driue away the cloudes the sicke man will sit vp the olde man will holde vp his hands the weake man will stand for his life the woman will weepe without ceasing and euery one so touched will auoide all worldly actions then will or rather then must the rich man forsake his counting house the farmer leaue his plough the seruant auoide his rest the labourer neglect his meate and the drowsie person hold vp his eies All the Apostles slept till the high priestes seruants came to take our Sauiour but then they awaked fled for their liues but why did they not wake before in praier that thē they might haue slept without danger oh let vs therefore come both great small to appeere in the Lords presence with al diligence let not any long iourney any lack of prouision any loue of ease any losse of health make vs idle Rise early to praier watch late to lament sleepe little that thou maist spende the more time to gaine thy soules health In the day we labour for our bodies in the night let vs labour for our soules My soule saith Dauid thinketh on thee in the night watches and so let our soules thinke on the Lord when other thinke on their rest and their pleasure Another vse which commeth by this consideration is this that seeing we must be throughly humbled or not at all let vs take for our example the paterne of them that mourne for the dead as the prophet exhorteth Ierem. 6. 26. How many are the teares of them which loose their louing husbands their tender children and their loyal friendes Iacob for feare of this said before hand it woulde make his hoare head goe downe into the graue But so slight is the mourning of many among vs that they neither wette their cheekes for their sinnes nor yet would willingly depart with this life for the enioying of the life to come Surely this is woorthy to be noted in them which earnestly lament the dead that they desire to be with them so let vs desire to be free of this feare of death and sinne with the death of our sinnes and liues let vs so bitterly bewaile our time as we may be most willing to change our life for no other cause then to cease from sinne The Israelites bewailed Moses thirtie daies together and let vs with great and long continuance mourne not for Moses who is in heauen but for our selues who would be in heauen When Naomy bid her daughters Ruth and Orpah goe backe into Moab they wept at her words if they were so vnwilling to liue in Moab and to depart with Naomi why are not wee as vnwilling to liue in this world and to depart with Christ seeing he is our head and we his members we must goe to him and he may not come to vs let vs therefore by his example endure many sorrowes and great dangers that we may be more willing to leaue this life The theefe inclosed in the prison ceaseth from stealing and when wee are closed in iaile of many griefes and clogged with the irons of many crosses then let vs know that we cease from many externall and internall abhominations Yee ministers of my God In this that hee calleth the priestes which serued at the altar the ministers of God he thereby giueth vs to vnderstand whose possession are the ministers namely and onely the Lords Num. 3. 12. The Lord challengeth the tribe of Leui to himselfe to be his peculiar and royall priesthood and the Apostle willeth the Corinthians that they should so thinke of him as of the minister of God and disposer of the secrets of his kingdome and therefore writing to the Galathians hee telleth them hee is not by man nor by the will of man but of God Once in steede of the appointed ministerie were the first borne of euery familie
and you shall like of it better loue it deerer heare it oftener and leane to it more safer then euer you did Againe seeing we must heare the worde of God with feare and trembling let vs also make an ende of our saluation with feare and trembling Philip. 2. 12. that is feare not onely in the church or when thou art neere vnto danger but all thy life long vntill thou haue made an end of thy saluatiō For so long as thou fearest so long thou art in safetie but when the world shall say peace peace and there be no feare of iudgement then shall come their destruction for as when he in the gospell promised to himselfe greatest safetie in his riches that night did they fetch away his soule so when we say we haue done it is finished I haue sorrowed long ynough I haue endured the crosse of Christ thus many yeeres and therefore now I will take my pleasure then shall our danger bee neerest and our woe bee greatest therefore let vs neuer cease fearing till we be in heauen as the shipmen neuer cease watching till they bee in harbour Oh here is a Christians triall if other men vexe him let him beare it if he be free from other men let him chastise himselfe Feare the Lorde least he be thy iudge feare thy Sauiour least he prooue thy enimie feare thy sinnes least they ouermatch thee and tremble at the word of God least it condemne thee A day of darknesse and obscuritie a day of cloudes and of blacknes as the morning spread vpon the mountaines so is there a great people and a mightie there was none like it from the beginning neither shall be any more after it vnto the yeeres of many generations A day of darknesse Now the prophet proceedeth to describe the great wrath of God in the furie of these small beastes which he doth first by consideration of the qualitie of the day or time when they should come and secondly by the manner of their comming taken from many resemblances and similitudes For the time he describeth it after the vsuall manner of the scriptures which setteth foorth a sorrowfull day of indgement by darknesse cloudes and mistes secondly he sheweth the cause hereofto be the great and mighty people meaning the locusts and the residue for he calleth them a people as Salomon calleth the ants and the conies Prou. 30. 25. and he saith they shal obscure the light as the morning darknes bicause their company should bee so many as we may reade they did in Egypt Exo. 10. 15. And therefore he saith there was not the like from the beginning meaning for a long season nor yet should bee againe to many generations following So that he telleth them that this was a fearful time when all the heauens should be couered with clouds the earth be darkened with an innumerable swarme of noisom beasts Cōcerning the multiplying of these beasts we haue spoken in the former chapter First when hee sheweth them that the day of their trouble shoulde bee cloudie gloomie and full of darkenes wee may learne that these thinges doe put vs in minde of the great wrath of God Psalm 18. 11. For in truth thus the Lorde will haue it that we shoulde bee feared from the heauens aboue vs and from the earth beneath vs. It is reported for a great wonder that wee in Englande seldome haue any daies wherein we see not many cloudes whereas in other countries they see not any cloudes for manie monethes togither Let vs therefore make this aduantage of our countries scituation that on the day time when we beholde the cloudes wee thinke vpon the great iudgement of God whereby from the cloudes hee once rained downe a great floude that destroied the worlde and howe one day in a cloude Christ shall come to iudge both quicke and dead Againe by night let vs meditate on the light of heauen that wee may escape that vtter darknes where shal be nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause this want of light was the first punishment that God inflicted on the Iewes for the death of Christ Matth. 27. 45. the which thing made them much afraid for they had darknes instead of light to shew them that Christ which should haue beene their light was nowe made darkness vnto them from whom they could receiue no sight to walke to heauen And surely if this outwarde and carnall darknes bee so terrible especially in the daie time then what is the inward and spirituall darknes in the mindes of men whereby they are depriued of all light of God all partaking of the spirite and all the hope of the worlde to come Oh woulde God this their perplexitie coulde prouoke their harde and vnbeleeuing hearts to forsake their damnable securitie this their darknesse is so grosse that other men feele it yet they are so blinded that they cannot see it Let vs therefore my deere brethen know that God will leaue none without excuse but either the word or the world shall tell them their duties and let vs learne to praise the Lord for couering the heauens with cloudes Psalm 147. 8. that by this meanes not onelie watereth the earth and maketh it fruitefull but also admonisheth the mindes of his children of a continuall preparation to iudgement But in our times all these are nothing regarded for signes tokens remembrances of righteousnes yea some knowe not so much as the vse of the rainbowe in the cloudes neuerthelesse in the right vse of God his creatures consisteth one great part of religion so that this is the best kinde of Astrologie or Prophesie to bee made of the starres that they may direct vs to a holy life and prepare vs for a blessed ende Moreouer by this that the Prophet saith The like hath not beene seene nor shall not be in many generations Wee may obserue that God doth verie seldome change the course of nature and turne light into darknes for nature being a rare worke of God he seldome vseth his omnipotencie to alter and change the same since the foundations of the worlde were laide The reasons are these First in regard of the Lordes owne promise Genesis 8. 21. For after the floud he determineth neuer to drowne the world againe and therefore he gaue the rainebowe to be a pledge thereof and also that the continuall course of nature shoulde remaine for euer Now the Lorde is faithfull and will remember his promise or else we knowe that the worlde might manie times since haue beene destroied for there hath beene more sinne since the floude then euer was before Since the floude haue sprung idolatrie the poison of the worlde and many other abhominations not knowen of in the first age as wars and Sodometrie and such other like yet for his promise sake hee forbeareth destruction Another reason may be the same that Dauid vseth Psalm 119. 90. 91. That
7. where it is saide that when the worlde shall beholde Christ comming to iudgement all the kindreds of the earth shal waile before him The reasons are First bicause it is the reward of obstinacie Ierem. 15. 8. A guiltie conscience quaketh at the wagging of a leafe and euery little danger doth amaze him Againe it is a most wicked thing to reioice at the hurt of other men either in worde or thought Ezec. 26. 2. Therefore although wee finde ourselues cleere yet wee cannot chuse but sorrowe when it approcheth to other Therfore let vs obserue the times to kensof euill Matt. 24. 33. that wee may alway liue in mourning but especially knowing ourfeare wee may then sorrowe most when danger is neerest that so wee may bee readie to ende our sinnes by repentance and to goe to heauen by affiictions Againe when wee see wicked men taken away and going to destruction let vs feare the searching iustice of God Psalm 52. 6. and say Beholde the man that woulde not beleeue the Gospell nor bee ioyned to our congregation nor forsake his pleasures but persecute good men and flatter euill men and therefore nowe hath hee receiued his recompence Oh let the death of so manie traitours so many theeues and murtherers so many swearers and drunkardes teach vs to feare as a little birde flying from the sparrow-hauke and rather let vs couer our selues in weedes and grasse or in some thinne and open tabernacle then to take the ayre of the sunne or sinne and to abide in the carued and walled cities of the multitude Like the noise of chariots in the tops of the mountaines so shall they leape like the noise of a flame of fire that deuoureth the stubble and as a mighty people prepared to the battle Now he proceedeth to other similitudes wherein I will be short bicause they all touch one thing and the generall is alreadie deliuered In this verse he compareth the voice of their comming to the noise of chariots in the mountaines which keepe a mightie ratling in time of warre for chariots were vsed for great men going to warre as wee may see in the historie of Sisera Ahab and Iehu Againe hee saith They are like the flame that deuoureth the stubble which maketh a kinde of sodaine hollowe and fearefull noise Againe like a people prepared for warre which come with all kinde of warlike instruments and wofull acclamations the which I leaue to euerie mans seuerall consideration whereby they may note howe the Lord can cloth his smallest and basest creatures with infinite power and terror to discomfort euery people in the worlde Oh how much more are the angels of wrath terrible seeing the wormes of the earth are so fearfull wherfore let vs not onely feare the inuasion of Spaniardes or other enimies nor yet serpents lions wolues or wilde dogs but also the seely flies and grashoppers and filthie lice which in time of God his wrath shall haue power to destroy vs Exod. 10. 11. Before his face shall the people tremble all faces shall gather blacknes The meaning ofthese wordes are that in the presence of these beastes shall bee much trembling and feare yea they shall bee verie neere death for blacknes betokeneth death From hence wee may obserue howe God maketh men at their wits ende before destruction Ezech. 26. 16. They goe not to their ruines like sheepe but like swine not like lambes but like lions not peaceablie but furiously The reasons are bicause the feare of the wicked shall come vpon them Prou. 10. 24. Secondly God by this feare and trembling calleth them to repentance Deut. 32. 21. So that if then they coulde bee as angrie with their sinnes as they are with their enimies and fight as christianly with the diuell as they doe manfullie against men although they loose the life of the bodie yet they may keepe the life of the soule Learne therefore to feare God and so thou shalt neuer feare euill Psal 112. 1 6. but thy minde shall bee peaceable in death and not distracted Againe vse thy selfe to mourning before hande Ezechiel 21. 12. that when they come thou maiest more easilie endure them and more happilie auoide them Secondly when he saith all faces shall gather blackenes we may not onely see that the greatest and strongest man in the world can do nothing against the iudgement of God but offer himselfe to death and his heart dieth within him as a stone but we may also see how wicked men in aduersitie become altogither desperate Isa 2. 19. they cry to the hils to saue them to the mountaines to couer them and to the rockes to hide them And this will be then the boldnes and courage of our gallant youthes who in their pride threaten to fight with the diuell and with their oaths will teare the Lord out of heauen who thinke by their worshipfull pedegrees to shame the kirks of Christ and by their golden and silken brauery to dazle the glory of God then then will these things little comfort them But as all the Midianites ran away for the dreame of a barley-cake so shall these runne if they knew whither and take if they knew what and trust if they wist in whom and flie from the great wrath of God if there were any refuge but seeing none they shall fall to the earth as the snow commeth from the cloudes Oh cannot you think of this to put away your sinnes for if you beare them with you they will serue you as Iael serued Sisera and strike into your braines and hart the nailes of deadly poyson there can be no resisting for they haue woon the fort Yet in time craue the helpe of some other to besiege them and to regaine a quiet conscience or else whensoeuer any danger commeth they will do with you as the citizens of Samaria did with Achabs children deliuer you to your enimies and with their owne hands be your butchers and so commend you to the diuels custodie The reasons of this doctrine are these bicause then they haue no hearts to remember what God hath done for them Deut. 7. 18 19. but thinke euermore this is for the sinne this for such an adulterie this is for my pride this for my couetousnes this for my swearing this for my contempt of preaching and all shall be for my damnation Againe then shall they be ouerwhelmed with destruction 1. Sam. 31. 4 5. as Saul was for knowing that his sinne had made God depart from him he slew himselfe in the battle If he had gone to a prophet when hee went to a witch or had beleeued Samuel as wel being aliue as he did the diuel when Samuel was dead his life had then beene spared or if he had put off his sinnes when hee put on his armour to goe to the battle or then fell to prayer when hee fell vpon his sword then had Saul escaped that day But what could the
all sorrowes to put away thy sins Another reason bicause vnto outward tokens of repentance the Lord is readie to giue remission Dan. 4. 23. when men satisfie their for iniuries distribute their goods weepe for their euils and pray for pardon then is the Lord most willing to seale a release in the blood of his sonne For in truth there must be a change in al the parts of a mans life possessions When a sicke man is recouered he weareth not the same clothes he vseth not his old diet or apparell and rest so when our soules are recouered by repentance then we cannot eate stolen bread nor weare gorgeous apparell nor yet rest in that wealth which wee vnlawfullie gayned but all must bee turned into charitie and pietie The first vse of this doctrine is this Isa 31. 6. seeing wee haue sunke deepe in rebellion let vs turne againe vnto the Lorde from whome wee are fallen as we were not ashamed to sinne so let vs not be ashamed to be conuerted As couetous men care not for their names so they may get wealth and vncleane persons little esteeme their infamie so they may fulfill their lusts and as theeues make but a pastime to rob and steale if they may escape the gallowes so let vs account it a farre lesse discredit to confesse our faults in goodnesse then they doe to commit them in wickednesse Turne therefore as we haue sinned we haue many sinnes let vs shed many teares we haue great sinnes let vs sigh many sorrowes we haue long dwelt in them let vs speedily forsake them we haue watched in sinne now let vs watch in praier we haue loued sinne let vs embrace correction we haue delighted in vanities let vs reioice in teares How can a man reioice in teares verily vnto a good soule teares are more welcome then ioyes and it reioiceth in tribulation finding it more safe to bee washed with weeping then to bee delighted in musicke There is not any man that hath felt the power of godlinesse that will denie this and if he doe let Dauid teach him when he protesteth that teares were his repast when the enemies of God reproched him Looke on thy soule weeping as thou wast woont to beholde thy pleasure reioicing and thinke that this is the Lordes great mercie towarde thee which hath yet knocked at thy hart for amendment loue the meanes which will make thee tender harted delight in those sorrowes which will procure thy endlesse ioyes shed thy teares here that hereafter thou maist be freed lament in sorrowes this life that in another thou maist reioyce in comforts Secondly let vs not alway lie in sorrowes and liue vnreformed but follow the counsell of the prophet Ier. 26. 13. to make our waies of euill good When men are repentant they enter into a new iourney for as before they were ioyfully sailing to hell so now they are painfully trauelling to heauen and seeing a good way is the wish of a traueller let vs amend our waies that we may hasten to our iourneyes ende When thou hast well drenched thy soule in sorrowes then proceede to reformation and remooue those blocks out of thy life which would haue hindered thy passage into heauen If thou hast beene a drunkard be now temperate hast thou been an Atheist now feare God if thou haue beene a swearer vse his name more reuerently and as Paul said of theeues Let him that stole steale no more so say I of all notorious sinners let them be so no more but rather labour to doe good vnto other By this we may see that repentance is not in shew but in hart not in hart but in works not in works but in affections not in affections but in conuersation Some thinke they haue well repented if they be a little sorrowful other thinke they are well reformed if they be a little reclaimed and wearie of theirvanities but these men must knowe that if good liues bee not ioyned with godly mindes and reformed waies with weeping harts neither the one nor the other shall profit them Therefore now my deere brethren let vs win the field from our sinnes and ouerthrowe the troupes of our pleasures let vs now conquere our desires and reforme all the abuses of our liues that wee may yeeld to the gospell liue in the church eate at the Lordes table and worke out our owne saluation with feare and trembling In the second place the Lord biddeth them to fast that is to abstaine from all delights and desire of meates that as they haue alreadie pined their soules with sinning so now they should punish their bodies with fasting And in this place the prophet speaketh of priuate fasting for as yet he is not come to the publike fasts which must be directed by the cleargie-men who onely had authoritie to proclaime them of the which we haue spoken in the first chapter In this place we may obserue that hainous offences and generall must haue greeuous and generall lamentation It is most requisite that when we haue any graund cause to craue at the Lords hand we vse most humble tokens of an instant and longing desire Iudg. 20. 26. The Israelites ouercome by the Beniamites fast and pray al the day till euening and the day following they get the victorie the which is a warrant for vs to doe the like that wee may so slay our sinnes as they did their enimies The which must instruct euerie man in his familie during these times of vengeance wherein we haue no more power to be deliuered then a woman in trauell to cast foorth her childe that they abstaine from glutting and deuouring the Lords benefites For the Lord will not redresse our want till wee haue generally lamented our miserie and we can no way better punish our bodies then by fasting that the Lorde may be mooued to pitie vs as he did Abraham being willing to sacrifice his sonne yet he restrained him The first reason is this bicause fasting maketh vs praie with more feeling affection which our Sauiour insinuated Matth. 17. 21. when he saide that fasting and praier woulde heale the falling euill and nothing else Indeede to shewe you howe men are affected in the time of their fasting I can hardlie doe it except youfelt it howe sweete are their sorrowes howe earnest are their praiers howe strong are their grones and howe acceptable are their hearts vnto the Lorde their teares are their drinke their cares are their meate their nakednes their brauerie ashes their beauty humilitie their health their eies are not drouzie their mindes are not wearie their handes are not filthie and their cries are not easie The Lorde accepteth their obedience in doing that they are not able and their faith in beleeuing that they haue not in them and their praiers in desiring that which is aboue them then can men affoorde to die for God that they may liue for euer for themselues Another reason is bicause fastes doe mightily mooue
vs and ioyneth vs to God The Lord in this worke is the builder the ministers are the carpenters the worde is the axe the griefe of heart is the stroke and regeneration maketh vs the frame otherwise we are stones refused of the builder Another reason because in our vnrepentant estate wee cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. seeing we cannot please him we run from him we forsake and denie him This would make ones hart to melt to consider that all actions not grounded on a new life doe swarue from God Some obiect if God did not like them they could not doe them So may a thiefe an adulterer or rauisher of women defend his iniquitie but it will not goe for payment for God suffereth you to follow your pleasures against his pleasure that your pleasures may taste of euerlasting paynes Therefore labour for repentance that you may be brought into the Lords sheepefold and be incorporated into his congregation and saued by his deerely beloued sonne then shall your waies be altered and your pleasures ouerturned and you shal pray with Christ Not our will but thy will O heauenly father bee done Being in an vnrepentant estate wee runne away from God yet let vs looke backe on God as Isay exhorteth Isa 45. 22. and then we shall be saued If thou be running from God through a lewd life giuing ouer thy selfe vnto libertie yet looke backe vpon him often the children of Israel if they were stoong by serpēts by looking on the brazen serpent recouered presently And although the sting of thy sinne is greater then the sting of adders yet the Lord is mightier and wholesomer then the brazen serpent therefore looke vnto him if thou wilt be healed Old Simeon so soone as he had seene Christ presently desired to die for ioy and Zacheus hauing but a minde to see him was made that day a notable christian Looke often on the Lord for by beholding him thou maist grow in loue with him wish continually to be with him as the Iewes which being captiues in Babell yet made their praiers toward Ierusalem Esau at the sight of Iacob fell to weeping loued him the better euer after so if thou wilt cast thy eies to heauen behold his glorie then looke vpon the world and see his gouernment then behold the earth and consider his benefits learne his Gospell and note his truth and life thy eyes to Christ to marke his mercie thou wilt surely turne the saile of thy wicked life and come with the Sabaean Queene to worship in his church Consider his workes for they defend thee thinke vpon his iudgements for they threaten thee marke well his kindnes for it maintaineth thee and beleeue his worde for it shall conuert thee cast but one of thy eies vpon the Lord and thou shalt winne him looke often vpon him least minde and eies be both blinded and neuer see him more Another vse wee must lament the plague of our sinnes raigning among vs Isa 59. 9. 10. when the Prophet had shewed them their danger he bringeth them in mourning on this wise Therefore is iudgement farre from vs neither doth iustice come neere vs we waite for light but loe it is darkenes we grope for the wall like the blinde grope as one without eies we stumble at the noone day as in the twilight we are in solitary places as dead men we roare allike beares mourn like doues c. Thus must men that are not yet regenerate re count their miseries after they heare them condemned by the word saying vnto themselues Howe blinde are our eies that we cannot see the glorious light of the Gospell wee are quite forsaken of the Lorde who keepeth vs from beleeuing of his truth wee haue no power to performe the least part of that Gospell to walke in any tollerable obedience sanctification goeth against the haire and though we like it yet wee cannot doe it wee see that hee that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a praie therefore let the Lord come and reforme our liues and adorne our mindes with righteousnes that wee may bee deliuered from this slauerie of sinne let him turne the heartes of children to their fathers and turne our course vnto himselfe Moreouer think what deadnes is in your soule what sinfulnesse is in your life and what wrath of God hangeth ouer your heads for assuredly except you confesse in this sort you shall be confounded before you be conuerted Let your harts be awaked betimes that wrath ouertake you not and let whatsoeuer may further you to God although it be shame or iudgement or nakednes or pouertie or death bee most speedily receiued The xxij Sermon YOur God After all this preaching of repentance nowe hee beginneth to comfort their distressed mindes which coulde not but be grieued grieuouslie and therefore he putteth them in minde that the Lord is their Lorde and God Howe may this bee if he be theirs then they are his and will he suffer them to bee made a pray vnto brute beasts and to make the heauens to thunder their destruction what comfort haue they by his seruice or what pleasure hath he in their cries verie much for sometimes a tender nurse and louing mother wil make hir childe weepe bitterly that it may loue hir the better so the Lorde to trie his owne casteth them into a bed of sorrowes From hence wee must gather that in our greatest calamitie and aduersitie God is our mercifull God Artthou tormented with sorrowe that it is bitter to thee to liue and better for thee to die or art thou vexed with sore sicknes and intollerable imprisonment hast thou no meat for thy selfe and thy tender babes and seest thou a whole nation in an vprore yet for all this acknowledge with Dauid Psalm 22. 1. that God is thy God although thou seeme forsaken Oh sweete mercy of a father and glorious condition of a sonne whom no pouertie no miserie no iniquitie can part in sunder though he chasten vs yet he loueth vs though wee be helpelesse yet hee remembreth vs though we be in death yet he saueth vs. God is euermore the father of his church and of euery member therein he scorneth not their parentage he refuseth not their pouerty he regardeth their sufferings and desweth their saluation Let vs then say with Iob that although hee slaie vs yet we will trust in him death shall not driue vs in sunder but conioyne vs togither The reasons are First bicause in prosperitie he will bee knowne to maintaine vs and in aduersitie to comfort vs Esay 51. 12. If men would or coulde vndergoe all the former euils without comfort then might they haue some colour torefuse and distrust God but they are not able neuer is any man at one time distressed in bodie and distracted in minde or oppressed outwardly and not comforted inwardly If thy minde be heauie thinke on the comforts of this life if thy bodie bee vexed then confider
fruitfull abounding with many a pleasant herbe let not thy hart be barren and stuffed with filthie stinking sins Come to the spirituall gifts of God see how many preachers thou hast to moue thee to repentance it is the end of preaching the fruit of hearing the motion of praier the sacraments signifie it the Spirit worketh it and the whole church of God liueth in it the bishop watcheth for it the doctor teacheth for it the worker of myracles doth witnesse it the poore mans boxe doth prooue it I cannot run ouer al it is sufficient that euery one do prooue it I would to God that any might preuaile The reason because God woulde be neere vnto all that call vpon him Psa 145. 18. he wil cōpasse vs about with a world of witnesses that they may draw vs to him or else to accuse our disobedience whom the heauēs could not win or the earth admonish or the church perswade or the spirite instruct that all these which could not work our health may further our death And seeing in euery place these are manifest in so much as we despise all warnings of God and his creatures it is most equall that we be pnnished with all torments of hell fire Seeing all things are notes vnto vs of the Lords fauour then assuredly if men will shew any care to serue him hee will neuer hide his face or punish vs extremely 2. Chron. 30. 9. Oh what a comfort is this to a troubled soule to haue all the creatures of the world to witnesse the Lords fauour the birds flying the beastes eating the corne standing the grasse growing and the houses ouer our heads are pledges vnto vs of the grace of God Then turne thee and consider not two or three but euery one in their kinde and thou shalt finde inestimable ioy Why doe men complaine for want of grace when all the world is ful of grace it pearseth the stones it cleaueth the rocks it shaketh the trees it quickeneth the beastes and it descendeth to the bottome of the earth onely the soules of men are not capable thereof Beginne now with thy selfe set these creatures as iudge arraigne thy soule as guiltie bring foorth thy guiltie conscience and waite for the sentence of condemnation Oh no saue thy selfe from these frowarde inuentions Turne I say a little shew a willing minde bring a ready hart pray for an ounce of godly sorrow and let the world and the gospell the creatures and the spirite the earth and the church the angels and the beastes encrease the same gather thou the wood they will blowe the fire thy care shall be augmented as the widowes oile by Elishah that thy debts shall be discharged thy trouble shall be eased thy life shall be amended and thy soule shall be blessed Seeing all the creatures of God doe remember vs of his grace then let euery creature be deere and precious vnto vs Gen. 1. 31. as a pledge of his fauour for the Lorde cōmendeth them all to be good And if he which wrought them doe so then much more ought wee for whose sake they were created Let vs then often meditate on the frame of the world the bodies of men the proportion of beastes and the little greene leaues shall minister vnto vs much instruction to reforme our liues we shall finde not one of them made for themselues but all of them for one another and especially for vs. Wherefore it cannot bee that we were borne for luxurie riot pleasure profite sorrowe loue ioy or hatred no not for the possession of our selues but for the possession of the Lord. Consider these things and thou shalt finde all time too little not spent herein and all ioy but vanitie that is not applied to this When thou canst not heare the worde reade it when thou canst not reade then meditate on it when thou art wearie of meditation then turne to the creatures and solace thy selfe in them as in a most pleasant garden of many sweet flowers marke their diuersitie in colour strange in number infinite in making contrarie and yet in vse all one euen for thy sake that thou mightest be for the Lords glorie Marke their growth that thou maist growe so and their death for thou shalt die so and their spring for thou shalt arise in the sommer of all pleasures with them in the kingdome of heauen Mercifull The second reason is taken from the Lords mercie and that therefore if they will repent he will pardon Wherein I might tell you many thinges woorth the learning of the Lordes mercie and shew you by many arguments howe the scripture in many places doth expresse it sometime naturally as to men and beasts Psal 36. 6. sometime to good and bad Mat. 5. to his church through Christ Luc. 1. 78. and all these he meaneth in this place when hee saith that God is mercifull not simply through Christ whereby he saueth his church but also through himselfe whereby he loueth al his creatures From hence obserue that the mercie of God must leade men to repentance 1. Sam. 12. 24. The which is cleane contrary to the course of the worlde which take it for a libertie of sin and make it not a necessitie to repentance but a good childe is more afraid of a gentle and a kind father then of a sterne and seuere and we if we be the children of God must be as much terrified from sinne with the sweete songs of Sion as with the loud thunder claps of Sinai be as subiect to the Lords censure in his sweete mercies as other in the fearfull curses of the Law Therefore let not our time of peace our healthie bodies our large possessions our heaps of treasure our sweete children and all other mercies of God make our harts fat but let vs vse all these to awake vs from sinning and to restraine vs from offending him that defendeth vs with them yea let vs weepe moe teares for hauing them then for wanting them that we may enioy the promises of this life and of the life to come The first reason because they are mercifull which loue mercie and therefore blessed Matt. 5. 7. If we would see a token of our pitifull harts then let vs thinke how the sweete promises of the Gospell haue pearced them It is no wonder to see such bloodie minds in Papists because they make small account of the Lords mercie teaching vs that men may satisfie for their sinne and for this cause they thirst after blood for the breach of their canons But yet let vs beware how we perswade men to relie on the mercie of God for they say wee teach men to trust to mercie and to liue vily but let vs exhort one another in the Lord that we walke woorthie of his mercie and vse his abundant clemencie for a promptor vnto repentance Another reason because God is more delighted with his mercie then with our sacrifice Hos
our selues neuer so sinful Psal 9. 9 10. although we bee neuer so poore in spirit yet let vs know that ours is the kingdome of heauen So that if thou reason with the diuell himselfe who will if it be possible deceiue thy soule telling thee that thou art more vile then others and therefore it is but follie for thee to call on God for mercie yet say to thy soule that the Lord neuer despiseth the sighings of the poore although I haue sinned yet I haue sorrowed although I haue neglected grace yet with the Lord there is more grace be it that I haue no goodnesse in me the more neede haue I to goe to God the author of goodnesse Men seeke not to the phisition in health but in sicknesse and the more desperate is their disease the more speedily they sollicite him and a good phisition commeth quickly so I want the health of my soule and I see death standing at the doore and knocking for me therfore my praier shall goe to the Lord my physition and I knowe that he will speedily come vnto me He abhorreth not my weakenesse he hateth not my person he willeth not my destruction and therefore wil I pray for saluation I am exceeding base but he will bende to me I am very poore but he will giue mee the riches of the spirite I am a sinner and he is a Sauiour why shoulde I not goe vnto him and fall downe lowe vpon his footestoole for hee neuer despiseth the sighing of the contrite Giue not thine heritage That is the people whom thou diddest take vnto thy self aboue al the nations of the world from hence we may obserue as in a singular metaphor how deere the church is vnto God Deut. 4. 20. euen as deere as any mans inheritance is to himselfe for indeed an inheritance doth very fitly resemble and shadow out vnto vs the nature and condition of the church First because it is not woorth any thing except a man do plant sow the same and so is it in the church wherin if the Lord plow not and sow not there can no good thing grow therein Againe an inheritance is sometimes sold away for the barrennes thereof so when the church groweth secure and bringeth not foorth good fruits the Lord giueth it ouer for a season to be spoyled by strangers Againe if an inheritance will no way be amended then is it accursed and burned Heb. 6. 8. so if no means will reclaime the world from their wicked life then he accurseth them and giueth them ouer to the fire of hell Also as a man taketh singular comfort in his inheritance so the Lord doth in his church and as a man hedgeth and encloseth his inheritance to keepe it from being wasted euen so the Lord hath set a brazen wall about his church the which all the diuels in hell shall neuer be able to ouerthrow but men and angels shall fight for their safegarde and maugre sinne and hell they shall endure as the earth doth euen for euer and euer The first reason because hee might powre his blessing on it Esa 19. 25. for hee hauing many most excellent benefits in store hath made choise of his church to powre foorth all that he hath thereupon for whether we consider the blessings of this life or the benefits of the life to come they are all ordained for the good of them that be godly He is wise to instruct vs he is mightie to defend vs he is liberall to maintaine vs he is mercifull to receiue vs for our sakes were the heauens created the earth established the waters remooued and the fruits appointed for our sakes were the angels condemned the sonne of God crucified and the age and yeeres of the world is plunged Another reason because we should be holy vnto him Deut. 19. 2. Of all the creatures of this worlde there is none that can bee holy vnto the Lord saue onely mankinde for they are the image of God and if the lande whereupon Moses stood was holy much more is the land of our harts holy whereupon the Lord himselfe standeth for he raigneth in vs. And this is the cause why the Lorde hath made vs his inheritance that we should serue him in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life for the heauens are holy whither wee are going the angels are holy with whom we shall dwell the church is holy wherein we liue and therefore we must bee holy or else we are accursed Seeing we are the inheritance of God purchased by his sonne then let not any of vs liue to our selues but to him that redeemed vs 2. Cor. 5. 15. how many waies might I vrge this doctrine that as the earth beareth not fruit for it selfe but for vs so should not we eate the fruits of our owne labours but offer them to the Lord. Our harts are the grounds our bodies are the hedges God his law is the plough the worde is the seede and himselfe is the husbandman Oh let vs not be ploughed and planted in vaine let vs not frustrate the Lords expectation and our soules saluation If we were but seruants yet we ought to worke for our hire but being his inheritance we must liue and die day and night to beare him fruit wee cannot put him away but he may put vs away our fruits do not profit him and yet the want of them will curse vs. Let vs not be for the weedes of sinne nor for pleasures to feede on as bullockes do on pasture-land but let vs bee his garden of sweete flowers his vineyard of fruitfull grapes his field of fine planted wheat and his possession for an euerlasting inheritance Let our words be as gratious fruit let our religion be as pretious pearle let our loue be as rockes of golde and let our bodies bee as fruitfull garners let vs bring him all for first fruits tenthes and offerings and sacrifices that we may be his blessed land vnto the worlds end Another vse seeing we are the Lords inheritance we may see that the Lorde will be very hardly driuen to forsake vs for he gaue a lawe Numb 27. that none shoulde sell awaie their inheritance but at the ende of fiftie yeeres euery one should reclaime thereunto So that if the Lord shall giue ouer his inheritance as hee did Israell Hos 5. 15. the case is very desperate but not perpetuall A man that hath manie barren fieldes doth not presently sell them away no more the Lorde which hath many barren soules in the compasse of his church doth presently forsake them but rather dresseth them by the ministerie of the worde that they may be made fruitefull Oh heare this you that are in the Lordes folde although he beare for a season with your barren hearts and suffer you manie yeeres to lie in rest thinking at the last you will bring him some profit bring it foorth with speede or else knowe that the Lorde which redeemed you from
keepeth life in vs who is able to shewe the cause heereof but the Lorde who knoweth all and if this one blessing shoulde faile vs although our possessions were as great as Salomons yet they woulde not serue vs. Againe let euery man in his place gather this meate and comfort for his life Esay 62. 3. that so we may perfourme the olde commandement of God to Adam that wee eate our meate in the sweate of our faces The Bees will not suffer one drone among them and so let not vs suffer them that are carelesse to prouide some thing whereby their dutie may be discharged to God and their liues preserued in the worlde Secondly he telleth them with what affection they should receiue their meat With praise and thankesgiuing to God Whereby wee may see one principall token of a temperate receiuer in that hee can giue thankes to God for his meate 1. Cor. 10. 25. but gluttons and belli-gods take their meate as Swine doe although with more manners yet with as little reuerence sitting downe to fill their bellies and rising vp to fulfill their pleasures and through immeasurable fulnes their teeth put their mouth to silence and sleepe falleth on them that their harts doe not onely forget their feeder but their maintainer also The first reason bicause it is a token they loue God Deut. 12. 11. and they that loue neuer offend for loue is the fulfilling of the lawe Againe meate is onely blessed vnto them that ioine thankesgiuing with it 1. Sam. 9. 13. So that whatsoeuer is not thankfully receiued must needes be accursed And surely if Paul saide he had rather neuer eate meate as long as hee liued then eate to the offence of his brother wee may more lawfully pine in famine starue in want and perish in distresse of meate rather then God shoulde bee offended Theeues which steale for meate coseners that deceiue for meate beggers that counterfaite for meate idle persons that worke not for meate and rich men that praie not for meate can neuer bee thankefull for that which they eate but all is accursed vnto them Let vs therefore for feare of the curse and especiallie for conscience of death liue soberly in praier in our eating and drinking working and resting sleeping and waking bicause wee knowe not whether wee eate our last morsell as the Israelites which died with meate in their mouthes or worke our last day-worke as the poore man that was stoned for gathering stickes on the Sabbaoth or sleepe our last sleepe neuer wake againe Surely as Iacob ended his life when he had blessed his children so shall we be happy if wee ende our liues when we haue praised God Againe let vs not tempt God for meate whatsoeuer distresse wee liue in but seeke it humblie in praier Psal 104. 27. that wee may eate more cheerefully and bee assured that God will continue his blessings for what shall it profite to feede our bodies to the full and let our soules goe starue and pine away to death That the Lord hath This clause is added vnto their praises at meate because then they ought to remember the Lordes benefits the which thing ought to driue away all vaine and foolish table-talke wherein men silence the mercie of God and praise the taste of their meate or the liberalitie of the feast-maker alway thanking him and neuer thinking on God whereas they are bound to do both We may note in these words that God doth not onely vse his ordinarie power in the deliuerie of his church but also his extraordinarie whereby he worketh maruels and woonders 1. Pet. 1. 5. for by the woonderfull power of God are we continued in our profession contained in the church and preserued to life eternall God told Dauid 2. Sam. 12. that if he had not done ynough for him yet he would haue done much more for him so that he hath not limited his power nor his mercie toward the faithfull The reasons first because we should knowe that we are saued through grace and the great power of God 1. Cor. 1. 18. as it is not a light matter to enioy a kingdome so is it not a small matter to climbe vp into heauen but the vnspeakable power of God must be vsed therein Againe the more power he vseth in his church the more must be his glorie Mark 7. 17. and this is the cause why all good men thinke they can neuer praise God ynough although euery day they renewe their thankesgiuing in heauen is the power of God most of all seene and therefore there the angels and saintes doe nothing but praise the power of God And therefore we may hereby learne that all miracles which God doth in the world doe call vs to bee partakers of his kingdome Matt. 12. 28. and if we refuse them and doe not come the same power shall be vsed in our condemnation that is promised in our saluation Neither let vs euer forget the works which God doth for vs Psal 106. 21 22. but remember them in our meate in our beds in our labour in our ease in our watching and in our reioicing that our God may still continue to doe them as we doe still perseuere to remember them Lastly in this verse hee promiseth that they should neuer be more ashamed of any reproches Whereby we may note that religion doth not commit any thing that either we may be ashamed of or repent 1. Cor. 15. 58. for our labour in religion is not in vaine If any thorough the feare or commaundement of God should slay their children as Abraham would or deceiue their maisters as Iacob did or beguile their husbands as Rebecca did or disobey their princes as Moses did or murther their enimies as Sampson did or loose their liues as Christ did yet shall they neuer neede to repent any of them Oh what a maruellous benefite hath a man by religion which he cannot haue by any other thing in the world There is nothing in all the life of man but wee may repent except it bee the feare of God We repent our words our works our expences our gettings our wanderings our negligence our diligence our sleepe meate and money and all We are ashamed of our thoughts our to yes trifles plaies childishnesse wantonnesse loue hatred lust pouertie nakednesse and the very parts of our body but of no part of religion Thou shalt neuer repent that thou forsookest the worlde beleeuedst in the Lord mournedst for thy sinnes studiedst in the scriptures heardest the preachers was obedient to the gospell praiedst many howers watched many nights fasted many daies endured many troubles and shalt die any death for the Lords sake seeing heauen is thy rest Nay rather we see many men in their death-beds wish with teares that they had hawked and hunted and plaied and laboured and loued and hated much lesse for now in their sicknesse their sinnes come on them as the Philistines came on Sampson when
which they ought to consecrat to the Lord into the education of most blasphemous and abhominable Atheists are not these as much to be complained vpon as them whom the Lord heere condemneth for selling of Ierusalems seed into the hands of the Grecians Yea much more for these sold their enimies but our men sell themselues and their children these did it by the lawe of warre but our men doe it contrarie to the lawe of God these men in so doing did not sinne against their knowledge but our men in doing as they do sinne against their conscience O vnhappie parents which destroy your children in Popish houses what are you inferiour to them that sacrificed them to diuels O vnhappie yoong men which destroy your soules for the seruice of wicked men why do you to gaine a gentlemans cognisaunce loose your Sauiours crowne I pray God open your eies that you may come from them or else you will be destroyed with them The reasons of this doctrine are these First because it is not lawfull to make marriages with infidels heathens papists or Atheists Deut. 7. 3. and if in an equall band we may not aduenture our sonnes or our daughters much more may we not giue them ouer in an vnequal if it be not lawfull to giue them in marriage then is it not lawfull to sell or giue them to slauerie or seruitude The woorser part is apt to ouercome the better for if an infidell man do take a beleeuing woman or an infidell woman a beleeuing husband a thousand to one but the infidell will perswade the beleeuer as wise king Salomon who was perswaded to idolatrie by his wiues And then I pray you how will those that are wicked masters and gouernours compel and perswade their poore despised seruants and captiues hirelings and apprentices vnto whatsoeuer iniquitie commeth in their braine But peraduenture some will say that when we be ouercharged with poore people we are glad if wee finde any that will ease vs of our cost and we were better suffer our poore mens children to serue carnall men and papists and Atheists then to keepe them in idlenes or let them famish to whom I answere that God hath not so dealt with any in England for there are meanes sufficient to bring them vp with christians and not to suffer them to famish if men would but straine their abilitie a little to do good but all is too little that is reserued for the wanton posteritie of the wealthie and men choose rather that their vnthriftie children should consume all in leudnes which they haue got in miserie then that any portion should goe foorth of their coffers to maintaine poore mens children and so to put the lesse in their inuentorie Another reason to confirme this doctrine is this that there is no part nor communion betwixt the children of God and Belial 2. Cor. 6. 15. and therefore to send or giue our children vnto Pagans Atheists and carnall godlesse men to be by them instructed is to ioyne light with darkenes heauen with hell saints with diuels and God with Beliall Oh what a confusion is there now in the world for seeing God doth yet suffer a few Papists among vs as hee suffered Philistims among the Israelites to trie them and prouoke them now happie are they that can be in league with them for they haue good cheere fat beeues many great mannors goodly rich farms they are able to pleasure thē but such plesure wil cost more then a lawiers or a courtiers friendship althogh thou shouldst cōuerse with thē without al approuing of their superstitiō yet thou oughtst not at al for God hath no felowship with thē The vses which arise frō this doctrin are these first that by the former example of Abraham we haue singular care that al the childrē which are born amōg vs be godly vertuously brought vp carefully prouided for that they may do Christ som seruice in the cōmonwelth or church And surely as our sauior said Ma. 18. that whosoeuer doth offend one of those litle ones that beleeue in him it were better a milstone were hanged about his neck he cast into the sea but of al offences there is non so gret as to bequeath thē vnto their tuition that wil cast away their soules for men of corrupt cōsciences wicked affections will cōpas heauē earth to make any the childrē of dānatiō Oh therfore cast not away the seed of the righteous the childrē of Christiās the price of the pretious blood of Christ You haue made thē in their baptism whē they were yong to cōfesse Christ now make thē not again to deny Christ but if euer there be any poore mans child com to your prouisiō so set him forward deal for his helth that with the maintenāce of this life he may haue the assurāce of the life to com Bind thē to none but to Christ put thē to none but to christians sel thē to nothing but to the gospell leaue not young helplesse youths maidens in the hands custodie of old cākred wicked enemies of God Another vse if it be not lawful to cōmit the children of the righteous vnto the gouernmēt of the wicked then is it not lawful for masters lords to keep their seruants from the true seruice of God It was a wicked tyrannie of Pharaoh Exod. 5. 3 4. that he kept the children of Israel frō the seruice of God such surely is the tyranny of them that will busie their seruāts euen on the Lords day rather than send them or suffer them to serue the Lord oh think with your selues that Christ is your Lord and master Eph. 6. 9. therfore how will he take it at your hands to see you thus afflict his free men and how can you affoorde him your owne seruice which will deny him your seruants Rather follow the example of Iosuah and say that you and your houshold will serue the Lord and let there be as many Pharaohs as will be yet they shall knowe one day that there is no crueltie more punishable then is the authoritie which is vsed against the Lords seruice That you might send them farre from their border That is you haue a wicked policie to sell away my people because you would neuer haue them come againe but that you might for euer possesse their inheritances By which we may obserue that it is a most wicked and vile thing to depriue any of their patrimonies or inheritances and by violence and countenance to keepe them from them Ezech. 22. 7. And the reason is because the Lord nameth himselfe to be a father of the fatherlesse Psal 68. 5. therfore he that oppresseth them shall be oppressed by God and they that take away their inheritance how shall they looke for any inheritance in another life Giue vnto them and take not from them Deut. 24. 19. and augment their reuenues rather
any blood Secondly the nature of it is to crie for vengeance in the eares of God Gen. 4. 10. as the Lord saide to Cain and therefore I thinke verily there will come a day that our recusants which are the ofspring of many bloodie persecutours shall haue the blood of the Lords saints reuenged vpon them But if the blood of saints shall be so reuenged then much more shall the blood of Christ Heb. 10. 29. There are only two kinds of people vpon whom the Lord wil bring the blood of his son the Iewes whom we see scattered ouer all the world being accounted a verie miserable and forlorne people the other are the contemners of the Gospell which make no account to be saued thereby who are in a maner as guiltie of the death of Christ as were the soldiers Iewes that nayled him on the crosse Wherfore God will not forget how they tread vnder their feete his pretious blood Againe let vs take occasion to praise the Lord which letteth not the blood of his children be shed in vaine Deut. 32. 43. as he blesseth them that take reuenge vpon his enimies make them fall to the earth so he curseth thē that cause any of his seruants to com to their latter end Again by this verse we may note that the blood of the Lords saints is innocent 2. King 21. 16. whatsoeuer lawes of princes or decrees of men be laide to their charge yet this must stil comfort them that if they die for the Lords cause they are innocent and shall certainly receiue life eternall The reasons because thorough hatred and malice of the world are they deliuered Ioh. 17. 4 Secondly being the seruants of righteousnes they cannot bee iustly executed for the same Rom. 6. 18. Let vs bee heereby encouraged not to feare death 1. Pet. 2. 19. for if we die naturally we die happily and if we die violently we die innocently Againe let not any of vs that are Christians suffer for our euill doing 1. Pet. 4. 15. but rather let vs watch ouer our liues that no sinful danger of humane lawes doe euer ouertake vs. But Iudah shall dwell for euer and Ierusalem from generation to generation For I will clense their blood that I haue not clensed and the Lord shall dwell in Zion These verses containe the last promises of the Lord vnto his church grounded vpon the presence of God among them First for their perpetuitie Secondly for the declaration of their innocencie which hee noteth when he saith that he will clense their blood c. when as vpon the report of the iniuries receiued in the former verse he presently addeth that they shall dwell for euer we may note that the wrongs which good men in this life endure shall bee one meanes to forwarde their rest and glorification Psa 12. 5. For this is the fruit of our afflictions to perswade the Lord for our immortalitie for as when the Israelites cried in Egypt then the Lord brought them into Canaan so when wee crie for our wrongs we are readiest for heauen The reasons God euermore hath an eie to the afflicted Psal 9. 13. Secondly then are we most like to the sonne of God and when we are likest to him on earth wee are neerest to him in heauen Let vs so beare our afflictions and wrongs as if we were borne for them 1. Cor. 4 9. for we see they shall turne to our greater ioy But of this matter we haue spoke often I might also remember out of this verse when he saith that Iudah and Ierusalem shall dwell for euer hee meaneth not the citie Ierusalem for that is long agoe destroied but he meaneth that the Iewes shall neuer be vtterly destroied but many of them shal be saued in the world to come When he saith that he wil clense their blood that is hee will manifest to all the worlde that they were not iustly executed but vniustly murdered whereby we may see at length that the wicked whether they were wilfully blinded or ignorantly affected in persecuting good men yet they shall know and so shall other that they murdered them vniustly as the Iewes which shall see Christ whom they pearced Reuel 1. 7. Mat. 27. 3 4. for wilfull murders cannot be euerlastingly concealed and it is al one before God to steale by authoriti◠or without law to kill by law or without authority Lastly we may see when he saith he will dwell in Zion that the presence of God preserueth the church Reuel 1. 13. how can it euer perish when the Lord maintayneth it Surely sathan told Christ that he could not do amisse for the Angels watched about him and held him vp that at no time he should dash his foot against a stone If the helpe of Angels in the diuels conceit was so great to preserue Christ then much greater is the presence and hand of God to vphold his church Hee alone buildeth it that it fal not keepeth it that it fade not dresseth it that it may be holy preserueth it that it may be godly so that so long as the Lord endureth so long shall the church stand maugre the might of all the diuels in hell To the which God euerlasting immortall and onely wise the most glorious Trinitie the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost let vs render all praise ascribe all maiestie and giue our whole spirits soules and bodies that he may be glorified in vs and we be glorified in him Amen Amen FINIS Cassianus Ioseph de antiq lib. 12. Herod lib. 7. Sabel Enn. lib. 9. Enn. 5. Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 24. Stobaeus ser 96 Fulg. lib. 1. 2. Cypr. aduers Demetr Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 7. cap. 11. Sab. lib. 4. Ennead 6. Plutarch Boeth lib. 8. Eurip. Plut. de amore Duditius de cometis The time of this prophesie The scope of this labour The diuision of this prophesie Cap. 1. vers 1. The prophets sermons are the Lordes owne words Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. If God did not send his word none would aske for it Reas 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 Men preferred before angels in the preaching of the word Reas 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 The ministers must call on the people to heare Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 The greatest men should be the greatest professors Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. a Principes cum ad limen delubri veniunt proinde sunt atque priuati 2 None must liue in the Church vnlesse they outwardly bee subiect to the Gospell Reason 1. 2 Vser 2 God his works must be perpetually remembred Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 We must tell our children what God hath done in our daies Reason 1. 2 Vse 1 2 Be carefull what we commit to posteritie Reason 1. No impiety but it will find some followers 2 Vse 1. 2 A speciall iudgement to increase hurtfull beastes Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 Euery little beast can ouercome the welfare of man * Ecce me inquit qui vobis Deus videor
are dark at his chiding and they shine at his bidding so let vs liue to praise him while he giueth life and die to honour him when he sendeth death And the Lord shall vtter his voice before his hoste for his hoste is very great for he is strong that doth his word for the day of the Lord is great and verie terrible and who can abide it Hauing spoken of the darkning of the lights the shaking of the earth now it followeth that we proceed to the vttering of the Lords voice which signifieth thunder Psal 29. 3. and most plainely Psalm 18. 14. The Lorde thundred out of heauen and the highest gaue his voice By the consideration of which phrase wee are giuen to vnderstande the infinite and vnspeakable power of God which hath so wonderfull and powerful a voice the which when the Israelites heard Exod. 19. 20. they were not able to abide and so desired that Moses shoulde speake vnto them euen so are we vnable to endure the same if the Lorde shoulde so speake vnto vs as we shoulde haue had no benefite by Christ except hee had taken vpon him the nature of man so wee coulde not endure the powerfull worde of God if it were not offered by the toong of man As the waies of God are not like the waies of men so the voice of God is not like the voice of men that is stronge but this is weak that is high but this is lowe that is fearefull this is simple that is terrible this is easie The people that coulde not abide Salomons gouernment had a worse then was Salomons for they lost their kinges and their God euen so when wee can no longer abide the voice of man then let vs looke for the fearefull thunderclaps of heauen wherefore heare the wordes of God in the mouthes of men or else you shall feare and tremble and melt at it in the stroke of the ayre Againe the prophet Dauid Psalm 29. 11. maketh another vse of thunder telling vs that for the power thereof euery one in his temple doe speake his praise It is a wicked and damnable opinion of the multitude that the diuel can raise thunder whereas we are to account it onely in the Lordes power Iob 38. 25. although the diuell can doe much yet is hee but weake and his power restrained therefore wee need no more feare his power in the time of thunder then in the cleerest sun shine day but rather let vs praise the Lorde for his power who is so woonderfull in all his works Againe if thunder be the voice of God why do the papists in the time of thunder ring their bels to staie it as if it were an vnholie thing surely it well be commeth them for seeing they will not heare God in the Scriptures they wil not heare him in the cloudes if wee oppose Scripture to them they say wee speake as heretikes if the Lorde sende thunder then they say there is a diuell abroade Oh blasphemous mouthes and hearts that are so simple and yet so great great in blasphemous heresie and simple in true diuinitie Againe when the prophet saith that he will vtter his voice before his hoste for his hoste is very great hee meaneth the noisome beastes that hee shoulde sende like an hoste of men as hath beene alreadie shewed Whereby we are taught that euery creature since sinne entred into the worlde is become an enimie one to another like to the enimies in warre Psal 105. 34. The great birdes are enimies to the small the great fishes to the little the great beastes to the inferiour and so are the great men to the little ones the oxe cannot abide the lyon the sheepe cannot endure the woolfe the foxe will not tarrie with the goate the horse will not dwell with the Beare the Hart will not attende the hounde and many moe liue in hatred one with another but most of them al are enimies to man The reasons are these First as man destroyed his owne nature so God destroieth or rather altereth the nature of all other things Secondly God will surely be knowne that hee giueth power to the spoile Amos 5. 9. What can an enimie doe in warre or a theefe by the high way side or a beast that deuoureth man surely nothing but by the working hand of God for the diuels themselues are vnder his correction One lion destroied a prophet 1. Kinges 13. yet we know that Daniel was cast among a denne of lions and had no hurt at all surely it was the Lorde that opened the mouth of the one and muzled the iawes of the other Let vs therefore knowe that whensoeuer either man or beast shall annoy vs that it commeth of God Iob. 1. 4. When Shemei cursed Dauid Dauid woulde not haue him punished bicause saide hee The Lorde hath bid him curse and so if wee be bitten by any beastes or stung by any serpent or haunted by any foules or oppressed by any enimies let vs then thinke with our selues this hath the Lord done to vs and praie for the remission of sins This doctrine wil take away al reuenge against man for any iniurie when we shal bee perswaded that God by them doth fatherlie correct vs. Againe let vs thinke with our selues how many waies the Lorde hath to correct vs for our sinnes the angels are about vs when God biddeth them they strike the beastes are among vs when hee commandeth they discomfort vs the flies and wormes ouercome vs wee are enimies one to another and one wound and kill another as Cain did Abel yea we cannot trust our owne hands for feare they destroy vs as we see in Saul Achitophel and Iudas and when all this is done there are ready all the diuels in hell to torment vs. Now who would loue his life nay who would loue his sinnes that bring with them vpon him such an euerlasting and intolerable hatred Againe when he saith that he is strong that doth his word he meaneth him that doth his commandement whereby we are taught that euery creature hath power giuen him to doe that which God assigneth him 1. King 17. 4. The rauens at the commandement of God fed Elijah morning and euening with bread and meate and so euery one when he biddeth them goe they goe when hee biddeth them come they come The reason is first because they waite vpon God Psal 145. 15. secondly they worship their creator Reu. 5. 14. and so we may learne that God neuer aduaunceth any but he giueth them giftes to performe their callings When he saith that the day of God is great and who can abide it he thereby teacheth vs that the wrath of God is intolerable Deut. 9. 18. 19. The reasons are because there is no way to flie frō his presence Amos 5. 18 19. Secondly there can be no mediator in wrath Ier. 15. 1 2. By which we are taught how inestimable is the benefit of redemptiō by Iesus
Christ who hath deliuered vs frō wrath to come 1. Thes 1. 10. Christ hath deliuered vs from that wrath that condemned the angels that shooke the heauens that rendeth the earth that killeth the beasts and that tormenteth the wicked Oh what had our estate been without a Sauiour but this to vndergoe the intolerable wrath of God which burneth more then any fire which paineth more thē any death which smarteth more thē any torture which tasteth worse then any bitternesse smelleth worse then any filthinesse where a man and a diuel should for euermore be yoked togither this wrath hath Christ pacified from this damnation hath he redeemed vs But now if thou sinne againe make no account of the blood of Christ the wrath shall be seuen times hotter and thou seuen times more the childe of hell Againe seeing this is the estate of the damned how wretched is their estate which liue in danger therof euery hower of life being aliue they haue no peace and being dead they haue no ease they are borne in filthines they liue in wickednes they die in wretchednesse and damnation is their graue where the fire is their cradle the diuels are their nurses the Lord is their enemie endlesse torments are their rest wrath without remedie is their meate Oh let this make good men desire to forsake this life and let it make euill men long to forsake their sinnes for their pleasurable life shall end in insufferable woes The xix Sermon Vers 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord Turne you vnto me with all your harts with fasting and with weeping and with mourning NOw at the length by the mercifull assistance of the holy Ghost haue wee finished the first part of our first diuision and are come vnto the last wherein the people are exhorted to repentance In this treatise following first of all the prophet sheweth them the manner of their repentance 12. 13. verses and secondly setteth downe certaine reasons to perswade them thereunto The manner of their repentance is either in action or in affection and it respecteth both the people and the priestes In affection as conuersion in hart and renting thereof in action as weeping fasting and mourning The reasons to mooue them hereunto are two first in respect of his nature vers 13. then of his works vers 14. That part which concerneth the priestes doth shew vs first how they should stirre vp the people and secondly how they should pray vers 15 16 17 thus much for the diuision In this that after all the before expressed iudgements the prophet nowe at the length commeth with the flat commandement and worde of God to cause them to bee conuerted Wee are first of all taught that except God giue the preaching of his worde with his heauie iudgements men can neuer bee amended by them Amos 4. 6 7 8. Let him thunder omnipotently let him shake the earth terribly let him darken the light fearefully let him curse the world iustly and multiply his punishments abundantly yet all this without the word of God cannot conuert a soule All this is plaine in the forenamed place of Amos wherein God telleth the people that he had giuen them scarcenesse of bread and no raine insomuch as two or three cities wandered vp and downe to drinke water hee sent blastings and mildeawes and great store of pestilence the yong men lay murdred their horses were taken away and noisom stinks smels infected them yet still God complained that they had not turned vnto him then he biddeth them be prepared to meete their maker So that it is euident that no crosse or iudgement can work repentance The experience hereof is to be seen in our times wherein haue been as great signes and as many woonders as in any place of the worlde beside great thunders feareful earth-quakes terrible darknes mortal pestilence pining famines yet who is conuerted by thē great men are made richer mean men are made poorer poore men are made beggers yet who considereth this The waters haue drowned vs the wars haue deuoured vs want hath afflicted vs and yet still we are as heard harted as wickedly affected and as stiffenecked as euer wee were insomuch as if the whole world were in an vprore our whole land vpon hir death bed well we might complaine but hardly repent The reasons of this doctrine may be these First bicause the Lord sendeth iudgements to take reuenge and not to worke repentance Deuter. 32. 41. The halter is not put on the the eues necke to conuert him but to punish him as Agar was expelled out of Abrahams house not to reclaime hir but to torment hir And here we may learne the end of all the Lordes iudgements which is to take vengeance on our euill liues what is our estate seeing wee are vnder the reuenging hande of God one while our desires are plagued another while our appetites are molested and continually is our life threatened with a longer calamitie But some will saie shall wee not bee repentant during our crosses and aduersitie Oh yes my deere brethren for we haue the worde as well as the rod and therefore we must be instructed by the one as wee are corrected by the other our punishment is a light vengeance but our profession is a great comfort yet we are but as it were led to execution and therefore wee must repent with speede before death catch our soules as dearth hath done our bodies Another reason is bicause the word is of more force then any iudgement whatsoeuer for the conuersion of a sinner is a worke of more value then the destruction of a worlde man was lost by an apple but it cost more to redeeme their soules Is not my worde like fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Ierem. 23. 29. and the worde of God is life and liuely in operation Heb. 4. 10. sharper then a sworde lighter then the sunne and heauier then the earth The which thing doth mightily magnifie the worde preached and the publike ministerie thereof being attended by the angels accompanied with the spirit and reuerenced in the church The angell was honorable that slew so many thousands of Saneheribs armie Esay 37. for it was a great iudgement but the ministerie of the worde hath droue more diuels out of the worlde then it slewe or draue Assyrians out of Israell And heereby let vs learne what account we are to make of the worde of God Wee feare drowning in the seas burning on the lande robbing in our iourneies and euery ioint in our body is subiect to many easelesse paines but let vs more earnestly feare the worde of God for those hurt vs when wee feele them and see them but this will harme vs when wee neither feele norsee it they afflict vs but this instructeth vs they punish vs but this doth acquite vs they bring vs the heauie newes of condemnation but this bringeth the
glad newes of life euerlasting By iudgements we are blinded but by the Gospell we are enlightened by iudgements wee are endangered by the Gospell we are defended and to conclude they threaten our liues but the worde threatneth our soules Make much of the word in thy health for beleeue me sicknes cannot so prepare thee for the Lorde as the worde can bee conuerted by it for thou seest all other meanes faile for miracles doe make vs woonder and this maketh vs repent therefore either make this thy ioy or God shall make them thy sorrowe What then will some say this is a strange doctrine do not sorrowes and earthquakes and other fearefull thinges turne vs to the Lorde then we will not make any account of these thinges To whom I answere that if they doe so they doe that which will vndoo them shall the scholler neuercare for the rod bicause it cannot teach him but correct him and shall wee set light by the Lordes iudgementes bicause they cannot conuert vs no no they must keepe vs in obedience although they cannot beget vs to obedience they must reforme vs although they cannot turne vs. Dauid said Psal 119. when I see thy iudgements I am astonied and afraide and so must all the elect children of God vse the iudgements of God to continue them in the feare of God and to keepe their natures from being ouerproude Yea let vs tremble and quake as the earth doth let vs weepe and mourne as the aire doth when wee see the wrath of God the sunne cannot then shewe her face she is so dazeled with his brightnesse how shall men farre inferiour to her in glorie bee carelesse of his anger And although I haue said that we are but yet leading vnto execution let vs yet feare most greeuously least the wrath of God be encreased on vs for wee knowe not how soone we shall be consumed with what calamities we shall bee troubled and with what maner of death we shall be crucified Therfore let vs feare the works of God that we neede not feele them let vs be warned by them that we be not confounded by them and aboue all things let vs cast away that prophanenes that calleth for heauen and earth to take vengeance on vs. Secondly we may obserue in this verse when hee saith thus saith the Lord that if the Lorde worke not repentance in vs we shall neuer haue it while the world standeth we may weepe out our eies rip vp our breastes rend asunder our harts and satisfie for our iniuries but if the Lord worke not repentance in vs then all is lost For this cause 2. Tim. 2. 25. Paul instructeth him with meekenes to instruct those which were cōtrarie minded waiting if at any time God would giue them repentance vnto life Indeede I graunt that men may haue a kinde of repentance as Iudas had Matt. 27. 6. when hee sawe Christ condemned hee repented and went and hung vp himselfe but to haue repentance vnto life Act. 11. 18. as the church speaketh it is a speciall and woorthy worke of God And in these daies may this point be very profitably vrged wherein men are so carelesse in liuing and so wretched in sinning as if repentance were pinned on their sleeues or lay in their pockets to pull out and in at their pleasure but let them beware be warned that if they wil be saued they must seeke it at the hands of God Is repentance so easie that you can haue it at your wish indeede you may haue it but you cannot doe it Imagine in thy presence a man or woman possessed with a diuel trie thy cunning cast him forth I know your answer you wil say you cannot because you can worke no miracles so agame say I that you cannot haue repentance of your selues for it is a casting of the diuel out of your souls the which none can do but by the finger of God Repentance is not to wring out a teare or to breath out a sigh or to lift vp an ey vnto heauē or to say I am sorrie for my sins but it must fil all a mans life with weeping sighing praying cōfessing amending the which commeth frō God only The first reason of this doctrine is because with repentance goeth remissiō of sins Act. 5. 31. therefore we may as wel say that they can pardō their own sins as they say they can repent whē they list And this must needs mightily discourage vs frō sinning seeing we may cōmit that in one minute which we can neuer claw off so long as we liue Again how sweet is this consideration that remission of sins is ioined with repentance We knowe what great vile sinnes we haue committed but we knowe not will some say how or when they were pardoned Vnto whom I answere that they haue beene so long pardoned as they haue repented and they haue as many witnesses and seales of their remission as they haue weeping teares sighing sobs and wounded affections for them in the presence of God Another reason is as it is the worke of God to harden mens harts Iohn 12. 40. so it must needes be the worke of God to soften the hart But some will say how can the Lord punish men for not repenting when he denieth them repentance and how can he damne them for harde hearts when hee hath hardened them I answere an harde heart and an ill life doe not simply condemne a man but delight in them and negligence to bee deliuered from them good men are tormented with hardnesse of hart but they lament it euill men are perplexed with it they reioice in it God is saide to make hard harts but not euill harts and so to make hard harts that men may know and acknowledge that soft harts come from his workehouse so then God hardeneth but men delight in it and they are condemned not for sin but for delight in sinne Wouldest thou then knowe whether thy hart hath beene new wrought in the Lordes moulde then looke and see how thou louest sinne but thou findest thy hart harde then looke againe howe thou art pleased with this hardnes if thou like it thy hart is damnable but if thou loath it thy state is tollerable The first vse wee are to make of this doctrine is this seeing the Lorde hath the working of repentance in vs then let vs praie euerie day to his maiestie for the same Lament 5. 21. So doe the faithfull when they say Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde and wee shall be turned returne vs as of old This is the dutie of all those that haue any care of their soules health Art thou heauie in thy heart and feelest a dulnes in thy soule vnto goodnes but a nimblenes vnto euill when thou knowest thou dost those things which displease the Lord and trouble thy conscience then enter into thy soule and humble thy selfe by praier lift vp thy voice to heauen