powre my Spirit 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke 31 The sunne shall be turned into darknes and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come 32 But whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall bee saved for in mount Zion and in Ierusalem shal be deliverance as the Lorde hath saide and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call Sect. 20 21. 1 For behold in those daies and in that time when I shall bring again the captivitie of Iudah and Ierusalem 2 I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Iehoshaphat will plead with theÌ„ there for my people for mine heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations parted my land 3 And they have cast lots for my people and have given the child for the harlot and sold the girle for wine that they might drinke 4 Yea and what have ye to do with me O Tyrus and Zidon and all the coastes of Palestina wil ye render me a recompence and if ye recompence me swiftly speedily I will render your recompence upon your head 5 For ye have taken my silver and my gold and have carried into your Temples my goodlie and pleasant things 6 The children also of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem have you sold unto the Graecians that ye might send them far from their border 7 Behold I will raise them out of the place where ye have sold them will render your reward upon your owne head 8 And I will sell your sonnes and your daughters into the hand of the children of Iudah and they shall sell them to the Sabaeans to a people far óf for the Lord hath spoken it Sect. 22 23. 9 Publish this among the Gentiles praepare warre wake up the mightie men let all the men of warre draw neere and come up 10 Breake your plowshares into swords and your Siethes into speares let the weake saie I am strong 11 Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen gather your selves together round about * or Bring to pas ô Lord that thy mightie ones or men of war come down thither also Tremel there shall the Lorde cast down thy mightie men 12 * Or The heathen shall bee wakned c. Ib. Let the heathen be wakned come up to the vallie of Iehoshaphat for there will I sit to iudge all the heathen round about 13 Put in your Siethes for the harvest is ripe come get you downe for the wine-presse is full yea the wine-presses runne over for their wickednesse is great 14 O multitude O multitude come into the valley of threshing for the daie of the Lorde is neere in the valley of threshing 16 The Sunne and Moone shall bee darkned and the starres shall withdrawe their light 16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel 17 So shall yee know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion mine holy mountain then shall Ierusalem be holy there shal no strangers go through her anie more Sect. 24 25. 18 And in that day shall the mountains drop downe new wine and the hils shal flow with mylke and all the rivers of Iudah shal run with water and a fountain shall come foorth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim 19 Aegypt shall be waste and Edom shall be a desolate wildernes for the iniuries of the children of Iudah because they have shed innocent blood in their land 20 But Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation 21 For I will clense their blood that I have not clensed and the Lord will dwell in Zion FINIS A Table declaring the effect of al the Treatise following and namely how the text of the Prophet is here devided and where the divisions thereof are handled The first members do note the Chapter and verse of the Text the others the Sections of the Treatise it self Ioel. As touching the TÃtle see 1 1. 1 2. In the Prophecie of Ioel vve have first set down the TÃtle of it then the matter that is therein contayned The matter that is therein conteined doth partly respect their praeseÌ„t calami tie partly a better estate of theirs that by the goodnesse of God was towardstheÌ„ Their praesent calamitie was a famin CoÌ„cerning which we are most of al to deal with that vvhich wee have in this our prophet but somewhat also with that which wee have out of others That which we have in this our Prophet is that he doth earnestly labour to stirre up the people unto a sensible feeling of this hand of God upon theÌ„ as appeareth in the maner of speach that first he useth and for that he repeateth the same again In the speach that first he useth unto them first he laboreth to prepare them unto it and then he commendeth the same unto them He prepared them unto it 1 2-12 3-8 He commended it unto theÌ„ 1 13-20 9 10. The repetitioÌ„ that he addeth thereunto is double for that he repeateth the same twice 2 1-17 11 12. That which we have out of others is to shewe more specially what those sinnes were which the Prophet would have them to leave though himself do not name them when he exhorteth theÌ„ to turn unto god 13-15 That better estate of theirs coÌ„sisted partly in their deliverance froÌ„ that famin partly in certain other blessings besides How they were delivered from that famin is declared 2 18-27 16 17. The other blessings are two a further manifestation of the gospel and a notable securitie froÌ„ their enemies That further manifestation of the Gospell is set downe 2 28-32 18 19. The better to set forth that securitie of theirs against their enimies hee setteth down both the wretched estate of the one the blessed estate of the other That wretched estate of the enimie is first set down in plain speach then more fully by a figure It is plainly set down 3 1-8 20 21. It is more fully expressed 3 9-17 22 23. That blessed estate of the people of God is set down 3 18-21 24 25. An Admonition out of the Prophet Ioel. The word of the Lord that came to Ioel the sonne of Pethuel Ioel. 1.1 IN this Prophecie of Ioel we haue first sette downe the Title of it The tÃtle of it then the matter that is therein deliuered The Title of it is set downe in the first verse and therein we are to consider not onely of such things as are plainly set downe therein but of somewhat also that is not expressed there yet notwithstanding needefull to be thought on and to be gathered so well as we may That which is plainely set
lightnes and vanity by the peace and wealth that God hath given us and for that we have tasted so litle of the rod as now for a good time we have done that it is lesse marvaile if hardly we can growe to any such earnest and publike sorrowing or so much as like of the motion when it is made But in this case also it is good to remember that the wisedome of a Christian ought to be such as that whatsoever is an offence or hinderance unto us in the way of godlines though it be as dear as is our hand or our foote yet ought we rather to cut it óf and cast it away though we should be much mained thereby then that we should suffer our selves to be let or hindred by them If therefore we have any sense or feeling of our great manifold sins or of this geÌ„tle hand of God that for the same is cast upon us if we have any harty desire to be partakers of those great and inaestimable mercies of God a more generall and a further fruition of his aeternall Truth and so comfortable securitie from all our enemies what is there then that with any colour may stay us from that which the Prophet doth here require or if in heart we consent unto it why should not our deede also beare witnesse or rather expresse our meaning therein Well may our dalliance deceave our selves but others it cannot especially God The fruites that we beare will plainely witnesse what we are If they be ill or if they be none either of those doe plainely cast us if they be good and such as argue a sounde reverence and a readie obedience to the Worde of God then doe we finde to our singular comfort that now in deede we are the children of God and that our reward without all quaestion must needes be great Long inough have we wallowed in careles security it is time nów to looke about us to accept of those more speciall favours of God that he in this acceptable time of his doth offer unto us God give us grace ever to bee easie to bee admonished that he neede not to use any rougher meanes to quicken us up and to take such holde of those good opportunities that in these our daies he offereth unto us that wee may in like sort enjoy such blessings as are tendered withall God graunt the same through Iesus Christ his Sonne our Lorde to the advauncement of his Kingdome among us and to our own vnspeakeable comfort FINIS A praier of the same argument and meete for the time that now we are in WE acknowledge O Lord before thy most glorious and aeternall maiestie That we have deserved this and much more that we most iustly have deserved not onelie the hardest estate that thy people have at anie time had but utterlie to be cast of likewise from being thy people much more this gentle and fatherly chastisment which at this praesent thou hast cast upon us Neverthelesse because we knowe by thy holie worde that thou delightest not in the death of a sinner but wouldest rather have him to live and it is not thy pleasure that the rodde of thy chasticement should ever lie upon thine inhaeritance but covetest rather that they should soone remember them selves and turn unto thee wee are bold even now and thou hast enboldned us to seeke unto thee and to intreat thee now to take from us this hand of thine before that thou thereby hast chasticed our former sinnes anie thing neere to that measure no not by the thousand part that wee haue deserued For thy mercie ô Father in thy Sonne our Lord is verie great towards all that are his and so spread foorth over all thy workes in so plentifull measure that wee make no doubt but that at anie time wee may be bold to seeke thy fauour and to entreate thee to staie thy hand when yet thou hast scant begunne to strike notwithstanding that we have iustlie deserved that thou shouldest turn awaie from us thy face for ever That he would graunt us true repentance Howbeit that no way it tend to the impechment of thy glorie in the order and course that thou hast ordeyned in all thy woorkes laying out the meanes whereby thou dost worke it aswell as the effect that is to ensue wee humblie beseech thee and much more earnestly for this then the other that by this smal portion of this thy chasticement that nów we have felt our former securitie maie be so quickened unto a diligent and sound advicement of the corruption of our nature and of the foule and loathsome fruits that out of the same have alreadie proceeded and so truelie and earnestlie repent our selves thereof that thou having obteined that which thou soughtest at our hands maist the more easilie be induced to spare us and to withdrawe thy hand from us And both deliver us from this our praesent distresse To this ende ô Lord we most humbly beseech thee to give us a sound an hartie and a sensible feeling of our former and woonted coldnes in the advauncement of thy glorie and of that whole course of our life wherein by the immesurable thirst that wee have to the things of this world wee have beene and yet are so iniurious and hard unto manie and even to thee also among the rest and not onely to give us such a feeling of those things our selves but also to vouchsafe us such an inward detestatation thereof withall so resolute a purpose to betake our selves to a better course in all such matters that as now we make bold with thee to seeke thy favour before that ever we have beene chasticed anie thing neere as wee have deserved so we maie hereafter likewise throughout our whole life bee so carefull in all things to advaunce thy glorie and in nothing to anoy our neighbour for the bettering of our selves in worldly matters but in all things to uphold his good estate the best that we maie that neither wee provoke thee again to strike us for these offences neither yet occasion it to appeare that now thou hast withdrawne this thine hand from us over soone And because it pleaseth thee to put us in hope of much greater mercies And vouchsafe us those other mercies also then onely such relief of these our bodily necessities and these are the daies whereunto those mercies of â—â—ine are promised we likewise beseech thee in most humble manner to vouchsafe us that further manifestation of thy Truth and that notable protection from our enemies also that not onely the likelier sort of thy people but the meaner likewise may both knowe and glorifie thee and that we all being ever preserved from those that hate us for thy names sake in that our safetie may imploy our selves the best that we can to the service of thee and ever praise thy holie name for these thy mercies Our enemies ô Lord have ruled over us very long alreadie and they of long have done unto ús even as those others did unto thém They have taken away our silver and golde and whatsoeuer Iewels we had besides of spirituall graces in Iesus Christ and those have they carried into the Temples of their owne proper idols and wickednes ascribed all unto them Our selves also they have not spared but have done with us whatsoever they would Not onely the boy but the honourable also and auncient of yeares have they given for an harlot and not onely the girle but godlie matrons and the chast soules of thy faithful people have they given for a cup of wine and for their bellies And not so content they have likewise in such sort solde us as most might avail them to send us away far from our countrie that afterwards we should never be able for to returne thither again But thou ô Lord thee self hast seene it and knowest well inough that they have beene so greevous unto us not so much for any thing that we had done though in truth we be most wretched sinners and have deserved much more then it as in despight of thy holy Truth and of an inward hatred to thee Be it therefore thy gracious pleasure to undoe whatsoever they have done and to gather us together again from all those places whereinto we were dispersed by them And as théy had sold us a far óf never to see our Countrie again so we beseech thee that so manie of them as in thy secret election belong unto thee thou also would in like maner sell over not unto us but to thy holie Truth ever to have them in full possession and never to suffer them for to returne unto their woonted wandrings againe And where as heretofore they have alreadie so much praevailed against thy people now be it thy pleasure to bring them under and daily more and more to enlarge the safetie of thy peculiar people against them all We graunt ô Lord the things we desire are very great but it hehooveth thy people should know thy aboundant mercie and thine enemies also the inuincible power of thy mightie hand Graunt us therefore these things we beseech thee through Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord to whom with thee and the holie Ghost as of right apperteineth be ascribed all thankes honor and glorie for ever and ever Amen FINIS
downe the branches thereof are made white 8 Moorne like a vir-gin girded with sack-cloth for the husband of her youth 9 The meat-offring and the drink-offring is cut óf from the house of the Lord the Priestes the Lords ministers mourne 10 The field is wasted the land moorneth for the corne is destroyed the newe wine is dried up and the oyle is decayed 11 Be ye ashamed ô husbandmen howl ô ye vine-dressers for the wheat and for the barley because the harvest of the fielde is perished 12 The vine is dried up the fig-tree is decayed the Pomegranate-tree the Palm-tree and the Aple-tree even all the trees of the field are withered surely the ioy is withered away from the sonnes of men 13 Gird your selves and lament yee Priestes howl ye ministers of the alter come and lie all night in sak-cloth ye ministers of my God for the meat-offring and the drink-offring is taken away from the house of our God 14 Sanctifie you a fast call a solemn assembly gather the Elders and al the inhabitants of the lande into the house of the Lord your God and crie unto the Lord. Sect. 9 10. 15 Alas for the day for the day of the Lord is at hand and it commeth as a destruction from the Almightie 16 Is not the meat cut of before our eies ioy and gladnes from the house of our God 17 The seed is rotten under their clods the Garners are destroied the barnes are broken down for the corn is whithered 18 How did the beastes moorn the herdes of cattel pine away because they have no pasture and the flockes of sheepe are destroied 19 O Lord to thee will I crie for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse the flame hath burnt up all the trees of the field 20 The beastes of the field crie also unto thee for the rivers of the waters are dried up and the fire hath deuoured the pastures of the wildernes Sect. 11 12. 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion and shout in mine holie mountain let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the daie of the Lord is come for it is at hand 2 A day of darkenes and of blackenes a day of clouds and obscuritie as the morning cloud spread upon the mountaines so is there a great people and a mightie there was none like it from the beginning neither shall be any more after it unto the yeares of manie generations 3 A fire deuoureth before him and behind him a flame burneth up the land is as the garden of Eden before him behind him a desolate wildernes so that nothing shal escape him 4 The beholding of him is like the sight of horses and like the horsemen so shal they runne 5 Like the noise of charets in the tops of the mountaines shall they leape like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble as a mightie people prepared to battell 6 Before his face shall the people tremble all faces shall gather blacknes 7 They shall run like strong men and go up to the wall like men of warre and everie man shall go forward in his waies and they shall not stay in their paths 8 Neither shall one trust another but everie one shall walke in his path when they fall upon the sword they shall not bee wounded 9 They shall run to and fro in the citieâ— they shall run upon the wall they shall clime up upon the houses and enter in at the windowes like a thiefe 10 The earth shall tremble before him the heavens shall shake the sunne and the Moone shal be darke and the starres shall with-draw their shining 11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his host for his host is verie great for he is strong that doth his word for the daie of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it 12 Therefore also now the Lord saith Turne you unto me withall your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning 13 And rent your heart and not your clothes and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger of great kindnes and repenteth him of the euill 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him eveÌ„ a meat-offring and a drink-offring unto the Lord your God 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assemblie 16 Gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the Elders assemble the children and those that suckt the breastes let the bride-grome go foorth of his chamber and the bride out of her bride-chamber 17 Let the Priestes the ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the Porch the Altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage into reproch that the heathen should rule over them Wherefore should they say among the people where is their God 18 Then wil the Lord be ielous over his land and spare his people 19 Yea the Lord will answere and say unto his people Behold I wil send you corn and wine and oyle and you shal be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproch among the heathen 20 But I will remove far óf from you the Northren armie and I will drive him into a land baren desolate with his face towards the East sea and his end to the uttermost sea and his stincke shall come up and his corruption shall ascend * Or although he hath exalted himself to doe this because he exalted himselfe Sect. 16 17. 21 Feare not O land but be glad and reioyce for the Lord wil do great things 22 Be not afraid ye beastes of the field for the pastures of the wildernes are grene for the tree beareth her fruit the fig-tree and the vine do give theâ—r force 23 Be glad then ye children of Zion reioyce in the Lord your God for he hath given you the rain of righteousnesse and he wil cause to come downe for you the rain even the first rain and the latter rain in the first moneth 24 And the barns shal be full of wheat the presses shal abound with wine oile 25 And I wil render you the yeres that the grashopper hath eaten the canker-woorm and the caterpiller and the palmerwoorm my great host which I sent among you 26 So you shall eat and be satisfied praise the name of the Lord your God that hath dealt marvelous with you and my people shall never be ashamed 27 Ye shall also knowe that I am in the mid of Israel and that I am the Lord your God and none other and my people shall never be ashamed Sect. 18 19. 28 And afterward will I powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shall see visions 29 And also upon the servants and upon the maids in those daies will I
we are to consider what was commendable in him and what was reprovable Commendable it is that he is m 2. Chro. 26 4 5. said to have done uprightly in the sight of the Lord and that in the dayes of Zachariah who understoode the visions of God he did more specially seek the Lord and in such sort somtimes that the Lord did prosper him for it It is likewise reprovable n Ibid. vers 4. that he folowed not the Lord with all his heart but onely as his father Amaziah did of whom it is said o Ibid. 25 5. that he did uprightly in the sight of the Lorde but not with a perfect heart as also p 2. King 14 4. that he tooke not away the high places but that the people did sacrifice and burne incense thereon and that q 2. Chro. 26 16 19. himselfe did praesume to intermeddle with the Priests Office and therein woulde not be admonished by the Priests that forbad it unto him As touching his disposition in these matters that concerne his ciuill estate some there were that were honorable unto him others againe that did not so well become the person and state that he susteined Honorable it was that he r 2. Chro. 26 6 7 8. did so valiantly against the enemies the Philistines Arabians and Ammonites and that Å¿ 2. Chro. 26 9 11-15 both the fortified Ierusalem and not onely had in a readines so strong an armie for the number of men being two thousand and sixe hundreth Captaines of speciall account and three hundred and seaven thousand and fiue hundred others besides but also had in a readines for them all maner of furniture even to the very stones that were for their slings That which did not so well become the person and state that he susteined was that he had such a fansie to husbandry imployed himselfe so very much about his owne priuate gaine For t Ib. vers 10. it is saide not onely that he loved husbandrie which if he had done like a Prince careful to cherish it in his kingdome it had beene very commendable likewise but also that himselfe had much cattle in the valleyes and plaines plowmen also and dressers of vines in the mountaines and in Carmel and that for that purpose he builded towers or lodges in the wildernesse â—otham and digged Cisterns for them also Concerning Iotham his sonne it appeareth also that v 2. King 15 34 35. 2. Chro. 27 2.6 he was much like to his father and so consequently that his manner of gouernement was like unto his not onely when hee ruled for his father but when hee reigned for him selfe likewise But as touching x 2. King 15 34 35 2. Chho 27 2 3 6. his inclination to Religion wee are more specially to note that though it bee saide of him that hee did uprightly in the sight of the Lord and builded the high gate in the house of the Lord yet is it witnessed also that he sought the Lord but as his father did that the high places remained and the people corrupted their wayes and that himselfe did not enter into the Temple Out of certaine of the Prophets The Prophets that doe apperteine both to this people that we haue in haÌ„d and to the time that now wee speake of are onely Isaiah Amos and Micah of which Isaiah onely kept himselfe to the Iewes alone I meane in the first part of his prophecie which is all as I noted before that we may seeke to for this matter whereas both the others spake to the Isaralites and Iewes together But they all easily may be found in a people that have such Princes as we see that Vzziah and Iotham were Isaiah For Isaiah first rebuketh them not onely in matters that concerne Religion but also for such other vices as may very well seeme to come from such dispositioÌ„ as their Princes had Concerning Religion he plainely chargeth them that y 5 24. they had cast of the law of the Lord and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel and that they z 1 19. had groves and high places and delighted therein and therefore a 1 11-15 did the Lord earnestly protest that he misliked al their offrings holy assemblies As touching other vices among them some he layeth to the charge of all generally others againe more specially to the charge of some Generally to all that wheras now they should haue b 5.4 brought foorth the right or naturall grape they c 5 19. made light of the threatning of God and d 3 9. were of such countenances that that thereby they made their sin manifest even as Sodome More specially hee noteth the greater sort of them with two speciall faults both with hard dealing towardes others and when so they are come to immoderate wealth that then they wax insolent and excessiue therewith As touching their hard dealing some part of it he seemeth to allot to those that deale in administration of justice and some part of it to others againe indifferently Those that deale in administration of justice he charged that e 1 23. they loved gifts and followed rewardes and that f 5 7. in steede of Iudgement there was oppression and in steede of righteousnes crying That which he laid to the charge of others of them indifferently was that they g 5 8. joyned house to house and land to land that they might dwell alone that their i 1 15. handes were full of blood that they k 3 14 15. did eate up the vineyeard having the spoyle of the poore in their houses beating the people in peeces grinding the very faces of the pore As touching their owne insolencie and excesse he chargeth them also that they l 2 11.27 had high lookes and were hauty and loftie that not only all that sort of theÌ„ generally m 5 11 12. gaue themselves to immoderate drinking feasting musicke ioyned withall no man regarding the worke of the Lord but also that n 3 16-24 the women were proude nice vaine in their behaviour excessive and costly in their attire Amos. Amos dealeth not very much with the Iewes to speake of yet he also chargeth them both with great default towards religioÌ„ with those other vices besides In their default of religion he chargeth theÌ„ thus far o 3 4. that they had cast away the lawe of the Lord not to have kept his Commandements and that their lies after which their fathers walked caused them to erre As touching those other vices p 6 3. he also do charge theÌ„ that they deale violently with others or approch to the seat of iniquity that they q 6 1. take their ease on their beds of yvorie r 6 4.6 live in abundaÌ„ce plentie nothing sorrowing for the afflictioÌ„ of Ioseph that they Å¿ 6
theÌ„ that they shal see no light at al in the light it self by which bloodines of the Moone it may be likewise that he doth signifie that whereas the Moone is ordeined of God to be the instrument to send over to us some part of the light of the Sun in the night season now because they refused the light of the Sun it self and winked at it it should signisie nothing but blood or destruction to thém for their unbelief The limitation of time that is put hereunto is â—â— â—1 before the great and terrible day of the Lord doe come Whereby it seemeth the Prophet doth mean both that by these things the Lord will make a way to those his judgements in that great and terrible day when he shall judge the quick and the dead and the world by fier and that the Lord wil not keepe in all his vengeance till thén but wil be doing in the meane while to the confusion of his enemies and to the comfort of his servants Concerning the safety of the faithful in those heauy judgements against unbeleevers first the Prophet doth set it down then he confirmeth or prooueth the same He setteth it down when as he saith that e 2 32. whosoever shall call on the name of the Lorde shall be safe Whereby he teacheth not only that all such shal be safe but also that to call on the name of the Lord is the note or mark of the people of God and which should in those daies be safe His proofe or confirmation there of he buildeth on the priviledge of the place and on the speciall calling of God Concerning the place both he nameth f 2 32. mount Zion and the whole citie Ierusalem and assureth them of that deliverance that the Lord before had promised As touching the other g 2 32. both he noteth that it shall be those whom the Lord shall call and that those shal be but a remnant neither 19 As touching our selves Wé also ought to account this a speciall blessing as the Prophet doth here make mention hereof unto them in the way of a speciall blessing so are wé to take it likewise as very well we may throughout the whole if we enter into any speciall consideration of it both in respect that it is a further manifestation of the Truth and for that it proceedeth or cometh in such manner as it doth Both in respect of the thing it self For considering no more but only that it is a further manifestation of the Truth yet herein onely we may perceave it because that flesh and blood and the whole power of man may labour long to attain unto it and yet never obtein it as we in these daies may plainly behold first in our selves then also in others For how gladly would our godly fore-fathers have seen these daies that we now see and yet they could not how earnestly do many in these daies wish some of us any kind of reformation what so ever others again a much better then yet we have such as is here described unto us and yet who knoweth not how short we are yet from either of both If therefore our true and harty repentance now upon this occasion might procure us so great a blessing besides there is no man but seeth how earnestly it were to be laboured of us all both to obtein the thing it self to save much of that unprofitable labour that otherwise we have bestowed about it to litle purpose yet may we know not how long nor how vnprofitably unlesse we take that course that the Prophet here praescribeth unto us And in respect of that moner wherby it proceedeth But if we consider in what maner this reformatioÌ„ proceedeth that in this place the Prophet doth speak of or what kinde of manifestation it is there may we much more plainly see how much this blessing is to be wished not only because that it doth proceede in so gracious maner towards those that receave it but also in respect of those things likewise that do appertein to those that refuse it For as touching those that receve it Towards those that receave it we see it is in such sort bestowed on them as they are made able therby to prophecy not only al the sort of them generally but especially also such as no body would look for the old the yoÌ„g that which is most eveÌ„ the very bond-slaues theÌ„ selves With ús yet the elder sort are too old to learn the yonger are over wanton and care not for it but the poorer sort especially such as lived before like men now by their unmerciful Lords are brought so low that they may rather be accounted bond then free are in so great and urgent distresse in respect of their bodily necessities that as they have no hearts unto it being so much overwhelmed with their miserable estate as they are so have they not so much as any convenient laisure nor comfort neither to goe about it would they never so fain It is long therefore in the course that we are before that the elder and yonger sort with ús and especially those that are so fleesed or spoiled by others will bee able to attaine to the light that nowe is spoken of in such measure as here is described It were well if they understoode in some reasonable manner such thinges as were good and needefull for them to know but to be able to teach others likewise that is a point so far beyond al likelihood for them to attaine unto that we may rather wish it with great doubt never to see it then with hope expect it as though we might to the full obtaine it But if we could truly repent us of our former ill waies and turne to the Lord as by this aforesaide occasion we may justly finde our selves provoked to doe then would the Lord we neede not to doubt affoord us the same measure of goodnes that is promised here then should we all be able to prophecie our olde men thén would dreame such dreames our young folke likewise would see visions and the Spirit of God should rest even on bonds or villains And seeing that alreadie we have in divers particulars experience of it and that in so comfortable measure as many have even thát onely ought to be sufficient to teach us that the good work that is alreadie begun shoulde soone be perfited if our selves were no hinderance unto it And those that refuse it In those things that doe appertaine to them that refuse it we may see that it woulde be a speciall blessing likewise partly in respect of the judgements that belong to the wicked and partly in respect of the safety of the faithfull in the middest of all those dangers In respect of the judgements that belong to the wicked we may perceave it if not for that it is so noted by the Prophet here yet because that
on that course that before he had intended He may seeme to have respect unto the Prophet in that he saith m 3 12. Let them be wakened The Lord heareth and let all these nations come up into the vallie of Iehoshaphat for there will I sit to iudge all these nations round about or They shall be wakened and all these nations shall come up c but there will I sit c. For wheras the Prophet immediately before declared himselfe by that praier of his to be very carefull on behalfe of the people of God especially when as he heard that the Lord stirred up so many against theÌ„ and of the mightiest and willed them to be furnished also these words of the Lord are of that nature and doe so fitly answer the quaestion as that it may seeme that the Lord thereby did quiet and comfort the heart of the Prophet in that his carefulnes over the people letting him understand that he neede not to feare that they should so be gathered together for that it should be in the vallie of Iehoshaphat himself would there iudge them In the residue of his speach wherein he seemeth for to holde on his former course His iudgements against theÌ„ n 3 13-16 hed oâ—th not onely denounce his judgements against them but also o 3 17. foresheweth certaine speciall effectes that shoulde come thereby In denouncing his judgements against theÌ„ first p 3 13. he doth direct his speach to those that shall be the executioners of this his vengeance q 3 14 16. then he discourseth further thereof at large not directing his speach unto these specially but indifferently unto all In directing his speach unto those that were to execute his judgements first he willeth them so to doe then he giveth the reason why He willeth them to set in hand with the execution of those his judgements by a figurative speach compating the enemies first unto corn in the field theÌ„ unto grapes that are in the presse In respect that they are corn though many in number yet such as may be easily cut downe he willeth these his executioners r 3 13. to thrust in their sickles giveth a reason because that now the corne was ripe or the time of harvest was come In respect that they were as clusters of grapes in the presse f 3 13. he willeth those his executioners to come to their busines that is to tred these grapes the reasoÌ„ is because grapes did not only run nów of theÌ„ selves being so fully ripe but also ran forth in plentiful measure into the streetes The reason that he giveth why he would have such execution done upon them is because t 3 13. their wickednes was great In that part of his speach wherein he discourseth further of this matter not specially unto these but indifferently unto all v 3 14. first he speaketh of their slaughter in particular then x 3 15 16. of their great distresse generally Concerning their slaughter he sheweth that it shal be very great then doth note certaine circumstances of it He sheweth that it shall be very great both for that hee sheweth that there shall bee y 3 14. great multitudes of those that are slaine and for that hee thereupon calleth it the z 3 14. vallie of threshing or of chopping them in peeces The circumstances are two one of the time the other of the place For the time it is saide that then it shoulde bee when a 3 14. the day of the Lord which himselfe had appointed for this matter should be come For the place it is said likewise that it should be in the b 3 14. vallie of threshing or of chopping them in peeces Concerning their great distresse generally both the thing it selfe is described and a reason thereof is given In the description of it we have set downe unto us what it shall be and when it should come It should bee such as that unto them c 3 15. the Sun and the Moone should be darkened and the Stars should withdraw their light In the description of the time it is not onely declared d 3 16. that it should bee when the Lorde shoulde roare out of Zion c. but also they are taught whence that same distresse of theirs doth come that is from the roaring or displeasure of the Lord because that it is saide withall that e 3 16. the heavens and the earth are mooved by it The reason is because that f 3 16. the Lord is ever a refuge unto his people and the strength of the children of Israell The speciall effects that should come hereby are two g 3 17. one that they should know that he is the Lord their God dwelling in Zion his holy mountaine the other that Ierusalem shoulde bee holie and that strangers should passe through her no more 23 Out of which that our selves may take such instruction as to us apperteineth How litle we neede to feare them áll if we can repent and turne to the Lord. whereas first the Lord willeth that proclamation be made among the Gentiles to praepare them selves to the battaile and then to come and set in hand with their enterprise seeing that he doth so openly put them in mind of it and besides that doth so eg them unto it we neede not to doubt it to be so perillous and daungerous a matter if our enemies take up such a purpose amoÌ„g themselves nor though they be so bold as to attempt to bring to passe their wicked endevors On the other side rather if once they be known to beare an hostile mind against us for the Gospels sake and thereupon to lie in waite for some opportunitie to break in upon us to their best advantage out of this we may gather that we might well be so voide of all feare of them as that our selves might bid theÌ„ make hast and soone come foorth with the woorst that they could We ought to take heed that we never giue to the least of them al any just occasion of variance with us but if they maligne us for the Gospels sake which is all the quarrell that now they have with us and for that only cause do cast to annoy us we neede not doubt to care a fig for them all our selves may put theÌ„ in mind to be doing tell them we long sore to see the woorst they can doe In which respect it is not lightly to be passed over that the Lord so earnestly calleth on the best souldiers the most valiant warriors that were in the world and would have no fewer then áll of theÌ„ neither These would he have to incampe them selves about his people and to coÌ„passe them in on every side these would he have to be a document unto themselves and to al others that either then lived or where to come how litle able any power of man should
A Necessarie Admonition out of the Prophet Joël concerning that hand of God that of late was upon us and is not clean taken of as yet and otherwise also verie fitlie agreeing in divers good points unto these dayes wherein wee live By Edm. Bunny PROVERB 15.32 He that refuseth to be reformed despiseth his own soule but he that submitteth himself to correction is vvise JACOB 4 8 10. Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you Cast down your selves before the Lord and he will lift you up Imprinted at London by Robert Robinson for Thomas Man and Thomas Gubbins 1588. TO THE MOST Reverend father in God his verie good Lord IOHN by the providence of God Archbishop of Canterburie one of her Maiesties most honorable Privie Counsell Primate of all England and Metropolitane IN what sort this land of ours was lately visited by the hand of the Lorde for two yeares together with vnseasonable weather so consequently with some scarcitie then although to say the truth it was nothing so grievous as heretofore our elders haue had and others then felt as it was reported yet was it so evident and plaine in it selfe that I shall not neede to stande to shew what it was or how far we were all generally touched therewith but especially those that were the poorer sort among us Our owne experience for that matter was such that whosoever woulde goe about to make any farther demonstration of it might verie well spare his labour therein But whereas in such case some other way there is wherein we might bee fruitfully occupied and to verie good purpose and so as the nature of the thing it selfe doth require therein whosoever could rightly and orderly imploy his labour he might be able thereby to discharge some part of his duetie and doe a peece of good service to God and his countrey That other way I take to bee especially this that we acknowledge the same to bee sent of God and therewithall that só we be touched therewith as in such case doth appertain In which because I did not then know nor yet doe that others did labour therefore the last yeare I did endevour mee self to set downe somewhat thereof which also I finished as is pleased the Lord to blesse me therein And to the end that I might safelier doe it without offending on either side either on the right hand or on the left I sawe no better way then to take some text of Scripture such as belonged to this kinde of argument and out of it to derive some such instruction as the text it selfe shoulde naturally yeeld So did I take the Prophet Ioel and out of him framed this Admonition that thén I praesented your Grace withall But seeing that since it hath beene stayed I wote not by what sinister meanes by one that undertooke the printing of it now of late it is come to my hands again although that in some respect it may seeme to come out of season now yet because that in others it doth not nor but little in that I thought it my dutie again to praesent your Grace therewith Which thing the lesse that it is in it selfe in respect of any thing therin that is mine the lesse bould I ought to have beene both at the first and now also to have offered the same unto so grave and learned a censure But seeing that it pleased your Grace to accept of it then I might not turn it an other way now especially when as the nature of it in my iudgement is such as that before I thought mee self bound and yet do in order and duetie to make it yours And so beseeching your Grace to pardon both my former bouldnes therein and the renuing of it now again I humblie praie that Almightie God the father of lights only fountain of all good graces of his great and infinite mercie for the glorie of his holie name and in the face of his Annointed would vouchsafe so to visit us from above by his Holie Spirit that we maie be in such sort touched with this his gentle and gracious warning and so seeke vnto him while it is time that we provoke no heavier displeasure but maie attaine to his further mercies and euer stand in his gracious fauour From Bolton-Percy Aprill 6. 1588. Your Grace most humble in the Lord Edm. Bunny The Praeface to the Reader WHeras gentle Reader this admonition of mine out of the Prophet Ioel was to haue come foorth the last summer That this Prophecie fitteth us also and these our daies marvelous well though I know not how it hath beene stayed till this praesent by this meanes it cummeth to passe that now I am iustly occasioned to say sumwhat unto thee not only of the Treatise it selfe but also of this late publishing of it Concerning the Treatise it selfe although it be out of the Prophet Ioel who was sent of God to his people of old and about such things as concerned a speciall estate of theirs thén yet doth it so fitly agree with ús also now and with the waies that are most common and rife among us that the selfe same Prophet may seeme as much to have beene preserved for ús against this time that now we are in as he was before sent unto others to speake unto thém For we also are found in the self same waies that they were in at that praesent and therefore hath the Lord for these few of the last yeeres in much like sort laide his hand vpon us as he did upon them and yet also doth in very plaine and sensible maner But as théy were senseles and could not see it therfore turned nor unto the Lord that so had laide his hand upon them so wé likevvise at this praesent have notably beene provoked diuers waies to acknowledge the hand of God upon us and to turne unto him and yet notwithstanding we have not done it but either shame with it or thinke it needeles to take such a course And yet as at that time God did but with one hand shake the rod at them with the other held foorth special mercies vnto them a further advancement of religion among them and a special deliverance from al their enimies so at this time also we may see the Lord to observe that course toward vs not onely laying his hand upon us but also tendering and offering unto us by manie good and comfortable tokens both a further manifestation of the gospel and a better riddance of our enimies if so be that we can truely turn unto him As therefore this call of the Prophet was to speciall good use unto thém to quicken them up both to a sensible feeling of that hand of God upon them to cast thēselves to be in a redines to receave those greater mercies at his hands likewise even so may it be as much to our purpose that he should nowe stir us up unto a feeling of such hands of God as are
shold yeeld but the 10. part of it again that t 5 24. their roote should be as rotteÌ„nes and their bud rise up like dust and that v 1 30 31. 5 24. they should be as a garden that had no water burnt and consumed with fire as tow stuble or chaffe So that both doe speake of a famine both doe signifie both that it shal be very great that it should for a great part come by immoderate drought or heat as also appeared by those wormes that Ioel doth speake of and yet it appeareth by Ioel also that otherwise it came by ouer-much wet for a time when their corne was first sowne because he saith as we heard before that their corne was foysty rotten under the clots Concerning the army although it may very well bee that the one doe meane a further matter then the other yet they both set forth their meaning in much like manner and forme of speach for whereas this our Prophet saith x 2 3. that it is a great and mighty people y 2 5. prepared to the battell z 2 4. like vnto horsemen a 2 7 8. marching in good aray b 2 9. busily rifâ—ing for their pray that all c 2 6 10. shoulde be afraide of them and many other thinges to such like purpose and d 2 10. that the Sunne and the Moone should be darke and the Stars with drawe their light Isaiah saith likewise e 5 26 30. that the Lorde will lift vp a signe vnto the Nations a farre of and will hisse unto them from the end of the earth and that they shoulde come hastily with speede that none shoulde faint or fall among them that none shoulde slumber nor sleepe neither shoulde the girdle be losed from his loynes nor the lachet of his shooes be broken that his arrowes shoulde be sharpe and all his bowes bent that his horse hoofes should be thought like flint and his wheeles like a whirle winde that his roaring shoulde be like a Lyon and he should roare like a Lyons whelp that they shoulde roare and lay holde on the pray so take it away that none should deliuer it that in that day they shoulde roare vpon them as the roaring of the Sea and that if they looked vnto the earth they shoulde finde nothing but darkenes and sorrow and that the light it selfe should be darkened in their skie Those things that they vtter of the mercie and fauour of God towardes them Then in those thinges that they vtter of his mercie fauour are more amplie set downe in this our Prophet but yet effectually and to like purpose in the other also In this our Prophet it is declared among many other thinges more fully set downe that the Lord f 3 2.12.13 would mightely destroy their enemies that though they g 3 9.11 gathered themselues together h 3 9. assembled the best warriours i 3 9. cheared up one an other * 3 10. brake their plowshares into swordes and their sithes into speares to furnish themselues with weapons to the vttermost though the successe shoulde be so likely that k 3 10. euen the weake also should pluck vp their hearts and l 3 11. gather themselues round about yet that they should be destroyed as m 3 2. â—â— others of olde in the valley of Iehosophat that they n 3 11. shoulde be cast downe that they should be o â— 13 14. a an haruest or vintage to the people of God and that his people should be p 2 28 29. endued with his holy spirite that q 2 â—2 there should be for the remnant deliuerance there that r 3 16. the Lord would bee the hope of his people and the strength of Israell that they should abounde with Å¿ 3 18. wine mylk water that he would t 3 21. clense the blood of those whom he had not clensed In Isaiah likewise we haue it set downe first as touching the enimies of the people of God that v 2 4. the Lord should in such sort iudge the nations and rebuke the people that in the Church there should be such peace that they should breake their swoords into mattocks and their speares into sithes no more lift vp swoord against another nor learne to fight any more then as touching the peace and glorie of the Church that x 2 2. the mountaine of the house of the Lord should be prepared exalted aboue the hilles and all nations flow unto it that the y â— 2. bud of the Lord should bee beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth excellent and pleasaunt to them that escaped that hee that was z 4 3. least in Zion should be holy and every one written in the booke of the living that a 4 4. the Lord would wash away the filthinesse of Zion and purge the blood of Ierusalem by the spirit of iudgement and burning that b 4 5. the Lorde would create upon every place of mount Zion and upon the assemblies there of a clould and smoke by day and the shinning of flaming fire by night and a defence upon all the glorie and that there should be among them c 4 6. a covering for a shadowe in the day for the heat and a place of refuge and a couert for the storm and the raine Manie moe things might easilie be to this purpose alleaged but these I trust will be sufficient and whosoever will may further induce him selfe to this perswasion but more diligent comparing of these together and others withall that doe appertaine to the time wee speake óf 3 But now to come to the Prophet himselfe and to see what it is Of the prophecie it selfe that in him wee haue deliuered we may plainly see at the first that it is of that nature that it did not only concern thém of old but also concerneth vs now and therefore are we euer to apply the same from point to point vnto our selues as our owne case requireth and the sense of the text it selfe will beare The order ensuing So are wee first from time to time to consider what it is that the Prophet deliuereth to them and then howe wee may best apply the same to our selues That which the Prophet deliuereth to them resteth on two principall partes the former concerning d 1 1. 2 17. the present calamitie that then they were in the other concerning e 2 18. 3 21. a better estate that afterward upon their repentance by the goodnesse of God they were to enioy As touching the present calamitie that thén they were in whereas it is certaine that it was sent in the way of chastisement to them for their sinnes and that the Prophet now would haue them to leaue these sinnes of theirs and turne to the Lord and to that ende especially doth labour to haue them
them selves answerable for the distresse of those that were streightned or did miscarie Which our necessitie was in such sorte also sent unto us from the hand of God as that it coulde not have bene avoided of us but was unto us as a mighty people ouer-strong for us to deale withall and hath in a maner laide much of our land waste likewise not only for that our cattle died and our corn failed so much as they did but also for that by reason thereof even yet also many of our pastures are empty and no smale part of our land for a time unsowen for want of seede The like reasons with ús as with theÌ„ Then as touching those others that in such sort were touched therewith as that the same ought to be a reason to ús rather to sorrow for that hand of God upon us we may easily see that the same kinde of people also with us were in like sort touched as were those others For first to come to the Priests it is most evident that the service of the Lord not only was but yet also is so very much failed in many of our churches likewise that our ministery or ecclesiasticall estate hath good cause to moorn all the whole multitude of us for the want of Gods service in such measure as were to be wished many of us also for want of things needefull to this praesent life which not-withstanding cometh not so much of the scarcitie that now we speak óf for then it might be more easily born and were likely to be much sooner amended as it doth out of two other causes that are much stronger and make the sore almost incurable Whereof the one is that sort of Impropriations that hath altogether taken away many of our church-livings not only from the ministerie but also from al other ecclesiastical use the other that insatiable greedines of most of our Patrons that daily more and more convert to their own proper use either the whole or els some part of those that remain were coÌ„mitted of special trust unto their defence custody Our busbandmen likwise were so much distressed that they had not wherewithall to relieve their most just urgent necessities and their woonted joy in those matters also was parted from them and yet not only by the late scarcity that then they were in but by the hard dealing of their hard and unmercifull Land-lords that now of long since the daies of our peace by the uniting of the two hovses together in most places of this land have prayed upon theÌ„ daily do more more 9 But now to return to our Prophet again Having so far foorth praepared them unto it now he commendeth that Fast unto them when he hath so prepared all generally unto the exercise that he was desirous to commend unto them then doth he gather himselfe to that matter and a 1.13.20 commendeth a publik fast unto them And we therein are to consider first how he doth call upon these to whom it belonged for that matter then how himselfe doth further urge it In his calling on those to whom it belonged we are likewise to note who they are on whom he calleth and what it is that for this matter he requireth of them Those on whom hee calleth are â—â— 23 Calling on the Priests especially the Priests whom there also he calleth the Ministers of the altar and the Ministers of his God Whereby it appeareth that it was their parts to have an eye to such matters and when neede was to call on the Magistrates and on the people to join together in a publike fast That which for this matter he requireth of them doth partly concern them selves and partly others That which doth concern themselves Shewing theÌ„ what they shall doe is first to shew them what they are to doe and then for what cause they have to do it That which they are to do concerning themselves is to quicken up themselves to earnest sorrowing that so the better they they call upon others and themselves be leaders unto theÌ„ To this end it is required of theÌ„ not only that they doe the thing that is required that is that they p 1 13. gird themselves unto it and lament but also that they do it in earnest maner and therefore that they howl enter in and lie all night in sakcloth which in those countries was their maner in speciall moorning The reason why they were to doe it was because the q 1 13. meat-offring and drink-offring was taken away from the house of their God That which they were to doe coÌ„cerning others was most of al to get the church together unto this exercise then how to hold theÌ„ occupied when they came there To get the church together they were willed first to r 1 14. sanctifie a fast to proclaime or publish a day of ceasing froÌ„ usual labours otherwise called a solemn assemblie and so gather thereunto both the Elders al the inhabitants of the Land unto the house of the Lord their God When thus they had gathered all together then to holde them occupied there in such sort as was most convenient Å¿ 1 14. they are willed in the name of them all to crie unto the Lord. CoÌ„cerning the Prophets further urging them hereunto Strongly urging theÌ„ unto it I am to acknowledge herewithal that the same which I do take in that sense some others do take rather as the form of coÌ„plaint that they were to make unto the Lord which also is a good sense and may well agree with the text it selfe But in my judgment it lieth more likely to be the speach of the Prophet himselfe then to be appointed to them for the form of their complaint and therfore haue I so applied it here not praejudicing the judgment of any other Wherin first the Prophet laboreth those Priests and Ministers of the Lord to take that course that he hath called them unto then though they will not yet he professeth that he for his part will surely do it In this his labouring of others we are to note first that by likelyhood he espied them to be over heavie in this matter then in what maner thereupon he doth labour them If they were so heavie hereunto that the Prophet needed so to labour them then did the Prophet very well so much the more to put to the spur as he did see that the heavines of those did neede it In the maner of his labouring of them we are to note first that the Prophet him selfe doth lament that their distresse then how he sheweth verie good reason that so he may He lamenteth it t 1 15. in crying out Alas for this day Then coming to shew that he doth it not lightly but hath good reason so to do first he setteth down the reason it selfe and then he doth confirm the same By very good reason The reason it selfe that
here he giveth is no more in effect but to shew how sorrowfull a day it is and that doth he two waies first as touching the substance of it and then by the maner of proceeding For the substance of it he saith that v 1 15. it is a day of destruction or that doth make them vtterly waste In the maner of proceeding or in what sort it cometh upon thē he noteth two things one that it cometh mightily on them or in very strong maner calling it the day of the Lord and saying that it cometh from the almightie the other that it is even at hand or that now they are very neere to utter destruction In his confirmation of it first he setteth down the matter out of which he will confirm it then confirmeth or further strengthneth that same likewise The x 1 16. matter that he setteth down for the confirmation of it resteth in two pointes the one that their meate is cut óf before their eyes or that they may plainly and evidently see that now they have nothing whereon to live the other that ioy and gladnes is also cut óf from the house of their God as evident a token of pręsent destruction as the other is That which he bringeth for the confirmation and further strengthning of this also is by shewing that those things are utterly failed which should minister both to them all necessarie foode and joy and gladnesse to those that served in the house of the Lord. To this end he addeth first as touching their y 1 17. corn that they had so litle hope or comfort thereof partly for so much as was sown was most of it rotten under the clods by immoderate wet and partly for that such as was left was also withered that now men did cōmonly let even their barnes and garners goe down then as touching their z 1 18. cattle not onely that they all moorn but also that both their heards of greater cattle pine away for lack of pasture that was destroyed by immoderate a 1 19 20. heat that afterward followed but also that even their flocks of sheepe who are woont to make good shift in very bare pastures were lost notwithstanding even the whole flocks for lack of pasture In his profession or protestation that hé will doe it although they will not we are to note first what it is that he will doe and then wherefore he will doe the same That which he will doe is that he will b 1 19. crie unto the Lord. The reason is for that the fier hath devoured the lodges or pastures of the wildernes and flamb hath burnt up the trees of the fiedes and for the beasts of the fielde did also after their maner crie unto him for want of water bicause the rivers were dried up and for want of meat bicause their pastures were devoured or burnt with heat Which that we may in like maner applie to our selves It appertaineth to those that are of the ministerie with ús likewise to have an eye to this matrer sometimes they need to be stirred up by some other first whereas he calleth on the Priests for this matter who were the ordinarie teachers of the people we may note that among us likewise such as are our ordinary teachers should haue an eye to these matters and when neede is admonish the magistrats and people also to joyn together in such good exercise And whereas those ordinarie teachers which no doubt were many were now so earnestly called upon by this our Prophet who was sent in extraordinarily and was but one it also may teach us that though our ordinarie teachers bee many yet may they forget them selues so much euen all sometimes that God may finde it needefull to send in some other extraordinarilie to put them in minde of such matters and to quicken them up thereunto and though théy be many and the other but one yet may they not therefore despise him For it falleth out very often that though they live of the Altar yet doe they not so much oft-times regarde these things that belong to the Altar I meane the true service of God and the advancement of his glorie and though they be the Ministers or servants of God yet are they not alwaies so carefull of the service of him whose servants they are And as at this time one other was found that had no part of his living of the Altar nor was any of the number of those that were the ordinarie servants of God and yet was very carefull for the Altar and to promote his maisters busines so in these daies also it pleaseth God sometimes to stir up some one or other amōg us that being nothing maintained by the altar nor any of our ordinarie teachers neither neverthelesse doth that kind of busines much more sometimes then those that are and when it pleaseth God to send any such they are not lightly to be regarded In that they are admonished first to stir up them selves to sorrow before that they should call upon others that so they might the better doe it therein likewise may we very well note what cause it is that they have to follow that in this case would do any good that is first of all to begin with them selves from whom others are to take their light and direction For unlesse they sorrow them selves and be effectually touched with their miseries it is not to be looked for In what maner they ought to sorrow that théy should stir up others unto it And whereas it is of them required not only to sorrow but also to doe it in very earnest and hearty maner and therefore it is required of them that they houl and lie all night in sakcloth although that we are not to account our selves necessarilie tied to their maner of moorning so cōsequently to their maner of sakcloth neither yet are we to doe it in very earnest and fervēt maner to know withal that as we are not necessarily tied to their sakcloth so neither do our cābriks and lawns our shak-haire undecent loks of uncleannes or pride other excesse or whatsoever other badges of our wōted delicacie or tēder nicenes any thing becum those that professe that godly sorrow that now we speake of Insomuch that as God himselfe c 〈◊〉 33 5. on a time admonished the children of Israel whē they had offended the Lord being angrie with thē they had now to seek his favour againe to lay aside their costly apparel that thereby hee might the better see how far they repented then how to deale accordingly with them so we likewise have need to account it as needfull for us especially for those that ought to be leaders unto others to lay aside the great excesse that now is used before that either thēselves shal see that there is any true repentance in them or before that others by their example or cold exhortation whilbe
that by occasion hereof might otherwise come may be so much and so very great that hardly may any man think to find out or to reckon the same insomuch that the Apostle himselfe doth account it the roote of all ill But if we may find that such things as the Prophets as before was alleaged did lay to the charge of that people and of that time may justly bee imputed to this then shall that course bee sufficient for us and we shall not neede to force any more upon it For if the defect of religion that those Prophets doe charge them withall and those other vices may be found to be of that nature that they might proceed of this then is it no wroÌ„g so to conceave of such inclination of theirs and the matter that now we have in hand will be sufficiently cleared likewise Coldnes in religion First therefore as touching that defect of theirs in religion without al quaestion Ãt might easily come of thÃs For wheresoever there is such a love of priuate wealth a nature disposed so busily to imploy it selfe about those inferior earthly matters there is religion soone let downe or thriueth but ill though after a sort as yet it stand Hard dealing with others But then if we come to those other vices hard dealing with others and excesse in them selves those are of such nature as that euery one may plainely see how they may very kindely proceede of such disposition of those as before is described For as for their hard dealing with others when the Princes themselves get into their handes those fields and vineyeards and had such pastures and were such husbands for corne cattle and wines what others were there in all that country that had ability that would not soone attempt the like when as the Princes example had first set them on and gave them besides so good hope of protection for the time to come And surely it is not unlikely but that al generally especially the greater sort of them did so follow on this naughty course so ill begun that it is no marvel though Isaiah complaine so earnestly both of joyning house to house land to land and besides that that when such things come in quaestion and the weaker sort were faine to seeke to the Magistrate for helpe their oppression notwithstanding was litle eased and still they had just cause to complaine Mo marvel neither though Micah do so grievously charge them to be full of crueltie to lie in wait for blood to hunt their neighbors to take away from them their grounds houses to oppresse a man and his heritagé to spoil theÌ„ of their garments in time of peacé to spare neither sexe nor age to pull of their skins to chop them in peeces unto the pot and that the best of them all are so infected with his corruption that although they deal much more moderatély in respect of the others yet they also are in truth no better in this kinde of dealing then briurs and thornes So likewise Excesse in themselves for their excesse in themselves it is as we know most commonly seene that when men are come to immoderate wealth then doe they soone waxe wantons withall And then no marvell that Isaiah doth so complaine of the high looks of that people that they were so haughtie loftie that they were so giveÌ„ to feasting drinking musicke to make theÌ„selves mery yet that in all this they nothing regarded the worke of the Lord. No marvell neither that the women of that time were grown now to such a fashion as that he is forced so to complaine both of their attire and of their behaviour And these thinges considered it is no marvell that Amos is so bolde as to looke into the bed-chambers also of the wealthier sort and thence to bring us worde that even in Zion they live at ease and take their pleasure and that none of them all either is sorie for the affliction of Ioseph or else regardeth the threatnings of God 15 But to leave them and to come to our selves first as touching Religion there is no quaestion That we also may finde the selfe same faults among ús likewise In Religion a godly and a commendable care to be found in ús but that wee are deepely much beholding to God for that which we have alreadie among us as any such people in these our dayes is or heretofore to our knowledge hath beene since the world began For of óur Superiors likewise it may I trust as truely be said that they have done uprightly and directed their waies aright in the sight of the Lord and both with Vzziah doe more specially seeke the Lorde sometimes and with Iotham likewise have repaired that high gate to the house of the Lorde and made a readie way for all to come unto it that will For whereas religion was corrupted before and both superstition and idolatrie also were commonly taken for the true worship of God they have laide the word of God before them and made reformatioÌ„ according to the level thereof and besides this generall reformation for all somtimes besides they have more specially sought the Lorde when some speciall cause hath so required and when they have had concurring withal the direction of such as have dealt sincerely with them in the name of the Lord. Likewise it is very cleare that they have repaired againe that high and chiefe and principall gate of the Temple even Iesus Christ who said himselfe that he was the gate or dore to the house of the Lord and have not onely made a ready way for all to enter into the house of the Lorde but also have beene at speciall charges in repairing the rúines of the buildings themselves that are to that use But the like corruption to be founde likewise But then it is to be doubted withall that the infirmitie corruption that was in them doth cleave ouer fast to us likewise so consequently that it is not done with a perfect heart but rather as some Amaziah hath done that is gone before us High places remayning with ús also For first as touching that fault that was common to them both that is that the high places did still remaine and that the people did sacrifice and burne incense there that same fault may certainely be found overmuch with us to this praesent day that now we are in if wee can rightly distinguish of those high places that are most likely here to be meant For whereas they were all places of worship but some of them tended to the worship of the ttue God though not in such sort as his worde required in which sense Gibeon also where the Tabernacle was for a time i 2. Chro. 1 3. is termed an high place others againe to the worship of jdols as k 1. King 11 7 8. those places are termed that SalomoÌ„ builded to certain idols after that once
be to praevaile against the aeternall and the invincible Truth of God If they were but of the common sort of souldiers or if there were but fewe of them that they could not to their owne desire compasse in the other on every side the matter were lesse if they could not attaine to that they desiered and though they were foiled or clean overthrowen yet that also were short of that portion of honour and comfort that God in such case would have bestowed on so good cause and on those that sincerely stand in the same Nay unlesse he have them áll in so much that none be wanting even that also is more then he in such case can affoord unto them What cause is there then why we in these dayes when God is disposed as before wee have heard to bring againe our captivitie should be so afraide when we heare of any that in this cause professe enmitie towardes us being as they are farre short of áll and such as they are neither the best Warriours themselves nor yet so strong though all their forces were united together But he doth not onely call in their persons but putteth them in minde of their furniturealso and because their provision of weapons might be over scant when now they came all generally to the end that therin also they have no want he willeth them to frame their instruments of husbandry into weapōs also that so all may be provided therof to the uttermost of their owne desire And yet when they come with al this furniture thát also shall be but a seely poore help unto thē Goliah was a mighty man very well furnished for armour weapō an expert souldier besides and David on the other side but a simple thing to be in the fielde nothing at all furnished to such a purpose never trained up thereunto But so soone as they met that great beast was laid flat on the ground David went away with his head for all he could do Neither is it to be omitted that the Lord assureth of his successe though the odswere so great on our enimies part and the likelihood so faire that even the weaker sort among them in hope of the spoile would stir up themselves to goe to the field with the rest or at least wish that any way they might be able so to do For whatsoever likelihood there is that flesh blood may thinke to have found yet can there be no sooner a triall made but that it wil most plainely appeare that flesh blood was far deceaved Yet neverthelesse it is to good purpose a seemly a needefull exercise to us that with the Prophet we also should in all such gatherings of earthly forces lift up our eyes hearts unto heaven and there desire our most mighty and mercifull Father to send downe those greater forces of his to encounter with them Which if we shal do we may likewise hope to have that gracious and comfortable answere that all the sortes of óur enemies also shoulde be gathered together to that discomfortable and irckesome vallie of Iehoshaphat to their utter destruction discomfortable and irckesome I say to all the enemies of the people of God but unto those that professe the Truth and sincerely hold it a place of great honor and joy a crowne of glorie a mountaine of inaestimable high renowne and no vallie at all of grief or reproach As stalkes of corne and ripe grapes But when the Lord compareth them further to the corn of the field and the clusters of grapes in the presse whereof the one is so easily cut downe with a sieth or may well be gotten by whole handes-full at once with no more but a sickle the others being once come to that ripenes that they are meete to come to the presse breake in sunder and bleede of themselves without any treading who is there may doubt but that in such case even the best strength that they have is nothing else but miserable weakenes and their greatest glorie not one jote better then their open and aeternall shame especially when as their wickednes now is so very great and in open sight much greater by farre then can be matched in any other sort of people and when as the Lord alreadie hath begun so to roar out of Zion in such sort to give foorth his voice in Ierusalem that the heavens and earth are therewith mooved alreadie And what reason is there why it shoulde not be as seemely for his honour now to be in these daies both a refuge and a strength to his people as heretofore it hath beene on behalfe of others We our selves I graunt doe in no wise deserve it and no more did others that have beene before us if God should have entered into judgement with them but it is meete and very much to the honour of God that in these daies also he should be knowne to be a refuge and strength to his people as at any time heretofore it hath beene without exception If we therefore shall seeke unto him in such sort as we before directed there need to be no quaestion made nor doubt conceaved but that in these daies also the Lorde will so bring downe our enemies that now also it shall be made known unto all that the Lord is óur God likewise and that Ierusalem shal henceforward be kept undefiled from such corruption as heretofore was brought into it and that her enemies shall never hereafter so praevaile against it as they have done nor make it a thorough-fare for them to passe repasse at their pleasure as heretofore over-long they have done 24 Concerning the blessed estate of the other The blessed estate of the godly that is of the Church or people of God a 3 18. first it is set downe simply or in respect of it self alone b 3 19.21 In respect of it self then by comparison or in respect of certain others In that which is but simply set down or in respect of it selfe alone we are to consider first of the time wherein that blessed estate is promised then what is that blessed estate that thén is promised For the time there is relation had to that which c 3 ◠before was named when God would bring againe the captivitie of Iudah and of Ierusalem and therefore d 3 18. it is saide in that daie The blessed estate that then was promised was concerning the lande wherein they dwelt and first as touching the aboundance of fruites that it should then yeelde and then as touching the good watering of it As touching the fruites that then it should so aboundantly yeelde wee have sette downe both what partes of the Country they were that should be so fruitfull and then what should be the fruitfulnes of them Those partes of the Country that should be so fruitfull are the very e 3 18. mountaines and hilles which for the most part are nothing so fruitfull as the
of him Much rather if we come to those spirituall graces that are promised here In spirituall graces we may then assure our selves that in the Church or kingdome of Christ they are in so great and plentifull manner that every where they doe abound and that the meanest Churches or persons therein doe more abound in these matters then else-where any others of what estate experience or learning so ever they be As also when he commeth to shewe how this land that he doth speake of is watered as he telleth us that the rivers shall be ful of water and of a fountaine that should water the vallie of Cedars so he addeth withall that they are but the rivers of Iudah that he doth speak of and that the fountaine did likewise proceede from the House of the Lorde and in truth the faithfull have such sufficiency and fulnes and most plentifull abundance in Iesus Christ in his holy word and continually are so refreshed so replenished with that fountaine proceeding from the house of the Lord that not onely all the rivers of Iudah are ever full of water even to the brinkes but even those great and mighty Cedars also of that rich and fruitfull vallie are all watered even to the full Otherwise with our enemies But on the other side if we cast our eyes to any of our unneighbourly Aegypts or Edoms such countries or states as take part with Aegypt in their idolatries and superstitions or with Edom in continuall hostilitie to the people of God though we may finde them for a time to flourish and sometimes to getunder the people of God for a season yet is it sure and sealed up in the irrevocable judgements of God that they shall be made wast and become inhabitable or as a wildernes without any to dwell therein in comparison of that which otherwise they might attaine unto with the residue of those that in spirit and truth do call upon God And howsoever they may seeme to flourish for the time and thereby to hinder the course of the Gospell yet may they be sure that it shall not be só with theÌ„ still but that needes they must come to judgement for with-holding the Truth â—n unrighteousnes so long as alreadie they have done For áll flesh is grasse and the glorie thereof but even as the flower of the field and though now they flourish as greene as the bay-tree yet he that now passing by theÌ„ in that case doth leave theÌ„ may at his returne not be able to finde the place where they were though he make good hast and doe not tarrie For in them is found innocent blood and iniurie done to the people of GOD beyonde all measure Wherein though others also have their parts yet of all others that Whore of Babylon that long since hath beene drunken with the bloode of Saints must needes beare the bell wheresoever she cometh WheÌ„ théy are wasted Ierusalem standeth in good case And as these must be laid wast so Ierusalem and all Iudah must stand for ever that when the enemies have doone what they can to overlay them to put all to the swoorde and to abolish the very name or memoriall of them from the face of the earth yet must they finde in the ende that they were in no wise able to performe their desire and that the more they have sought to bring them downe the more hath God opposed himself against their attempts set theÌ„ up Of which his goodnes because we have had so large pleÌ„tiful experieÌ„ce in these daies of ours so many waies in so great matters as we have had so much the more may we assure our selves that these are the daies wherin we shal see by the goodnes of God the ful performance of these his mercies unto his people We are our selves I graunt unworthy and that may be denied by none but he telleth us also that hé will clense the blood of those that are his By which his clensing it may well come to passe that we may be so highly in the favour of God by him that clenseth us Iesus Christ that he may well even in his justice after that once he hath affoorded us that way to his mercy vouchsafe to establish and to uphold us as here is promised especially when as he telleth us further that himselfe will dwell among us Exod. 32-34 For as on a time when the children of Israell had greevously sinned against the Lord he withdrewe himselfe from their company till upon their repentance their sinne was done away but when they repented and the Lord by the intercession of Moses had forgiven their sinne he then adjoined himself unto their tents againe and was content to keepe company with them in all their journeies untill they came to the land of promise so in this case likewise how so ever the Lord hath heretofore estraunged himself from us because of our sinne yet if it so be that now we repeÌ„t us of those our sins we may be sure that by the intercession of our Moses Iesus Christ the onely Mediatour of the New and last covenant he also will so for give us our sinnes and so circumcise our hearts withall or clense our blood that the lover of men will not account it unseemely his honour to dwell among us And because that his dwelling or continuall aboade requireth likewise a dwelling-house and that the same be ever mainteined therefore so soone as it doth appeare that the holy Ghost hath built is upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the Head-corner-stone and so hath made us Temples to him we also may assure our selves that he wil not suffer us to miscarry Houses are sometimes overthrowne by outward force sometimes againe they decay of themselves but this House or Temple of his wil he both defend against the force of all his enemies and uphold likewise against such decayes An exhortation unto such repentance as herein is required as otherwise of it selfe would grow upon it 26 Now therefore to draw to an end whereas it is cleare that we also may find our selves to be touched with the self same hande of God that was cast upon them though not in so large plentifull measure what were more seemely or meeter for us then sensibly to be touched therewith and to acknowledge it as in deed it is can be none other the speciall hand of God upon us Let the Heathen thinke that knowe not God that such thinges come by chaunce or fortune Because we may see this to be the haÌ„d of God let us acknowledge and undoubtedly perswade our selves that it is of the Lord that he for some speciall cause hath sent it unto us And if it be his doing or come froÌ„ hÃm may wé make so light of it as not to suffer the same to take any holde of us Or may we so easily passe it over as not so much as in