you shall confesse that not pleasaunt Minstrels but Gods true Prophetes Preachers were sent to forewarne you 2. Kin. 21.2 These bée much more wicked thā curssed Achab whyche yet beléeued the worde at the voice of one Prophet and receiued cōforte But these shall haue him a witnesse to their condemnation in the day of Gods anger which cannot or wil beléeue the Lordes word by so many yeres trauel amongest them Rom. 12.1 But lette vs labour to persuade you by Gods mercies to offer vp your bodyes a holy liuelye acceptable sacrifice to God whyche is your resonable seruing of God Tush that cānot moue for you beléeue vs not you haue Papisticall spirites that is to say doubtfull hearts you dare not reste vpon the promises of God and therefore wil not be allured by his mercies But let vs tell you Esay 26 17 that if ye followe the fashion of this worlde you shal die in the sinnes thereof you saie to your selues safe inough for we haue made a couenant with death our Preachers do but scare vs we sée no suche likenesse of Gods anger all thinges continue their course as at the beginning But you wilfully are ignorant saying 2. Pet. 3.3.4 that the Lord hath a desire to saue vs and would haue none to perish but woulde all to come to repentance Notwithstanding be it knowne to you O ye curssed scorners the Lorde wil come to you as a théefe in the night and when you crye to youre selues peace and rest then sodaine shal be your destruction 2. Tess 2.12 whiche woulde not credite the worde of trueth to your saluation Gen. 7. The first age beleued not Noah and are vniuersally drowned Gen. 19. The cursed Sodomites scorned Loth and wyth fyre and brimstone are consumed And canst thou think to escape with thy scorning couenant of death thou Paynim Papist and carnall Atheiste No the Lord saith to euery such your couenant with death shall be disanulled and your agréemēt with hel shal not stād When a scourge shall runne ouer Esay 28.18 and passe through then shal ye be troden down by it c. The third vice abusing Gods long suffering is Our presumption to sin For we conceiuing by a natural self liking a sinister cōiecture of Gods mercie that he doth not so narrowly looke to our offēces or will so strictly punish our sins do therfore take occasion presumptuously to adde sin vpon sin to passe the dayes of our youth in distemperate dealings against God man promising to our selues a long life a long tyme to repent a long suffering God But O ye gallants of these days which sin in this presumption know ye that God is iust as he is merciful that repētance is his gift to whom it pleaseth him giuen to the hūble spirited that feare him which in the days of their youth remēber him before those euil dayes come wherein you shal for paine griefe in conscience corps say we haue no pleasure to liue Be helping therefore to youre selues in God Eccle. 12 1. and stowpe to the yoke of Christe in time Nowe is the day of your calling when the sounde of Gods Gospell ringeth in your eares now is the acceptable day In this day harden not your harts nor treasure vp to your selues anger against the day of wrath But lende your lustie eares to this necessarye demaunde of the Apostle Paule O man Rom 2.4 despisest thou the ryches of hys bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferaunce not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentaunce but thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgemēt of God who wil reward euery man according to his workes Now beloued in God let vs pray the Lord our long suffering God to giue vs true repentaunce that we abuse no longer his blessed bountie either with carnall contempte naturall diffidence or presūptuous sins but that with Dauid we may praye againste the rebellion of our youth Psal 19. our secrete faults and presumptuous offēces that in this long time of his suffering nowe drawing so neare the Lordes Haruest wée may hasten throughe him our heares to be fruitefull leaste we still abusing his great patience at the laste shall heare to our endlesse sorrowe the sharpnesse of this sentence Cutte downe the Figge tree But O Lorde and deare father graunt vs thy heauenly grace wée béeséeche thée for thy holy Christs sake And nowe time requireth to speake some thing of this sharpe sentence Cut it downe If he had saide but cut it it had bene a harde word of Gods anger but in that he saith Cut it downe and with a further demaund namely Why keepeth it the grounde barren also hée signifieth his loue is gone his wrath is kindled and therefore this barren trée must néedes perishe Two wicked euils you sée followeth this wicked Fig trée Firste he is not only fruitelesse himselfe but the verye place where he stādeth he maketh barren also Secondly for thys after a long wattering proyning wéeding and wayting no goodnesse founde in him but much euill he is commaunded to be cut downe from the trées of the Vineyarde And for the first would God it were rightly considered of those which are in aucthoritie For wheresoeuer the barren Figge trée abideth there he is not onely fruitelesse to God but very hurtful to the common weale rounde about him as for example the child of hel the shamefull Vsurer as barren to God so he maketh barren and vnable to liue al the trées that earste bare greate shewe in that Forrest of his Countrey Likewise the hardned Papist is not onely an enimy to God his religion and hir Maiestie in his heart but he maketh according the valor of his countenaunce the Countrie by proportion where he dwelleth very Papisticall with him If he be a Gentlemā he corrupteth his tenants and the godly Minister there hath small ioy of his labor but if a Iustice of peace as too manye suche there are then hée goeth very néere if not to corrupt sundrye his fellowe Benchers yet by the fleshly fauor they owe him and through the linkes of bloude or affinitie to him or other their friendes they are become very sparing of religious fruite bothe bearing with his Popery and all hys and also not so dutifull to God and hir Maiestie for the purging of the country of such bitter trées or fruites as they of faithfulnesse oughte or for their owne persuasion should were they not made barrē by such a bitter Fig trée Oh Lord why should such vniuste Papists sit in place of Iustice so to barren the soyle rounde aboute them Mercy they haue had and it doth rather mar them Lord from heauen from heauen Lord grant them Iustice or mercy at thy good wyll Conuert them or confound them Lord For why
in substance sincerely by law established and by the godly Ministers likewise to Gods people administred without addition or defalking too or fro the worde of God For the Discipline of the Church we also haue it thoughe in some weaker sorte than either the auctoritie of the worde seemeth to me to affoorde or the grauitie of the cause in our pestiferous time doth require it Yet it cannot bée said but we haue established discipline by hir graces godly laws to this Churche of Englande and at thys laste Parliament agaynst the Papists haue the same Christianly augmented God grāt that our godly and reuerende Bishops Iudges Ecclesiasticall Commissioners and officers whych haue the authority may and would so vse thys aucthoritye they haue that God myghte be wonne as it were wyth theyr godly indeuor to enlarge the heartes of higher aucthoritye ouer vs in the Lorde by lawefull power to yéelde vs further and more seuere discipline to one and all in thys Churche of Englande Lord for thy mercies sake graunt it to this thy holy visible Vineyarde of Englande we beseeche thée And in the meane space brethren let vs be obedient to this we haue and heartilye praise God for the same and pray earnestly with conioyned hearts for a further by hir Graces aucthoritie and the strict rule of hys holy worde These holy and sufficient notes of hys visible Church we haue in our English Church at thys day the Lord be praised for them and contynue them wyth vs and therefore agaynste al your blasphemies to God your sinister but subtill suggestions to Princes and people o ye poore Papists we stand by proofe to bée the Figge trée planted indeede in the moste holy Vineyarde of the Lorde and haue our Churche consecrated a sacred member of the Catholike Churche of God visible wyth the rest of that Militante troupe and companye of sanctified men in the vniuersall earth And as for the other forged marks of Vniuersalitie and personall succession we count it sufficient to haue the society with suche the sonnes of God as haue their felowshippe with the Sainctes of Christe 1. Io. 11.2.3 4. and haue learned to forsake the company of the wicked and to auoide the way of sinners but greatly deteste to stoupe to that Cacolike Apostata of Rome Ps 1. whych so arrogantly setteth hymselfe in that chaire of the scorner But touching personall succession of Bishoprickes and Churches we holde it not to be always a sure marke of Gods holye Churche Except ye wil saye of the Church of Israel vnder Ieroboam that Idolatour that she was then the true Churche thoughe an Apostata by hir grosse Idolatrie bicause she could boast of personall succession from the Kyngs and Bishoppes of that people Or that the Churche of Iudah vnder Manasses that idolatrous King was notwythstanding the murther of Gods chyldren their sacrificing to Idols theyr racing out of the lawe of the Lorde and banyshing hys holy sacrifyces was I saye all thys admitted yet the true Church of God bycause they hadde and coulde shewe a personall succession of Kyngs and Byshoppes euen from the firste Moses and Aaron But yée wyll possibly presse vs wyth the auctoritie of the Fathers as wyth Tertullian that ancient whych boasted in truth to haue had succession of the Byshops of Rome for the furtheraunce of hys purpose But forget not you Papists that as yet the Fathers of that Church had not departed from the faith but wyth theyr succession had contynued the Apostolicall doctrine vppon whiche point Tertullian chiefly stoode as it may appeare by hym And also would God you would not wyth malitious heartes séeke to darken that notable doctrine of hys in that hys Booke of prescriptions that althoughe manye Churches haue not to shewe theyr personall succession of Byshoppes yet if so they haue the Apostolicall doctrine taught sincerely in them for that consāguinitie and kinred in Doctrine those Churches are and are to be accompted Apostolicall The Orientall Churches hadde due succession til Arrius had infected them with hys poyson shall personall succession nowe approue the sect of the Arrians to be the church of God So had the Churche of Rome before Antichristes possession therof Shal we therfore now say whē their doctrine theyr malice theyr ambition theyr pride theyr dyuelishe conuersation dothe conuince them to be that whore of Babilon Shal we I say now say bycause they possibly can shew vs a great Catalogue of Byshops from Linus or Anacletus that therefore they are nowe the true Churche of God And yet were that a sufficient proofe of Gods Churche our Bishops in England then haue their personall succession from the firste euen the firste that you can name as by time and nexte course succéeding one an other Thus you sée dearely beloued howe apparant it is that this noble Realme of Englande is planted by Gods greate mercy into the Catholike Vineyarde of the Lorde the visible Churche of God and is it selfe a notable member of the same Now time requireth that we speake something likewise of the inuisible cōpany and Church of God to the greater comforte of the godlye in thys visible Churche whiche this day heare me or hereafter may heare of this holy labor to their further benefite If thou wouldest knowe certainly beloued in thine owne conscience whether thou arte verily and indéede the member of Christ and so a liuely braunche of the virident Vine end a fruitful Figge trée examine thy selfe by these thrée pointes The true notes of the inuisible Church al which the spirite of God againe hathe laide vp in one most sacred Sentence and thys it is The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure hart 1. Tim. 1.5 and of a good conscience and of saith vnfained In thys sentence beloued in Christ is laid forth vnto vs the verye true and infallibe tokens to euery mans soule whether he be the sonne of God or no. For by degrées from the fruite to the trée from the childe to the parent he goeth fetcheth thence vnto vs the certaine markes whereby we are sealed to the Lorde The purpose of God giuyng his worde is saith the Apostle that yée purely loue one another but your loue muste procéede from a good conscience not from a corrupted hart and this conscience hath his purging from an vnfained faith Then take hence your certaine notes of Gods children and these they are First by the vertue of the spirite and word of God a pure faith vnfained Secondly a renued minde whiche here is called a pure heart And thirdely by the same spirite suche charitie as neither can be cold or hypocriticall In whom soeuer these be vigent warme let him be assured though al the Popes in Rome had sēt their curses against him this honorable natiō yet he is of god the member of Christ one of his inuisible Churche whyche can not be caste forth of the dores But that we maye the better knowe
ioyning of house to house and fielde to fielde so as they woulde banishe the poore to dwell alone by themselues 11. Earely vp to dronkennesse and bibbing from morning till nighte banquetting feasting piping and dauncing but no regarde of the worke of the Lorde wherefor he hathe made them Furthermore Vers 20. they gaue a contrary tongue vnto God For they yéelded commendation of that whiche was noughte and flatly condemned the simple good They altered the tymes and seasons to their owne fantasies darkenesse for light bitter for sweete and swéet for sower 21. They estéemed mannes pollicie aboue Gods diuinitie makyng muche of their owne conceits and became prudent in their owne sight they durst vse and bragge of it that a carowsing Cup or a harty draught coulde not ouertumble them therefore they woulde ioine Bacchus to Venus still Vers 23. Finally they abused the seate of Iustice Equity was sent from home and the wicked were iustified for bribes yea the godly and his cause was by the aduerse power intercepted of his right and hys case peruerted so as either the righteousnesse of his cause was darkened or much diminished or the true alowance to it vtterly taken away therefore the Lorde did threaten his cutting down Esay 5.24 saying Like as the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the Chaffe is consumed of the flame So their roote shall bee as rottennesse and their bud shall ryse vp like duste bycause they haue caste off the lawe of the Lorde of hostes and contemned the worde of the holy one of Israell But nowe let vs looke into the long suffering of this our God to this people Beholde saith he these three yeares haue I sought for fruit and finde none By this terme of time we are to note beloued the long suffering of God which calleth by it to repentance So he dealt with the world in the dayes of the floude yea euen when he was ready to strike then he gaue them afreshe a longer time to repent namely 20. yeres Gen. 6.3 So prolonged he the time of his plagues to their posteritie euen when the daye was conceyued to sée if they would preuent his anger with their returning vnto him And by his holye Prophets cryed vnto them oh ye people why wil you dye Ezech. 33.11 Turne you from your euil wayes gather your selues togither o people not worthy to be beloued before the dresser come forth and ye be as chaffe that passeth in a day and before the fierce wrath of the Lorde come vpon you Zephany 2.12 But they greatly abused his great forbearing and so do we Ieremy saide of them Ierem. 25.3 that hée hadde called them to repentaunce ful 23. yeares earely and late but they woulde not heare nor encline thine eares to obey but prouoked him to anger albeit he long suffered them and sente to them his Prophets as before is saide Oh Ieremy Gods holy Prophet thy terme of time is cast vppon vs. These thrée and twentie yeares hathe the Lorde in mercye by the voice of his Prophetes called for fruite of vs in Englande But what shoulde be our fruites Surely a duple degrée in fruites the Lorde dothe require of vs. Firste a generall fruite as we be all professed into our Christe And then a speciall namely euery trée his owne fruite Philip. 1.27 Of the firste the Apostle Paule speaketh thus Let your conuersation be as it becōmeth the Gospel of God c. That is that our heartes be one in iudgement oure offections in loue our confederacie in godlynesse suche as wée ioyne hands in vnitie one with another to fight togither through the faith of the Gospell againste the aduersary and not as dismembred bodies and companies to deuoure one an other by iarring braules and causelesse contentions Let this beloued be neuer out of our minds which are of one religion If ye bite one an other Gal. 5 15. take heede leaste ye be consumed one of an other Our vnitie loue doth appall the pride of the Papists our brawling contentions and strife not for knowledge but for malice doth bréede a breache for the wicked But note that our vnitie godlinesse muste be a conuersation not a déede well done by chaunce at a sodaine but a continued conuersation in holynesse The guide of whiche conuersation is set downe to vs here to be the faith of the Gospell of God as from which fountaine euerye manne may fetche hys seuerall fruite and lycour to life Marke this you mighty rulers and rich of the earth From hence namely from Gods holy worde oughte you firste to others godlye example to draw the patterne to your conuersatiō God sendeth hys holy Prophets the preachers of the worde fyrste to call you hyther Goe downe to the house of the Kyng of IVDAH saith the Lord to Ieremy Ierem. 22.1 and speake thys thing and say heare the worde of the Lord o King of Iudah thou that sittest vpon the throne of Dauid thou and thy seruants and thy people Execute iudgement and righteousnesse c. then shall yee liue I praye you reade the place at youre leysure you princely Rulers Know you that first you aboue all menne are spectacles and myrrors vnto men your conuersation therefore muste shine by the Gospel Gods holy word and your loue from aboue must abound in equitie to his Ministers Moses must loue Aaron defēd him in truth againste the malice of the wicked But where is this Gospel-like conuersation We wil aske of the riche and mighty nowe at the ende of these thrée and twenty yeres but this equall fruit But it is with vs fruite good ynoughe for the Minister to be basely estéemed it is no matter to priue his portiō to your owne purses but suche are Nabothes feare not God I speake not against the godly mighty but against the rich men of the earth whiche care not for these wordes Do my Prophets no harme Nor for this He that teacheth the Gospel let him liue of the Gospell Nor for this Muzzel not the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne c. But are these worldlings but fewe or rather may we not aske who is it that delighteth in this conuersation of the worde For the moste parte ye dispise our holye calling but daylye more and more you labour and hunger to be possessed with our liuings You are by calling properly temporall but through elder abuse many of you are become improperly Ecclesiasticall The poore Minister muste crouch to such patrons his knée to the grounde his stéeple to theyr stealth his tythe to their granary and his due portion to their vnsatiable prouision These be improper persons and therefore I take it by law their Churche detentions are rightly called impropriate promotiōs These improper persons receiue hundreds but the pore Vicar can scarce haue tenne poundes and yet the whole burthen is layde on hys shoulders I know not howe many
Fathers of the lawe are embrewed wyth this bloude I am also a straunger to the Citie a poore man come oute of the Country and whether my Lorde Mayor or his brethren be or haue in their corporation this improper proprietie I cannot say but I am very sure of thys it is a very vnséemely sight to sée a Parson of a Parishe Churche so stately attyred in suche costely robes and golden chaines as the honor of this Citie doth affoorde to hir Aldermen But if you bée suche improper persons I pray you yet haue lesse care of your gaine and more of conscience lette vs not serue you for suche parings but somewhat more liberally carue to vs in the Lord we admonishe you Remember that the word of God requireth you to make vs partakers of all your goodes Mala. 1.14 And dare you so boldelye take from vs then our fyrst allotted portions Malach. 3.8 It is counted a blessed thyng wyth manye in these dayes to spoyle the portion of the Minister but the dayes to come shall proue it accurssed with God But Lorde this is thy iudgement vppon vs thy seruauntes whyche haue not serued thée as belongeth vs in these thy forbearing dayes and thy further plague to the posteritie for this contempte againste thée For thy worde by thys meanes shall bée eyther sparingly or not at all delyuered them But surelye if Potentates hadde lyttle regarde to Religion yet me séemeth it their greate pollicie whylest the LORDE dothe yet forbeare well to maintaine the preaching ministery For the hart of man is his leader and the affectictions kindled there enforce the bodye seruiceable to his will The handes maye be restrained for a time but the hearte not altered a newe assaye is to be giuen But if the heart of man bée once conuerted vnto the trueth of God whyche commeth to passe by the office of Preaching then the soule submitteth hymselfe to euerye lawfull power Rom. 13.1 as sent from God and for conscience to GOD and dutie to hys worde causeth his body to obey euen to moste hard commaundements impositions euery demannd Let a suruey be taken hereof betwixt the Papist and the true Protestant the one is ready to rebell at euery motion the other alwayes preste to aide aucthoritie with goods landes life Wherehence commeth this but that the heartes of men are setled by the worde to stoupe and stande to their superiors set ouer them not for feare but for conscience Iere. 29.6.7 And good Ieremy and Barucke Baruc. 9.11.12 do euer persuade the Israell of God not only to bende their backes to Nabuchadnezars bondage but also hartilye to praye to God for his prosperous raigne and for the life of his sonne Balthazar how much more then wyl they teache obedience to godlye Princes by whome God is greately honoured and his Prophets right louingly intreated But this is a hard fruite o noble Fig-trées and improrer persons to giue to God lame liuings and halting portions to take the beste by spoile from his Minister and your selues not sanctified to the seruice For you are not otherwise Ecclesiasticall then when you call for tythes but for the charge of the Cure you take no care Oh be afraide of thys you that forget God and yet boaste of hys truth for it is a right bitter fruite and roote of a thousande euils to the Church of God whyche is the verye cause why I haue thus saide vnto it A braunche whereof beholde oure presente time hathe bredde for our Ministers in the Country for the moste part are either ignorant and idle or else ouer poore and néedy The people for the moste are likewise vnder suche either blinde and Popishe or hauty and harde harted and yet the Lorde doth stil beare and cryeth for better fruites Heb. 3. oh beloued lette vs hearken to his voice while it is to day that we do not stil thus fall by degrées from the lyuing God thoroughe the deceitfulnesse of sinne It is ynough that we haue spent the time of two and twētie yeares so vainely 1. Pet. 4.2.3 lette vs knowe that hence forth we ought to liue not after the lustes of the fleshe but after the will of God But this is a greate wonder to manye that men professing God and indued with so goodlye wits should in the light of the glorious Gospell so manye yeares gloriouslye shining delight to dwell in suche obstinate blindenesse But take vppe thy wonder beloued and looke into the matter So shalt thou perceiue this bitter fruit to arise of these thrée monstrous vices namely of the carnal contempt of Gods long sufferaunce Of the naturall distruste of his worde and promise And of the presumptuous abuse of his goodnesse First naturally we feare those things which be angry and able to hurt as lyons beares and tyrannous men Againe we doe not feare but rather contempne those thinges whych be milde mind not harme as louyng kinde and peaceable men Yea suche Princes as be rough and sharp to punish transgressors wée feare to offende but suche as onely strike of mercies string and seldome touch due Iustice threat our wicked nature with tooth naile enarmeth hautie contempt against them Euen so it is likewise to our good God bicause he is slow to wrath doth not alwayes strike we straight contemne his threatning worde supposing eyther he is not able or not knowing to punishe our open rebellion againste hym and so the wicked saieth in his hearte Psal there is no God Secondely if GOD in mercie doe swéetely persuade vs by hys holy worde to true repentaunce straightwaye our nature halseth vp a naturall distruste saying Malac. 3 1◠what profite haue we to serue the Lord or what be his promises vnto vs we wil not hearken vnto his word Io. 22.14.15 For if we pray vnto him what gaine to vs In their deadly distrust they scornfully saye Ezech 33. Come let vs goe heare what the Lorde wil say to vs but they holde his Prophets as iesting persons and pleasant Minstrels that satisfy the time not as the sincere Prophets of God For neither beléeue they the promises of Gods loue to appertaine to them or the iudgements of his wrath doe they accepte in truth and therfore they neyther embrace the promisse of his mercy or be terrified with the threates of hys Iustice But in steade therof they say Come lette vs eate and drincke for to morrowe we shal dye Oh horrible and thrice curssed nature so arming thy carnall corps to abuse the long suffering of thy good God But be ye sure that the eternall worde of God is yea and Amen that whatsoeuer it promiseth it shall performe and though his infinite wisedome to drawe thée to repentaunce do differ his plagues yet he wil iustifie his worde in the day of his anger When those thyngs shall come to passe whych he hath spoken by his Prophets and then in the midle of his wrath
Christe in thys Parable Amos the Prophet to al Gods Ministers And feare you not good successe of youre prayer and youre godly trauel for thys Parable and other places of Gods Booke doe hearten you hereto namely the Lorde by the Prophet Ezechiell Ezec. 22.26 who accusing the Priestes to haue broken hys lawe to haue defiled the Sacrifices and prophaned the Sabbothes The Princes to be rauenous as wolues and to destroye soules for theyr couetous lucar The Prophets and Preachers to haue dawbed them that is flattered their vices with vntempered morter to saye thus sayth the Lord when the Lorde spake not so The people of the lande by violence and robery vexed the pore and nedy and oppressed the stranger agaynst righte all whyche prouoked Gods greate anger and their deadly destruction yet to the comforte of the ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Gouernors he there sayth Verse 30.31 And I soughte for a manne among them that shoulde make vppe the hedge and stand in the Gappe before mee for the lande that I shoulde not destroye it but I founde none Therefore haue I powred out mine indignation vppon them and consumed them with the fyre of my wrath Theyr owne wayes haue I rendered vppon theyr heades sayth the Lord. Note wel thys howe God in hys anger séeketh for hys Gods and Ministers in earth to haue theyr laboure to dygge and dung to hedge and stande in the breach against God if his vengeance be commyng and they shall preuaile If the loue of Moses be in the Magistrates as wée haue greate cause to confesse it and the bowelles of pitie in our fathers and Ministers of the church of England No doubte they will pray for vs they wyll endeuour to make vs fruitefull Of whose loue for breuities sake I send the Magistrates to Exodus 32.31 and the fatherly Pastor to Amos the Prophet 7.1 Then to discerne the time of standing in the gappe is right necessary for the godlye Magistrates in earth and when to be moste earnest to digge and dung the Figge trée And that is euen when else the Lorde woulde destroy it and saith Cutte it downe God vseth not nowe to speake to vs but by his holy Preachers whiche be ordinary and extraordinary His ordinary Preachers our dayly Pastors we knowe and by his great mercy féele the great blessings of God in thē His extraordinary Prophets are partely from heauen partelye from earth The Lorde by these dothe teache vs into his obedience and forewarneth vs of his plagues when they perceiue oure iniquitie to growe into ripenesse Amos. And surely the Lord doth stil open his secreates to his Prophets and doth giue them eyes to discerne hys iudgements comming by his former hande vppon like transgressions They are called our watchemen and surely we muste yéelde them credite Ezech. 33. when rightly they ring the Alarma or else we perish And that they myghte not be deceiued God hathe in hys worde tolde them when to praye and to stirre vppe the Magistrates to digge and giue compose But when bothe the tokens in the worde and the extraordinarie Preachers of Gods sworde doe crye to vs beware this sentence Cutte it downe then it behoueth to digge and dung that is to take awaye that and those things whiche hinder the fruite of the Figge trée and to adde and laye to it that which maye comforte supple and moysten the roote therof The time when to praye to digge and dung the Figgetrée is when the Bridegrome is departed from his spouse for a season in displesure thē must his church mourne and his Prophets pray as it is Math 9. Secondly when God by his extraordinary Prophets in earth and from Heauen dothe crye to vs the foresaide heauy sentence then it is highe time to digge and dung the Figge trée Esay 22. But the Bridegrome is absent from thys Church when in hir peace by hir owne wantonnesse and wilfull disobediēce she turneth to hir stubborne hart to loath his worde and fruitefull voice recallyng hir Fathers house to hir affections Psalm 4.5 and by the luste of carnall Aegipt doth quench in hir the purity of loue and dothe giue hir selfe to hir owne delyghtes so as hir husbande Christe can take no pleasure in hir company Thys is wel signified to vs by the Psalmiste in the 45. Psalme verse 10. Psal 45.10 by the opposite doctrine Hearken o daughter saith Christe to his espoused Churche and consyder and incline thine eare forgette also thy fathers house that Aegiptiacall and idolatrous house So shall the Kyng take pleasure in thy beautie For he is thy Lorde and reuerence thou hym But by that wée haue sufficiently sayde and the experience offered to eache man euery day we maye clearely sée that our Preachers haue at this very instant great cause to call to mourning For the loue to oure Bridegrome Christe is almost al spent we waxe weary of his worde we take vs to our owne direction and beginne to dislike to be ruled longer by it For the Papistes will not heare the Christian doth not consider his backesliding from his former loue neither inclineth with an obedient eare to the voice of the Bridegroome but our delights are wholy sette if not in the golden Calfe yet to eate and drinke and rise vppe to playe as erst we did euen as the Gentiles Exod. 32 6. 1. Cor. 10.7 which knewe not God and that wyth gréedinesse but brethren we haue not so learned Christe Ephe. 4.19 Gods Prophets séeing this and this to growe so greate as growing all abroade and for the ripenesse of it ready to the Haruest wyth one consent they crye to Englande Math. 3.2 Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande Verse 10. Nowe is the Are laide to the trée therefore euery trée which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire But they crye and lament with Esay Lorde Esa 53.1 Rom. 10.16 who is it that beleeueth our saying Wherefore it behoueth you my Lords Gods Magistrates to ioyne the sworde with the worde and more forcibly yet to digge aboute the Figge trée But let vs consider of Gods extraordinary Preachers from Heauen and with vs here in this land and marke wel whether there be not a consent of bothe in this matter to sommone vs to iudgement From Heauen God by fire hathe sommoned thys land to repentance Anno. 1581. primo Elizab. when in that tempest this most notable monument of Paules Churche by whyche we stand and is now in our eyes he to shewe his kindled wrath set fire vppon the spier of it whych was the beautie of the lande And Christianlye consider it brethren it beganne not at the Church least men might haue imagined it to haue come of trechery or negligence but from the goldē bowle downwardes that one and all might sée it to be the only worke of God Manye other Churches this noble citie hath like subiecte vnto GOD but hys
is the exercise of true mourning and fasting to the Lorde approued in the holy Scriptures Our time dothe aske it our sinnes his iust anger and the wickeds glorious bragge dothe enforce it I meane not that ordinary course of abstinence whiche the lawes haue wholesomely enioyned onely but I pray in humblenesse of my hearte that to those prouisions might be added the purpose of the Lorde in the outward exercise of Fasting That is that as our plagues are to be feared greatelye bycause oure liues are so far oute of order our mourning and fasting shoulde be suche as might be extraordinary yet not voide of Gods ordinaunce and may be sayde to consist in these two branches Namely in the outwarde exercise of abstinēce and in the inwarde drawing of water The outward exercise of true fasting to humble and supple the hearte the scripture commendeth vnto vs thus Firste that we by aucthoritie I say by aucthoritie of the Pastor and Magistrate Zoph 2.1 Ioel 1 2. Ionas 3.7 Nehem 9.1 1. Sam. 7 3. Ezra 8.21 bée assembled into the house of God there to doe these thinges for and during the whole daye whyche oughte to bée as a Sabbaoth vnto vs. First the Ministers Gods Prophetes are to preache to vs the lawe of GOD and to signifie our transgressions vnto God against the same which then shal most humble vs when of purpose wée assemble to that end and herof reade we in Ieremy 36.6 Iere. 36.6 and the whole Chapiter In Nehemiah the eight and ninth Chapiter to the diligent reading whereof at thy comming home I beséeche thée good people Whose Sermons must be endeuoured to shewe the cause of oure assembly and to lay open Gods anger againste vs and the imminent daunger that hangeth ouer vs whyche can not but proue the heartes of euerye suche as haue any life of Gods spirite in them thoughe by our insolencie abusing hys greate patience the same lye as almoste dead within vs. And further the Preachers office in thys fasting daye is to pray God hartily for the people 1. Sam. 7.4 Ioel. 2.17 Their direction to the people is ruled to vs thus That they in that day of faste should not only earnestly for euer after vtterly deteste all sin iniquitie but that they also obstain frō things otherwise approued lawfull and requisite yea very necessarye And these maye bée thus diuided Into the godly abstinence of the Christian faster from lawful and godly pleasures And into the like abstinence from necessarye sustenaunce Let the Bridegroome goe out of his chamber and the Bride forth of hir closet saith the Prophet Ioel. 2.16 Let mā and beast put on sackcloth saith the lawe of Niniuie Ionah 3.8 which law though it strictly tye not vs yet ought Christians to consider howe absurde a thing it is and farre from the Analogie of a true humbled spirite in the day of fast to assēble with the church in prowde shining and glorious apparel for nothing may be thē and there admitted whiche doth not moue to mourning And for that our labour trade of occupatiō merchandize worketh profit so pleasure the vse of it that day doth work impediment to our fast therfore Daniel 9.5 the day of Gods fast we must solemnize as a Sabbaoth to the LORD as to the Iewes it was commanded Leu. 17.26.30.31 32. ch ch 23.7.8 and as a christian help to our humilitie before the Lord is yet by aucthoritie to be embraced as the Lorde shall worke them to thinke it conuenient The holy abstinence from meates Esther 4.16 Ionah 3.7 is also in our godly faste required not that thereby God is simply pleased but that thereby our bodies shoulde be lesse sturdy and our spirites more humbled and apt to praye And this is the very cause why abstinence from not one kinde of meate as fleshe onely but from all sorts of sustenaunce is in the Scriptures so ofte required namely that neither fulnesse shoulde make vs lustye and proude agaynste oure God or drowsie and sléepie when we were to heare of our sin but that oure hungrye bodyes myghte teache our pyned soules what néed wée haue to crye for the foode of life and how vnable to liue wythout his hand whom we so mightily offende and that the byting worme of hunger mighte helpe to tame and bring obedient to the spirite that fleshe whiche farced full hathe so contemned to stoupe vnto his God Lo this is the true vse of oure abstinence from all meates in Gods holye fasting daye But to abstaine from meates by choice and to vse other for religion is méerely euil and Diabolicall 1. Tim. 4. Againe to abstaine from meates and not to vse the inward exercise is to prophane the holy right of fasting vnto God Esay 58. Wherefore lette vs consider the second part of true fasting vnto the Lord according to his worde This dothe consiste as we haue saide in the inward drawing of water and is set forth to vs by Samuel at Mizpeh when the Lord had returned the Arke increased the zeale to right religion in his people whyche twenty yeares and more had bin returned from the Philistines Samuel sayd 1. Sam. 7.1 If yee bee truely turned to the Lord and come to him with youre heartes then putte away the straunge Gods from amongest you and Ashtaroth and dyrecte your heartes vnto the Lorde and serue him onely and hee shall delyuer you out of the hands of the Philistines Then the children of Israel did putte away Baalim and Ashtaroth and serued the Lorde onelye And Samuel saide Gather al Israel togither at Mizpeh I wil pray for you and they gathered togither to Mizpeh and drew water and powred it out before the Lord fasted the same day and said there We haue sinned agaynste the Lorde c. Thys tyme aunswereth ours and here after oure twentye yeares and odde of Gods mercifull returne to vs what dothe he aske of vs but that wée if wée be come to him with our hearts put away the Popish Christe and that Ashtaroth that Italian God and Romishe Priest the Pope and his pelfe And secondelye that we directe oure heartes not to our mincing but to hys Maiestie and serue him onely and not oure carnall pollicie that we faste and pray and draw water and powre it out before the Lorde That is that hearing our sinnes reproued by his worde and hauing our bodies broughte vnder in abstinence our spirites humbled at the sighte of oure sinnes wée shoulde wyth Christian compunction digge the stonye fountaine of our hearts and wyth Dauid Daniel Peter Magdalene and the Sainctes of God drawe thence the salted water of the same and plentifullye poure it forthe by the conducte of the eye and that before the Lorde not before Sathan thoroughe dispaire with Iudas or Achytophel or hypocriticallye before men wyth Achab and Ishmael 2. K. 21 27. Iere. 41.1.6 purposing no amendment but after mischief but simply before the Lorde with these Israelites and godly Samuel in Mizpeh and vnfainedly cry and confesse to his Maiestie and fatherly mercie Wée haue sinned Lorde and done vniustlye We haue neglected the glorie of thy Arke and Testamente We haue loathed oure heauenly Mannah thy blessed worde Wée haue lefte oure first loue and become barren Figge trées Wherefore thy wrath is kindled and thy fury is waxen hote But behold we thus embrace thy son our sauiour Christ and prostrate oure selues before thée We caste from oure selues all superstition and that antechristian Priest thy great enimy Wée humble our selues in thys thine approued exercise We offer our selues by our onely sacrificing Priest Rom. 12.1 Christe Iesus vnto thée a holy turned people and liuely offering whych is our reasonable seruing of thée We therefore eftesoones beséech thée to spare vs at our only mediator God man Iesus our dressers petitiō cease thy ready sentēce Cut them downe As these laws for fasting whiche hir Maiestie hathe godlily giuen vs be good So let vs pray God that thys our like addition by hir gracious auctoritie maye be added and so shall the Fig trée haue rightly his moste fertile compose Amen Lord Iesu But let vs knowe that neyther Samuel can profitably pray or the people rightly plentifully drawe water and faste to please GOD excepte they turne in heart to God And further note of Samuels wordes that the duty of true conuersion is first to caste out of the Chayre and Churche Baalym and Ashtaroth the Italian Priest and his adherents and thē to direct our heartes vnto the Lorde in the right addressing to his faste whych shal bring vndoubtedly his olde aduaile to oure present Figge trée that is though when we be beste disposed at Mizpeh the Philistines take occasion to work our spoile some by fawning flatterye and some by open warre yet the Lord will rowse vppe hys strength for vs and hée wil assemble the chariots of his Angels and the artillerie of hys thunderclappes if men were not of force by him to disperse the confederates againste vs that with easie pursute we shall ouerthrowe all Popishe Philistines As to our comfortable example and doctrine we may reade the Lorde to haue done for these his beloued in Mizpeh 1. Sam. 7.7 c. And finally our kingdome by hys mighty hand shal be then preserued hir Maiestie in much godlynesse long continued and we hir faithful subiects shal henceforth liue in al godly peace with the whole Israel of God This al other thy graces we beséech thée o Lord to grant in thy great rich mercy to hir maiestie thy seruante hir counsel to al spirituall pastors Magistrats people to the whole realme of Englande and hir Graces dominions that we may not be cut down as barren Figge trées but maye endure blessed as the Palme trée by the riuers side planted euery of vs to bring forth our allotted fruites in due season in the puritie of Faith by the measure of true Charitie in the garden of a good conscience through Christ our Lorde to whō togither with thée O deare Father and the holy Ghost thrée distinct persons and one eternall God be all honor glorie power and dominion for euer and euer Amen Laudes Deo per Christum seruatorem nostrum FINIS