God continued Then euery father of a familie was a magistrate to punish a prophet to instruct a prince to gouerne his owne houshould Then was there no writing but much religion few bookes but many faithfull harts all studied in vnitie to preserue vnfained veritie But in Moses time the church grewe to a nation and therefore although as Ierome saith it were Maior numero yet it was Minor virtute the number of professors grew to be greater yet the zeale and power of godlinesse grewe to be lesser And therefore nowe was it to be put in writing or else all had beene cleane forgotten for the harts of men began to be deceitfull and the words of God coulde not safely lodge in the brests of all and therefore coulde not easilie and effectually bee conueied from one to another The Lorde first of all wrote his lawe then grewe the church to another gouernment more generall then before wherein the priestes did publikely care for the seruice of God and soules of the people and euery father and master priuately for himselfe and his familie and euermore this is to bee remembred that the children praied to the God of their Fathers meaning the same God whome their Fathers taught them to serue And this beloued putteth vs in minde what manner of men fathers and masters ought to bee euen such as are able to commend the true worshippe of God vnto others for sithence the worship of God became publique and generall the priuate neglect of this dutie in the gouernours of families hath wrought the poyson of all mankind and the vndoing of all religion For now the common sort thinke that they must not pray but in a church that they are not bound to teach others but the whole charge dependeth on the minister that the preachers and not the people must learne the word and finally it maketh no matter for their faith and manners if their pastours and teachers haue the knowledge of the Gospell Oh lamentable men Oh lamentable maners which onely is to be imputed vnto this neglect of parents duety By this onely gentilisme and heathenisme grow for if Noahs sonnes had taught that to their children which they learned of their father the world had not beene wearied with many diuelish Idolatries if Dauids children had serued that God which Dauid taught them their throne had continued as long as heauen and earth endured neither had so many women beene husbandlesse so many children beene motherles so many old men beene helples and so many of all sorts and degrees beene vtterly destitute of all worldly ease and heauenly blisse the decay of their faith wrought the destruction of their blood If Christians had taught that religion to their children which they receiued without all corruption from Christ and his Apostles so many countries had not been conquered so many cities had not beene laide euen with the earth so many famous churches had not beene buried in obliuion popery had not so much preuailed Mahomet had not so long prospered wicked ceremonies had not raigned in the place of holy truth and where now is the synagogue of Sathan there had beene the Temple of our Sauiour And I feare me beloued least this parents faulte bring foorth once againe the childrens folly and then oh then will the diuels banner aduance it selfe against Christs standard and so that when the Lord shall come he shall finde no faith on the earth Looke to this you fathers of our bodies and let not the blood of our soules cry vengeance against the parents of our liues teach vs what you haue learned charge vs on your blessing and God his blessing as we will answere before the Iudge of men and angels to saue the soules of our children by the precepts of your doctrine The reasons of this doctrine may be these first bicause as Dauid witnesseth that the workes of God are great and ought to be sought out of all that loue them So that this is an argument of vnfeined affection and true loue to the workes of God when with diligence we obserue them and with conscience we declare them and also it is an assurance of sincere pietie and reuerence towards God when as the same prophet speaketh all the day long we meditate on his iudgements and speake his praises This loue of men to the workes of God is then prooued and approoued when they teach them to those whose liues are in their hands and also it is the playnest token of true loue to your children when you keepe no part of the counsell of God from them which you know your selues For the Lords doings are of that maiestie and authoritie that by them tender hearts are nourished wauering harts confirmed and stubburne mindes are perswaded Your kindest friends will be more kinde vnto you when you shew them the kindnes of the Lord and your deadly foes will be more afraide of you when they shall see and heare the workes of God in your mouth and the word of God in your hands Therefore my beloued in the Lord Iesus seeing we haue no more plainer way to know the Lord then by his workes then haue we also no surer token that we loue the Lord then when we loue his doings Let vs seeke them in the cradles of our childhoode and the beds of our old age making as much of the Lords iudgements as we doe of our children whom we desire to leaue behind vs to the ende of the world euen so let vs leaue the Lords works in remembrance for euermore Secondly another reason of this doctrine is declared by Salomon Eccles 3. 14. That what God doth it standeth for euer that men might feare before him The workes of God are affected not as the ground is ploughed which serueth one for one season but as the earth was established which standeth for euer The Lord in euery age accomplisheth many wonderful things and different the one from the other that men might feare him for his iudgements and honor him for his power And therefore being not willing at all times to make triall and shewe of his omnipotencie hee willeth vs to remember the things that are done vnlesse we would haue him once againe open the fountaines of waters that the whole world might be destroyed or once againe raine fire and brimstone from heauen to confound vs as he did the Sodomites or once againe bring a vniuersall darknes ouer our land as he did ouer the land of Iudea or else once againe suffer our fathers to be burned our goods to be rauened our wiues to be shamed and our selues to be murthered for his sake as some haue bin before vs. Therefore by how much more easie it is for our hearts to consider those things then for our eies to behold them so much more carefull let vs be to instruct others by word of mouth least we our selues our posterity feele in ful measure that heauy hand of his wrath then Oh then
worldly tortures to bring vs to death therewith he would bee contented but it is yet a more fearefull thing when we are subiect to all these and more also to leade an endlesse and easelesse life in the euer burning and neuer dying flames of hell The vses which wee must make of this doctrine are these first that wee learne to feare none of them that kill the body but onely him that is able to cast both bodie and soule into the fire of hell Mat. 10. 28. But I know euerie one will subscribe vnto me and say that they feare him aboue all when as this feare is such a weake dampe that it putteth not foorth any sinnes and it holdeth as much godlinesse in their harts as a sieue will holde water in the open aire Moses was afraide of a serpent and it made him run away what feare is this that possesseth our gospellers mindes that will not cause them to be as much afraide of the sting of sinne as Moses was of the sting of the serpent Ioseph saide for the feare of God he could not commit follie with his lady and if the feare of God had any rooting in your harts you could not leade such licentious liues as you doe The Israelites were afraide to sacrifice a sheepe in Egypt because it was abhomination to the Egyptians but you are not afraide to offer your filthy deadly and abhominable lustes to the Lord although they be abhomination to his maiestie yea although there bee an vnmeasurable iudgement hanging ouer your heads Therefore feare the Lord that must rule you and the iudge that must trie you and the sauiour that must keepe you or else you shall feele the deadly paine that shall torment you The poore woman that came before Salomon would rather depart with her childe to her neighbour then suffer it to be diuided in sunder but how much more deere it is to haue your soules cut in sunder feare you not this Therefore with all speede looke vnto the Lorde as humbly as petitioners pray vnto him as mournfully as prisoners tremble at him as fearfully as the hill of Sinai fall downe before him as lowe as Daniel melt at his anger as the waxe before the sunne Another vse is that we alway keepe our confidence in the Lord for if his wrath be but a little kindled then are they blessed that put their trust in him Psal 2. 11. Balaam feared God yet because his faith and confidence was not in the Lord he was slaine among the other enimies of God therefore let me now take occasion to exhort all your harts to a sure confidence in the Lorde because his wrath shall neuer touch those which put their trust in him It is saide Psal 99. 4. that Moses and Aaron and Samuel put their trust in God and he deliuered them This was such a trust as was exercised with all Christian vertues the which you must ioyne with them or else you cannot enioy it Forsake your selues imbrace the Lord loue not the worlde and desire Christes kingdome and then you trust in the Lorde confirme your harts with patience beautifie your minds with knowledge reforme your affections by repentance and amende your liues by the whole Gospell of God and then shall the Lord say you haue trusted in him Oh then blessed shall you be for although the world be drowned you shall bee saued although the citie be burned you shall bee deliuered although the people be captiuated you shall be enlarged and although the earth be cursed yet you shall be blessed If sicknesse weare thy body and anguish vexe thy soule and trouble oppresse thy life and losses catch away thy goodes and enimies spoile thy children and death doe ende thy daies yet shall not the wrath of God consume thy ioyes What wouldest thou haue more if God hate thee not hee loueth thee if hee loue thee he will keepe thee if he keepe thee danger shall not oppresse thee if thou be not oppressed then art thou blessed and if thou be blessed be sure thou shalt be saued The xiiij Sermon Vers 16. And ioy and gladnesse is cut off from the house of our God COncerning the former words of this verse we haue spoken in the verse before and now to the next following where the prophet telleth them or rather the Lord that now men could take no delight nor ioy in the outward seruice of his maiestie which was a most lamentable thing when one should come into the house of God where was woont to be most sweete melodie in the harts and voices of men like vnto another paradise now he should finde it full of teares and cries and yelling and sorrowes and euery one ashamed to shewe his face for griefe this doth the prophet offer to the consideration of God Whereby we will note this that the seruice of God must be performed with ioy and delight Deut. 16. 11. I meane the ordinarie seruice and worship of God But in our daies we may almost complaine as this prophet doth that ioy is parted from the house of our God men come almost as willingly to the churches as some goe to execution and tarrie as ioyfully before the preacher to heare the sermon as other doe before the iudge to heare the sentence When we are at our praier they are at their books when we are at our preaching they are at their sleepe when we are at our psalmes they are in the tauernes Maruell you not to see the ioy of these men in the worship of God vnto whome the church is a iaile the minister is a keeper the Lord is a iudge themselues are the prisoners and their zeales are as ioyfull to them as little ease yet for all this we will reioice in the Lorde our God and account one day spent in his courtes better then a thousande spent else where And as Dauid reioyced to see other men goe so will we reioice when our number is increased when our voices are aduaunced and our Lord Iesus magnified The reasons of this doctrine are these first because this ioy in the seruice of God is a token of the presence of God his spirite in the harts of men Rom. 14. 17. so on the other side when men are lumpish and heauie in this worship and heauenly businesse it is a token they like not the matter but are hindered and blinded by the spirit of malice Shall we then say that they are all giuen to the diuell who haue not beene baptised into the Lords spirit and possessed with a delight in the Lordes seruice then must wee say that all hard harted misers wicked minded ruffians fickle brained yoonglings and wind-wauering women which had rather be playing with their loues or their children or else be disporting in brauerie and wantonnesse or bee mumbling a few Paternosters of old angels or new stuffed barnes then yeeld their eares their hart their soule their minde and their whole man to the Lordes most
grace he giueth more also as Salomon asking for wisedome obtained wisedome and riches or as Ruth desiring to gleane after the reapers Boaz gaue hir leaue to gather among the sheaues and at length made hir ladie and mistresse of all hee had Seeke therefore the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other thinges as godly children obedient families plentie of victuals peace of life length of daies and glorie euerlasting shall be heaped on thee Againe if abundance followe the profession of religion then it is manifest that when plentie faileth religion also faileth Ierem. 9. 12 13. For as there can bee no preaching when there is no minister so there can be no plentie when there is no professing Oh this cutteth our nation to the quicke for the Lorde by this dearth doth auouch to our faces that there is among vs as great decay of his church as of corne and the seede of the worde hath beene as much choaked and drowned in the hearts of men as the seede of the earth hath beene choaked and drowned in the fieldes of men and what remaineth but as the Prophet saith that the Lorde feede vs with wormewoode and giue vs the bitternesse of gall to drinke I feare greatly if our miserie continue our religion will be cleane abolished and if our want be now redressed we shall be shortly cast into a bed of comfortles troubles for as yet I cannot see any generall or continuall repentance in lamentation Thirdly when the Lorde promiseth them to deliuer them from the reproch of the heathen we may note that it is a great blessing of God to be deliuered from slander Iob 5. 21. To liue without slander it is impossible except wee coulde liue without sinne And therefore if at any time thou bee suspected and defamed praie vnto the Lorde to bee deliuered from it The reasons First bicause life and death are in the power of the toong Prouer. 28. 21. So then who can continue life or bring death but God alone Secondly slanderous toongs doe hate them that are in affliction that is they will then more greeue them and belie them bicause they thinke then will euery body beleeue them Marke this thing well and you shall see that it is the common practise of this age Let vs not open our eares to euerie tale or take heede or aske what other men saie of vs Eccle. 7. 23. for that will hurt vs. And let vs refraine our toongs frō slander or else we haue no religion Iam. 1. 26. The xxvij Sermon Verse 20. But I will remooue farre off from you the northren armie and I will driue him into a lande barren and desolate with his face toward the east sea and his ende to the vtmost sea and his stinke shall come vp and his corruption shall ascende because he hath exalted him selfe to do this AFter the promise of plentie followeth the remoouing away of the Northren armie which are the Locusts palmers and the other noisome beastes who came by a northren winde and therefore are called the Northren armie whom hee will driue away into the wildernesse where they shall all starue and neuer come againe with their face or forefront to the east sea that is the dead sea which lay eastwarde so called bicause neuer any fish coulde liue therein And this is that sea which now couereth all the lande of Sodom and Gomorhe called the lake Asphaltite And his end to the vtmost sea That is the great sea which is called the Mediterranean sea And his stinke shall ascende Meaning there they shoulde lie vnburied and their filthines ascend and remaine odious to God and men From hence when he saith that he wil driue away wee must note that it is onely the Lorde that must take away from vs all noisome and hurtfull things Deut. 32. 39. We haue touched this doctrine alreadie when we shewed in the former chapter that no iudgement can bee remooued by naturall meanes The first reason bicause by this meanes hee is knowne to be the God of the world Exod. 7. 17. Againe as his hand sendeth euill Amos 3. 7. so his hande must remooue euill Esay 49. 9. Let vs therefore learne howsoeuer wee bee annoied to seeke for helpe of God and as we haue beene often admonished let the afflictions of the body wring foorth the teares and praiers of the soule Againe seeing God will driue from vs all hurtfull thinges let vs not feare the sting of death nor the power of the graue Hos 13. 14. And if we beleeue that God shall raise vs vp from death to life why shoulde we thinke that beastes or birdes or afflictions shall euer preuaile against vs It is the better for vs that God alone doth this thing and not our selues for our power is often weakned but his hande and strength is alway mightie Secondlie when he bringeth in the wildernes and dead sea to receiue these deuouring beastes Hee teacheth vs that there is as good vse of the barren as of the plowed lande and of the sea where nothing liueth as of the sea where all engender for these are made to destroy as the other are made to builde vp Whereby we may see that all the creatures of the worlde doe helpe God against his enimies to performe his wrath Ios 10. 12. The cloudes throwe downe stones and the Sunne stoode still a whole day till Iosuah had discomfited all his enimies The first reason bicause they wil not helpe them that God persecuteth Esay 15. 6. Dauid woulde not spare the men that slew Ishboseth his enimie and much more will not the creatures spare or helpe them that are enimies to God Againe the day of wrath is a day of affliction Esay 22. 5. and therefore the creaatures are afraide of iudgement themselues And as Iezabels messengers followed and turned after Iehu hir enimie so all the creatures of God turne after him when he is in war to destroy sinners Let vs therefore learne to look vpon our creator Esay 17. 7. that in this time when time of repentance may be had For as the inhabitants of Ceilah woulde haue betraied Dauid to Saul that hee might slaie him so woulde all the creatures of the Lorde deliuer and betraie vs vnto him though more iustly that he may make an ende of vs. God is almost forgotten among men to be their creator for they giue more reuerence to their parents then to him therefore will the creatures forget vs and deliuer vs vp for spies and enimies as Ioseph gaue Simeon his brother into prison Againe let this generall obedience of the creatures cause vs to walke more righteouslie Esay 33. 15. 16. or else they will one day be reuenged bicause wee haue caused them to bee subiected vnto vanitie What a greeuous thing is it that these dumbe creatures shoulde receiue when God giueth and giue when God asketh and obey when God commaundeth
and the posteritie of the righteous much happier and godlier if more often with Moses wee remember him to take awaie his wrath by continuing his church Another vse are wee taught Ier. 32. 39. which is that wee likewise pray that our posteritie may haue one and a single hart that they may dwell for euer in the presence of God We can no way so much benefite our posteritie as by praying for them for then wee lay vp their treasure in heauen before the Lord making him the ouerseer of our willes and his kingdome their inheritance So that as hee promised Dauid that he should neuer want a man to sit on his throne if they would continue in his couenant so may euery righteous man assure himselfe that they shall neuer want posteritie if they continue in the Lords worship As there is but one God so men should haue but one hart and as there is but one heauen so men shoulde haue but one soule now the hart is one when it abideth in the worship of God but when it wauereth and is distracted into as many follies as affections there is no hart at all as it is all one to make mo gods and to denie God so is it all one to haue many harts and no hart Therefore pray for thy children whom thou hast nourished in the worlde that they may bee single harted and remaine before the Lorde for euer and euer for surely if they multiply their harts God wil remooue their graces For as Ahab by seeking to winne Ramoth-Gilead lost his owne life because he woulde encrease his territories so shall wee loose our owne soules if wee enlarge our harts for more vanitie Remember that Ierusalem was so built as it was at vnitie in it selfe and so must euery member of Ierusalem that is of the church haue one hart in himselfe that his hart may fit the Lorde and his soule may serue for heauen Secondly wee may obserue in this verse that the policie of wicked men cannot alway preuaile against the good Psal 124. 1 2 3. It was one of the wonders of the world that euer the counsell of Achitophel was so soone confounded that hee tooke against Dauid but the Lords hand was in it for seeing he had promised that Dauid shoulde raigne was not wise Achitophel a foole that woulde assay to breake the couenant and so were these gentiles in taking counsell against the Iewes to keepe them from euer returning to their countrie againe The first reason the Lord will purge iniquitie from his sanctuarie Dan. 8. 13 14. and therefore he will not suffer iniquitie to ouerthrowe his sanctuarie For the policie of wicked men in the destruction of the godly is not so much against mankinde as it is to burie for euer the worship and worshippers of God Would God that this reason might be well waighed of them who are euermore corrupting the sanctuarie of God who broach all the deuises of the world to corrupt the gospell But as the Romaine Image standing in the holy place was called the abhomination of desolation in like manner shall the imaginations of hereticall and proud men standing in the church be called the abhominable desolation of religion Another reason because good men might not fall from God by enduring their iniuries Psal 125. 4. and therefore be assured if God will make one of his owne saints worth a thousand of his enimies then will hee rather destroy their counsels then want his worshippers The vse is let vs then knowe that not all the counsell of men nor all the policie of the diuell nor all the power of the angels shall euer cast downe the members of Christ Apoc. 7. 3. Oh sweete instruction for vs miserable deemed wretches when we neede not to feare all the engins and deuises of the diuell if hee stirre vp princes yet God is greater if wise men God is wiser if strong men Christ is stronger and if learned men yet God catcheth the learned What shall I say more all the diuels in hell cannot take away one soule from the Lord. They are bound they cannot roue they are muzled they cannot rore they are ruled they cannot rage and they are damned they cannot hurt vs. Nay they can neither hurt body nor soule for the same that redeemed soules redeemed bodies and preserueth both Therefore feare not death that hath lost his sting and feare not the diuell that hath lost his force Another vse let this confidence for our raising vp out of miserie into glorie out of iniquitie into holinesse out of death into life and quitteth vs from the wicked stirre vp euery mans soule and hart to cleaue to the Lorde for euermore for as Dinah was safe in her fathers house and none could touch her so shall we be safe in the Lords presence none can hurt vs. Thirdly by this verse when he laieth to their charge the selling of his people that they might neuer return againe which they coulde not bring to passe but yet hee telleth them he woulde punish them wee may note that God punisheth our deuises and thoughts of euill although they proceede no farther as if the thing had beene effected and the sinne perfected Genes 11. 4 8. The builders of Babell thought to builde a tower to reach to heauen but they coulde not preuaile and yet God punished their enterprise by confounding their language So that imagine with thy selfe howe often thou hast stollen by coueting howe often thou hast committed adulterie by lusting and how often thou hast deserued actuall punishment by mentall transgressing wee doe therefore all of vs most iustlie suffer the danger of all kinde of deathes because we liue in the danger of all kinde of sinne neither is there anie man liuing but at one time or other hee hath lusted after euerie sinne that he knewe for if we knewe not sinne we shoulde not sinne And indeede these builders and this building of Babel doth notablie describe and decypher vnto vs the nature of sinners and sinne for as Babell was built without God his consent so is sinne as the builders made the substance and frame thereof of themselues so do wee of sinne As they did it to continue their names that the floud shoulde no more ouerflowe them not trusting to the former promises of God so doe sinners forsake God his promise and for worldly causes fall into many follies Againe as they would build neuer cease building till they had brought it vp to heauen so is the measure of sin it woulde neuer cease till it ascended vp into the sight of God and filled all the space betweene heauen and earth And lastly as the building was not staied but by the confounding of their toongs so shall not sinne be staied but by confounding the soules of men The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause they which consent to sinne and goe no farther are woorthie of death Rom 1. 32. So that it
preachers tell vs goe forwarde I beseech you in all other sinnes and you shall finde but a verie small number that say I beleeued and therefore I heard The medicine to purge out all these corruptions is a true faith the which if either you leaue at home or lose it by the way the labour is all lost that you take therein Oh how lamentable and damnable a sinne is infidelitie when the iudgements of God are not beleeued and the mercies of God are abused But this greeueth all godly hearts to the quicke that euen in our daies and times there should be such that as a godly father saith are armed with the name of good christians yet fight against the faith of true beleeuers Looke vpon it in time least as death followeth sicknes through want of phisicke so the death of your soules follow their sickenes through want of faith Beleeue saith Christ and al things are possible the dead haue beene raised by faith the sicke haue beene releeued by faith the mountaines may be remooued by faith and the diuell himselfe is droue away by faith therefore bring faith with you vnto the hearing of the sermons the scriptures are the Lords wordes and they are set to sale by the preaching of the ministers themselues beeing his factors faith must buye them as money doth or bee exchanged for them as one thing is for another for there is no crediting vpon wordes no obligations vpon dayes that can get them from vs but present payment of a liuely faith Therefore if any will knowe howe to heare the Gospell with profit and to enioy it with comfort let him bring faith with him that the worde deliuered may bee sealed for truth and sinnes beeing reprooued may bee receiued for truth and suffer no starting holes of infidelitie to carrie our soules from the rocke of God his truth into the sea of heathenish securitie or endlesse aduersitie O yee elders That is you gouernours of the people whom the Lord hath honoured with long life and the world with great authoritie And from hence we note this doctrine that the most honourable must most of all giue eare to the worde of God whether that honour bee in the Church as the ministers or in the common wealth as the magistrates or in the familie as the father thereof or in the warres as the generall thereof all these beeing exalted aboue other haue also a charge aboue other that euerie one walke worthie of his profession which is onely by studying and hearing the word of the Lord. The Lord so commandeth Deut. 17. 19. That the king himselfe shall cause to be wrote a booke for him of the lawe that he keepe it with him and read therein all the daies of his life Those which haue the greatest charge must vse the greatest labour to discharge their places as none could be iudges in Israell till the Lord had giuen them of the spirit of Moses so none can sincerely execute their duetie that the world may be satisfied the Lord may be glorified and their owne soules comforted vnlesse they receiue of the spirit of God and by the ministerie of the word is the spirit deliuered Gal. 3. 2. Hearken therefore you rulers of the Lordes people that which excelleth all glorie being richer then all wealth and wiser then all learning euen the spirit of God may be receiued when the word of God is deliuered Oh how are they deceiued that thinke the ministerie a base profession not meete for any but for the poore to liue by for the lame disfigured for yonger brothers for bankerupt for seruingmen for blunt-headed-schollers and such as can be good in nothing How are they also deceiued that thinke it not an exercise fit for noble men and persons of estate knights and gentlemen and such great ones which haue the world at their wils and the countrey at their pleasures shall these say they make themselues drudges to the Gospell schollers to the preachers and goe on pilgrimage to a publike sermon Yea all these must resigne their crownes of maiestie their gownes of nobility their swords of chiualrie and their estimation of gentrie vnto the voice of the blessed spirit of God speaking in the scriptures and preaching in his ministers And if these must bend their knees we must bow our bodies to the earth and put our necke vnder the yoke of Christ Iesus that he may lift vp our head liues to the participation of glorie The Lord that bindeth kings in chaines and nobles in fetters of Iron and maketh the mountaines to cleaue in sunder at his roaring willeth and commandeth vs from heauen to heare his son and it shal so come to passe that the soule shal be cut off from the Lords people that hath not kissed the prince of glorie and commeth not to offer obedience and seruice to his royall Lord who is able to cast him body and soule into fire euerlasting Let vs therefore study to enter into the courts where the Gospell of Christ soundeth and reigneth least we fall away from grace and glorie after the euill example of those long agoe condemned infidels and reprobated apostataes which gaue their eares to falshood their toongs to blasphemie their liues to vanitie their bodies to luxurie and their soules to euerlasting miserie Let not the graye haires of old men the great wealth of rich men the worship of Magistrates nor the honour of gouernement draw away our hearts from the hearing of this message which being hid from vs maketh vs cursed castawaies but being declared vnto vs regenerateth vs to the hope of eternall happines The reasons of this doctrine are also easily gathered out of the word of God First the same which Samuel vseth in his first booke cap. 12. ver 14. at the annointing or crowning of their new king Saule to perswade them and their king to the diligent hearing of the word and reuerent feare of God he vseth this as a reason That then they shall be the people of the Lord God As if Samuel had said vnto them you know that this is the glorie of our nation that we alone are the selected band and chosen soldiers to fight the Lords battles and this is an honour against all the world beside that they seruing Idoles and worshipping diuels we serue the Lord of hostes if therefore you will indeed be the Lords people you must in truth heare the Lords word what could be said more forcibly to mooue a rebellious nation to a quiet submission And this being the badge and liuerie of the Church of God we may be bold to say openly and defend confidently that they which heare not the Gospell as now it is preached in our English nation are none of the true followers of his heauenly maiestie Euen all whether they be the archenimies of Christ the Papists or the new sectary of Recusants the Brownists or the vaine religion bablers the Newters or the priuy haters of the
such bridegromes which keepe them for to serue the lustes of their owne bellies haue no care to marrie thē to the Lord. Take you heed you that haue the wealth of the world search and rake in the sinkes of your houses in the stables of your horses in the staules of your oxen and in the harts of your seruants that you may bring soules into the kingdome of heauen a pearle taken out of the dung is as good as that which is hoarded vp in a princes treasurie and a simple soule saued from the walking of horses or turning of spits is as glorious to the Lorde as he that ruleth in the throne Another reason for the çonfirmation of this doctrine our sauiour giueth Iohn 10. 26 27. There are none that heare not Christ which beleeue in Christ and there are none the sheepe of Christ but those that heare the voice of Christ meaning that at that time when he was liuing in the worlde and preaching to the Iewes they could not be his flocke that came not at the call of the Gospell and when he should be dead and taken from the earth they shoulde not bee reckoned for the lambes of his church which flocked not to the cries and sermons of the preachers So that in one word he setteth vs downe thus much that they are none of the Lordes which are not hearers of his worde Therefore one saide well Ecclesiae non iungitur qui ab Euangelio separatur Hee which is separated through ignorance or idlenes from the Gospell is also through infidelitie parted from the church for they which heare not Christ are none of his The weight of this reason must be put into the balance of euery ones hart and let him reason thus with himselfe My poore seruant my drudge my simple slaue my maid my cooke and euery one of my familie they knowe nothing of the Gospell but some voices that there is a Sauiour and a Christ that they must come once in a yeere or peraduenture once in seauen yeere and receiue the Lords Supper and neuer know or thinke more of it they are diligent to me they worke when I play they runne when I ride they watch when I sleepe they fare hard when I feast and they finde me all things keeping nothing to themselues onely indeede through my busines they come not at the church except very seldome they know little more then infants they haue beene baptized when they were yoong they may follow any religion or rather superstition their obedience is so little to the Scriptures yea they hardly can tell me whether there be any Scripture whether the holie Ghost had any hande therein or no if I will let them plaie on the Sundaies according to their pleasures the popes profession the Turkish religion the Infidels practise and all heretikes opinions may be sected in them But what shall become of their soules Surely it greeueth vs that such diligent and faithfull seruants shoulde after a miserable and slauish life haue a mercilesse and a cursed death Yet Christes words are generall they are none of his that heare not his voice and follow not his call O consider this you wealthy and poore people of this lande thinke on the miserable condition of these your owne flesh and fly from that terrible danger which threatneth your soules horror all yea euery mothers childe must be present when the worde is preached bicause this trieth vs whether we bee ashamed of Christ or no. When Dauid was absent from Saules court the king presently missed him and asked after him for his place was voide In like maner if we be absent from the assemblies of the faithfull the king of heauen and earth seeth our roomes be emptie and calleth for our presence Let this therefore perswade vs that we cease not hearing the Lordes word and following his heauenly call least of sheepe we become goates wanton and wilde and so when the generall appeering shall be the Lorde separate the goates from the sheepe and sende them to euerlasting perdition The vses which may arise from this doctrine are these first that sharpe sentence of our Sauiour Mark 10. 14. Suffer little children to come to me and forbid them not for vnto such belong the kingdome of heauen The well minded people desiring the blessing of Christ to rest vpon them their posteritie brought their little babes to be touched by our Sauiours hande the which thing was reprooued and forbidden by the disciples and therefore they were rebuked and reprehended by Christ There is none though they be as yoong as babes as simple as children as weake as women as base as seruants or as bonde as apprentices but if at the ordinarie times of preaching I meane the Sabbaoth they will trauell to the Lords house and there spend their time they must not be restrained they must not be forbidden I am not ignorant of the vaine and wicked authoritie which some chalenge to haue ouer their families thinking that their duties are discharged although their seruants be wandring from the Lorde about their idle busines and seruants thinke themselues satisfied bicause their masters who haue rule ouer their bodies command them thereunto And thus men crosse one line of their reckoning and leaue a whole sheete behinde and race out the condition letting the obligation stande they heape vp one sinne vpon another and while they mende one breach in a christian life they make two more For by this meanes it commeth to passe that masters thinke it lawfull to busie their seruants whom they hire for their money at al times when any smal occasion offereth it selfe sending them on messages in keeping them at home to waite on themselues and in sauing an houre or two or three to worke in the weeke daies they make bolde with the Lorde and giue them leaue on the Sabbaoth daies to visite their friendes Doe we not thinke that the ministers of God may haue their actions of maintenance against such carelesse masters which beare out their seruants and themselues contrarie to the law of God whereby their owne hearts are hardened their neighbours offended the glorious worke of the minister despised the heauenly voice of the Gospell neglected and themselues with their seruants in danger both body and soule to be damned May we not call for the law if not of man yet of God to turne away these euils from vs But Oh lamentable maners in this latter ende of the world which regardeth as little the voice of Christ as wise men do the noise of yoong children Againe sometime the seruants are of godly disposition and would willingly vse the libertie of Christians to goe as the Israelites did and sacrifice to the Lord but then commeth one or other and many times their parents and gouernours of their owne mother wit forbiddiding them to vse it encreasing as Pharaoh did the measure of their workes and forbidding them to come neare vnto Christ as these disciples
vnfulled which openeth it selfe to euery winde and storme Christ the Sauiour is our enimie and we persecute him and crucifie him the Saints of God we regarde not the promises of God we know not our hope is vanitie and our God is iniquitie Call to your remembrance the houres the daies the weekes the monethes and the yeeres of your life thinke euermore on that mercie and that power that in the ruffe of all this iniquitie forbeareth forewarneth and forgiueth you Thinke thus with your selues I was a helhounde I was a heathen the tyger is better then my parentage and the serpent then my education I was naked without grace and not able to buy it the Lord that solde it was my enimie and I durst not aske vpon credite Howe many enormities haue I runne into against my God which the Lord foreseeing hath forgiuen the curse of my nature he hath remooued the euill of my conuersation he hath remitted the emptines of my soule he hath replenished and the sentence of my condemnation hath he recalled Thus hath the Lorde dealt with my life when I was sinfull he was mercifull when I blasphemed he blessed when I made warre against him hee made peace with me hee tooke my blowes on both cheekes he gaue me his coate and his cloake and to conclude when I walked through the valley of the shadowe of death his rodde and his staffe was my comfort therefore now will I giue my life for his my body for his garment my bloud for his blowes my soule for his sake and my whole person wealth honour dignitie labour and leasure for his saluation Secondlie another vse we may make of recording time past and the seueral works of God with his particular iudgments is the same which the prophet Dauid maketh Psalm 8. which is this after the rehearsall of the glorious workes of God he compareth man with them and saith Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Euen so when we see and heare of the great workes of God vpon others lay them to your selues by particular application to your soules and reckon them vp in order for your furtherance Little Canaan tolde his father of his grandfathers drunkennes and nakednes and he was accursed and all his posteritie But I haue in my youth done many thousand greater sins yet the Lord doth stil blesse me was the Lord too rigorous against him or too partiall with me that he all his life long wore such a badge as also disgraceth all his progenie but he laieth not to my charge the follies of my youth Moses and Aaron bicause they once distrusted the hande of God they were neuer suffered to enter into Canaan but I not once onely but many hundred times haue distrusted his promise denied his worde and forsaken his truth why do I liue so long in the lande of promise when more righteous then my selfe coulde not set their foote therein Ananias and Saphira kept backe but a part of their owne to serue them in aduersitie and denying the same were sodainly slaine by the Lord but I haue kept backe not mine but the Lordes from the Lorde and haue lied not once to the holy Ghost but many times and yet I liue my credite not impeached my profession is not blamed my life is not shortened and my daies are not ended Oh beholde the seueritie of God towards these that fell but the mercy of God towardes me that standeth And thus may we say of nations and whole people why was Egypt destroyed and Israell saued why were the Canaanites cast out and the Israelites planted in why was Edom made tributarie to Iacob Babylon to Persia Persia to Graecia Ireland to England Surely surely we might haue beene the slaues and they the Lordes we the bondmen and they the freemen Euil wars might haue beene in our daies as it was in our fathers and that which was greatest poperie or heresie or hethenisme might haue beene professed in these our times as it was long agoe Thinke therefore my beloued how many bonds of obedience the Lorde hath bounde vs in and consider what had beene our hap if we had beene those children that were ripped out of their mothers bellies if we had beene those yoong men that perished in battell if we had beene those women that eate their babes to saue their liues and finally how much more are we bound vnto God that we were not Infidels Pagans Papists haeretikes Atheistes or any other kinde of cursed men Let vs also say with the prophet Psal 147. vlt. With euery nation hath he not dealt thus Let therefore euermore the worde of God bee in our mouthes the praises of God be in our hearts the Gospell in our liues and by howe much more we haue tasted of the Lords goodnes aboue other so much more let him taste of our thankefulnes aboue other The fourth Sermon And tell you your children of it and let your children shewe to their children and their children to another generation NOw the prophet hauing bidde them to enquire of their forefathers also willeth them to tell this wonder to them that shall come after namely to their children with this commandement also that they in time to come being made parents shoulde likewise declare this vnto their posteritie Where first of all the prophet giueth vs this doctrine that it is the dutie of fathers that if anie notable and woorthie worke of God happen in their daies to shew the same vnto their children for the wordes are tell your children c. Euen this doth the Lorde warne the Israelites Exod. 13. 14. to shew the wonders in Egypt vnto their posteritie and peculiarly at the eating of the passeouer For in truth this care and conscience of godlie parents is the verie conduit pipe or kings highway whereby all religion all feare of God and the vniforme profession of the truth is preserued By this meanes came Moses to be a fit and able writer of the Scriptures although hee handle matters done two thousand yeeres before he sawe the worlde he had no recordes nor writings to helpe him but that truth which descended as it were by propagation from father to sonne vnto his daies which began to be corrupt the holy Ghost approoued and Moses recorded Therefore the learned haue obserued that in seauen generations it came to Moses Adam say they taught the Historie of the creation and fall of man with other thinges to Methusaleth Methusaleth told them to Sem Sem shewed them to Iacob Iacob to Kohath Kohath to Amram and Amram to Moses And in this sort was this noble story of Genesis with visions places and persons deliuered from hande to hande from father to sonne and from one generation to another that the wordes and workes of God might be euerlastingly remembred This sheweth how by the carefulnes of parents the pure knowledge of God was maintained and the true worship of
more desperate in their sinnes then the godly be resolute in their holinesse Let vs neuer be ashamed of the power of God although in aduauncing there of we detract somewhat from the noble enterprises of men Let vs giue vnto the instruments that which is theirs and vnto God that which is his let vs not glory in our shame but be ashamed of our sinnes and with the three children at Babylon against princes and potentates euen with the hazarde of our liues witnesse the power of God that they may be ashamed of their doings Another doctrine which we may obserue out of these words wherein the fathers are so seuerally commanded to shew their children the works of God is this That we must euermore bee carefull what we commit to posteritie if the credit of men must bee regarded what they vtter one to another one of another while they are liuing togither whē as the truth may be proued and the lie may be conuinced much more must they be carefull what they deliuer to posteritie as it were in their last testament lying on their death-bed that so the liues which they haue lead may be commended for their fidelitie or the soules which they haue expired must bee condemned for their iniquitie Of this matter there is a famous historie in Ios 22. 10 11 12. verses and so foorth to the ende of the chapter when as Israell was planted in Canaan hauing long before by Moses receiued a commaundement that they should make no altars nor assemblies of worship in all their land but where the Lord gaue them commandement so to doe The Rubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasseh being seated on this side Iordan in the land of Sihon and Og contrarie to this commaundement as it seemed builded an altar Ioshua being yet aliue This good man with all the Ancients of Israell fearing this mischiefe doubting if they put vp this contempt al religion would soon be forgotten in short time in another age the sacred deitie would be idolatrously denied first they determined a warre against them but after better cōsultation they sent Phinehas ten princes of Israel in ambassage vnto thē to know the cause why they built that altar they answered that they built this altar for a patterne of that other which was in Shiloh least in time to come all that generation being dead their children should be denied to be of the Lords flocke and therefore to haue no portion nor part in Israell and therefore was this altar not built for sacrifice nor for burnt offerings but should be a witnesse to their posteritie that although they were possessed of the lande beyonde Iordan yet they were of Israels seede God his inheritance Which answere satisfied the messengers being declared to their brethrē pacified Israell Heere may you see on both sides an honorable care for the children vnborne Israel would not permit another sacrificing altar least posteritie shoulde be drawne from God and Ruben woulde yet make an altar least their children shoulde be reiected out of the Lordes couenant Israell aduentured his labour to saue his progenie and Ruben offered his life to saue his posteritie Would God our Israel were as iealous of their children and that our brethren were as carefull of their profession then should not so manie presidents of euill like Ieroboams sinnes and Balaams counsell be suffered to stande and offered to other ages Then shoulde not houses of sinne be erected as Theaters of play-houses which gaine more persons to the diuel then the churches can soules to the Lorde Then shoulde it not be saide That the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge Then should the arguments of Papists and other idolators be easilie answered when they obiect as Laban did that they worship their fathers Gods and followe the follies of their predecessours The longer a sicknesse groweth it waxeth more incurable and the longer our wickednes standeth and the farther we suffer our vices to stretch they waxe the more vnrecouerable insomuch as in other ages they will sweare by idols violate Sabbaoths rent in sunder religion make no conscience of haeresie and embrace atheisme by law and arguments because we haue sported our liues in this manner of vanities But remember as Balaams curse was renewed vpon him fourteene hundred yeeres after he was dead bicause other followed his sin so shall our bodies soules be condemned to more intollerable torments bicause the loosenes of our liues will breed the losse of them that come heereafter And this doctrine hath good reason to establish the same out of the worde of God first bicause there is not any monument so lasciuious or opinion so wicked or worke so abhominable but some if not many will embrace the same the which thing the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle second chapter first and second verses declareth vnto vs. Wherby we may obserue the dangerous condition of men which wil submit themselues vnto euery kind of diuelish slauerie rather then to godlines we reade in the Scriptures that so soone as Core and his companie inurmured that three hundred families followed his ill example We read of an Egyptian in the Actes of the Apostles and one Theudas who by their rebellion drewe great multitudes to finall perdition We haue learned by ecclesiasticall stories that the impietie of Simon Magus who woulde be worshipped as God had ten thousandes of fauorites that the apostasie of Iulian drew infinite companies to hel and for poperie which is a corruption of all religion what nation in this west ende of the worlde receiued not the same euen as once all the easterne countries were generally infected with Arrianisme and after they were reclaimed from that they embraced the errors of Nestorius and Eutyches But Peter saith the damnation of such persons sleepeth not but was prepared long ago as we may see by those lamentable examples of the easterne churches which for the most part are either subiect to the barbarous Turke or else the slaues of some heathen prince or other where remaine not so much as the stones of their temples much lesse the remembrance of any religion and the Lord grant that the like iudgement fall not vpon the west Another reason of this doctrine may be this that if there haue beene any fault in the fathers it may be amended in the children and this the worde of God maketh Psalm 78. 8. 9. it is most dangerous to corrupt the posteritie for it is like to the poison put into meate before men shall eate thereof we must alwaies studie to leaue the worship of God purer to them which succeede vs then we founde it And therefore we must greatly regarde if we haue at anie time gone awry from the marke that we charge our children to beware thereof for as their sinnes are accounted our sinnes bicause we reclaimed them not so their righteousnes shall be accounted ours if
miserable aduersitie Another reason of this doctrine is that which Dauid giueth Psal 17. 14. They haue no portion but in this life they can haue no comfort of the graces of the Lords children so that when they are perplexed and weaned from these things they are more vexed then other men This is the iust iudgement of God that where men haue most of al set their hart there aboue others they should receiue their hurt Now my deere brethren take vp a taste of this foode which I haue prepared for your soules and lust not after the wilde Doe when the tame kid may serue your turne Vse I beseech you these plaine and easie doctrines to shew vs the miserie of our times wherein we liue and of their liues among whome we liue We are altogether set on eating and drinking as if our soules delighted in wine or should be saued by meate wee regarde not the want which the poore endure wee thinke not on the hand which is ready to strike vs and we feare not the calamitie which doth alreadie compasse vs. Make not your belly your God and take not your portion in this life onely knowe you that a good Christian cannot come to heauen but by often fasting and continuall watchfulnesse and see you not how little this was practised till the dearth came and put vs in minde hereof now then let vs redeeme the time that we haue euill spent and spare that meate for the poore which we may saue for our selues We haue long liued by bread but now let vs liue by the word of God let vs I beseech you cast off our carnall desires and take no rest in our owne houses with Vrijah till the Lords people be in quietnesse let this preuaile with vs that looke how much comfort we take in abusing these so much discomfort shall we finde by forsaking them The vses which offer themselues out of this doctrine are these first that the confidence which the wicked raise vp to themselues in the things of this life shall bee their vtter ouerthrowe Isai 20 5 6. that whereas Egypt and Ethiopia were the comfort of Israell contrarie to the expresse commandement of God the Lorde threateneth to captiuate these nations and to destroy the people in their owne expectation that both the comfort and comforters should be at once confounded Euen so doth he in like manner in these daies where men leane more on the weake staffe of meate and drinke then on the strong rocke of God his word he breaketh the staffe in peeces and maketh the flitters to pearse through our owne harts This is the rewarde of belly-gods that their ioyes are remooued their hope is decayed their consolation confoundeth them and the want of those things wherein they most delighted shal procure them most easelesse paine because they most corrupted them The rich glutton which exceeded in delicious fare and in all abundance of wines and pleasant drinks was tormented without all pitie for want of water The prodigall sonne who lauished out riotously his fathers legacy like our English spend-thriftes at tables at drinking at whooring at gaming in brauerie of apparell horses houndes and delicates was constrained for his office to be a swineheard for his meate to want that which his beastes were fed with for his brauerie to bee basely and beggarly araied and his whole felicitie was turned into most lamentable yet due deserued miserie Harken therefore vnto me my brethren and heare me when I tell you the issues of your pleasures If you be aged thinke what were your sorrowe that if those riches which in youth you laboured for with your hands to comfort you withall when you should be olde should be suddenly taken from you then may you say my yoonger yeeres I consumed in vanitie and elder daies must perish in pouertie If you be yoong men consider with your owne harts that if the libertie you tooke should be abridged the pastimes you plaied should cause you so many stripes and your youthfull daies shoulde bee turned into languishing infirmities would not this amaze you to feele it and discomfort you to consider it Yes yes my beloued when your riches are the coles your desires are the fire your pleasures are the bellowes and your owne liues are the irons to be burned in this miserable miserie I delighted shall one say in hunting and nowe the beasts deuoure me I delighted in dauncing but now my woonted mirth is turned into hellish yelling I delighted in drinking but my cuppes are emptie and the naturall heate of my stomacke deuoureth my body like a fire I delighted in stealing but now doth the world rob me of my life the diuel of my soule I delighted in whooring but alas my diseases are become loathsome to God and man I delighted in slandering and hurting other but my lyes are recompensed with my owne life I was a swearer but the Lords wounds which I blasphemed haue witnessed my death I was a coniurer the diuell hath me I desired large fields but now haue I lost mine owne And thus shall all sinners come to their endes as Esau which louing hunting by his loue lost his blessing Another vse arising from the same doctrine shall be this that seeing we which be most abusers of the Lords benefits shall by their want be most of all punished let vs before this time of aduersitie come humble our soules and amende our sinnes as the prophet calleth vpon Babylon many yeeres before shee was destroyed Isa 47. 1. 23. Come downe and sit in the dust O virgin daughter Babell sit on the ground for there is no throne O daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate So my beloued come you downe now while you heare me calling vnto you and while this wrath is but comming vpon you you haue euery one aduanced a throne for your sinnes to sit on but pull it downe or else it shall defile your soules Yet there is time turne you from your euils you drunkards to sobernes you wantons to modestie you swearers to pitie you idle ones to diligence you rich men to humility you gentlemen to religion you women to righteousnes you yoong men to learning you old men to praying and you poore men to patience turne turne I say before this aduersitie that either your chaunge may change the Lords meaning or vse may ease the rigour of your punishment Come downe I beseech you take vp your crosse and follow Iesus Christ let temperance rule you let religion perswade you let your Sauiour win you let his ministers warne you let the earth speake vnto you and be yee all conuerted or else continue in your delights and cease not to offend God which hateth your liues or the church which wisheth your wealth or the poor which pray for your peace or the earth which threatneth want or the diuell that gapeth for your soules Howle allye drinkers of wine Now the prophet telleth
father hell is our bondslaue but their hangman We reioice as if we reioiced not but they reioice as if they were borne for nothing else we sorrowe as if we wept not but they haue their eies weeping in life their harts weeping in death and their soules weeping in hell Thinke nowe my beloued that this is our time of lamentation and this is our lamentation of time to see men weeping that should reioice men reioicing that should lament Woe be vnto them for they haue their consolation Therefore if once the worlde turne with the wicked then shall happines be like ise their pleasure like a sommer dewe their friends shall forsake them their feare shall possesse them and their miserie shall ouercome them Seeing therefore this is the case of the wicked that know not nor feare not God hence ariseth this most assured and fearefull and yet comfortable vse to be knowne that such as is the life of the wicked such shal be their end Amo 4. 1 2 3. The prophet in the saide place calling vpon the heads and rich men of Israell by the name of the kine of Bashan that fedde in the mountaine of Samaria telleth them that the Lorde hath sworne that seeing they behaued themselues like beastes he woulde also vse them like beastes for the thornes should stifle them and their posteritie shoulde be taken with fish-hookes and they shoulde go out of the gaps and breaches forwarde like kine and they shal be cast headlong out of the pallaces And these kinde of beastes are the oppressors of the poore the deuourers of meate and drinke the neglecters and despisers of the Lords worship and such as prophane the Lordes sacrifices with their owne inuentions vers 1. 4. 5. Consider nowe if euer there were mo beastes in Israell then are in England O lamentable world wilt thou euer proceed to prouoke the Lordes wrath to oppresse thy owne flesh to spill the life of thy owne brother and to shed the bloud of thy owne soule dost thou not yet knowe that if thou delight in cursing thou shalt receiue cursing and bicause thou louest not blessing it shall be farre from thee Yea I will adde this also thinkest thou not that thy cruell life shall haue a cruell death and thy mercilesse hart shall receiue a mercilesse plague doth not the scripture say That the same measure shal be heaped on thee that thou didst powre vpon other Hast thou lead all thy life in swearing and dost thou thinke thou shalt die with blessing hast thou walked wantonly passed the time pleasantly pampered vp thy owne bodie delicately consumed thy strength lecherously wasted thy wealth prodigally despised the ministerie wickedly frequented euill companie ioyfully vsed all maner of gaming greedily and wilt thou hope for all this to die the death of the righteous and to make a blessed latter ende Then is it not true which is most true that such as men sowe such shall they reape and if their life be the season their death is the haruest Oh that I coulde perswade you to liue well as you perswade your selues to die well then shoulde your times bee happie your liues be godly and all our endes bee blessed Therefore on the other side wee that are in league with the Lorde of glorie howe happie is our case seeing as wee liue so shall wee die our wearied bodies shall rest in his kingdome our sorrowfull soules shall bee refreshed in his kingdome our wounds shall be healed in heauen our teares shall be wiped from our eies our liues shall be disburdened of slaunders and to conclude seeing we being aliue are buried with Christ by our profession wee shall also at our death be raised vp with Christ to his euerlasting possession Secondly another vse which doth arise from this point is this that seeing the wicked are so beastly in their sorrowes and so desperate in their afflictions that sometimes wickednesse is rewarded in this life though not alwaies for their comfortlesse estate is the iust punishment of their wretchlesse behauiour We haue manifold examples hereof in the sacred worde of God who was more cruell then Adoni-bezek who cut off the thumbes and toes of seuentie kings and afterward by the Lords commandement he was so serued himselfe Iudg. 1. 6 7. Who was more proud then Nabuchadnezzar yet in this life was his vnderstanding taken from him and he driuen to eate his meate with brute beastes Tzedechias which burned the booke of God was taken by his enimies had his children slaine before his face and afterward had his owne eies put out and died at Babylon Herod that wicked wretch was eaten of wormes Ananias and Saphira were slaine by the Lord himselfe with a great many of like terrible iudgements of God of which you may read both in the scriptures and in the writings of other There are a viperous broode among vs which are not ashamed openly to professe that they care not so much for the pains in another life if they may escape the plagues of this life that is present and notwithstanding they feare the punishment of their sinnes shoulde bee executed on them in this life to their open shame and in the life to come to their vtter destruction yet they will neuer bee amended by Gospel or iudgemen t let such persons thinke what shall be their danger if they continue in this wicked opinion and wretched life For assuredly as Dauid once saide so will we euer say that the same which the wicked feareth shall come vpon them why shouldest thou bee more ashamed to be punished before a few of thy friends in this life then to bee laide open to the full vnto all the world at the latter day Learne therefore to purge thy hands and hart from sinnes wherein thou dwellest and when they shall bee burned thou shalt bee saued thinke that thou art not better then those which are already named and therefore thou maist be hanged with Absolon be stoned with Achan be cursed with Canaan be brained with Abimelech bee eaten with dogs as Iezabel was bee slaine with the sword as Adoniah was and finally fall from the top of honour to the bottome of ignominie as Haman did Because of the newe wine This is the cause why hee biddeth the drunkards and drinkers to awake because they should loose that which they best loued your newe wine that is so sweete to your mouthes wherein you dwell day and night shall bee taken from you And in this the prophet noteth vnto vs the whole corruption of carnall and wicked men that if they be ioyfull or if they be sorrowfull it is onely for the things of this life present when their barnes and storehouses are filled their fieldes clad with cattell their names exalted with worldly honour then they strike vp the ioyfullest musicke to their harts that they can inuent but when their wealth decreaseth or sicknesse taketh them or the famine vexeth them or the rumors of bloodie and
deadly warre disquieteth them then are they heauie then onely are they sorrowfull Reu. 18. 9 10 11. Luc. 17. 27. Hose 7. 14. They account it a speciall madnesse to mourne for the affliction of Ioseph that is to weepe for their owne sinnes for the persecution of the Lords flocke for the decrease of the faithfull and contempt of the Gospell also they thinke it a meere follie for men to reioice at the hearing of a sermon or the reproouing of sinne or the planting of a preaching minister and the remoouing of a cypher or the establishing of religion But let them knowe it is a thing accursed to reioice for vanitie and not for godlinesse to weepe more for the losse of a father or the want of bread or the feeling of sicknesse then for the famine of God his worde or the death of a faithfull man The reasons for confirmation hereof may be these because onely in these temporall and worldly things they place the rest of their soules Luc. 15. 19. The rich man hauing new builded his barnes reaped his corne and filled his storehouses biddeth his soule to take her ease for he had store ynough for many yeeres we maruell then that the losse of these things goeth so neere them when with them they loose the very health of their soules What shall wee say to the greedy cormorants which to gather wealth as this man did reposing therein the hope of their health while vnlawfully they would saue their soules vnrighteously they condemne them Oh let them also beware which being the outwarde professors of the Gospell yet neuer make an ende to encroach more liuing I cannot say they hope to be saued by them but I may be bolde to say that they much distaine the glorie of God while they aduaunce their names they endanger their soules Secondly another reason is because the loue of these carnall commodities banisheth away the loue of God 1. Ioh. 2. 16. How shal men which haue denied God and are become idolaters as all worldly men are Ephes 5. 5. care for any religion or reioice for any goodnesse yea rather lament it or how shall they lament any euill but rather reioyce in it because they are voide of all goodnesse themselues A godly father saide of them in this sort that they account that euill which doth not make them euill as famines sicknesse and other calamities but for swearing drunkennes whooredome and other vices they call them not euils They are not ashamed while they praise good things themselues to be euill and they thinke it a greater disgrace to haue a ragged towne a thatched house an vnhansome legge or a poore estate then to haue an ill life This said hee long agoe and now with teares I may say it againe that men in our times through the want of religion which through abundance they haue loathed and rebellion they haue vomited vp feare no God but the enimy loue no knowledge but their law euidence and they care for no health but bodily medicines and thus they weepe when they should reioice and reioice when they should weepe The vses which arise from this doctrine are these First that these carnall mindes and men shall neuer be eased in their carnall sorrowes or comforted in their worldly comforts Therefore Iames said cap. 4. 2 3. Ye lust and haue not ye enuie and haue indignation and cannot obtaine you fight and warre and get nothing be cause you aske not you aske and receiue not bicause you aske amisse that you might consume it on your lustes Wherein the heauenly Apostle hath set out to the full the nature of al worldly wishers carnal criers wherin these things I be seech you to obserue most diligently First that this is the nature of wicked mē in their praiers being in distresse that they enuie and haue indignation euen at God himselfe thinking that he doth them great iniurie thus to disquiet their ease and to trouble them with want Oh fearefull condition of wicked men that their very praiers are nothing else but murmuring against the Almightie Secondly he noteth the verie cause why the wicked craue any thing at the hand of their creator that saith he they might bestow it on their lustes And surely I am much afraid that the feigned praiers of a great number in this time of dearth and famine haue had the like inward motion which is the cause that the Lord regardeth not our praiers and remooueth not his iudgements Thinke not therefore that euer your cries for corne for bread for meate for plentie for cheapnes and for comfort shall take any effect although you fill the aire with your outcries or the earth with your teares vntill your carnall mindes be banished your enuying spirits be humbled your vniust and vnlawfull suites be silenced yea vntill you haue more regard to your soules then to your bodies to the Gospell then to the corne fields and to the glorie of God aboue wife or children life or saluation Another vse belonging to this doctrine our Sauiour giueth Mat. 6. 31. 32. Take no thought saith he what you shal eat or what you shall drinke or wherwithal you shal be cloathed for after these things seek the Gentiles your heauenly father knoweth that you haue neede of those things but seeke you first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all these things shal be ministred vnto you Here may we learne the medicine for our sicknes the supply of our want the comfort of our distresse who shall bid vs mourn because we haue no meate Indeed it is to be lamented yet Christ saith take no thought for it thou art a poore man so was he thou hast a familie so had he thou liuest by thy labour so did he thou liuest in times of scarsitie so did he Then he speaketh by experience sorrow not for thy want he was the sonne of God so art thou it was his meate to do his fathers will so let it be thine Say not as the woman did to Eliah we will eate this and then die but rather we will endure this and then die The Gospell is my meate the sonne of God is my cloathing and the kingdome of heauen is my inheritance shall I lust after other meate or desire a woollen garment and wish for a worldly inheritance No no heauen is all things there is for me and my children Christ is all things he will cloath me and my children and the Gospell is all things it shall feed me and my family my soule shall eate my body my body shall not deuoure my soule Thus let vs comfort the poore members of Christ that want and encourage one another in distresse against distrust let vs weep with them that weepe and mourne with them that mourne that we may reioice with them that shall reioice in the kingdome of heauen For it shal be pulled from your mouth Hauing awaked these persons by calling and troubled them
we are not admonished by once or twise wee regarde not till we bee chastened and then like wretches murmur at our paines enuie at our sufferings and rebell at his iudgements wee open that which he would couer that is our pride and we destroy that he would saue that is our soules then shall his weakest instruments worke our greatest calamitie To make my vine waste and to pill off the barke of my figge tree to make it bare and to cast it downe that the branches thereof be made white Now the Prophet telleth them where this nation should conquere that is among the vines and figge trees which were very common in Iudea being the sustentation of the poore and the delight of the wealthie and these should all be broken all bee barren and all bee withered and left fruitlesse From hence we may obserue this doctrine that the fruites of the earth are destroied for the sinne of man what had these vines offended that they should be wasted or what had the figge trees sinned that they should be broken downe Surely nothing but the men that vsed or rather abused them were the onely cause that the iuice was dried and their sweetenesse denied them For this cause said the spirite of God by Dauid Psal 107 34. A fruitfull land maketh he barren for the sinnes of them that dwell therein This is a iudgement worth the noting that we might knowe how to amende our land when it cannot yeelde her increase which is to compasse it with our sorrowfull harts and water it with the teares of our eies And this may serue for euidence in our times against them that thinke all is in good order and there needeth no farther reformation Yes verily the earth it selfe crieth out for a reformation for she may say as Naomi saide to her friends I went out full but I returned emptie or as Iacob saide to his sonnes You haue robbed me of my children it is wee that haue inclosed great fruit in a little storehouse for our sinnes haue blasted it and the earth is made barren The reasons of this doctrine are these because there is nothing that will so mooue vs as want will and therefore we are punished with that which goeth neerest vnto vs. Nehem. 5. 3. 4. The want of corne made the people to sell away their houses and their lands yea their owne children they solde to buy them bread what woulde haue made them thus seruile but famine or what would haue greeued them so farre as this And this selfesame complaint haue many among vs taken vp being ready if any would giue them any money to sell their owne children May not this admonish vs that our land aboundeth with iniquitie that is thus filled with the miserie of the poore yes verily and if it bee not speedily preuented the richest and wealthiest shall feele it as well as the basest The prouerbe is almost verified in famine which was woont to be in warre that the great men make the warres and the poore men beare the blowes so the rich mens sinnes haue made the dearth but the poore men liues abide the death Another reason hereof may be this because by this meanes the best and the greatest come into miserie as well as the smallest not so soone I graunt but in continuance of time it is effected Iere. 14. 3. The noblest send their seruants for water but alas they returne emptie and couer their maisters heads with shame Therefore let vs learne what shall bee the pinching estate of the poore when the noblest men thus wring and how are the seruants plagued when the maisters are thus famished Looke vpon it my deere brethren for not one of you shall escape it if this calamitie continue your iewels shall bee woorth nothing your pearle shall perish with you your money which you haue gotten by oppressing the poore shall rather afflict you then comfort you You haue as it were in sport began to make a dearth and it maketh you laugh inwardly to see the coine come so fast into your cofers beware least the Lord turne it into good earnest and laugh as hartily at you to see the soules goe out of your bodies The vses which we must make of this doctrine are these the first is the same which the prophet exhorteth vnto Hag. 1. 5. That euery one of vs consider our waies since the continuance of this famine came vpon vs. Consider you rich men whether you haue not scored vp many sins that might cause this miserie consider O yee poorer sort whether you haue not added many vnthankfulnesses that thus are reuenged with want Consider O you drunkardes and belly gods whether your appetites haue not brought this scarcitie and your fulnesse this emptinesse thinke with your selues O yoong men if it be not likely that your costly pleasures and chargeable pastimes haue cried for a penurie on the earth and a deere reckoning on the Lords benefites If you finde these things then begin a new consideration and thinke with your selues whether the earth crie not for vengeance and the Lords ministers for repentance Take vp a lamentation and say with our selues O Lord it is we and our fathers house that haue caused thy heauie hand to be powred vpon vs for our sakes haue many poore men laboured many women sorrowed and many children perished we haue their blood vpon vs and thou maist iustly require it at our hands but pardon thou our sinnes increase thou our repentance remooue thou thy iudgements and multiplie the fruites of the earth So shall you not satisfie the iniuries done but the expectation of your brethren and the crie of the poore that are yet liuing For assuredly if you helpe not to beare this burden in your bodies you shall weare it in your soules and if you fast not with vs in this life you shall famish without vs in the life to come Cōsider I beseech you your waies auoide that enimie that by your often sinning would destroy both body and soule Oh our dearth may be perpetuall our griefe is immortall your paines shall be eternall your liberalitie but temporall your want if any want but externall but your and our ioyes shall be continuall therefore consider how long we haue sinned how little we haue amended how much we haue transgressed and how soone wee may bee confounded Amende euery man one then shall families be saued amend families and then shall villages bee blessed amende villages then shall cities be cleansed amende cities then shall countries bee sanctified amende countries and then shall the whole world be conuerted For the world consisteth of countries countries of cities cities of villages villages of families families of seuerall persons therefore if seuerall persons will amende then all the worlde shall be amended Another vse which we may make heereof shall be this to imitate the example of the godly Iewes Ezr. 10. 9. that is that we weepe and tremble for the raines and
that if you looke vpon all that is to be done of a faithfull man you shall finde many vnwilling and ineuitable slippes and falles in the purest obedience of all men The church of God hath felt and complained of this miserie in all ages that she coulde neither doe as she woulde nor performe what she ought to the Lordes obedience For if we be rich and neuer so godly then wealth hindreth vs if wee be poore want oppresseth vs if wee be magistrates gouernmēt doth let vs if we be seruants worldly obedience doth staie vs. So that as it cannot be but that in the purest corne there will growe some weedes so in our holiest worship of God there will appeere some wantes Dauid coulde not worship when he was at Gath and the saints of God although they haue willing mindes want powre and meanes to accomplish their desire And therefore let vs not bragge but confesse as our Sauiour saith in the Gospel when we haue preached our whole life long praied with neuer so entire affection and laboured with neuer so great diligence in the kingdome that wee are vnprofitable seruants hauing left moe things behinde which we ought to haue done The reasons of this doctrine are these first bicause that we shoulde neuer leaue of labour more and to encrease farther and farther so long as wee liue in this worlde as the Apostle saide of himselfe Phil. 3. 13. The which lesson I woulde to God were oftener learned and better followed in our daies wherein men thinke if they haue done a little seruice on the Sabbaoth day they holde themselues contented for the whole weeke following and hauing gotten a little knowledge of the common profession they are satisfied and trauaile for no more Oh howe strange is it that men are neuer satisfied and haue their fill of any thing saue onely of religion the which presently cloyeth them bicause they thinke it is no part of their dutie to bestowe their daily labour in some part of godlinesse I knowe this doctrine will please them well that no man can worship God perfectly and therefore they will worship him sparingly and coldly But they must knowe that there is not any man which hath his perfect health and yet he liueth and mooueth and groweth in stature so there is not any mans religion absolute yet it must striue labour for perfection as a sicke man doth for health Another reason of this doctrine is this that considering our imperfection through the sinne of our natures we should more earnestly desire to bee with Christ Philip. 1. 23. for he that is wearie and cannot goe as hee woulde yet he hath this in his wish to desire the perfection of the worship of God Whereby we may note that there is not any thing that may mooue vs to loue the being in the world the world it selfe wil hate thee if thou be a Christian why shouldest thou desire to liue therein thou canst not knowe the maiestie of God thou shalt not feele the loue of Christ and thou canst not enioy the end of the faith If thou wouldest haue the wish of Dauid to liue and to declare the works of God yet it shall be better to die that thou maiest liue in the glorie of God In this life thou art sometimes sicke carefull heauie hated oppressed enuied and hast but a little comfort of God because thou canst not professe him but a little therefore desire the other where friendes and ioies and health and loue and peace and comfort shall be euerlasting and they worship most absolute without sinne or ceasing The vses which arise of this doctrine are these first that although we can neuer be absolute in this life in God his worship but we shal haue as many lets as we haue howres yet let vs not cease to lament them and to desire their absence when Dauid had beene long absent from the place of the Lords seruice he cried out saying How long shall I dwell with Mesech and be constrained to abide in the tents of Kedar why might not Dauid thinke that it was not his fault but his enimies rage that did constraine him to that neglect because he was banished from his people Indeede it is apparant he knew it well enough yet least he should be contented with his miserie he calleth to God for a remedie so although we dwell in sinne and liue in a thousand wants of bodies and soules because they cannot be remooued in this life yet let vs not rest contented herewith but lament this mischiefe that we must so doe and desire a speedie release Art thou lodged in thy chamber through sicknesse or banished from the companie of the faithfull through persecution or kept away by imprisonment or hindered by hard parents or maisters or molested through pinching pouertie all which thou canst not auoide yet that the Lord may knowe and that thy soule may liue desire to bee eased of this burden Thinke not that thou shalt bee excused if thou canst not come and worship as thou oughtest but will the thing thou canst not performe and thinke it long till thy bondage be at libertie thy want be supplied and thy soule remooued from thy bodie that thou maist see God and loue him and liue with him and praise him for euer and euer Art thou a Christian and hast thou not greater cause to wish for heauen then Dauid had for Ierusalem and if you haue then pray with as great zeale that thy will may be turned into action thy lets into helpes thy wants into supplies thy soule into pietie and all thy worship into sinceritie Another vse may be this that men doe not any thing the lesse esteeme of the worship of God because they haue hearde that it is but temporall O this were accursed that a sicke man should be lesse regarded because he is sicke and not rather be the more attended shall a sonne despise his owne father because he is poore this were iniquitie and so is it a greater abhomination that men should lesse serue the Lord because the greatest measure is imperfect Although Dauid might not builde the temple yet he prouided wherewithall to do it and so although thou canst not loue God as thou wouldest and as thou oughtest yet loue him as thou canst and as farre as thou art able be not discouraged because thou art not able to goe through with religion for if thou haue any religion knowe thou that the least things of God are greater then the greatest of the world and the weakest things of God are stronger then the strongest of men Honour them that haue the giftes of God in them although they be imperfect for who despiseth a crased peece of gold or who throweth out of doores a broken siluer pot and therefore who but a mad man would lightly regarde the small graces of God in men But alas it is the miserie of our time wherein religion is measured by wealth and deuotion
by outward shewes and the giftes of the spirite by worldly professions so that if men liue neuer so vprightly and yet be poore or teach neuer so diligently and yet be not famous and pray neuer so feruently and yet be not a flatterer or write neuer so excellently and yet reprooue sinne he is no more accounted then a base and common professour Men will not studie religion because they say the doctors can neuer knowe all things and therefore they will knowe nothing but if none should studie phisicke but he that would cure all diseases sicknesse would quickly ouerthrowe vs and if men follow not religion because they cannot know euerie mysterie the diuell will speedily ouercome their soules Be ye ashamed O ye husbandmen howle O ye vine dressers for the wheate and for the barly because the haruest of the field is perished Now he commeth to the particular persons that dresseth the earth and the fruites thereof bidding them to bee ashamed to see their cunning faile their labour lost their price receiued in vaine because all was destroied whereabout they were imploied From hence we may note that seeing the prophet calleth to these husbandmen it is our dutie that are of the ministerie to speake the word and rebuke sinne and exhort euery kinde of profession vnto religion The princes the nobles the rich the poore the husbandmen the artificers and the seruingmen and the gentlemen must all be exhorted and rebuked by the voice of a preacher And this was the most singular comfort that Paul receiued by his labour Actes 20. 31. That they all coulde beare him witnesse that hee had not ceased daye nor night to admonish euery man of life eternall wherein wee see that the paines of a minister are infinite that must not feare any mans person nor spare any mans profession nor loue any mans sinnes nor bee silent at any mans iniuries nor bee controuled for any iust offence by him rebuked Looke I say to the labours of watchmen in the Lordes house hee warneth them by chiding saith Aug. he instructeth them by preaching he prepareth them by admonition he hath a calling from God to warrant him from the word to enconrage him from the spirit to inflame him and from his conscience to comfort him He must rebuke the rage of great men the folly of old men the vanitie of yoong men the deceit of crafts men the trade of husbandmen the idlenes of seruingmen the wantonnes of women and the sinnes of all men that by wounding them with the word of God both they and he might escape the iudgement of God The reasons of this doctrine may bee these First because as Paul saith in the forenamed place ver 26. 27. that by this means they are free from the blood of all men And we know that the blood of a poore husbandman will staine as much as the blood of the greatest prince in the world But euermore when I haue occasion to talke of the bloode of men which is committed to the preachers and shall bee againe required at our hands me thinkes that the blood and life and hearts and soules should tremble hereat the minister for his charge the people for their danger The captaine doth answere for the body of a man the factor for his masters wealth the scholler for his learning the man for his seruice and the noble man for his princes affaires but the minister must answere for the peoples sinnes Againe what is the danger to keepe thy soule is it not committed to a man hath it not all the diuels in hell to lay siege vnto it and yet wil not men come to their pastors to haue their soules fed being hungrie nor yet cured being sicke nor yet salued being wounded nor yet defended being besieged nor yet to be saued although they be like to bee damned Another reason of this is because our commission must stretch it selfe as far as Christes redemption who is an aduocate for all men that is for all sorts of men and therefore it is most requisite that we speake to all kinds of men that so they may come to the knowledge of redemption Wouldest thou then be exempted from comming to sermons then thou must also be exempted from comming to saluation Is it hard vnto thee and intolerable that the word of God shall restraine thy pleasures then shall it be harder for thee to haue the blood of Christ to annoint thy soule from hell Would not all men come to the kingdom of heauen then wil I open vnto them the gate of the Lord and tell you that obedience to the ministerie is the way and the righteous will enter therein The vses which come of this doctrine are these First seeing that all men must receiue the word of the minister that the ministers flatter not the people and conceale not the iudgements of God from their sinnes Prou. 24. 24. 25. The Lord promised pleasure to them that rebuked the sinne of the wicked and the blessing of goodnes shall bee vpon them What is the hope of the Lords workman we haue already declared But now let me exhort and be exhorted vnto this necessarie doctrine I know that since the world grew to a multitude and the church to a monarchie the great men haue euer enuied the rebukers of sinne I meane the ministerie bicause they liued in greater sinnes themselues and this is the cause why reproofes are so hardly endured that although we speake but generally against a particular sinne yet some or other who is gauled with the conscience thereof will accuse vs for ayming at him and peraduenture threaten vs mortall hatred this was not so in the primitiue church 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. but rather men obeyed gladly then threatned maliciously but so it is in our church and therefore are the ministery afraid in many places to preach the word least they should offend But harken my deere brethren feare them not for it shal come on vs that the Lord threatned Ieremie If we spare his word he will confounde vs in their presence What is there in them that we should feare they are but men in nature so are we they are many in number so are we they haue the world we haue the word they touch but our names or our bodies our soules are the Lords they cannot accuse vs iustly of sinne but themselues they cannot worke their will but the Lords will their wrath is nothing to the Lordes wrath shall we silence the word because they loue it not Beloued haue not mens persons in admiration the word of God is not bound though we be imprisoned that cannot be hurt though we be blamed our soules cannot be touched though our bodies be martyred Let vs wish with Luther that God would make vs woorthie to die for his word Another vse of this doctrine is that the people of all sorts must heare the worde of the minister let them take heed that they beare the
of life When Adam came againe to God hee receiued the promise of life when the creatures came to Noahs arke hee kept them from the floude when the Egyptians came to Ioseph he saued them from famine and when the people came to heare Christ preach he relieued their fainting Come you likewise to the ministerie they will giue you the promises open vnto you the kingdome deliuer you the corne and satisfie your soules most plentifully that you shall neuer faint till you come to the euerlasting abiding place Except the priestes had stoode in the riuer of Iorden the children of Israell coulde neuer haue passed ouer euen so wee stande in the troubles of this world to keepe them from you else you shoulde neuer come into Canaan Oh therefore come while wee stande and beare the Lordes arke or else the waters of heresie and Atheisme will come againe and then farewell your hope your health and your saluation The xiij Sermon Verse 14. Sanctifie a fast call a solemne assemblie gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the lande into the house of the Lorde your God and crie vnto the Lorde THat is call and prepare a fast to the which some may say that they might well enough fast seeing their meat corne was alreadie withered and they had more need to seek to saue their liues then to go to fast to endanger themselues farther Vnto which I answere that the forenamed calamitie was but prophetically foretold therefore as yet there was not such want but only it shoulde bee if they repented not Hee biddeth them prepare a fast that is a general humiliation for all the people wherein shoulde bee nothing but mourning and abstinence and this kinde of fast is a great and good part of the worship of God Esay 58. 13. Therefore from hence wee obserue that God taketh occasion by threatning of his wrath against vs to mooue vs to worship him more earnestly so wee may see Iudg. 20. 26 27. when the Israelites in a good cause had beene ouercome of the Beniamites and lost the liues of many braue men it mooued them againe to goe to humble themselues before the Lorde with fasting and bitter weeping and lamentation And surely this seemeth to be the continual course of the Lords dooing in the church that as the grounde is plowed that it might yeelde more fruite so the church is afflicted that it may giue him more worship Wee are for the most part like the disciples which knew not howe to fast or to afflict themselues till Christ was taken from them and then they fasted Mark 2. 20. So when wee are either generallie molested or particularly endangered howe doe we cleaue to the churches and turne ouer the bibles and runne ouer the worde but in times of more ease wee are more idle and take libertie of sinning when wee feele the greatest liberalitie of our Sauiour If wee haue no other cause to reioice in our pouertie and sicknesse and infamie and danger and hunger and famme and all our tribulation then this that we are by them better fitted for the Lordes seruice yet let this make vs clap our harts and hands that we may any waie glorifie our creator And as the Israelites were as willing to fight with the Canaanites as to possesse their lande so let vs bee as willing to fight with manie troubles as to possesse many pleasures The reasons of this doctrine are these bicause such kinde of miseries lamented by such kinde of worship doth turne away our captiuitie and appease the Lordes wrath Lament 2. 14. and therefore wee may take great comfort in the forewarning of our miseries seeing we may be prepared therby against all danger to auoide all wrath if the Lorde did not by the ministerie of his worde humble vs we shoulde euer be subiect to mortall confusion and immortall condemnation But so hee ordereth all things in his church that as the ouerflowing Nilus maketh the earth more fertill so the floudes of troubles going ouer the bodies and liues of his members maketh them more peaceable once the disease purged the bodie is well quieted and once the pride of our sinne and natures scoured and rubbed awaie the soule is more strengthened Another reason is bicause that the Lorde will haue that thinge worke the good of his church which worketh the desperation of infidels for wicked men in their troubles are at their wits ende as wee may see Mich. 4. 5. so was it in Cain and Edom and the Egyptians and Saule and Herod which all perished through affliction The nature of the wicked is like iron which will neuer swimme though it be neuer so little except it be nailed to some woode or other substance so the wicked being banished from the godly they fall downe and sticke fast in an vnresistable mire of afflictions so that wee may see as the crosse of Christ was the life of the church but the death of the diuell so are many other crosses the life of the Lordes deare children but the death of his despitefull enimies The vses which come from this doctrine are these First seeing wee are by our affections stirred vp to serue the Lorde let vs keepe our soules in continuall chastisement that we may continually be mindfull of the Lordes seruice 1. Peter 4. 7. Those which lie in garrisons although they seldome fight yet euery day they discipline and traine their souldiers so although wee seldome lie vnder great danger of exceeding slaughter yet let vs continue our soules in correction and obedience If Dauid had alway vsed this he had not so easilie forgotten himselfe and brought Vrijah to death and himselfe into filthie adulterie Euen so the want of this priuate chastisement and continuall afflicting of our soules for our sinnes maketh vs wanton in wealth proude in prosperitie presumptuous in health and often subiect to sathans temptations Afflictions may rightly bee compared to a hedge which hath thornes on both sides so that that which is within cannot come out and that which is without cannot come in in like manner when our liues are hedged with troubles the good thinges which are in our soules cannot goe out of vs and the euill thinges which are without vs cannot come into vs. Weepe often for thy sins that thou maiest alway bee sorrowfull pray often for thy amendement that thou maiest still bee penitent Thinke manie times on thy later ende that thou maiest neuer bee arrogant so shalt thou saue thy selfe from many euils and gaine thy conscience great peace and procure thy soule euerlasting blessednes for if this life bee contrary to the life to come then it followeth that as there shall bee neuer ceasing ioy for the ceasing of sinne so heere ought to be a neuer ending sorrow for the continuance of sinne Another vse which commeth of this doctrine is seeing our euils make vs more fit to serue God then is it a miserable thing to be made more vnfit
of God bicause thither came all the tribes to do seruice and sacrifice to the Lord therefore sometime it signifieth the church of God and all the members thereof as Psal 51. By these words I might note that although the ministers haue a priuate and a publique charge to warne the people yet they must haue a more speciall regard to the publique place Col. 4. 16. Isa. 66. 6. The reasons are First bicause Christ is alway present in the congregation Mat. 18. 20. and therefore if they haue any loue to their Sauiour there they must heare and see him Againe in the publique ministerie of the worde is giuen the holy Ghost Gal. 3. 2. so that if men would haue the pledge of their eternall inheritance thither they must resort where he is freely offered without money yea let them come from strength to strength that is be thy strength little or much vse the same to come to the church of God there is no more dispensation for weakenes then for health and therefore if thou wilt shew thy obedience and thy zeale to saluation then come when thy health and strength is most endangered for then will it bee like the poore widowes mite most acceptable to God If thou be a gentleman vse the helpe of thy horses and men if a woman take the helpe of thy husband if thou be poore craue thy neighbours hand as he did which was sicke of the palsie Mat. 9. 2. If thou be a seruant take so much the lesse pleasure to heare a sermon for in so doing thou shalt please the Lord and not disprofit thy maister Againe despise not the voice of him that speaketh Heb. 12. 25. for God which speaketh in vs is a consuming fire there was neuer angell that spake but the contempt of his words was seuerely punished and Zacharie because hee did a little doubt of the angels message lost his toong till his child was circumcised The ministers of God are called angels Reuel 2. 1. and therefore if thou beleeue them not then feare the losse of thy eares or thy toong or thy hands or thy heart but if thou contemne them and dally with them wantonly or despitefully oh feare the losse of body and soule for euer and euer but of these things we haue often times before spoken Againe if the voice of a trumpet could awake the Iewes and turne them to the Lord how is it that men and voices and Christ and Gospell cannot awake the men of our times the trumpet was blowen very seldome but the word is euery day and euery where preached and yet are not men prepared Nay verily a trumpet in the streets shall haue moe followers then a sermon in the temples and as Michab saith cap. 2. 11. new wine and strong drinke do make men rise early and goe late to bed that they may be filled therewith but yet the wine of the Lords truth cannot preuaile and therefore the wine of his wrath must make them drunken vnto death But in this that he biddeth the inhabitants to tremble at the sound of a trumpet we are taught that we must stand before the Lord with feare and trembling Ier. 6. 10. Ezr. 10. 9 but in our daies men quake in the congregation as steeples in the sea they are ready to laugh at that which should make them sorrow and to loath that which they should long after He is now accounted a milke-sop that will weepe when he heareth sinne reprooued and a very coward that feareth any euill yea though it bee eternall condemnation It is fearfull to consider that the presence of God shaketh the whole world and the power of his worde maketh the deserts to tremble and yet sillie men and in comparison of those like cornes of sand wil not shake nor tremble nor feare for any of all these And aboue all this mischiefe is to be considered that the longer we liue in the world the lesse feare of God or terrour of iudgement increaseth olde men grow carelesse through age yoong men grow dissolute through pleasure children waxe wanton through euill education and almost all men waxe woorse and woorse What is the church more regarded then an ale-house or a preacher more esteemed then an idoll or a saint more honoured then a diuell or religion more loued then Atheisine or the kingdome of heauen more longed after then an earthly inheritance No no truth yeeldeth to falshood charity to enuie quietnes to contention sobrietie to intemperancie law to vnrighteousnes faith to policie and christianitie to infidelity Helpe O you saints of the Lord to lament this mischiefe although we cannot amend it Put to your teares and your praiers that they may sound before God seeing GOD cannot any longer bee heard among men The reasons of this doctrine are these first because God dwelleth in them that tremble at his word Isa 66. 2. And againe this feare and trembling is a most manifest signe of the power of the worde Heb. 4. 12. so that where this trembling is wanting there can bee no true deuotion whatsoeuer diligence bee vsed because the word cannot haue any free passage in our soules For as a childe careth not for his maister whome he feareth not so a man careth not for the gospell when hee trembleth not Yea on the other side wee rebell against the wisedome of God and spurne his word with our feete when we suffer it not to go through our harts We reade that Og and Sihon two great kings would not suffer the people of Israel to goe through their countries the which discurtesie cost them their liues their land and their subiects and all because they woulde not graunt a path-way euen so if we let not the worde of God pearse cleane thorough vs and quietly with curtesie giue it entertainment in our harts he will take them by force and giue vs to be a miserable spoile to diuels If Iudas had had any grace when he heard our Sauiour curse that man that should betray him hee woulde neuer haue gone farther but let his action fall but hee did as our hearers doe heare his owne condemnation and not beleeue it and therefore they shall doe as he did repent when it is too late giuing their liues in stead of their eares and their blood in stead of obedience and yet alas alas all will not serue their turne The vses hereof are these first seeing we must feare and tremble at the ministerie of the worde then it followeth that we shall be comforted thereby for it is written Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted and thus the Lord assureth his people Isa 66. 5. that for their feare he would giue them safetie and for their trembling hee woulde giue them ioy and their enimies should be ashamed at it Therefore if you would feele the sweete taste of the word of God and receiue the ioyfull newes of your saluation then learne to tremble at the hearing thereof
bodie of Saul doe when his soule was so laden with sin for he knew that the Philistines must needes haue his life and the diuell his soule in like manner will the enimie bewitch you when you are in aduersitie Therefore cast down your castles and defences for sin as the Lord exhorteth Hos 10. 14. before the diuell make them inuincible For as the raigne of Abimelech was the slaughter of Gedeons sonnes and the raigne of Athaliah was the ouerthrow of all the kings seede so is it betwixt vs and our sinnes if they raigne we must die if we put them downe we shall liue Let vs therefore cast them downe betimes for as the Israelites did at the first spare the Canaanites afterwarde they could neuer destroy them so if at the first we dallie with our sinnes in the end they will grow vnresistable Oh that we might liue to say of our sinnes as Christ said of the temple that there might not one sinne be left vpon another Let vs bury our sinnes as Ieremy said Iehoijakim should be buried Ierm 22. 18 19. that their deaths be not lamented but let them be cast out of our soules as a dead asse is cast out of a citie for as a dead corps procureth nothing but wormes and stinke and feedeth fowles so our sinnes cause nothing but woe and sorrow and feed diuels Againe let vs not onely cast away our sinnes in heart as many say they haue done but in words and works professe and shew the same Hos 14. 3. for by our words we shall be saued and by our words we shall be condemned A repentant man is knowne by his confession as Rahabs house was knowne by the thred that was tied in her window which caused her all her kindred to be spared and so if we would be spared at the great day of the Lord let vs confesse our selues to be of his family Many I know there be which thinke it sufficient to leaue sin and neuer to make confession thereof so also there be many that thinke it sufficient to beleeue the Gospell although they neuer professe it but in my opinion the one and the other are both deceiued For wee must not bee of Abrahams heart and of Belials life wee may not beare the soule of Dauid and the shewe of Pharisees Good king Iehoshaphat being in shewe like wicked Ahab was in danger to be slaine for Ahab so are all those in danger of death who haue inwardly good heartes and outwardly euill liues Confesse thy sinnes thy faith thy God thy sinnes to thy brethren thy faith to the church and thy God to the whole worlde that thou maiest bee as farre from note of euill as euer is light from the shewe of darknes The xviij Sermon Vers 7. They shall runne like strong men and goe vp to the wall like men of warre and euery one shall goe forwarde in his way and they shall not staie in their paths NOwe the Prophet commeth to the last similitude wherein he compareth these deuourers to souldiours for in truth there is not any mischiefe like to the mischiefe of warre which is well termed the slaughter house of mankinde and the hell of this worlde And in this treatise following I must enter into martiall affaires that as I haue hitherto taught you to be christians so now I must instruct you to bee soldiours and learne you the arte of warre Wherein this Prophet toucheth two things The first is the order of an armie vers 7. 8. Secondly the ouerthrowe or sacking of the conquered For the first he noteth what manner of men souldiors shoulde be namely Strong men Exod. 17. 10. For God hath so ordeined that all men haue their crosses and callings to humble them If thou be bee wise thou art emploied in gouernment if thou bee strong thou art busied in warre if thou be weake thou art tormented in want if thou be a woman thou art vnder subiection if thou bee a foole thou liuest in contempt Therefore thou which art a souldier make this vse of this point that thou encrease thy strength and cast away feare Deuter. 31. 8 Vndoe not thy strength by quarrelling or drinking or watching or fasting or feasting or whooring but keepe thy body in strength to benefite thy countrey Againe make another vse which the Lorde taught Iosuah the most noble captaine and souldier of the worlde who had the leading of sixe hundred thousand men and ouercame thirtie and one seuerall kinges in a little time this exhortation is set downe Ios 1 8. That alway in warre thou looke to the worde of God whether thy cause bee iust thy heart bee willing and thy calling be lawfull whether thy handes strike when God biddeth and thy foote stande when God calleth Looke to this I saie and robbe not kill not and fight not but against a lawfull enimie But alas Iosuah is dead and al those which sawe his doings now in warres there is gaine in steade of godlines courage in steade of equitie bloudthirstines in steade of valour policie in steade of iustice and you seldome see a souldier of any religion and neuer praieth till he bee in danger of death Another instruction ariseth out of this verse when the prophet saith Like men of warre whereby we obserue that souldiers should bee disciplined and instructed before they be sent into wars or else they cannot be like men of war This benefite Dauid acknowledged that he receiued of God Psal 18. 34. it is a dangerous matter to aduenture a whole army vpon yoong souldiers and more dangerous it is to vndoe any through want of skill The reason is bicause men must not onely haue strength but wisedome and cunning in their weapons and sometime vse the stratagems of warre where policie and experience is woorth tenne thousand mens handes as wee may see in Iosuah cap. 8 4 5 6. and in the Israelites Iudg. 20. Wherfore make this vse in thy warfare of this doctrine howsoeuer thy cause be good thy strength be great and thy experience much yet neuer fight til thou haue cōmended the victorie to God 2. Sam. 10. 12. for God is the warrior which daunteth euery enemy and directeth euerie dart to the person appointed Be not too bold as the Israelites were Deut. 1. and were chased backe againe by the Amorites but vse deuotion to God and discretion in thy busines remember well that the sword cannot cut except the Lord whet it that thy arme cannot strike except God enable it that the enimie will not flie except he discomfort him and that victorie will not follow thee except God be on thy side Againe if thou bee an able man for the warre both in strength and skill come willingly when thou art called and refuse not to fight in a good cause although it bee against thy own brother Yeeld obedience to them that shall teach thee and as the captaine in the Gospell said that his souldiers did
Christ who hath deliuered vs frō wrath to come 1. Thes 1. 10. Christ hath deliuered vs from that wrath that condemned the angels that shooke the heauens that rendeth the earth that killeth the beasts and that tormenteth the wicked Oh what had our estate been without a Sauiour but this to vndergoe the intolerable wrath of God which burneth more then any fire which paineth more thē any death which smarteth more thē any torture which tasteth worse then any bitternesse smelleth worse then any filthinesse where a man and a diuel should for euermore be yoked togither this wrath hath Christ pacified from this damnation hath he redeemed vs But now if thou sinne againe make no account of the blood of Christ the wrath shall be seuen times hotter and thou seuen times more the childe of hell Againe seeing this is the estate of the damned how wretched is their estate which liue in danger therof euery hower of life being aliue they haue no peace and being dead they haue no ease they are borne in filthines they liue in wickednes they die in wretchednesse and damnation is their graue where the fire is their cradle the diuels are their nurses the Lord is their enemie endlesse torments are their rest wrath without remedie is their meate Oh let this make good men desire to forsake this life and let it make euill men long to forsake their sinnes for their pleasurable life shall end in insufferable woes The xix Sermon Vers 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord Turne you vnto me with all your harts with fasting and with weeping and with mourning NOw at the length by the mercifull assistance of the holy Ghost haue wee finished the first part of our first diuision and are come vnto the last wherein the people are exhorted to repentance In this treatise following first of all the prophet sheweth them the manner of their repentance 12. 13. verses and secondly setteth downe certaine reasons to perswade them thereunto The manner of their repentance is either in action or in affection and it respecteth both the people and the priestes In affection as conuersion in hart and renting thereof in action as weeping fasting and mourning The reasons to mooue them hereunto are two first in respect of his nature vers 13. then of his works vers 14. That part which concerneth the priestes doth shew vs first how they should stirre vp the people and secondly how they should pray vers 15 16 17 thus much for the diuision In this that after all the before expressed iudgements the prophet nowe at the length commeth with the flat commandement and worde of God to cause them to bee conuerted Wee are first of all taught that except God giue the preaching of his worde with his heauie iudgements men can neuer bee amended by them Amos 4. 6 7 8. Let him thunder omnipotently let him shake the earth terribly let him darken the light fearefully let him curse the world iustly and multiply his punishments abundantly yet all this without the word of God cannot conuert a soule All this is plaine in the forenamed place of Amos wherein God telleth the people that he had giuen them scarcenesse of bread and no raine insomuch as two or three cities wandered vp and downe to drinke water hee sent blastings and mildeawes and great store of pestilence the yong men lay murdred their horses were taken away and noisom stinks smels infected them yet still God complained that they had not turned vnto him then he biddeth them be prepared to meete their maker So that it is euident that no crosse or iudgement can work repentance The experience hereof is to be seen in our times wherein haue been as great signes and as many woonders as in any place of the worlde beside great thunders feareful earth-quakes terrible darknes mortal pestilence pining famines yet who is conuerted by thē great men are made richer mean men are made poorer poore men are made beggers yet who considereth this The waters haue drowned vs the wars haue deuoured vs want hath afflicted vs and yet still we are as heard harted as wickedly affected and as stiffenecked as euer wee were insomuch as if the whole world were in an vprore our whole land vpon hir death bed well we might complaine but hardly repent The reasons of this doctrine may be these First bicause the Lord sendeth iudgements to take reuenge and not to worke repentance Deuter. 32. 41. The halter is not put on the the eues necke to conuert him but to punish him as Agar was expelled out of Abrahams house not to reclaime hir but to torment hir And here we may learne the end of all the Lordes iudgements which is to take vengeance on our euill liues what is our estate seeing wee are vnder the reuenging hande of God one while our desires are plagued another while our appetites are molested and continually is our life threatened with a longer calamitie But some will saie shall wee not bee repentant during our crosses and aduersitie Oh yes my deere brethren for we haue the worde as well as the rod and therefore we must be instructed by the one as wee are corrected by the other our punishment is a light vengeance but our profession is a great comfort yet we are but as it were led to execution and therefore wee must repent with speede before death catch our soules as dearth hath done our bodies Another reason is bicause the word is of more force then any iudgement whatsoeuer for the conuersion of a sinner is a worke of more value then the destruction of a worlde man was lost by an apple but it cost more to redeeme their soules Is not my worde like fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Ierem. 23. 29. and the worde of God is life and liuely in operation Heb. 4. 10. sharper then a sworde lighter then the sunne and heauier then the earth The which thing doth mightily magnifie the worde preached and the publike ministerie thereof being attended by the angels accompanied with the spirit and reuerenced in the church The angell was honorable that slew so many thousands of Saneheribs armie Esay 37. for it was a great iudgement but the ministerie of the worde hath droue more diuels out of the worlde then it slewe or draue Assyrians out of Israell And heereby let vs learne what account we are to make of the worde of God Wee feare drowning in the seas burning on the lande robbing in our iourneies and euery ioint in our body is subiect to many easelesse paines but let vs more earnestly feare the worde of God for those hurt vs when wee feele them and see them but this will harme vs when wee neither feele norsee it they afflict vs but this instructeth vs they punish vs but this doth acquite vs they bring vs the heauie newes of condemnation but this bringeth the
reason hereofmay be this because no man can haue a perfect faith without the totall conuersion of the hart Rom. 10. 9. and men can neuer liue well that beleeue not well saith Augustine If thou haue one part of thy heart with the Lord bicause thou knowest the truth thou hast another part with the world in louing thy life so in part thou beleeuest God and beleeuest the diuell Canst thou brag of faith when thy heart is distracted louing and liking two contrarie maisters no verily thou deceiuest thy selfe thou canst not loue gold and beleeue in God thou canst not haunt thy pleasures and yet delight in the Gospell Therefore if thou wouldest haue a sound faith thou must first haue a sound hart conuert thy hart and then thy faith will follow if it bee thoroughly thou shalt haue a perfect faith but if thou doe it in part then is it but a painted bodie which can neither goe nor see Another reason because regeneration maketh the heart to bee one Ierem. 32. 39. Indeede they which wander in wickednes haue a hart and a hart but when we come to the Lord we must haue but one hart for the hart is the man wherein are treasured all kind of vnderstanding and knowledge therefore it must not be halfe of flesh and halfe of stone Ezech. 11. 19. but either all flesh or all stone for he that is in part prophane and in part a christian in very deede is no man And for this cause is hypocrisie of all sinnes most abhominable which maketh a man no man dissembling with God the world and himselfe with God in his hart with the world in his life and with himselfe in that he dissembleth Of all sinners fewest hypocrites are conuerted and of all persons are they most odious and therefore hell is called the lake burning with fire and brimstone prepared for hypocrites vnlesse then we will liue as they liue and die as they die we must turne our whole hearts to the Lord. The vses are these First that we draw neere vnto the Lord with a pure hart Heb. 10. 22. Puritie is ioyned with integritie therefore when our hearts be purest then are they fittest for the Lord. In olde time there straite steps to our feete least that which is halting be turned out of the way Heb. 12. 12. 13. we are in great danger by prolonging our amendment to haue all marred and turned out of the way therefore let vs awake ouer our soules that wee may saue those parts which are vnsound for there is not any man but hee hath some woundes and maymes in his soule which must bee speedilie cured or else the longer they runne the more miserable they growe It is a lamentable thing to see men to deferre their conuersion saying one yeere they will doe it next yeere and the next season they will plowe their harts and sowe it with the worde It is also a thing dangerous to lodge but one night in a knowne sinne and therefore as the Apostle saide of anger so we must of euerie other transgression Let not the Sunne goe downe thereon Make speede I beseech you to amende your liues to reclaime your hearts to forsake your vanities to renounce your errours and to put away your pleasures for if your hart delight in any thing beside God it denieth God if it keepe hir naturall corruption and cast it not foorth it blasphemeth God if it delay to returne it abuseth his mercie it despiseth his grace and condemneth it selfe Say not saith Salomon I will giue thee to morrowe when thou maiest to day The whole time of this life is a time of repentance and therefore looke howe much thereof wee spende not in repentance so much we shall want to doe it in which must euery day make vs neerer to the Lorde or neerer to hell The xx Sermon HAuing handled the exhortation vnto repentance nowe let vs proceede to the manner thereof With weepings fastings and mournings the which wordes require a seuerall treatise And first in that they are commanded to weepe we may obserue that with inwarde repentance there must be ioyned outwarde signes thereof and in occasion of greater and more forcible feeling of our sinnes wee shall wring out sorrowes more abundantly This thing is taught by the prophet Hos 14. 3 4. where hauing exhorted the Israelites to a newe life hee biddeth them to take the wordes of repentance and to make a publike profession thereof Peter repented and it was with teares for the Scripture saith hee wept bitterly The selfe same thing doe good men finde in themselues at this day for as where the bodie is wounded there issueth foorth some bloude so where repentance hath wounded the soule there will follow some bloud I meane the teares therof Carnall men thinke they haue repented if they say God forgiue me or I am sorrie for it although afterward they liue neuer so lewdly Looke vpon thy life and see what gutters the teares haue made in thy face which haue distilled from thy eies for thy sinnes looke also vpon the sacrifices of thy lips how lamentable thy praiers haue been before the Lord account with thy self where when thou diddest offer them for without praier thou couldest neuer be conuerted It may be thou hast not wept by reason of some natural infirmity but it must be that thou hast praied or else it cannot be that thou hast repented Therefore let not any man deceiue himselfe think that he hath repented till his life be turned from the world his minde from pleasure his face from ioye and his bodie from desire of sinning The first reason hereof may be this because the Lord hath redeemed vs Isa 44. 22. that is as the Lord hath shewed open tokens of his fauour toward vs so we must shewe open tokens of our repentance towarde him The which reason well considered will teach vs that there ought to bee as great loue in vs for our saluation as was in Christ for our redemption He cared not for his life that hee might saue vs why then should wee care for our owne liues and spare our sinnes he shed his blood and we sent our follies he gaue himselfe for our sinnes and yet we will not let him haue them There is none that is ignorant of this except he had repented hee must haue perished and therefore if thou repent not thou must be damned The Lord hath not beene carefull for thy soule that thou shouldest bee secure but his loue must be a patterne for thee to loue thy selfe All that he did was for thy soule he was reproched he was empouerished he was condemned and crucified for it that thou mightest endure all shame to repent them all pouertie to preuent them all iniuries to lament them and all deaths to mortifie them He walked many miles watched many nights fasted many daies and endured many afflictions that thou mightest labour much watch carefully abstaine continually and endure
thee a broome to sweepe thy passage that nothing hinder thee it is the key that openeth the gate of Christes mercie and a sure friende to sue out thy pardon Another reason is because Christ will not come but to such spirits Luc. 19. 10. so that if thou wouldst goe vp to Christ thy sorrow will lende thee wings if thou wouldest haue Christ to descend to thee thy sorrowe will perswade him Christ is the phisition of the minde and he will not come till thy minde be sicke As in winter the most raine falleth so in distresse of conscience most comforts come downe this doctrine bringeth great ioy of glad tidings which shal be to all harts where godly sorrow dwelleth But let vs not alway lament these sorrowes or rest in the graues of our easelesse cares but let our praiers be multiplied as our dangers are increased so doe the godly Hos 6. 1. Flie therefore to the Lord when thou feelest any smart in thy soule and let not musicall delights or pleasant companions entise with conceites to banish this greefe but let thy greefe be thy meate and drinke and the meanes to stirre thee vp to praier It is to be feared that many haue beene either vtterly condemned or desperately endangered by vsing worldly medicines for these heauenly sores for so soone as their harts waxe heauie by reason of their sinne they call for worldly delights which either driue them to desperation or harden them to condemnation Drinke is good to the thirstie but it is dangerous to them that are sicke of burning feauers in like sort vnto them that haue eaten poison so mirth is good but vse it not to driue away godly sorrow but abide it patiently with praier and fasting As thou seest thy sinnes so let the Lord heare thy praiers and as thy greefe for them is increased so let thy cries against them be multiplied Thinke whome thou hast offended wherewithall thou art greeued and how thou canst be pacified If thou be rich let thy closet bee thy sanctuarie if thou be poore let the woods and secret places be thy temple if thou haue little knowledge resort to them that haue more if thou be heauie and feelest no comfort yet pray still and giue not ouer for the ende shall bee blessed although the beginning bee desolate Againe as Hoseah teacheth chap. 14. 5. let vs in our mourning take with vs the hope of pardon or else a Christian soule shoulde haue no more feeling then a desperate wretch for we may lawfully perswade our selues how sharpe soeuer we feele our pangs and soule-fits yet there is neuer taken from vs the hope of pardon yea if faith bee not vtterly couered we may bee bolde to assure ourselues of victorie What then how if hope and faith be buried and we yeeld vnto death denying the sweete promises of Christ is not this desperation no verily for as there may bee life in the body although men cannot perceiue it so there may be in the soule although none discerne it for although Dauid said This is my death yet he recouered both life and peace of conscience Therefore a contrite spirit is alway regarded of God and if he euermore loue it in other hee doth also like it in thee Be patient the same hand which made the wounde shall heale the greefe and if thou feele a decay of grace stirre vp thy selfe more earnestly by calling on God and hold fast till the Lord come Receiue good comfort in the middest of thy sorrowes as a watchman espying the dawning long before it bee light although it be bitter in thy mouth it shall bee sweete after digestion and say I will abide the Lords leisure I will drinke his potion it is a cup but not of deadly wine I will receiue it for the purgation of my sinne although it make me sicke The xxj Sermon Vers 13. And rent your harts and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnes and repenteth him of the euill THese words are another part of the Prophets exhortation vnto repentance wherein hee noteth the greatest measure of Repentance vnder this metaphor Rent your harts Meaning the most extreme and comfortlesse paines in the action thereof not that indeed men should rip vp their breasts and rend in twaine their harts no more then when our Sauiour biddeth vs cut off the arme or plucke out the eie that offendeth vs wee should dismember our bodies for euery fall or ouersight But by the rending of the hearts wee are taught that the paines of true repentance exceede all other paines death excepted neither whipping of the body as the Iesuites do nor launcing it with kniues as the priests of Baal did or pricking it with bodkins or sickenes or famine or trauaile are comparable to repentance for these may bee quickly eased by man but the other cannot bee redressed but by God Vpon this the godly Israelites pray Iudg. 10. 15. that God would deliuer them meaning from the terrours of their sinne and lay whatsoeuer pleased him vpon them besides The insufferable wounds of a tormented minde are the onely paines which are like to the paines of hell so that neither brimstone nor fire commeth any thing so neer vnto it as this doth Wherupon it was said that good men haue their hell in this life meaning that the paines of repentance are so smart vnto them that it differeth many times verie little from the plagues of the other life Now I beseech you that are godly that haue long rested in this restles harbour to acknowledge with me the truth hereof and you that haue perswaded your selues that not onely teares but easie sighing grones doe goe for payment of your sinnes Learne of me this one lesson that your minds must be more perplexed and your hearts more inwardly vexed not onely for a day but for a longer time yea peraduenture a whole life that you may sing with all the godly The paines of hell came about me The first reason bicause that repentance is the dressing of the soules wound so that as the soule is more dangerous than the bodie so the wound therein must needs be more painfull then a wound in the flesh And for this cause are the ministers charged with the soules of men Heb. 13. 17. because they dresse not their woundes and shew not their sinnes that lie secret in their soules The which account is now a daies little regarded of many ministers ' and lesse of many people one careth not for their sinne and the other regardeth not their soule but the more they be the more is the pitie or rather the more shall be their iudgement Neither let vs be amazed to heare of these vnspeakable gripes of minde for they crie continually in the eares of God for mercie as a wound calleth for a salue Another reason because in repentance men feele the wrath of God against
doe not alway mooue him and shall we then tempt him to our and others euerlasting destruction in his wrath hee is an vnquenchable fire an vnresistable flood an vnpacifiable iudge and a destroyer of all that come in his way But alas with teares we may lament to see him prouoked euery day who is so sicke that sinneth not against him who is so weake that striueth not with him who is so vnwise that pleadeth not with him Looke with teares ouer all sorts of men the poore despise him the lame run from him the blinde come not at him the dumbe speake against him the rich will not feare him and the dead will not confesse him By all meanes we prouoke his wrath by tempting by murmuring by denying by abusing and abasing his glorie We tempt him in thinking he will pardon whatsoeuer we commit we murmur when wee haue not all our desires we denie him when we esteeme not his gospell we abuse him vsing our wealth to luxurie and our meate to gluttonie and wee abase him when wee more feare a mortall mans displeasure then the wrath of the highest When we see the Lord being angrie and so hardly pacified let vs vse all meanes to please him againe although it bee with the hazard of our owne liues as Moses did Deut. 9. 18 19. perceiuing the Lord to be mooued to wrath he fell downe on his face to entreate him for his people tarrying with him fortie daies and fortie nights neither eating nor drinking yea he desired God to be pacified with his people although he rased his name out of the booke of life What coulde bee done with greater zeale or more earnest affection the Lorde was angrie who coulde appease him but Moses and how could he be satisfied but with offering his body to death through fasting and his soule vnto condemnation Marke it I beseech you that we al learne with more zeale to entreate the Lord to be turned towarde vs. Offer we must our bodies to pining our members to tortures our health to sicknesse our wealth to pouertic our pleasure to paine and our life to death rather then the wrath of God shoulde proceede vpon vs. Oh let vs come vnto the Lord and offer him his whole man to satisfie his mercies neither be afraide to doe so but put it in speedie practise Come to him though thou be lame run to him though thou be blinde pray to him though thou be sicke and trust in him though thou be poore Abide not one miserie but all miseries that thou maist dwell with him neither care for the rage of man the want of maintenance the loue of friends or the feare of death for if thou loue these more then him thou art not woorthy of him Hauing willed the sucking babes to come to mourning he also inuiteth the new married folkes bridegroomes and brides to leaue of their vsuall dalliance and come among their neighbours to this sorrowfull banket From whence we obserue that wee must not in any thing be it neuer so lawfull hinder true repentance or the profession of godlinesse For there is nothing more honaurable then marriage more lawfull then a wedding feast more vsuall then pleasant mirth and more commendable then a ioyfull marriage day but all these being hinderances vnto repentance must bee laide aside as a mourner doth his daily attire Wee may reade Luc. 14. 21. how they were cursed that came not to the Lords feast among whome there was one that had married a wife it shall be no excuse before the Lord that they did but the course of the world in vsing these things it were better for vs to forsake our wiues then to loose our soules to renounce our mirth then to relinquish our liues to deferre our pleasure then to depart from the Lord. Let this I beseech you be your care in the Lord that you offend him not in the vse of his creatures neither let those comforts which you receiue in wedlocke in feasting in riches in beautie and the like worke your euerlasting discomfort in another worlde Liue not in mirth for then thou canst not repent reioice not in youth for it is but vanitie distrust thy ioyes for they are deceitfull be not alway mourning for thou canst not be thankfull bee euer repentant that thou maiest bee faithfull One reason heere of is giuen by the Lorde himselfe Ierem. 7. 34 bicause a desolation shall come and of all reasons there is none more forcible then the rod of vengeance and desolation so that in this sort might Ieremy and Ioel and other the Lordes ministers reason with the worlde Laie away your mirth let not the voice of musicke the day of marriage the means of ioyfulnesse or the comfort of pleasure bee had or heard among you for a desolation shall come Drawe the childe from the breast the elders from their ease the married from their loue and the people from their vanitie for a desolation commeth Houses shall be desolate without inhabitants parents shall be desolate without children cities shall be desolate without citizens and whole kingdomes shall bee desolate without professors Therefore put away this ioy like an vnlawfull wife come againe to the Lord with much weeping and reioice not in thy youth or thy age or thy wealth or thy friends or thy marriage Another reason bicause by this kinde of mirth we growe to hardnes of hart and neglect the wrath of God Amos 6. 1 5. It is much that men esteeme not the faire promises and sweete blessings of God but yet it is more fearefull when they make light account of his heauy iudgements Now if you marke who they be that care not for iudgement you shall see that they are those who eate in abundance liue in pleasure enioying wealth and children at their will and want is not knowne vnto them Againe poore people liuing in continuall scarsitie and are content with simple allowance hauing learned the feare of God a shower of raine and a cloudie day humbleth their knees to the earth and lifteth their praiers to heauen Let vs learne not to reioice in any vnlawfull manner all the time that the church of God is in aduersitie Psal 137. 2 3 4. Good men in captiuitie commanded by their enimies to sing one of the songs of Sion refused it bicause they were in a strange lande and so if we hope for mirth and ioy in another worlde let vs refuse it as much as may be in this life present for we be but strangers and pilgrims on the earth And verily if wee consider the matter well we haue as many causes to lament olde and yoong married and vnmarried as these people had to whom Ioell preached Famine was threatned to them but felt of vs they were vnder the Babylonian gouernment and we are subiect to the tyrannie of sathan they had abused manie benefites and prophets of God and so haue we they had reioiced in many worldly pleasures and
former wee haue heard the wonderfull troubles vpon the afflicted Iewes so now we shall heare the same spirite assisting vs the singular comforts and promises which the prophet maketh vnto them vnto the ende of this prophesie These comforts are either the restitution of their owne abundance in this whole chapter following or the promise for the ouerthrow of their enimies in the last chapter vnto themselues in this chapter he promiseth worldly benefits vnto the 27. vers and spirituall benefites or graces from the 27. to the ende The worldly blessings are of two sortes First that hee will spare them from farther vengeance vers 18. Secondlie that he will heape on them many benefites In this vers he promiseth to be iealous ouer his land and spare his people Meaning that hee will watch ouer them with a reuenging hand to annoy and destroy all those that rise against them For iealousie signifieth an inordinate loue tending to reuenge Num. 25. 13. In this verse considering the order which the prophet maketh in that he first exhorteth them to repentance to praier and so presently descendeth to these sweete promises following wee may obserue that so soone as a man hath repented so soone is he capable of the tender mercies of God All this while wee haue heard of no mercie but iudgements threatning and thundering most fearefull wrath but now at length after some woorthie exhortations to repentance commeth this cheerefull promise of mercie to tell vs that we can no sooner repent on earth but the Lord will seale our remission in heauen Iob. 11. 14. 15. Naamans seruant told him that the Prophet bad him an easie thing when hee said goe wash and bee cleane and therefore if he would not wash he should not be cleane so is it but a short commaundement that wee should be repentant and then be saued therefore if men will not repent it is no pitie if they be not saued Oh I would to God that they might goe out of this life as free from sinne as Naaman went out of Israell free from leprosie but if the promises of God cannot be had without repentance no more then a cable roape can goe through the eie of a needle except it be spun as fine as any thread then are they like to lye on the Lords owne hand for there are but few that will buye them so deerely rather had they passe a short life without promises in the possession of vanities then lead a sorrowfull life in the fruition of godlines so that the contrarie shall bee saide to them that heere the Prophet speaketh God will neuer bee iealous ouer them and spare their soules The first reason because in repentance we mitigate the intolerable wrath of God Ion 3. 3. that thing which the euerlasting paines of hell cannot performe may be redressed by the sorrowes of our harts the teares of our liues for no blood no money no riches no torments nor any friends can appease the Lords wrath but a sorrowfull perplexed spirit can doe away all For as the ground is fit for the seed when it is ploughed so a heart is fit for the Lord when it is broken By this we may see what is the folly of wicked men for if by repentance good men escape damnation then without repentance euill men shall possesse damnation Tell me haddest thou leifer be drunk one meale and then fast for euer after or fast at one meale and then eate for all thy life following Canst thou not abide two or three blowes with a rod to auoide ten thousand with an iron scourage or were thou not better haue thy nailes pared then suffer thy fingers to be cut off and rather suffer a little blood to be taken from thee then let all thy life be lost so endure here mourning for an hower rather then in hell for euer and abide here the chastisement of God his worde rather then in hell the punishment of diuels let thy life loose all her ioy rather then thy soule should loose her saluation Another reason because it worketh or bringeth life eternall Act. 11. 28. now life eternall is all in all he that can haue this what matter is it though his life be poore his bodie be starued his name be odious his miseries be tedious his libertie be closed vp in irons his health be layed vp in sickenes and his friends be turned into mortall foes what are all these if a man be assured of heauen surely lighter then feathers easier then soft beds and welcommer then a long life Nay rather what are all things without life eternall great liuings daintie fare many friends obedient seruants goodly houses easie daies soft beds and long life but as the pleasant sting of a serpent which a while doth so tickle the veines and sinewes of the bodie that it delighteth euery member but in the end it swelleth the body poysoneth the blood breaketh the veines and destroyeth the life so are the goods of this life without the goods of the world to come Let vs therefore make this vse thereof that if it be but to dwell in our land let vs be repentant Ierem. 25. 5. God will not spare our land till we haue repented Oh how fearfull is it to thinke that we should begge in Italy or Spaine or Fraunce when we may enioy our reuenewes in England Let vs weepe at home that we lament not in other lands let vs sorrow in our houses that we complaine not in forreine prisons Now would the Lord feed vs with the finest flower the sweetest hony the fattest oxen and the best lambes in the flocke Oh why should we abuse all these to be carried where wee shall want all sustenance for life Some men hold their landes by suite of law and continuall danger let vs bestow as much for repentance to hold ours as they do to defend theirs Let vs repent for our selues for our possessions for our wiues and children and for our bodies and soules or else all will be taken from vs. Another vse God will neuer withdraw his mercy from a repentant man Zech. 1. 3. and this was it that our Sauiour meant when he said that all things are possible to him that beleeueth namely that he should begin continue and end well Feare not the assistance of God in any trouble or triall or death or affliction if thou haue repented for thou shalt hold out to the end Repentance made Abraham to trauell longer and be well contented it made the Israelites to waite for Christ it incouraged the Martyres to die for Christ therfore if thou haue repented thou maiest boldly assure thy self that thou shalt haue patience in euery trouble zeale in all thy life and comfort in any distresse and abilitie for euery temptation with power to abide death and glorie to reward thy soule For although thou maist slip after thou hast repented yet thou canst not finally perish for all the sinnes done after
enioiedst them Therefore beholde iudgement and terrour and thunder and fire and the ouerthrowe of all thinges which one daie shall bee that thou maiest feare thy proude and sinfull nature and so behold mercie the resurrection the life to come the face of God and the fellowship of Angels that thou maiest quietlie repose thy soule in the sweete profession of the Lordes Gospell The reasons of this doctrine are these first because they are base minded if not beastly affected which onely looke to the temporall things that they see and not to the heauenly and eternal things which they see not as the Apostle in the before-named place saith and therefore it is farre more honourable that thou shouldest beleeue the things that are to come when we heare them in the word then the things that are past and present which our eies beholde Againe our Sauiour saith Marc. 9. 23. that all things are possible to him that beleeueth which is verified in nothing more then in this when we giue vp our whole harts to the things that are preached and daily waite when they shall be performed And if all things be possible then is saluation and the ioyes of heauen possible for thee if thou canst beleeue them and so liue as thou maiest obtaine them The vses which wee are to make of this doctrine are these first seeing wee must be instructed by the word of God to behold the things that are to come as if they were present then let vs euermore bee faithfull the which thing the Apostle teacheth vs when hee saith that wee stande by faith Rom. 9. 23. so that as our bodies stand vpon our legs so our soules stand vpon our faith And if this be so how many lame soules are there in the world nay they are not lame that neuer had legs but those that had them yet are they monsters and such monsters are faithlesse and infidel men If thy legs be sicke thou wilt goe to thy surgeon and if thy faith be sicke goe to thy Sauiour what comfort hast thou of the worlde if thou canst not walke in the world and what ioy hath thy soule if it haue no faith to walke in the scriptures Stand by faith and fall not beleeue soundly and strongly bring not a woodden leg I meane a woodden faith such as men can make but a true and substantiall faith which the Lorde onely giueth Let not any thing mooue thee for all things are possible to the beleeuer though the earth remooue bee not thou afraide though the heauens passe yet the world shall not passe beleeue all things say not this will be long or that will be late or the other is doubtfull or God is mercifull his minde may alter or the preachers are but men they may be deceiued or the iudgements be conditionall they may be reuersed or the promises be vncertaine they may be recalled Oh beware of an infidell hart Heb. 3. 12. and depart not from the liuing God Moses because hee did but once distrust God he could not enter into the land of Canaan the gouernour that would not beleeue the prophet was trod to peeces the princes which would not beleeue Ieremie were slaine by the Babylonians and the soules which will not beleeue the preachers shall be ouercome by diuels Oh consider how fearefull a thing it will be for you to say as the Iewes Ezech. 33. v. vlt. surely there was a prophet among vs. Therefore as the husbandman looketh to the haruest in the winter when the corne appeereth not as the seruant thinketh on his wages long before it commeth as the birde thinketh on her yoong ones long before she breedeth and the builder thinketh on his dwelling long before it be finished so doe you thinke on the ioyes and woes which shall bee long before they come And account your selues the happiest men aliue whome God warneth with his owne word that you may auoid the day of destruction for if you liued not vnder the check of the gospell and the controulment of preachers you might goe as other barbarous nations doe blindfolded that is vnwitting and vnknowing to the slaughter of your bodies the butcherie of your soules Surely the Lord doth nothing but he reuealeth the same to his seruants the prophets and therfore blessed are they that liue among them but more blessed are they which heare them beleeue thē loue them receiue them regarde them because God hath sent thē Secondly in this vers we may obserue when he saith In those daies and in that time that God wil haue the redemption and deliuerie of his saints and church to bee most certaine and knowen for vpon this occasion doth the prophet double the note of the time as it were noting both the day and the moneth So as once hee tolde Abraham that his seede shoulde be a stranger in another land fowre hundred and thirtie yeeres and no longer to shewe vnto him that they shoulde bee assuredly deliuered So doth hee heere by this prophet though not so precisely note the assurance of their redemption The reasons of this doctrine are these First because wee are not redeemed with any temporall worldly or earthly price but by and with the most precious blood of Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 1. 18. Againe another reason is because as the Apostle saith 1. Timoth. 2. 6. that this was done in due time The vses which come of this doctrine are these First seeing the Lorde will haue the redemption of his people to bee sealed and certainly knowen then let vs looke for that time and that day when Christ shal finally deliuer vs from the wrath to come 1. Thess 1. 10. What shoulde make good men to feare the latter day their redemption is certaine the Lorde is their Sauiour the Sauiour is their head their head is their brother and vntill Christ come they are subiect to wrath but when he is come they are deliuered from death Againe let vs receiue any pledge or token of the Lordes loue and fauour towarde vs which is shedde in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. and seeing this is it that we are certainly redeemed and our soules health is not builded vpon peraduentures but it is surely established then let vs certainly perswade our selues that God loueth vs with an euerlasting loue What will hee keepe from vs that giueth vs his owne sonne and will kill him to acquite vs If this perswade vs not to bee penitent and to loue God againe then is not the loue of God nor the bloude of Christ sprinkled in our hearts Naaman woulde haue giuen to Elisha manie thousande poundes bicause the water of Iorden had clensed his leprosie what woulde he haue giuen if Elisha had cured him by medicine But Christ hath cured our soules and bodies by the riuer of his owne bloud and by the losse of his owne life then are we worthie to giue heart for heart bloud for bloud bodie for
shall bee more against them then all the worlde and their helpes of nature shall giue them ouer and they left destitute of all hope shall be deliuered into the hande of diuels and surely they which scorne the companie of God his saints on the earth are woorthie to bee torne by the teeth and clawes of diuels in hell But hast thou no grace to consider this before hand and to thinke with thy selfe howe thou shalt see an infinite companie of Angels driuing thee to iudgement and then presently all the diuels in hell haling thee to damnation Be willing therefore to come to God in earth that thou maiest bee desirous to goe to God in heauen for bee assured that if thou feare iudgement and wishest it might neuer be thou art in a pitifull case for thy conscience doth alreadie condemne thee and if thou despise iudgement and watch not for it thou art more retchlesse for thou resistest God but if thou crie for the last day and say Come Lorde Iesus come quickly thou art a happie man for the Lorde is in thee Christ hath clensed thee sinne is dying in thee thou louest God his kingdome and therefore thou shalt possesse his kingdome Oh that we coulde willinglie submit our hearts to the Gospell and then shoulde wee not vnwillingly offer our soules to iudgement The reasons of this doctrine are these First because they shall be compelled by the power of God Matth. 26. 64. They which will not feele the power of God in sauing them shal feele it in condemning them and therfore as the power of God made Pharaoh to yeeld to Moses and Aaron and made Sisera to yeelde to Deborah and made Goliah to yeelde to Dauid and made the temple to rende a sunder when Christ was crucified and the sunne to loose hir light shall compell the wicked to the iudgement seate of God Another reason is bicause their hope for helpe or mercie or pardon is but in vaine Lam. 4. 17. And therefore although they woulde escape yet their hope shall deceiue them as the mother and wife of Sisera which told of the victorie when in the ende it turned to their owne ouerthrow I doe but briefly touch these things bicause I haue handled them more at large alreadie The vses which arise from hence are these First that wee come willinglie to the throne of grace Rom. 5. 2. or else we shall be vnwillingly drawne to the throne of wrath Come to all godlie exercises ioyfully heare the Gospell diligently reade the scriptures zealously loue the godly tenderly and praie to the Lorde comfortablie and then shalt thou come to grace not to wrath to glorie not to shame to life not to death to heauen not to hell Make no excuses for thy absence admit no delaies for thy hinderance suffer no temptations for thy allurement and let not the wife of thy youth keepe thee from praier and the throne of grace Feare God more than loue the worlde hate euill more than loue thy wife Saie vnto all cumbrancers awaie from mee for I will keepe the Gospell of my God I had rather loose my finger than my hande my haire than my heade my bodie than my soule my friendes than my GOD. I will feare the Lorde before wrath that I may reioice in iudgement Againe let vs learne to acknowledge and perswade our selues of this terror of God 2. Cor. 5. 11. for except wee consider before hande howe the heauens shall be consumed howe the earth shall bee burned howe the worlde shall bee ended and howe the Lorde shall be manifested the Gospell will be but a weake worde and an idle tale vnto vs But if thou canst beleeue the last iudgement and with the eie of faith beholde it a farre off and tremble at the secret meditation thereof then thou maiest easily feele the power of life vnto life and happily forsake the sentence of death Therefore euermore remember iudgement at thy feast in thy bed on thy table in the morning at thy labour before thy sleepe and with thy friendes that thou and they be not of the kindreds of the earth which shall waile and lament before the comming of Christ Reuel 1. 7. There will I pleade with them Hauing finished the gathering togither of the wicked into the place of iudgement now it remaineth that wee goe on to the causes of their destruction which the Lord heere openeth as pleaders do in their courts at the law and therefore he saith that he will plead with them for his people alluding to the manner of worldly iudgements so that heere wee may see that the Lord is both iudge counsellor for his church which may greatly comfort vs and discomfort our enimies for the Lord who is to tally for vs and eagerly against them hath the whole law in his owne hand But in this that he saith he will plead with them we may note that God will open all the sinnes of the wicked in iudgement Eccles 11. 9. For pleaders will not omit any thing which may discredit their aduersarie or the cause against which they speake yea they will suspect those things which they cannot gainesay and condemne those things very peremptorily which they can any way blemish In like sort the Lord when he shall draw thee to iudgement will there open all thy life and tell thy secret whooredome thy hidden theft thy often blasphemies thy idle words thy vaine expences thy proud gestures thy idle worship thy friend-pleasing vanitie and all thy hypocrisie Thy charitie he will defame with vaine-glorie thy prayers hee will account abhomination thy fasting he will call dissembling and thy gentle nature shall be accounted a flattering vertue All this will hee bring to iudgement hee will prooue it by thy conscience he will condemne it by his Gospell and he will punish it by condemnation oh then shall thy faults be written in thy forehead that al may know them and thy priuie doings blowen with a trumpet that all may heare them and thy forsworne sinnes opened by a crier that all may loath them Oh wretched wretches which had rather abide this iudgement of God then that which is in this life but if thou haue any meanes to perswade thy soule vnto goodnes or to terrifie thy flesh from euill let this helpe it forward that God shal open all thy faults at the day of iudgement and discredit all thy vertues be they neuer so many or neuer so glorious Thinke not that thy good deedes shall ouercome thy euil but as one blemish disfigureth a whole bodie so one sinne will disgrace a whole bodie of vertues The reasons of this doctrine are these because the counsell of euerie hart shall then be manifested whether it be good or euill 1. Cor. 4 5. and if the counsels of men be opened much more their sinnes Another reason is because they are remembred before God Reuel 20. 12. and if all the sinnes of the wicked be in the Lords
is a greeuous thing to bee made priuie vnto any vnlawfull practises and not to reueale and open the same Secondly our corrupt estate is such that our temptations doe drawe vs from God Iam. 1. 14. The first vse Let vs follow the counsell of the prophet Isa 1. 16. That we take away the euill of our hearts Men thinke it lawfull for them to range in conceit vpon any follie or sinne or lust or treacherie whatsoeuer and to plaie with the diuell in imagination suffering his delusions to tickle their delights and delight their soules with an inwarde desire onelie But in truth this kinde of sport is a most vnlawfull game condemned by the Lordes owne statute when he biddeth vs to take away the euill of our harts Clense your handes yee sinners and purge your hearts you wauering minded the diuell first commeth into your hearts by doubting then by entreatie or begging then by delighting when once hee delighteth hee hath erected his throne in thy soule and if thou labour not to cast him out he wil become vnresistable Dallie not with him as Samson did with Delilah for it will betray thee trust him not as Sisera did Iael for it will destroy thee desire him not as Dauid did Bathsheba for it will repent thee chuse him not as Lot did Sodom for in the ende it will vexe thee Remember that God which seeth thy hart will punish the sinne of the hart for in truth thy heart is the principall in euerie offence and the bodie is but accessorie Thy heart prouoketh thee to sinne as the high priestes prouoked Pilate to crucifie Christ and thy bodie obeieth as Pilate did while in the meane time thy conscience giueth thee warning as Pilats wife did him and therefore haue nothing to do with sin which is poison with the knowledge of it for it will infect thee and purge thy soule from euill thoughts as Ezechiah purged Israell from idolatrie Fourthlie when hee saith that hee will render their recompence vpon their owne head Wee may note that the same measure which we offer vnto others shall be repayed to vs againe Isaie 33. As we smite with the sword so shall wee perish with the sword as we shed the blood of other so shal we haue our owne blood shed againe We know that as Ahab and Iezabell did cause Naboth to come to a violent death and the dogs to licke his blood so the dogs did licke vp their blood againe And this falleth out with the most godly in the world as we may see in Dauid who tooke away the life and wife of Vrijah he lost his owne sonnes and escaped himselfe verie narrowly and in the end you know how his sonne Absolom lay with his wiues before all Israell Therfore harken vnto this my deerely belooued that you neuer offer any other things to other but the same that you would haue offered to you againe Take what libertie thou wilt to offend other to waste their goods to shame their liues to open their sinnes to defile their wiues to oppresse their goods to harden thy heart against the poore and to heape vp iniuries in the highest measure for as Salomon saide He that stoppeth his eare at the crie of other shal cry himselfe and not be heard so shalt thou be offended and wasted and shamed and opened and defiled and oppressed and iniuried and reuenged as thou hast deserued We see the king escaped not this law and therefore thinke not thou whether thou be rich or wise or great or noble or worshipfull or poore or strong or weake or yoong or old or learned or ignoraunt but as thou hast reioyced in others harmes so shall other in thine as thou hast defiled others wiues so shall other thine as thou hast stollen other mens goods so shall they steale thine as thou hast reproched other mens liues so shall thine be as thou hast beene pitiful to others so thou shalt receiue pity for this law shall neuer be broken that whatsoeuer we do to other we shall receiue of other againe The reasons First because this is the whole doctrine of the law and the prophets Matth. 712 for surely there is not any thing that sauoureth more of beastly tyranny or lesse of godly pietie then to do that vnto other which we would not receiue of other therefore in the practise of religion betwixt man man let this serue instead of the golden rule whereby the weake shall be neuer offended or the poore bee euer oppressed or the rich be euer enuied or the godly be euer defamed This will take away all bribing from officers all tyrannie from princes al pride from gentlemē al couetousnes from landlords and all malice from enimies Truely truely there was neuer precept giuen better for the church for the common-wealth or for the world for the church for it teacheth to saue soules for who would loose his owne to the common-wealth for it preserueth life for who would kill himselfe and to the world for it keepeth humanitie for who would become a beast Let vs therefore learne to forget iniuries Leuit. 19. 18. for their remembrance prouoke vs to reuenge and all reuenge is damnable before God Oh whose soule is not set on fire to embrace this doctrine which I might follow with all the examples of the world For who can abide to haue his owne blood shed his owne body maymed his owne children murthered and his owne soule damned therefore do not so to other but write this law on the palme of thy hands that it may neuer be out of thy sight It will teach thee all religion it wil saue thee from the strife of toongs the shame of fooles the blame of good men the furie of diuels and the wrath of God for if thou canst beare the iniuries of thy brother and not reuenge them thou wilt also beare the afflictions which God sendeth and the sorrow which good men endure and not repine at it but as Ioseph hauing all his brethren that sold him yet did not hurt one of them so doe thou not hurt any of them that hate thee The xxxviij Sermon Vers 8. And I will sell your sonnes and your daughters into the hand of the children of Iudah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people farre off for the Lord hath spokenat HAuing shewed them that he would doe vnto them as they had done vnto him and his people that is hee would take their sonnes and daughters and giue them into the hands of the children of Iudah whom they had spoiled and the children of Iudah should sell them away to the Sabeans who dwelt in the vtmost partes of Arabia being great merchants which should likewise sende them away into a very farre countrey that so their owne policie might returne to their owne dammage Wherby here commeth a question to be handled namely whether it be lawfull for Christians hauing conquered any nation their enimies to sell
away their children whom they had taken prisoners vnto heathens and infidels as the Lord here saith that the Iewes should sell them to the Sabeans who were infidels First for the opening of this place it was lawfull for the Iewes so to doe because they had the expresse commaundement of God as it is here set downe and if at the commaundement of God they must in their warres kill man woman and childe much more at his commaundement may they sell their prisoners to heathens Secondly wee must not make this place any rule or example for vs to imitate but take it for a speciall curse vpon the enemies of the Iewes at this time because they should sell them as they had sold theirs Then to the question I thinke it not lawfull for vs to sell any vnto heathens yea though they be heathens and our enemies The reasons are these first because Deut. 20. 11 12. the Lord propoundeth an euerlasting lawe for warre standing vpon these conditions first that they offer peace secondly if they ouercome their enimies then shall they make them their tributarie seruants and not sell them away or if they refuse peace being offered then shall they destroy them all so then selling of men and women becommeth barbarous and heathen men and not the children of God Secondly by selling away our enimies wee doe not weaken the common enemie of our faith but rather strengthen him for a bond-slaue can fight as well against the gospell as a free man therefore it is better to slay them outright than to make a gaine of them vnto heathens or men of no faith Thirdly it is not lawfull to sell them because it is an vnnaturall thing for one man to buie another or to sell another as we may see in the historie of Ioseph Fourthly they were better bee among vs and bee the least in our congregation where they may possibly come to learne Iesus Christ than to be among heathens where Christ is hated and so I cannot see how wee can wash our hands cleane from the guilt of their damnation So that now it appeereth that men must looke especially that they vndoe not those whom the Lord hath commended to their safetie and preseruation besides many other reasons which I could adde vnto the former And againe by this verse we may see how the children of the wicked beare their fathers faultes for here are the sonnes and daughters to bee solde so may wee reade Psal 127. 9. that they are blessed that reuenge the fathers crueltie on the children Oh my deere brethren let your tender babes procure pitie and pietie in your soules for you see how their liues shall pay for your wrongs and their butcherie for your tyrannie It were an easier calamitie if the hand that sinned should onely be cut off but wee see that if the right hand slay a man the whole body must perish thereby It is a singular blessing of God to be descended of godly parents yea the wicked brag thereof Ioh. 8. 39. Matt. 3. 9. Therefore if you will make your posteritie happie and blessed make your owne soules godly and your works holy Let not your children be made slaues to the wicked and bondslaues to the diuell for your follie but be you gentle that they may liue bee you patient that they may be beloued bee you honest that they may bee honoured and be you good to the godly that they may possesse your reuenues Publish this among the Gentiles prepare warre wake vp the mightie men let all the men of warre drawe neere and come vp Nowe are wee come to the second meanes whereby the Lorde taketh vengeance on the enimies of his church that is by warre for as by warre they had wasted the Iewes so by warre shoulde themselues be confounded In this warre we are to consider First the preparation thereof by souldiers verse 9. then the instruments or weapons verse 10. Secondly the execution in the verses following First then in this verse he calleth for the souldiers and biddeth that the warre shoulde be proclaimed and that all the men fitted thereunto shoulde come vp to fight Whereby wee must first of all obserue that warre must bee proclaimed before it be waged Ios 22. 12. For it becommeth not anie prince or great person so to deale with his enimies that he ouercome them before they haue intelligence of him The reason First bicause peace must be first of all offered Deuter. 20. 10. For warre which is the slaughter of mankinde must be the last meanes for princes to right and trie their iniuries It must be taken in hande for necessitie not for pleasure and it must bee executed with mercie not with crueltie Another reason bicause victorie onely dependeth on God 2. Chron. 13. 12. and therefore wee must vse all good meanes in the vndertaking thereof least beginning without the Lordes counsell wee ende with his curse being guiltie of our own death others Let vs not then in this latter age of the world fear any of the rumours of warre Mat. 24. 6. for the Lord of hostes is the great warriour whose souldiers wee are and if hee can vse the roaring of the diuell to driue vs from hell then thinke also he will vse the trumpets of warre to bring vs into heauen Feare not I say all the rumours of warre in France Flanders Hungarie Turkie or in other places of the worlde for if the wicked die in them it is for sinne if good men by the punishment for sinne they kill sinne and all this shall promote the Gospell and preserue the church Secondly when he biddeth to awake the mightie men we may note that men of greatest courage and valour are fit for the warres 2. Sam. 10 9. But of this matter we haue spoken in the second chapter Againe when he calleth them to draw neer and to come vp we note that souldiers should beware that they haue a calling from God and a commandement from him to fight 1. King 22. 7. Iehoshaphat woulde not fight with Ahab against the Syrians till hee had inquired of the Lorde and this wee may see in Dauid many times For seeing warres are the cause of many mens death let vs beware that we adde not curse to curse like the king of Moab who being ouercome by the Israelites went home and sacrificed his owne sonne in the fire The reasons are First because they cannot prosper that waite not for the Lordes calling Ios 1. 17 18. Secondly he giueth power to fight Psalm 18. Let vs therefore bee so minded in warres that wee neuer vndertake them when the Lorde disalloweth them Numb 14. 44 45. The Israelites fighting with the Amorites contrarie to the Lordes wil were slaine and driuen backe againe whereas at other times they lost not a man but returned in victorie Againe let souldiers learne to keepe themselues from euill Deuter. 23. 9. For the battle or warfare is like a mans
harts when they be ioyfull for as Herod was strooke with death while hee sate vpon his throne of maiestie so are we neuer neerer to our woe than when we are mounted to honour or seated in quietnesse The phisitions say that want of motion and loue of rest breedeth more diseases than all euill surfeits and so must we say that are the phisitions of mens soules that moe perish by ease than by labour by ioie than by sorrow by pleasure than by paine and by idle religion than by earnest and zealous profession The reasons the same that Isay taught chap. 65. 12. because God is refused in his word and good reason why it should be so for as already we haue shewed that the word must be a light for our pathes and a remembrancer to our soules which being forgotten no maruell if in our greatest securitie the Lords wrath ouertake vs. Therefore let the idle followers of the gospell perswade their soules with more zeale and diligence to bee informed by the Lord least the wrath take them sleeping or selling or drinking or playing or dicing or dauncing to their condemnation Secondly another reason because they loue pleasure more than God 2. Tim. 3. 4. therefore as Saneherib Isay 37. was slaine at that instant when hee was worshipping his idoll so shall their bane bee wrought when they are in their belly-worship following their pleasing delights Let vs therefore neuer put danger out of our mindes but then when wee are in most quiet comfort of soule and body let vs trouble our peace with one thought or other Mich. 3. 11. If thou haue children feare their death if thou haue parents feare their wrath if thou haue friends feare their hatred and if thou haue health feare thy sicknesse if thou be ioyfull at a feast thinke on the miserie of famine if at a pleasure thinke vpon the paine of the wounded if at libertie thinke vpon the irons of the imprisoned if in life thinke on the pangs of death Neuer exempt thy selfe from danger but in peace remember warre in youth remember age in play remember labour and in the heauen of the worldes delight thinke vpon the hell of another life Let sorrow be in thy sense mourning in thy soule danger in thy life feare in thy musicke trouble in thy sleepe paine in thy health want in thy plentie dislike in thy loue and distrust in thy desire so shalt thou neuer be called to sicknes but with lesse griefe or to danger but with lesse feare or to death but with lesse trouble or to iudgement but thou shalt be prouided for it Another vse seeing the wicked shall be drawen to iudgement in their greatest securitie then we may learne whether they feare wrath and euil or feare it not yet all is one it shall come vpon them Dauid said that the feare of the wicked shall fall on him and herewee see Ioel saith that though they sleepe yet shall they be awaked with and for their danger so that if wicked men feare their sorrowe is the more and if they feare not their danger is not the lesse Oh miserable captiuitie of wicked men which are hardened to feele more paine and softened to feare more wrath would not this bring vs out of loue with our sinne and make vs earnestly to lament our follies which giue vs no peace till we desire them and no rest after wee possesse them But of this often haue wee spoken before For there will I sit When he saith that he will sit in iudgement we may note that the Lord will with no labour condemne the wicked as it is Mal. 1. 4. euen as one that sitteth in al ease Againe in this that he sitteth in iudgement he alludeth to the iudgements of men which were most lawfull shewing that his proceedings against the wicked were not vniust or extraordinarie but according to equity But this is especially to be regarded when he nameth the persons whom he will iudge saying all the heathen rounde about meaning all those which dwelt neere vnto Israell Whereby we are taught that those which are our neighbours and see our worship and liue neere or among vs and yet be not of vs but are our enimies God will iudge them more seuerly Ierem. 12. 14. For if they which liue among vs and see euerie day the workes of God for vs and in vs will not be ruled by vs or turned to vs they may waite for the heauier iudgement And therefore was Philisthia more iudged then Arabia and Syria more vexed then Ethiopia because they were on the confines of Israell Then surely this may teach the loose Protestants and vaine professors among vs what great daunger they liue in all this while they haue heard the Gospell and not beleeued it the neerer they were to the truth the more is the Lordes wrath against them and the longer they haue liued in our peace and seene the glorious workes of God the more shall bee their heauie iudgement It were better for them that they liued in Rome or in Barbarie or in Tartarie where the gospell is not talked of for then should they be farther from danger but now they liue with vs eating at our tables treading on our Land standing in our churches cloathed with our garments and blessed by our God Oh how deere shall they pay for all these benefits for the Lord will iudge them that dwell neere vs much more them that dwel with vs he will condemne them that dwel about vs much more them that dwell among vs. The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause they should be subiect to the church Isa 60. 5. The members of the church are the true lawfull kings of the world all other ought to be their subiects therefore when the subiect rebelleth against his naturall prince he is more punished then a stranger so when the neerest neighbours of the church are most of all negligent they are more endangered then other are for when the Lord giueth most meanes of instruction such as is to liue among the godly then he rewardeth such neglect or contempt with more seuere punishment Another reason because they should succour thē in their necessitie Isa 21. 14. but if they will taste of their benefits and not beleeue their sayings or cōfort them in their sorrowes they are the more woorthie to be destroyed The vse let vs neuer meddle against good men Matth. 27. 19. for their iniuries will be rewarded double vpon our heads If thou liue with them honour them if thou heare of them goe visite them if they teach thee beleeue them if they want thee relieue them and neuer be an enimie vnto them The Lord saith that our treading on the earth is sufficient to make vs without excuse if we beleeue him not and then surely it is sufficient to condemne those that liue vnder the Gospell and receiue not the Gospell that they tread on our lande see our
soule that it may stande in all stormes swimme in all seas abide in all dangers liue in all deathes and raigne in all glorie So you shall know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountaine then shall Ierusalem be holy and no strangers shall goe through her any more Now the Prophet drawing to a conclusion of his Sermons shutteth them vp with many sweete promises of the Lords fauour as first of all his presence then his bountie his presence in this verse which shall sanctifie them and keepe them from enimies Concerning the former part of this verse where the Prophet saith they shall know him to be their God dwelling in Zion sufficient hath beene alreadie spoken and I will not stand any longer thereon but referre you to the former chapter This therefore his promise vnto Ierusalem that it should be holy teacheth vs the perfection or greatest honour of the church namely Holines Ephes 1. 4. when the Lord promiseth that his church should bee holy hee thereby teacheth vs that all gifts and goodnes and mercy and glorie and dignitie of the church proceedeth from this that she is holy neither can the Lord in this world bestow any greater benefit vpon his church then hir sanctication This Holines consisteth not in learning nor in studying nor in knowledge nor in prophesie nor in miracles nor in church-offices but in a good life and in all them so that a holy man is a perfect christian Now verily when the Lord promiseth Ierusalem to be Holy he giueth hir all things for he giueth hir grace to be righteous his fauour to be honorable and his benefits to be glorious Without holynes men are heathens but with it they are christians without it they cannot enioy the earth but with it they may enioy the heauens without it they are sathans slaues but with it they are the Lords sonnes and to conclude Holines is the will of God the ende of our redemption the fruit of the Spirit the cloathing of our soules the ioy of the godly and the perfection of the church By Holynes landes are established euil is banished kings thrones are maintained and it maketh a nation dwell without danger no enimie can touch them no famine can dismay them no misery can ouerthrow them because they be holy and so may euery mans soule by Holynes driue away the diuell continue in the church and obtaine the kingdome of heauen The first reason because in nothing do we resemble God more then in holines Exod. 22. 23. who is only holy Reuel 15. 4. Holines and righteousnes was the image wherein God created vs and therefore he caused to bee wrote vpon the breast of the high Priests roabes Holines to the Lord. Contrarie vnto this holines is prophanesse when men abuse whatsoeuer is appointed to be holy whereby I see that they are verie iustly termed prophane men who haue no maner of shew of holines God his fearefull name which is holy they blaspheme the sabbaoths which are holy they prophane religion which is holy they contemne the congregation which is holy they persecute praiers which are holy they seldome vse and to be briefe al the lawes of God which are holy they violate these are carnall men these are miserable men these are subiect to all abhominations So that as there is no blessing but it belongeth to the holy so there is no curse but it belongeth to the prophane Another reason is because holynes is freed from sin hell Isa 11. 8 9. now to be freed from sin is the greatest blessing in this world to be freed frō hel is the greatest blessing in the world to come indeed one followeth another for whosoeuer is freed from sin is also freed from hell But there are many that thinke it a great paine vnto them to be free from sin because they cannot endure to be free from the meanes of sinning yet let vs know that this is or ought to be our prayer that wee may once be freed from committing of sinne that whereas we haue a minde to idolatrie or Poperie it may be turned from it or if we be inclined to swearing we may fall to leaue it and hate it and if we be addicted to be enuious we may be charitable or to lusts we may be chaste or to falshood we may bee true or to couetousnes we may be liberall or ignorance of the scriptures we may be learned in them and finally if to any vaine or vnlawfull thing we may no more desire it then children do the rod oh happy were we if we were thus cleansed from sinne that we might be thus sanctified Let vs learne that exhortation of the Apostle 1. Pet. 1. 15 16. That seeing God which hath called vs is holie so let vs bee holie that wee may purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite And surely this reason of the Apostle is very effectuall to mooue vs vnto holinesse when hee telleth vs that God which called vs is holie Therefore looke to thy selfe that hearest the Gospell preached and leadest a lewde and prophane life for I tell thee that this very call of God whereby thou art seuered from Iewes and Turks shall at the latter day tell thee of thy euill which wouldest not walke in holinesse although God which called thee were holie The first image of God created in thee is decaied and it can neuer be repaired but by holinesse wouldest thou be glorified thou must first be sanctified thy bodie must be holy abstaining from pleasure thy soule must be holy not yeelding to temptation thy affections must be holy not corrupted with vanitie and thy life must be holy not drowned in sinne Oh be holy as God is holy it is a part of his essence so let it be of thine it is neuer parted from him so let it be euer with thee it is alway found in him so let it be alway found in thee God is holy in the earth so be thou he is holy in the church so be thou he is holy in the day so be thou he is holy in the night be thou so also and he is holy in heauen oh that we may be so his iudgements are holy so let thine be his words are holy so ought thine to be and his works are holy so let thine be Oh that we could be holy as he is holy that we might be perfect as he is perfect holy without sinne holy without want holy without loue without sinne that they were pardoned without want that all graces might be supplied and without loue that life and health and world and pleasure and lands may giue place to holinesse for holy people are redeemed of the Lorde but the wicked and prophane are damned to hell Another vse is that now we are exhorted to holinesse let vs learne how to bee holy which Iohn teacheth vs 1. Ioh. 3. 2 5. which is first by expectation of Christs
TIMES LAMENTATION or An exposition on the prophet IOEL in sundry Sermons or Meditations Ierem. 13. 17. But if you will not heare this my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride and my eies shall weepe and drop downe teares bicause the Lords flocke is carried away captiue Bernard sentent The whole race of mankinde may lament these three things their birth full of vncleannesse their life pressed with wickednesse and their death in woefull danger AT LONDON Printed by Edm. Bollifant for George Potter 1599 TO THE RIGHT Honorable Sir Charles Blunt Lord Mountioy Knight of the most noble order of the Garter c. all earthly and heauenly felicitie RIght Honorable Lord Time is the measure of all things and therefore to shewe the misertes thereof is the fittest noueltie for our daies To consider the ancient or first time of the world which God created and approoued to be good Gen. 1. 4 5. where of one speaketh thus Flumina iam lactis iam flumina nectaris ibant Flauaque de viridi stillabant illice mella And this was called the golden age of the world wherein were riuers of milke and nectar and the rocks dropped downe honie where in was no destroying sword or pining sicknesse or burning hatred or wearisome labour to molest or disquiet the life of man would make vs either to woonder like fooles or to weepe like wise men But time is changed it was golden it was good it is wooden it is euill short was that time for it continued not many or as some thinke not any daies for sinne followed the creation therefore time may well clad her selfe in mourning weede and say with Iacob Few and euill are her daies Zimri was a king yet it lasted but seuen daies and then he burned himselfe aliue so time was glorious but seuen daies and then he burned himselfe aliue so time was glorious but seuen daies and then it fell into flames of woe that euery childe of time may weepe with Ierusalem Lament 4. 16. and say The crowne of our head is fallen woe now vnto vs that we haue sinned If I may be so bold with your Lordship to stand a little on the miseries of the world and to picke out here and there a consideration or an example from ancient historie whereunto your Lordship as vnto all other good learning haue deuoted your selfe I knowe that you will easily say with that princely-wisest Salomon that all is but vanitie and vexation of spirite and much commend the sorrowes and teares of Heraclitus who neuer laughed and of Serapion who euer weeped the one for the world the other for his sinnes If now your Honour aske me of the state of the world or the whole life of man liuing in the world what opinion I euer hold concerning the same I must answer you that it is the house of mourning and not one commeth thither but in all the partes of his life and profession he may truly say Quisquis non causas mille doloris habet that he was borne in sorrow and liueth in sorrow and dieth in greefe and is buried in lamentation though afterward he liue in glorie for ante mortem nemo beatus The world consisteth of two sorts of men of good men and euill good men doe euer sorrow for the worlde is their hell and euill men shoulde euer sorrow because God is their enimie the one for the affliction which they feele the other for the iudgement which they feare yea verily weeping seemeth so naturall in our sinfull state that ioy constraineth men to weepe For so we reade of Ioseph when he saw his brethren and met with his father and of Ptolemaeus Philadelphus when the Seuentie interpreters had finished the Bible and deliuered it to him he wept for ioy abundantly If we turne our eies to pitie the estate of the distressed although our selues haue not tasted of aduersitie yet this pitie if it be true pitie will enforce vs to greefe When Xerxes had his infinite huge armie in the fielde before him and tooke a view thereof he could not refraine from weeping to see the miserie of mankinde When Scipio had set Carthage on fire and sawe the flames there of soaring vp to the cloudes although he was their enemie yet the teares trickled downe his cheekes to beholde their ruine When Titus besieged Ierusalem and sawe euery day the infinite number of dead bodies throwne ouer the wals into the ditches which famished in the citie whereby he knewe their surpassing calamitie whereof himselfe was the cause yet in compassion of their estate he could not behold them but with waterie eies To goe yet farther in the affections if men be angrie they will easily mourne as Christ did ouer Ierusalem and thus you may beholde how ioy and loue and hatred and pitie and anger and desire doe call men to mourning Mourning and lamentation are so needefull that God hath made euery creature fit for the same The heauens haue their cloudes the earth hath his riuers and fountaines the beastes haue their roarings and howlings and the hard marble stones send foorth their fountaine teares Againe if we looke into the causes as we haue looked into the affections we shall perceiue that the same causes haue caused much mourning which pretended much reioycing Some will thinke that men hauing fine wits and hauing attained great knowledge being good Polititians the world will neuer frowne on them time shal neuer lament them but you know it is far otherwise for one saith too truly that the best clerks haue the worst fortunes For Socrates died in prison another by swallowing of a raw fish Aeschilus was brained with a tile Sophocles perished with a bunch of grapes the dogs tore Euripides in peeces Homer was famished Aristotle drowned and Glaucus an excellent Phisitian was put to death by Alexander and as Plutarch saith was crucified would not this make a man to mourne to see such rare wits haue such hard haps and may not Time well lament her vnwoorthinesse because she may not nurse such children Surely the Prophets haue for the most part tasted of this cup and violence hath brought them to their latter ende But peraduenture although the world doe frowne vpon schollers yet it laugheth vpon other for kings and souldiers liue in the world without all want But they are much deceiued Saul was a king yet he slew himselfe Caesar was a king but he was slaine in the Senate Valens was an Emperour yet flying to a shepherds cottage was burned therin Vigellius lost his eies Claudius Herminianus was eaten with woormes as Herod was Seuerus for very griefe did poyson himselfe as Annibal did and one said well if the people knew but the least part of a Princes cares they would thinke the cloth of state woorse then a russet coate And for soldiers or men most excellent in armes they are destinated to labour while they conquer and get fame and
and fro amongst ten thousand waues being full of passengers without either pilote or mariner is in extreme hazard of drowning bicause they haue none to sound the bottomes for to throw foorth their anchor to staie them in the stormes or when the calme commeth they haue not one among them to direct them to the shore euen so when the floudes of troubles shall threaten the ouerthrow of any particular church or nation they hauing no preachers or prophets among them who should perswade them to patience during their aduersitie and to cast out the anchor of their hope during their danger or hauing escaped those fierie and fearefull troubles yet who but the ministers of God shall instruct them in righteousnesse and direct them to heauen In the raigne of Iosiah although his daies were happie through peace and his subiects ioyfull through a good king and religious nobles yet this was the glory of his kingdome that there was one Huldah a Prophetesse the wife of Shallum that tolde him his owne prosperitie bicause his hart melted at the voice of God his worde and also that there is one Helkijah a priest 2. Kings 22. that gaue him the law of his God so are we happie through long enioyed peace being shadowed vnder the wings of a mercifull Prince and religious Magistrates yet this is the glorie of our nation that many Prophets and Preachers haue offered vnto vs the verie word of God the which if it were wanting all were worth nothing therefore if God build not who can reare If he send not who can prosper If he speake not who can prophesie and if he diminish the number of his seruants the preachers we may complaine in our miseries as the Iewes did There is not one Prophet more left and yet remaine comfortlesse The vses which we will briefly make here of are these First the same which our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs vpon this doctrine Mat. 9. 28. Pray saith he the Lord of the vineyard that he would thrust foorth labourers into his haruest There is no more Christian exercise or necessarie practise then with vnfeined soules to desire at the handes of him who ruleth all with his hand that in times of ignorance and neglect of heauenly worship when the corne is ripe and fit to be gathered into the Lords barne that he would haue pitie vpon his wandring sheepe and care of his planted corne euen the worke of his owne handes and not suffer them to be cast away for want of instruction Oh howe would it and doth it grieue a christian soule to consider that the image of God himselfe should be lost which shineth so beautifully in euerie one of mankind pray therefore my beloued in the Lord for hereby onely shall you performe a worke acceptable to God because you are humbled beneficiall to the church because you aske for her labourers comfortable to your selues because you tender your brethrens soules and ioyfull to the verie angels for the conuersion of sinners The ruler of the temple Mat. 9. 18. hauing but his daughter sicke and diseased yet came to our Sauiour and entreated him for her health which he performed and she recouered Let vs therefore in pitie of many thousand sons and daughters of the world come to the courts of the Lords house within the closets of our owne soules and desire with feeling and earnest prayers the Lord Iesus that he would shewe and shine forth his truth by his word in the mouthes of many more ministers of peace to conuert many moe sinners vnto righteousnes to turne the hearts of fathers to their children of mothers to their daughters of princes to their subiects and of the nations to their God There is not any one point that proueth more substantially to a mans soule that hee loueth Christ vnfaynedly then this the practise of it to pray for the increase of heauenly pastors Euen as in the world nothing is so commendable as the workes of mercie as to feede the famished to cloath the naked to deliuer the imprisoned and to acquite him that is wrongfully condemned so in the church of God there is no grace like to the gift of the ministerie the starued are fed by them with the bread of life the naked are cloathed by them with the garments of a Sauiour they which lye fast bound in the verie dungeons of hell and the prisons of darkenes are deliuered by them into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God and euen they which were condemned to temporall miseries and eternall calamities are acquited discharged and released by their message Let vs all therefore say vnto the Lord Lord increase the number of painefull preachers And if we ought to pray for them how damnable is their estate that pray vpon them if it be the highest seruice of God to promote them then is it the highest seruice of the diuell to persecute them If they be blessed where the word is preached and beleeued then are they accursed where it is not heard nor receiued If Christ blamed his disciples that would haue had him to blame them that cast deuils out in his name then are they to bee blamed which will vpon euerie light and easie occasion labour to the vttermost to stop the mouthes of Gods seruants to discourage the people from hearing the olde men from instructing the yoong men from studying the children from learning the women from asking the seruants frō obeying the word of God Therefore if we haue any care of the Lords seruice any compassion of them that are tyrannously oppressed any conscience of the soules of men then pray for the peace and number of the preachers For as when the teeth are fallen out of the mouth the life is hardly nourished and quickly turnd Euen so when the ministers which are the teeth of the church to grinde the word vnto them are remooued then followeth the graue and sepulchre of the Lords family To Ioel the sonne of Pethuell heerein is no hardnes and euerie one may easily perceiue the meaning hereof for the prophet nameth himselfe and also declareth his parentage and it is very like that his father was a man of good estimation that the Prophet thus barely without any further addition prefixeth his name to this prophesie We obserue out of this description of the ministring cause of this prophsie this doctrine that God preferreth the seruice of men before the seruice of angels in the building of the church he rather choseth and appointeth that his heauenly immaculate word should be manifested by earthly and sinfull men then by celestiall holy angels Act. 1. 8. The Lord Iesus maketh this his ordinance that his disciples shall witnes the redemption in Ierusalem Iudea and Samaria and the vttermost parts of the earth Euen the same Lord which not long before told them that he had the angels at commaund now rather vseth the helpe and ministerie of men Men would thinke it a strange proceeding
which are negligent in this action and the estate of their gouernment the estate of their families and estate of their children Surely most dangerous aboue others for as when they performe this they are noted through a whole countrey and thereby they growe famous so the neglect hereof is spred farre and thereby they growe infamous For this cause hath the holy Ghost left vs in his word sundry examples where light and gracelesse fathers haue brought their lewde and godlesse children with themselues to destruction Looke on Elie 1. Sam. 3. 12. and Saul and Haman Esth 8. 13. who was the destruction of the fathers but themselues and who was the destruction of the children but the fathers If Helie had harkened to God and corrected his sonnes the Arke had not been taken the Philistines had not preuailed his sonnes had not been killed and he had saued his owne necke from breaking Oh consider this I beseech you my reuerende and gray headed fathers your age shall not discharge you this man wanted but two yeeres of an hundred yeere olde he was priest and iudge of Israell yet when he forgat himselfe he forgot the Lord also then had hee no pitie of his yeeres no mercie on his children and no compassion of his owne life Samuel tolde Saul that there was no sacrifice like to the hearing of the worde of God then if you will offer the best sacrifice heare the word of God The Lord you see which made the eares requireth but the eares againe why should you bring your children into the curse out of the couenant why should you driue the Lord to reiect you as he did Saul because you heare not his word Are you the fathers of our bodies be also I beseech you the fathers of our faith the authors of our profession and the ensamples of our obedience As Esau cried to Isaack blesse me my father so we crie vnto you to blesse our countrey to blesse your owne posteritie and to blesse the liues of them whose soules you haue in your handes Let the elders among vs know for a certaintie that if they heare vs not though wee bee yoong that speake vnto them yet wee will vse them as the woman did the wicked iudge ouercome them by importunitie And let euery man knowe his dutie euen to pray that their fathers and masters and magistrates and gouernours may bee as willing to grace the Gospell with their presence as they are to defende it by their policie surely we can hardly imbrace that which we see the chiefe commanders to neglect But yet I beseech you for your owne soules and for our liues for the children borne and vnborne and for the generall comfort of our whole countrey fulfill that heauenly voice Matt. 17. 4. Heare the heauenly sonne of God The third Sermon Harken ye all inhabitants of the land whether such a thing hath beene in your daies or yet in the daies of your fathers ALl the inhabitants By these words we obserue this doctrine that there must not any liue in the church of God but such as doe and will at the least outwardly humble themselues to the ministerie of the word the church of God is the company of selected saints chosen before all worlds to the worship of God and if they be chosen from the contemners as good wheate is from the chaffe then must they not endure the hazarding of their soules by harbouring the children of disobedience Wee may reade in Nehem. 8. 2. that when he brought foorth the lawe of God Ezra read it before the congregation both of men and women and all that could vnderstand it And in the next verse he addeth that he read it in the streetes and all the people harkened to the booke of the law As in the common wealth there is a lawe which euery one vndergoeth vnlesse they be wearie of life so in the church of God this is a lawe Let him that hath eares to heare heare except he will bee banished from the land of the righteous and cut off from the body of Christ Surely as the Apostle saide Woe is me if I preach not the Gospell So must all the ministers of the Lorde euery day sound alowde to their people woe be vnto you if you heare not the Gospell The reasons of this doctrine may thus be gathered out of the word of truth First that which Moses hath recorded Gen. 17. 14. where the Lorde wil not haue any to be of Abrahams familie but they which would bee circumcised and if any would not receiue this wounde as our Sauiour calleth it in the flesh the Lorde commanded him to be cut off from his people Nowe wee knowe that the church is the familie of Abraham who was made the father of all the faithfull that they being made partakers of his beleefe shoulde also be partakers of his obedience There is not a prince or a noble man or a learned man or a rich man or a preacher or any base person among the common people but hee may challenge this priuilege if he beleeue in the Lord of glorie that he is the sonne of promise as Isaac was and therefore the sonne of Abraham as Isaac was All are not the children of promise that heare and are borne vnder the preaching of the Gospell but there are Ismaelites also which haue outwardly the badge of a true sonne though they bee but bastarde Christians yet olde Abraham ready for the graue must be circumcised before he die and yoong Ismaell if he will euer be blessed of God must be circumcised although he were heire apparant to the land of Canaan for as yet Abraham had no other sonne and the shepherdes the neatherdes the seruingmen and euery kitchin-boy receiue the signe or else be banished from their masters tents Euen so must the hoare headed father the greene headed yoong man the wanton youth the simple plow-man the gallant ruffian and the poore turne-spit be present and obedient to the voice of the minister Many I graunt of the better sort thinke their dutie discharged if in their owne persons they learne to knowe the Lord and for their families they let them doe as they list but you must remember that this was the commendation that Abraham receiued of God That hee woulde teach his children after him Genes 18. 17. and therefore if you will bee Abrahams sonnes teach that to your families which you haue learned your selues Oh how lamentable is it to see consider of a great number that set as good faces on the Gospell as the best when on the Lords own day some send their seruants many miles iourney suffer silly persons to waite in their kitchins I mean cōtinually as if there were none that had any soules but those that are called the rulers of families We may say of them as Bernard saide of the church cōmitted to careles clergie men O miserandam sponsam talibus creditā paranimphis O miserable soules lead by
these be not true but they are all certaine and euermore to bee remembred Therefore our wantonnesse our wickednesse our idlenesse our infidelitie our beastlinesse and our securitie if they be not amended by the examples of the scriptures they shall be condemned by the ensamples of the scriptures You ancient fathers which haue liued long seene much and heard the woonders in old time meditate them in your mindes and deliuer them to your posteritie euen as you woulde haue vs to continue your names because you are our fathers so doe you remember the works of God for he is the father to vs all Secondly another reason of this doctrine is this because the rehearsall of these workes of God done before our time either vnwritten or especially recorded in the word doe terrifie our proud harts when we heare them declared vnto vs. The church of Corinth being happy by the Apostles preaching grew insolent in diuisions loose in opinions and intolerable in manners the Apostle to remedie this 1. Cor. 10. 5 6 7 8. vers bringeth in the tragedie of the Israelites destruction shewing them how for the like offences thousands and ten thousands perished in displeasure to terrifie and humble them by these woonderfull works of God that they might knowe howsoeuer they were not yet executed yet they were as guiltie of condemnation as those that were destroyed Dauid saith of himselfe Psal 119. 120. that the hearing of the Lordes iudgement wrought feare in his soule and trembling in his body And therefore wee may many times reade and heare the storie of wars wherein as in a glasse we may behold the miseries of our liues to see princes massacred noble men murdered the common people butchered like bullocks in a slaughter house Let vs often rehearse the storie of famines and robberies wherein we may see the vncertaintie of our wealth to see our houses burned our barnes emptied our estates impouerished our liues famished our children left breathlesse and our wiues left comfortles Let vs often meditate on the diseases of our bodies to mitigate our pleasures to see how some haue died sodainely other haue liued so long in sickenes that their friends forsooke them their phisitions gaue them ouer and the stinking sauours of their owne bodies haue taken away their liues Let Traitors thinke on Achitophell rebels on Absolon proud persons on Haman corrupt iudges on Samuell sonnes idle ministers on Eli wicked magistrates on Shebna fornicators on Zimry couetous persons on Achan disobedient persons on Ionah prophaners of the sabaoth on the sticke gatherer swearers on the Aegyptian Israelite and despisers of the Gospell ministery sacraments and all true religion on Simon Magus and the Lord graunt that their punishment may be our amendment The vses which arise from this doctrine are these first seeing that we must often call to remembrance the old wonders in times before passed declared to the world then let vs as often meditate on our owne particular liues which we haue spent lead in our former daies as the scripture exhorteth Heb. 10. 32. Call to your remembrance the daies that are passed Let vs looke throughout all the yeeres of our life and make as diligent a search as the woman in the Gospell did for her money and begin at our birth and first being in the world in infancie behold our weakenes and God his kindnes in youth looke on our wantonnes the Lords bountifulnes in ripe age viewe our wickednes and the Lords long suffering and in olde age marke our vnthankfulnes and the Lords pardon Call to remembrance the daies that are passed in infancie we could not serue God in youth we cared not for God in ripe yeeres we did not feare him in our old age we did not know him in our infancie we were more helplesse then all creatures in youth we were more gracelesse then beastes in our middle age more foolish then godly and in olde age more desperate then reformed in infancie wee euer cryed in youth wee euer feared in our middle age we liued in care and our olde age spent in sorrow in our infancie our wants which we could not expresse made vs miserable in our youth the rod scourged vs in our ripe age the world disquieted vs and in our old age the graue which we coulde not auoide tormented vs woulde not these considerations offer long discourses to tame our wildenesse to reforme our prophanenes and to ouercome our vnrulinesse might I not hereby take occasion like a deuine philosopher to paint out the miserie of mankinde to cause all mens eies to bewaile infants in their cradles boies in their schooles yoong men in their pleasures and old men to their graues might not I heere stirre vp your affections to shewe you the vnhappie condition of a bare naturall life babes to be brained children to be cursed yoong men to fall by the sworde women to be rauished and olde men to be without all honour and pittie murdered surely in these we are of al men most miserable But now seeing I haue searched the register and records of nature let me also shewe you how you shall looke on the court-rolles of grace and begin with that saying of the Apostle Ephes 2. 11. Wherefore remember that you were in times past Gentiles in the flesh and called vncircumcision that you were without Christ aliants from Israell strangers from the promise without hope and without God in this worlde Heere you may search for your seuerall estates and admit you haue all naturall benefites attendant when you are yoong pleasure when you are youthfull riches when you are strong quietnes and wisedome when you are olde what are these to a condemned soule Take a theefe appointed to the gallowes and before he go to execution let the king cal him sonne let him be apparelled with silke let him haue a chaine on his necke bracelets on his armes bring him into your treasurie of abundance of golde and siluer bid him take his fill carrie him to most delicate fare and bid him eate cheerefully and strike vp most pleasant musicke bid him be merrie but tell him anone he must be hanged how ioyfull would his hart be at all this pleasure when he knoweth presently after his chaine shall be changed into a halter his garments to a winding sheete his carcase to wormes meate his throne into a gallowes his seruants into executioners and his money taken all from him before he can spend a penie euen so are the best of vs all by nature condemned and we finde no comfort in our parentage or pleasure in our wealth or profite in our clothing or benefit in our meat or ioy in our bodies so long as we know that after a little while al these shal be forgotten and we in destruction Now remember what you are without grace that is by nature wrath is our father heathens are our brethren or rather diuels vncircumcision is our garment that is a peece of rawe cloth
creatures to bee reuenged on his aduersaries so also hee will and can doe the same to the benefite of his chosen He vsed the rauens to feede Eliah 1. King 17. 6. and wee know that al these noisome creatures which deuoured and destroyed the cattle people of Egypt neither deuoured or destroyed man or beast among the Israelites The viper a hurtfull beast yet it could not harme Paul Act. 28. 5. when it hung vpon his hande What shall we now say my deere brethren to commend the large liberalitie of our God to conuince the intolerable ingratitude of our soules The angels waite on vs aboue to keepe the heauens from ouerwhelming vs the creatures attend on vs beneath to make the earth to yeeld vs maintenance oh how shall they want any thing that leade a godly life yet who doth depend on the Lordes promise or who doth make conscience of the Lords liberalitie We are like to the Iewes which Nebuzaradan left in Ierusalem with the Samaritans seeing the serpents destroying the Samaritans sparing them yet still they continued in their idolatrie so although we see and heare our neighbours our countreymen or any other nation to be wasted and we preserued to be famished wee sustained to be weakened and wee strengthened to be punished when we go scot-free yet still we serue our pleasures we blaspheme the Gospell we prophane the Sabbaoth and we dishonour the almightie although he hath not dealt with any nation as he hath dealt with vs yet we care not for his creatures we loue not his truth we forsake not our sins we embrace not his feare we haue no resolution for our owne saluation the Lord for his mercy turne our harts Another doctrine we may obserue out of this verse which is this that euerie light and little creature can trouble ouercome the welfare ofmen Why did not the Lorde raine downe fire from heauen to consume their fielde of corne or to burne vp their fruitefull gardens or why did he not sende his angels immediately from heauen to weede out the wicked from the land and so to haue made an ende at the very first of these Iewish calamities This he might haue done although he did it not but rather sendeth creeping wormes to ouerthrowe a great nation which is to mans reason as if one sparke of fire were sent to burne vp the whole sea Wee reade Act. 12. 23. that Herod by his flatterers was magnified to be a God the which thing pleased the wretch too well for shortly after it cost him bloude and life to shewe himselfe and his fauorites that he was but a man for it was saide that he was eaten and deuoured of wormes O woorthie example of so woorthie impietie which wearing the crowne but of an earthly kingdome would also be aduanced to an heauenly regiment therefore he receiued the greater condemnation Where were his Phisicians coulde not they purge away the euill which did eate vp the kings hart where were his seruants which woulde doe all things for him and now could not they deliuer him from little wormes nay what did this newe made God if hee were but a god of flies could not he comfort and cure himselfe No no the darte was too deepe the wound was too great and the disease too desperate but he in the midst of these his torments hauing his heart eaten and the wormes crawling out of his body with intollerable anguish cryed out Behold your Godwhich is enforced to die Let all proude persons be warned by the example of Herod especially great men who thinke themselues if not better yet equall to the sonne of God the king of heauen and earth least they be punished after the example of Herod The flies did trouble and terriblie molest the whole lande of Egypt thinke alwaies the Lorde can easily turne our meate into wormes our drinke into flies our bloud into lice our garments into serpents and our ioyfull friends into spoyling beasts We are not so high but there is one aboue vs we are not so lowe but there are some beneath vs we are not so wise but the Lorde is within vs neither are wee so noble but his highnes can confound vs. And this doctrine hath good reasons beside lamentable experience whereon it may be grounded the weakest things of God are far stronger then the strongest of man 1. Cor. 1. 25. 27. and by the weake thinges of this worlde will he confounde the strong the which although it be spoken in another sence then it is heere alleaged yet doth it serue also to this purpose to shewe vnto vs that the Lord will for his glory ouercome by the weaker forces And it is most true that a little beast with his wrath is as forcible to destroy vs as a mightie serpent and the fall of a feather vpon our heads although they were garded with a helmet of proofe yet shoulde it through his indignation be as heauy as a mill stone to dash out the braines of the proudest Hee which made these things is not tied to his owne workes but when hee will he can alter light into darknes turne the lande into the sea the mountaines into valleyes and make iron to swim when lighter matters shall sinke Nowe good men must euer be mightily comforted with the consideration of this heauenly power this made the men of Babylon to offer their bloud to the fierie flaming furnace this made the woorthie Gideon with a fewe persons to aduenture the ouerthrow of many thousandes this encouraged Elisha being besieged with an huge army of Syrians and therefore this must force vs to die in persecution to fight for the Lordes truth to pray where we see no helpe to professe his name though we loose the sweetest pleasures of this life The vses which offer themselues vnto our consideration are these first that it teach vs to thinke most humbly and most basely of our selues as Dauid that noble king that euer was did Psal 22. 6. I am a worme saith he and no man euen the ofscouring of men Seeing the basest creatures of the world are able so easily to destroy vs what can be better signe of our humilitie then as Dauid doth to call our selues by their names Abraham talking with God called himselfe dust and ashes such as lie vnder foote to bee troden vpon by euery one and Dauid giueth himselfe a name which none hath done before him and very few after him by taking on him the title of a sillie creeping worme engendred of the dirt fed onely with earth and the lowest of all kinde of beastes would God the spirite of mildnesse could driue away the spirite of statelinesse which raigneth in those which are many thousande degrees inferiour to Dauid Let them imagine through the wrath of God that the haires of their head were turned to liuing creatures which were an easie thing with God and yet would it not make them humble how if the intrals and bowels of
their body were changed into wormes as Herods was should not this neither Oh yes but seldome times will you say are these things wrought I graunt it so indeede but much seldomer are men amēded by hearing of them in other or feeling them in themselues Tarry not to conuert I beseech you till these wonders be wrought againe tempt not the Lord of heauen and earth with deferring the day of repentance For bee you assured that contemning the riches of his grace and abusing the patience of his long suffering while his word and Gospell is preached and not beleeued he will verifie that prophesie vpon you that was long agoe pronounced Reuel 19. 17. vpon the enimies of Christes Gospell Come ye foules of the heauen to the great supper of the great God that yee may eate the flesh of kings and captaines and mighty men of horses and riders offree and bond of small and great Oh then will it be too late to cast away pleasures to curse your delaies to imbrace the Gospell and to crie peace when the sword of God is dipped in blood Another vse hereof may be this that seeing the greatest and strongest creatures were by nature and creation subiect to man now not onely they but also all other both great and small through our transgressions are become either our enimies or else our conquerors This must teach vs how odious and abhominable a thing is sinne and wickednesse in the presence of the eternall God and his vnreasonable creatures it was forbidden by God it was condemned by angels it is reuenged by beastes and punished by diuels it droue Adam from paradise it kept Moses from Canaan it destroyed the inhabitants of Ierusalem and hath excluded infinite thousandes from the kingdome of heauen It was committed by the blood of soules it was redeemed by the life of Christ it was reprooued by the death of martyrs and yet it is maintained by the practise of multitudes Oh whose hart is not diuided to see such a monster more made of than all good things which was hatched by the diuell and fed by the life of soules and yet raigneth that it may winne millions of soules to condemnation Shall reasonable men rescue it when vnreasonable beastes fight against it euery creature in his kinde cries vengeance against it It made the angels damnable it made the world abhominable it maketh the beastes corruptible and it maketh men miserable Miserable I say by birth for they are borne in it miserable by life for they are vexed with it and most miserable by death for they are cursed with it We haue already heard that the sinnes of Egypt were punished and reuenged by lice and the sinnes of Herod were requited by wormes and vnto these adde the sinne of the prophet that reprooued Ieroboam 1. Reg. 13. 24. which was rewarded by a lion Thus doth the earth crie woe vnto it for it cursed her thus doth the heauens hate it for it destroyeth her children thus doth the starres fight against it because it dazeleth their light and thus doe wilde beastes warre against it because it encreaseth their grones Oh then let not vs men bring vp that mōster hatch vp the coccatrices egs which so soone as it is deliuered and conceiued it giueth our liues mortall woundes If wicked Herod in slaying the children of Bethleem thinking thereby to slay Christ did not refraine his crueltie from his owne houshold but also put his owne sonnes to death least they should afterward trouble him for his kingdome how much more ought we not to imitate his crueltie but his policie to bridle our natures to chaine our affections to subdue our lustes to conquer our desires and to forsake our pleasures that we might bathe the sword of God his lawe in the blood of our owne sinnes seeing if it liue we must die and if it die we shall liue It commeth vnto vs with the Sirens song it embraceth vs friendly as Ioab did Abner but while it saluteth vs with one hand it stabbeth vs with the other It promiseth vs faire as Iael did to Sisera and it giueth vs milke in steede of water it serueth vs in plate it clotheth vs in purple it lodgeth vs in ease but in the end it slaieth our soules as she did Sisera it maketh much of vs as the high priests did of Iudas it maketh vs gentlemen of rascals it maketh vs rich men of beggers it maketh vs companions of princes it deliuereth vs when others are endangered but in the ende it tieth the halter to our necks and maketh speede for our execution it serueth vs as the harlot did the yoong man Prouerb 7. it kisseth vs it flattereth vs it pleaseth vs and it promiseth vs all sugred ioyes but yet it draweth vs as the oxe is drawen to the slaughter it biddeth vs take our ease followe pastimes auoide preaching loue not the prophets come not at the churches and forget all manner of godlinesse but in the ende it serueth vs as a noble man doth his olde spannell commending some to the gallowes some to the prisons some to noysome sicknesse some to pouertie some to slauerie some to madnesse some to vntimely death and some to vnmercifull hell Therefore heare and follow Salomons counsell Prou. 7. 24. Heare O my children let not your hearts decline to her waies and walke not in her pathes for she causeth many to fall downe wounded and strong men are slaine by her her house is the way vnto the graue which goeth downe to the chambers of death The sixth Sermon Vers 5. Awake O yee drunkards and weepe and howle O yee drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouth NOw we are to handle the exhortations of the prophet made and grounded on the premised calamitie The which exhortations for our more orderly and formall proceeding I will thus diuide some of them concerne the miserable ouerthrowe of their countrey by famine whereunto they are prepared by the prophets sermons and these are in this first chapter and to the twelfth verse of the second chapter the other generally stirre them vp vnto repentance from the twelfth to the eighteenth The first of these whereby the inhabitants of the land are admonished prepared for the iudgement is either for the people as in ver 5. 8. 11. or for the cleargie or ministerie as in the 13. of the first chapter the first of the second chapter That part which is directed to the people is by speciall names notes of persons described which are of two sorts either for their manners as drunkards ver 5. or for their occupation or trade of life as husbandmen ver 11. And also these exhortations haue their seueral reasons to mooue the people withall as in this we haue in hand he moueth the drunkards either to awake or to lament ver 5. 8. Vpon these causes the first concerne themselues vnto the nienth and from the nienth to the
word of the holy one of Israell But for vs which haue already giuen vp our names to the Lorde let vs with Dauid Psal 73. 28. drawe neere vnto our God that our zeale in preaching our labour in hearing our feeling in praying and our ioy in all manner of reuerence to the holy Gospell of Christ may euer arise higher and higher to the intent that we also may declare his works vnto other rather then in lamentable rebellion be made examples of his feueritie But now let vs come and see the vses of this doctrine as they are left in the holy worde of God and this may be one that seeing only in the word of God is the foreknowledge of hurt and the continuance of our peace oh then let vs beware of whatsoeuer that shall endeuour or any way be able to pull vs away from the same Our Sauiour himselfe hauing preached a long and sweete fermon vnto his Disciples to arme them against troubles and to forewarne them against corruptions shutteth it vp with this exhortation Luk 21. 34. Let not your harts be ouercome with surfeiting and drunkennes and cares of this life and so that day shoulde come vpon you at vnawares whereby the whole church of God are likewise taught that the diuell shoulde mightily labour by these instruments of drunkennesse and worldly care to burie the worde of God and to blot out if it were possible the very names of the elect from the booke of God and when were these daies if nowe they be not Shall we looke vpon the families of all our lande the very speciall and distinct persons therein we shal find very fewe that are not infected with one of these poisons Drunkennes hath banished all religion inuaded the houses of court and countrie and already made the heauens to weepe the earth to fast the beastes to pine the poore to famish the enimies of God to reioice the saints of Christ to be sorrowfull and the soules of many to be vtterly destroied The cares of this life haue also so farre preuailed that hell may seeme to be enlarged and the diuell with golden apples hath raised vp contention in all kingdomes and by this meanes gained infinite possessions Some haue all their minds on warres thinking it long till they be at the spoiles of their enimie do these men either thinke vpon the word of God which is or the day of God which shall be No no the cares of this life haue ouercome their harts some are too noble som are too base some are too rich some are too poore some are too learned and some are too ignorant thus by one way or other many are ouerthrowne But yet let vs not be hindered from preaching or discouraged from hearing let vs not want the meanes to obtaine life eternall and much more let vs not refuse the same being offered If the Niniuites had not repented when Ionah preached within fortie daies had Niniueh been destroyed oh happie Niniueh that thus was warned by the preaching of one yea rather blessed be our God that woulde not suffer a citie to perish before he had called them by his prophet But howe blessed are we that haue had many prophets and preachers and yet haue not repented in sackcloth and ashes yea although the worlde be hardned with preaching and say where is the promise of his comming where is the destruction that you haue prophesied where are the desolations that so many preachers haue threatened Yet take heede although the cocke crowe at midnight yea many times before the day will you say therefore it will neuer be light so although wee haue a great while agoe and yet continue to crie and call on you to awake before danger come bee assured it will come as the morning star after the nightlie darknes Oh then let vs arise put on your clothes trauaile to the Lordes house and hearken euery one what he will enforme vs to amend vs or instruct vs to forewarne vs. Another vse heereof we may make for the conuersion of them that are yet hardned in their sinnes then the prophet hath taught vs that our whole conuersion and safetie dependeth on the word of God in the mouthes of the ministers and we haue learned to watch ouer our liues that none steale away the same from vs. But yet we haue nothing to saie to them that are no drunkards no couetous misers no open and prophane persons nor yet despisers of the ministerie and meanes of reconciliation but rather louing vnto them and yet for all this make no conscience to knowe God out of his worde or to doubt of many maine points of saluation or to disport themselues in vaine and vnseemely mirth and such like euen vnto them I say with Paul 1. Cor. 15. 34. Awake to liue righteously and sinne not You haue liued indeed as Herod that honored Iohn Baptist as Pilate that thought Christ a good man as the Iewes that followed him from towne to towne but what change hath there beene of your liues since you knew these things if there be none as there can be none as yet then let Paul and Ioel crie vnto you Awake to liue righteously I may say vnto these men as Christ said to the Lawyer that they are not farre from the kingdome of God they are asleepe but not heauily asleepe and they may say of themselues as Agrippa saide of himselfe that they are almost perswaded to be Christians but not altogither Yet one thing more wanteth my beloued not the selling of your houses nor the distribution of your goods nor the reliefe of the poore nor the chastening of your bodies but the banishing of your vaine pleasures the ouerruling of your affections the crucifying of your lustes the putting from you your ignorance your pastimes your oathes your tabling your dicing your gaming and all your cost and time that is euill spent You haue indeede made a good beginning but also I wish you to make a good ending you haue cast the diuell out of the hall of your harts oh cast him out also from the parlour you haue thrust his head out of your mindes suffer not therefore his feete to remaine within you Is it as sweete as sleepe vnto you to do as yee do beware least it be as bitter as gall vnto you to receiue as you haue done therefore awake my brethren and cast off the couerlets of your euill forsake the sheetes of iniquitie and leape out of the soft bed of selfe-pleasing delights put on the garments of righteousnes embrace the crosse of christianitie and breake the neck of all your pleasures as Sampson did of his enimies The Lorde biddeth vs awake to iudgement the Gospell biddeth vs awake to righteousnes the church biddeth vs awake to sobernes the preachers bidde vs awake to holines the creatures bid vs awake to obedience the earth biddeth vs awake to fruitfulnes and the heauens from an high bid vs to awake either to saluation or else
these drunkards when they were awaked what they should do not go to their feastes againe or to the vomits againe or to the tauerns or to the ale-houses or to their mirth but he biddeth them go to the house of mourning Weepe saith the prophet and howle that is as if he had said lay away your pleasures and banish all euill companions drinke vp your teares as wine and eate your sorrowes as bread for a sudden calamitie is come vpon you the meate that is in your hand shall not come into your belly and your mouths shall be weaned from sucking and swilling in of strong drinke From hence when the prophet biddeth them to weepe I might note vnto you the nature or rather an inseparable companion of true repentance which is a mournfull heart and a weeping countenance which doth not onely sorrow for the fault but as it were wash away the sinnes of the soule for the teares which we weepe in this life do shew our vncleannes which if they were able they would cleanse away Teares are said to be the blood of the soule because they proceede of a wounded and sorrowfull spirit and therefore let not desperate ruffians and carnall persons thinke that the sighes and groanes and wishes of their hard hearts can goe for payment in the Lords presence or that the bare misliking and leauing of their old sinnes is true repentance for as the wound cannot be healed but the partie shall be payned so the life cannot be amended except teares or true sorrow be expressed But I will come nearer to my purpose for I cannot stande on euery worde and therefore I will onely note that which is fittest and of greatest necessitie The seuenth Sermon IN the next place he biddeth them to howle which is an action properly belonging to wolues and is metaphorically applied vnto these drunkards for they are both deuourers the one of lambes the other of corne both are beastes the one in nature the other in likenes and seeing they haue reioised like beasts now also he biddeth them to lament like beasts And therefore seeing I seldome find this word Howle but it is applied vnto beasts or wicked men I therefore note hereby that the vngodly comming into aduersitie are like to the brutish and vnreasonable creatures They sorrow without hope they weepe without comfort they howle without praier and they haue their wits and their ease taken away at once if they be merry it is for their wealth if they be heauy it is for their want So that then we may say iustly of them as Paule said of some Ephesians they are beasts in the likenes of men the prophet Dauid telleth vs Psal 49. 20. That man being in honour continueth not but becommeth like beastes that perish The wicked being in honour are inconstantly seated that serueth for their glorie but they are like the beasts that perish that sheweth their miserie in prosperitie they are vncertaine in their aduersitie they are vnhappie when they are lifted vp they will be more then men but when they are thrust downe they are founde equall to beasts The prophet Isay cap. 16. ver 7. prophesying the destruction of Moab because of their pride arrogancie indignation and lyes telleth them as this Ioell doth that Moab shall howle vnto Moab and euery one shall howle for the foundation of Kirhareseth shall yee morne and yet they shall be striken Will a man spare a woulfe although he cry bitterly No no for he knoweth he will rauen againe so God will not spare the wicked although they howle mournfully for he knoweth they will sinne againe Looke vpon this you desperate wicked persons and wretched bondslaues of Sathan heere may you see what you will do when the Lords hand is vpon you will you then turne vnto him when hee is turned from you or will you then remember him when your owne memorie is remooued thinke you then to haue power to praie or any hearts to hope in Christ when your reason and heart is taken from you thinke vpon it I beseech you before hande for else you vndoe your owne soules insomuch as when the water floudes of trouble come vpon you as the iust vengeance for your liues then you be filled with easelesse yelling beastly howling vnmercifull suffering intollerable complaining and no manner of relieuing then shall you finde that they which refuse knowledge instruction and correction in mercy shall feele the same in iudgement and you shall wish that you had endured any torment to be released of your present desperation The reasons heere of are plaine first because they cannot vnderstande iudgement Prou. 28. 5. If they bee crossed in their affaires and cast downe in their liues they know not that then they are arraigned before the iudgement seate of God which maketh them as farre without all naturall reason as they were before without all spirituall religion Dauid saide of them that the Lordes iudgements are farre aboue the sight of the wicked and therefore saith hee doe they defie all their enimies alas seelie soules they thinke that other mens harmes doe not warne them and that the Lord will neuer call them to account for their follies They imagine if they please themselues they displease not God and thinke if the hardest fall vpon them that euer can come yet their estate is better then other mens But my beloued saue your soules I beseech you out of Sathans clawes he draweth you on with deceitfull perswasions telling you that in aduersitie you shall be like other men in the meane season your eies are blinded that you cannot see howe heauie the iudgements of God lie vpon you purposing to take you at aduantage in extremitie that in sicknes he will make you raging in famine he will bring you to blasphemie in warres he will make your desperation that which is worst of al in death hee will bring you to endlesse condemnation Therefore thinke I beseech you with your selues and reioice not like beastes and then shal you mourne like beastes learne the course and causes of the Lordes iudgements that you may neuer feele the want of a peaceable and bolde conscience Another reason is this bicause this is onely the prerogatiue of the Lordes children in aduersitie to keepe their soules by patience Luk. 21. 19. Rom. 5. 3. and therefore the Lord will not giue his childrens meate vnto dogges nor yet cast such a pearle before such swine Where there is a dissimilitude of ioy there is also a dissimilitude of sorrow but betwixt the good and bad there is no likenes of their mirth and therefore there shall be no likenes of their woe they are proud when we are poore they are many when we are fewe they are merrie when we are sorrie they are glorious when we seeme comfortlesse and therefore when we are relecued they are distressed God is our comfort but it is their comfort if there were no God the diuell is our enimie but their
with mourning least they should esteeme the matter lightly that their sinne could be washed away with teares he telleth them plainly that the wine shal be pulled from their mouth and this he doth in my iudgement to driue them to a deeper conscience of their sinnes and consideration of the Lordes wrath So that he may seeme thus to say vnto them it is alreadie decreed that your euill shall not be turned away therefore lament your calamitie And from hence we may note that all the feigned repentance vncōfortable cries of the wicked shall neuer turne away the wrath of God from them So doth the holy Ghost declare Heb. 12. 17. Gen. 27. 38. when Esau with abundance of weeping cried out for the blessing yet he could not obtaine it Wherein there appeereth their endlesse misery that their teares shal be no more accepted of God then are the cries of a beast in the hand of a butcher The Lord knoweth that they are not humbled for his sake but for their owne and were it not more for the fear of their own misery then of his iudgements they would neuer take his name in their mouthes except to blaspheme him The Lord can and will shewe himselfe froward with them that are froward Psal 18. and haue as deafe eares at their cries as euer they had at our sermons he will be as merciles vnto them as euer they were to their brethren no children which seeme innocent no women which seeme penitent no olde men which seeme religious no yoong men which seeme glorious nor any bloode which seemeth precious shall remooue their paines and reuerse his sentence And this doth the holie Ghost alwaies perswade vnto the wicked bicause hee telleth them in other places as Prou. 15. 8. Mich. 6. 7. That their sacrifices are abhomination vnto him and if they woulde giue him the fruite of their bodies for the sinne of their soules yet will he not be mercifull vnto them What did the Lord in outward shewe better accept then sacrifice and what coulde outwardly shew greater obedience then with Abraham to offer vp their owne children yet it being done of a wicked man or womon all were woorth nothing Secondly the Lorde hath appointed a time wherein he woulde haue our conuersion performed which being passed there can bee no redemption Psalm 95. 7. Cant. 5. 6. To day if you will heare his voice then harden not your harts the fruitlesse tree in the Gospell had a time wherein it should beare fruite which being omitted without all mercy is hewed downe Therefore haue you also a time in the which if you be conuerted then shal your death be deare in the sight of the Lord but if you neglect this time your bloud shall be vile in his presence But when will you say is this time and how shall we knowe it Surely if a man in his last testament giue a legacie of money to his sonne or seruant and name not the time of the payment the lawe doth adiudge it to bee due at the death of the testatour so the Lorde hauing set no time in his testament when thou shalt repent either in yoong or in olde age in the day or in the night he thereby teacheth vs that euery day yea euery minute is appointed for our repentance till we haue repented therefore how much we liue without conuersion so much we loose and euerie day calleth vpon vs to fulfill our fathers testament except we be bastards Seeing now that the case of wicked men is so pitiles at the Lords hande let vs see what exhortations we may gather from hence for our instruction and first of all let vs take that which our Sauiour hath left Luk. 13. 24. Striue saith he to enter in at the straite gate for the time shall come that many shall striue and not be able to enter Labour I beseech you for Religion for the knowledge of the Gospell for obedience to the ministerie that your prosperitie may be continued and your aduersitie may be relieued What a shame is it for men of wealth woorth to be shut out of a noble mans gates or rather what a shame is it that the teares and sute of a sonne being in prison or beggerly shall not mooue his owne parents to clemencie so shall it be with you when you shall haue mercy shut against you bicause you cared not for the bloude of Christ and you shall haue your owne father by creation not once acknowledge you to be childrē or pitty your calamity bicause you disobeied him therfore now striue that then you may enter now obey that then you may be receiued now humble your selues that then you may be lift vp let this prouoke you like an iron grate vnto the embracing of the fear of God Presume not on the Lords mercie despaire not of your owne estates say not it is too soon for that is impietie yea the houre now is thinke not it is too late for that is blasphemie but if now thou canst enter now also thou shalt be receiued Another vse heerof doth the Lorde himselfe make Esay 17 13. That euen the same things wherein we trusted being in prosperitie shall if they can deliuer vs vp when we are in aduersitie when thou criest saith the Lorde the things that thou hast gathered togither shall deliuer thee but the winde shall take them away vanitie shall pull them away but he that trusteth in me shall inherite the lande and possesse my holie mountain The Lord mocketh and derideth at the wicked men as if he should say vnto them in this sorte you olde men you haue gathered many fables you yong men you haue hoarded many pastimes you women you haue laid vp many trifles you rich men haue encroched many purchases you noble men haue encreased your wordly honor now call to these your gods in sicknes in famine in warre in pouertie in miserie in death but I will blow them from you they cannot helpe you you shall onely knowe that they which haue relied on my blessing beleeued in my promise delighted in my truth they onely shall haue the earth for their possession and the heauens for their inheritance How foolish are men that seeke not for these things before hande that knowe not that in their wealth they choose for their life which they must abide and cannot auoide when they are in distresse either godlinesse which procureth their worldly ignominie and their heauenlie glorie or else wickednes and vnlawfull riches that causeth their worldly maiestie but their euerlasting miserie The eight Sermon Vers 6. For a nation commeth vpon my land mightie and without number whose teeth are like the teeth of a lyon and he hath the iawes of a great lyon NOw the Prophet commeth to his metaphoricall allusions whereby sometimes hee mooueth the people somtimes he describeth the persons which are the workers of this calamitie as in this vers where hee resembleth the beastes to a nation
vnseasonable showers which haue brought vpon vs this lamentable and miserable dearth for our wet and waterie weeping times are most like vnto them They were in danger of the enimie who watched but the opportunitie to ouerrun them so may we also feare that our enimies which are many within vs and mightie without vs in other countries by these times of opportunity shal likewise aduenture to ouercome vs. They were in danger to haue their raines continued and their dearth increased and so also are we for as yet we haue noted and found the waters sometimes at the bankes sometimes ouer the shoares somtimes in the plaine fields and sometimes beating downe the goodly planted corne turning the wheat into dirt and making dung of that which should be bread Therefore lament I beseech you and tremble euery soule among vs in our houses talking in our streetes walking in our congregations praying and in our meates eating and drinking Let vs make our hearts sorrowfull our teares plentifull our liues pitifull that the Lord may be mercifull Let vs weepe that the heauens may reioice let vs plough our hearts that our fieldes may be fruitfull let vs cast away our sinnes that wee may carrie in our stores let vs weed our liues that we may reap our corne finally in vs it lieth to recouer our plenty therefore pray with Dauid Psal 144. 12 13. that our oxen may be strong our sheepe may encrease thousands our children may be godly our garners may be filled our streetes may be ioyfull and our whole nation may be thankefull The nienth Sermon Vers 8. Mourne like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth THis is the second exhortation wherein the prophet teacheth them by a familiar example how they ought to weepe euen as a virgin lately married or contracted mourneth for her husband who dieth before they haue filled their hearts with loue so the words are an exhortation groūded on a similitude of mourning in sackcloth for the dead for so it appeareth was the auncient custome of lamentation From this similitude we may obserue first in this allegorie this doctrine that our affections in heauenly things must be as passionate and at the least be as earnest as they are in earthly things For thus the prophet calleth vnto them mourne now as bitterly and humble your soules as vnfeinedly as a yoong woman doth for the death of her first loue This our Sauiour prooueth Luk. 16. to vers 13. in the parable of the false and vniust steward how he dischargeth his office and prouideth for hereafter willing vs to be so wise in the heauenly matters as we are in the earthly So that hast thou rode long iourneys for thy profit then thou must do the like for the Lord hast thou spent liberally on thy wife children haukes hounds and other vanities then thou must doe the like for the Lord hast thou watched many nights at cardes dice dauncing and dalliance thou must do as much in prayer hast thou fasted many houres for phisick thou must do as much for deuotion hast thou wept bitterly and wouldest not be comforted for many daies and nights togither for thy wife thy children thy parents thy brothers or any other thou must doe as much for thy sinnes or else as thou hast lost thy friends so shalt thou loose thy soule and to conclude thou must as zealously thirst after the bloode of Christ as euer thou lustedst after thy meate and drinke for thy body or as a chased hart for the water or else thou canst hardly be saued The reasons of this doctrine may easily be rendered although in truth it needeth no reason First if we be not as earnest in heauenly as we are in earthly things then may we be well said to bee those cursed wretches which were prophesied of long agoe 2. Tim. 3. 4. Louers of pleasures more then louers of God What canst thou or darest thousay O wicked man that thou louest God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe for this say the ignorant sort is as much as all the preachers in the world can tell them when thou wilt do more for thy earthly master and go farther for thy whoore and deale more liberally amongst drunkards and labour more painefully for a worldly trade and humane arte or science then thou wilt for God for the gospell for the poore and for religiō so thou maist perswade thy selfe but neuer any wise man will beleeue thee Secōdly if we giue not as much zeale to our soules as we do greedines to our bodies then as Paule saith Rom. 7. 5. wee are still in the flesh and the motions of sinne shall bring foorth fruit vnto death Now if you accompt no disgrace to haue your flesh for your God your motions of sinne for your profession and the condemnation of your soules for your reward then go on still and fill vp your measure to the brim and dare the Lorde to his face not caring for his maiestie No my beloued I will not suffer you to go this way to heauen as God would not suffer the Israelites to go the easiest way into Canaan but you must go another way farther about and safer for your passage Although you would raze your names out of the booke of life as Moses would though not for zeale but for pleasure yet you must not be suffered but rather say with Peter 1. Pet. 4. 23. Hence forward as much time as we shall liue in the flesh let vs liue after the will of God and not after the lustes of men for it is sufficient for vs that we haue spēt the time past of our liues walking in the lusts of the Gentiles in wantonnes drunkennes lustes gluttony drinkings and abhominable idolatries From hence we first learne that which Paul hath taught vs Rom. 6. 19. that as we haue giuen our members to be the seruants of sin vnto vnrighteousnes so now we must giue them to be the seruants of holines vnto righteousnes Now let vs stir vp all the parts of our soules and bodies vnto Christian conuersion our feet must run in it our hands must worke in it our eies must see in it our eares must hear it our taste must delight in it our affections must meditate in it our hearts must conceiue it our memories must remember it our whole man must be spent in it we must walke soberly we must worke righteously we must behold chastely we must heare diligently we must sauour it pleasantly we must thinke on it holily we must receiue it reuerently and we must remember it perpetually Giue vp your members I beseech you vnto righteousnes Was thy mouth made for eating and drinking and not to speake the Lords praise was thy heart made for the world and thy witte to make good and thriftie bargaines or rather for the embracing of heauenly Christ were thy handes made to play at tables to write well to fight for the defence of
hearers The reasons of this doctrine are these bicause in that time the Lorde sheweth himselfe to be an enimie Lamen 2. 5 8. And who is he that will not sorrow knowing that the Lorde is his enimie would he euer fall out so farre with his owne people as to suffer his owne glorie to bee darkened were it not bicause he hath kindled his wrath against them euen as a Lorde in this worlde taketh from his seruant his office his cognisance and in the end turneth him out of his dores bicause he hath displeased him so dealeth the Lorde with vs when he maketh men colde in his seruice and wearie of his Gospell O my beloued nowe I feare is the Lord an enimie vnto vs when hee suffereth such abuses and abusers of his goodnes to liue among vs. Poperie beginneth againe to growe ioyfully out of the earth in the Lordes fieldes Atheisme priuily stretcheth his selfe as the Iuie doth about the Oke the ministerie groweth careles the people waxeth wanton the rich men are idle and the poore men are ignorant of the Lords seruice Are not these sufficient tokens that the Lord beginneth to be an enimie vnto England O mourne therefore as a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husbande of her youth See we not how the worlde winneth vpon the possessions of the church if we haue a vnitie then bringeth he in securitie if there be diuisions then brocheth hee manie blasphemous heresies if we agree among our selues he maketh the world to hate vs if we please the worlde our own brethren suspect vs if we haue great gifts then are we enuied if we haue but smal gifts then are we despised and thus with nothing are all men pleased the Lords busines is still deferred Surely this will make the Lord fall out with vs be our enimie for euerie one thinketh that his owne dislike is reason enough to be absent from the Lords presence And if there be anie that loue the Lorde Iesus let them before hande sorrow that his second comming shall finde no faith on the earth Let vs therefore cast downe our selues as the Apostle wisheth vs Iam. 4. 9. Endure afflictions and weepe and sorrow let your laughter be turned into heauines and your ioy into mourning nowe is the time as Ieremie said that we giue glorie to the Lorde before he bring darknes or euer our feete stumble in the darke mountaines Let vs beholde as in a watch towre this enimie of the church marching neere at hande readie to fight against our saluation to poison our faith to abolish the Scriptures to silence the preachers to distract the people and to roote vp againe that foundation which the Lorde hath builded This let both princes and people clergie and temporaltie lament with all speede and without all ceasing that the bane of Religion is alreadie receiued and the foundation of darkenes is alreadie laide the workemen of iniquitie are building vpon it we cannot hinder but we will pray against it we cannot roote it vp but we wil set the fire of the Lords word to burne it we cannot deface it yet we will lament it Mourne O yee elders that your posteritie shall be thus endangered that in your daies you haue seene the Lorde a friende and an enimie to vs that you haue suffered the decay of that which all the worlde can neuer builde that you haue so laboured to builde your owne houses and names and haue rooted vp the walles of the church Weepe O yoong men for your selues and for your soules for your liues shall smart for your pleasures and I am afraide that the bloude of your harts must clense the wickednes of your times Crie out O children that you are deputed to haue but the reuersions of the truth which your elders deuoured and leaue you nothing but pay those debtes which they owe for their iniquities The meate offeringe All the offerings which were sacrificed in the olde lawe did betoken Christ to be sacrificed for vs vnto the which there was to be added as the Lorde commanded Numb 15. 4 5 6. a meate offering of fine meale and oyle and a drinke offering of wine without which there was no offering no sacrifice so that in this place when he saith the meat offering and drinke offering are cut off from the house of God he meaneth by one part the whole worship of God to be intermitted Frō whence we may note this that God hath so great regard to punish sinne that rather then it shall escape scot free he will discontinue his owne worship More plainly men know that so long as they keepe the worship of God and the pure outward profession of true religion no great nor generall change of state or iudgement of God shal ouerturne them therefore the Lorde will take away his worde his worship his truth from among them which are the charets of Israel and the garde of the church that he may more freely take vengeance of our sinnes Thus may we read he dealt with Israell Psal 78. 60. Lam. 2. 16. Now consider I beseech you what refuge can we haue against the Lorde or what shield to couer our sinnes why you will saie the Lords mercie but how if mercie haue beene offered and be refused and so the date thereof for our good be expired Yet you will saie his mercie endureth for euer but I may answere you that hee so little regardeth mercy to men and seruice to himselfe at sometimes that he taketh away all signe of his fauour all tokens of his presence all comfort of his word and commoditie by his worship and so let vs feare in England least we be so serued and rather ruled and least the time come that we may say heere stood a church there was the Gospell preached once we might safely professe the word of God but now we are excluded The reasons of this may be these first because the people so long as they say the temple of the Lord the Gospell of the Lorde so long they are obstinate in their sinnes and wilfull in all manner of wickednesse Iere. 7. 4 3. And for this cause to take away their shroude that they might cast away their vaine confidence the Lorde spareth not his owne worship to shew vnto vs that he also will not spare our liues This might be vrged to the vttermost for these our times wherein there are few that will crie the temple or the Gospell but amongst those few which vrge the bare name of religion and reformation how many are there that liue riotously and walke licentiously pitifully tronbling the world with their lustes and the church of God with their workes but let vs beware least both they and others cannot say the temple but that we had religion in England Secondly another reason may be this because we take not the true course and lawfull way to keepe the worship of God among vs. Rom. 9. 32. The Iewes saith the Apostle
haue stumbled and lost the law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith so when the Gospell shall be offered as to the Iewes being not rightly receiued it is againe withdrawen that they may say it was once among vs. I feare me my beloued that we haue resisted the lawe of righteousnesse this way as much or woorse then the Iewes for we haue intreaties of peace euery one speaketh and writeth what he pleaseth whereby some are stumbled many are hindred and others are discouraged and what remaineth but that all should be vtterly turned out of the way Now let vs come to some vse of this doctrine will the Lord so punish vs to take away his worde his worship and his Gospell from among vs Verily some will say that is our desire we shall followe our pleasures more freely delight in our sinnes more sweetely and saue much money which we impart to religion Stay a little I pray you how if a famine come and remooue it as here it was or how if the sword come and driue it from you as it hath in other places thinke you then to be so well eased of the Gospell when you shall goe from a sweete church to a stinking prison and in steede of a preachers reproofe you shall endure an executioners rod. Nay but take this with you whensoeuer the Lordes worship is intermitted your liues shall not last and if they doe you shall wish rather to die Ierem. 6. 21. I will saith the Lord lay stumbling blockes before you the father and the sonne shall fall the neighbour and the friend shall perish Here is the calamitie which commeth by the remoouing of the Lordes worship it costeth much blood it bringeth much woe it curseth many soules it shaketh the world darkeneth the sunne it troubleth the waters it maketh God mercilesse it maketh men helplesse it maketh the church comfortlesse the present times smart for it the next age weepeth for it but the last daies shall answere for it the liuing shall be troubled the dead shall be defiled and they which are vnborne shall repent it and to conclude if euer wee liue to see the Lordes worde and worship taken from vs we shall haue a hell of the worlde a wildernesse of the church crueltie in steede of curtesie beastlinesse in steed of humanitie and all impietie in steede of christianitie From the house of God That is from the publike place appointed for the worship of God What then might some say if we cannot in the church then we will in our houses and we can serue God as hartily in our parlors as we can in the temples yet for all this if it could be so the prophet complaineth that it is so I meane that the Lords house is vnfrequented From hence note this that it is a greeuous iudgement of God when the place dedicated to his seruice is not vsed thereto but lieth either waste or else otherwise applied If men come not to the churches as the Lorde appointed being in prosperitie it calleth for vengeance but in aduersitie it betokeneth a iudgement Psal 74. 8. Reuel 2. 5. The Lord threateneth the church of Ephesus to take away the candlesticke from them whereby he sheweth the last and greatest plague that can come vpon a citie which is the laying waste their congregations The which thing I would to God I coulde driue into their harts which make as much account of the churches as they doe of the tauernes and are as diligent to come vnto them as the theeues to the prisons Alas my brethren what harme haue you receiued by following the Lords courtes and assemblies of the saintes that your presence forsaketh them your soules forsweareth them and your liues are more strangers therein then Dauid was at Achis or the Pope now in England is it a iudgement to come and not to finde them and not a plague neither to come nor to finde them Thinke you not being gentlemen and wealthie men whose deuotion will not abide a showre of raine that if you missed but a childe of your owne in your house that you could endure it and not bee sorrowfull how then shall the Lorde endure your obstinate and rebellious absence seeing hee loueth it more deerely then a woman doth her sonne and therefore tendereth our presence most fatherly Beware least it be saide of you they went out from vs because they were not of vs and they that gather not with vs scatter abroad The reasons of this doctrine may be these because then the name of the Lord is forgotten Deut. 32. 18. It cannot be but out of sight out of minde as the common prouerbe goeth and therefore when the churches are not frequented and there is no publike remembrance of the Lords works the Lordes name must needes be forgotten We haue I graunt some profit by our priuate assemblies our families but if once the publike places be neglected then farewell all religion Praiest thou in thy family do so in the church instruct thou thy family bring them also to the preachers hast thou a little church in thy houshold ioyne them also to the great church in the congregation that there they may learne the woonderfull workes of God for when preachers are banished churches are emptied congregations rased hearing despised the places dedicated to the Lords worship violate keepe what order thou canst in thy family yet will religion christianity be soone forgotten Another reason of this doctrine may be this because when these publique meetings places be barred vp then there appeareth no church of God Deut. 12. 5. 1. King 8. 29. What a calamitie is it to see the sunne darkened the earth couered with water and the moone with clouds So is it when the face of the church cannot be seene in the congregation whereby men may learne how odious is their sinne which keepe away themselues and their seruants from publique praying and preaching What do they else but obscure and put out the very church of God they disgrace their owne mother and forsake their fellow members by putting out themselues from our meetings How shall we accompt them of the church which com not to the church or rather how shal we say that they are God his children when they darken the spouse of Christ and giue occasion to the common enimy of saluation to reioice against the godly and aduance his banners aboue our castles The vses which we must make of this doctrine are these First seeing it is a most grieuous plague of God to haue the churches voide of his seruice then let vs runne and flocke with all diligence vnto the cōgregation of the saints the meetings of the godly Isa 2. 2 3. This is the most assured token of the church of God when the people come togither to heare the word and this is a comfortable argument to a mans owne soule that in this life he was ioyned to the church militant and therefore they
shall be of the church triumphant Oh how can they looke euer to come into the heauens which in this life neuer come into the temples nor outwardly obey the Gospell Therefore if euer you will come into ioy and enter into euerlasting pleasures ascend vp to the house of God there dwelleth the Lord you may see him there soundeth his word you may heare it there is giuen the spirit you may receiue it there are gathered the godly you may be with them and there beginneth saluation you may obtaine it If you be high stoope downe to it if you be base arise vp to it if you be rich ride to it if you be strong walke to it if you be lame be carried to it if you be blinde be leade to it if you be sicke long to be in it and if you be old euen there desire to die Runne I beseech you with speed goe with ioy labour with pleasure and desire with zeale to be ioyned to your Sauiour They which forsake it God will forsake them they which despise it God will despise them they which embrace it God will receiue them Let not any thing I beseech you keepe you from the churches seeing you would haue nothing keepe you from heauen Liue with the church pray with the church suffer with the church and die with the church As all the angels appeare before God in heauen so must all the saints appeare before him in earth they which are missed are excluded they which are present shall be blessed Another vse which we must make of this doctrine may be this that it shall be good for vs not only to visite the church but to continue in the assemblies with all diligence Euerlasting is the commendation of Anna Luk. 2. 37. which continued in the temple seruing God day and night and so wee read Act. 20. 7. that the church continued hearing of Paul till midnight It is a thing most strange to see men not onely negligent to come to the church but also being present they are impudent to depart out of the church and who are these but those which come seldome there for by reason therof they haue least taste of spirituall hunger and so are soone wearie of spirituall foode Abide therefore in the congregation for there is alway something behinde woorth the learning when all is done yet tarrie for the blessing as the people did for Zacharie Luk. 1. 21. Come I say with a continued diligence and omit not one time especially vnto that church whereof thou art a member whensoeuer praier or preaching calleth for thee Be assured of this the oftner thou commest the more thou delightest and the more thou art absent the lesse shall be thy comfort If thou wouldest say with Dauid O Lord how sweete is thy word vnto my mouth thou must also first sing with him all the day long is my study therein If woe belong to the Pastor that preacheth not the word then also damnation belongeth to the people that heare not the worde By vse thou shalt thinke a day too little for a sermon and a yeere too little for a praier By continuance thy hard heart will be softened and thy wicked life conuerted A woman married to a stranger by familiar and daily conuersation groweth into great loue where was great dislike so shall thy soule being married to our assemblies which it abhorreth in time to come delight in them most cheerefully which it loathed most wickedly The priests the Lords ministers mourne The better to perswade the people to lamentation hee bringeth in the ministers to moane them shewing that their pastors and spirituall fathers were alreadie in teares for this calamity and therfore also they must follow them By this we may note that the ministers are alwaies the first that come into danger If there be afflictions they are first apprehended if there be famines they are first oppressed and if there be warres they are most spitefully handeled There were seuen thousand good men in Israel but the prophets they were slaine and Eliah being left aboue all other was most of all endangered 1. King 19. 10. 11. There were many faithfull soules in Iewrie at Christs passion but him alone and his Apostles did the Iewes persecute crucifie So that hereby we may appeare to be of all men most miserable The world doth much enuie our honor our liuing and our estimation and our names insomuch as there is not any which hath not beene either enriched by our demesnes or conuerted by our sermons but they holde vs in exceeding hatred Well in this wee will saie with Ieremie This is our portion and we will beare it By this then let them knowe which are entred into our calling or purpose to put on a preachers gowne that his life must be full of danger his danger full of crueltie and he alwaies the foremost in any trouble I will saide the Lord make you to be hated of all men for my names sake Wouldest thou bee a minister of the Gospell thou desirest a woorthie worke Knowe then if thou liue in peace thou shalt bee enuied if in warre thou shalt be derided if thou be rich the world will murmure at thee but if thou bee poore then it will tread vpon thee Thinkest thou to liue easilie thou deceiuest thy selfe thinkest thou to liue in mens fauour thou deceiuest thy soule hopest thou for maintenance beware of flatterie lookest thou for friendship thou shalt receiue enimitie Thou must bee a seruant to seruantes thou must bee a slaue to base mindes and an open marke for wicked toongs Thy owne shall be withholden thy doctrine vpbraided and thy life liue thou neuer so warilie shal be endited Wilt thou please men thou shalt displease God wilt thou please God thou must displease men if thou speake thou shalt bee controuled if thou bee silent thou must be reproched if the worlde laugh on thee the Lord will laugh at thee if it frowne then thou art first in danger The reasons why this should be so are these first bicause in them the Lorde doth punish the whole people Zech. 13. 7. I will strike the shepherd and the sheepe shall be scattered If the pastors be good they are troubled for their people if they bee euill they are troubled for themselues A good man was woont to say that of all creatures a good minister was the best and a bad minister the woorst Therefore they are sometime troubled for the peoples cause yea sometime by the people as Christ died for the people and yet was put to death by the people And the cause is good for if the pastor let any people perish their soules must bee required at his hande so if a good pastor be molested of a bad people not his worde but his bloude shall be reuenged on them So then we are not alway sued for our own debts imprisoned for our owne obligations but being pledges hostages or rather sureties
rebukes of sin for the Lord. Hos 4. 4. cōplaineth of the desperate estate of the people for he saide they rebuked the prophet This is the sin of England for there are among vs that will teach wise men and themselues being fooles they will controule learned men themselues being ignorant they will sohoole preachers yet they cannot heare they will rule magistrates themselues being subiects and they will seeme to doe all things being able to doe nothing But this is the point woorthie to be stoode vpon they will reprooue the minister of the Gospell If they suspect vs they condemne vs if there be but an vncertaine rumour they make it a certaine sclander so that our life our liuings our doctrine our calling and all our preaching is contemned by them Our life to be idle our liuings to be too great our doctrine to be suspitious our calling to be burdensome and our preaching to be onely for a worldly respect Oh incurable vndurable mischiefe why do men at once set Christ to schoole teach God to be wise refuse the Gospels gouernment and choose the tyranny of sinne Why do they rebuke vs and yet thinke they do well if the rod of magistrates light on vs for our sinnes let vs abide it but to let euery drunkard and ruffian and seruingman and euery base companion to crow against the Gospell and our calling let vs neuer abide They hate vs because they loue sinne they loue liberty because they abhorre discipline they regard not the ministery because they regard not God and therefore looke for a present and speedie calamitie for since that base fellowes became ministers base fellowes haue regarded none so that now we may preach out our hearts and pray out our soules and weepe out our eies yet we shall receiue nothing but scoffes and scornes rebuke and scander for our labor Weepe and howle hauing bidden them to be ashamed now he biddeth them to bee sorrowfull for well hee knew that their hope and health was lost when their corne and fruites were destroyed wherein they trusted more then in GOD. And from hence wee may obserue that if the worshippe of God bee once decaied there is not any so desperately wicked or dissolute but he shall smart for them we may say Esay 9. 10 11 12. That the wicked make great bragges if they were depriued of preaching the word they say they would turne brickes into hewen stone and tymber into Cedar trees but the Lorde telleth them that their enimies shall beset them and he will cut off both honorable and taile So is the course of his iudgement that when hee hath taken away his worship which is a helmet of proofe to keepe his wrath from vs then he sendeth greatest calamitie when we thinke we shall liue in greatest securitie The filthie Sodomites thought that they were well when Lot was gone from among them but there followed presently fire and brimstone from heauen By this our gallants may perceiue that if the Gospell be in the wrath of God translated from our countrey their brauerie and pride and wealth and prosperitie shall be ouerturned into perpetuall miserie They thinke it a burden intollerable to liue vnder the checke heereof but let them know that the little finger of humane tyrannie shall bee heauier on them then the loines and body of all christianitie Oh how do men deceiue themselues with sweete promises of great and incredible ease which they shall reape by the abasing of the ministerie by the decay of good men and the abandoning of all goodnes when they shall haue libertie to commit any kinde of sinne O miserable wretches saith one to whom it is lawfull to do wickedly surely you shall come out of a little brooke and runne headlong into the maine sea The reason of this doctrine is this bicause the wicked shoulde knowe that all goodnesse which they receiue is for the Gospels and godly mens sake Prou. 11. 11. there is not any thing in the worlde which the godly haue not a title vnto insomuch as all the wicked men are but vsurpers of the goods and landes and wealth and dignities they enioy so long as a godly man is liuing The worlde is a bodie religion is the soule thereof which being remooued is dead and fit for nothing The worlde is a building and the worship is the pillar postes thereof which being remooued it must needes fall as the house wherein Sampson slewe the Philistines So that it is most plaine that when our knowledge is turned to ignorance and the preachers of the worde of God cease to speake in the name of God and when the Gospell is banished from our lande and there bee a free libertie to doe what they list then I saie will the heauens threaten destruction the mindes of men shall be made blinde their vnderstanding shall bee taken from them and they shall liue as other people do without God his word to be slaues to their enimies drudges to their labours beastes in their liues enimies to God haters of good things and diuels by their death The vses which commeth from this doctrine is first of all that wee labour with speede to amende those things which are amisse among vs for else that iudgement which the Lorde once threatened to the Ephesian church Reuel 2. 5. shall take holde namely that the Lord will take away his candlesticke from vs if the light bee gone we shal liue in darknes if the word be gone we shall liue in blindnes if God his worship be taken from vs wee shall die in miserie This onely is the meate which if wee want will consume vs it is a sworde and if it bee not in our handes it will wounde vs it is a scepter which if the king of heauen holde not foorth we shall be condemned Feare the want of the Lords worship for if it goe from vs then he will depart if he depart then our prosperitie will cease and there shall not be a man aliue which will not desire to die Consider I beseech you if you haue enioyed great possessions goodly landes faire houses many friends delicate liues and many children but in one night thy aduersarie stealeth away thy euidence whereby thou holdest thy lande and then thou art turned out of possession thy landes are taken from thee thy friendes forsake thee thy children crie on thee and thou bee constrained either to harde labour or vnlawfull beggerie how wouldest thou take it but wish for a thousande deathes to bee deliuered from this shame So shall it bee with thee in the Gospell which is the euidence of thy peace thy health thy landes thy ioy and the kingdome of heauen the which being taken from thee thou canst neuer enioy any of these then thou shalt weepe without comfort sorrowe without hope liue without ioy die without peace and be damned without mercie Oh whose heart is not cleaued asunder to thinke vpon the danger of his soule Loue the
Gospell that it may tarrie with vs beleeue it that we may liue in it receiue it that we may reioice in it professe it that we may die in it professe I saie for his owne sake and for nothing else let thy eies see it thy eare heare it thy toong speake it thy heart regard it thy feete walke in it that thy hande may worke in it thy owne saluation Let vs amende that which is amisse and repent least all be taken from vs least our enimies reioice in our houses least our women lament in the streets our children cry in the fields our old men lie in the graues and all men die in desperation Let vs therefore to auoide all this mischiefe receiue that exhortation 1. Thess 2. 12. that euery one that nowe liueth in our English dominion in the daies of our most peaceable Salomon Walke woorthy of this vocation whereunto they are called If the Lorde shoulde require any great thing of vs ought we not to doe it seeing wee owe vnto him our owne selues much more ought we to walke like christians seeing we professe christianitie Walke we must and not stande still as the idle doe we must be woorthy of our places and not onely fill the roome as an image doth at a feast as our carnall Gospellers do and called we must be and not refuse to come as the greatest part in our age doth The Gospell is the sunne let vs looke on it it is the wedding garment let vs weare it it is the day let vs worke in it it is the salte of the worlde let vs taste it it is the way to saluation let vs trauaile in it it is the life of all thinges let vs liue in it Oh therefore you which are called refuse not to come you which are liuing lengthen your daies you which can see beholde the miseries of your ioy and you which haue legges to walke withall bodies to liue withall space to returne time to repent leasure to practise soules to saue or any grace of God within you walke woorthie of saluation You must not walke as other doe for Christ is our patterne you must not walke as the most doe for the flocke of God is little you must not walke as you haue done for you must bee newe creatures Walke in knowledge for that will make you wise walke in faith for that will make you zealous walke in loue that will make you Christians walke in cleannesse that will make you saints and walke in patience for that will giue you the Lords kingdome Be shod with preparation of the Gospell of peace and let your strength bee encreased to goe on from step to step from vertue to vertue from teare to teare from trouble to trouble from day to day and from the death of this life to the life of this death for the Lords praise in his truth to our ioy in his kingdome The eleuenth Sermon Vers 12. The vine is dried vp and the figge tree is decaied the pomegranate tree and the apple tree euen all the trees of the field are withered surely the ioy is withered away from the sonnes of men THe prophet oftentimes as we may see telleth them one thing the destruction and ouerthrowe of the fruits of their land in the same words and therfore groundeth still the same exhortation bidding them weepe and howle mourne and lament as if either he tooke pleasure to sing such mournefull songs or else to shewe vnto them that the sorrowes of their harts must recouer the plentie of the land And in dwelling thus long in the Lords iudgements and their repentance he teacheth vs how necessarie a thing it is to stand long on a good text and neuer to be wearie of a good matter although it be bitter to the taste of our harts It is a common thing in the word of God to repeate one thing often and therefore Paul desireth of the Corinthians that it should not be greeuous to heare the same things often for we are of this nature that many things we vnderstand not many things we remember not sometimes we giue that to a naturall cause which belongeth to a diuine iudgement and most times we little regarde the heauenly oracles for all these often repetitions are most necessarie And let vs with often repetition ioine some shew of earnest affection as Paul doth Phil. 3. 18. where he saith of those things I haue tolde you often and now tell you weeping c. Many words and many repetitions without notes of singular passion are or at least may seeme to bee friuolous and therefore let this be the exercise of religious minds when they are driuen to vse againe those admonitions which they once vsed that their words shew their meaning their iterations testifie their earnestnesse and signes of griefe and sorrowe expresse their affection thus this prophet hath told his minde by word and vrged the matter by repetition and confirmed the thing by outward tokens In this 12. verse he bringeth in al other things which groweth on the earth when hee nameth all the trees of the fielde and more especially the apple tree the pomegranate tree and the palme tree whereby hee noteth that not onely those creatures which were good for nourishment were taken away that the people should haue no refuge in worldly confidence but also that the outward ornaments of the earth as the ground-growinggrasse the tall springing-trees which serued for comfort onely were destroied Whereby in generall we obserue that there is not any thing so glorious or so comfortable which the Lord hath created in the world but for the sinne of man he will destroy the same as the prophet sheweth at large Zeph. 1. 13 17. If the earth were all golde and the grasse were all pearle and the trees were all siluer the fieldes were full of corne yet would not the Lord spare any for all this Oh my deere brethren it is not the growing corne nor the springing grasse nor the goodly trees nor the stately towers nor the walled cities nor the pleasant apples or the beautifull abundance of the world that can stay the wrath of God from falling on vs the horse saueth not in battell the armour defendeth not in fight and riches cannot redeeme a soule God which made all is not mooued with any thing saue onely with righteousnesse and obedience and to take vengeance of our disobedience he ouerturneth and ouerthroweth all The reasons of this doctrine are these first because he setteth more by his word then by all the works of his hands Matt. 24. 35. the works of God can but shew him but the word of God teacheth vs to come to him and therefore seeing he careth for our saluation more then for the preseruation of any of his creatures he will not spare them because they shew his glorie or giue vs nourishment but all things shall be confounded for the sinne of man Another reason is because for sinne he spared
not the angels 2. Pet. 2. 4. and therefore he will not spare the lesser creatures for the angels are the most glorious creatures of the world who sinning against God in the beginning were cast downe from heauen into eternall torments Oh this should much terrifie vs which are lower then the angels viler then the creatures and more woorthie of death then all the works of God are of corruption that al the world for our sinne and sake should be euery day in danger of destruction And seeing the angels being in heauen found no place of mercie but present banishment and euerlasting fire how should we come into heauen with our sinnes or thinke to escape on the earth seeing the Lorde is as powerfull and wrathfull beneath among men as he is aboue among angels The vses which arise from this doctrine are these first as we might hereby gather an excellent argument to enforce the irefull wrath of God so may we also learne by this how miserable is the estate of worldy men which trust in the things of this life which shall be all destroied Deut. 28. 52 63. What do men that satisfie their lustes that gather their wealth that enlarge their dominions and other worldly things as building of faire houses leauing monuments of their names to posteritie but heape vp a great deale of dry wood for the wrath of God to consume them Take them from their desire you take them from their god pul them from their profits and you pull them from heauen but the wealth which they haue gained shoulde serue their turnes and their posterities in this life and afterward bee consumed This were but a tolerable estate and to be endured but alas the rust of that which they hoorded the crie of that they misgayned the riot of that which they haue wickedly consumed shall torment their liues in another worlde Why doest thou worship thy goods in louing them more then God bicause thou thinkest on thē more then on him and why dost thou trauaile for this worlde and the thinges thereof with so insatiable and greedy desire for if thou gaine them thou gainest more burthens to thy life and more woe to thy soule if thou haue them thou canst not long keepe them for death will part them and thee in sunder or vengeance will take them out of thy handes Oh tell me I beseech you which care for your parts and portions in this life what benefite haue you by louing them nothing but feare to loose them what profite commeth by enioying them nothing but labour to keep thē what hurt is there by wanting them nothing but a poore life and a peaceable death the loue of these is the losse of heauen and the lacke of these is the loue of God Another vse which euerie one euen the wicked must make heereof is the same which the Lorde exhorteth the Edomites vnto Esay 21. 14. Seeing their vines and fruits and corne and all other things shall come to an ende and be taken awaie with the wrath of God therefore let euery one that hath them giue them to the thirstie for drinke to the hungrie for meate to the naked for cloth and to the poore for maintenance Oh consider what is our dutie while as yet there is a little corne and comfort to our lande and deale with it as one woulde deale with his owne body for anone it shall be taken by violence therefore nowe bestowe for deuotion if wee tarrie but a little vengeance will take them and vs therefore let charitie dispende them what what are they but earth if we deliuer not them to earth shall they come againe Now they haue force to succour our liues and if we spende them not well anone they will haue powre to subuert and condemne our soules Howe is ioy withered from the sonnes of men Nowe hee complaineth what this want hath wrought when he saith that ioy is withered away as mowen grasse doth from his greenenesse so this from the sonnes of men that is the people of the lande For we cannot bee ignorant that of all times of the yeere there was most sweete singing and pleasant sporting at the time of haruest as we reade Esay 9. 5. bicause that then were the fruits reaped and comfort receiued of men but when these were destroyed their vines had no grapes their trees had no apples and their fieldes had no corne then I say was their mirth laide aside into most solitarie and sorrowfull mourning By these words note that the want of worldly comfort and the feeling of worldly and carnall sorrowe is a great and fearefull iudgement of God Deut. 28. 63. If men see no ioy in their children or comfort in their possessions or profite by their labour but in all these they are made more heauie and solitarie and the Lorde taketh from them a cheerefull countenance nay if the fruites of the earth bee destroied as heere they were so that there be none euen then I say although there be none occasion of ioy but all of sorrowe to be tormented with griefe bicause we haue not to supplie our liues is fearefull in the sight of God We cannot I grant but sorrow when we haue none occasion ofioy but yet we ought to make our griefe a godly sorrowe and the feare of famine to be the feare of condemnation for this shoulde we weepe that howsoeuer these thinges goe with vs in this life the other may be certaine in the life to come The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause it causeth death 2. Cor. 7. 7. 10. Worldly sorrow causeth death for as the fire wasteth the woode and the sunne consumeth the frost so doth carnall care eate vp the life of man Somtimes these sorrowfull worldlings are raging with enuie sometimes ouercome with malice and many times at their wits ende through couetousnesse so that the beautifull waxe pale therwith the lustie and strong man is weakned they which were pleasant are heauie and they which seemed godly are made wicked This worldly sorrowe made Achitophell that wise man to hang himselfe and Saule that strong man to kill himselfe and Zimrie that wicked king to burne himselfe for the Lorde suffered many to fall into it that they might despaire of his mercie and be excluded from his kingdome Oh therefore whosoeuer will shewe any care of his owne soule or any account of Christes woundes let him meddle little in worldly businesse keepe in the boundes of thy vocation and range not into much dealing and many trades and occupations for thou dost but thrust thy soule into danger and a thousande to one but thou wilt repent in teares bloud thy ouerreaching policie Another reason of this doctrine is bicause it is a deere and not the least blessing of God to reioyce in thy possessions be they small or great Eccle. 5. 8. and therefore it is not the least curse of God to be troubled and tormoiled therewith What beast
being in a good pasture doth not reioyce in it or what birde hauing but a twigge to sit on doth not sing in the sunny mornings of the spring and wilt thou being a man or woman bee woorse then birde or beast not to reioyce in the blessings of God towardes thee Augustine telleth of one Paulinus that when hee had lost all his goods hee was so farre from being sorrowfull that this was his praier O Lord thou knowest where all my goods are treasured Take not then to heart euery worldly crosse art thou a husbandman and hast lost thy corne art thou a merchant and hast suffered shipwracke art thou a trauailer and hast beene spoiled by robbers art thou a widowe and hast lost both husbande and wealth yet take not sorrowe to thy hart sleepe from thy eies peace from thy life beautie from thy face nor comfort from thy soule From hence wee learne to make many profitable vses whereof this may be one that seeing worldly and carnall sorrowe is such a wofull iudgement of God therefore most miserable is the estate of worldly wicked men if they pray in it they cannot be heard Esay 16. 12. If they will embrace the Gospell the worlde will not let them and therefore this sorrowe doth torment them Luk. 18. 23. Oh where wil they now become Good men being sorrowfull are comforted by praier Lamen 5. but euill men although they vse the same wordes and lift vp their voices and weepe and woulde teare their heartes out of their breastes and giue as much to God for ioy as the diuell would haue giuen Christ for worship yet their worme shall euer gnaw them and ioy shall neuer come at thē though they change their mindes as Laban did Iacobs wages to encrease his flocke yet shall they still decrease and not preuaile as Labans did if they thinke as the Syrians did that the hilles be not for them and therefore they will descend into the valleyes there euen there also shall they be destroied Consider this I beseech you who in this world minde nothing but ioy and feare nothing but sorrow and thinke that your feare shall come vpon you Doe you imagine that your wealth shall continue your mirth no no said Salomon that is but vanitie and vexation of spirite or doe you suppose that your harts are Stoicall made of stones and therefore nothing shall dismay you but you will take all things without griefe oh consider that God shall bring this iudgement vpon you for other sinnes there is no counsell against the almightie What will you nowe do and where can you hide your selues that God may not finde you cannot he which made a hard rocke a running streame strike also your harde harts and make your liues and eies as full of teares and sorrowes as the wildernesse flowes full of water Yes yes with no labour shall he and will he plague your liues encrease your pangs multiplie your sorrowes cast downe your comforts and therefore cast away your euill conditions Another vse may be this that we take no thought or vexing care for the things of this life Luc. 12. 23 34. Our Sauiour Christ which was the richest that euer was became the poorest that euer coulde bee and therefore giueth this counsell that wee take not thought for foode or raiment who should take care if the poore take not care and yet our Sauiour a poore man biddeth both poore and rich not to vexe themselues for these earthly commodities Relie therefore vpon the word of our Sauiour I am sure thou wilt trust him when he said I came to saue sinners and thou wilt beleeue him when he said he was the sonne of God therefore doe not distrust him in his promise but take no thought for thy life especially such a care as should bee a hinderance vnto thee in thy spirituall duties Why dost thou labour when thou shouldest pray why dost thou trauell when thou shouldest heare why doest thou wearie thy bodie when thou shouldest rest thy soule in the sweete armes and woundes of a mercifull Sauiour If God doe but breath on thy labour it consumeth it if he curse the worke of thy hands it vanisheth and when it is gone where is thy labour and trauell and worke and ioy and comfort and hope but all in the fire Followe therefore thy labour with godlinesse and follow godlinesse with labour ioyne these two together as Simeon and Iudah ioined to driue the Canaanites out of the lande Iudg. 1. 7 8. and so shall not Canaan but heauen be thy sure resting rode and euer abiding inheritance Let not rich men lay vp too much and buy and sell all for gaines why you haue learned a meane in religion and will you neuer learne a meane in riches oh that your riches were godlinesse and godlinesse your riches that your labour which is now but lost might bee bestowed on that foode and wealth and land and life which neuer shall end Another doctrine which ariseth out of these wordes when hee saith that ioy is parted or withered from the sonnes of men is this whereby hee giueth them to vnderstand that those which will not humble themselues shall be humbled whether they will or no. The nature of man being plentifully stored with all manner of benefites neuer thinketh of a day of vengeance but imagineth that his peaceable estate shall bee for euer therefore the Lord willing to shewe vs our vaine hope and transitorie fading pleasures taketh away from vs those comfortes which wee were woont to receiue by the vse of his blessings and changeth our merrie daies into sorrowfull destinies We haue a notable example hereof in Dan. 5. 3 6 22 23. Belshazzar that proude Babylonian king cared not for the miserable captiuitie wherein he detained the people of Israel there was no conscience of his sinne no pitie on his prisoners no feare of the Lordes maiestie no thought of true humilitie but all to maintaine the pride of a prince and therefore harken what befell him At that time when he was at his banket in the middest of his ruffe with all earthly delights the hand of God appeered and wrote on the wall the sentence of his depriuation and this was because hee had not humbled himselfe before in the time of his prosperitie and then followed a fearefull hart a sorrowfull soule an vnquiet minde and a miserable ende Euen so if we cast not downe our selues before aduersitie come trouble shall come and cast downe vs. Harken vnto this you rich men and women in this world say not to your selues that you will be merrie while you may but rather be sorrie while you may be ioyfull nowe fast while you haue abundance now pray while you are in health now weepe while God may be entreated and now afflict your soules while your comfort remaineth for surely if you continue in your pleasant possessions and worldly disports will you nill you the Lord will humble you And were you not
followeth that it is a most wretched thing to goe backeward and to cease from being righteous for this cause the blessed seruant of God exhorted Reuel 22 11. Let him which is righteous be righteous still shew therefore if thou haue euer obtayned any mercie of God in the knowledge of the Gospell retaine the same for euermore If euer thou haddest any dislike of prophannesse any hatred of euill any conscience of goodnes and any desire of mortification that thou diddest euer abhor vaine sports foolish words wicked works vnprofitable members godles companions and truthlesse superstitions continue so minded for euermore but as thou hast beene iust so abide righteous The sheepe once blacke or white neuer chaungeth colour the vessell once seasoned neuer looseth sweetnes and the soule once sanctified neuer forsaketh holines Be not vnsauourie salt be not vnstedfast winde be not a foolish builder and be not a cursed backeslider Call not the truth once beloued into question but fight for it as for life receiue not the filthines once banished but flye from it as from death Loue not that sinne which once thou hatedst least all other sinnes become suiters for thy soule Goe out of vanitie and ignorance and hypocrisie and securitie as Lot went out of Sodome and neuer looke so much as backe vpon them Destroy vtterly the citie and dwelling of Sathan in thy soule as Ioshua destroyed Ierico and curse them that builde it againe follow all the examples of all the godly Paule once conuerted neuer reuoked Peter once strengthened neuer more halted Onesimus once reconciled to his master neuer ranne from him any more And so seeing thou canst say I haue heard sermons I haue loued prayer I haue harboured the saintes I haue hated dauncing tabling carding vsuring swearing lying stealing and all other abhominations oh wallow not againe in that filthy mire but continue righteous to the end Alas alas as the eies of man cannot weepe enough for the backesliders so the toong of man cannot speake enough of their accursed apostasie some fall to pouertie some to securitie some to vanitie some to open impiety som into heresie some into schisme some into the world some into the flesh and all of these into hel and thus they goe away as Gedeons souldiers which were at the first 21000. but in the end they were but 300. Might Rahel weepe bicause Herod kilde her children and may not the church weepe because the diuell killeth her children Well woe be to him for his malice and woe be to them for their backsliding Secondly seeing wee all neede encouragement vnto good things let vs not onely bee exhorted but assured that the presence of God shall assist vs. When Zerubabel and Iehoshua were stirred by the prophet to finish the temple of God the Lorde promised his presence to assist them Hag. 2. 5. and his spirite to remaine with them Now marke who are exhorted but the prince or chiefe gouernour and the priest or chiefe bishop and all the people of the land let vs not therefore feare to enter into a farther reformation of our selues and doubt nothing but the Lord shall finish our buildings We are not Babel and the builders thereof what neede wee feare confusion we are not Saul what neede we despaire of victorie we are not Achitophel we will not distrust our counsell we are not Iudas why should we vndoe our selues for our sinnes If we haue deferred our repentance and amendment and ran away from God as Ionah did yet being called againe let vs goe boldly to the Niniueh of our owne soules and preach the fearefull curse of God against sinne The Lord came to Abraham in the plaine of Mamre sitting in his tent and there promised him a sonne why should we not be perswaded that when we are in meditating on any goodnesse and louing any rightcousnesse and aduenturing any holy businesse but the Lorde will come vnto vs and promise vs life eternall Therefore my deere brethren and sisters aduenture farre for the religion of your soules and knowe that he shall goe with you to helpe you to your wish feare not any power for he is omnipotent nor any enimie for he is your shield nor any subtiltie for he is your wisedome nor any want for he is your sufficiencie nor any constancie for hee neuer changeth nor any death for he is your life Beleeue that you cannot conceiue vnderstand that you cannot see beare that burden which he giueth you abide that sorrow that he sendeth you and practise that gospell which hee hath taught you Pray for repentance and faith and knowledge and zeale and obedience and holinesse and life eternall for the Lord is in thine owne soule and feare not he will giue it thee Girde your selues Againe out of these wordes wherein the prophet biddeth the priestes to be girded to lamentation that is to be throughly prepared and to put on sackcloth that is all outward and inward testimonie of sorrow and to lie all night before the Lord that is to endure any paine and labour to be reconciled to God Out of the which I might note as many doctrines as words as first that vpon good counsell and godly meditation men must come to lament their miseries before God not rashly nor rauingly nor furiously but with a godly preparation Againe that the ministers in any common danger must more earnestly be humbled then any other Againe seeing he calleth for such sorrow and such continuance thereof he thereby noteth that if God be once angrie we must vse all meanes that can bee found to appease him though it cost our sweetest health and our deerest blood But I will specially obserue this doctrine that all both minister and people when they come to entreate for the remoouing of the Lord hand must be sure that they be throughly humbled Nehem. 1. 4. their cause must be well pondered and weighed their mindes must bee well prepared and perswaded their liues must be most zealously reformed and their continuance in their humiliation must be most instantly and inuiolably obserued I haue obserued a great defect in the humiliation of many in the time of our late calamities of famine and warre and plague when we were cast downe before the Lord. For men would come to these exercises from tauernes and alehouses from shops other busines no otherwise prepared then at another common time againe the notes of their pride in apparell and all brauerie fond expences they brought with them and came more like plaiers then mourners into the Lords house and also they were quickly wearie for some would neuer tarrie till the end and other if they once came they neuer came more And surely these were too euident signes that wee were not throughly humbled and therefore no maruell though the plague preuailed on so many and the famine hath continued so long Oh that therefore this exhortation of the prophet might worke a newe and often remembrance of vnfained humilitie
before the Lord when wee euer meete againe about the like occasion and this I would haue practised both in priuate and publike humiliation The reasons that may mooue vs vnto this dutie to be throughly humbled are these first because the Lorde will not looke on our aduersitie without this perfect and absolute contrition Isa 58. 3. for he then especially looketh to the inwarde disposition of euery soule to see who they be which tremble at his word and iudgements and they which then will not nor cannot there is little hope of grace and goodnesse in them The heathen king of Niniueh and all his subiects had that conscience when the Lord sounded their destruction by the prophet Ionah Ahab mourned when he heard the words of Elijah the prophet and when God speaketh to the Assyrians and Moabites he biddeth them come downe into the dust and ashes to lament their miseries Alas why doe I rehearse either precepts or examples to mooue men vnto this which they would not doe for if their owne liues and bloud and soules will not prouoke them hereunto other mens waies will not perswade them yet let them thus consider that it will greeue them more to loose this their counterfeite humilitie as the Iewes doe in the forenamed place when they shall say we fasted we praied we trauelled and we desired to iustifie our soules and yet their fast shall be as vanitie their praier abhomination and their comming into the Lords presence like his which had no wedding garment and therefore was hee and so shall they bee cast into vtter darknesse Another reason is this because that those iudgements which call for this humiliation must teach vs righteousnesse Esa 26. 9. and so we encrease in righteousnesse as we exceede in humilitie and for this cause we must know that the more religion a man hath the more humble he is and the more hee saith hee encreaseth in goodnesse the more he must studie to shew it outwardly As for those which thinke they serue God well enough when they neither pray with their toongs nor bende with their knees nor vncouer their heads nor mooue out of their houses I leaue them to their fancies let euery beast bird of the aire confute their fancies for the Lord which hath assigned euery member his office will haue euery one to execute it himselfe The vses which offer themselues by the consideration of this point are these seeing we must bee throughly humbled therefore let vs auoide all manner of idlenesse in this worship of God Iam. 2. 19. when we are once perswaded of this point we shall not onely lende an eare to this businesse but thinke all time too little that we spend not herein The poore saintes of God in that forenamed place crie in the night watches as these priestes which lay all night in lamentation and so when the feare of the Lords wrath and the conscience of our owne dangers doe once meete together then there is not any thing that will bee so acceptable to vs as praier This feare will driue from vs our sleepe as the windes driue away the cloudes the sicke man will sit vp the olde man will holde vp his hands the weake man will stand for his life the woman will weepe without ceasing and euery one so touched will auoide all worldly actions then will or rather then must the rich man forsake his counting house the farmer leaue his plough the seruant auoide his rest the labourer neglect his meate and the drowsie person hold vp his eies All the Apostles slept till the high priestes seruants came to take our Sauiour but then they awaked fled for their liues but why did they not wake before in praier that thē they might haue slept without danger oh let vs therefore come both great small to appeere in the Lords presence with al diligence let not any long iourney any lack of prouision any loue of ease any losse of health make vs idle Rise early to praier watch late to lament sleepe little that thou maist spende the more time to gaine thy soules health In the day we labour for our bodies in the night let vs labour for our soules My soule saith Dauid thinketh on thee in the night watches and so let our soules thinke on the Lord when other thinke on their rest and their pleasure Another vse which commeth by this consideration is this that seeing we must be throughly humbled or not at all let vs take for our example the paterne of them that mourne for the dead as the prophet exhorteth Ierem. 6. 26. How many are the teares of them which loose their louing husbands their tender children and their loyal friendes Iacob for feare of this said before hand it woulde make his hoare head goe downe into the graue But so slight is the mourning of many among vs that they neither wette their cheekes for their sinnes nor yet would willingly depart with this life for the enioying of the life to come Surely this is woorthy to be noted in them which earnestly lament the dead that they desire to be with them so let vs desire to be free of this feare of death and sinne with the death of our sinnes and liues let vs so bitterly bewaile our time as we may be most willing to change our life for no other cause then to cease from sinne The Israelites bewailed Moses thirtie daies together and let vs with great and long continuance mourne not for Moses who is in heauen but for our selues who would be in heauen When Naomy bid her daughters Ruth and Orpah goe backe into Moab they wept at her words if they were so vnwilling to liue in Moab and to depart with Naomi why are not wee as vnwilling to liue in this world and to depart with Christ seeing he is our head and we his members we must goe to him and he may not come to vs let vs therefore by his example endure many sorrowes and great dangers that we may be more willing to leaue this life The theefe inclosed in the prison ceaseth from stealing and when wee are closed in iaile of many griefes and clogged with the irons of many crosses then let vs know that we cease from many externall and internall abhominations Yee ministers of my God In this that hee calleth the priestes which serued at the altar the ministers of God he thereby giueth vs to vnderstand whose possession are the ministers namely and onely the Lords Num. 3. 12. The Lord challengeth the tribe of Leui to himselfe to be his peculiar and royall priesthood and the Apostle willeth the Corinthians that they should so thinke of him as of the minister of God and disposer of the secrets of his kingdome and therefore writing to the Galathians hee telleth them hee is not by man nor by the will of man but of God Once in steede of the appointed ministerie were the first borne of euery familie
and they sacrificed and none else but they altered and it came to one tribe and they also were abrogated and so it came to men approoued in the church who are deemed the speciall portion of the Lord in this world And surely if the seruants of Salomon were blessed that hearde his wisedome and waited in his court they are much more blessed which waite in the Lords house and heare and see the secrets of the kingdome of heauen It is therefore a most fearefull thing to aduance any vnto this to bee the Lords seruant who is not woorthy to sit in the chaire of Moses and there is no reason why they shoulde minister in the church which are not woorthie to be the porters of the doore Surely the prophanenes of many in these places is so great and so damnable that besides the iniuries done to Christ many run headlong into hell thorough the euill example of their pastours The Lords seruants followe their maister in holinesse and not the world in lewdnesse they looke to the soules but these waite for the fleeces they preach vpon conscience these doe it for fashion they preach onely the truth but these bring the fire of poetrie philosophie and such like to the altar of God to conclude they bee the helpers vnto faith but these quench their owne giftes and keepe other from pure knowledge The reasons are these because the whole life of the minister must be onely exercised in spirituall heauenly matters Act. 6. 2. 4. The apostles would consent to nothing which was not consonant to their ministerie or that might any waies hinder the same And for this cause the Lord hath so prouided that they should be exempted from all worldly businesse and receiue their maintenance from other not onely for themselues but for their children and families The which thing considered would aduertise a number of vs that wee which warre should not entangle our selues with the things of this life we should neuer giue ouer our seruice for that is nothing else but to forsake God wee must neuer cause our sinnes to make vs be thrust out of the ministerie for that will exclude vs from heauen wee must neuer bee idle and vnprofitable seruants in our ministerie for that will worke our curse and wee must neuer be wearie of our places for that will weaken and lessen our giftes But alas once there might come no rasor on the ministers heads but now adaies heads and beards and all are powled if wee shoulde not nowe looke to our owne maintenance wee might soone want sustenaunce and our children are easily suffered to begge though their parents haue well deserued of the Church of God Another reason is because none may offer them any violence but the Lorde accounteth it his owne Exod. 16. 8. and hee saith by the prophet Dauid Touch not mine annointed and doe my prophets no harme How desperate is the case of all men who are daily by wordes and deedes reuiling the ministers of the gospell and thinke themselues happy if they can giue a priest a deadly blowe by their enuenomed toong Truely I will say our owne sinnes were the cause of all this yet if the kisse of Iudas was so mortally punished these mens not kisses but wounds not with lips but with toongs and hands shall neuer escape vnrewarded for as by their toongs they haue killed vs so the Lord with his toong shall condemne them From hence let vs of the ministerie learne our dutie which is seeing we are the Lordes owne seruants let vs labour to present euerie man perfect in Iesus Christ Col. 1. 28. there is no seruant but he desireth not onely to do much worke but that hee may present it faire and beautifull to his masters viewe this is our labour to bring many soules and saints to the Lorde of glory Abraham sending his seruant to fetch a wife for Isaac his sonne he brought him godlie and beautifull Rebecah wee are the Lordes seruants and wee are sent to fetch a wife for Iesus Christ the sonne of God oh let vs be as faithfull vnto God the father and to Iesus Christ as that seruant was to Abraham and Isaac let vs doe our message with diligence let vs execute our charge with praier let vs giue them the golden bracelets of God his truth and let vs with all speede and haste returne againe to him that sent vs. When Iacobs sonnes went into Egypt Iudah promised him to bring Beniamin againe if he woulde let him go or else he shoulde slaie his owne two sonnes and so if wee bring not againe to the Lorde his beloued children he will slaie our bodies and soules for euer and euer for at our hands will he require them Come on therefore my deere and holy annointed brethren we haue the leading of God his children wee haue the keeping of Christs Queene we haue the tillage of the Lords corne we haue the vse of the Lords treasure we haue the price of our Sauiours bloud if we loose his childrē he wil slay ours if we defile his wife he wil curse vs if we neglect his husbādry he will spoile ours if we waste his treasure he wil sel vs to perpetuall bondage and if we spill our Sauiours bloud he shall condemne our bloud body and soule Oh therfore let vs be instāt in preaching holy in liuing earnest in praier zealous in exhortatiō careful in admonition instructing the children correcting the youth and comforting the aged that as Iacob returned with many more soules out of Syria into Canaan then hee brought so may wee come with many soules out of this world into the world to come Another vse shall be for the people that considering wee be the Lordes owne seruants and therefore open and shut the priuie chamber doore which leadeth vnto him and to vs is committed the building of the church then as the Apostle exhorteth you Ephes 4. 11 14. that ye giue heed to them whom the Lorde sendeth you for spirituall guides direct not your praiers to Angels and saints in heauen for they haue not the keeping of the Lordes workes but the ministers which be aliue are the priuie counsellers to the Lordes maiestie whom if you will not beleeue neither can you beleeue though an angell come from heauen vnto you And therefore as all the people were wonte to waite for the comming out of the priest that hee might blesse them so do you all euermore waite for the blessing and mercy and grace and counsell and loue of God to come from them to you As the Lorde turneth the bloude of a woman into milke for the nourishment of hir childe so doth hee turne our wordes and gifts and knowledge and learning and studie and life to be the nourishment of you his church Come to vs for comfort and instruction and edification and saluation you are the Lordes housholde we are his stewards come to vs for your meate of soule and wages
welth nor forsake your life but cast away vaine mirth idle talke wicked hope wretched behauiour leaue your sins to the diuel frō whence they came giue thy soule to the Lord frō whence it came Elisha did but require of Naaman to go into the riuer seuen times he shuld be clean which his seruants tolde him was but a small thing so we require you but to wash your souls with the water of your eies and you shal be as free from death as Naaman was from the leprosie But why should I need to instruct you are you not minded like Ieremie that of himselfe desired riuers of teares to weep for his people so be you not backward but of your own accord so that you may plese the lord desire that you were al teares to lamēt throughly the miseries of the world Oh lament with speed tarrie not or else it wil be too late whē you shal see before your eies the litle infants quartred the aged persons mangled the cruell heathens aduanced the poore christians dying the aire thundering the earth quaking vnder you and the cloudes rayning downe fire and vengeance Another vse is this that we be so minded at the hearing of the Lordes iudgements as if they were presently to be executed It was a great fault in the Israelites that whensoeuer the prophet spake any thing to them they presently thought and saide this shall not bee yet it will be a good while before it come to passe and we neede not care for wee may bee dead and gone out of the way ere this bee fulfilled Ezech. 12. 27. 28. but the Lorde rebuketh that follie and biddeth the prophet tell them that it shall bee shortly performed And so the like rage possesseth the heades and braines of many in our daies which although they knowe that it is true that is tolde them of a destruction yet euery one thinketh it shall not be this yeere nor in our Queenes daies nor so long as the Gospell remaineth and therefore they will possesse al their vanity rather then be humbled But this ought not to beso yea rather hasten out of this securitie as Lot out of Sodom and the Israelites out of Egypt that thou maiest escape it whensoeuer it commeth It is better with the wise virgines to be readie an houre or two or three too soone then with the foolish to tarrie a quarter of an howre too late Therefore admit the danger bee not as yet yet bicause wee are nowe warned let vs now be prepared shall we not make as great account of the Lords louing mercie as of our owne health yes yes my beloued and therefore let vs arise to lamentation bicause the Lord calleth for it although there were no danger following after But wee are like the disciples which coulde not watch but sleepe euen then when Christ was in most danger although our Sauiour did manie times awake them till at length the enimie came vpon them and they were all driuen to forsake Christ so I praie God our like securitie bee not with the like danger awakened for I feare if the mercifull voice of a Sauiour will not mooue vs the terrible crie and swordes of enimies will amaze vs. As a destruction In these wordes is the general cause of the lamentation described bicause the Lords wrath is kindled to make a destruction Wherein there is to bee noted that nothing doth so much feare and terrifie good men as the anger of God Deuter. 9. 17 18. When Moses perceiued that God was angrie hee fell downe flat on his face and besought God neither eating nor drinking for fortie daies and nights togither was not their feare great that made this good man to aduenture his life by so long fasting and his soule by desiring to bee razed out of the booke of life yes verily for the anger of the Lord mooued him more then if he had seene all the worlde on fire about his eares But carnall Gospellers and carelesse Atheists as they thinke it a farre more lesse matter to please God then to please man so they deeme it a lesse matter to haue God angry with them then the prince or some great rich men that may hinder their worldly estimation Alas alas if Saule were fearefull to a thousande Dauid was to tenne thousande and if worldly men may a little terrifie the flesh the God of the worlde may infinitelie plague the spirite Therefore put on this affection that we may knowe what to thinke of the wrath of God if the anger of a prince be the messenger of death much more is the wrath of God the herauld of condemnation When Assuerus was angrie presently Hamans face was couered and he carried to execution woulde not Haman giue all his possessions to haue retained the fauour of the king so likewise aduenture any thing rather then to stirre vp the coales of the Lordes wrath by which thou thy selfe and all thy neighbours shall be burned without mercy Oh therefore studie to knowe howe to auoide his displeasure and to retaine his louing countenance and let not the loue of any sinne so bewitch thee that thou procure his vengeance in working thy desire The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause none can bee an intercessour or a friende to God being angrie 1. Sam. 2. 25. that is there is not anie mortall man that can doe any such a pleasure as to staie the Lords wrath from falling on him or that may bee able to stande in the gap of the Lordes wrath The which consideration might most effectually admonish all our presumptuous companions which thinke that the Lord is pinned to their sleeues imagining him to be such a childe as might bee lost with an apple and wonne with a trifle againe but they shall finde it a farre more heauie matter when no offers of gold no intreaties offriends no teares of greefe no nor yet the fruit or blood of their bodies shal pacifie or recompence him for their sins This ought to make vs account highly of the mediation intercessiō of Christ and not to tread vnder our feete his glorious blood shedding after we be once reconciled Another reason is because it is a most fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God Heb. 10. 31. such a fearefull thing as passeth all vnderstanding and therefore who but mad men will run too farre into this danger Although Dauid chose rather to fall into the hands of God then men because he was well assured the iudgement was but a fatherly correction and not a reuenging punishment yet we must know that he knew that it would bee but a corporall or bodily death but we are not assured of halfe so much yea happie were we if the wrath of God did but reach to our bodies and that he would be satisfied for our sinnes if we lost our children and wealth and friendes and health and life or that if we could endure all
needefull and blessed businesse oh wretched men thus possessed by those that rather ought to be possessed by them Another reason is because this delight in this worke is the very ende and fruite of the gospell 1. Iohn 1. 4. My brethren saith Iohn I write vnto you that your ioy may be full that is that you may reioice in all things as in meate for there is the Lords hand in apparell for there is his prouidence in health for there is his goodnesse in sicknesse for there is his mercie in your houses for they are his tabernacles and in his church for there is his seruice A pagan a heathen an infidell a Iew a papist or any other enimie of Christ can come to our assemblies and with a minde readie to vomite vp whatsoeuer they heare attende to their greefe what is there done as many among vs doe and yet be neuer the better therefore bee you better then these and let your righteousnesses exceede theirs or else you shall neuer reioice in his euerlasting kingdome The vses which come of this doctrine are these first that whatsoeuer we doe in the Lords house let vs do it cheerefully of an vpright and peaceable minde that we say of our selues as Dauid and Christ of them Psal 69. 9. The zeale of thy house hath eaten mee vp so of zeale let vs doe euery thing that wee doe for as reason must measure all matters in humane and worldly affaires so must zeale season all things in spirituall and diuine matters Zeale is like the loue of Iacob to Rahel it thinketh no frost too cold nor any raine too dangerous nor any snowe too great nor any heate so vehement nor any sunne so parching but he endureth it for the loue of a woman What shall Iacob loue a faire face better then a Christian loues a glorious Sauiour oh no no but let our loue be deerer then the loue of a woman and let vs all say and that all with Marie the mother of Christ My soule reioiceth in God my Sauiour But oh where and of whome shall I complaine that haue not beene eaten vp with zeale no nor bitten therewith or that which is lesse it hath not licked their soules nor kissed their liues that is they haue neither beene iealous nor zealous for the Lorde of hostes sake for themselues they care not what God is for other they care not what their soules bee and for all they care not what hell shall be they are not earnestly righteous nor obstinately wicked but openly indifferent and that is no body in religion they mourne not when other sorrow they reioice not when other laugh they stirre not when other are mooued and they feele not when other are afflicted How zealous I beseech you are they when they haue beene colde in the heate of the day and neuer sweate one drop in the worke of Christ or wept one teare in the cause of Christ Another vse is this that seeing we must be carefull to worship God with ioy let vs then pray for the peace of the church whereby there may be no mourning within our pallaces Psal 122. 6. I graunt our sacrifices to God are as acceptable when our reioicing is banished in any common aduersitie when wee humble our selues by praier and fasting as when in times of greater prosperitie and securitie we are lifted vp with thankesgiuing yet this is better for the church and equall to the Lord. Therefore let vs most carefully commend Ierusalems peace and euerie member thereof to the Lords tuition pray for it with an earnest desire I say to obtaine and an vnwearied labour till thou hast atchieued To abate but Dauids thirst three of his men aduentured their liues being but onely to satisfie the kings minde who was Dauid but a member of the church and therefore if they would doe so much for one let vs doe more for all the church together that her thirst may be satified and her ease be procured Oh therefore how happie is our age wherein we liue for the church hath peace abundantly and our basest things are become very honourable the blood which other haue shed for the same doe we enioy and they by filthie prisons haue purchased for vs most pleasant houses O England be not wearie of thy well doing least the Lord be wearie of thee be not vnthankfull for thy peace least the bond there of be strooke in sunder be not proud of thy benefites least thou be stripped of thy ornaments be not secure in thy glorie least thou be stirred vp to greater labour but pray the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter the lorde with the seruant the mistresse with the maide the maister with the familie the rich with the poore and men with women and little children peace be within our wals and prosperitie within our dwellings The seede is rotten vnder the clods the garners are destroied the barnes are broken downe for the corne is withered It seemeth that these men being somewhat touched with want one â—eere yet they comforted vp themselues with their husbandrie and tillage thinking the next yeere woulde make amends for all like as we haue seene in our lande these times of dearth for men haue yeere by yeere sowed and plowed loosing both seede and crop notwithstanding all their labour as these husbandmen here doe thinking that whether God will or not they will make things cheaper and plentie againe but all is in vaine For if they sowe it rotteth in the ground if they keepe the houses fall vpon it if they eate they spende their store and if they spende then will shortly their liues be ended By these wordes we may obserue that it is in vaine by any naturall meanes to seeke to doe away the Lords hande Hag. 1. 6. The people of Israel being in some perplexitie they sowed and eared and planted and laboured to bee releeued but alas the prophet telleth them that he wasted their seede he bloweth on their store and the labourer putteth his wages into a broken bagge What had hee no pittie on the poore labouring man that worketh for a groate or sixe pence a day but hee must consume that also yea verily for the Lorde must bee serued as well by the poore countrie man as the rich citizen and therefore curseth as well the gettings of the one as the gaines of the other But what shall I say vnto you shall I bid you not till the earth or not sowe your corne no verily but plow vp your harts and cast in the seede of regeneration and then plow vp your land and cast in your seede of sustentation How shal the corne grow in your fields when vertue will not growe in your soules Therefore labour not in vaine it is not in all our plowing or planting or sowing or reaping or working to helpe our selues but in the Lords blessings who will then blesse the earth when we haue washed away the curse of our
the continuance of the earth and all thinges created doe witnesse the perpetuitie of his worde Therefore let vs by considering of this same knowe of a certaintie that rather than any iot or title of the Lordes worde shoulde be brought to nothing not onely the earth and all the course of nature shall bee altered but also the heauens so high and so immutable bee vtterly changed and passe away as nothing then also will not God spare his workmanship in the bodie of man but to verifie and iustifie his worde hee will bring manie to condemnation Let vs not nowe thinke to escape the better or the longer bicause nature shall continue for without changing of nature can God easilie bring vs to destruction as he coulde without breach of promise destroy all the Iewes and of the stones of the streete make newe children for Abraham He can destroy as well in light as in darknes as well in drought as in waters as wel by meat as by poyson as well by our own hands as by the mouthes of lyons tigers All the earth was not parted when Corah was punished al the world was not afflicted when Samaria was famished but the Lord will heere and there picke out the men that transgresse his law as he founde out Achan and the posteritie of Saul committing the guiltie to death and reseruing the guiltlesse for life Againe let vs feare how we endanger our selues to God for in his wrath he forgetteth that we be his worke and will cast vs off although we were as neere vnto him as the signet on his right hande Say not thou hast beene a professor or a preacher or a hearer or a martyr or a miracle-worker through the power of God for notwithstanding this he wil say vnto thee I know thee not if thou be not conuerted He casteth much golde into the sea he bringeth great kings into slauerie he taketh away plentie from whole countries and dasheth in peeces many yoong infants therefore thinke not thou but he will be reuenged on thee for thy presumption Yea to punish the Iewes he destroied his owne temple and therefore he wi spare neither house nor building nor nation nor person but in his wrath he wil bring all to cōfusion The xvij Sermon Vers 3. A fire deuoureth before him and behinde him a flame burneth vp the land is as the garden of Eden before him and behinde him as a desolate wildernesse so that nothing shall escape him IN this verse is contained the first similitude whereby the force of these beasts are described comparing their biting of the fruites to a fire for after an herbe hath beene bitten with a locust it will looke blacke like a cole Again he compareth the land before he touched it to the garden of Eden meaning the fruitfullest place in the world but after the beastes had ouerrun it it was like the most barren and forsaken wildernesse Concerning the comparison of fire it hath beene spoken alreadie and it noteth the vnmercifulnesse of the destroier But in this that he saith before him the land is as Eden and behinde him a wildernesse we may obserue that there is not any land so fruitfull so fertill and so pleasant but it is subiect to the curse of God and to barrennesse Gen. 3. 17. It is apparant in all the creatures of the worlde what the sinne of man hath wrought how it destroied themselues corrupted their soules annoied the beastes defiled the aire and brought the earth which was all good and no part there of but very fruitfull into brambles and briers and thistles and thornes and weakenesse and barrennesse to be tilled without ease kept with all labour and reaped with little profit And as we see in the best ground so we may knowe it is in the best man that he is also subiect to vanitie curse and destruction when the Lord shall in iudgement waigh their disposition And thus may euery husbandman that tilleth the earth and euery other man that treadeth thereon behold euery day with his bodily eies how sinne is punished and let vs feare that as the vnfruitfull land is not onely cursed but neere vnto burning so their soules more vnfruitfull are not onely cursed but neere vnto condemnation The reasons hereof are manifest first because the Lord in cursing the land destroieth the sinners Isa 15. 9 Againe he will destroy the fruites of the earth because men doe breake his couenant for when men doe breake bargaine with God the Lorde will make the earth to deceiue man and looke what authoritie man hath ouer the earth to plow to cut to drowne to harrow to dresse and to burne it so hath the Lord ouer man to kill to vexe to trouble to saue and to condemne him at his pleasure Therefore looke as the earth doth loose her fruitfulnesse so shall thy soule her blessednesse and when thou seest thy good land become barren beware least thy life be alreadie made wicked and know that the Lord setteth as little by a wicked man although a man as thou dost by a barren field although it be a peece of land Wherefore let vs make that vse that God teacheth Adam Gen. 3. 9. that seeing the earth is become vnfruitfull in the sweate of our faces let vs get our liuing that is as euery mans sinne is a cause why the earth is cursed and so become barren so let euery mans hande be a meanes whereby her fruit may be encreased that she and we may be both blessed They are not woorthy of land that labour not to amend it and to make it fruitfull for we may see that it is one part of our obedience since the fall of Adam to labour in the earth for our liuing It is a fault in many men which keepe the earth in barrennesse and onely sucke out the sweete from that land which is good by nature but we must knowe as God tilleth euery mans hart to bring it to goodnesse so ought man to trie euerie kinde of ground to bring it to fruitfulnesse like that good gardiner in the gospell which two or three yeeres together digged about his vnfruitfull tree Againe seeing the earth is cursed for our sakes let vs lament the barrennesse thereof Isa 16. 9. for in so doing wee sorrowe most iustly for the punishment of our owne sinnes The beholding of him is like the sight of horses and like the horsemen so shall they runne In this next place he compareth them to horses bicause in battle they are most fierce as we may see Iob 39. 20. Againe hee compareth them to horses for speede bicause as these are most swift in running so are the other most speedie in executing the Lordes wrath Aba 1. 8. Againe the horse is most terrible in battle Reu. 9. 7. and so shall these bee Heereby wee may obserue that the onely sight of punishment before it bee felt doth wonderfully perplexe a guiltie conscience Reu. 1.
7. where it is saide that when the worlde shall beholde Christ comming to iudgement all the kindreds of the earth shal waile before him The reasons are First bicause it is the reward of obstinacie Ierem. 15. 8. A guiltie conscience quaketh at the wagging of a leafe and euery little danger doth amaze him Againe it is a most wicked thing to reioice at the hurt of other men either in worde or thought Ezec. 26. 2. Therefore although wee finde ourselues cleere yet wee cannot chuse but sorrowe when it approcheth to other Therfore let vs obserue the times to kensof euill Matt. 24. 33. that wee may alway liue in mourning but especially knowing ourfeare wee may then sorrowe most when danger is neerest that so wee may bee readie to ende our sinnes by repentance and to goe to heauen by affiictions Againe when wee see wicked men taken away and going to destruction let vs feare the searching iustice of God Psalm 52. 6. and say Beholde the man that woulde not beleeue the Gospell nor bee ioyned to our congregation nor forsake his pleasures but persecute good men and flatter euill men and therefore nowe hath hee receiued his recompence Oh let the death of so manie traitours so many theeues and murtherers so many swearers and drunkardes teach vs to feare as a little birde flying from the sparrow-hauke and rather let vs couer our selues in weedes and grasse or in some thinne and open tabernacle then to take the ayre of the sunne or sinne and to abide in the carued and walled cities of the multitude Like the noise of chariots in the tops of the mountaines so shall they leape like the noise of a flame of fire that deuoureth the stubble and as a mighty people prepared to the battle Now he proceedeth to other similitudes wherein I will be short bicause they all touch one thing and the generall is alreadie deliuered In this verse he compareth the voice of their comming to the noise of chariots in the mountaines which keepe a mightie ratling in time of warre for chariots were vsed for great men going to warre as wee may see in the historie of Sisera Ahab and Iehu Againe hee saith They are like the flame that deuoureth the stubble which maketh a kinde of sodaine hollowe and fearefull noise Againe like a people prepared for warre which come with all kinde of warlike instruments and wofull acclamations the which I leaue to euerie mans seuerall consideration whereby they may note howe the Lord can cloth his smallest and basest creatures with infinite power and terror to discomfort euery people in the worlde Oh how much more are the angels of wrath terrible seeing the wormes of the earth are so fearfull wherfore let vs not onely feare the inuasion of Spaniardes or other enimies nor yet serpents lions wolues or wilde dogs but also the seely flies and grashoppers and filthie lice which in time of God his wrath shall haue power to destroy vs Exod. 10. 11. Before his face shall the people tremble all faces shall gather blacknes The meaning ofthese wordes are that in the presence of these beastes shall bee much trembling and feare yea they shall bee verie neere death for blacknes betokeneth death From hence wee may obserue howe God maketh men at their wits ende before destruction Ezech. 26. 16. They goe not to their ruines like sheepe but like swine not like lambes but like lions not peaceablie but furiously The reasons are bicause the feare of the wicked shall come vpon them Prou. 10. 24. Secondly God by this feare and trembling calleth them to repentance Deut. 32. 21. So that if then they coulde bee as angrie with their sinnes as they are with their enimies and fight as christianly with the diuell as they doe manfullie against men although they loose the life of the bodie yet they may keepe the life of the soule Learne therefore to feare God and so thou shalt neuer feare euill Psal 112. 1 6. but thy minde shall bee peaceable in death and not distracted Againe vse thy selfe to mourning before hande Ezechiel 21. 12. that when they come thou maiest more easilie endure them and more happilie auoide them Secondly when he saith all faces shall gather blackenes we may not onely see that the greatest and strongest man in the world can do nothing against the iudgement of God but offer himselfe to death and his heart dieth within him as a stone but we may also see how wicked men in aduersitie become altogither desperate Isa 2. 19. they cry to the hils to saue them to the mountaines to couer them and to the rockes to hide them And this will be then the boldnes and courage of our gallant youthes who in their pride threaten to fight with the diuell and with their oaths will teare the Lord out of heauen who thinke by their worshipfull pedegrees to shame the kirks of Christ and by their golden and silken brauery to dazle the glory of God then then will these things little comfort them But as all the Midianites ran away for the dreame of a barley-cake so shall these runne if they knew whither and take if they knew what and trust if they wist in whom and flie from the great wrath of God if there were any refuge but seeing none they shall fall to the earth as the snow commeth from the cloudes Oh cannot you think of this to put away your sinnes for if you beare them with you they will serue you as Iael serued Sisera and strike into your braines and hart the nailes of deadly poyson there can be no resisting for they haue woon the fort Yet in time craue the helpe of some other to besiege them and to regaine a quiet conscience or else whensoeuer any danger commeth they will do with you as the citizens of Samaria did with Achabs children deliuer you to your enimies and with their owne hands be your butchers and so commend you to the diuels custodie The reasons of this doctrine are these bicause then they haue no hearts to remember what God hath done for them Deut. 7. 18 19. but thinke euermore this is for the sinne this for such an adulterie this is for my pride this for my couetousnes this for my swearing this for my contempt of preaching and all shall be for my damnation Againe then shall they be ouerwhelmed with destruction 1. Sam. 31. 4 5. as Saul was for knowing that his sinne had made God depart from him he slew himselfe in the battle If he had gone to a prophet when hee went to a witch or had beleeued Samuel as wel being aliue as he did the diuel when Samuel was dead his life had then beene spared or if he had put off his sinnes when hee put on his armour to goe to the battle or then fell to prayer when hee fell vpon his sword then had Saul escaped that day But what could the
that they might know that as none but God could be the author of these so none but his maiestie coulde bee the sender of them These heauenly signes or rather signes in heauen are described in the two next verses first the shaking of the world secondly the darkening of the lights and thirdly the great and terrible thunders which should then be heard all which is supported by a strong reason vers 11. By this verse we may first of all learne that the extraordinarie signes of heauen are the forerunners and most euident prophets of calamitie and destruction following Isa 29. 6. God which woulde haue all his iudgements not onely felt but feared doth not let them come stealing on the world as if he could not doe them against our will or not hinder them against their nature but proclaimeth them by manifold fearefull signes in heauen The reasons are first because we should knowe that the euill onely proceedeth from him 2. Sam. 5. 24. it doth not any whit distaine the Lords honor to be a reuenger of sinne vpon the bodies and soules of many thousands but rather it maketh for his glorie for hee must iudge the world in righteousnesse Another reason is because by this meanes the Lorde doth most earnestly affect good mens harts and afflict the wicked Ezech. 32. 9. for the sight of terrible signes cannot choose but mooue the brute beastes of the earth much more reasonable men who are more giuen to feare because they are more giuen to sinne and our Sauiour saith in the gospell that mens harts shall faile them because of the signes of heauen The vses are these first let vs not be superstitious or heathenish in fearing the signes of heauen aboue the rule of faith Ier. 10. 2. For alas what can any planet or any signe doe but by the Lordes assignement and therefore in fearing it superstitiously we feare not God we distrust his prouidence we restraine his power and we cast away our owne confidence and faith It was a great signe in heauen when fire came downe and destroyed Sodom and Gomor and all cities cattel and pastures of the plaine Gen. 19. yet little Zoar was saued standing among them when all the residue were burning about it therefore beware of the slauish feare of the signes of heauen for it is the Lorde that gouerneth the starres Another vse as we are not to feare them too much so wee are not to regard them too little but vse them as promptors and furtherances to another life Luk. 21. 28. when you see these saith Christ then lift vp your heads and know that your redemption draweth neere Be it therefore that the heauens be burning the lights be darkening the stars be falling the earth be shaking and the ayre be thundering yet feare it no more then the Israelites did in Egypt but rather now thinke that the Lord will amaze sinners erect his throne of righteousnes to stand for euermore This must much encourage vs in these our later daies wher in euerie hower we looke for the accomplishing of all the signes before Christs comming and let vs watch for the appearing of our Sauiour that we be not comfortles when other shall bee both witlesse and faithles but know that good men shall stand in the middest of all these terrours and fires as the men did walke in the middest of the Babilonish furnace and not haue one haire of our head diminished When he saith that the earth shall tremble he noteth that earth quakes are notable tokens of the Lordes wrath Psal 18. 7. we are not onely to impute it to the ayre shut vp in the furrowes of the earth as in philosophie they do but we must goe to the principall cause which is the hand of God and the finall cause which is to shew his wrath for in his wrath saith the scripture he casteth downe whole mountaines Oh how terrible is this to consider that the whole earth should be shakē at the chiding of God yet man which is made of earth and standeth on earth and liueth on earth and shall returne to earth againe will not shake or tremble for the same I thinke there is more terrour in the dead bones in the graues then in liuing bodies in their houses The reasons hereofare these because the law of wrath was giuen in fire and earth-quakes Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 18. for God did then shew himselfe most terrible when the mountaine seemed to burne and there was nothing but cursing and death for the law that then was giuen did condemne many millions which now do know the same Againe earthquakes do commonly proceede and goe before the alteration of religion Reuel 6. 12. for as when Iehu altered the idolatrie of Baal the prophets and the God were both displaced so when religion is altered God is as it were displaced and all his seruants persecuted which must of necessitie shew the heauie indignation of God for he will not haue his image defaced nor endure that his glorie should be giuen to another Let vs therefore learne that if the strong earth be not able to abide the wrath of God then much lesse shal weake and sinnefull men Num. 16. 1. Againe let vs learne to preach the word more earnestly by the consideration of earth-quakes We may read Amos 1. 2. that two yeere before the earth-quake the Lord sent him to prophesie as it were to plant the minds of his church that they might haue liued without wauering Now it is well knowen that wee haue had one great and terrible earth quake in our times would God it might so worke that the preachers would for that cause preach more diligently and the people heare more attentiuely least it prooue vnto vs a token of the decay of religion Truely as yet blessed be God religion is not altered but it is much defaced and God graunt that as the earth-quake at the death of Christ was the decrease of Iudaisme and Paganisme but the increase of christianitie so that in our time may worke the like effect and may seale vnto vs the decay of Poperie and heresie but may assure vs of the continuance of veritie and pure religion We might also note out of this verse that seeing the heauens and earth are afraide of him therefore the most guiltles creatures of God cannot abide his anger But this we will deferre vnto the next chapter Againe in that the sunne and moone are darkened we may obserue not onely that God is the author of light and darkenes but also that he will not let sinners in his anger haue any benefit of them Isa 13. 9 10. The reasons are First because they are enimies to good men and good things Exod. 10. 22. Secondly bicause they are ashamed of the sinnes of men as we may see at Christs death Matth. 27 45. Let vs therefore so glorifie God in our places as these creatures do in theirs for they
glad newes of life euerlasting By iudgements we are blinded but by the Gospell we are enlightened by iudgements wee are endangered by the Gospell we are defended and to conclude they threaten our liues but the worde threatneth our soules Make much of the word in thy health for beleeue me sicknes cannot so prepare thee for the Lorde as the worde can bee conuerted by it for thou seest all other meanes faile for miracles doe make vs woonder and this maketh vs repent therefore either make this thy ioy or God shall make them thy sorrowe What then will some say this is a strange doctrine do not sorrowes and earthquakes and other fearefull thinges turne vs to the Lorde then we will not make any account of these thinges To whom I answere that if they doe so they doe that which will vndoo them shall the scholler neuercare for the rod bicause it cannot teach him but correct him and shall wee set light by the Lordes iudgementes bicause they cannot conuert vs no no they must keepe vs in obedience although they cannot beget vs to obedience they must reforme vs although they cannot turne vs. Dauid said Psal 119. when I see thy iudgements I am astonied and afraide and so must all the elect children of God vse the iudgements of God to continue them in the feare of God and to keepe their natures from being ouerproude Yea let vs tremble and quake as the earth doth let vs weepe and mourne as the aire doth when wee see the wrath of God the sunne cannot then shewe her face she is so dazeled with his brightnesse how shall men farre inferiour to her in glorie bee carelesse of his anger And although I haue said that we are but yet leading vnto execution let vs yet feare most greeuously least the wrath of God be encreased on vs for wee knowe not how soone we shall be consumed with what calamities we shall bee troubled and with what maner of death we shall be crucified Therfore let vs feare the works of God that we neede not feele them let vs be warned by them that we be not confounded by them and aboue all things let vs cast away that prophanenes that calleth for heauen and earth to take vengeance on vs. Secondly we may obserue in this verse when hee saith thus saith the Lord that if the Lorde worke not repentance in vs we shall neuer haue it while the world standeth we may weepe out our eies rip vp our breastes rend asunder our harts and satisfie for our iniuries but if the Lord worke not repentance in vs then all is lost For this cause 2. Tim. 2. 25. Paul instructeth him with meekenes to instruct those which were cōtrarie minded waiting if at any time God would giue them repentance vnto life Indeede I graunt that men may haue a kinde of repentance as Iudas had Matt. 27. 6. when hee sawe Christ condemned hee repented and went and hung vp himselfe but to haue repentance vnto life Act. 11. 18. as the church speaketh it is a speciall and woorthy worke of God And in these daies may this point be very profitably vrged wherein men are so carelesse in liuing and so wretched in sinning as if repentance were pinned on their sleeues or lay in their pockets to pull out and in at their pleasure but let them beware be warned that if they wil be saued they must seeke it at the hands of God Is repentance so easie that you can haue it at your wish indeede you may haue it but you cannot doe it Imagine in thy presence a man or woman possessed with a diuel trie thy cunning cast him forth I know your answer you wil say you cannot because you can worke no miracles so agame say I that you cannot haue repentance of your selues for it is a casting of the diuel out of your souls the which none can do but by the finger of God Repentance is not to wring out a teare or to breath out a sigh or to lift vp an ey vnto heauē or to say I am sorrie for my sins but it must fil all a mans life with weeping sighing praying cōfessing amending the which commeth frō God only The first reason of this doctrine is because with repentance goeth remissiō of sins Act. 5. 31. therefore we may as wel say that they can pardō their own sins as they say they can repent whē they list And this must needs mightily discourage vs frō sinning seeing we may cōmit that in one minute which we can neuer claw off so long as we liue Again how sweet is this consideration that remission of sins is ioined with repentance We knowe what great vile sinnes we haue committed but we knowe not will some say how or when they were pardoned Vnto whom I answere that they haue beene so long pardoned as they haue repented and they haue as many witnesses and seales of their remission as they haue weeping teares sighing sobs and wounded affections for them in the presence of God Another reason is as it is the worke of God to harden mens harts Iohn 12. 40. so it must needes be the worke of God to soften the hart But some will say how can the Lord punish men for not repenting when he denieth them repentance and how can he damne them for harde hearts when hee hath hardened them I answere an harde heart and an ill life doe not simply condemne a man but delight in them and negligence to bee deliuered from them good men are tormented with hardnesse of hart but they lament it euill men are perplexed with it they reioice in it God is saide to make hard harts but not euill harts and so to make hard harts that men may know and acknowledge that soft harts come from his workehouse so then God hardeneth but men delight in it and they are condemned not for sin but for delight in sinne Wouldest thou then knowe whether thy hart hath beene new wrought in the Lordes moulde then looke and see how thou louest sinne but thou findest thy hart harde then looke againe howe thou art pleased with this hardnes if thou like it thy hart is damnable but if thou loath it thy state is tollerable The first vse wee are to make of this doctrine is this seeing the Lorde hath the working of repentance in vs then let vs praie euerie day to his maiestie for the same Lament 5. 21. So doe the faithfull when they say Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde and wee shall be turned returne vs as of old This is the dutie of all those that haue any care of their soules health Art thou heauie in thy heart and feelest a dulnes in thy soule vnto goodnes but a nimblenes vnto euill when thou knowest thou dost those things which displease the Lord and trouble thy conscience then enter into thy soule and humble thy selfe by praier lift vp thy voice to heauen
and speake for thy conuersion Seest thou not the danger of life worse then death so long as thou liuest in an vnrepentant state there is but a little aire twixt thee and death there is but a little time twixt thee and hell Repentance is the Lordes gift and he giueth it to them that aske it I dare be bolde to saie that of all suites commenced before God this was neuer denied and if thou haue any minde to bee saued praie that thou maiest be conuerted Art thou dissolute in life and resolute in vanitie yet hearing some sermons of death and fearing some iudgements for thy sinnes wouldest willingly wish that thou couldest doe better and dost thou sometime wring out teares to see the preacher so earnest and yet by no meanes thou canst reforme thy life then commune with thy soule and praie to the Lorde that thou maiest so liue as hee hath taught and so die as thou shalt wish Praie I say not onely in companie but secretlie not for a season but continually not with an indifferent minde but with an earnest affection and then I assure thee drunkennes shall not drowne thee couetousnes shall not preuaile with thee pride shall not deface thee whoredom shall not vndoe thee stealing shall not shame thee the worlde shall not deceiue thee nor the flesh shall euer condemne thee Another vse is this seeing wee must aske repentance of God we must needes know our sinnes before we can repent them Ierem 3. 13. So then if thou wouldest praie most earnestly for thy conuersion and bring all thy euidence into the Lordes sight that hee might pronounce sentence on thy side thou must not come with general words say I am a sinner as other men are I haue liued sinfully as my neighbours haue done and I knowe I haue offended thy maiestie greeuously But thou must knowe thy sinnes thou must account them to knowe the number so neere as thou canst possible thou must weigh them vprightly fee which were directly against God and which were against thy neighbour thou must aggrauate them mightilie and make them as heinous as the greatest thou must condemne thy selfe open thy whole soule and abhor thy owne life Then shalt thou knowe thy sinnes that their number is infinite their rewarde is damnation that their power is execrable that their presence is intollerable Tell them as a couetousmā doth his siluer look on them as the husbandman doth his furrowe consider them as the carrier doth his loade condemne them as the iudge doth the theefe pray against them as a marriner against a storme fight against them as a souldier against an enimie accuse them as a lawyer doth his aduersarie and forsake them as a lambe doth a lyon Then shalt thou knowe that one sinne is woorth a soule that one drop of mercy is worth a world and that true repentance hath winges to beare thee vp to heauen If the preacher tell thee thy sinnes then knowe them if the lawe tell thee them then remember them if thy conscience accuse them then repent them if thy brother rebuke them then euer after loue him if the church reprooue then yeelde vnto it and if thy enimie cast them at thee yet receiue it for this will make thee know them and if thou know them thou wilt pray against them and if thou praie against them thou wilt repent them Turne you vnto me By this sentence wee may obserue that God neuer regardeth any of our sufferings or crosses till wee be repentant Or more plainly be it that our houses are burned our children murthered our inheritances remooued and our owne liues tormented yet all this doth not appease his wrath except wee adde contrition the which thing the prophet insinuateth when hee maketh this conclusion vpon all the former iudgements Therefore nowe saith the Lorde turne vnto me c. As if hee had vsed more wordes saying you O people haue had your land wasted with beastes your liues pined with famine your cattle mourning for foode the heauens obscured with darknes the earth quaking to trouble you and terrible thunders roaring to disquiet you yet for all this is not the Lord contented with you except you be repentant The selfe-same thing may wee see Esay 57 3 4 5. where the Lorde telleth them that it was not their fasting and sorrowes that he regarded but their vnfeined conuersion As a father hauing an euill sonne is not pleased with him bicause hee is whipped openly in the streetes or imprisoned and so arraigned for his follie except he bee repentant euen so is it with the Lorde hee regardeth not the punishment saith Augustine but the person that suffereth It is not our sufferings voluntarie or inuoluntarie our sicknes warre famine pouertie or bloud that can satisfie the Lord or saue our soules insomuch as after thou hast endured harde fits wicked slanders wrongfull oppressions many hungrie daies manie sharpe stripes and many dangers of death yet for all this without the ornaments of a christian thou are neuer the neerer to God Some will saie this is harde meate to be digested that the Lorde is not pleased nor pacified although hee punish vs why are not all these sufferinges the punishments of sinne and when wee are punished heere is not the Lorde too rigorous to punish vs also hereafter I answere wee suffer for our sinnes but not to satisfie for our sinnes for the rewarde of sinne is death euerlasting and all miseries which may bring vs to our ende Therefore excuse not your selues for pouertie or sicknes or famine or labour or slauerie or seruice or anie other crosse for a man may haue all this and yet bee a cast away The first reason heereof is Matth. 24. 8. That all the sufferinges of this life are but the beginning of sorrowes they are not one quarter of that vengeance which the Lord will take for our sinnes except we repent Oh consider the intollerable hande of the Lordes wrath which regardeth not our bloude nor woulde looke on a burnt sacrifice made of a whole nation and yet regardeth the broken harts cast down soules what are the plagues in the worlde to come and the wages of sinne in another life if heere wee may haue a pining sicknes a despised life an easelesse heart and an endlesse feare one man neuer lyeth in bed another neuer eateth bread another neuer liueth merrie day som lie tormented in a burning fire some bed-redden with the gout some tormented with a collicke some scalded to death some cut in peeces inchmeale some are put into furnaces of burning lead and yet all these are but the beginning of sorrowes and without repentance if it were possible for one man to endure all yet afterwarde he might goe to hell fire Another reason is bicause the sufferings of this life are alike common to good and bad vncircumcised and the people of God Ezec. 32. 28. Although God chasten euerie one that hee loueth yet he
all sorrowes to put away thy sins Another reason bicause vnto outward tokens of repentance the Lord is readie to giue remission Dan. 4. 23. when men satisfie their for iniuries distribute their goods weepe for their euils and pray for pardon then is the Lord most willing to seale a release in the blood of his sonne For in truth there must be a change in al the parts of a mans life possessions When a sicke man is recouered he weareth not the same clothes he vseth not his old diet or apparell and rest so when our soules are recouered by repentance then we cannot eate stolen bread nor weare gorgeous apparell nor yet rest in that wealth which wee vnlawfullie gayned but all must bee turned into charitie and pietie The first vse of this doctrine is this Isa 31. 6. seeing wee haue sunke deepe in rebellion let vs turne againe vnto the Lorde from whome wee are fallen as we were not ashamed to sinne so let vs not be ashamed to be conuerted As couetous men care not for their names so they may get wealth and vncleane persons little esteeme their infamie so they may fulfill their lusts and as theeues make but a pastime to rob and steale if they may escape the gallowes so let vs account it a farre lesse discredit to confesse our faults in goodnesse then they doe to commit them in wickednesse Turne therefore as we haue sinned we haue many sinnes let vs shed many teares we haue great sinnes let vs sigh many sorrowes we haue long dwelt in them let vs speedily forsake them we haue watched in sinne now let vs watch in praier we haue loued sinne let vs embrace correction we haue delighted in vanities let vs reioice in teares How can a man reioice in teares verily vnto a good soule teares are more welcome then ioyes and it reioiceth in tribulation finding it more safe to bee washed with weeping then to bee delighted in musicke There is not any man that hath felt the power of godlinesse that will denie this and if he doe let Dauid teach him when he protesteth that teares were his repast when the enemies of God reproched him Looke on thy soule weeping as thou wast woont to beholde thy pleasure reioicing and thinke that this is the Lordes great mercie towarde thee which hath yet knocked at thy hart for amendment loue the meanes which will make thee tender harted delight in those sorrowes which will procure thy endlesse ioyes shed thy teares here that hereafter thou maist be freed lament in sorrowes this life that in another thou maist reioyce in comforts Secondly let vs not alway lie in sorrowes and liue vnreformed but follow the counsell of the prophet Ier. 26. 13. to make our waies of euill good When men are repentant they enter into a new iourney for as before they were ioyfully sailing to hell so now they are painfully trauelling to heauen and seeing a good way is the wish of a traueller let vs amend our waies that we may hasten to our iourneyes ende When thou hast well drenched thy soule in sorrowes then proceede to reformation and remooue those blocks out of thy life which would haue hindered thy passage into heauen If thou hast beene a drunkard be now temperate hast thou been an Atheist now feare God if thou haue beene a swearer vse his name more reuerently and as Paul said of theeues Let him that stole steale no more so say I of all notorious sinners let them be so no more but rather labour to doe good vnto other By this we may see that repentance is not in shew but in hart not in hart but in works not in works but in affections not in affections but in conuersation Some thinke they haue well repented if they be a little sorrowful other thinke they are well reformed if they be a little reclaimed and wearie of theirvanities but these men must knowe that if good liues bee not ioyned with godly mindes and reformed waies with weeping harts neither the one nor the other shall profit them Therefore now my deere brethren let vs win the field from our sinnes and ouerthrowe the troupes of our pleasures let vs now conquere our desires and reforme all the abuses of our liues that wee may yeeld to the gospell liue in the church eate at the Lordes table and worke out our owne saluation with feare and trembling In the second place the Lord biddeth them to fast that is to abstaine from all delights and desire of meates that as they haue alreadie pined their soules with sinning so now they should punish their bodies with fasting And in this place the prophet speaketh of priuate fasting for as yet he is not come to the publike fasts which must be directed by the cleargie-men who onely had authoritie to proclaime them of the which we haue spoken in the first chapter In this place we may obserue that hainous offences and generall must haue greeuous and generall lamentation It is most requisite that when we haue any graund cause to craue at the Lords hand we vse most humble tokens of an instant and longing desire Iudg. 20. 26. The Israelites ouercome by the Beniamites fast and pray al the day till euening and the day following they get the victorie the which is a warrant for vs to doe the like that wee may so slay our sinnes as they did their enimies The which must instruct euerie man in his familie during these times of vengeance wherein we haue no more power to be deliuered then a woman in trauell to cast foorth her childe that they abstaine from glutting and deuouring the Lords benefites For the Lord will not redresse our want till wee haue generally lamented our miserie and we can no way better punish our bodies then by fasting that the Lorde may be mooued to pitie vs as he did Abraham being willing to sacrifice his sonne yet he restrained him The first reason is this bicause fasting maketh vs praie with more feeling affection which our Sauiour insinuated Matth. 17. 21. when he saide that fasting and praier woulde heale the falling euill and nothing else Indeede to shewe you howe men are affected in the time of their fasting I can hardlie doe it except youfelt it howe sweete are their sorrowes howe earnest are their praiers howe strong are their grones and howe acceptable are their hearts vnto the Lorde their teares are their drinke their cares are their meate their nakednes their brauerie ashes their beauty humilitie their health their eies are not drouzie their mindes are not wearie their handes are not filthie and their cries are not easie The Lorde accepteth their obedience in doing that they are not able and their faith in beleeuing that they haue not in them and their praiers in desiring that which is aboue them then can men affoorde to die for God that they may liue for euer for themselues Another reason is bicause fastes doe mightily mooue
13. what a matter is this that our knee-praiers our lip-labours our Easter-communicants our time-seruing hearers and all of that broode whose deuotion is as hot as Iacobs stone should wearie the Lord with their vaine petitions their idle presence their outwarde reuerence and their temporall obedience that he abhorreth both them and theirs Whose toong shall perswade them of the truth hereof verily if the prophet Isay should come from the immediate presence of God with his toong purified by a Seraphim yet they would no more beleeue him then they doe vs except they feele the smart of their idlenesse Another reason because God doth not regarde temporall sorrowe for sinne as wee may see in Esau and Ahab and therefore much lesse that seruice which is but temporall and outwarde also And although Ahab was spared for his fained repentance yet it was but respited and the iudgement came notwithstanding whereby we may see how vnwilling is our mercifull father to take vengeaunce of our sinnes if there appeere in vs any small sparkles of grace or any remorse for punishment Let vs therefore learne that no visor can deceiue God and that there is no halting before him it is not our lifted vp eies our knocking of breastes our sighing our whipping our launcing fasting and pining that can satisfie the Lords expectation or minister any comfort vnto vs at the day of iudgement Let vs learne from hence that exhortation of the Apostle Gal. 6. 7. that we be not deceiued The maine point of religion is this that wee bee assured of life euerlasting What shall we be if wee bee deceiued if we haue ghesses in steede of knowledge wauering in steede of constancie weaknesse in steede of faith darknes in steede of light and vanitie in steede of diuinitie what are we but deceiued If we make Christ in our mouthes religion in our eies and mortification in a friday fast or Christianitie to continue no longer then while we be in the churches if we be not deceiued in this then were neuer any deceiued We deceiue our brethren with shadowes our God with shewes and our selues with sinne we deceiue our harts of knowledge our liues of holinesse and our soules of meate and life euerlasting Oh how doe men deceiue themselues and deceiue other when in the meane season the Lorde crieth out Be not deceiued What fooles are men to be so besotted with follies making hypocrisie their heauen Sathan their God and counterfeite religion their soules worship The Lorde hath sent strong delusion among men that they might be damned which receiued not the loue of the truth yea it is most equall that they should be damned by falshood which would not be ruled by truth Yet let vs take heede to our soules that we deceiue them not and mocke the Lord for the case is dangerous if we consider it and desperate if we fall into it We will sing in voice and we will sing in spirite euen so we will repent in hart and repent in teares let vs professe with the mouth that wee may bee saued and beleeue in the soule that we may bee iustified Let vs also receiue the exhortation of the Lord Isa 1. chap. that we wash our selues from dissimulation and haue the euill thereof remoued from vs. The filth of this sinne is so odious in the eies of God that vntill it be scowred off there is not any thing in vs that may satisfie his wrath or pacifie his displeasure Therefore if either the feare of his highnesse or the regarde of our owne soules may any way mooue vs to amendment let vs wash away this abhominable filthinesse It is but a painted hew the water will purge it it is like snowe the water will melt it and it resembleth hoare frost which the water dissolueth but I meane not the water of the earth but the blood of Christ for that is the onely medicine against hypocrisie Pray for it and thou shalt haue it wherewithall if it be once washed it shal neuer be defiled againe Flatter not thy selfe and rest not in the shew of holinesse but reforme thy soule throughly Of all sicknesse the falling euill is the worst for it maketh one seeme without life and so of all euill hypocrisie is the worst for it maketh men liue as if there were no God it defaceth good things it denieth religion for it maketh it to haue a harlots face mens liues it defileth and mens minds it corrupteth therefore bring not such a monster into the Lords sight which altereth all thy proportion and lineaments disfigureth the glorious gifts of God But of this thing we haue elsewhere spoken and now it sufficeth to touch it lightly Lord your God Now the prophet telleth them to whome this conuersion must bee made that is to God for whose sake onely men must repent From hence obserue that so long as wee are vnrepentant wee erre and runne away from God Psalm 119. 67. Vntill God called Adam so wrought repentance in him he hid himselfe from the sight of God and so doe all the posteritie of Adam flie from the Lorde as Ionah did vntill wee are repentant We abhorre his Gospell we deny his truth we renounce all goodnes so long as we are vnregenerate we speake euill of the things wee know not and corrupt our selues in the things we knowe Iud. 10. we eate in riot wee sleepe in pride we walke in pleasure and liue in vnthankfulnes Rich men aduaunce themselues aboue other poore men murmur against God yoong men liue in open sinne and old men die in wicked ignorance and all because they are not repentant Thus men wander some one way and some another and few or none the right way What maruell is it to see so many abhominations arise in the world seeing men run from the truth that is Christ forsake the light that is the spirit and die in miserable death because they haue departed from the life that is God Oh miserable men that cast themselues into such a sea of euils wherein the farther they wade the deeper they are plunged and the longer they go the harder they are reclaimed and if at any time they straine at any euill it is not for loue of God for him they haue forsaken but it is for shame of the world which they feare more then death The first reason is because of our selues we haue no knowledge of saluation neither can we inherite the kingdome of God Matth. 18. 17. whereby it is euident how little wee are able to do in any good thing but euery day waxe woorse and woorse And this may serue vs for a notable and lamentable spectacle to behold our vile nature which draweth vs the farther from God that it might drowne vs the deeper in condemnation If wee haue nothing in vs but good nature there is nothing in vs of God his grace we are not building timber but fire wood it is repentance that chuseth vs and squareth
vs and ioyneth vs to God The Lord in this worke is the builder the ministers are the carpenters the worde is the axe the griefe of heart is the stroke and regeneration maketh vs the frame otherwise we are stones refused of the builder Another reason because in our vnrepentant estate wee cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. seeing we cannot please him we run from him we forsake and denie him This would make ones hart to melt to consider that all actions not grounded on a new life doe swarue from God Some obiect if God did not like them they could not doe them So may a thiefe an adulterer or rauisher of women defend his iniquitie but it will not goe for payment for God suffereth you to follow your pleasures against his pleasure that your pleasures may taste of euerlasting paynes Therefore labour for repentance that you may be brought into the Lords sheepefold and be incorporated into his congregation and saued by his deerely beloued sonne then shall your waies be altered and your pleasures ouerturned and you shal pray with Christ Not our will but thy will O heauenly father bee done Being in an vnrepentant estate wee runne away from God yet let vs looke backe on God as Isay exhorteth Isa 45. 22. and then we shall be saued If thou be running from God through a lewd life giuing ouer thy selfe vnto libertie yet looke backe vpon him often the children of Israel if they were stoong by serpēts by looking on the brazen serpent recouered presently And although the sting of thy sinne is greater then the sting of adders yet the Lord is mightier and wholesomer then the brazen serpent therefore looke vnto him if thou wilt be healed Old Simeon so soone as he had seene Christ presently desired to die for ioy and Zacheus hauing but a minde to see him was made that day a notable christian Looke often on the Lord for by beholding him thou maist grow in loue with him wish continually to be with him as the Iewes which being captiues in Babell yet made their praiers toward Ierusalem Esau at the sight of Iacob fell to weeping loued him the better euer after so if thou wilt cast thy eies to heauen behold his glorie then looke vpon the world and see his gouernment then behold the earth and consider his benefits learne his Gospell and note his truth and life thy eyes to Christ to marke his mercie thou wilt surely turne the saile of thy wicked life and come with the Sabaean Queene to worship in his church Consider his workes for they defend thee thinke vpon his iudgements for they threaten thee marke well his kindnes for it maintaineth thee and beleeue his worde for it shall conuert thee cast but one of thy eies vpon the Lord and thou shalt winne him looke often vpon him least minde and eies be both blinded and neuer see him more Another vse wee must lament the plague of our sinnes raigning among vs Isa 59. 9. 10. when the Prophet had shewed them their danger he bringeth them in mourning on this wise Therefore is iudgement farre from vs neither doth iustice come neere vs we waite for light but loe it is darkenes we grope for the wall like the blinde grope as one without eies we stumble at the noone day as in the twilight we are in solitary places as dead men we roare allike beares mourn like doues c. Thus must men that are not yet regenerate re count their miseries after they heare them condemned by the word saying vnto themselues Howe blinde are our eies that we cannot see the glorious light of the Gospell wee are quite forsaken of the Lorde who keepeth vs from beleeuing of his truth wee haue no power to performe the least part of that Gospell to walke in any tollerable obedience sanctification goeth against the haire and though we like it yet wee cannot doe it wee see that hee that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a praie therefore let the Lord come and reforme our liues and adorne our mindes with righteousnes that wee may bee deliuered from this slauerie of sinne let him turne the heartes of children to their fathers and turne our course vnto himselfe Moreouer think what deadnes is in your soule what sinfulnesse is in your life and what wrath of God hangeth ouer your heads for assuredly except you confesse in this sort you shall be confounded before you be conuerted Let your harts be awaked betimes that wrath ouertake you not and let whatsoeuer may further you to God although it be shame or iudgement or nakednes or pouertie or death bee most speedily receiued The xxij Sermon YOur God After all this preaching of repentance nowe hee beginneth to comfort their distressed mindes which coulde not but be grieued grieuouslie and therefore he putteth them in minde that the Lord is their Lorde and God Howe may this bee if he be theirs then they are his and will he suffer them to bee made a pray vnto brute beasts and to make the heauens to thunder their destruction what comfort haue they by his seruice or what pleasure hath he in their cries verie much for sometimes a tender nurse and louing mother wil make hir childe weepe bitterly that it may loue hir the better so the Lorde to trie his owne casteth them into a bed of sorrowes From hence wee must gather that in our greatest calamitie and aduersitie God is our mercifull God Artthou tormented with sorrowe that it is bitter to thee to liue and better for thee to die or art thou vexed with sore sicknes and intollerable imprisonment hast thou no meat for thy selfe and thy tender babes and seest thou a whole nation in an vprore yet for all this acknowledge with Dauid Psalm 22. 1. that God is thy God although thou seeme forsaken Oh sweete mercy of a father and glorious condition of a sonne whom no pouertie no miserie no iniquitie can part in sunder though he chasten vs yet he loueth vs though wee be helpelesse yet hee remembreth vs though we be in death yet he saueth vs. God is euermore the father of his church and of euery member therein he scorneth not their parentage he refuseth not their pouerty he regardeth their sufferings and desweth their saluation Let vs then say with Iob that although hee slaie vs yet we will trust in him death shall not driue vs in sunder but conioyne vs togither The reasons are First bicause in prosperitie he will bee knowne to maintaine vs and in aduersitie to comfort vs Esay 51. 12. If men would or coulde vndergoe all the former euils without comfort then might they haue some colour torefuse and distrust God but they are not able neuer is any man at one time distressed in bodie and distracted in minde or oppressed outwardly and not comforted inwardly If thy minde be heauie thinke on the comforts of this life if thy bodie bee vexed then confider
his heart my master deferreth his comming and shall begin to strike his fellowes and to eate and drinke with the drunken the Lorde of that seruant shall come in a day that he knoweth not and giue him his portion with vnbeleeuers O my beloued we are those seruants that haue secured our selues from wrath and thinke still it will not come yet Looke on our manners are they not drunken looke on our faith is it not idle looke on our care is it not vnprofitable looke on our liues and see if wee bite not oneanother from the throne to the footestoole none can escape vs. Doe we not abuse the patience of God which shoulde make vs resolute in repentance and it maketh vs dissolute in religion Wee say with the wicked priestes To morrowe shall bee as to daie and much more and with the heathen Psalm 10. Truely the Lorde regardeth not neither is there knowledge in the most high O miserable soules thus plagued that turne all thinges against themselues O let nothing delight vs but the presence of the Lord of hostes who is come downe into our lande and waiteth for our repentance Let vs giue him our sinnes we haue committed and our liues we haue to spende and our soules wee haue to saue that he may spare our bloud and take our lamentation Againe let vs seeke the Lorde while he may bee founde and call vpon him while hee is neere at hande Esay 55. 6. seeing hee dwelleth among vs and this is the time of long suffering nowe let vs runne after him day and night as Obadiah did after Eliah and neuer cease seeking till we haue founde him In seeking for the Lord we ought to haue a single eie a simple heart a cleane hande and a swift foote that wee may easilie see him earnestly desire him speedilie runne after him and reuerentlie laie holde on him Alas alas wee liue in an age wherein men will not trauaile to finde either God or grace except it fall into their mouthes if the Lorde lacke but one of his sheepe hee neuer ceaseth till he haue founde him againe but wee coulde abide to want him if wee might enioy our pleasures all the daies of our life Seeke for him in his temple goe to him in thy soule and pray to him in heauen for hee calleth vnto thee saying Open vnto me for the night hath watered my locks c. Seeke him as the Lorde doth his sheepe as the merchant did his pearle as the woman did her grote as the sicke man doth his phisition and as the disciples did Christ Hee is in thy house there seeke him hee is in thy field there seeke him he is in thy closet there seeke him and he is in thy hart there keepe him His time is but short his departure will be sudden his patience will be wearie and he will bee gone onely he tarrieth a little therefore if euer nowe run out to follow him And repenteth him of the euill This is the last argument whereby the prophet perswadeth them to repent because God will repent the euill that he threatened not that God indeede repenteth by correcting of himselfe for that cannot be seeing all his workes are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1. 20. he is also vnchangeable and with him is no shadow of turning Iam. 1. 17. although the world change and the heauens waxe olde as a garment yet the Lord abideth the same for euer Psal 102. 18. but this is a phrase according to our capacitie for when wee change our mindes we repent in a sort so when the Lord seemeth to alter his purpose he sheweth as if hee repented Why then some will say if the Lord alter his purpose then hee changeth and why did he here tell the people that all this miserie should come vpon them and yet if they will it shall not Vnto which I answere that the first purpose of God shall euer stand for hee foreseeth and decreeth the ende but many times to trie our faith and to shewe his loue he propoundeth prophetically that is with condition of repentance the same which hee will neuer doe Howe then will you say shall we knowe his pleasure verily if two things bee propounded the one certaine the other vncertaine as here was repentance and iudgement let vs take the first and abide the last that is let vs embrace that which is certaine and let the vncertaine goe free Neither let vs be lesse carefull to please God because his iudgements bee conditionall but rather more careful to performe the condition least we feele the obligation God will repent him of the euill that is he will stay the euill that shall come vpon you From hence let vs obserue that the Lord is vnwilling to take vengeance of our sinnes Ezech. 33. 11. As I liue saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner he willeth it not but he saith not I decree it not and if he decree it I dare not say hee doth it against his will and if hee both will and decree it I cannot say he dealeth vniustly for we may see in the scriptures that none can tell the reasons of his will or the cause of his decree or excuse the fall of man by the ordinance of God this I onely touch by the way for other haue more effectually laboured therein to whom I referre you And in this wee may see a notable testimonie of the loue of God that he will rather silence his iustice then his mercie and although we be at the very brinke of destruction if we repent he will repent If the Lord did take any pleasure in our harmes why then did hee crucifie his sonne sending abroad the ministers with his scriptures warning vs before hand of our end These doe shew vs that he is as vnwilling to punish our faultes as a father is to punish his sonne All this graunted let vs not dreame of an immunitie that we are vtterly exempted and be at libertie to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth vs for although hee bee a tender father yet hee is a wise father and knoweth that correction is as needefull as instruction It is no matter to vs if we be condemned either with the will or without the will of God for it commeth all to one ende our plagues and paines are neuer the lesse The reason hereof because God hath a naturall loue to all his creatures Psal 38. 6. the works of his hands are deere vnto him and for the worke of creation he loueth and spareth them By this we may see as Ezech. 33. 12. if ye turne all your transgressions shall neuer remooue his fauour from you What can bee more generall then that all shall be forgotten or more comfortable then that not one sinne shall bee remembred and if they bee not remembred saith Austen they are not imputed and if they bee not imputed they are pardoned Bee not afraide to come to the Lorde for thou seest hee will lay nothing to thy
charge his communing is for peace and not for wrath and his call is more for thy good then for his bee not discomforted because thou hast a guiltie crying conscience for thou seest that the Lorde is as vnwilling to strike as thou art to beare But thou wilt say that hee hath alreadie witnessed thy destruction yea but I say hee will repent him of the euill seeing thou repentest of thy sinnes his iudgements are conditionall hee which gaue the worde can recall it and who can saie he doth not his word Feare not I say though thou be as neere to death as Isaac was to be sacrificed for the Lorde hath an angell in heauen to saue thy life the godly shall come out of trouble but the wicked shall come in his steade Seeing the Lorde is vnwilling to take vengeance of our sinnes let vs bee as vnwilling to grieue him with our sinnes that so wee may bee the children of the most high For it cannot bee but that hee is mightily grieued when wee fall into newe follies in that hee is enforced to open once againe to vs the woundes of Christ and let more bloude issue foorth out of the side of his mercy Iacob was much offended with his two sonnes Simeon and Leui Gen. 34. when they slewe the Sichemites for saide he you haue made my presence to stinke in the sight of this people much more must the Lorde be offended with vs his sonnes being a more tender father then euer was Iacob when we grieue him with our sins for we bring his glorious name into contempt and religion into hatred Once bee thus affected and assured that thou art the childe of God then take part of the godly nature loue all as hee doth doe good to all as hee doth repent of euill as he doth and be as much afraide to sinne as hee is vnwilling to punish thee He euer thinketh on thee doe thou so on him he euer watcheth for thy sake do thou so for his he euer worketh for thy profite doe thou euer liue for his praise He woulde forgiue thee if thou offend and therefore although thou canst offende yet do not he endureth griefe to saue thy health and do thou endure tentation to saue his truth hee coulde reuenge yet doth not that thou mightest learne not to followe what thy hart suggesteth and thy flesh allureth The xxiij Sermon Vers 14. Who knoweth whether he will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him euen a meate offring and a drinke offering vnto the Lord your God THis vers containeth another reason taken from the works of God to mooue them to repentance which is this that God will spare them and leaue something for his owne seruice although it be but a little For I take not this question for a simple affirmation as in other places but rather if it please him he may leaue an offring and for any thing they knew to the contrarie hee woulde From hence wee learne that God concealeth from vs the issue of our sorrowes and the ende of our liues that we may be kept in a continuall practise of repentance as appeareth by Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 23. Some are desperate in their miseries bicause they know not howe or by what meanes they shall be deliuered from it But good men and good mindes must take another course seeing they cannot know in these thinges the minde of the Lorde nor as Salomon saith who shall bee after them therefore their watch and care ouer their liues must bee more continuall This is a good lesson for vs to marke bicause our case is the verie same with the case of the Iewes wee are threatened as they were and we knowe no more then they did Let vs therefore watch in repentance that if our calamitie encrease we may bee readie for the graue and if it be reuersed we may be readie for praise Art thou desirous to make profite of the thing thou knowest not then be repentant for death and life ioy and sorrowe paine and ease riches and pouertie freedome and danger are both alike to a repentant man The first reason bicause by this meanes we are taught humilitie Rom. 9. 20. bicause wee are not able to reason with God or to plead against him for we are in his hande as clay in the hande of the potter Where are all our gallant youthes and lustie minded persons whose heades are so full of knowledge that they are able to teach the Apostles and no maruaile for it appeereth by their liues bearing themselues like Gods in the worlde But looke on your mindes againe you shall finde them stuffed with vanitie and not filled with knowledge if you knowe one thing you are ignorant of a thousande Therefore let this teach you that your mindes are carnall your liues bee sensuall and your soules endangered except you thinke better of others and baser of your selues Learne humility of thy selfe thy body is earth thy glory is earth thy brauery is earth and no maruaile for gold is but earth Why shouldest thou be lifted so high canst thou number thy sinnes or saue thy life or tell when or what death shall take thee away cast thy minde to the earth for then it will looke vpwarde for as yet it looketh downward and deceiueth it selfe Another reason No man can tell things to come Eccl. 7. 2. no not so much as the worke of an howre hence therefore seeing we are assured of nothing but death let death be our life that is let the death of our sins be the life of our soules But we can neuer slay them but by repentance and therefore euerie hower of our life to come calleth for it at our hands we know not when therefore now is the time we know not how therefore this is the meane we know not where therefore this is the place Youth biddeth vs repent age biddeth vs repent sickenes biddeth vs repent and all that is to come calleth vs to amendment because we know not what is to come From hence let vs learne to be contented with that ordinarie and certaine knowledge which the Lord hath shewed vs in his worde I meane to make vs repentant Paul telleth of himselfe that he regarded to know nothing saue Iesus Christ him crucified 1. Cor. 2. 2. the which hee learned from the Lord himselfe This was certaine that Christ was crucified therefore oughtwe to learne the same This is heauenly this is comfortable and this is glorious heauenly for God did it comfortable for it was for our sinnes and glorious for neither man nor angell could do the like and in this short sentence the Apostle hath lapped vp all religion Wouldest thou knowe how to be saued looke to the death of Christ Wouldest thou know how to liue looke on the crosse of Christ and wouldest thou know what to professe then consider the sorrowes of Christ This is heauenly wisedome not knowen of the angels this is
eares and hand and heart to theirs when they are humbled fall thou downe when they are praying praie with them when they are hearing heare with them when they are singing sing with them and when they are mourning lamenth with them If they ioine in petition to God oh account it happinesse for thee to subscribe thy name for they are blessed that are ioyned to the fellowship of the saints Another vse if wee must seate our selues in most conuenient place to heare then let vs also frequent the places of praier and religion When the church was compelled to a riuers side in steede of a cathedrall church Act. 16. 15. Lydia the purple woman resorted thither and once she had her hart opened and conuerted to the Lord In like manner let vs resort to the churches for at one time or other we may boldly assure our selues that we shall receiue the pledge of life eternall But in our daies men are so affected to this doctrine that the diuell laugheth at it and good men lament it for either they come not at all as the ghestes which were bid to a wedding or else they come without conscience as he did without a wedding garment or else they are present without attention as Eutyches that fell on sleepe at Paules preaching or else they depart out of our assemblies as Iudas did from Christ when hee went to betray him Standing times of praier in the church some say are of Poperie and in the house they are of other condemned for puritanisme so that godly praiers being the sword of the spirite are now growen rustie and dull that few mens sins or liues or harts are parted therewith But my deere brethren come to the times of praier and binde your selues not onely publikely but also priuately with seuere vowes and pay them to the Lord for so shall the fire of the spirite be kindled in you the holy Ghost shall raigne in you the saints shall be comforted by you and you shall trie that all things are possible to a Christian Spare thy people Now we are come to the praier which the prophet teacheth the priestes to make for the people which is thus much in effect Wee haue no refuge but to flie to thee O Lord we are guiltie of the punishment but yet thou maist stay thy hand and spare our liues Giue vs not ouer wee pray thee that our enemies reioice not ouer vs and blaspheme thy blessed name we are the fields of thine owne inheritance reuenge our cause from the handes of strangers oh spare vs that we may serue thee First out of the beginning of this praier we may note that petitioners and those which are suiters to the throne of grace must alway pleade guiltie in the presence of God Luc. 18. 12 13. The example of the Publican prooueth this that the Lord loueth vs better when we tell him of our follies then when we shew him our vertues The Lord which will seldome helpe till there be no helpe but in his mercie biddeth vs alway to condemne our selues so that when wee thinke most basely of our natures and speake most vilely yet truly of our liues and confesse most bitterly against our selues then are we most nigh to the end of our praiers For this cause let vs meditate before praier that we may sufficiently waigh our miseries and more lamentably bewaile our wants and more ardently pray for his mercie that we may more comfortably enioy his fauour The reasons hereof because there is not one man liuing that can bee iustified before God Psal 143. 1 2. but euery man is an vnprofitable seruant for which cause we must alway accuse our sins and call for pardon at the Lords hand This reason being knowen of the baser and wickeder sort they imagine that they haue gained a sufficient charter to continue in their euill why say they the most righteous are guiltie in the Lords sight and what are we more Doe what wee can yet we shall sinne and we can but craue pardon of him for many as well as for few but this is a wicked and an accursed reason For although the best fall into many enormities yet ought not you to sinne good men fall into sinne but you dwell in sinne they are sorrie for them but you delight in them Dauid sinned was therefore Absolom or Achitophel vnpunished because Peter denied his maister might therefore Iudas betray him or because one man falleth into debt by sicknesse may you therefore fall into debt through riot if a sound body doe now and then fall into sicknesse then hee which hath a crazie body had neede to looke to himselfe so if men of sound soules doe fall into euils you which haue sicke soules must bee much more carefull of your health Another reason our Sauiour giueth Luc. 18. 14. for the Lord resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and meeke therefore ought wee to increase in the numbring of our sinnes that the Lord may aduance vs to the beholding of his mercie Let vs be assured if we pray without sorrow we doe but mocke the Lord but if we sorrow with earnest praier we prepare many ioyes for our soules First let vs learne that our praiers must bee ardent and continuall in the eares of the Lord as the Israelites were Iudg. 10. 3. to 13. for as we haue a continuall occasion of sinning so we must take continuall occasion of praying Who is he that hath beene but a little while in the practise of christianitie and hath not learned this lesson My sinnes are euer in my sight too heauie a burden for me to beare therefore as he which is vexed with a continuall want laboureth in a continuall worke and hee which hath a continuall sicknesse turneth on euery side to finde ease so must we which are euermore oppressed with sinne be euermore praying for helpe As the greatest burdens make the porters sweate the greatest drops so will our sinnes if we feele them make vs sweate drops of blood to be released of them therefore pray till thou be heard and take for thy example the poore widow which woulde neuer giue ouer till the iudge had righted her cause neither doe thou cease to pray til thy soule doe cease to sinne Many pray through want but not with want and for grace but not with grace they are cold and not continuall in their suites Who is so hard harted seeing a poore man with as many sores as his body can beare running after him a mile or twaine and begging but a penny that coulde denie him in like manner if wee shewe all our sores and sinnes and miseries vnto the Lord continually that when our voice is wearie our harts may speake and when our harts are sleepie our wounds may crie for mercie so that we may neither eate nor sleepe till we know our sinnes be pardoned Let vs neuer be afraide to come to the Lord notwithstanding we finde
our selues neuer so sinful Psal 9. 9 10. although we bee neuer so poore in spirit yet let vs know that ours is the kingdome of heauen So that if thou reason with the diuell himselfe who will if it be possible deceiue thy soule telling thee that thou art more vile then others and therefore it is but follie for thee to call on God for mercie yet say to thy soule that the Lord neuer despiseth the sighings of the poore although I haue sinned yet I haue sorrowed although I haue neglected grace yet with the Lord there is more grace be it that I haue no goodnesse in me the more neede haue I to goe to God the author of goodnesse Men seeke not to the phisition in health but in sicknesse and the more desperate is their disease the more speedily they sollicite him and a good phisition commeth quickly so I want the health of my soule and I see death standing at the doore and knocking for me therfore my praier shall goe to the Lord my physition and I knowe that he will speedily come vnto me He abhorreth not my weakenesse he hateth not my person he willeth not my destruction and therefore wil I pray for saluation I am exceeding base but he will bende to me I am very poore but he will giue mee the riches of the spirite I am a sinner and he is a Sauiour why shoulde I not goe vnto him and fall downe lowe vpon his footestoole for hee neuer despiseth the sighing of the contrite Giue not thine heritage That is the people whom thou diddest take vnto thy self aboue al the nations of the world from hence we may obserue as in a singular metaphor how deere the church is vnto God Deut. 4. 20. euen as deere as any mans inheritance is to himselfe for indeed an inheritance doth very fitly resemble and shadow out vnto vs the nature and condition of the church First because it is not woorth any thing except a man do plant sow the same and so is it in the church wherin if the Lord plow not and sow not there can no good thing grow therein Againe an inheritance is sometimes sold away for the barrennes thereof so when the church groweth secure and bringeth not foorth good fruits the Lord giueth it ouer for a season to be spoyled by strangers Againe if an inheritance will no way be amended then is it accursed and burned Heb. 6. 8. so if no means will reclaime the world from their wicked life then he accurseth them and giueth them ouer to the fire of hell Also as a man taketh singular comfort in his inheritance so the Lord doth in his church and as a man hedgeth and encloseth his inheritance to keepe it from being wasted euen so the Lord hath set a brazen wall about his church the which all the diuels in hell shall neuer be able to ouerthrow but men and angels shall fight for their safegarde and maugre sinne and hell they shall endure as the earth doth euen for euer and euer The first reason because hee might powre his blessing on it Esa 19. 25. for hee hauing many most excellent benefits in store hath made choise of his church to powre foorth all that he hath thereupon for whether we consider the blessings of this life or the benefits of the life to come they are all ordained for the good of them that be godly He is wise to instruct vs he is mightie to defend vs he is liberall to maintaine vs he is mercifull to receiue vs for our sakes were the heauens created the earth established the waters remooued and the fruits appointed for our sakes were the angels condemned the sonne of God crucified and the age and yeeres of the world is plunged Another reason because we should be holy vnto him Deut. 19. 2. Of all the creatures of this worlde there is none that can bee holy vnto the Lord saue onely mankinde for they are the image of God and if the lande whereupon Moses stood was holy much more is the land of our harts holy whereupon the Lord himselfe standeth for he raigneth in vs. And this is the cause why the Lorde hath made vs his inheritance that we should serue him in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life for the heauens are holy whither wee are going the angels are holy with whom we shall dwell the church is holy wherein we liue and therefore we must bee holy or else we are accursed Seeing we are the inheritance of God purchased by his sonne then let not any of vs liue to our selues but to him that redeemed vs 2. Cor. 5. 15. how many waies might I vrge this doctrine that as the earth beareth not fruit for it selfe but for vs so should not we eate the fruits of our owne labours but offer them to the Lord. Our harts are the grounds our bodies are the hedges God his law is the plough the worde is the seede and himselfe is the husbandman Oh let vs not be ploughed and planted in vaine let vs not frustrate the Lords expectation and our soules saluation If we were but seruants yet we ought to worke for our hire but being his inheritance we must liue and die day and night to beare him fruit wee cannot put him away but he may put vs away our fruits do not profit him and yet the want of them will curse vs. Let vs not be for the weedes of sinne nor for pleasures to feede on as bullockes do on pasture-land but let vs bee his garden of sweete flowers his vineyard of fruitfull grapes his field of fine planted wheat and his possession for an euerlasting inheritance Let our words be as gratious fruit let our religion be as pretious pearle let our loue be as rockes of golde and let our bodies bee as fruitfull garners let vs bring him all for first fruits tenthes and offerings and sacrifices that we may be his blessed land vnto the worlds end Another vse seeing we are the Lords inheritance we may see that the Lorde will be very hardly driuen to forsake vs for he gaue a lawe Numb 27. that none shoulde sell awaie their inheritance but at the ende of fiftie yeeres euery one should reclaime thereunto So that if the Lord shall giue ouer his inheritance as hee did Israell Hos 5. 15. the case is very desperate but not perpetuall A man that hath manie barren fieldes doth not presently sell them away no more the Lorde which hath many barren soules in the compasse of his church doth presently forsake them but rather dresseth them by the ministerie of the worde that they may be made fruitefull Oh heare this you that are in the Lordes folde although he beare for a season with your barren hearts and suffer you manie yeeres to lie in rest thinking at the last you will bring him some profit bring it foorth with speede or else knowe that the Lorde which redeemed you from
thy conuersion shall be euerlastingly silenced I might also note out of this verse that God is more ready and willing to pardon vs then we are to aske pardon Rom. 10. 22. and therefore if we aske not he will not onely be reuenged for our sinnes but also vpon vs for the sinnes of our fathers Isa 65. 7. Againe let vs vpon this ground be bold to pray in hope and assurance for as God opened the iron gates for Peter to come foorth out of prison so hath he opened the gates of heauen that our praiers without al let may come vp before him I might also obserue in this verse that God doth somtime cast off his owne people for a seaso that he may for euer cast off the wicked Ezec. 1. 15. as a iealous husband putteth off his wife that he may for euer beware of his enimies for a friend cannot be hid in prosperitie nor an enimie in aduersitie The reasons bicause the wicked blaspheme the iust Ier. 30. 17. againe or else we should thinke that the wicked were happie Psa 37. 1 2 3. therefore when once good men beginne to crie then shall wicked men begin to fall Isa 35. 4. and we may boldly desire of God to turne his wrath from vs to them Isa 51. 22 23. that his enimies may feele his heauie hand Yea the Lord will answere and say vnto his people Behold I will send you corne and wine and oile and you shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproch among the heathen In this verse and so forwarde to the 27. the prophet doth declare the speciall worldly benefits which God would giue to his people vpon their repentance the first that he will heare their praier vers 19. and herein he promiseth first to answere them by worde secondly to ease them In this that the Lorde saith he will answere them we may note that God hath euermore a regarde to the praiers of the penitent Ioh. 9. 31. howsoeuer hee shutteth his eares against sinners accounting of their praiers and teares as of abhomination yet he maketh great reckoning of their desires that are in league with him The faithfull are as deere to the Lord as Esther was to Assuerus or Herodias daughter to Herod who promised but one halfe of their kingdome vnto them but the Lord hath freely promised a whole kingdome if we will desire the same This must mightily stirre vs vp to praier for if the Lord regarde vs when we pray to blesse vs then will he regarde vs when we pray not to curse vs. Who liueth in the world but hee hath neede of many things if he haue neede he is blinde if he see it not if he see it he is wilfull if he aske not if hee aske he is vnfaithfull if he hope not to receiue The reasons first because penitent men haue felt pouertie Psal 79. 8. that is they haue beene cast downe ynough and therefore they shall be raised vp againe Againe they delight in God and therefore will God delight in them Isa 33. 6. for it cannot be that God should loue that man or that soule that hath no delight in his maiestie Therefore hereby shall men trie whether they be repentant if so bee the meditation of God and his mercie and their calling and holinesse and his word be sweete and pleasant in their mindes and mouthes First as we tender our owne liues and welfare so let vs pray vnto the Lord Ier. 29. 12. for we haue great neede to looke to our selues in this distressed estate of the world and for so much as onely the Lorde is our keeper how shall we commend our liues vnto him but by praier Pray alway my deere brethren as diligently as you labour as feruently as you thirst as ordinarily as you eate and as ioyfully as you sleepe pray I say as a woman doth in trauell as a sicke man doth in his fits as the mariners do in a storme and as a condemned man at the place of execution Oh what would you not do that you might liue and therefore what ought you not to doe that you might pray Vnto praier there must be no comparison in worldly things all earthly things must giue place as we see in Daniel sleepe must be put off as we see in Christ and ease must be banished as we see in Dauid and the Apostle willeth for praiers sake that married folks becom strangers one to another and therefore so let vs do for praier as we do for meate for we neuer cease from hunger till we be satisfied so let vs neuer cease from praier till wee be glorified Secondly in this vers when hee promiseth Corne and wine and oyle we may obserue that all abundance accompanieth and as it were waiteth vpon religion So long as the worde raigneth the church standeth and the Gospell is obeied so long wee neede not feare for our fieldes shall abound with corne our land shal flow with plenty Psal 81. 16. We haue had best experience of this thing in England for euer since the Gospell had any footing among vs and was publikely preached and generally professed we were neuer in any generall distresse but wee haue forgotten all sorrowe and I woulde God wee had not forgotten our peace and plentie giuer But since we began to be wearie of the truth that Diuines fell to wrangling professors to carnalitie hypocrites into Atheisme since that time we haue felt some want of corne and some terrour of warre Oh that we coulde so continue in profession that we might dwell in the Lords fauour so should we bee euer fedde with the finest wheate clothed with the warmest wooll and defended by the greatest angels but seeing we begin to be wearie of our religion God beginneth to bee wearie of his liberalitie so that I verilie feare till wee haue all repented our corne and plentie shall not bee restored The reasons First bicause by such abundance the Lorde breaketh in peeces the fierie violence of wicked men Psalm 37. 17. for they accuse religion for a base and poore profession and therefore after a calamitie God giueth to his church greatest plentie as after a long raine the sunne shineth brightest Another reason because by such plentie God cureth and healeth the miserie of his people Esay 30. 28. which being fearefully afflicted through famine are againe most ioyfully comforted through plentie so that abundance is like a medicine or plaister which with good aduise healeth and cureth but through abuse corrupteth and maketh the wounde more incurable First then let vs desire the spirite of God to be powred on vs and then shall the wildernes become fruitfull and the barren earth be amended Esay 32. 15. The same spirit that maketh good harts maketh glad fields that which giueth store of righteousnes giueth store of foode and corne And thus God giueth vnder one request two benefits For when we aske for
they haue seldome sicknesse so ought wee seldome to sinne The reasons are first because children are without malice 1. Cor. 14. 20. for he is no member of the church that is malicious but a murderer againe children honour their parents so ought the members of the church to honour their God Mal. 1. 6. But alas malice hath deuoured the loue of man and the honour of God and we shall hardly finde one among a thousand that is not maliciously bent against one or other But let vs learne to leade our liues in feare seeing we are the children of God 1. Pet. 1. 17. for else we may be children but stubborne children and such as the Lorde will neuer acknowledge Againe let vs learne to doe the will of our heauenly father Matt. 21. 28. For not euery one that can say Our father which art in heauen or Lord Lord Christ our Sauiour and our redeemer shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Oh let vs be sanctified for this is the will of God euen our sanctification for except wee doe that which he biddeth and bring that which he calleth for we shal come to confusion as Babel did wherein when the builders called for stone they brought morter and when they called for morter they brought bricke so when we should doe one thing we doe another and when God calleth for holinesse we run to prophanenesse Againe when he biddeth them to reioice in the Lorde their God we may note that the ioy of good men is onely in God and spirituall things Psal 53. 7. it is not in masking and mumming piping and dauncing marrying or monkering eating or drinking hawking or hunting riding or running but in this that God is theirs and they are his and this is the best part which cannot be taken from them The first reason because he looketh on the estate of the poore abiect Isa 29. 19. but the world will not acknowledge a brother if he be in pouertie or a friende if hee bee in danger Againe God openeth his most secret goodnes to his saints Cant. 1. 4. bringing them into his cellars of wine who can but reioice in him that reioiceth in them and who can withholde his hart from him that gaue him hart and soule and life and all For one benefite or good turne Dauid tooke Abigaijl for his wife but if we hauing so much kindnesse from the Lorde doe refuse him from being our husband let vs beware least the wrath of God fall vpon vs as the wrath of Dauid shoulde haue fell on Nabal that hee would not leaue man woman or childe aliue of his posteritie Let vs not reioice in our workes Luc. 10. 20. nor in the world which is but transitorie nor in riot which is but labour nor in riches which are but vanitie nor in eating which is but necessitie nor in garments which are but shadowes of sinne nor in any thing but in God who hath registred our names in the kingdome of heauen Let vs also reioice with Iohn Baptist Ioh. 3. 29. That wee haue heard the voice of the bridegroome that his Gospell hath bin preached to vs his graces haue bin poured on vs his blood hath beene shedde for vs his death hath redeemed vs and that hee hath bought vs to serue him without feare all the daies of our life The raine of righteousnesse This is the first reason of his exhortation to ioy for as before they had wanted fruites through want of raine so they had wanted goodnesse through want of grace and nowe he promiseth both namely righteousnesse and fruitfulnesse for this raine of righteousnesse doth signifie abundance of righteousnesse wherein by the metaphor raine I might tell you from whence commeth grace righteousnesse iustification and sanctification from aboue as the raine doth and many other waies I might vrge the figure but I rest not in figures I will goe to the plaine wordes And seeing in the first place he promiseth them the raine of righteousnesse wee may note that religion and holinesse is better for the church then any riches Prouerb 28. 6. There is not any thing more needefull for a man then to liue vnder the winges of God and there is not anie thing more needfull for him that liueth vnder the wings of God that is in his church then the knowledge and practise of the pure worship of God The paradice where Adam was the riches of Salomon the peace of Augustus Caesar the glorie of Dauid or the pompe of Agrippa are nothing so needfull for the church as is preaching and hearing and praying and weeping Dauid was neuer farther from God then when he was most at ease The rich man was neuer so neere distresse as when his barnes were fullest The Israelites were neuer in more danger then when they were pampered with quailes and Noah was safer in the arke then on the drie lande And so are we all in better estate when the worlde thinketh vs to be miserable then when it iudgeth vs to be happie The reasons First bicause the things of this life doe drowne vs in miserable temptations 1. Tim. 6. 9. but religion quieteth the minde establisheth the conscience driueth away the diuell cutteth off manie sinnes is readie for death and is assured of saluation Againe all the good wee receiue by abundance is this that we shall haue no consolation in the life to come and therefore God hath better prouided for vs that we should liue here a little while in pouertie and euer after in glorie rather then heere a little while in riches and euer after in hell fire Let vs therefore bestowe all the labour wee can that we may haue religion and grow in graces 1. Cor. 1. 5. thereon aduenture thy money for thy merchandise shall bee warranted If there bee any man that hath religion buy some of him if there be any meanes to obtaine it vse them earnestly if there bee any faire or mart where it may be bought trauaile thither The ministers are the men that haue it praiers are the meanes to get it and the church is the place where thou maiest buie it the persons are noted thou maiest easilie finde them the meanes are cheape thou maiest speedily vse them the place is neere thou maiest quickly and often goe for thy store Oh trauaile for righteousnesse and grace and holinesse for all these are solde togither Bee not poore in religion but rich that thou maiest rather bee able to giue then to receiue As there be some very poore and make no spare for age or sicknesse so there bee some which haue little or no religion which onely take so much as will saue them from present danger of law or infidelitie and neuer thinke what they shall doe when they come to their graues Yet let these bee also warned that they labour to be rich in religion for a poore man may be rich in righteousnesse and a rich man may be poore in goodnesse
keepeth life in vs who is able to shewe the cause heereof but the Lorde who knoweth all and if this one blessing shoulde faile vs although our possessions were as great as Salomons yet they woulde not serue vs. Againe let euery man in his place gather this meate and comfort for his life Esay 62. 3. that so we may perfourme the olde commandement of God to Adam that wee eate our meate in the sweate of our faces The Bees will not suffer one drone among them and so let not vs suffer them that are carelesse to prouide some thing whereby their dutie may be discharged to God and their liues preserued in the worlde Secondly he telleth them with what affection they should receiue their meat With praise and thankesgiuing to God Whereby wee may see one principall token of a temperate receiuer in that hee can giue thankes to God for his meate 1. Cor. 10. 25. but gluttons and belli-gods take their meate as Swine doe although with more manners yet with as little reuerence sitting downe to fill their bellies and rising vp to fulfill their pleasures and through immeasurable fulnes their teeth put their mouth to silence and sleepe falleth on them that their harts doe not onely forget their feeder but their maintainer also The first reason bicause it is a token they loue God Deut. 12. 11. and they that loue neuer offend for loue is the fulfilling of the lawe Againe meate is onely blessed vnto them that ioine thankesgiuing with it 1. Sam. 9. 13. So that whatsoeuer is not thankfully receiued must needes be accursed And surely if Paul saide he had rather neuer eate meate as long as hee liued then eate to the offence of his brother wee may more lawfully pine in famine starue in want and perish in distresse of meate rather then God shoulde bee offended Theeues which steale for meate coseners that deceiue for meate beggers that counterfaite for meate idle persons that worke not for meate and rich men that praie not for meate can neuer bee thankefull for that which they eate but all is accursed vnto them Let vs therefore for feare of the curse and especiallie for conscience of death liue soberly in praier in our eating and drinking working and resting sleeping and waking bicause wee knowe not whether wee eate our last morsell as the Israelites which died with meate in their mouthes or worke our last day-worke as the poore man that was stoned for gathering stickes on the Sabbaoth or sleepe our last sleepe neuer wake againe Surely as Iacob ended his life when he had blessed his children so shall we be happy if wee ende our liues when we haue praised God Againe let vs not tempt God for meate whatsoeuer distresse wee liue in but seeke it humblie in praier Psal 104. 27. that wee may eate more cheerefully and bee assured that God will continue his blessings for what shall it profite to feede our bodies to the full and let our soules goe starue and pine away to death That the Lord hath This clause is added vnto their praises at meate because then they ought to remember the Lordes benefits the which thing ought to driue away all vaine and foolish table-talke wherein men silence the mercie of God and praise the taste of their meate or the liberalitie of the feast-maker alway thanking him and neuer thinking on God whereas they are bound to do both We may note in these words that God doth not onely vse his ordinarie power in the deliuerie of his church but also his extraordinarie whereby he worketh maruels and woonders 1. Pet. 1. 5. for by the woonderfull power of God are we continued in our profession contained in the church and preserued to life eternall God told Dauid 2. Sam. 12. that if he had not done ynough for him yet he would haue done much more for him so that he hath not limited his power nor his mercie toward the faithfull The reasons first because we should knowe that we are saued through grace and the great power of God 1. Cor. 1. 18. as it is not a light matter to enioy a kingdome so is it not a small matter to climbe vp into heauen but the vnspeakable power of God must be vsed therein Againe the more power he vseth in his church the more must be his glorie Mark 7. 17. and this is the cause why all good men thinke they can neuer praise God ynough although euery day they renewe their thankesgiuing in heauen is the power of God most of all seene and therefore there the angels and saintes doe nothing but praise the power of God And therefore we may hereby learne that all miracles which God doth in the world doe call vs to bee partakers of his kingdome Matt. 12. 28. and if we refuse them and doe not come the same power shall be vsed in our condemnation that is promised in our saluation Neither let vs euer forget the works which God doth for vs Psal 106. 21 22. but remember them in our meate in our beds in our labour in our ease in our watching and in our reioicing that our God may still continue to doe them as we doe still perseuere to remember them Lastly in this verse hee promiseth that they should neuer be more ashamed of any reproches Whereby we may note that religion doth not commit any thing that either we may be ashamed of or repent 1. Cor. 15. 58. for our labour in religion is not in vaine If any thorough the feare or commaundement of God should slay their children as Abraham would or deceiue their maisters as Iacob did or beguile their husbands as Rebecca did or disobey their princes as Moses did or murther their enimies as Sampson did or loose their liues as Christ did yet shall they neuer neede to repent any of them Oh what a maruellous benefite hath a man by religion which he cannot haue by any other thing in the world There is nothing in all the life of man but wee may repent except it bee the feare of God We repent our words our works our expences our gettings our wanderings our negligence our diligence our sleepe meate and money and all We are ashamed of our thoughts our to yes trifles plaies childishnesse wantonnesse loue hatred lust pouertie nakednesse and the very parts of our body but of no part of religion Thou shalt neuer repent that thou forsookest the worlde beleeuedst in the Lord mournedst for thy sinnes studiedst in the scriptures heardest the preachers was obedient to the gospell praiedst many howers watched many nights fasted many daies endured many troubles and shalt die any death for the Lords sake seeing heauen is thy rest Nay rather we see many men in their death-beds wish with teares that they had hawked and hunted and plaied and laboured and loued and hated much lesse for now in their sicknesse their sinnes come on them as the Philistines came on Sampson when
idolatrie and the monarchie of the diuel the which I pray God for euer destroy But in this that we said that the abundance of the spirit vnder the time of the kingdom of Christ is shadowed foorth vnder these types of the olde testament so that the kingdome of Christ consisteth of such members as are heere described to bee possessed with the spirit of God to prophesie and such like Whereby we learne that those which auoide the ministerie and other spirituall functions do as much as they can darken and deface the kingdome of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. so that a continuall and an vnwearied studie must be applyed vnto the same there is no wit so fine but herein it may be busied there is no profession so needefull but it must giue place to this For Diuinitie is like Sara and other arts and sciences like Agar and although humane arts haue conceiued with child and gotten more followers then Diuinitie yet they must know they are but handmaides and must be subiect to their mistresse The reasons First because the ignorance of the scriptures is the mother of all abhomination and errour Matth. 22. 25. so that take away religion and Diuinitie although their sciences could make golde yet they cannot stand Secondly in the profession of faith and of religion consisteth the ground-worke and foundation of the church Matth. 16. 18. and therfore they which giue not themselues hereunto doe not onely pull downe the building of christianitie but raze downe the verie foundations thereof I haue followed these things more at large in the beginning and therefore I now touch them lightly Let vs therefore exercise the commandements of God and purge our impure liues by their rule Psalm 119. 9. for so long as our eares are open to his word our liues shal be couered from shame as Ioas prospered all the daies of Iehoijada so shall we so long as the Gospell and religion ruleth in our soules Let vs take that which the angels brought Act. 7. 53. for they brought the law and in nothing are we so like the angels as in the studie of Diuinitie for they behold the face of God in heauen and wee behold him in the scriptures Thirdly when he saith that their sonnes and their daughters shall prophesie we may note that there are not any in the church too rich or too good for the studie of diuinitie Isaie the Prophet was of the kings seed and Salomon the richest and wisest king that euer was would be called a preacher in his wisest and best daies Our gentlemen scorn this priestly trade but set their sonnes to marchandize or to the lawe or to one golden trade or other but they set their sonnes as much to Diuinitie as their daughters yea they thinke their whole family is disgraced if there bee any of their name a priest for so they odiously terme vs otherwise the name is too good for them or vs. The reasons First bicause bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable to all 1. Tim. 4. 8. One was woont to say that the world was destroyed by three sortes of men by Lawyers for they destroy mens goods by Phisitions for they kill mens bodies and by ignorant Diuines for they damne mens soules now verily I thinke that so it is with vs for there was neuer more contention for wealth or more cost laide foorth on phisicke and neuer lesse care for saluation Such ignorant diuines haue marde all whose heads are as full of learning as a flint stone is of oyle and their liues correspondent to their knowledge so that now adaies there is no difference betweene Aaron and the priests of Egypt betwixt Nadab and Phinehas betwixt Sadoc and Abiathar betwixt Michaiah and Zidkijah betwixt Ieremie and Shemaiah betwixt Christ and the Pharisees betwixt Peter and Simon betwixt the Phisition and the patient betwixt Balaam and his Asse Studie doth not commend a Diuine but a noble mans letter and an angell is more woorth then a preacher Another reason it will amend euery mans way Psal 119. 9. Let therefore the word of God dwell among vs plentifully Col. 3. 16. and let vs exercise the scriptures from our childhoode 2. Tim. 3. 15. that so wee may haue God in our selues religion in our hearts and holines in our liues that our auncients may teach better our youth may liue better our children may learne better that our houses our hearts our liues our fathers our sons our daughters may bee blessed Fourthly hee saith Hee will powre foorth his spirite vppon their seruaunts and maidens who in olde time were baselie accounted of especially if they were not of their owne nation From hence wee may note that it is the dutie of christians that liue in these times since this Gospell was fulfilled to haue care to make their seruants religious Prou. 14. 35. or else to make choise of such when they want A good christian wil be alway a good seruant and therefore if thou wouldest haue good seruants make them good christians He is a better seruant that liueth well then hee that laboureth well for thinke not that hee will euer make conscience of thy businesse that maketh not conscience of the Lordes businesse Col. 3. 22. The reasons First because thou maiest safely giue all into his handes as was in Ioseph Gen. 39. 8. Againe hee may profit thy sonnes and doe them more good then thou canst Prouerb 17. 2. Therfore let seruants bee handled like christians not like slaues like men and not like beastes Leuit. 25. 39. They are your brethren despise them not 1. Timoth 6. 2. They are the Lordes free men abuse them not 1 Cor. 7. 22. Command them no euill offer them no wrong hinder not their faith torment not their liues forsake them not in age nourish them in sicknesse pay them their hire feede them sufficiently empaire not their credite reuile them not correct them for euill commende them for godlinesse and be such masters to them as Christ is to you Againe let seruants make choise of christian maisters not where they may haue most wages but where they may haue most instruction not where they may haue most ease but most information 1. Timot. 6. 6. You were better eate herbes with a godly master then a fatte oxe with a wicked you were better fare harde and worke harde where your soules may bee gouerned then fare well and worke little where your soules are endangered Be subiect to thy master 1. Pet. 2. 18. Serue not an Atheist for any money nor a papist for any meat nor a neuter for any hire nor a knowne hypocrite for any wages but serue thy master looke to his wealth tranaile for his profite mispende not his substance defende his credite make much of his children and praie for his saluation Care not for ease spende nothing in riot carie no tales keep within the house and remember God in thy worke that
bodie eie for eie and life for life to him againe Shall bring againe the captiuitie The prophet vnder the name of captiuitie doth vnderstande all the miseries of the people of God for in captiuitie there is a concurrence or consent of all manner of euils For in truth if there be any estate lamentable in the world it is the estate of a captiue He shall liue a common slaue he shall euer be abridged of libertie he shall weare the coursest he shal eate the basest he shall lie the hardest he shall labour the sorest and he shall liue the vnhappiest His correction shall bee fitter for a beast then a man his pittie shall bee nothing if hee bee sicke hee shall haue no attendance and in this hee is woorse then any prisoner for hee must not begge for necessitie but either liue with little or else starue and the prisoner knoweth that the iudge onely hath authority to take away his life but a captiues life is in euery mans hande So that when wee reade of the captiuitie of Iudah and Ierusalem wee must vnderstande an intollerable mischiefe to be fallen vpon them For their countrie was all spoiled their goodly houses were razed to the earth their streetes ranne with blood of men their women wiues and virgins were most shamefully abused they were caried from their owne countrey kindred and acquaintance they were solde like beastes they were killed like sheepe they were kept like dogges and they liued to see their children solde away into other countries whose sweete faces they shoulde neuer see againe Oh that we in England could thinke with our selues what was the cause why God did so lamentablie giue ouer his people to bee racked and ruled by others which was the contempt of his worde and wee may greatly feare the like punishment for the same sinne among vs Oh my heart bleedeth to thinke what will be the estate of many if a captiuitie should come their goods which they woulde not giue to the poore shall bee taken by the enimie the fire shall consume their houses the sworde shall destroy their liues the lust of men shall defile their gallant proude dames and peraduenture their tender babes and gentle posteritie shall be solde to be some galli-slaues some kitchin-boies some to draw the plow instead of oxen with their backs bare for the scourge some to be slaine before their eies many to be committed to the beasts to the waters to the heathens to the infidels to be new nurtured in paganisme O Lorde keepe this day from England But he telleth them that the Lord would deliuer thē out of this captiuity before they were in it as God told Abraham of the deliuerie of his seede before hee had any seed By which we may obserue that God doth think vpon our deliuerance redemption before we be in miserie O vnspeakable mercie of God! which had so in his euerlasting decree appointed that his sonne should redeeme vs before the world was made yea before there was any to bee redeemed He doth not make thee sick but first he hath made thee a medicine he doth not take away thy children or thy goods but first he thinketh a way how to restore them againe he doth not stirre thee vp any enimie but he hath appointed thee another friend and as at the beginning he made euerie tree and plant and herbe and fruite before he made either man or beast which should eate them so he continually prouideth meat before hunger ease before danger light before darkenes and ioy before sorrow as Ioseph of Arimathea which made his toombe before he was dead The reasons hereof are these First because he wil not haue his church to be in desperation of deliuerance Isa 10. 30. for our afflictions are called our burdens now a burden is appointed to be taken off before it be layde on and so our miseries are appointed to be taken from vs before they be cast vpon vs for the rod of the wicked shal not alway rest vpon the backes of the righteous And therfore let none cast in our teeth the miserie of a christian which seemeth to be borne for miserie but rather christians are borne for immortalitie for our short enduring calamities are nothing woorthie the glorie which shall bee heaped vpon vs. Another reason is because that this is a token of the Lords iust iudgement 2. Thess 1. 6 7. The Lord which euerie way doth shew his mercie will also declare the same in the chastising of his children and therefore as in iustice he doth wound them for their sins so in iustice he first prouideth for their safetie whereby we may know a singular comfort for them which are troubled in conscience and let them not much trouble themselues to seeke for the meanes of their ease for as Abraham did binde Isaac to be sacrificed so he did vnbinde him againe and in like sort as God hath troubled thy soule so he will giue it ease againe The vses which wee may make of this doctrine are these First letvs neuer despaire for any miseries whatsoeuer but still hope Isa 40. 2. for the Lorde hath alreadie numbred the daies of thy life and of thy sorrow and of thy paine and of thy affliction therefore neuer care for it will one day be ended Oh but thou wilt say it will be ended but it will be long first therfore I feare I shall faint in suffering but how canst thou tell it will be long hath the Lord told thee so then abide his pleasure although it be to thy paine hath he not told thee so then make not thy affliction longer or greater God which made the okes subiect to the greatest windes hath giuen them the largest and deepest rootes to stay them vp withall And if God do tempt thee with long calamitie O happie man art thou for he tempteth none aboue their power and if God load thy daies with sickenes or pouertie or losses or paines or wounds or infamie or seruitude yet know thou shalt be able to abide it if God haue sent it Another vse is that vnder our afflictions wee reioyce in hope Rom. 12. 12. for what greater perswasion can wee haue to mooue vs hereunto then this that the Lord hath alreadie determined the continuance thereof Reioice therefore that thou art like vnto Christ though thou bee vnlike to thy selfe Know that there is no darkenes but it flieth from the sunne there is no poyson but it yeeldeth vnto medicine there is no winter but it is remooued by sommer and therefore there shall neuer come vnto thee any such miserie but it shall be taken from thee But some wil say we may endure our aduersitie but we cannot reioice in the companie thereof how shal we whet our hope and reioice vnder tribulation My deere brethren if you can beare it patiently you may easily reioice therein for there is not required laughter to this ioy but the inwarde peace of
old Eli it is the Lord let him do what he wil let him take my goods for he gaue them let him haue my children for hee made them let him remooue my health for he sent it let him chaunge my friends for he wonne them let him trouble my conscience for he can giue it peace and let him take away my soule for he can giue it saluation The vses that we may make hereof are these First that we waite patiently vpon the Lord Psal 37. 7. we shal see in the end our harts desire cōmit our whole care to his protection who is able wil be willing to effect the same Waite patiently for there is no master so kinde but hee hath some attendance of his seruant and therefore how canst thou be the seruant of God if thou neuer attend vpon him A good seruant of a willing minde doth obey his maister euen in those things that are hard to be perfourmed and so although it be hard for thee yet endure the calamitie that somewhat presseth and oppresseth thee Naamans seruants said to him that the Prophet bid him but a small thing that was wash and be cleane and then he washed and was cleansed and so I say vnto you it is but a small thing I exhorte you waite and you shall be eased Oh that I might perswade any sicke man to waite for health or any poore man to waite for reliefe or any old man to waite for death or any yoong man to waite for Christ happie were I but more happie were they that so could be taught to be so cured Waite in the morning for a blessing and in the day for a comfort and in the night for a light in the morning that thou maist worke in the day that thou maist continue and in the night that thou maist receiue thy reward oh tarrie but a little while and thou shalt see an end of all miserie Another vse of this doctrine is this that we take heede how we by our wrath prouoke the wrath of the holy Ghost against vs and so grieue the spirit by whom we are sealed We were farre better let our soules goe foorth of our bodies then let the Spirit goe foorth of our soules I meane it were better for vs to die then to liue without the holy Ghost Yea let vs eate sorrow as we eate meate and grieue our consciences rather then grieue the holy Ghost Dauids seruants were afraid to tell him of the death of his childe because it would grieue him oh therefore let vs be more afraid to grieue the Spirit of God then they were to grieue the king of Israell Now if thy sinnes be reprooued amend them if thy life be threatned abide it if thy goods be wasted fret not at it if thy enimies reioice at thee bee not desperate if thou be offended sweare not rashly if thou be punished curse not outwardly and if thou be accused yet answer not bitterly grieue not the spirit of promise For ye haue taken my siluer and my gold This is the fifth cause specified in their enditement for the which the Lord calleth them to iudgement for that they ransacked his temple and tooke away all his golde and siluer which was appointed for his seruice and carried into their idoll-temples whatsoeuer was ordained for the performing of his worship And first of all we may obserue in this place that whatsoeuer hath been lawfully giuen and appointed vnto the maintenance of religion can neuer bee taken away againe or else in vaine had the Lord blamed these infidels for that in their lawfull conquest they had spoiled his temple also and this selfesame thing doe the godly complaine of Psal 74. 6 7. So that if any lands haue beene giuen or any houses haue beene builded or any priuileges haue beene graunted or any money haue beene deliuered for the furtherance of the Lordes worship it is sacrilege to transferre them violently or couetously or craftily to any other vses Oh how shall they be iudged that liue vpon the spoile of the church and share the Lords portion so neere and so narrow that they haue made it too little to fit his glorie Doe they not knowe that the Lorde shall call them to a reckoning for his siluer and his golde and then oh then how deere wil their daintie fare their silken suites their veluet slippers their french-hoods their golden borders and their blew-coate-hirelings cost them that they haue gained and maintained by the robberie of churches The reasons of this doctrine are these first because the goods of the church are holy things 2. Chron. 20. 19. and therefore not to be prophaned which is then done when they are withdrawen from the Lords seruice For certainly although in substance the golde and treasure of the church be the same that all other is of as the water and the bread and wine in the sacraments in substance bee all one with other water wine and bread yet in regarde of the vse there is a difference for they are made holy by dedication and therefore as it were horrible villanie to abuse the elements in the sacraments so is it execrable robberie to prophane the treasure of the church Another reason is this because if it were not lawfull for Ananias and Saphira vnder pretence of religion to sell their land as if they would haue giuen it to the church and yet kept away part thereof Act. 5. 4. then is it much more vnlawfull to keepe away any part from the church which we neuer gaue but it was rightly the churches possession before wee were borne And the vses which may be made hereof may bee these first that these church-robbers and sacrilegious persons knowe that the iudgement of God doth continually hang ouer their head as often as euer they abuse and take any of these hallowed and sanctified treasures as it did ouer Belshazzar Dan. 5. 3 5. who was then sentenced to destruction when he was drinking wine in the cups of the temple And surely we were better weare camels haire for our garments as Iohn Baptist did and haue not a house to rest our heads vpon as Christ had not and lappe vp our drinke as Gedeons soldiers did out of the running streame then so to be clothed and lodged and delicately nourished with the goods of the church and the curse of the Lorde What though some kings of Iudah did buy peace with them and Dauid did eate of the shew-bread yet they did it for necessitie to maintaine the common-wealth and to preserue life and so verily I thinke may be done nowe But blessed be God we neuer yet tasted of the like necessitie and so long as there shall be one penny of money or one foote of land in the possessions of priuate men so long must the treasurie of the church be left vntouched O yee gentlemen and rich men and vnhappie men which haue filled your priuate cofers with the Apostles
goods whereas you should haue laide your goodes at the Apostles feete what will ye doe when the mouth of God shall pronounce your destruction for medling with his tithes and his offerings and his sacrifices and his liuings as the hand of God did Belshazzars depriuation on the wall surely not your knees will bend but your harts wil quake not your countenance will change but your conscience wil tremble not your loines wil be loosed but your liues not your wealth shall be only destroied but your soules bodies for euer euer Secondly we may obserue out of this vers when he saith that they haue caried into their temples his goodlie pleasant things that God accounteth preciouslie of the meanes of his worship howe basely soeuer the world and all worldlings doe iudge thereof Leuit. 1. 2. for he calleth them his goodly and pleasant things The which thing I woulde haue most diligently obserued that wee may so thinke of the thinges of God as the spirite of God doth deliuer them vnto vs that we finde them goodlie as full of grace and pleasant as filled with delight that we may all saie Oh Lorde howe sweete are thy lawes vnto our hearts yea sweeter then honie to our mouthes For carnall minded men see no more grace in a church then in a tauerne nor no more delight in a christian then in a ruffian nor esteeme any whit better of a preacher then a craftesman or finde any more sweetenesse in a sermon then a plaie or take any more delight in the Gospell then in a little pedlars french Oh howe basely are you minded that cannot thinke better of the Lords matters One of you thinke that there is great goodnesse in an eare of wheate another findeth great delight in a fielde flower another sporteth himselfe with the smell of a rose but none of you can feele any pleasure in that corne that bringeth bread of life or that flower that sheweth the worke of life or that rose that offereth the smell of heauen Laie away thy base thoughts of spirituall matters and knowe that the church is the Lordes house who is greater then a king that the preachers are the Lordes stewardes who are better then lordes that the Gospell is thy soules food sweeter than any iuncate that a christian is the Lordes friend better than any rich man that a sermon is thy Sauiours praise higher then any prince and that the fellowship of saints is more woorth then the valour of knights Thinke I saie howe goodly and pleasant are the wordes full of grace the companie full of goodnesse the praiers full of sweetenesse the Psalmes full of melodie and the soules full of sorrowe which are gathered togither before the Lorde in his church The reasons of this doctrine are these First because hee euermore regardeth what himselfe hath appointed Cant. 5. 1. His church is his garden and therefore he hath planted euery flower growing therin wherewithall hee cannot chuse but bee highly delighted as he was at the beginning when hee sawe that all his workes were good Another reason is bicause he punisheth them seuerely that contemne any part of his ordinance Heb. 2. 2. 1. Cor. 11. 30. and therefore he accounteth preciously of his worde which hee defendeth by his power and of his poore saints whom hee maintaineth by his angels and of his mercie which hee manifested in his sonne and of the neglect of his Gospell which hee punisheth by condemnation Let vs therefore honour whom God honoureth Act. 10. 15. and that which God accounteth precious let vs not cast awaie as vile Because Assuerus honoured Haman all the people of his kingdome did him reuerence and therefore because the Lorde thinketh well of the worde and of the Sacraments and of praier and of preaching and of hearing the Gospell let him bee a dead dogge that speaketh against the same But alas alas as Vasthi would not come although the king hir husband sent for hir so will not our Vasthies men women olde and yoong followe religion and come to the Gospell although God our father and Christ our husband send for them neuer so earnestly but she was rewarded for hir disobedience and was diuorced from the king and so I feare will bee the ende of verie many in our daies to be put out of the Lordes fauour and diuorced from the blessings of Christ And again let vs learne to put on our eies of faith that wee may commend that which God commendeth for except wee can beholde the workes of God and the Gospell of God with spirituall eies it shall neuer bee goodly and pleasant before vs and cast away the blockish dulnesse that oppresseth your braines like a drouzie nap in a shining daie which will not suffer you to beholde the light with any comfort But lift vp your eies as the children of light that you may see the beautie of Christes church the riches of the Lords spirit the treasures of the Lordes saintes the ornaments of a faithfull soule and the glorie of another life The children also of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem haue ye sold vnto the Grecians that yee might send them farre from their border This verse contayneth the last cause of the Lordes iudgement vpon his enimies for that they had sold his seed and seruants vnto the heathen nations with this policie because when they were carried far from their own countrey they should liue like slaues without hope euer to returne home againe These Grecians to whom they solde the people of God were Gentiles or heathens the posteritie of Iauan the sonne of Iaphet who was the eldest sonne of Noah And in this that the Lorde now calleth them to a reckoning because they had solde away his people although they were their captiues vnto infidels we may obserue that it is not lawfull to commit the children of the beleeuers into the handes of vnbeleeuers And for this cause it is reported Gen. 12. 5. that when Abraham was commaunded by God to goe out of Haran where all were fallen to idolatrie into the promised lande of Canaan he tooke with him Sarai his wife and Lot his brothers sonne for he would not leaue him in the hands of Terah Abrahams father and Lot his grandfather because with the residue he then was fallen to idolatrie And this example is a sufficient proofe of the matter to teach vs that we should so loue the soules of the righteous seede that we leaue them not resident among the infidels or Atheists or Papistes or other prophane wretches but to our owne cost and labour redeeme them from the diuels tyranny But in this we may lament First that euen in our times we may see many of yeeres of discretion to runne away into papistical and heathenish warres or else to sauegarde themselues vnder the liueries of them that are open enimies to the Gospell and many to binde and put their owne children the fruit of their bodie
death-bed and although a man haue made no conscience all the time of his health yet on his death-bed will he lie most deuout so let deuotion and religion raigne in them that follow the warres that euery mans death may be a sermon of repentance vnto them and let the trumpet admonish them of iudgement and their continuall danger awake them for the Lordes comming Oh that men of this life woulde so liue that they might fight in lesse danger ouercome with smaller losse liue with greater holinesse and die with greater honour die I saie to honour their countrey with their liues and their Sauiour with their soules Breake your plow shares into swordes and your sithes into speares let the weake say I am strong Hauing handled the pressing of the souldiers now it followeth that we goe to the preparation of weapons in this verse where he biddeth them to take their tooles wherewith they husbande the earth and turne them into the instruments of warre whereby we may obserue that the warre which the faithfull haue against their enimies is as needfull or more needfull then tillage of the earth Gen. 14. 14 15. Abraham to recouer againe Lot tooke all his houshold both shepherds and other and followed the kings which lead him away captiue and by a mayne battle ouerthrew them all And surely many times there is none but they may doe more good in the warre then at the plow and at the slaughter of men then at the mowing of corne If Abraham had not stirred presently all had beene lost and then woe had been Lot which should haue liued a prisoner and forgot the God of Abraham therefore better was it to leaue the sheepe to the danger of the woolfe and the earth to bee vntilled and ouergrowen with weeds then to let any soules of God be captiuate by man or bee taken away from the flocke and visible church of God The reasons First because it is waged for the Lord and for the church 2. Sam. 10. 12. now then it being sometime a part of the Lords seruice what worldly worke is there that must not yeelde vnto it Yea though it be as naturall as the tillage of the earth Againe then doth the Lord take vengeance of the sinnes of wicked men whereupon they were accursed by the prophet Ieremie that did the worke of the Lord negligently meaning those which did not execute the fulnesse of his wrath vpon the wicked that he had giuen into their hands Therefore learne the necessitie of warre and when thou art called then refraine not to come Ios 1. 14. to helpe thy brethren for they are accursed that follow not willingly the warre of God Iudg. 5. 23. Deborah cursed Meroz because it did not helpe Barac against Sisera and so are those faint harted and white-liuered souldiers who are afraide to loose their life in the Lords quarrell Some that are great presse forwarde those that are vnder them other beeing lawfully called buie out their calling with money and so auoide the warre substituting some one or other in their place who peraduenture runneth away before the battle Yea if it be so necessarie let them learne that God is sometime as well serued by killing in the fielde as at an other time by praying in the church and it is better for them to leaue wife and children to goe and fight against the Lords enemies then to liue at home and follow their dayly labour Let vs also learne to entreate the Lord to go forth with our armies against our enimies Psal 44. 9. for there is no policie like his presence no captaine like his direction no power like his grace no sworde like his anger no foe like his displeasure no shot like his breath and no danger like his absence Oh therefore if Barac would not goe except Deborah went with him then goe not to the warre except the Lord goe with thee The Israelites neuer lost battle wherein Iosuah was and therefore neuer shall wee loose the field if the Lord be on our side Let his call command thee his cause prouoke thee his presence arme thee and then shall neuer foe hurt thee Let him be thy captaine to go before thy company to follow after thy prouision to feed thy campe let his lawes gouerne thy souldiers his presence shal preserue thee from danger Oh pray when thou goest that he may guide thee when thou trainest that he may see thee whē thou fightest that he may saue thee Secondly when he thus calleth vnto thē to turne their plowshares into swords and their siethes into speares we may note that it is a thing requisite that euery one doe prouide him weapons for the defence of his countrie and therefore doth the spirite of God 1. Sam. 13. 23. account it a detestable policie of the Philistines who tooke away all the smiths out of Israell because they woulde keepe the Israelites without weapon for therein they were neuer able to trie their cause and to auenge themselues of their tyrannie The reason first because no man by the law of God is forbidden to defend himselfe although in his owne defence he kill his aduersarie yet coulde he not be blamed because the Lord had deliuered him into his hand And in truth I thinke it a rare policie of the diuell in the mouthes of Anabaptists denying Christians to weare weapons because thereby the Turks and Pagans might come vpon vs vnarmed men and so take away our liues and our profession together therefore I hold it as needefull for a man to weare weapon to defende himselfe from wounds as for a man to take physicke to preserue himselfe from sicknesse Let vs not spend more time herein then needeth but let vs learne that we prouide the weapons of the spirit Ephes 6. 11. Bee not armed against men and vnarmed against the diuell be as cunning to defend thy soule from hell as thou wouldest bee to defende thy life from death Seest thou not that a whole nation are ouercome without weapon and so shalt thou be ouercome without the sword of the spirite the shield of faith the helmet of saluation and the darts of faithfull praiers to wounde the infernall foes They are stronger therefore thou must learne more cunning they are wiser therfore thou must get more strength they are swifter therefore thou must strike more sure they are more dangerous therefore thou must bee more zealous Againe when he biddeth the weake to say that they are strong he thereby teacheth vs that we must not admit any excuse to keepe vs from the battell neither sicknesse nor lamenesse nor pouertie nor riches nor youth nor gentrie nor weakenesse must excuse men from fighting of the Lords battels but rather the zeale to doe him seruice must exceede and excell the want which oppresseth vs. Therefore learne from hence how thou oughtest to liue in all thy waies that God looketh for at thy hand no excuse can be
euer admitted none can be exempted from religion because they are honourable or from the gospell because they are rich or from sermons because they are learned or from the churches because they are tender or from praier because they are sicke or from warre because they are weake but the weake must say I am strong Rather pray the more and goe the farther and heare the oftener and obey the willinglier and professe more earnestly because God hath made thee sicke or poore or weake or rich or tender or honourable or learned for I tell thee that there is no excuse from comming into the Lords vineyarde Thou canst not come into heauen by a proxee or substitute another to heare the gospell for thee but in thy owne person and soule and strength or weakenesse thou must enter into it Therefore now looke to the matter if euer thou wilt obtaine grace for although we satisfied the wrath of God by another namely by Christ yet we cannot be sanctified in any mans person but in our owne All the lazers and lame diseased men of Israel came from all quarters thereof to be laide by the poole of Bethesda to be washed and cured and none suffered any let to keepe them away in like manner let all the weake and lame soules of the world come to worship the Lord and let not any hinderance keepe them backe The xxxix Sermon Vers 11. Assemble your selues and come all yee heathen and gather your selues togither round about there shall the Lord cast downe thy mightie men 12. Let the heathen be wakened and come vp to the valley of Iehoshaphat for there will I sit to iudge all the heathen round about AS in the former verses he called the souldiers which shoulde bee the ministers of his wrath to destroie his enimies so nowe againe the second time hee calleth the heathen to iudgement to prepare them for the execution and although their destruction shoulde come of themselues yet the Lorde calleth them to battle that they might knowe it proceedeth from him Concerning the first part of these two verses namely the gathering of the heathen into the valley of Iehoshaphat wee haue alreadie spoken in the seconde verse of this chapter Therefore we wil brieflie touch that which is not hādled already I might first note vnto you that the Lord careth not for all the multitude of the world althogh they were vp in armes against him when hee saith Assemble your selues and come all yee heathen meaning to warre and defende themselues against his souldiers before called Secondly in these words I might shew you how the heathen and infidels in all their warres trust to their multitudes and bring all the force they can make as we may reade of the Madianites against Gedeon and the Philistines against Barac but it is the Lorde that ouerthroweth the horse and the ryder I will cast downe thy mightie men By these wordes the prophet telleth vs that God will deale with the strongest and confounde them Luk. 1. 52. The Lorde who is of great wisedome and infinite strength and power doth buckle alway with them that are of greatest account suffering the pride of the lesser to be punished by men but he himselfe controuleth the oppressions of the mightie Whereby wee may see that there is no cause why wee shoulde feare anie force or furie or rage of man for hee can and doth take the mightiest to ouerthrow them When we see any lifting vp themselues aboue their brethren then are wee to thinke their pride is ascending vp before the Lorde to be crossed This is a sweete instruction and comfort for the poore members of Christ for as there are none in the worlde more humble than themselues so there are none more oppressed by the pride of other than they are But they may heere learne that their mightiest foes are neerest to the vengeance of God The reasons First because his name is omnipotent Exod. 15. 4. this was the reason that Moses gaue of the ouerthrowe of Pharaoh and therefore it is no maruaile if any man or army or nauie or castle or king or emperour be throwne downe as the snowe falleth from heauen for the omnipotencie of his name remaineth for euer By it he drowned the giants he burned the Sodomites he ouerthrew the Egyptians hee slewe the Cananites hee captiuated the Israelites hee hath changed the liues of great princes and shall at the latter day iudge both quicke and dead Another reason bicause strong and mightie men doe mightily abuse their strength as we may see in Goliah who knowing his owne strength came and defied all Israell And surely heerein we may greatlie lament the estate of the worlde for men doe abuse all the benefits of God Such is the corruption of sinne in Adams children that their riches are the coales of iniquitie their authoritie a libertie to transgresse their health a patent for worldly vanity their strēgth a sufficient charter to reuile God and oppresse man But as Dauid the least in Israel cut off that monsters head so shall the least part of the Lordes power take reuenge vpon our highest abuses Let vs therefore learne to be humbled vnder the hande of God 1. Pet. 5. 6. For if we be poore and base men will punish vs but if we be high rich God himselfe will plague and cast vs downe But alas we are neuer humble till it be too late namely till we be laide in our graues for while wee liue pride is rooted in vs that it will not out of vs there is such league betwixt the life of man and the sin of man as was betwixt Naomi and Ruth for nothing but death can part them in sunder Who would be rich to be spoiled by theeues who woulde be wicked to be damned by diuels and who would be proud to be plagued by God Aduance not thy soule for thy birth or thy wealth or thy friendes or thy office or thy libertie or thy strength for God will cast downe the mightie men distrust thy vertues and thy cause and thy fauour and thy health and thy ioy and thy life for if thou bee exalted in anie of these God will surelie humble thee to thy shame Let the heathen bee wakened Nowe hee sheweth vs that the heathen after they had spoiled the church grewe to securitie and therefore hee calleth on them to bee awaked for there were no manhood in it to slay them in their sleepe By which we may note that the wicked in their greatest securitie shall be drawen vnto iudgement Ier. 22. 23. when their buildings are stately their bodies healthie their mindes loftie their wealth abundant and their liues past feare then then commeth the alarme of their miserie waking them from their soft beds heauie sleepe sweete loue pleasant pastime easie health and happy ioy to gather them into the slaughter-house of hell Oh that men would mitigate their desire of pleasure and once distrust their
neuer ceaseth to suggest new temptations and wee are seldome able to resist them therefore he neuer is idle but euer proceedeth farther and farther till he haue plunged vs ouer the eares in sinne that so he might drowne vs. When he made Peter denie Christ once then hee made him to denie him thrise so when he hath perswaded vs a little to follow the waies of our owne hearts then he neuer giueth ouer till hee haue made vs to denie him often so that this encreasing in sinne must bee attributed to the diuell for in truth the diuell shall be punished for the sinnes of the whole worlde and yet euerie wicked man shall be punished for his owne Let vs learne then that there is a measure appointed to receiue our sinnes and ifwe cease not till it bee full we cannot cease till it runne ouer and if we suffer it to runne ouer wee cannot hinder it from ouerrunning vs. There is none that woulde bee willing to sell his inheritance to fill a theeues purse with golde Therefore let not any of vs be so simple as to fill the diuels measure full of our sinnes which wee buie by selling away our soules Oh that we were as hard to the diuell when he craueth for a sinne as we are to a begger when he crieth for an almes we thinke well if we bestowe a pennie in a weeke vpon such a person and wee can hardly be drawen in for more but sinne after sinne we commit as fast as haile commeth from the cloudes Let vs then emptie the measure of our sinne and not fill it and be as vnwilling to cast one follie into the diuels hande as manie are to cast one farthing into the poore mans boxe Let vs resist the temptations of sinne as Iacob resisted the voice of his sonnes perswading him to suffer his little Beniamin to goe with them into Egypt and let vs neuer yeeld vnto him let vs not be ouercome rather let vs die For their iniquitie is great These wordes contayne the reason of their iudgement namely because of their sinnes for in truth if men did neuer sinne they should neuer be iudged and therefore seeing euery one that is borne hath sinned euery one borne shall answere for their sinne at iudgement But when he saith it is great hee teacheth vs that euery man shall be punished according to the quantitie of his sinne Luc. 12. 47. Many sinnes many stripes great sinnes great iudgement As in ciuill politicall gouernment there is a difference so also is there in the heauenly regiment for euery one shall bee punished according to the measure of his sinnes Therefore now take occasion to stay the heate of thy sinnes seeing many pleasures many ioyes many thefts many adulteries many othes many lies and many wicked actions shall bring vnto thee manifold indignation Moses would not suffer any of Israel to sacrifice in Egypt because the Egyptians would slay them if feare of death made them cease sacrificing to God then let feare of death make thee cease to sinne against God Some men will not eate the best meates although they loue them well because their price is too costly oh that we could as willingly abstaine from sinne which we loue too well because it will cost so deerely for one howers pleasure will bring a whole worlds paine The first reason because God hath ordained his church to haue seuerall kindes of punishment Matt. 18. whereby he teacheth that he will obserue the same order in the worlde to come to cast out obstinate offenders into the pit that is prepared for heathens and hypocrites for all the actions in the church militant do leade vs to the like in the church triumphant Secondly another reason is or else the greatest wretch of the worlde were in no woorse case then the new-borne babe but this cannot be for then were there not degrees of the Lords iustice as there are in his mercie Let vs learne to make this vse thereof seeing the Lorde woulde haue a man that had stolen any goodes or taken wrongfully from any man to restore it fowerfolde then let vs learne by the greatnesse of our sinnes to aggrauate our sorrowes for surely if we still remaine impenitent in the church of God his wrath will in the end ouertake vs as it did Ioab who was slaine at the hornes of the altar For the slaughter of the Gibeonites which Saul made vniustly God after his death caused seuen of his posteritie to bee hanged because Saul had not pacified the matter himselfe Be carefull therefore to repent thy sinnes with sorrow and to recompence them with obedience least thy desarts fall vpon thy posteritie otherwise thy delight will bee too deere and the fruites of thy pleasure will bee more bitter then wormwood Had Iudas knowen when hee was with Christ at supper that which now he feeleth all the priestes of Iewrie and al the money in their seueral treasuries could neuer haue perswaded him to that treason Trie not the aduenture of thy sinnes for hell is hotter then the fornace of Babylon and they which once come in it can neuer come out againe Learne also to knowe the waight of euery one of thy sinnes that thou maiest easily see they are odious to God infamous to men and dangerous to thy soule how the diuell hatcheth them the flesh nurseth them the worlde maintaineth them and God abhorreth them Looke I say vnto their waight for they are a burden too heauie for thee to beare if thou keepe them they will eate thee if thou striue with them they wil weary thee if thou beare them they will hurt thee if thou forsake them they will follow thee and if thou knowe them they will feare thee therefore learne to measure them and number them and waigh them that thou maiest emptie and lessen and cast them downe neuer to take them vp againe O multitude In this verse is contained the seconde similitude whereby their destruction is decyphered For after haruest commeth threshing and in my opinion in the former verse is set downe their first death and in this verse their second death by reason of the resemblance betwixt the paines of hell and the action of threshing First the stroke of the thresher seemeth to threaten the corne to strike it in peeces but yet it doth not so a man woulde thinke that the paines of hell woulde make an end of them that suffer them but yet they abide them Secondly threshing followeth the cutting of the corne and so hell followeth the death of the body Thirdly threshing is a continuall striking of one sheafe and so hell is a continuall tormenting of one soule for paine followeth paine as stroke followeth stroke But certaine it is a destruction is heere signified and that a more sharpe and seuere one then was noted in the former verse wherefore he calleth vnto them mournefullie O multitude ô multitude The which phrase of speech teacheth vs that God is
comming secondly by hoping for our glorification and thirdly by purging our selues in a word this is all We are made holy by regeneration and sanctification for a new minde is a holy minde as a new life is a holy life So then wouldest thou be holy the word must beget thee in the wombe of the church and the blood of Christ must purge thee in the tabernacle of thy flesh this is the way to make a saint first by the word thē by the blood of Christ and all of this must bee done in this life for they doe but mocke and delude the world which canonize saints after they be dead except they can bring them to life againe So then a pure life maketh not a saint that is holy without a new minde nor another minde without a cleane life Some are of opinion that there are no saints but in the kingdome of heauen but they are easily confuted by the scripture which calleth the godly at Corinth at Ephesus at Colossa and many other places by the name of saints But they say we do all them saints which the scripture calleth holy men and I pray what difference is there betwixt a saint and a holy man surely none at all but euery holy man is a saint in all toongs that euer I learned But if they vnderstand saints to be the soules of godly men in heauen then I say that in all good diuinitie and sound writers there are none such spoken of I meane that the blessed soules in heauen are onely called saints To conclude heare the gospell beleeue the promises waite for the appeering of our Sauiour and take but a drop of his blood to purge thy soule and life and thou shalt bee holy thou shalt be a saint otherwise thy life lead in long iniquitie shall ende in euerlasting woe paine and miserie And no strangers In these words he telleth them one benefit of his presence and their sanctification or holynes which is this that no strangers shall any more go thorough Israell meaning that they should neuer be ouercome by any enimies otherwise to harbour strangers is the commandement of God But by these wordes we are taught that onely religion maketh a common-wealth or kingdome to bee peaceable and happie 1. Sam. 12. 14 15. Although humane policie and worldly wisedome do much in the gouernment of any nation yet there is not any thing that so establisheth a people and maketh them happie as religion which is the wisedome and written word of God Why was not Ahabs gouernment as good as Dauids or Ieroboams a most politike king as good as Salomons Surely because the one was stablished in the law of God and the other was mingled with filthie idolatrie Let all the Polititians of the world and cursed Machiuillian Atheists murmur what they dare into the eares of kings and great persons that they must sometime regard Stratagems contrary to the Scriptures or else thrones cannot stand yet they are all deceiued for no policie nor counsell can stande against the Almightie Oppression breach of promise toleration of malefactors insinuations examinations extortions creations of offices and all the like policies cannot stand without religion for there was neuer yet any Polititian but he ended his life in great sorrow as did Achitophel I meane such as are not ruled by the scriptures We haue reade many policies of wicked men as of Pharaoh to keepe the Israelites in Egypt of the Philistims to keepe them without weapons of Ieroboam to keepe them from Ierusalem of the kings of Assyria to keepe them from returning home againe of Herod to kill our Sauiour Christ but what gained they all by their policie◠surely nothing but their owne sorrow and death for as Dauid saith The Lord intrappeth the wicked in the net that he laid for other Psalm 9. The reasons of this doctrine are these First because for sinne God dissolueth kingdomes Prouerb 28. 2. and therefore for religion he establisheth them for there is not any thing so contrarie to sinne as is the Lords worship I meane religion for all other humane vertues are rather in the compasse of sinne then in the shadow of true godlinesse Neither yet are all policies so condemned as it is vtterly vnlawfull to vse any for some are godlie and may bee practised as wee may see in Ioseph with his brethren who was a great courtier and yet vsed no vnlawfull extremitie of his authoritie so wee may reade of Moses that sent spies into the land of Canaan of the Israelites fighting with the Beniamites and of Gedeon when he slew so many of the Ephramites whom he found out by pronuntiation of the word Shibboleth but if policie bee grounded vpon any sinne or accompanied with any vnlawfull thing then better abide the hazard than that wee should do euill that good may come of it Another reason because Kings raigne by the Lord and by him Princes beare rule Now we must not thinke that he fauoureth or accounteth any nation blessed without his worship for he regardeth not a soule that feareth him not For this cause he droue Nebuchadnezzar from the throne to the heards of cattle that he might teach him that his throne depended vpon him Now shall we say that God is where there is no God accounted or if accounted yet not worshipped or if externally worshipped yet not sincerely where euery fancie of a worldly wise man is preferred before that truth which is sealed with the Lords blood I graunt that Iethro a heathen gaue Moses counsell how to behaue himselfe in his gouernment but GOD approoued it and so let euerie man speake for the good gouernment of a nation but let the word of GOD gouerne their sayings The vses first let vs take that counsell of the wisest king that euer was Prou. 25. 5. Take away the wicked from the king and his throne shall be established in righteousnesse If the wicked be remooued wicked counsell will be silenced and if wicked counsell be silenced then will the princes throne bee established in righteousnesse Dauid would not haue them to be his courtiers that slew Ishboseth his enemie and no more woulde he haue any vaine persons or liers to bee his seruants Psalm 101. 5 6. for as Gedeons armie was most honorable when he had sent away all dastardes and fearful soldiers although it was small so a kings court is most glorious when all wicked are banished from it although very fewe be left Multitudes are verie dangerous many men many wicked men Our Sauiour Christ had but twelue and yet one of them was a traytour and so it is most likely there is not any great company liuing in court or countrey but there are some wicked among them Although wicked men may bee good for the common wealth yet they cannot establish the kings throne in righteousnesse therefore I woulde that all the princes of the world would say with Dauid Psal 119. Awaie from me yee wicked
againe If euer it be needfull that the congregation should be great then it is most requisite to be enlarged when occasion of lamentation is offered that as many mens voices made the Lord to spare the Niniuites so many may cause him to reuerse his iudgements from vs. For truely as in war against an enimie hauing muaded our countrey we are ingenerall to lift vp our handes against him to driue him from vs so ought we being endangered by the hande of God to put on euerie one his complete armour of righteousnes that euery mans heart and voice may be lifted vp to stay his heauy hand from vs. How do men neglect this thing which thinke it in vaine to serue God and therefore though they know other men to be most busie in lamenting for their calamities yet they forsake not their tauerns their shops their counting houses their husbandries their marriages and other their paltries when as the sworde is as neere them as their garments yet they dread not the same and so as before they neglected the graces of God so now they abuse the long suffering of God making their latter ende woorse then their beginning like the old world which would not beleeue though they saw Noah enter into the arke and so the flood came and destroyed them all and so shall it doe with those except God enlarge his mercies and they cast away their stubburnnes Alas alas for the day of the Lord is at hand and it commeth as a destruction from the Almightie Now are we come to the praier which by the mercifull assistance of God his heauenly spirit we will most briefly and effectually handle First therefore the method which the holy prophet vseth is to be obserued wherein he lamenteth generally vers 15. and then particularly the meanes or causes of their destruction In this verse he generally toucheth all the calamitie when he calleth it the day of the Lord the dread and conscience whereof maketh him most yearnefully and pitifully to crie out Alas alas Where first of all commeth to our consideration this doctrine that good men do sorrow and mourne for the Lords iudgement before it commeth as this Prophet which sayeth the cause of his teares to bee this because the day of the Lord is at hand so we may read did Elishah 2. King 8. 10. when Hazael came vnto him and he had annointed him king of Syria it is said that he wept and Hazael asked him why he wept to whom he answered bicause it grieued him to thinke what he should do to Israell for hee should set their strong cities on fire and slay their yoong men with the sword and dash their infants against the stones and rende in peeces their women with childe Was not this a sufficient medicine to looke on and to make a heart of brasse to burst foorth into many teares For I thinke none considering such a destruction in his countrey but he will weepe for it bitterly It is enough many thinke to sigh when they be sore and then to weepe when they bee in paine and why should they torment themselues before they feele the miserie Yea rather why dost thou reason thus against thy God Thinke on the daies of miserie that are comming and doe as these prophets breake foorth into abundance of lamentation to thinke how our towres shall be plough lands our treasures shall be in other mens coffers our coastly buildings be razed in an instant our riuers shall runne with blood our children shall be the pray of souldiers and our wiues bee most cruelly murthered Oh that men before these daies could lament for the same yea although their eies should neuer see it yet let them weepe for them that shal feele it The reasons of this doctrine are these first because they reape this profit by the forewarning of God Iere. 4. 18 19. if God of his great goodnes open the destruction of any people or citie to any of his welbeloued sonnes they are presently astonished men and swallowed vp in many sorrowes but wicked men although they bee neuer so often admonished yet they remaine wicked and obstinate still Oh what a blessing is a soft and beleeuing heart which doth not onely receiue the wordes of God for truth but is presently affected as if they felt the iudgements When Elijah had told Ahab of God his vengeance against him then Ahab wept and fasted and the Lord spared him his time so I doubt not but there be many which hauing heard the trumpe of God his iudgement in the mouthes of the Lords preachers they haue wept bitterly and I thinke the Lord will spare vs for their time but take heed least the godly be deminished and no man consider it least our destruction be the more sudden and lift vp more voices of weepings at the voices of preachers that more time may bee graunted vs to be freed from vengeance Another reason is because good men although they bee assured of themselues yet it grieueth them to thinke how the wicked shal be destroyed Luke 19. 41. Our Sauiour there weepeth for Ierusalem which should be laide euen with the ground A good man is euer mercifull euen to the most vile and wretchedst creatures in the world and therefore it goeth to their harts to heare and see consider and thinke vpon how heapes and multitudes of men shall go to confusion Some would thinke that it is no reason to sorrowe for other men but rather let other men sorow for themselues But Samuel whose teares and praiers came many times before the Lorde for Saule will answere them and instruct them to be carefull for other mens saluation as Ioab appointed his armie that if he were too weake Abishai should helpe him and if Abishai were too weake Ioab woulde helpe him so must we labour to helpe one another which seeme weake although we know some shall go to wracke The vses that offer thēselues to our consideration out of this doctrine are these First seeing that it is the part of a good man to sorrow at the foreknowledge of any calamity let vs receiue that exhortation of the Lord Ier. 6. 8. that we be instructed whē the Lord threateneth vs or else as he there saith His soule shal depart from vs leaue vs desolate as a land that none inhabiteth And I would to God my countrey men of England would learne this instructiō at the mouth of God that whereas there is none of graue or greene yeeres but they haue had many tokens and heard many thunderbolts of wrath drawn from the neuer vncertaine word of God and from the extraordinarie course of manifolde iudgements which we haue felt these late yeres that now we being inuited to this mourning feast we al com not one stay behind Oh therfore receiue this instructiō before the lords soule go away from our nation I bid you not leaue of your callings nor cast away your garments nor put away your