knowes not how to intreat such whose goodnesse is but as the morning dew and whose righteousnesse is but as a cake not turned who haue some good purposes and motions in their minds and so begin to blossome but within a short space suffer all to fade See then thou bring thy actions to perfection let thy resolutions bee brought to execution and suffer them not to perish like an abortiue birth Thou hast a purpose to leaue thy vngodly course of life and sinfull trade and take a new course c. Thou blossomest very faire what a pitty is it if the frost should nip these in the head Many make their purposes like our Eeues and their performances like our Holy-daies Seruants worke hard vpon the one that they may haue the more liberty to play vpon the other So doe they labour hard vpon their purposes but are idle and play vpon their performances But purpose without performance is like a Cloud without Raine and not vnlike to Hereules club in the tragedie of a great bulke but the stuffing is mosse and rubbish Would such blossomes bring a man to heauen Baalam and many other wicked wretches who are now in torments would haue gotten thither long agoe The fiue foolish Virgins intended to goe in with the bridegroome but before the time their lights dropt out If a bare Intention would serue the turne Gods Church on earth would be fuller of Saints and his Court in heauen fuller of Soules Good motions and resolutions are to be respected but thou must vp and be doing else God distasts them A fift property of good fruit is vniuersalitie It must be All fruit as Isaiah speaketh fruits of the first and second table of holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards man for what God hath ioyned may not be diuorced Particulars were infinite Fruits inward as good Thoughts motions purposes good Desires longings faintings after God and his graces good Affections as Loue Ioy Feare Sorrow Patience Compassion c. Fruits outward as Good words sauourie speech pure and wholesome language And good workes such as we are bound to performe within the compasse of our calling whether Generall or Speciall In a word Whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are louely whatsoeuer things are of good report those things must we thinke on to doe and as Mary said to the seruants Whatsoeuer hee saith doe it so say I Whatsoeuer the Lord commands that must be done wee may not picke and chuse and doe what best likes vs but as once Israel said so must we alwaies Whatsoeuer the Lord commandeth that will we doe True it is many points of our Masters will wee know not but our desire must be to know And many things we doe not but our desire must bee to doe for our obedience must reach to Gods whole reuealed will Euery Christian duty thou must make account belongs to thee as well as to any other and therefore as a man that is to plant an Orchard will be sure to get of euery good fruit some so doe not heare of any fruit that good is but carry it home and set thy heart therewith Memorable was the practise of blessed Bradford who was content to sacrifice his life in Gods cause He vsed to make vnto himselfe a Iournall or day-booke wherein he vsed to set downe all such notable things as either hee did see or heare each day that passed If he did heare or see any good in any man by that sight he found and noted the want thereof in himselfe and added a short prayer wherein hee craued grace and mercy that hee might amend If he did heare or see any plague or misery hee noted it as a thing procured by his owne sinnes and still added Lord haue mercie vpon me Oh that wee would tread in this Saints steps how much more fruitfull should we then bee than now wee are Lastly our fruit must bee constant fruit Constancy crownes all Thus it is said of the blessed ground It bringeth forth fruit with patience And herein wee may not bee like to other trees wihch grow barren with their age but we must bring forth fruit in our old age and continue fat and flourishing nay not so much as a leafe must fade or faile there must not be any appearance of being out of the state of grace none of vs must seeme to be depriued or come short of entering into Gods rest Alas for such who haue left bearing yea lost their very leaues and shewes of profession which formerly they haue made being now worse than that cursed fig-tree which was greene what hope haue these who come short of those that come short of heauen Shall the former fruitfulnesse of such professors be regarded or rewarded Surely no All their righteousnesse which they haue done shall neuer be mentioned but in their trespasse that they haue trespassed and in their sinne that they haue sinned in them they shall die And if euery man shall receiue according to his fruits then such shall one day feed vpon the bitter fruit of their Apostacie and Back-sliding and finde how bitter a thing it is to forsake the Lord and feele what they will not now be brought to beleeue That it had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of truth than thus to haue departed from the holy commandement Looke then thou walke not in a good course for a fit but bee constant to the death and so receiue the crowne of life For glory and immortalitie is the part and portion only of such as by constancie in well-doing seeke it To you saith our Sauiour which haue continued with mee in tentations haue I appointed a kingdome as my Father hath appointed me a kingdome And thus we haue seene what is necessarily required that our fruit may be acceptable and pleasing vnto God Now then thou that braggest of thy faithfulnesse and fruitfulnesse tell me darest thou abide the triall Why then answer me to these Interrogatories which I propound vnto thee Is thy fruit thy owne Is it done by thy owne selfe and in thy owne person Dost thou rest and rely vpon thy owne faith and liue by it and by no mans else Againe tell me is thy fruit kindly answerable to the good seed that hath oftentimes beene cast into thy heart and beseeming the stocke wherein thou saist thou art engrafted Is not swearing lying cogging and dissembling and such stinking fruit as this the fruit thou bearest I demand againe dost thou obserue the time and season not contenting thy selfe in doing good for matter vnlesse also thou doe it then when God may haue most glory by the doing of it Answer me yet further Dost thou labour that thy fruit may come to some perfection Not resting thy selfe in this that thou bloomest blossommest but still art striuing that euery bud
cruell As also what this our Prophet Isaiah saith in the ninth of this his prophesie where speaking of the troubles that should befall the people for their sinnes saith The people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shal eat on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eat euery man the flesh of his owne arme Where we see warre is compared to the fire and it feedeth vpon and destroyeth the people as the fire consumeth straw or wood or like as an hungry man who snatcheth at the right hand and at the left and is not satisfied such is the vnsatiable hungrie desire of warre there is no measure nor satietie of bloud Let vs thus apply this point First for Admonition vnto vs all that wee be heartily and vnfainedly thankfull for the long peace and prosperitie that we haue enioyed vnder the conduct of our worthy Deborah our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and still doe enioy vnder the gouernment of our peaceable Solomon and Princely Ecclesiastes who came vnto vs like Noahs Doue with an Oliue branch of peace and hath shut the iron gates of warre and setled peace amongst vs so that we may sit euery one vnder our owne Vines and Fig-trees and there is none to make vs afraid Which blessing is no common blessing that we of this little Iland at this day doe enioy Our neighbours round about vs are at this day whirled about in tumultuous broiles while our Britaine like the Center standeth still vnmouable in so much that it is hard to say whether other Nations more enuie or admire vs. In peace our Merchants trade abroad and bring home Wines to make glad the heart of man and Oyle to make his face to shine In peace our Magistrates sit at home and giue iudgement in the gates of Israel for maintaining of peace In peace the Messengers of peace preach vnto vs the sweet tidings of the Gospell In peace our Husbandmen sow their corne in hope and reape with ioy In peace our sonnes as plants grow vp in their youth and our daughters are as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace Our garners are full affording all manner of store our sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets Our Oxen are strong to labour there is no breaking in nor going out there is no complaining in our streets In a word all honest Occupations and honourable Professions thriue vnder the peace that wee enioy For which Peace what cause haue we to be thankfull to the God of Peace Especially considering how often by our sinnes wee haue broken our truce with God and giuen an Alarum to the King of heauen by our Pride and contempt of the Gospell two vsuall fore-runners of the Sword And therefore in the midst of this our peace let vs not grow secure we haue not so many blessings but we may forfeit them all by our disobedience When wee most feared warre God sene vs peace Now we most bragge of our peace we may well feare that God will send vs warre Secondly for Reprehension of such as grudge their owne peace and well-fare and both wish and pray for warres Neuer good daies since so much peace say some and would we had warres againe say others Fooles that we are that know no better how to vse our peace and testifie so great vnthankfulnes for so great a mercy Had we beene in the coats of our fore-fathers or did we feele the scourge of warre as our neighbours doe we would better know how to esteeme this blessing and prize this garland of Peace We neuer saw our Townes and Cities burning whiles the flame gaue light to the souldiers to carry away our goods we neuer saw our houses rifled our Temples spoiled our wiues rauished our children bleeding dead on the pauements or sprawling on the mercilesse pikes we heare not the confused cries of men sounding in our distracted eares some dying others killing other insulting others resisting we see not our high-waies strawed with breathlesse carkasses men and horses wallowing in their bloud and the gastly visages of wounds and death in euery corner these things wee can only iudge of by report and heare-say did we know them by experience wee would not so repine at the peace wee now enioy Were it not a wofull and lamentable thing to see fire without mercie and without quenching consuming houses and eating vp all things making spare of nothing How much more to heare and see and feele the affliction of warre when all things are in confusion and combustion When there is no peace to him that goeth out or in but great troubles to all the inhabitants when Nation is destroyed of Nation and Citie of Citie and all are troubled with aduersitie Alas what good what profit what sweetnesse can we finde in these things And as these are to be reproued so me thinks I finde another sort of people to be sharply censured who goe a degree further than the former counting of warre but as a matter of sport and play So speaketh Abner Captaine of the Host Let the young men now rise and play before vs. His meaning was that they should come forth and trie their valour one in hewing and cutting of another and so shew them a bloudie play Such were those sword-plaies in vse amongst the Romanes wherein cruell spectacles were exhibited on each side in the shedding of humane bloud Such also are our challenges made and performed by Fencers vpon the stage now in vse amongst vs whereby Gods Image is oftentimes defaced and bloud spilt as water vpon the ground and yet what running and thronging to see such bloudie sights being counted by many but a sport or matter of recreation Which kinde of sauage and beastly spectacles Theodosius the Emperour abhorred and would neuer behold And one Demonax among the Athenians hearing the people consult about such plaies told them they must first breake downe the Altar of Mercie because such sights were so mercilesse and cruell Let all such as feare the Lord beware of countenancing such by our presence lest wee make our selues guiltie of their sinnes and stand as guiltie before the Lord of shedding that bloud which they doe shed Thirdly for our Instruction this serues Seeing there is such crueltie in warre and fearefulnesse and deuouring in the sword let vs take heed of the beginnings thereof and cut the cords of all contention and debate liuing peaceably one with another as brethren ought to doe From whence come warres and contentions amongst you saith Saint Iames are they not hence euen of your lusts that fight in your members These distempered lusts are the cause of all strife and contention causing a continuall warre within a man and oftentimes warres with other men to the ruinating not onely of priuate persons
droue out before his Israel that they might not hinder this his Vineyards growth Hence we inferre It is not safe nor profitable for the Church to suffer wicked Idolaters or other obstinate sinners to remaine within the Church Of such Gods Vineyard must be rid and his Church purged Will you heare in a few words what the Scriptures say for confirmation hereof It is commanded in the law that the false Prophet and seducing Idolater whether he be brother or sonne or daughter or wife or friend should bee taken away and slaine without mercie or pitie that all Israel may heare and see and feare and not dare to commit the like And againe There shall not bee amongst you man nor woman nor family nor tribe which shall turne away his heart from the Lord our God to goe and serue the gods of these Nations Besides it forbad sowing of the field with mingled seed plowing with an Oxe and an Asse together the wearing of a garment of diuers things as linnen and woollen mixt together Now these lawes according to the letter seeme ridiculous saith the glosse but the thing that God intends hereby to shew is that he cannot away with a mixt Religion The Church of Ephesus was commended for hating the workes of the Nicolaitans but Pergamus was reproued for suffering them that maintained the Doctrine of Bulaam and Thyatira blamed for suffering Iesabel to teach and deceiue Gods seruants And why in Scripture are Idolaters called stumbling-blocks snares thornes traps whips and destruction but because they proue so to the people amongst whom they liue Israel found them so and England did no lesse in Queene Maries daies and France doth so For from whence spring these commotions tumults horrible massacres and bloudy tragedies but from the diuersity of Religion amongst them And indeed what agreement hath light with darknesse or God with Belial The Lord can neuer digest two contraries though neuer so well mixed or wisely tempered in matters of religion as the Church of Laodicea sheweth Hereupon zealous Elijah exhorteth the people after this manner If the Lord be God follow him and if Baâ—l be God goe after him Besides Doe yee not know that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lâ—mpe Sinne therefore being infectious the sinner is not to bee tolerated in the assembly of the righteous Take wee occasion hence to magnifie Gods name who hath beene so gracious to this his Vineyard which his owne right hand hath planted in this Land as to cleanse it of all such stones as might any way hinder the prosperity or flourishing estate of it Our streets are well swept and rid of that Popish rubbish wherewith formerly they haue beene much annoied Those dens of theeues are dispersed those buyers and sellers of Popish trash Monks Friers Massemougers and Iesuits are whipt out of the Temple and driuen from amongst vs He hath pulled downe that great Idoll of the Masse with other Idols that were set vp to bee adored and hath abolished the manifold heresies and corruptions of false doctrine And withall hath blessed vs with so religious and prudent a King as is a constant Defender of the Faith and an open aduersary to superstition and Idolatry What shall we now render to the Lord for all these testimonies and tokens of his loue towards vs but take the cup of Saluation and praise with tongue and heart the name of God acknowledging his goodnesse in deliuering vs from the Romish bondage labouring to bring forth the fruits of the Gospell to the glorie of his name and our owne endlesse saluation This likewise serueth for the Admonition 1. Of Ministers whom God hath reposed such great trust and confidence in as to be the dressers and keepers of his Vineyard that wee be found faithfull and what lies in vs remoue whatsoeuer may any way annoy it For which end Christ hath not only committed vnto vs the sword of the spirit which is the word of God wherewith we may conuince gainsayers but also the keies of the kingdome that men being conuicted and not conuerted nor reclaimed they may be cast out and expelled either for a time as the incestuous Corinthian was or for euer euen vnto the comming of the Lord Which kinde of excommunication the Apostle cals Maran-atha of Mara the Lord and Atha he commeth â— being interposed for sound sake Which censure being so grieuous as it is for it is a deliuering vp to Satan ought not to be inflicted rashly for euery trifle but deliberatly in matters of weight and moment and in such cases as expresly shut out of the kingdome of heauen such as those the Apostle mentioneth 1 Corinth 6. because it is a declaration of that which is by God done in heauen In the execution whereof let all such as it doth concerne beware of filthy lucre and faithfully discharge what is committed to them not suffering the notoriously prophane to remaine within the Church lest others bee endangered and infected by their society for their very words and much more their conuersation creepeth and corrupteth as a gangreene 2. Magistrates who must second the word of information with the rod of reformation and backe the Ministers of the Word by the vse of the temporall sword which they must not beare for nought but as the Ministers of God take vengeance on them that doe euill These are Gods Surrogates and the Preachers hopes Our words are thought aire where their hands doe not compell Good lawes are made against the wicked and prophane but what are wee the better for Gods owne lawes without execution If those who haue the charge imposed and the sword put in their hands stand like the picture of S. George with his hand vp yet neuer strike it will fare full ill with the Vineyard of the Lord. Let it bee their care with Dauid earely to destroy the wicked of the Land and to cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. Take vs the foxes the little foxes that spoile the vines for our vines haue tender grapes Let neither young nor old bee spared And of all other let that Romish Reinard and his Cubs extrauagant Priests and Iesuits with other obstinate Recusants bee hunted as most hurtfull to our Vineyard For what thinke you of these Positions 1. Neighbours if Heretikes meaning thereby Protestants may lawfully be spoiled of their goods though indeed it were better say they to doe it by the authoritie of the Iudge 2. It is lawfull for Parishioners to defraud Protestant Ministers of their Tithes and of this Non est dubium say they there is no doubt to be made 3. Men are not bound to restore that which they haue receiued or to satisfie their creditours who are tainted with heresie 4. A Catholike wife is not bound to giue due beneuolence to her husband being a Procestant
is it possible that there should be a controuersie betweene God and his Vine which he planted with his owne right hand Betweene him and that people whom he had so highly honoured Then it will follow that Sinne will make bate and stirre vp strife betweene God and his dearest people There is no Citie no not Ierusalem no people no not Israel nor Iudah be they graced with neuer so many priuileges crowned with neuer so many blessings but sinne will set the Lord and them at variance The Lord hath a controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land saith Hoseah because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land c. Sinne was the breeder of it Babylon the glory of the Kingdomes the beautie of the Caldees excellencie yet her pride set her and God at variance so that her Palaces were made dens of Dragons wilde beasts of the field did lie there their houses were cages for vncleane birds Owles did dwell there Satyres did dance there with dolefull creatures were they filled And thus Sodome sometimes as faire and beautifull as Paradise it selfe was set at variance with the Lord by reason of her sinnes Pride Idlenesse and Fulnesse of bread c. bred the quarrell and was the cause that shee was made a perpetuall desolation And will not those seuen famous Churches of Asia Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Laodicea Philadelphia Sardis in the midst whereof God is said to haue his walke witnesse as much Did not their sinnes cause the Lord to contend with them a long time and in the end make him to giue vp their Land to be inhabited by Zijm and Ochim Turkes and Infidels What shall I need to say more Such a variance it made betweene God and the Angels as that they were turned out of Heauen Betweene God and our great Grand-father as that he was droue out of Paradise Betweene the Lord and Moses as that it kept him from Canaan And such a contention daily it breeds betweene God and men as that infinite thousands are thereby kept out of the Kingdome of Heauen Let all wicked ones hence take notice of their estates which by this Doctrine they may as clearely see as in a glasse For doth sinne set God and man at oddes and is it a make-bate betweene them Then certainly such as liue in it and harbour it cannot be at peace with God What peace saith Iehu to Ioram so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebel and her witchcrafts are so man0y So say I What peace so long as that make-bate is harboured in thy brest Nay There is no peace to the wicked saith my God For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse What communion hath light with darknesse What concord hath Christ with Belial God is thy enemie and hath against thee and therefore see thou agree quickly with thy aduersarie We say in a prouerbe He is poore that God hates true none so poore as the wicked are for what though they haue riches honours friends c. when there is a controuersie betweene God and them If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge for him said old Ely to his sonnes but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreat for him Seeke therefore reconciliation cast that make-bate out of thy bosome which stirs vp all this strife Sinne is thy owne creature destroy that and God must needs loue thee who art his creature but if thou wilt not then expect no peace but contention and destruction If the Pot will needs contend with the Potter it cannot be but it must be broken Thou art but an earthen Pitcher in the hand of thy Maker and he can full easily dash thee against the wall and stampe thee into powder It is good counsell that the Wise-man giues thee Contend not with him who is mightier than thy selfe and if thou beest not a foole I aduise thee to follow it lest Woe and Alas come too late And secondly See here the reason why the Lord doth so often bend his browes and turne away his face from his owne people in displeasure Sinne is it that bred the quarrell that was it which causeth it The fashion of many in the day of affliction is to crie out of euill tongues that haue for spoken them and surely say they we are bewitched but if we looke well about vs we shall finde the grand-witch to lie lurking in our own bosomes It is sinne that hales downe those iudgements on vs and ours What shall I say O Lord when Israel turnes their backes before their enemies said Iosua to God now marke Gods answer Get thee vp wherefore liest thou thus vpon thy face Israel hath sinned they haue transgressed my Couenant which I haue commanded them for they haue euen taken of the accursed thing and haue also stollen and dissembled also and they haue put it euen amongst their owne stuffe Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies because they were accursed neither will I be with you any more except you destroy the accursed thing from amongst you This answer may we giue to the like demand Why are wee so often punished afflicted plagued Surely wee haue taken of that execrable thing and broken the Couenant of the Lord and vntill that accursed thing Sinne be searched out and cast away neuer hope for any fauour to be shewed from the Lord Ionah must be cast ouer-boord before the storme cease Lastly seeing sinne sets God and his dearest people at variance be they graced with neuer so many excellencies or priuiledges then be not high minded but feare for whatsoeuer thou art that sinnest against the Lord be thy priuiledges neuer so many or excellent wert thou as a signet vpon Gods right hand or as the apple of his eye yet he will haue a controuersie with thee And so for our Land in generall which may seeme to out vie the felicitie of all other Nations in high and rich prerogatiues Of all the trees in the Garden wee may seeme to be the Vine that God hath set his heart vpon amongst all the varietie of Flowers England is the Lilly and the Rose amongst all the Princes we haue had a Deborah and haue a Dauid amongst all the Prophets of the Lord wee haue the most reuerend Elishaes amongst all the Nurseries and Springs of learning wee haue the most famous Naiâ—ths amongst all Lands we haue that Canaan which abounds with plentie of all good things and amongst all Cities wee haue Ierusalem But will these priuiledges beare vs out if wee take libertie to sinne against the Lord Alas they cannot nay so farre are they from stopping Gods wrath as that they will rather make way for it As a man is more offended with the euill behauiour of a seruant that hath beene aduanced by him so the Lord with vs. When Saul
any creature yet not on a rotten sticke where lies the fault Surely in the rottennesse of the wood and not in the Caruers cunning that thou art not wrought vpon the fault is thy owne and not the Lords Thy case is that of Ierusalem How often would I haue gathered thee and thou wouldst not If then thou smartest for thy sinfull and barren life thanke thy selfe for thou art the cause God only the auenger thy bloud then be vpon thy owne head that which will die let it die And thus much for the first point A second followes and I propound it thus The wicked will still continue wicked although God vse all good meanes that can be vsed to bring them vnto good and make them better God had done what might be done and yet his Vineyard is as bad nay worse than euer A pregnant proofe this our Prophet giues vs when he saith Let fauour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learne righteousnesse in the land of vprightnesse will he deale vniustly and will not behold the Maiestie of the Lord. Such is the vile and cursed nature of them as that no mercy nor fauour can worke with them to doe well nay in the land of vprightnesse amongst many occasions and meanes of good they will doe wickedly And thus Ieremiah to the same purpose In vain I haue smitten your children they receiued no correction c. O Generation see ye the word of the Lord haue I been a wildernesse vnto Israel a land of darknesse wherefore say my people We are Lords we will come no more vnto thee And againe O Lord are not thine eies vpon the truth thou hast stricken them but they haue not grieued thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction they haue made their faces harder than a rocke they haue refused to returne And so Amos sheweth how incorrigible the wicked of his time were no correction that the Lord could vse would better them Many are the examples likewise that might be brought for the further strengthening of this truth as of Pharaoh Ahaz and others but I purposely forbeare inasmuch as something hath formerly beene spoken to this purpose Now briefly for the vse which is For Admonition that we beware of this sinne which hath an aggrauating circumstance with it for then is sinne most vile and filthie when it breakes out against those meanes that should haue kept it in Amongst many of which meanes these are some which let vs all take especiall notice of First our Vowes and promises which we haue often made vnto the Lord both in health and sicknesse that we would doe such or such a holy dutie and refraine from such or such an euill action let vs beware of sinning against these our vowes are Gods debts and they must be paid and therefore saith Solomon When thou vowest a vow to God deferre not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fooles pay that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay And indeed he is iustly required to pay that was not compelled to vow And amongst all other vowes be mindfull of that solemne vow which thou madest to God in thy Baptisme and hast often since renued in thy comming to the Supper of the Lord. Oh! what a fearefull thing is it if we wittingly and wilfully breake couenant with God when ciuill honesty maketh some conscience of keeping promise made with man Secondly checke of Conscience God hath set conscience within vs as a Monitor to giue vs an Item when we doe amisse and to forewarne vs of euill this oftentimes tels vs we may not doe such or such an action or when we haue done it that it is not well now beware we of sinning against conscience neglect not the checkes thereof reprouing vs of our waies but heedfully minde it watch-word for else know assuredly that the conscience which now checkes thee shall hereafter iudge thee and that which now reproueth thee will hereafter vexe thee and torment thee for thy neglect Beware also how thou suppressest any good motion suggested by conscience for in so doing thou wilt in the end cleane silence conscience and quite kill it so that the grossest sinnes shall be practised without any checke or remorse Fearefull is this sinne and such as is the forerunner of a reprobate minde Thirdly Corrections and Afflictions These are the thornes wherewith God doth hedge vs in and serue to keepe vs from leaping out of Gods pastures into the pasture of wickednesse and sinne Beware we then of leaping ouer this hedge take we heede of sinning against these meanes let it not be said of vs as it was of Ahaz This is that King Ahaz who in the time of his distresse did trespasse yet more and more against the Lord. To be afflicted and not to be purged by affliction to be stricken with the rods of God and to haue no correction nor reformation follow is a signe of a fearefull induration The bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed with the fire the founder melteth in vaine for the wicked are not plucked away Reprobate siluer shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them Fourthly Gods many and great mercies especially the Word and the light of the Gospell take we heed how we withhold the Truth of God in vnrighteousnesse hating to be reformed casting it behinde our backes Such a sinne is this as brings condemnation with a witnesse with a vengeance sore and heauie condemnation This is that condemnation that light is come into the world and men loue darknesse rather than light because their deeds are euill The cleare light of the truth shining hath discouered to vs that Swearing is a sinne Drunkennesse is a sinne Sabbath breaking is a sinne c. what now will such plead for themselues that liue therein Surely they haue now no cloake for their sins S. Paul would haue the word of God to dwell plentifully in our hearts to haue full scope and the whole sway in the heart of a Christian And so be it These and the like meanes which God affordeth vs for our good let vs profit by and by no meanes sinne against them for if we doe assuredly God will require it of vs for good turnes aggrauate vnkindnesses and our offences are increased with out obligations Of all the gracious meanes he affords vs he keepes a reckoning The sundry afflictions wherewith his people were afflicted are by him remembred and so the Sermons and Prophesies of his seruants with the circumstances of time and place and vnder what Kings reigne are likewise by him recorded Since therefore God keepes such a precise account of the meanes he vouchsafeth to vs let it stir vp all to make better account vse of those meanes for otherwise they will be
Ierusalem Woe to England and to the inhabitants thereof by reason of such outragious wickednesse as euery where aboundeth which thing is not lightly to be passed by but deserues pondering on For certainly if wee be not perswaded to feare their threatnings we shall in the end be constrained to feele them whether wee will or no. Besides what strange signes and wonders and what varietie of them haue we lately seene both in the heauens and vpon the earth What wonderfull and mightie tempests fearefull thundring and lightning hath lately happened whereby much hurt hath beene done at Sea many ships and barkes cast away and that in the safest Rodes and Harbours of this land besides the almost incredible hurt done by land throughout this Kingdome the violence of the winde thunder and lightning being such as that in many places West-ward whole fields of Corne haue beene blasted stackes of Corne scorched and here with vs the Corne hath beene so dispersed and scattered as if it had beene sowen againe and so beaten out of the eares as if it had beene threshed on the floore so that with the Mildew and blasting which was sent vpon our Corne in generall before our haruest and now with this sudden iudgement of winde vpon that little store of Corne remaining in haruest God hath taken from vs our stay and staffe of bread What shall I need to speake of those many Earthquakes mightie inundations of waters great hailestones strange Eclipses monstrous births which euery yeere brings forth Certainly if the Sorcerers of Egypt were now amongst vs they would confesse these to be the finger of God But fooles and blind that we are who haue no eies to see nor harts to vnderstand these things or at most make of them but a nine daies wonderment and so passe them ouer And againe hath not God often warned vs by lesser and lighter iudgements hath hee not visited vs with Famines Postilence and other such like infection of sicknesse These are but as warning-peeces shot off in our eares and assured fore-runners of greater iudgements vnlesse repentance cut off their course For looke as one cloud followeth another till the Sunne consume them so one iudgement hastens after another and Repentance only is the Sunne that must dispell them And lastly that the righteous perish who seeth not and yet alas who seeth it so as to consider it in his heart The Lords hand hath beene vpon vs these many yeeres and hath come not in fauour to weed out the worst but in displeasure to gather the best and ripest Amongst our Princes he hath smitten at our chiefest Amongst our Nobles he hath taken of our noblest Amongst our Magistrates he hath fetched away of our vprightest Surely surely God neuer thus beheads a State or Countrey but for some treason The Shepherds are smitten for the sheepes vnthankefulnesse vnfruitfulnesse What shall I say more Death hath beene at the Citie as well as at the Court and in the Countrey as well as in the Citie and hath fetched away of all sorts almost the best And can this be any other than a plaine prognostication of some euill nigh at hand which euils they haue preuented by their death God grant we likewise may preuent them by our Repentance To draw towards a conclusion of this point let euery one in particular yea thou that hearest and readest this goe home to thy selfe and make application hereof to thy owne soule for God speaketh in particular to thee as well as to any other and demandeth of thee how thou hast profited by these or the like warnings For hath he not often by the ministery of his seruants come so home vnto thy conscience as that thou hast beene perswaded and enforced to confesse thou art the man he meaneth and at whom he aimeth And what drunkard or prophane Esau is there here amongst vs who hath not been at sometimes or other told by them that if they repent not they shall be damned Besides haue not thine eies seene his signes and wonders in the heauens vpon the earth c. Thou hast heard and hast beene told of such a childe borne without a mouth or with two heads or with one eye c. why take thou warning this is meant to thee as well as to any other And hath not the Lord smote thee hitherto with a little rod afflicted thee with light losses crosses c. see then thou hearest the rod and who hath appointed it And once againe I will demand of thee answer mee Hast thou not beene depriued of some faithfull friend it may be of a godly husband a religious wife a Christian and carefull parent a gratious childe a faithfull Shepherd or a true hearted brother If it be so take it as the shaking of the rod and as a warning from God vnto thee that thou mend thy manners Remember Solomons Prouerbe A prudent man foreseeth the euill and hideth himselfe but the simple passeon and are punished Be thou that wiseman not this foole but foresee the danger and preuent it before it fall Oh happie man to heare this word before it fall sound in thine eares As for many thousands it is fallen irrecouerably vpon them alreadie to those poore soules it cannot be said as now it is to thee Preuent it by repentance before it fall for iudgement hath alreadie seized vpon them but how happie art thou if thou knewest thy happinesse in that thy day is yet to come And therefore I say to thee take warning by these things and preuent the euill before it fall for when it is fallen there is no preuenting of it Oh that thou knewest at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace and that they were not hidden from thine eies My praier shall be for thee my selfe and the whole land in generall that we may so doe Euen so O Lord open our eies that we may so see thee warning as that we may feare thee threatning and obey thee teaching and patiently suffer thee chastising and at last be by thee made partakers of those good things Which neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor can enter into the heart of man Amen Amen What I will doe Great was Gods mercy towards this his people in foretelling and premonishing them of vengeance And this makes it greater in his prolonging of it He doth not by and by inflict but will a while deferre There shall be some delay and pause some lucida interualla misericordiae A breathing time and mercifull space is granted betweene the fault and punishment And therefore he speakes not in the present tense but in the future What I will doe where we see and whence we learne God is of a patient and forbearing nature of much gentlenesse and long sufferance forbearing sinners for some space after they haue transgressed before he proceed to punish Many examples might be brought for proofe All the day long he
nature and not that which he hath aboue nature by the grace of regeneration The graines of wheat which are sowed in the earth though they be neuer so well purged from all their superfluities hauing neither stalke nor cares nor chaffe yet when they spring vp againe bring all these with them because as one of the Fathers saith that purgation of the corne is not made by nature but by the art of man So here in this Which being so let none thinke to be saued by their forefathers faith or goodnesse The iust shall liue by his owne faith saith Habakuk not by the faith of the father no nor of his fathers father How grosly then doe such deceiue themselues that runne into all excesse of riot and thinke to haue mercy shewed vnto them because of the godlinesse of their parents But we reade that the promise of remission of sinnes and the gift of the holy Ghost is made to vs and to our children True yet not to all of them but only to so many of them as the Lord our God shall call for so it followeth in the words immediatly following The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Now if they be cleane and holy then are they vnder the election of grace There is a double holinesse First of Regeneration Secondly of the Couenant In regard of the first they are rebellious but in regard of the second they are holy whereby they are receiued into the Church visible and made partakers of the outward priuiledges thereof as of the Word and Sacraments So then though thou be borne of godly parents this will not profit thee to saluation except thou beleeuest and repentest for as the sinne of the father preiudiceth not the beleeuing childe no more doth the righteousnesse of the father saue the vnbeleeuing Secondly let not parents be too much discouraged if it so happen that their seed be vntoward and vngracious seeing as we haue seene it hath beene the condition of the best and faithfullest yea God who is the Father of vs all complaines that he had nourished and brought vp children but they had rebelled against him Grace is no inheritance it cannot be conueied by vs to our children as our land and houses can neither can we leaue it to them as we leaue them a possession to descend by a continued succession from the father to the sonne and so to the sonnes sonne in one race and generation It is Gods free gift and he giueth it where he pleaseth and to whom he pleaseth Only let vs vse the meanes to bring them vnto God for that we are bound to doe and then commit the successe to him with patience There is a threefold dutie that we owe vnto them which we must looke we faithfully discharge First that we haue a care of their education to bring them vp in the information of the Lord as Saint Paul requireth vs. Secondly that by a godly life we giue them good example For it is an euill great enough that we haue deriued sinne vnto them by propagation let them not draw it also from vs by imitation Thirdly that we be earnest in the Lord by praier for them that he would be pleased to giue them a new nature and to take away the corruption of the old which in their first generation we communicated to them which duties if we neglect we shall be guiltie of their blood but if we performe faithfully and conscionably we are free and haue deliuered our soules and may comfort our selues in the testimonie of a good conscience knowing that we only can vse the meanes it is God only that must giue the blessing thereupon Lastly hence let me giue a caution to euery one that they beware of ouer-rash censuring of parents for the loose cariage of their children we haue seene it cleared by a cloud of witnesses that reformed men haue had vnreformed children as circumcised parents begot children which were vncircumcised And though it be true amongst irrationall creatures that they euer bring forth their like Eagles haue Eagles and Doues Doues yet in mans progenie there is often found not so like a proportion as vnlike a disposition To condemne then the parent vpon this ground for that the childe is dissolute is too too rash for in so doing we may condemne the generation of the iust And thus much for this first point now a second followes These people as we see were called by the name of Israel and Iudah good names both and honourable one signifieth a Prince or Preuailer with God and the other signifieth Confession or Praise and yet this people were retchlesse dissolute Hence learne we Good names and titles profit nothing at all if our liues be not conformable to those names and titles that are giuen vs. Caine a good name signifying a possession but what is he the better for it when he is a Murderer So Absolom which made warre against his father had the name and made goodliest shew to be his fathers peace and yet he proued to be his greatest heart smart Iudas his name was good and proclaimed him to be a Professor but what doth that auaile him when by his deeds he shewed himselfe a deuill Thus the Iewes bragged they were Abrahams seed but alas will it profit them when they are the seruants of sinne surely it cannot profit them at all And no wonder for God respecteth truth in the inward parts and not outward titles he regardeth substance more than shadowes This being so let none content themselues with their good names or outward titles of honour that are giuen them but let them vse them as a spurre to stirre them vp to imitate such good men as haue beene before so named and surely this was one reason why this people were thus called by the name of Israel that they might hereby be put in minde of their pedegree and so of their predecessors pietie and consequently to make them ashamed of their owne apostacie who were so far degenerated from those religious men of whom they were descended Neither content thy selfe with that honorable title of a Christian or of a Professor or of a Protestant vnlesse thou makest good those names by a holy and godly life Tell me then thou that art thus called hast thou those gifts and graces which those names import hast thou receiued an ointment from that holy one hath he opened thy eies quickened thy dead heart sanctified thy vncleane affections If it be thus then indeed these names and titles are well befitting thee but if it be otherwise with thee if thou liuest loosely and prophanely thou maist blush so often as thou hearest thy selfe called Christian or Professor or the like for thou art nick-named and miscalled It is as if a Cobler
that if two waies were shewed him one to hell and the other to the Bar he would choose that which went to hell and forsake the other See then all you that are in place of Iustice that you keepe your selues vntainted of this sin Walke righteously speake vprightly despise the gaine of oppression shake your hands from holding of bribes stop your eares from hearing of bloud and shut your eies from seeing euill 2. Mercilesse and cruell Landlords who partly by racking and improuing of old rents and that without the old minds of our forefathers I meane their charitie for so it is lawfull to improue them partly by enclosing of Greenes Commons Woods or other of the like which appertaine of right vnto their tenants partly by burdening them with cariages and such like seruices more than was couenanted or agreed vpon and partly by making their leases void when it pleaseth them so that a Couenant to day shall be none to morrow and that which is none now shall be one anon they oppresse their tenants grinde their faces and sucke their blouds The poore Farmer he is saine to endure the heat and burden of the day he riseth early goeth late to bed eateth the bread of carefulnesse and sitteth with many a hungrie meale not being able to spare a morsell of bread to others nay hardly able to giue food vnto his family and all that he does or can doe is but as a prey to his greedie Landlord Good words it may be praiers they shall sometimes haue returned as God helpe you blesse you and giue you good of it c. but if their praiers were worth a penny they would keepe them to themselues their tenants should not be troubled with them And herein they are like Darius who praied for Daniel that God would deliuer him when he himselfe sends him to the Lions denne These are Oppressors and such ones as God hath sworne to take away with hookes and their posteritie with fish-hookes 3. Ingrossers whose practise is to compasse sea and land to get a commoditie into their hands which hauing once obtained they set a price vpon it as large as their owne consciences Or else hoard it vp only to make a dearth without a scarcitie I deny not but it is lawfull to buy the ouerplus of any commoditie and when mens turnes are serued in times of plentie to take the residue as Ioseph did that in time of dearth he may haue to helpe the Common-wealth with some good and moderate gaine to himselfe also But these in stead of laying vp to preuent a dearth doe hoard vp to procure one which time is the Ingrossers day wherein he doth enrich himselfe with the spoile of the poore Against these very persons Amos thus prophesieth Heare this oh you that swallow vp the poore that you may make the needie of the land to faile saying when will the new moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat and make the Epha small and the shekell great and falsifie the waights by deceit and buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheat They had long as it may seeme kept vp the come for this purpose that it might grow deare and now they had a time to serue their turne in and they must set it to sale in all haste so that they thought the new moone and the Sabbath daies appointed for Gods owne seruice too long vntill they were a selling And now they intend to prey vpon the poore for they will sell little for much lessening the measure and enhancing the price The poore shall buy the refuse deare which is little worth and sell themselues cheape euen in a manner for old shooes to pay for it Here God sent corne and the deuill sent garners Nay in some sort they were worse than the very Deuill himselfe for he seemed to haue some charitie in him when he would haue had Christ to turne stones into bread and so make a plentie in time of scarcitie but these endeuoured what in them lay to make a scarcitie in the midst of plentie turning bread into stones a tricke beyond the Deuill Are not these Oppressors 4. Vsurers who may well be compared to the Timber-worme which to touch is as soft as silke but hath teeth so hard as that it eats the Oake Or like the Beuer which biteth so sore as that hee neuer looseth his teeth vntill hee haue broken the bones It may be truly said of these Desolation and destruction is in their path wheresoeuer they set foot they make hauocke of all The Prophet Ezekiel doth hedge in this sinne betweene Bribery and Extortion In thee haue they taken giftes to shed bloud Thou hast taken vsury and increase and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by Extortion and hast forgotten me saith the Lord therefore I haue smitten my hands at thy dishonest gaine And in another place we shall finde that It and Oppression is made both one If thou lend money to my people with thee thou shalt not be an Vsurer thou shalt not oppresse him Thus by Gods owne testimonie these are Oppressors Not vnaptly may we compare the Vsurer to the nether Milstone which is slow and stirres not he sits at home and spends his time in a deuillish Arithmeticke in Numeration of houres daies and moneyes in Substraction from other mens estates and Multiplication of his owne vntill hee haue made Diuision betweene his soule and heauen and diuided the earth to himselfe and himselfe to hell His Broker we may compare to the vpper Milstone without which the nether Milstone may seeme vnprofitable that is quicke and stirring and runnes round The Poore like corne who betweene both these is grinded vnto powder Surely it is for our sins that God suffers Vsurers amongst vs It may be he suffers these a while as he did the Canaanites in Israel lest the wilde beasts should breake in vpon them lest pride and a full estate should spill mens soules yet wee may safely say of these as Iosua did of those they are prickes in our sides and thornes in our eyes Now the mercie of God rid vs of them Let them bring what Excuses Apologies Mitigations Euasions or Distinctions they possibly can inuent let them reply Vsury is no sinne many learned men are of this opinion yet what are they the better if God himselfe be not of the same minde those learned men are of And let them tell me if their consciences can be so satisfied Would not the greatest Vsurer willingly giue an hundred pound bag to be secured in this point It is not safe wading farre in a questionable water Oh yet that there were hope with any sayings to moue then I would spend some time and take some paines in perswading these men who deale altogether in letting out their money to men their time to Mimmon their
haue none to inhabit it The people of the land shall be swept away with the sword and the earth shall be robbed of all her goodly ornaments It shall neither be inhabited by men nor adorned with her beautifull fruits as it were with her princely coat of diuers colours but become as a desolate and forsaken wildernesse This is the meaning And hence note we the miserie of warre War is that miserable desolation which findes a land before it like Eden and leaues it behinde like Sodome a desolate and forsaken wildernesse The fiercenesse rage of it Moses expresseth and describeth when he telleth the Israelites of a Nation that should come from farre as swift as the Eagle fleeth and of fierce countenance who should not regard the person of the old nor shew fauour to the young who should eat the fruit of their cattell and the fruit of their land vntill they were destroied who should not leaue them either corne wine or oile nor-increase of Kine nor flockes of Sheepe but should besiege them in their gates vntill their high and fenced walls came downe wherein they trusted throughout all their land by reason whereof they should be driuen to eat the fruit of their owne bodie the flesh of their sonnes and of their daughters which the Lord their God had giuen them in the siege and in the straitnesse wherewith their enemies should distresse them So that men should haue euill or couetous eyes towards their brethren and wiues of their bosomes and their children which they should leaue in not giuing to any of them of the flesh of their children which they should eat for feare lest they should haue none left for themselues in the straitnesse of the siege And the tender and delicate women who would not aduenture to set the sole of their feet vpon the ground for delicatenesse shall be as niggardly towards their husbands and towards their sonnes and daughters and towards their young ones For they shall eat their children secretly and in corners that none might get any part away from them because of the siege wherewith their enemie should distresse them Fearefull threatnings But is it possible that the miserie or mischiefe of warre should be so great Were not these threatnings made to keepe them in obedience only Surely nothing is there threatned but warre hath brought forth To instance in that vnmatchable instance of the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespasian who besieged it for the space of fiue months threescore and eleuen yeeres after Christs incarnation or thereabouts In which time there passed many assaults and skirmishes much slaughter and bloudshed being made both on the one side and other The famine meane while afflicting the City was such as no Historie can parallel Horses Asses Dogs Cats Rats were good vnto their tastes But this food failing they were driuen to eat courser fare yea those things which vnreasonable creatures would not eat as the leather of their shooes and of their targets of their bridles and of their girdles and the like Oxe dung was a pretious dish vnto them and the shreddings of pot-herbes cast out and trodden vnder foot and withered were taken vp againe for nourishment What miserable meat was this And yet as miserable as it was the childe would snatch it from his parent and the parent from his childe euen from out his iawes Yea some to prolong their liues would not sticke to eat vp that that others had vomited and cast vp And yet harken to a far more lamentable accident than all this yet The mother takes her owne childe from her brests a harmelesse suckling silly infant and thus speakes to it Little infant poore wretch in war in famine in sedition for whom shall I preserue thee for whom shall I saue thee aliue If thou liue thou must be a slaue vnto the Romanes but famine preuents thy seruitude yea and the mutinous Iewes are more cruell than either the Romans or the famine Be thou therefore meat to me a furie to the mutinous and euen a mocke of the life of man And when shee had thus spoken shee kild it and boyled the dead bodie of it and eat the one halfe and reserued the other for another time The mutinous Iewes drawne by the sent and sauour of this meat brake into this womans house and threaten to slay her if shee bring it not forth vnto them Shee tels them shee hath meat indeed but shee had reserued it for her selfe neuerthelesse seeing they did so vrge her shee would bring it to them So shee brings them the reliques of her sonne at which sight they standing amazed and shrinking backe with feare and horrour the mother said thus vnto them This meat you see is indeed part of my owne sonne it was my deed to kill it eat yee of it for I haue eaten Will you be more tender than a woman more pitifull than a mother Eat I say for I haue eaten If you will not eat it shall remaine for me his mother Oh fearefull horrid inhumane act The famine still continuing they are compelled to begin to issue out of their Citie gates and no sooner were they out but they were still taken and crucified vpon Crosses and Gibbets set vp before the walls that they who were within might by beholding of this spectacle be moued to giue ouer but yet they continued obstinate and would not Fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp till there were neither trees to be gotten nor any more space left to set them in and desire being made to know the number of dead carkasses which were carried out of the Citie for want of buriall to bee throwne in ditches as dung vpon the earth they found the number to be numberlesse so that no way could it certainly be knowne but out of one Gate the keeper had noted an hundred and fifty thousand dead bodies to be carried out And thus what with the extremitie of the famine what with the furie of the sword and what with sicknesse during the time of this warre there perished in Ierusalem and the Prouince adioyning as some credible Authors affirme about six hundred thousand able men to beare armes or as others hold who were present at the warre there died eleuen hundred thousand besides others taken captiue to the number of ninety seuen thousand The Iewes thus dead and scattered what became now of their glorious Citie Their holy Temple it was burnt their strong and high walls were throwne downe all the Citie became waste and desolate and so it remaines to this day And thus we see what Moses there threatned is here fulfilled to the vtmost both which proue my doctrine and make it good That albeit warre finde a land like Eden it will leaue it like a Sodome a desolate and forsaken wildernesse If these be not sufficient reade the whole booke of Ieremiahs Lamentations and there we shall finde that the mercies of warre are