foretelling them of the Iudgement And now goe to I will tell you Secondly In prolonging it for hee doth not by and by punish them but a while deferres and therefore he speaketh in the future tense what I will doe In the execution consider we these three circumstances 1. The partie punishing and that is the Lord himselfe I will take away l will breake c. 2. The parties punished and they are Gods owne people his chosen vineyard his owne inheritance It shall be trodden downe the hedge thereof c. 3. The punishment it selfe and that consists both in the paine of losse and paine of sense good things shall be remoued and euill things inflicted For first he will take away the hedge and breake downe the wall whereupon shall follow eating vp treading downe laying waste and then secondly he will withdraw his paines in pruning and digging of it and with-hold the clouds from raining raine vpon it and thereupon shall follow the barrennesse of it for it shall bring forth nothing or worse than nothing briers and thornes shall grow vpon it Hauing now seene the summe let vs spend a little time in the opening of the words that so hauing found out the sense and meaning we may the better raise some profitable obseruation And now goe to The Lord seemes here to excite and stirre vp himselfe after the manner of men to proceed in iudgement Exposition I will shew you what I will doe to my Vineyard or I will giue you to vnderstand or make knowne vnto you as some reade it q.d. Seeing that you are condemned in your consciences and yet will not pronounce sentence with your mouthes therefore goe to now I my selfe will tell you what I will doe I will take away the hedge thereof By hedge as before vers 2. we haue seene sundry things may be vnderstood but not to trouble you with repetition of what was before taught we are especially as I take it to vnderstand thereby Gods diuine protection which was as a hedge or wall about them and whereof they should be now depriued As if he should haue said Hitherto you haue had my mercifull protection which hath ministred vnto you safetie and defence from all your enemies but now I will leaue off to helpe succour or defend you any more This was that for want whereof the Church did complaine u Psal 80.12 Why hast thou broken downe her hedges so that all they that doe passe by the way doe plucke her And it shall be eaten vp or That it may be eaten vp and deuoured to wit by the beasts of the field the enemies of the Church Not only their neighbours nigh about them but also their enemies farre off should molest and trouble them according to that threatning * Deut. 31.17 Mine anger shall be kindled against them in that day and I will forsake them and hide my face from them and they shall be deuoured and many euils and troubles shall befall them c. This also doth the Church complaine of in the place before quoted x Psal 80.13 The Boare out of the wood doth waste it and the wilde beast of the field doth deuoure it And breake downe the wall thereof or as some reade it teare downe the wall thereof and so indeed the word signifieth to teare downe a thing with violence which noteth out the vehemencie of Gods wrath for it shall not fall downe of it selfe but be violently torne or broken downe Now by this wall many vnderstand the Tower which he spake of before vers 2. that was built in the midst of the Vineyard whereby as we saw after the iudgement of many of the learned the Temple was to be vnderstood But what need we be so exact in each of these particulars Idem alijs atque alijs verbis bis dicit Mus in loc For if by wall we vnderstand no other thing than that before was meant by hedge we should not fall into any great absurditie And it shall be trodden downe or for a treading He here alludeth to the manner of wilde beasts breaking into a Vineyard which doe not only eat and deuoure but tread downe and spoile And this notes a higher degree of wrath than the former did The enemies of this people should not only trouble them and afflict them but ouercome them and enter into their possessions and not only carry away but also make strip and waste hauocke and spoile what they leaue behinde This also sets out vnto vs the rage and furie of the wicked against Gods Church And I will lay it waste or make it a desolation so that it shall become as a vast desart without any to inhabit it And here we haue a higher degree than either of the former for though the enemie might ouercome them and spoile their country yet there might remaine some Citie and albeit some Cities might be assailed and destroyed yet some houses in those Cities might still continue Or say it should so fall out that all their Cities and houses in their Cities should be laid leuell with the ground yet some men might haply escape by flight and afterwards returne and build new houses Cities and erect new lawes and gouernment But in that he threatens to lay it waste and make it a desolation all hope is gone This is that which the Lord speaketh in the next chapter where he seemeth to comment vpon these words y Isai 6.11 12. The Cities shall be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be vtterly desolate And the Lord will remoue men farre away and there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land All which befell this people at their carrying away into Babylon and much more fully and compleatly was it fulfilled after Christs time when Ierusalem was vtterly destroyed so that one stone was not left vpon another To which time some referre it It shall not be pruned nor digged By cutting or pruning he seemeth to vnderstand fatherly discipline and correction which now he would with-hold from them according to that in the first of this prophesie z Isai 1.5 Why should you be stricken any more As if he should haue said I see it is but lost labour to smite you for the more I correct you the worse you proue And by digging he vnderstandeth that point of husbandry Moller in loc whereby the earth is drawne into ridges or heapes chiefly about the vines which is so conuenient and necessarie in such places where vintages are as that without it the vines will neuer prosper And here hee alludeth vnto such husbandmen as hauing barren vineyards and fruitlesse trees doe neglect to prune or cut them dung or digge about them because they take no pleasure nor delight in them Musculus in loc But there shall come vp briers and thornes By briers and thornes some here vnderstand the Gentiles according to that of our Sauiour a Luke
taught and say Thou hast well said in all that thou hast spoken but now marke your duties for if this be so then ought you so to prouide for your Ministers and their families as that they may haue no cause to diuert their studies In 1. ad Tim. A necessary liuing saith Chrysostome ought plentifully to be ministred vnto your Teachers lest they should be discomfited and that they might not depriue themselues and you of great things while they be busied about the smallest And surely this is one of the blemishes of our Church that many well-deseruing Ministers are of necessitie compelled to leaue studying of Sermons and studie for bread to put in their owne and childrens mouthes What Vocation is there in this land honest in it selfe and industriously followed by the professors of it wherein a man may not liue and leaue well behinde him for the maintenance of such as shall â—ome after Dat Galenus opes dat Iustinianus honores except only in the Ministerie Physicke and Law bring wealth and honour but Learning followes Homer with a staffe and wallet the studie of Diuinitie brings contempt and beggerie Looke how it was with the Iewes vnder the tyrannie of Egypt Exod. 5. so is it now with vs when we should make bricke worke in our profession we are enforced to gather straw seeke out for sustenance and yet if our tale of bricke be not made vp we are cried out vpon for being idle But God heares our cries and will one day plead our cause In the meane time let such places and Parishes as would haue their Ministers thus to follow close their callings see that they so prouide for their certaine maintenance as that they may without distraction follow it We haue done with the Prooem Now we come to the Poem or Song it selfe My welbeloued hath a Vineyard in a very fruitfull hill Text. c. Wherein is set forth Gods great loue towards his people Israel and Iudah and their horrible ingratitude and disobedience towards him together with their fearefull and finall ruine for that their disobedience All which is darkly and obscurely propounded vnder a continued similitude or allegorie of an vnprofitable Vineyard which did not answer the cost and expectation of the Vinitor by bringing forth of fruit x Heb. 6.7 meet for him that dressed it In opening whereof we need not doubt of finding out the true and proper sense and meaning in the Generall as who this Vinitor is and who the Vineyard and what the fruit these being explained and expounded by our Prophet vers 7. But in the Particulars there is question As what is meant by Hill Fence Stones Plant Tower Winepresse forasmuch as these parts are not followed by him and are diuersly interpreted by Expositors By Hill some vnderstanding the field of this world others the citie of Ierusalem which was higher than all other Cities and the Countrie thereabouts And others the Land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and hony By Fence or Hedge some vnderstand the Law which was giuen by Moses whereby the people of Israel were fenced in and kept within compasse Others the Couenant which God made with his people the Iewes wherwith he did hedge them in vnto himselfe to be his peculiar people And others vnderstand thereby the Diuine protection by which as by an hedge the Lord did continually protect his people By Stones some vnderstand their wicked Kings Saul Ahab and the rest who by their wicked practises did hinder the growth of Gods Church Others the Gentiles and Heathen people the Canaanites and Hittites with the rest whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel Others vnderstand thereby all kinde of Idolatrie Errors Abominations which the Lord purged his people from And there are some others who by stones vnderstand the Wall wherewith the Lord did make the fence or hâ—dge and that because the y Sakal in Piel word here vsed signifieth as well to build with stones and gather them together for that end as to remoue stones By the choice Plant some would haue the Lord Iesus to be meant and that because the Prophet speaketh in the singular number both in the Parable and in the exposition of it He saith not Vines or Plants z Sorec Isch Iehudah but a Vine or Plant and the man of Iudah not the men of Iudah Others vnderstand thereby the best and choisest persons amongst that people especially them of the house of Iudah as Dauid Solomon and the rest whom God had chosen and endued with an excellent measure of his Spirit for rule and gouernment and others vnderstand it more largely for the whole body of that people the stems and branches of Abraham Isaak Iacob those honourable Plants By Tower some vnderstand their Prophets Priests and Princes whom the Lord gaue vnto them to watch as out of a tower ouer them for their good Others would haue vs vnderstand thereby Ierusalem that great Metropolitan Citie of the Iewes And others the Temple which was built therein By Wine-presse that was therein some doe vnderstand the Doctrine of the Prophets their exhortations and reprehensions whereby they did labour to bring the people to repentance Others Passions and Afflictions which the Lord laid vpon them for their sinnes And others vnderstand thereby the Altar in the Temple vpon which they did offer vp their sacrifices and oblations Thus we see the diuersitie of opinions concerning these particulars and the variety of paths wherein our Interpreters walke so that it is no easie matter to take the right yet amongst all I had rather follow them who by this fruitfull Hill vnderstand the Land of Canaan For of it the Scripture thus speaketh a Deut. 11.9 11 12. The Land whither you goe to possesse it is a land of hils and vallies and drinketh water of the raine of heauen A land which the Lord thy God careth for the eies of the Lord thy God are alwaies vpon it from the beginning of the yeere euen vnto the end of the yeere A good land and large flowing with milke and honie By Fence or Hedge his mightie protection whereby he defended and preserued his people from all their enemies This was that hedge which the Lord made about b Iob 1.9 Iob and about his house and about all that he had on euery side And this hedge did the Lord promise to make about c Zach. 2.5 Psal 90. Ierusalem so that none should hurt it Of which Fence reade at large Psal 90. By Stones the Canaanites and Hittites of whom Dauid thus speaketh d Psal 44.2 Thou didst driue out the Heathen with thy hand and plantedst them thou didst afflict the people and cast them out Of which Stones e Alphons Salm. in parab vincae Matth. 21. say some Iohn Baptist speaketh when he telleth the Iewes bragging they had Abraham to their father f Matth. 3.9 that God is able of these stones to raise
propounded point let then this be considered of how Verse is the forme of speech which it hath pleased that wise and all-knowing Spirit to choose to reueale a great part of his reuealed will in for besides those speciall Psalmes and Canticles before mentioned there are sundry parts and bookes of holy Scripture Poetically pend as the booke of Iob the booke of the Psalmes the booke of the Prouerbs with Solomons Ecclesiastes and Canticles as the most learned Fathers of the Church haue testified And many other parcels of holy Scripture which we haue meerely translated into Prose are Verse in the Originall This me thinkes should put all out of doubt For who can be so irreligious as to think or imagine that the Holy Ghost would euer haue vsed any vndecent or vnlawfull manner of expression of his holy Mysteries and cause vs to giue credence to this truth viz. Poetrie and Poesie is an Art and exercise lawfull and praise-worthy Reason The commendable properties of which Art appeare in these two ancient Verses Metraparant animos Comprêndunt plurima paucis Aures delectant pristina commemorant Which I finde by r Withers preparation to the Psalter pag. 64. one thus Englished to my hand Verse doth the soule prepare and much in briefe affords It rauisheth the eare and things long past records There is Ryme Reason or Reason for Ryme First it prepares fits the soule for holy duties therfore we vse Psalmes before our Sermons 2. It comprehends much in a little as we see in the Psalmes For what are they but a Compendium of both Testaments 3. It delighteth the eare and causeth it to hearken more attentiuely as we haue before seene in the beginning 4. And lastly it is a great helpe to memorie and causeth things once learned long to be retained as we finde by experience in children and others what they learne in Ryme they neuer forget againe to their dying day Now to apply the point Vse 1 This may serue first to informe our iudgements concerning the lawfulnesse hereof that so this exercise and Art which is by some wrongfully held in contempt may be brought into a more reuerend esteeme for what is the maine cause so many speake against Poetrie but an ignorant misconceit they haue thereof imagining it to be but a vaine inuention of man and an vnfitting language for to expresse holy and sacred matters and mysteries by But that which hath beene said before serues for the discouery and I trust shall also for the recouerie of this error God hath vsed Verse to expresse a great part of his reuealed will vnto vs and hath mingled many of his heauenly precepts with the sweet and pleasing straines of Poesie and Numbers And therefore let it neither be thought a vaine and vnnecessary curiositie nor yet as some others doe a horrible and damnable impietie True it is in these wretched daies for the most part we shall finde that the subiect of Poesie is wantonnesse and lasciuiousnesse wherewith the mindes of youth are wonderously bewitched But yet as ſ Plut. de Music one said of Musicke we may say of it The proper and principall subiect of it is the Almighties praise Shall we then condemne the lawfull vse with the vnlawfull abuse That may not be Let vs cast away the fashion but keepe still the stuffe Let not the exercise it selfe be abhorred nor the vse thereof condemned but the corruption thereof For certainly there is no Art that doth set forth the glory of God which is the chiefe end of mans creation with so much excitation and expression as this Art doth And therefore by t Spondanus some it is preferred to all Arts and Sciences To conclude this vse if euery Art be the gift of God and if it be of him u Exod. 31.3 4 5 6. to inuent and finde out curious workes to worke in gold and siluer and in brasse c. Then must it likewise be of him to guide the pen and giue the tongue for speaking such excellent things and after so elegant a manner The like might be said for her sister Musicke This may likewise serue for a Reprehension of such Vse 2 as abuse this Art which in it selfe is so lawfull and commendable and by their wantonnesse cause it to grow contemptible And thus doe vainer Poets who by their lasciuious tymes lustfull Sonnets Plaies and Enterludes bring shame vnto the Art disgrace to Poesie and dishonour to the giuer The like is the practise of wicked Fidlers and Baladmongers who make it their profession and get their liuing by poisoning many a soule in alluring their mindes vnto vanitie with their bewitching harmonie and tempting charmes of lasciuious Musicke A shame it is that such Vermine should be suffered in so well a gouerned Common-wealth as this is And the greater is our shame in that our Magistrates haue no more care for the putting such good Lawes in execution as are already enacted for the punishment of these Come we now to the third circumstance propounded in this Preface to our consideration and that is the manner of the Prophets publishing this Poem which he did indite I will sing As the former particular gaue occasion to speake of the lawfulnesse of Poesie and versifying so doth this for the authoritie and lawfulnesse of Voice-Melodie and Singing Let the point be this Doct. Songs and Poems artificially modulated may lawfully be sung Songs and Poems artificially modulated may lawfully be sung for the setting forth of Gods praise This I will make good both by precept and practice out of the Old and New Testament Out of the Old * Psal 95.1 2. Come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs make a ioyfull noise to the rocke of our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thanksgiuing and make a ioyfull noise vnto him with Psalmes And againe x Psal 66.1 2. 135.3 Make a ioyfull noise vnto God all ye Lands sing forth the honour of his name Praise the Lord for he is good sing praises vnto his name for it is pleasant As in these and many other places it is commanded So by many of Gods faithfull seruants we may finde it hath beene practised For y Numb 21.17 Israel sang this song Spring vp oh well Sing you vnto it z 1 Chron. 15. Dauid and a 2 Chron. 5. Solomon did likewise vse it and gaue appointment how the Iewes should sing Psalmes in their Temple So did b Exod. 15.1 Moses c Iud. 5.1 Deborah and Barak with others more as in the proofe of the former Doctrine appeared In the New Testament it is commanded in these expresse words d Ephes 5.19 Coloss 3.16 Speake to your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing and making melodie in your hearts vnto the Lord. And againe e Iam. 5.13 Is any amongst you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes And there also we finde it
vsed by f Acts 16.25 Paul and Silas who at midnight prayed and sang praises to the Lord and by g Mat. 26.30 Christ and his Apostles whose example is without exception who sang a Psalme together as at other times so that night in which our Sauiour was betrayed Thus out of holy writ we haue proued the point Vide Eccles hist Theod. lib. 2. cap. 24. Clem. Alex. lib. 2. Paedagog cap. 4. Euseb Eccles hist lib. 2. cap. 17. Much might be brought likewise for the further confirming of it out of Ecclesiasticall Historie if it were as needfull as easie so to doe of the practise of Christians since Christs time but of that much I will alledge only at this time that testimonie which h Lib. 3. cap. 33. lib. 8. cap. 9. lib. 10. cap. 4. Plinius secundus a Heathen who liued about 200 yeares after Christ gaue vnto the Emperour Traian in the behalfe of Christians They vse saith he to rise before day to celebrate Christ in Psalmes as God And as Socrates reports neither Constantine nor Theodosius euer began a battell i Socrat. Schol. Eccles hist lib. 7. cap. 22. but first they and their souldiers sung Psalmes and made supplications to the Lord. Let vs now come to some profitable vse And first it serueth soundly to lesson such as condemne Vse 1 this exercise or deride such as vse it either in publike or in priuate Such mockers are euery where to be found who as they deride all other parts of Gods seruice so amongst the rest this But if it be a worke of Gods spirit to sing and if Gods children k 1 Cor. 14.15 sing with the spirit as S. Paul auoucheth then against whom doe these open their mouthes whom doe they blaspheme A lamentable thing it is that in a Land professing the Gospell and after the continuance of the publike preaching thereof so many yeares such an ancient laudable and holy exercise should be made a matter of scorne in the seeming of any The Lord lay not this sinne vnto our charge Vse 2 Secondly let vs be stirred vp on all sides to a conscionable performance of this Christian dutie We haue seene it commended to vs by the practise of Gods Saints and by Christ himselfe And not only so but commanded likewise in expresse termes so that wee may not thinke it as a thing indifferent whether we sing or no but euery man to whom God hath giuen the facultie of singing ought as well this way as any other to set forth his Makers praise Motiues to singing Now the better to stirre vs vp to the performance hereof for we shall finde our flesh backward enough as well in this as in any other good exercise I might vse many motiues One taken from the admirable effects and vertues of the Psalmes there being in them a pretious balme for euery present sore so as that there is no temptation nor affliction which can befall a Christian but in the Psalmes he may finde both the formes of expressing them and their meanes of remedie Another might be drawne from the practise of the dumbe creatures As the Larke and other birds which shut vp the light with a sweet dittie and againe saluteth the Sunne when it begins to peepe the next morning with such sweet straines as God hath naturally giuen to it This l Ambros Hexā lib. 5. cap. 12. one of the Ancients vseth as a motiue to draw vs to the exercise of singing For how can men but blush saith he to remember that they haue begun or ended a day without a Psalme when they see the birds those wilde quiristers of the wood constant in their deuotions beginning and ending the day with variety of song But I loue not to be tedious Remember only what Dauid saith m Psal 147.1 It is a good thing to sing praises to our God It is pleasant and praise is comely There are some things good but not pleasant as afflictions Some things are pleasant but not good as sinne And some things may be both good and pleasant yet not comely But this is all It is good because commanded of God and agreeable to his will as before hath beene proued It is pleasant as the children of God experimentally haue witnessed who in time of tribulation haue vsed them as a great meanes of consolation and as a sweetning to their tortures So did Theodorus a man young in yeares though not in grace of whō we reade n August de Ciu. Dei lib. 18. cap. 52. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 35. that being cruelly tortured with vnheard of torments from the breake of the day vntill the tenth houre without intermission and then set on horsebacke on both sides tortured by the executioners sang with a cheerefull countenance the 96 Psalme Which vndaunted constancie the Officer perceiuing sent him backe againe to prison reporting to the Emperor what was done and with all told him that vnlesse he forbare to exercise such cruelty it would redound to their glory and his shame It is comely for it is the exercise of the Angels in heauen to sing praises and Halleluiahs to the Lord. Wouldst thou then exercise thy selfe in that which is both good pleasant and comely then sing Psalmes for all these are met in that one dutie Now for as much as many a good duty is mard in Vse 3 the making and spoyld in the performance let me adde a third vse for our direction and therein shew what is required of vs in our singing that God may haue the glory The rules that concerne this exercise are summarily comprehended in these words of the Apostle to the Colossians Coloss 3.16 Teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord. Here we haue directions both for Matter Manner and End Concerning the matter of our songs It must be first good and wholsome spirituall and heauenly Such songs we must sing as are either already in the word or else composed according to the word 2. It must be fitting that it may edifie It must teach and admonish and therefore wisdome is required euen in chusing of a Psalme that it may be fitting the occasion Concerning the manner of our singing these are the things required First it must be with the heart Now to sing with the heart is to sing with vnderstanding and with feeling For he that singeth and vnderstandeth not what he singeth what is he better than a sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball And therefore saith the Apostle p 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing but I will sing with the vnderstanding Our hearts must goe with our voyces the one must be lift vp as well as the other For God is a spirit and will be worshipped with the spirit Looke then to prepare thy heart before thou singest and awake thy tongue with q Psal 57.7 8. Plus valet
by his welbeloued together with the Reasons By welbeloued God is meant One Reason for that Appellation was because he is the Churches well-beloued shee being his spouse and he her husband In which respect as he was a member of the Church and in the behalfe of the Church he so termeth him for he did loue him well So then Doctr. Euery one ought to loue the Lord. The Church and euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely This we finde commanded m Deut. 6.5 10.12 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might n Psal 31.13 Loue yee the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserueth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer If any man loue not the Lord Iesus o 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration or excommunicated to death This we shall likewise finde practised by Gods Saints p Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord my strength saith Dauid And againe q 16.1 I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Thus S. Peter r Iohn 21.25 Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And Mary had many sinnes forgiuen her Å¿ Luke 7.47 for shee loued much The Church in the Canticles likewise plentifully t Cani 1.7 Tell me ô thou whom my soule loueth saith shee to Christ And againe u â— 1.3 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loueth And what word more common in that song than Loue and welbeloued I must bring Ignatius also to be of the Quorum * Epist 12. quae est ad Romanos My Loue Christ saith he was crucified And thus hath this truth beene proued That the Church and euery true member thereof both doth and ought to loue the Lord entirely Reason Dilexit enim non â—xistentes iâ—o â—â—sistentes Bernard And Reason good For first he loued vs not existing yea resisting For x Rom. 5.8 1 Iohn 4.19 while we were yet sinners he loued vs. This Reason is giuen by S. Iohn We loue him because he loued vs first And surely if God preuent vs with loue we can doe no lesse than answer him in the same nature though not for that is impossible in the same measure Doe not Publicanes y Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 Si taerdi sumus ad amandum non tardi simus ad redamandum loue those that loue them Sinners doe the same Though then we haue not beene forward to loue first yet let vs not be backward to returne loue at last Againe we are tyed to him by all the bonds of loue and duty we are his creatures z Psal 100.3 he our maker we his Reas 2 Seruants he a Mal. 1.6 our Lord we his Children b 2 Cor. 6.18 he our Father we his c Hos 2.19 Spouse he our Husband Yea so strait is the vnion betwixt him and vs as that he is said to bee the Foundation d Ephes 2.20 we the building He the e Iohn 15.1 root we the branches He the f Ephes 5.23 Head we the body c. Being bound by so many and so neere bonds how can wee but acknowledge it is our duty intirely to loue him Besides he only is loue-worthy being g Cant. 5.10 Splendor summi illius boni pulchria Coelnin pulchra terra fed pulchrior quifecit illa the chiefest amongst Reas 3 ten thousands What is there to be compared with him The most excellentest creatures are but as the beames of his beauty That glory or goodnesse which is in any of them is but as a shadow in respect of that infinite good which is in him who is the maker of them Thus this threefold cord may hold vs h Eccles 4.12 it will not easily bee broken as speakes wise King Solomon And now Triplex ex arbore fructus A three-fold vse this point affords For triall And indeed what better vse can we make Vse 1 of it There was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God and who boasts more they loue him than the prophanest wretch that daily doth contemne him It is a thing counted both common and easie to performe this duty and no man doubts hee is herein to seeke when notwithstanding this is as true as God is true who is Truth it selfe that no more doe truly loue God than are from all eternity elected by God to saluation And wee know or may know for Scripture saies it that the number of them is small i Esay 1.9 Luke 12.32 yea very small comparatiuely considered their account will soone be made k Rom. 9.28 it is but a short worke into a short summe shall they be gathered Rules of triall for the discouery of our loue to God Seeing then it is as narrow as Gods election and that is very narrow let each one search narrowly his bosome for this grace A rule of three 1. our Affections 2. our Words 3. our Actions will sufficiently discouer it By our Affections By our affections will it soone bee seene what loue we beare to God For Loue as the greatest wheele sets all the rest a worke Desire It is the strongest affection and to it doe all the rest giue place where that goes before Desire followes after What I loue I desire to enioy and it is not where it begets not a desire of society l 2 Sam. 13.2 Ammon was very sicke through loue his flesh did pine and waste away because he could not enioy his sister Thamar Dauid and Ionathan did loue intirely m 1 Sam. 18.1 and as the Text saith their soules were knit together whence it was that they tooke such pleasure and contentment each in other n Cap. 20.18 19 41 42. the story shewes what shifts they made to meet what weeping and heart-sorrow there was when they were to part and all because they loued Thus hee that loues the Lord must needs desire to haue society with the Lord A ioy it is to his soule to meet him and nothing doth he desire so much as to enioy him And so Dauid was affected as appeares by those many patheticall desires of his o Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon the earth that I desire besides thee p Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God q Psal 146.6 My soule thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land r Psal 130.6 My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning These and many other such like sayings shew the affection of his soule And whereas in some places God is pleased graciously to manifest his presence after a speciall manner and in some exercises there is an
with Dauid p Psal 101.8 carely to destroy the wicked of the Land and to cut off all wicked doers frâ—m the City of the Lord. q Cant. 2.15 Take vs the foxes the little foxes that spoile the vines for our vines haue tendâ—r grapes Let neither young nor old bee spared And of all other let that Romish Reinard and his Câ—â—s extrauagant Priests and Iesuits with other obstinate Recusants bee hunted as most hurtfull to our Vineyard For what thinke you of these Positions 1. r Decret Papal apud Grat. caus 15. Gloss Neighbours if Heretikes meaning thereby Protestants may lawfully be spoiled of their goods though indeed it were better say they to doe it by the authoritie of the Iudge 2. Å¿ Alanus Cardi. Parsonus It is lawfull for Parishioners to defraud Protestant Ministers of their Tithes and of this Non est dubium say they there is no doubt to be made 3. t Simancha Epis Pacens Instit Cath. tit 46. §. 73. Men are not bound to restore that which they haue receiued or to satisfie their creditours who are tainted with heresie 4. u Simanch Instit Gregor 13. A Catholike wife is not bound to giue due beneuolence to her husband being a Protestant 5. * Simanch quo sup tit 46. §. 74. Alan Card. By the heresie of the father a childe is freed from his obedience So that if a Priest returning into England findeth his father to be a Protestant he may deny him to be his father meaning that he is not such a one as he ought to acknowledge for his father 6. x Apud Grat. gloss in Decret lib. 5. ex Decret Greg. 9. Caus 23. q. 8. That Heretikes may not be tearmed either children or kindred but according to the old Law thy hand must be vpon them to spill their bloud 7. y Bellar. lib. 5. de Rom. Pontif. cap. 67. 4. That it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerate an hereticall King they may expell him depose him yea murther him And this they say is agreeable to the Apostolique doctrine 8. z Simanch Instit Cathol cap. 45. Sect. 13. If warre be once proclaimed by them against Sectaries that is in their language vs Protestants then it is lawfull for any priuate man to take spoile kill such Sectaries and burne their houses ouer their heads 9. a Paulus Windebek in delib de haeret extirp pag. 414. It is lawfull for Catholike Princes to make leaguâ— with Protestants only for their owne aduantage as for example to dispatch some businesses which hinder them from falling vpon Protestants with their whole forces 10. b Card. Tol. lib. 4. Instit Sacerd. cap. 21. And that one may sweare with Equiuocation and ment all reseruation is good positiue Diuinitie with them By these and the like Positions which they maintaine we plainly see how they dissolue all bands of humane fellowship and strangle the vitall spirits of humane societie Whether it be safe then to suffer such iudge yee Besides as is their doctrine such is their practise in deposing Kings and Emperours practising hellish treasons iustifying the murdering of Princes making leagues only for their owne ends breaking their promises oathes vowes at their pleasure Can it then be well with the Vineyard if these Foxes be at libertie Can it be well with the Lambes of Christ if these Wolues be suffered to range about Can Israel enioy the Land of Canaan in quiet if these Canaanites be not subdued as seruants to the Congregation or subuerted as enemies Let therefore all such Magistrates as tender the good of their King and Crowne Land and State doe their best to watch and catch these Foxes lenitie and mildnesse hath long beene vsed Now c Doct. Kings Sermon at White-Hall Nouemb. 5. Anno. 1608. to vse the words of a late worthy Prelate some iustice with mercie would doe well some frosts with the fire that warmes these Snakes in the bowels of our Land some pluckes at these thornes and prickles in our eyes the mean time and will be hereafter in our sides and hearts left if Iustice goe on to sleepe as it were her dead sleepe the tares of disloyaltie treasons and seditions be so thick sowen in the field of this Kingdome by those enuious ones the Seedesmen of Rome that it will be difficultie and mastrie afterwards to remoue them 3 And let all good Christians of what estate or degree soeuer beware of hauing any inward societie or familiaritie with Idolaters or other obstinate sinners and offenders It is worthy our remembring how d Zâ—zâ—m lib. 7. cap. 7. when the Emperour Theodosius senior was desirous to confer with Eunomius the Arrian Bishop his wife Placilla the Empresse very earnestly disswaded him lest hee being peruerted by his speeches should beginne to like of his heresie and surely there is more danger of being infected by them than of doing good vpon them Easier is it to draw a prophane person from hell-gates than to remoue an opinion from a wilfull minde Let vs all with e Gen. 35.2 Iacob cleanse and purge our families of these and such like baggage not suffering any f Psal 101. vngodly person to dwell with vs. We see how it is in the bodie when nature hath any euill or vnprofitable humours that oppresse the stomacke it is forced to cast them out for the preseruation of the health of other parts So should it be with vs if wee perceiue our families to be endangered by obstinate and obdurate sinners it should vomit them out as raw and vndigested humours by timely eiection lest the whole head wax heauie and the whole bodie sickly and so the vitall parts languish To conclude let vs all pray and pray heartily for this Vineyard in this Land as all are directed by authoritie g Prayers appointed for the fift of Nouember the first after the second Lesson Lord strengthen the hands of our gratious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land that with iudgement and iustice they may cut off and root out that Babylonish and Antichristian Sect out of the Confines and limits of this Kingdome that they may neuer preuaile against vs nor triumph in the ruines of this Church And with our Prayer let all protest with one ioynt voice to God h Psal 16.2.4 Thou art my Lord c. their sorrowes shall be multiplied that hasten after another god their drinke-offerings of bloud will I not offer nor take vp their names into my lips Now in the next place consider we of Gods great loue to this his Vineyard in regard of the Choice Vine wherewith he planted it It was not of an ordinary but of the best and noblest kinde Which whether it be meant of all the seed of Abraham in generall as some would haue it or of some of the choisest persons of the house of Iudah in particular as of Dauid Solomon and other such godly Kings as some other
some answerable returne That Parable which our Sauiour doth propound m Matth. 21.34 of the Vineyard let out to vnthankfull husbandmen is a pregnant proofe for when the season came and time of fruit drew neere that great Housholder sends out his seruants to those husbandmen that they might receiue the fruits And in the application of that Parable wee reade that Hee will let out his Vineyard to other husbandmen who should render him fruits in due season And when our Sauiour telleth vs n Iohn 15.2 of his Fathers purging and pruning of the Vine he withall sheweth vs what is his aime and scope therein namely that Christians should bee abundant in bringing forth of fruits beseeming their profession Reason There is good Reason for it For o 1 Cor. 9.7 who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke What husbandman bestowes his seed and paines vpon his land and doth not expect a good crop therefrom And is it not then iust and equall that the Lord should looke for some answerable returne for all his paines Vse 1 Let this then serue for our Instruction that wee answer this Husbandmans hopes in some good measure Let vs remember the end of all his cost and labour and consider with our selues the reason why we haue receiued so many blessings from him Let vs set before our eies his many fauours spirituall and temporall and then say whether hee hath not beene as carefull a Husbandman for England as euer he was for Israel Hath hee not taken vs out of the Romish Aegypt where wee grew not well and planted vs in a very fruitfull Hill in a Land flowing with milke and hony Hath he not fenced vs about with his mighty protection Remember 88. and 1605. and defended vs from many dangers and deuillish plots deuised against vs by the enemies of the truth So that neither Boare nor Beare Wolfe nor Foxe Turke nor Pope could yet inuade vs or preuaile against vs Hath hee not rooted out and expelled those ranckling thornes and renting brambles I meane the Papists and cast out of this his Vineyard the stumbling stones of superstition and baggage of mans traditions with the relikes of Idolatry hammering and beating downe the Popish Dagon And hath hee not planted choise plants in this his Vineyard giuing vs such Princes as may bee compared with the best Princes of Israel and Iudah vnder whom wee haue a long time enioyed the Gospell with the fruits of the Gospell Peace and Plentie so that wee may sit vnder our owne Vines and Fig-trees conferring of the waies of God and quietly enioying our goods and earthly happinesse No Church vnder heauen more enriched with treasures and gifts from God than ours is What could he haue done more for this his Vineyard than hee hath done And what can he expect lesse from this his Vineyard than he now doth abundance of sweet grapes and good fruits Yea in particular let euery one consider this and make application of it to himselfe Hath not the Lord chosen thee aboue many thousands in the world and afforded vnto thee such meanes as hee hath not granted vnto many who by nature are as good as thy selfe art Hath he not sent his seruants vnto thee earely and late to call vpon thee that thou shouldest bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life Hath hee not often trimmed thee with his pruning-hooke of afflictions and crosses sometimes in thy friends at other times in thy goods sometimes one way at other times another and to what end hath all this beene but that thou shouldest bee fruitfull Thus should euery one commune with his soule and put the question to himselfe what God meant in being at such paines and cost with him that so those fruits may be found in vs which the hand of God lookes to gather from vs For to whom much is giuen of them much shall bee required Oh! beware then that thou deceiuest not Gods hope he expecteth fruit of thee let him finde it in thee This point though plaine I finde so needfull to be pressed in this barren age as that I must be bold to pursue it and shew First the Motiues or Reasons inducing vs to fruitfulnesse And secondly acquaint you with some profitable meanes that must be vsed to make vs grow more fruitfull And thirdly acquaint you with the nature and quality of that fruit which we must bring forth that God may accept of it and take pleasure in it All which are necessary points to be handled in the prosecuting and following of this Vse Motiues to fruitfulnesse To begin with the Motiues besides what hath alreadie beene said and shewed of Gods deseruing it by reason of his paines and cost which strongly bindeth vs to obedience sundrie other Reasons may be brought As first Euery creature in it kinde is fruitfull The poorest creature that God hath made is enabled with some gift to imitate the goodnesse and bountie of the Creator and to yeeld something from it selfe to the vse and benefit of others The Sunne Moone and Starres as they are endued with light so they restlesly moue to impart their light and influence to the enlightning of this inferiour world The Clouds flie vp and downe emptying themselues to enrich the earth from which notwithstanding they reape no haruest The Earth liberally yeelds her riches and brings forth food for the maintenance of those innumerable armies of creatures that liue thereon Greene herbe for the cattell and oile and wine for man The valleyes stand thicke with corne the Mower filleth his Sythe and the binder vp of sheaues his bosome Thus it returnes fruits in abundance to the painfull tiller and dresser of it Yea what Herbe Plant or Tree growes vpon the earth which is not in its kind fruitfull spending it selfe and the principall part of its sap and moisture in bringing forth some pleasant berrie or other such like fruit which being ripe and perfect suffers to haue plucked from it for the good of man and voluntarily lets drop downe before his feet And doth not euery one dislike sterilitie in his grounds and barrennesse in his cattell expecting fruitfulnesse in all that belongs vnto him Now then how can it be allowable when heauen and earth are fruitfull in their kinde and neither bird beast nor plant are idle but are euer bringing forth for the good of their Lords and owners that only man should remaine vnfruitfull his faculties and graces idle and he himselfe a burden to the earth Shall not euery creature be a witnesse against man and rise vp in iudgement to condemne him if he be barren fruitlesse And therefore as the Earth to Man so let Man to God returne a blessed vsury ten for one nay thirtie sixtie an hundred fold Secondly the fruitfulnesse of a Christian is the ground-worke of all true prosperitie so that p Psal 1.3 whatsoeuer he
the high God Though Plinius Secundus be an enemie to Christians and a persecutor of them yet their holy and godly conuersation shall make him to certifie the Emperour his Master Traian that they are harmelesse persons Thus let thy life bee holy and innocent and then thou maist fetch a testimony from the conscience of the very enemie And as Dauid said sometimes to Micol obiecting vnto him that euen his owne seruants contemned him for his dancing before the Arke p 2 Sam. 6.22 Of the seruants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour So say I euen those wicked ones that outwardly traduce thee and reuile thee cannot but inwardly they must acquit thee and commend thee their heart and conscience shall speake for thee euen then when their tongue and lips doe speake against thee And when euer it shall please the Lord to set their consciences on the racke or to compasse them about with the snares of death then shall their tongue be constrained will they nill they to discouer what now lies hidden for the iustification of thy righteousnesse Then they crie out oh send for such a man or such a woman they will pray for me and doe me good and giue me comfort and doe we not see daily that they sooner trust for all their talke such as they terme Hypocrites Dissemblers and Precisians with their goods and with their children and with their portions yea and with their soules also before any other The last thing propounded to our consideration in this Appeale is the Parties betweene whom the variance is and they are the Lord and Israel God and his Vineyard God being the Plaintiffe and the whole body of the people euen all Israel and Iudah the Defendants As vnequally matched as euer were Earth and Heauen Strength and Weaknesse or the great Beemoth and the silliest worme that creepes in the chinkes and crannies of the earth God contends with man he that is excellent with them that are but dust who then is like to haue the day Text. Betweene mee and my Vineyard And is it possible that there should be a controuersie betweene God and his Vine which he planted with his owne right hand Betweene him and that people whom he had so highly honoured Then it will follow that Doct. Sin is a make-bate betweene God and man Sinne will make bate and stirre vp strife betweene God and his dearest people There is no Citie no not Ierusalem no people no not Israel nor Iudah be they graced with neuer so many priuileges crowned with neuer so many blessings but sinne will set the Lord and them at variance The Lord hath a controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land saith Hoseah q Hosea 4.1 2. because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land c. Sinne was the breeder of it Babylon r Isay 13.19 the glory of the Kingdomes the beautie of the Caldees excellencie yet her pride set her and God at variance so that her Palaces were made dens of Dragons wilde beasts of the field did lie there their houses were cages for vncleane birds Owles did dwell there Satyres did dance there with dolefull creatures were they filled And thus Sodome Å¿ Gen. 19.24 sometimes as faire and beautifull as Paradise it selfe was set at variance with the Lord by reason of her sinnes t Ezek. 16.49 Pride Idlenesse and Fulnesse of bread c. bred the quarrell and was the cause that shee was made u Zeph. 2.9 a perpetuall desolation And will not those seuen famous Churches of Asia * Reuel 1. 2. 3. Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Laodicea Philadelphia Sardis in the midst whereof God is said to haue his walke witnesse as much Did not their sinnes cause the Lord to contend with them a long time and in the end make him to giue vp their Land to be inhabited by Zijm and Ochim Turkes and Infidels What shall I need to say more Such a variance it made betweene God and the Angels x Iude 6. as that they were turned out of Heauen Betweene God and our great Grand-father as y Gen. 3.22 that he was droue out of Paradise Betweene the Lord and Moses z Deut. 32.51 52. as that it kept him from Canaan And such a contention daily it breeds betweene God and men as that infinite thousands are thereby kept a 1 Cor. 6.9 Reuel 21. out of the Kingdome of Heauen Let all wicked ones hence take notice of their estates Vse 1 which by this Doctrine they may as clearely see as in a glasse For doth sinne set God and man at oddes and is it a make-bate betweene them Then certainly such as liue in it and harbour it cannot be at peace with God What peace saith Iehu to Ioram b 2 King 9.22 so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebel and her witchcrafts are so many So say I What peace so long as that make-bate is harboured in thy brest Nay c Isay 57.21 There is no peace to the wicked saith my God For what d 2 Cor. 6.14 fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse What communion hath light with darknesse What concord hath Christ with Belial God is thy enemie and e Matth. 5.25 hath against thee and therefore see thou agree quickly with thy aduersarie We say in a prouerbe He is poore that God hates true none so poore as the wicked are for what though they haue riches honours friends c. when there is a controuersie betweene God and them f 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge for him said old Ely to his sonnes but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreat for him Seeke therefore reconciliation cast that make-bate our of thy bosome which stirs vp all this strife Sinne is thy owne creature destroy that and God must needs loue thee who art his creature but if thou wilt not then expect no peace but contention and destruction If the Pot will needs contend with the Potter it cannot be but it must be broken Thou art but an earthen Pitcher in the hand of thy Maker and he can full easily dash thee against the wall and stampe thee into powder It is good counsell that the Wise-man giues thee g Eccles 6.10 Contend not with him who is mightier than thy selfe and if thou beest not a foole I aduise thee to follow it lest Woe and Alas come too late Vse 2 And secondly See here the reason why the Lord doth so often bend his browes and turne away his face from his owne people in displeasure Sinne is it that bred the quarrell that was it which causeth it The fashion of many in the day of affliction is to crie out of euill tongues that haue forspoken them and surely say they we are bewitched but if we looke well about vs we shall finde the grand-witch to lie
lurking in our own bosomes It is sinne that hales downe those iudgements on vs and ours h Iosua 7 8-13 What shall I say O Lord when Israel turnes their backes before their enemies said Iosua to God now marke Gods answer Get thee vp wherefore liest thou thus vpon thy face Israel hath sinned they haue transgressed my Couenant which I haue commanded them for they haue euen taken of the accursed thing and haue also stollen and dissembled also and they haue put it euen amongst their owne stuffe Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies because they were accursed neither will I be with you any more except you destroy the accursed thing from amongst you This answer may we giue to the like demand Why are wee so often punished afflicted plagued Surely wee haue taken of that execrable thing and broken the Couenant of the Lord and vntill that accursed thing Sinne be searched out and cast away neuer hope for any fauour to be shewed from the Lord i Ionah 1.15 Ionah must be cast ouer-boord before the storme cease Vse 3 Lastly seeing sinne sets God and his dearest people at variance be they graced with neuer so many excellencies or priuiledges then k Rom. 11.20 be not high minded but feare for whatsoeuer thou art that sinnest against the Lord be thy priuiledges neuer so many or excellent l Ierem. 22.24 wert thou as a signet vpon Gods right hand or as the apple of his eye yet he will haue a controuersie with thee And so for our Land in generall which may seeme to out-vie the felicitie of all other Nations in high and rich prerogatiues Of all the trees in the Garden wee may seeme to be the Vine that God hath set his heart vpon amongst all the varietie of Flowers England is the Lilly and the Rose amongst all the Princes we haue had a Deborah and haue a Dauid amongst all the Prophets of the Lord wee haue the most reuerend Elishaes amongst all the Nurseries and Springs of learning wee haue the most famous Naioths amongst all Lands we haue that Canaan which abounds with plentie of all good things and amongst all Cities wee haue Ierusalem But will these priuiledges beare vs out if wee take libertie to sinne against the Lord Alas they cannot nay so farre are they from stopping Gods wrath as that they will rather make way for it As a man is more offended with the euill behauiour of a seruant that hath beene aduanced by him so the Lord with vs. When Saul behaued himselfe not so well in his Kingdome as he ought it was taken from him and giuen vnto Dauid Hold that thou hast O England lest misery come vpon thee And thus much for the Appeale which was the first thing wee considered in the Plea The Indictment followes in these words Text. What could haue beene done more to my Vineyard that I haue not done in it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes Wherein wee haue an Action commenced against them of Ingratitude which is prosecuted and proued to their faces and therein More particularly we see first how the Lord excuseth himselfe from being in any fault for that their barrennesse No way was he defectiue he had done as much as might be done to make it fruitfull What could haue beene done more to my Vineyard saith he that I haue not done in it And secondly hee accuseth them for horrible vnthankfulnesse in making so vngratefull a returne which accusation is amplified by an Antithesis betweene his iust demand He looked that it should bring forth grapes and their vniust demeanure for it brought forth wilde grapes The forme of the words as we see is Interrogatorie What could haue beene done Wherefore when I looked c. And it is obserued by some that before man fell to sinning God fell not to questioning all his speeches to him were either commendatory or commandatory But when man turned his heart to another obiect then God turned his voice to another accent and the first word he speakes to him after his transgression was a question m Gen. 3.9 Adam where art thou and with the same forme and method of speech hee goeth on n Verse 11. Who told thee thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldest not eat And euer since it is vsuall with the Lord to discusse with man after the same manner sometimes to teach him sometimes to reproue him sometimes to confirme him and oftentimes to conuince him For albeit mans questions are for the most part effects of dubitation doubting being the mother of them that breedeth them and causeth them yet Gods questions are of another nature and haue another vse for they for the most part tend to conuince the conscience and bring it to a sense and science of sinne And so here God doth Appeale to the consciences of these Israelites and fetch euidence against them from the impartiall euidence of their owne hearts What could haue beene done more q.d. Is there any thing that could haue beene desired of a Husbandman wherein I haue beene wanting Shew me wherein I haue failed of my dutie alledge what you can against me let your consciences speake Wherefore when I looked c. Some reade it Why haue I looked o Moller in loc as if God should expostulate with himselfe why he expected any good fruit from so naughty and peruerse a people and that he doth after the manner of men who oftentimes complaine of themselues and are offended with themselues when the euent of a thing doth not answer their hope and expectation for that they haue bestowed such cost and paines to so little purpose But others thinke this sense to be the plainer p Calu. in loc Seeing I haue fully discharged my dutie and haue done aboue all that could haue beene expected in husbanding my Vine whence comes it that it yeelds me so euill recompence Now haply some may obiect Obiect that albeit God had thus planted and watered his Church and vsed all outward meanes for the fertilitie thereof yet seeing as the Apostle sheweth q 1 Cor. 3. Pauls planting is nothing nor Apolloes watering without Gods blessing how could God say he had done all that could be done when he with-held a blessing and softned not their hearts that the meanes might become profitable Might not this man of Iudah and inhabitant of Ierusalem haue had replied Resp 1 in the words of the Leper r Matth. 8.2 Why Lord if thou wilt Loquitur de sufficientia externoris mediorum non internae gratiae Hieron Vrsin Simul pluit Dominus super segetes super spinas sed segeti pluit ad horreum spinis ad ignem tamen vna est pluvia August de benedict Esau Iacob thou canst make vs cleane For answer hereunto First we are to know that God
say more We haue fallen and God caused it Wicked and fearefull thoughts When Adam sinned f Gen. 3.12 he blamed his wife and shee God himselfe and we haue sucked the same milke but as it would not serue Adams turne no more will it serue ours Cease then thou foolish one from charging God or drawing him in as an accessarie to thy prophanenesse God would haue thee saued but thou wilt not He labours to make thee good and darest thou lay to his charge thy owne voluntarie badnesse Behold God is so farre from being guilty of thy miserie as that he giueth thee his Word his Sacraments and affordeth thee all good helps to mollifie thy heart iustifying himselfe by these proferd meanes of thy saluation that he hath no desire nor delight in thy destruction and darest thou charge him with thy damnation Thou saist If God would it should be otherwise if he Obiect 1 please he could saue without these meanes True Resp if we speake of his absolute power as was before shewed but it is his actuall power that thou must looke vnto and so he hauing tied the end and the meanes together cannot because he will not bring thee to the end without thy vsing of those meanes which tend vnto the end for that is the ordinarie course which he hath decreed to vse and which he will not alter but vpon speciall occasion as our Sauiour noteth g Luke 4.26 27. in the cure of Naaman and in the feeding of the widow of Sarepta God hath ordained that a mans bodie should liue by the meanes of meat drinke sleep c. shouldst thou now neglect these meanes for the preseruation thereof and yet accuse God if thou growest sicke and weake c. because if he would he could continue health and strength vnto thee without these helps I am sure that all men would condemne thee nay that thou wouldst condemne thy selfe of folly and presumption Obiect 2 Thou pleadest further Gods decree for albeit thou vse the meanes yet the end is already decreed and who can alter it Resp. But secret things belong vnto the Lord leaue them to him It is not for thee to pry into that Arke which is couered with a curtaine of holy secrecie not to be drawne aside vntill that day comes wherein we shall know as we are knowne That signed and reuealed will written in Tables published with trumpets is it to which thou standest bound Neither doth the necessitie of this Decree excuse for God doth not by his Decree force thee vnto euill but he findes thee euill and prone only vnto it of thy selfe He decrees that thou shalt be so or so and knoweth that thou wouldst be so had he neuer decreed it but seeing thou knowest not what this his decree is vse the meanes and condemne not God Thus learne to chamber thy tongue vaine man for God cannot be charged nor any way blamed with thy sinfulnesse and barrennesse Lay thy hand vpon thy mouth and condemne thy selfe for h Hos 13. Thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israel Say not what can I remedie it if God will not saue me for what can God doe more than he hath done for thee God raines vpon thee his holy deawes and is not wanting in his purging and pruning thee with his corrections He hath giuen thee strange and excellent meanes so that it is only thou that art wanting to thy selfe Heauen is good but thy ground is naught A cunning Caruer can cut the similitude of any creature yet not on a rotten sticke where lies the fault Surely in the rottennesse of the wood and not in the Caruers cunning that thou art not wrought vpon the fault is thy owne and not the Lords Thy case is that of Ierusalem How often would I haue gathered thee and thou wouldst not If then thou smartest for thy sinfull and barren life thanke thy selfe for thou art the cause God only the auenger thy bloud then be vpon thy owne head that which will die let it die And thus much for the first point A second followes and I propound it thus The wicked will still continue wicked Doct. The wicked will still continue wicked notwithstanding all means to the contrarie although God vse all good meanes that can be vsed to bring them vnto good and make them better God had done what might be done and yet his Vineyard is as bad nay worse than euer A pregnant proofe this our Prophet giues vs when he saith i Isay 26.10 Let fauour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learne righteousnesse in the land of vprightnesse will he deale vniustly and will not behold the Maiestie of the Lord. Such is the vile and cursed nature of them as that no mercy nor fauour can worke with them to doe well nay in the land of vprightnesse amongst many occasions and meanes of good they will doe wickedly And thus Ieremiah to the same purpose k Ier. 2.30 31. In vain I haue smitten your children they receiued no correction c. O Generation see ye the word of the Lord haue I been a wildernesse vnto Israel a land of darknesse wherefore say my people We are Lords we will come no more vnto thee And againe l Cap. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eies vpon the truth thou hast stricken them but they haue not grieued thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction they haue made their faces harder than a rocke they haue refused to returne And so Amos m Amos 4.6 sheweth how incorrigible the wicked of his time were no correction that the Lord could vse would better them Many are the examples likewise that might be brought for the further strengthening of this truth as of Pharaoh Ahaz and others but I purposely forbeare inasmuch as something hath formerly beene spoken to this purpose Now briefly for the vse which is For Admonition Vse that we beware of this sinne which hath an aggrauating circumstance with it for then is sinne most vile and filthie when it breakes out against those meanes that should haue kept it in Meanes that should keepe vs from sinne Amongst many of which meanes these are some which let vs all take especiall notice of 1. Vowes First our Vowes and promises which we haue often made vnto the Lord both in health and sicknesse that we would doe such or such a holy dutie and refraine from such or such an euill action let vs beware of sinning against these our vowes are Gods debts and they must be paid and therefore saith Solomon n Eccles 5.4 5. When thou vowest a vow to God deferre not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fooles pay that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay And indeed o Iuste exigitur ad soluendum qui non cogitur ad vouendum Bern. he is iustly required to pay
and now with this sudden iudgement of winde vpon that little store of Corne remaining in haruest God hath taken from vs our stay and staffe of bread What shall I need to speake of those many Earthquakes mightie inundations of waters great hailestones strange Eclipses monstrous births which euery yeere brings forth Certainly if the Sorcerers of Egypt were now amongst vs they would confesse these to be the finger of God But fooles and blind that we are who haue no eies to see nor harts to vnderstand these things or at most make of them but a nine daies wonderment and so passe them ouer And againe hath not God often warned vs by lesser and lighter iudgements hath hee not visited vs with Famines Pestilence and other such like infection of sicknesse These are but as warning-peeces shot off in our eares and assured fore-runners of greater iudgements vnlesse repentance cut off their course Perk. Exhort to Repent For looke as one cloud followeth another till the Sunne consume them so one iudgement hastens after another and Repentance only is the Sunne that must dispell them And lastly that the righteous perish who seeth not and yet alas who seeth it so as to consider it in his heart The Lords hand hath beene vpon vs these many yeeres and hath come not in fauour to weed out the worst but in displeasure to gather the best and ripest Amongst our Princes he hath smitten at our chiefest Amongst our Nobles he hath taken of our noblest Amongst our Magistrates he hath fetched away of our vprightest Surely surely God neuer thus beheads a State or Countrey but for some treason The Shepherds are smitten for the sheepes vnthankefulnesse vnfruitfulnesse What shall I say more Death hath beene at the Citie as well as at the Court and in the Countrey as well as in the Citie and hath fetched away of all sorts almost the best And can this be any other than a plaine prognostication of some euill nigh at hand which euils they haue preuented by their death God grant we likewise may preuent them by our Repentance To draw towards a conclusion of this paint let euery one in particular yea thou that hearest and readest this goe home to thy selfe and make application hereof to thy owne soule for God speaketh in particular to thee as well as to any other and demandeth of thee how thou hast profited by these or the like warnings For hath he not often by the ministery of his seruants come so home vnto thy conscience as that thou hast beene perswaded and enforced to confesse thou art the man he meaneth and at whom he aimeth And what drunkard or prophane Esau is there here amongst vs who hath not been at sometimes or other told by them that if they repent not they shall be damned Besides haue not thine eies seene his signes and wonders in the heauens vpon the earth c. Thou hast heard and hast beene told of such a childe borne without a mouth or with two heads or with one eye c. why take thou warning this is meant to thee as well as to any other And hath not the Lord smote thee hitherto with a little rod afflicted thee wiâ—h light losses crosses c. see then thou d Mich. 6.9 hearest the rod and who hath appointed it And once againe I will demand of thee answer mee Hast thou not beene depriued of some faithfull friend it may be of a godly husband a religious wife a Christian and carefull parent a gratious childe a faithfull Shepherd or a true hearted brother If it be so take it as the shaking of the rod and as a warning from God vnto thee that thou mend thy manners Remember Solomons Prouerbe e Prou. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the euill and hideth himselfe but the simple passe on and are punished Be thou that wiseman not this foole but foresee the danger and preuent it before it fall Oh happie man to heare this word before it fall sound in thine eares As for many thousands it is fallen irrecouerably vpon them alreadie to those poore soules it cannot be said as now it is to thee Preuent it by repentance before it fall for iudgement hath alreadie seized vpon them but how happie art thou if thou knewest thy happinesse in that thy day is yet to come And therefore I say to thee take warning by these things and preuent the euill before it fall for when it is fallen there is no preuenting of it f Luke 19.41 Oh that thou knewest at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace and that they were not hidden from thine eies My praier shall be for thee my selfe and the whole land in generall that we may so doe Euen so O Lord open our eies that we may so see thee warning as that we may feare thee threatning and obey thee teaching and patiently suffer thee chastising and at last be by thee made partakers of those good things Which g 2 Cor. 2.9 neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor can enter into the heart of man Amen Amen What I will doe Great was Gods mercy towards this his people in foretelling and premonishing them of vengeance Text. And this makes it greater in his prolonging of it He doth not by and by inflict but will a while deferre There shall be some delay and pause some lucida interualla misericordiae A breathing time and mercifull space is granted betweene the fault and punishment And therefore he speakes not in the present tense but in the future What I will doe where we see and whence we learne God is of a patient and forbearing nature Doctr. God is of a patient and forbearing nature of much gentlenesse and long sufferance forbearing sinners for some space after they haue transgressed before he proceed to punish Many examples might be brought for proofe h Isay 65.2 All the day long he did wait vpon the Israelites stretching out his hand to that disobedient and rebellious people i Gen. 19.1.23 A whole night did he forbeare destroying Sodome after he had told Abraham thereof and forewarned them by Lot k Ion. 3.4 Fortie daies did the Lord allot vnto Niniuie for their Repentance Yet fortie daies and Niniuie shall be destroied l Luke 13.7 Three yeeres did he beare with the barren figge tree before he would cut it downe with the Axe of his iudgements He suffered the ill manners the word is very significant of the Israelites m Act. 13.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortie yeares in the Wildernesse before he did destroy them n Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 One hundred and twentie yeares respit of repenting God gâ—ue the old World euen all the while the Arke was a preparing o Gen. 15.16 For the space of foure hundred yeeres he spared the Canaanites and Amorites Yea he suffered the Gentiles to wander in their owne waies and in the vanitie
the stroke of death and destruction hell and damnation Can any wicked man say with warrant I am here free from the dart of death I shall surely carry my selfe from hence iudgement shall not seize on me in this place Can any of them say at any repast or recreation I shall continue out this feast or game or sport to the end before my fall or ruine This delight shall not be interrupted and broken off by feare and torment before it be fully finished Alas they cannot for euill shall p Psal 140.11 hunt the wicked to destruction and q Prou. 13.21 pursue him and in the end r Deut. 28.45 ouertake him and seize vpon him So that as the Hare runneth in hazard and ieopardie before the Greyhound and is at last snatcht vp so is it with the wicked whose damnation sleepeth not True it is no mens estates seeme to be more happie nor no mens stayes more strong and who more secure than these men are But all is not gold that glisters Their hope is as the Spiders web their staffe they leane on is but an Egyptian reed that will in the end breake runne into their shoulders and lay them flat along the earth Their securitie is but senselesnesse and blockish stupiditie and well compared to that of Ionahs Å¿ Ionah 1. who slept most soundly when hee had most cause to watch and pray The Lord is pursuing him as a vagrant and fugitiue The officers of God are about him to apprehend him the winde rageth the waues of the sea roare and beat against the ship wherein he was and roule with violence against the Barke refusing all other satisfaction offered by the Mariners so that all the company that be with him are afraid and compelled to crie euery man vnto his god yet Ionah is still sleeping vnder hatches Thus fareth it with the wicked The Lord stands offended with them the heauens aboue are closed vpon them Hell beneath is open to receiue them Gods fearefull iudgements are ready to lay hands vpon them the Deuill is at hand waiting when they shall be deliuered to him yet they lie snorting in their sinnes sleeping betweene Death and Hell as Peter did t Acts 12.6 betweene the two souldiers being fast bound with chaines or to vse Solomons Prouerbe As a Sailer vpon the top-mast in the midst of a storme there being but a haires bredth betweene them and their destruction See then thy estate thou who art from vnder Gods protection liuing in thy sinnes thou liuest in perpetuall perill thou maist eat and drinke make merry and be iocund but thou hast little reason Belshazzar u Dan. 5.2.5 may carowse it in golden and siluer vessels but hee had little cause when his doome was written on the wall * 2 Sam. 13.28 Amnons heart may cheere him but as little reason had he Death being so nigh at hand Be then as merry as you will you wicked ones this I am sure of your wretched estate giues you no leaue Lastly here is a ground of encouragement for the Vse 4 faithfull when they haue iust cause to band themselues against the wicked and are constrained to meddle with euill men Pax populi patriaeque salus gloria Regni or to vndertake warre against the enemies of the Church either for the defence of true Religion or for the releeuing and deliuering of such as are oppressed for religion or for the safetie and defence of Land and people or for other such like iust causes that wee lift vp our heads and hearts with hope of victory because we haue to doe with weake and naked men Thus Iosua and Caleb comforted the people against the Canaanites saying x Num. 14.9 Rebell yee not against the Lord neither feare ye the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not This was that also wherewith Abijah the King of Iudah y 2 Chro. 13.10 11 12. comforted himselfe going against the mightie armie of Ieroboam with this let vs and all Gods people comfort our selues when we are to goe out against our aduersaries for they come out into the field as souldiers without weapons they haue neither shield nor buckler nor breast-plate nor helmet nor sword nor speare their loines are vngirt their feet vnshod their heads are vncouered in the day of battell they lie open as naked men to be wounded and destroyed and therefore z 2 Chron. 32.7 Be strong and couragious feare not neither be afraid for the wicked nor all their multitude for there is more with vs than is with them with them is an arme of flesh but with vs is the Lord our God for to helpe vs and to fight our battels And so much for this Now we goe on Text. It shall be eaten vp and trodden downe This followes vpon the former The hedge and wall being pluckt vp and broken downe way is made whereby the beasts of the field that is the enemies of the Church shall haue free egresse and regresse to eat and deuoure and not only so but to tread downe and spoile they should not only trouble and afflict them but also ouercome them and enter into their possessions carrying away what they list making strip and waste of the rest Doctr. The wicked cannot hurt vntill God forsake The first point hence to be obserued is Vntill God breake downe the wall and plucke vp the hedge of his protection wherewith his people are encompassed the wicked and vngodly cannot hurt them or any way harme them God must giue yea make way before they can come in vpon them to afflict them a Deut. 32.30 How should one chase a thousand Id est Qui fieri potuisset vt hostis vnicus persequeretur mille Israelitas nisi quod c. Vatab. in loc and two put ten thousand to flight saith Moses in that same sweet song which he sang a little before his death except their rocke had sold them and the Lord had shut them vp This was a thing impossible that one enemie should chase a thousand Israelites and two Gentiles put a thousand Iewes to flight had not that God who had beene before their rocke deliuered them vp into the hands of those their enemies The Deuill himselfe who is the greatest of all their enemies and strongest of that hellish band being the great Goliah in that armie of Philistines can doe nothing without permission hee must haue a commission to goe forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets b 1 King 22. vers 22. that he and his people may fall at Ramoth Gilead He must beg leaue at Gods hands to touch Iob c Iob 1.11 such a hedge being made about him and all he had on euery side that there was no comming at him except God leaue open some gap for this foule beast to
doe what they list but what God will they cannot execute what they please but what pleaseth him Let Atheists Papists and all other prophane persons desist from deuising euill against Gods Sion A p Numb 23.8 Prophet of their owne side will teach them it is in vaine to curse whom God hath blessed Vse 4 Lastly as Noahs q Gen. 8.11 Doue brought in her mouth an oliue leafe so doth this doctrine bring with it tidings of peace and comfort to such as are in Christ For if it be so that man cannot hurt vntill God giue way then r Psalm 5.11 12. Let all those that put their trust in thee reioice let them euer shout for ioy because thou defendest them let them also that loue thy name bee ioyfull in thee For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous with fauour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield What the Apostle speakes in case of damnation may bee spoken also in case of â—â—nger Å¿ Rom. 8.1 There is none vnto them They are alike safe in euery place euen in the midst of their mortall enemies as amongst their kindest friends and so likewise at all seasons for whereas the wicked who are without God are like a bird without a nest or a beast without a den liable to any storme that ariseth and danger that befals yet it is otherwise with the godly they know whither to goe to bee hid from the strife of tongues and violence of Tyrants Gods fauour ioyned with his mighty power and faithfulnesse is a t Prou. 18.10 strong tower thither the righteous runne and are exalted which fort and castle of defence is euery where and no time is vnseasonable to repaire vnto it no place an impediment to hinder them from it no bodily weaknesse can disable them of it their iourney may be vndertaken at midnight as well as at mid-day and they may runne apace as they sit in their houses or lie in their beds and the feeblest creeple may make as good speed as the swiftest footman the wals thereof can no enemy scale the forts thereof can no aduersary batter well may our enemies assault vs but no multitude nor power can preuaile against vs because u 2 King 6.16 he that is with vs is stronger than they that are against vs * Psalm 32.6 so that the flouds of great waters can neuer come nigh vs. Oh the security and felicity of the faithfull maruellous great it is who haue such a tower to flie vnto and such a shield to couer and compasse them round about as is impenetrable no sword no dart nor shot can possibly strike them vntill it pierce him so fenced are they in their goods in their cattell and in all that belongs vnto them that no wicked spirit by any art can come neere to touch them without a speciall commission from the Almighty When Philip King of Macedon had slept a sound sleepe and at length waking spying Antipater by him he vsed these words as the story saith x Plutarch No maruell I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched It would not haue fallen out so well with this Land in generall and many no nor any of vs in particular had not this Ante-pater our gracious Father who was before all worlds beene our mercifull keeper In 88. fierce enemies intended the inuasion of this Land but they were foiled and England triumphed for the Lord of Hoasts was our defender Many enterprises haue beene vndertaken against our most gracious Soueraigne especially that hellish attempt of popish monsters in that infernall Powder-plot yet King Iames is waked and long may he wake for Ante-pater stood by and watched O still stand by and watch but as for his enemies they are executed as traitors and haue slept their last And so let them perish oh Lord. Obiect But doe wee not see how the godly are wronged spoiled yea and sometimes killed by their aduersaries Resp. True yet this commeth not to passe through the force of their aduersaries might but by the will and permission of the Lord neither doth hee suffer it to satisfie their foes but to increase their felicity and for their good For it is with the godly as with the beast in the field which is safer in a storme than in the fairest seasons the storme driueth him to his den and harbour but when it is ouer hee commeth forth and is in danger to bee taken of the hunter Thus in trouble the godly flie vnto the clefts of their Rocke and get vnder the wing of their Protector but when troubles are ouer they are in greater danger to be ensnared Wee know raine and thunder are many times better for corne and grasse than faire sunne-shine so here Againe God hath promised not to defend vs from troubles but preserue vs in troubles Our y Formido sublata est non pugna Leo. Feare shall be taken away not our Fight And so though we be persecuted yet we be not forsaken though slaine yet not ouercome nay when we seeme to be ouercome then doe we ouercome our enemies Though we beare away the blowes and are slaine by them yet God still preserues vs and we obtaine a noble victorie z Rom. 8.37 Excellent was that speech which sometimes Anaxarchus vsed when as Nicocreon the tyrant commanded he should be beaten to death in a morter Beat and bray said he to the executioner as long as thou wilt Anaxarchus his sachell meaning his body but Anaxarchus thou canst not touch Thus are the godly preserued by God who putteth his right hand vnder their heads and giues them grace sufficient proportioning their strength to the burden mitigating their sorrowes making them possesse their soules in patience yea to reioyce in their tribulation as appeareth not only in the examples a Acts 5.41 Cap. 16. of the Apostles in the Acts but also by the practise of some in our owne Nation in the time of persecution as Glouer Farrar Hawkes with diuers other Reade their stories in the Act. and Mon. the later of which three being desired by some of his godly friends to giue some token when hee was in the flames whether the paine were tolerable or no for their further confirmation after his eies were started out of his head his fingers consumed with the fire and when euery one thought him dead and did expect the fall of his body suddenly lifts vp his stumps and thrice as a famous conquerer claps them ouer his head in token of victory Thus the faithfull famously conquer when they seeme to be conquered by their enemies I remember what one saith b Rupertus of S. Laurence his patience and constancy when hee was broiled on the gridiron That God was more glorified by it than if hee had saued his body from burning by a miracle So vndoubtedly it is as much for Gods glory to preserue vs in our suffering as to preserue vs altogether from
be admonished not to trust those too farre who are irreligious a Lion is a Lion though he be chained it is good not comming within his reach though he seeme to fawne a Wolfe is a Wolfe though he be in sheeps clothing and at length will shew his woluish disposition they haue the voice of Iacob but the hands of Esau words of a brother but hands of an enemie they can salute with a kisse but persecute with the sword The Fisher baits the hooke when he would deceiue the fish and the Fowler sings swetly when hee would deceiue the bird So the enemies of the Church when they pretend greatest curtesie then they intend greatest villanie when they offer treaties of peace leagues of mariages and such like confederacies then is it to be feared the net is a spreading and the snare a laying It is wisdome therefore not to trust them No faith saith the Papist is to be kept with heretikes and we are ranke ones as they say therefore no faith to be kept with vs. Take heed therefore of them and though they seeme now to be Foxes passant and Dogs couchant yet were time and opportunitie offered which Lord for thy mercy sake neuer suffer they would shew themselues to be Lions rampant seeking only our ruine and desolation And secondly seeing the enemies of the Church are Vse 2 so outragious when they are suffered to enter into Gods vineyard making strip and waste of all oh then let vs all striue with God by earnest prayer that we may be deliuered and preserued from such a 2 Thess 3.2 vnreasonable men whose wrath and malice knoweth no end nor measure being of Hannibals minde in whose eyes no sight was more pleasing than a ditch swimming ouer with mans bloud And seeing that by reason of our sinnes we haue deserued great plagues which we may daily looke for and expect let vs pray with Dauid b 2 Sam. 24.14 that we may rather fall into the hands of God than of man because with him is mercy yea in his very correction c Hab. 3.2 he remembreth mercy But if we be giuen ouer into the hands of the wicked there is no mercy to be looked for no moderation to be expected They can neuer finde in their hearts to say that to themselues which God did to his destroying Angell d 2 Sam. 24.16 It is enough put vp thy sword Hitherto God hath taken the rod into his owne hand and smitten vs himselfe by famines pestilence inundations of waters and the like but if he should deliuer vs into the hands of our bloudy enemies the Papists we should then soone discerne the difference betwixt the louing chastisements of a father and the bloudy strokes of an enemie Let vs therefore turne to God with Israel and pray with their words e Iudg. 10.15 We haue sinned O Lord we haue sinned doe thou vnto vs whatsoeuer seemeth good to thee deliuer vs only we pray thee this day Why shouldst thou sell vs into the hands of idolatrous Papists who will giue thine honour to stocks and stones and not vnto thy maiestie who giueth them the victorie For thy names sake be mercifull to vs our God and if we must fall by reason of our fearefull sinnes let thine owne hand cast vs downe not theirs for there is mercy in thy blowes Doe thou then take vs to doe O God and shew thy selfe a tender and indulgent father towards vs by correcting vs thy selfe as hitherto thou hast done and deliuer vs not to that mercilesse generation whose f Psal 30.14 57.4 teeth are swords and their iawes as kniues who know no end of scourging vs till they haue also made an end of vs whom they scourge So shall wee sing praises to thy name and say g Psal 124.6 Blessed be the Lord who hath not giuen vs as a prey vnto their teeth Text. And I will lay it waste Or I will make it a desolation so that it shall haue none to inhabit it The people of the land shall be swept away with the sword and the earth shall be robbed of all her goodly ornaments It shall neither be inhabited by men nor adorned with her beautifull fruits as it were with her princely coat of diuers colours but become as a desolate and forsaken wildernesse This is the meaning And hence note we the miserie of warre Doct. Warâ—â— is the forerunner of desolation War is that miserable desolation which findes a land before it like Eden and leaues it behinde like Sodome a desolate and forsaken wildernesse The fiercenesse rage of it Moses expresseth and describeth when he telleth the Israelites h Deut. 28.49 58. of a Nation that should come from farre as swift as the Eagle fleeth and of fierce countenance who should not regard the person of the old nor shew fauour to the young who should eat the fruit of their cattell and the fruit of their land vntill they were destroied who should not leaue them either corne wine or oile nor increase of Kine nor flockes of Sheepe but should besiege them in their gates vntill their high and fenced walls came downe wherein they trusted throughout all their land by reason whereof they should be driuen to eat the fruit of their owne bodie the flesh of their sonnes and of their daughters which the Lord their God had giuen them in the siege and in the straitnesse wherewith their enemies should distresse them So that men should haue euill or couetous eyes towards their brethren and wiues of their bosomes and their children which they should leaue in not giuing to any of them of the flesh of their children which they should eat for feare lest they should haue none left for themselues in the straitnesse of the siege And the tender and delicate women who would not aduenture to set the sole of their feet vpon the ground for delicatenesse shall be as niggardly towards their husbands and towards their sonnes and daughters and towards their young ones For they shall eat their children secretly and in corners that none might get any part away from them because of the siege wherewith their enemie should distresse them Fearefull threatnings But is it possible that the miserie or mischiefe of warre should be so great Were not these threatnings made to keepe them in obedience only Surely nothing is there threatned but warre hath brought forth To instance in that vnmatchable instance of the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespasian who besieged it for the space of fiue months threescore and eleuen yeeres after Christs incarnation or thereabouts In which time there passed many assaults and skirmishes much slaughter and bloudshed being made both on the one side and other The famine meane while afflicting the City was such as no Historie can parallel i Fame impellebantur vt vel equorum lora suos baltheos calceos coria comederent Pontan Bibl. conc ToÌ„ 4.
ad Dom. 10. Trinit Horses Asses Dogs Cats Rats were good vnto their tastes But this food failing they were driuen to eat courser fare yea those things which vnreasonable creatures would not eat as the leather of their shooes and of their targets of their bridles and of their girdles and the like Oxe dung was a pretious dish vnto them and the shreddings of pot-herbes cast out and trodden vnder foot and withered were taken vp againe for nourishment What miserable meat was this And yet as miserable as it was the childe would snatch it from his parent k Rapiebant parentibus filij parentes filijs de ipsis faucibus cibus proferebatur Egesip de excid Hieros l 5. c. 18. and the parent from his childe euen from out his iawes Yea some to prolong their liues would not sticke to eat vp that that others had vomited and cast vp And yet harken to a far more lamentable accident than all this yet The mother takes her owne childe from her brests a harmelesse suckling filly infant and thus speakes to it l Ioseph de bell Judaico lib. 7. cap. 18. Little infant poore wretch in war in famine in sedition for whom shall I preserue thee for whom shall I saue thee aliue If thou liue thou must be a slaue vnto the Romanes but famine preuents thy seruitude yea and the mutinous Iewes are more cruell than either the Romans or the famine Be thou therefore meat to me a furie to the mutinous and euen a mocke of the life of man And when shee had thus spoken shee kild it and boyled the dead bodie of it and eat the one halfe and reserued the other for another time The mutinous Iewes drawne by the sent and sauour of this meat brake into this womans house and threaten to slay her if shee bring it not forth vnto them Shee tels them shee hath meat indeed but shee had reserued it for her selfe neuerthelesse seeing they did so vrge her shee would bring it to them So shee brings them the reliques of her sonne at which sight they standing amazed and shrinking backe with feare and horrour the mother said thus vnto them This meat you see is indeed part of my owne sonne it was my deed to kill it eat yee of it for I haue eaten Will you be more tender than a woman more pitifull than a mother Eat I say for I haue eaten If you will not eat it shall remaine for me his mother Oh fearefull horrid inhumane actâ— The famine still continuing they are compelled to begin to issue out of their Citie gates and no sooner were they out bur they were still taken and crucified vpon Crosses and Gibbets set vp before the walls that they who were within might by beholding of this spectacle be moued to giue ouer but yet they continued obstinate and would not Fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp till there were neither trees to be gotten nor any more space left to set them in and desire being made to know the number of dead carkasses which were carried out of the Citie for want of buriall to bee throwne in ditches as dung vpon the earth they found the number to be numberlesse so that no way could it certainly be knowne but out of one Gate the keeper had noted an hundred and fifty thousand dead bodies to be carried out And thus what with the extremitie of the famine what with the furie of the sword and what with sicknesse during the time of this warre there perished in Ierusalem and the Prouince adioyning as some credible m Euseb in Chro. Orosius lib. 7. Authors affirme about six hundred thousand able men to beare armes or as others hold n Ioseph de bell Iud. lib. 7. cap. 17. who were present at the warre there died eleuen hundred thousand besides others taken captiue to the number of ninety seuen thousand The Iewes thus dead and scattered what became now of their glorious Citie Their holy Temple it was burnt their strong and high walls were throwne downe all the Citie became waste and desolate and so it remaines to this day And thus we see what Moses there threatned is here fulfilled to the vtmost both which proue my doctrine and make it good That albeit warre finde a land like Eden it will leaue it like a Sodome a desolate and forsaken wildernesse If these be not sufficient Lament reade the whole booke of Ieremiahs Lamentations and there we shall finde that the mercies of warre are cruell As also what this our Prophet Isaiah saith in the ninth of this his prophesie where speaking of the troubles that should befall the people for their sinnes saith o Isai 9.19 20. The people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shal eat on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eat euery man the flesh of his owne arme Where we see warre is compared to the fire and it feedeth vpon and destroyeth the people as the fire consumeth straw or wood or like as an hungry man who snatcheth at the right hand and at the left and is not satisfied such is the vnsatiable hungrie desire of warre there is no measure nor satictie of bloud Let vs thus apply this point Vse 1 First for Admonition vnto vs all that wee be heartily and vnfainedly thankfull for the long peace and prosperitie that we haue enioyed vnder the conduct of our worthy Deborah our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and still doe enioy vnder the gouernment of our peaceable Solomon and Princely Ecclesiastes who came vnto vs like Noahs Doue p Gen. 8.11 with an Oliue branch of peace and hath shut their on gates of warre and setled peace amongst vs so that we may sit q 2 Sam. 7.1 euery one vnder our owne Vines and Fig-trees and there is none to make vs afraid Which blessing is no common blessing that we of this little Iland at this day doe enioy Our neighbours round about vs are at this day whirled about in tumultuous broiles while our Britaine like the Center standeth still vnmouable in so much that it is hard to say whether other Nations more enuie or admire vs. In peace our Merchants trade abroad and bring home r Psal 104.15 Wines to make glad the heart of man and Oyle to make his face to shine In peace our Magistrates fit at home Å¿ 2 King 7. and giue iudgement in the gates of Israel for maintaining of peace In peace the Messengers of peace t Isay 52.7 preach vnto vs the sweet tidings of the Gospell In peace our Husbandmen u Iames 5.7 sow their corne in hope and reape with ioy In peace * Psal 144.12 13 14. our sonnes as plants grow vp in their youth and our daughters are as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace Our garners are full affording
b Matth. 6.13 that kingdome power and glory is Gods Reason And no maruell seeing he alone made all c Coloss 1.16 without any helpe Yea he it is that doth preserue and vphold d Acts 17.24 Reuel 4.11 all things that are made and therefore he must needs haue absolute soueraigntie and authoritie ouer all Obiect But Sathan is called e 2 Cor. 4.4 Resp. 1. the God of this world and most obey him How then is God so absolute a Lord Sathan is so called First because he challengeth it to himselfe and not that he is so for f Psal 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein He only vsurps it as he did when he told our blessed Sauiour g Matth. 4.8 All the kingdomes of the world he would giue him if he would fall downe and worship him And thus the Deuill is called the God of this world as Absolom was called King by vsurpation Secondly and especially he is called a God because the wicked make him so suffering him to rule ouer them and reigne in them giuing him that honour and worship which indeed belongs to God It is not then Satans power that makes him a God but mans weaknesse in yeelding to his suggestions Neither doth this obedience which most giue him make against what is now taught for we may not measure and esteeme of soueraigntie and authoritie by the obedience or disobedience of subiects but by the right of authoritie which any hath ouer a land or people What if most men should not obey their Prince but his enemie would it follow hereupon that he should not be their Lord but that other whom they serue Nothing lesse So here And againe Satan himselfe is but Gods slaue seruing as an executioner or tormenter of the wicked now we know Princes are as well Lords ouer such as they are ouer the very best Now we come to see what Vses will follow hereupon And first seeing God is absolute Lord ouer all that is Vse 1 or euer was let wicked men be admonished aduisedly to consider from whom they haue had what now they doe enioy and whether they hold their lands and their possessions as we say in Capite All as we see is Gods if wee hold not what we haue from him we are but as theeues robbers vsurpers Tell me then thou worldly wealthy wise one canst thou say of thy lands possessions leases moneys as Iacob did h Gen. 32.10 that God hath giuen them thee I feare me nay the bad meanes thou vsedst for the attainment of them will gainsay it God giues what hee giues by lawfull meanes thy courses were sinfull and vnlawfull as lying couzenage oppression vsury extortion or the like whereby these were gotten Whence is it that Trades are called crafts and mysteries but from hence in that more liue by the craft and sinne of their Trades than by the Trade it selfe Hence also is it that men are faine to bee as warie in buying and bargaining with most Tradesmen in these sinfull daies as if they were fallen into the hands of theeues and cut-purses Will not these things witnesse against many at the last day that they haue not lawfully what they haue Will not these sinfull courses conuict thousands of theft before the Lord Yes questionlesse Happy were it for these if they could in time see it and repent thereof and make restitution of what they haue thus vniustly gotten while there is helpe and hope otherwise let such be assured a day will come when as they shall be compelled to restore and say to Satan and the world as Iudas did to the High Priests Take your siluer your gold your wealth againe i Math. 27.3 4. It is the price of bloud but shall finde no better answer than that they gaue him What is that to vs thou shouldst haue looked to it Vse 2 Secondly is God such an absolute Lord hauing power and dominion ouer all Particulars wherein we are to shew our obedience to the Lord. let this serue for our Instruction and teach vs all to shew our alleageance to him in the practise of these duties First in carrying in our hearts a feare and reuerence of his maiestie euen such a feare as doth proceed from loue this God requireth k Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his master If then I be a father where is my honour and if I be a master where is my feare saith the Lord Almighty Secondly by an open profession and acknowledgement that he is our Lord. Euen as seruants by their liuerie make knowne to all men whose they are and whom they serue So doe thou both by words and deeds make knowne to whom thou dost belong and be not ashamed of thy master thou hast no cause He is farre from being a faithfull seruant that can stand by and be dumbe in case his master be dishonoured Thirdly in giuing him absolute and vniuersall obedience cheerefully subiecting our selues in all things and at all times to his commands Here must be no reasoning about no inquiring into his commandements as may be into mens for they must be obeyed in him yea disobeyed for him if they command any thing contrary to his will but he must be obeyed absolutely in all the parts of his will reuealed His sayings must be our doings Ipse dixit must be sufficient Fourthly by acknowledging our selues to be accountable vnto him for all our waies and workes Still remembring the goods we vse are none of ours they are our Lords and we are but stewards l Luke 16.2 who must shortly be called to a reckoning He that spendeth his owne need care the lesse but he that hath a matter of trust committed into his hands and cannot spend but out of anothers stocke had need to looke about him because he must be countable and so enforced to make good whatsoeuer he commeth short in in his reckonings Aske then thy selfe what haue I that I haue not receiued of my Lord and Master Whence had I these gifts of bodie minde health wealth c. but of him And so carry thy selfe in the vsing of these as that thou maist be able to hold vp thy head before the Lord in that day of reckoning And thus we see some particulars wherein we are to testifie our loyalty and obedience Lastly this may be a ground of moderation and meeknesse Vse 3 for all superiours in their dealings with their inferiours and such as are vnder their gouernment seeing as they are Lords ouer others so they haue a Lord aboue them This the Apostle putteth Masters in minde of and on this very ground stirres them vp to iust and equall dealing with their seruants because they also m Ephes 6.9 Coloss 4.1 haue a master in heauen As if he should say Beware that you abuse not your authoriâ—ie for know that you haue a supreme Lord and
that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat and make the Epha small and the shekell great and falsifie the waights by deceit and buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheat They had long as it may seeme kept vp the corne for this purpose that it might grow deare and now they had a time to serue their turne in and they must set it to sale in all haste so that they thought the new moone and the Sabbath daies appointed for Gods owne seruice too long vntill they were a selling And now they intend to prey vpon the poore for they will sell little for much lessening the measure and enhancing the price The poore shall buy the refuse deare which is little worth and sell themselues cheape euen in a manner for old shooes to pay for it Here God sent corne and the deuill sent garners Nay in some sort they were worse than the very Deuill himselfe for he seemed to haue some charitie in him when he would haue had Christ h Matth 4. to turne stones into bread and so make a plentie in time of scarcitie but these endeuoured what in them lay to make a scarcitie in the midst of plentie turning bread into stones a tricke beyond the Deuill Are not these Oppressors 4 Vsurers who may well be compared to the Timber-worme which to touch is as soft as silke but hath teeth so hard as that it eats the Oake Or like the Beuer which biteth so sore Iul. Solin cap. 23. as that hee neuer looseth his teeth vntill hee haue broken the bones It may be truly said of these i Isay 59.7 Desolation and destruction is in their path wheresoeuer they set foot they make hauocke of all The Prophet Ezekiel doth hedge in this sinne betweene Bribery and Extortion k Ezek 22.12 In thee haue they taken gifts to shed bloud Thou hast taken vsury and increase and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by Extortion and hast forgotten me saith the Lord therefore I haue smitten my hands at thy dishonest gaine And in another place we shall finde that It and Oppression is made both one l Exod. 22.25 If thou lend money to my people with thee thou shalt not be an Vsurer thou shalt not oppresse him Thus by Gods owne testimonie these are Oppressors Not vnaptly may we compare the Vsurer to the nether Milstone which is slow and stirres not he sits at home and spends his time in a deuillish Arithmeticke in Numeration of houres daies and moneyes in Substraction from other mens estates and Multiplication of his owne vntill hee haue made Diuision betweene his soule and heauen and diuided the earth to himselfe and himselfe to hell His Broker we may compare to the vpper Milstone without which the nether Milstone may seeme vnprofitable that is quicke and stirring and runnes round The Poore like corne who betweene both these is grinded vnto powder Surely it is for our sins that God suffers Vsurers amongst vs It may be he suffers these a while as he did the Canaanites in Israel lest the wilde beasts should breake in vpon them lest pride and a full estate should spill mens soules yet wee may safely say of these as Iosua did of those they are prickâ—s in our sides and thornes in our eyes Now the mercie of God rid vs of them Let them bring what Excuses Apologies Mitigations Euasions or Distinctions they possibly can inuent let them reply Vsury is no sinne many learned men are of this opinion yet what are they the better if God himselfe be not of the same minde those learned men are of And let them tell me if their consciences can be so satisfied Would not the greatest Vsurer willingly giue an hundred pound bag to be secured in this point It is not safe wading farre in a questionable water Oh yet that there were hope with any sayings to moue then I would spend some time and take some paines in perswading these men who deale altogether in letting out their money to men their time to Mammon their body to pining their minde to repining their soule to Satan that they would fall to restoring because the sinne is retained vntill the gaines of Vsury be returned Which saying though it seeme hard Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur abâ—atum Aug. yet it is most true And what though they should in so doing restore all they haue I would tell them as the Prophet did Amasiah m 2 Chron. 25.9 The Lord is able to giue thee more than this A mansion in Gods kingdome is worth all thy cash But I speake to the belly that hath no eares Shew me the Vsurer except Zacheus that euer repented truly for as Humilitie is the repentance of Pride so is Restitution of this sinne I doubt not but there are some but they will be as daintie dishes in heauen as Venison is on a Plowmans table Wherefore I will forbeare any further dealing with these and rather speake in generall to all Oppressors of what kinde soeuer and so hasten to an end Let all such know as vse any kinde of iniustice vi or dolo by force or fraud against the poore and needie who are no way able to withstand them that they flay their skins off they grinde their faces yea eat their very flesh as somtimes that poore leane widow told Baldwin Acts and Mon. pag. 233. an Archbishop of Canterbury when she heard him boasting that he had neuer eat flesh in all his daies that he had eat vp hers in taking away her Cow whereby shee liued And let them call to minde the fearefull woes that are thundered out against them for this sinne There is a n Isay 3.14 15. Woe from Isaiah a o Ier. 22.13 Woe from Ieremiah a p Micah 2.1 2. Woe from Micah a q Hab. 2.12 Woe from Habbakkuk Woe and alas then that such can be secure Oh that such would now at length call themselues to account for their oppressions that some remorse might be wrought in their hearts if it were possible Such as these in former times haue beene executed Stow in his Summary as theeues are now amongst vs. Catillus a British King hung vp all oppressors of the poore And after him King Edward commonly called good King Edward banished such the Land Glanuil lib. 7. de leg consu Angl. cap. 37. Extra del Tur. cap. Quia in om And by the ancient Lawes of England the goods of oppressors dying without restitution were forfeit to the King and all his lands vnto the Lord of the Towne And it is apparant by the Canon-law that heretofore they haue beene denied Christian burial Were the same lawes still in force vndoubtedly it would be a good restraint And yet what is all this to expulsion out of Gods Kingdome Oh that these would bethinke them of that dreadfull day of