which it appeareth that our auncestours haue doone great matters that way which I doe confesse to be true and if wee were as well acquainted wyth the Chronicles of other nations it maye bee wee shoulde finde as great matters if not greater brought to passe by manye of them for GOD hath euer giuen vnto seuerall nations their glorie one aboue an other to one in this age to an other in the nexte as the course of the foure Monarchs dooth euidentlye declare But can wee saye anye more for our selues in thys poynt than the Babylonians might haue sayde for themselues the Medes Persians for themselues the Assyrians for themselues the Grecians for themselues and the Romanes for themselues and yet their glorie is decayed and euery one of them hath sustayned a shamefull foile by their aduersaries yea of obscure name in the world Nay can wee builde our selues in more saftie than the Israelites might who had all the priuiledges that God euer bestowed vpon any and so many triumphant victories ouer their seueral aduersaries that their very name made the heartes of the kings on the earth to quake and yet for all this where are they nowe what is become of their glorious estate that was so famous throughout the world Surely it is defaced and brought to vtter ruine so that they are become a by-word and speech of reproch vnto all nations vnder the sun a most vaine thing it is therefore to stand vpon our owne strength seeing that they onely shall preuaile in battell whome the Lord will make mightie yea though they be as weake as Dauid and their aduersaries so strong in the iugement of men as Goliah the Philistin Now if they should yet except against the Prophet that they are a people of infinite number insomuch that to go about to ouerthrow them were to dry vp the sea and measure the sand vppon the shore He preuenteth that when he saith that this mightie people that commeth is without number that is as many as no man is able to reckon and this is also a common allegation that we bring to perswade our selues that no forreine foes can ouerrunne vs seing that our land is so peopled that wee seeme to bee as the stars in the skie that cannot be numbered but it is as vaine as anie of the former For may not one nation bee as populous as an other can there be so manie fighting men in one kingdome as cannot bee found elsewhere and though it were so that our aduersaries were not able to match vs this way hath the victorie alwais fallen on the side of the greatest hoste no for the holie woord of God affordeth vnto vs manie examples to the contrarie Abraham going out with 318. men onelie did discomfite four kings and all their hosts and deliuered Lot from their captiuitie A man would thinke that the Medianites and Amalekites being against Israel in number as the sand of the sea should neuer haue bene ouerthrowen and yet the Lorde discomfited them by the hand of Gideon and his three hundred souldiours without any stroke of weapon but onely the breaking of pichers blowing of trumpettes and crying the swoorde of the Lord and of Gideon Was not y e power of Senacherib king of Ashur with a mightie number by the conduction of his seruaunt Rabshaketh when hee besieged Ierusalem with an army of an hundred foure score 50000. valiant men yet they were al ouerthrowen in one night so that it is a broken reede of Egypt when we relie vpon multitudes who are nothing against those fewe vnto whom the Lord will giue the victorie In the words following doth the prophet also preuent that which might bee alleaged against the enemies that if they come being in a strange land they could not tell in how many daungers they should bee they should not be able to haue any stomach to proceed or if they did they would quickly bee quailed because they should neuer see an end of encounters and so forth all which is meet with al when he sayth that they shal haue teeth as a lyon that is be sharpe and fierce and besides that haue the iawes of a great lyon that is not runne them selues out of breath wyth theyr fiercenes but preuaile and become inuincible In which words are the enemies of the Church of GOD verie notably described whether they bee suche as haue a will and cannot or haue not onelie a will but also power to make hauocke and doe hurt vnto Gods people The first sort of enemies bee described in the former Metaphor wherein they are sayd to haue the teeth of a lyon that is to be sharpe and bitter verie willing and desirous to rauine and deuour and prepared for the purpose against the daye that they desire And of this minde are no doubt all the Papists that are in England whether they be recusants or church-papistes notwithstanding that they pretend a loue vnto the state and a contentednesse to liue quietlie in it so that they may be let alone to vse their conscience as they falselye do terme their hereticall opinions yet indeede because they beare a deadly hatred vnto the religion of Iesus Christ which is the onelie piller whereon the safetie of her Maiestie and the common-wealth standeth and shall stand so safelye as they leane vnto it no more nor longer if they do not vnto vs all the mischiefe that can be deuised it is for no other cause but onelye this that God taketh awaie from them oportunitie to bring it to passe and to the end that this may appeare to bee true for they haue plaide the part of Ismael so long that too manie of vs bee brought to bee as credulous as Gedoliah looke into the perticulars of their behauiour in their seueral countries where they dwell and callinges wherin they are and you shall see that they bend all their credite and authoritie to the crossing of religion which is the staffe of our state and the countenauncing of treacherous papists who be the sworne vnderminers of our welfare either in soule or bodie and therefore I maruell that anie wise men can be drawn to thinke that euer a papist can perfourme anie loyall seruice to hir Maiestie or good to his countrey vnlesse it bee to winde him selfe in that he may after do the greater hurt as the experience of many of them hath shewed in the sight of all men And this is not onelie true in those rich enemies to religion the papists but euen in all other that be wicked men whether they bee Atheists or men giuen vnto wickednes of life wee see how oftentimes manie of them doe currie with Gods Children but yet let vs neuer trust them the more albeit it bee better that a dogge fawne vppon vs then barke and bite vs yet it is most sure that they neuer fawne but to the end that they maye come neare vnto vs and bite more earnestlie
the meanes to drawe vs therevnto bee by the the mercie of God bestowed vppon vs it ought to affect our hearts with more gladnes then anye other thing that can befall vnto vs but when it shall come to passe that the passage for both these shalbe stopped vp that is that the greatest helpe for the aduancement of his glorie and the attaining vnto the saluation of our soules is taken away what cause haue we then to take delight in any thing vnder the sunne but euen to wishe that our eyes may bee made a fountaine of teares that wee may thorowly bewayle our miserable estate and so passe out our time in lamentation and sorrow There is no question vnto thē that see anye thinge whether the publike ministerie of the gospell in the puritie and sinceritie thereof be this principall means whereof we speake and therefore we are to make this vse of this doctrine vnto our selues that whensoeuer the Lorde shal remooue or threaten to extinguish the same it being the chiefe thing that we can inioy in this life and our sinnes being the onely cause of the remouing of the same it must sit of all other things most neare vnto vs and draw our hearts vnto the greatest sorrow and doubtles it dieth so in them that haue receiued any feeling of the sweetnes of the same for they know what heauenly consolations are to be learned out of it and in what wofull case they be that are depriued of it What miserable condition bee they then in that are so farre from taking this course or being of this minde that they bende all their powers both of their mindes and bodies to extinguish and race out of memorie that inestimable treasure of Gods holye woorde and neuer thinke themselues in good estate vntill they haue defaced the same surely if the aduauncemente of it bee an argumente of a care to honour GOD and to haue thine owne soule saued then the disanullinge or desiring the ouerthrowe thereof is a fearefull token that thou neyther carest for the glory of God nor the saluation of thine owne soule but rather for that thou settest thy selfe against the meanes of them both art a professed enemie both to God thine owne saluation If those that are such enimies vnto the preaching of the word were perswaded that this were true of them they woulde looke more carefullie about them weying in what state they stand but while they go on in the contempt of all instrucion and consider not that they contemne the Lord of hostes and destroy their owne soules it commeth to passe that they passe on blind-fold vnto their own destruction The Priests the Lords ministers do mourne these words conteine in them a second reason to perswade them to mourne which is thus there is great cause that you should all mourne and lament seeing they whom I haue made your guydes in the matters of religion who know more then you doe and who are to haue that estimation among you which becommeth messengers of so great affayers frō so mightie a prince do go heauily take vp a lamentation out of which reason y e prophet doth teach vnto vs this lesson that the ministers of y e land whom he hath placed ouer a people are by the same people diligētly to be obserued their affections to bee imitated by those whom they are sent to instruct for in this reson y e Lord saith vnto them mourne you because the Lordes Ministers do mourne as if he should saye marke them well that I haue set ouer you and in all things that are not vnlawfull frame your selues according vnto them the reason of the same is this God appointing his minister to be his owne mouth vnto his people reuealeth vnto him all that his will whiche hee would haue them to know And againe he being a watchman vnto the people standeth aloft in the tower and espieth a farre off the enimies that are a comming and giuing the people a signe therof they receiue it and demeane themselues accordingly or els are worthily set vpon by their enimies of a sudden and ouerthrowne so that the minister knowing more than the people of the will of GOD and seeing the iudgements of GOD approching when the people otherwise very godly can not deserue them it is meete that they so obserue his course as if he take vp a mourning it is because of the euil that he seeth approching vpon them and therefore they are to mourne also to the end that by their vnfained ioyning together in repentance they may meete the Lorde by the waye and preuent his iudgementes that else shoulde haue light vppon them Againe in that he willeth them to mourne because the Lordes Ministers do so we do learne that that people among whome the Minister of GOD hath cause geuen to be greeued haue iust cause to bee greeued themselues whether it doo arise from that badde entertainement that hee hath among them or from that carelesse attendaunce that they giue vnto the doctrine of the trueth taught them by him in both which respectes our Sauiour Christe sheweth the causes for in regarde of the person hee saith Hee that refuseth you refuseth mee as if hee shoulde saye that entertainement which they giue to you who represent my person vnto them I take to bee geuen vnto my selfe and neither more nor lesse And in respecte of the doctrine hee saith When you enter into a house abide there and if the sonne of peace bee there your peace shall abide with him but if not it shall returne vnto you againe and whosoeuer shal not receiue you nor heare your wordes when you depart thence shake off the dust of your feete Surely I saye vnto you it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement than for that citie The reasons then are thus to bee gathered they that giue Gods Minister cause of greefe among them doe it either in the euill entreating of his person or reiecting of his doctrine but if they receiue not his person with the entertainement due to the messenger of god they refuse Iesus Christ and if they refuse his doctrine the dust of his feete that brought vnto them glad tydings of peace shall be a witnesse against them And therefore haue that people who by either of these meanes make GODS Minister heauie hearted iust cause to sorrowe for that the misery which greeueth him shall one daye light vppon them If this were considered and the trueth thereof perswaded vnto our consciences coulde wee thinke you offer vnto them that villanie which wee doe by slaunders reproches disgraces and all kinde of molestations Coulde wee suffer them to liue amongest vs like beggars for want of maintenance while they make vs rich with the heauenlie treasure of Gods holy worde No no it woulde make vs so affected to them as the Galathians were to saint Paule who if it had
court of his owne conscience or when the Lord shall call men vnto a reckoning all colour of excuse may be taken away and their iudgement if they repent not may be made vnto them euen by their owne confession more iust for albeit that the verye visible creatures of God which we dayly see before our eies and haue by the blessing of God from time to time to attend vppon vs and minister vnto our seueral necessities are sufficient to teach vs so much of the wisedome and knowledge of God as to make vs excuselesse yet when God â—â—all go thus far with vs as to speake vnto vs out of his holie worde to teach vs not onelie in generall what he required at our handes but in particular also to conuict vs of the sinnes that wee stand guiltie of before his maiestie and to shewe vs both the meanes howe to be ridde of them and to do the things that he commandeth when I say the Lorde shall go thus farre with vs if then we turne not vnto him in forsaking the waies of wickednes and submitting our selues to the rule and gouernment of his blessed worde our excuse being euen in our owne iudgement lesse our iudgement must needs be the more heauy Nowe euery one of vs must applie this to our owne hearts and make it a particular doctrine for our seuerall instructions seeing that God in most plentifull maner hath shewed vnto vs this vnspeakeable mercie and grace as to teach vs from time to time the waies that we are to walke in which if we doe not we make our selues guilty of our iudgement aboue theÌ„ of Sodom and bring our selues into a more miserable condition than they of Gomorrah Now to shew you y e cause of this change of my course in leauing of our ordinary portiâ—ns of scripture taking this in hand it is briefely this as all scripture doth at all times belong to gods church good is to be taught therin so are there some parts therof that do more properly belong vnto some times places persons Now for so much as that time this wherein wee presently do liue being compared togither are found to bee in euery respect very like the one to the other I think the doctrine that then fitted them to be very necessary for vs vpon y e like occasion for as the hand of God was vpon them in the want of bread so though not in the like measure is it vpoÌ„ vs as they had little sence or feeling therof to acknowledge it the punishmeÌ„t of god vpon theÌ„ for their sins but ascribed it to other causes so do we imputing it some to the hardnes of wise mens hearts some to the the euery of transporting and some to the vnseasonable times but few look into themselues their sins that procure the Lord to turn y e hearts of men the benefit of heauen earth from vs as the Lord hauing sent famine which preuailed not with them to their conuersion did threaten to send a more violent and forcible rod the inuasion of strangers vpon y e land so doth hee by many warnings tokens threaten the same vnto vs lastly as the Lord prescribed vnto them if euer they looked to haue his iudgements present remoued or those y t hanged ouer their heads turned away they must meet the Lord and preuent his wrath by fasting and praier which might be as means to bring them to the true humiliation of their soules so we that by the same sins are punished threatned in the same maner by the hand rod of the same ielous God if euer we look to be reduced soundlye againe into his fauour must take the same course that hee which did knowe the best waye prescribed vnto them The word of the Lord. Before that the holy Ghost setteth downe vnto vs the matter of hys prophesie he first of all speaketh of the party that was sent to doe thys message and the Author from whome it was addressed conteyned in the first verse wherin hee describing the Ambassadour that GOD did send doth not shewe hys pedegree from anye notable and famous man in Israell nor of what Tribe hee was whether he was of the ordinary ministers of the order of Leui or of some other familie raised vp extraordinarylie from God wythout the calling of men the which though it be so bringeth no doubt either of the doctrine to be deliuered or of the party by whom it is to be made knowen For as concerning the doctrine albeit it be euery way authenticall that is of sufficient authoritie in it selfe yet when wee looke into the matters for which this prophet is alleadged in the new Testament we shall see that with the Lord it is of soueraigne account being made as it were the vmpare of so great matters for it is not only alleadged by the apostle Peter in the defence of the disciples accused to be full of new wine and the myracle of diuers toongs bestowed vppon them but also in that graue and waightie disputation of the calling of the Gentiles the apostle Paule doth alleadge it as a testimonie of most euident truth to cleare the matter in hand and as concerning the partie the lad no doubt of speciall purpose passeth him ouer with few wordes not so carefully describing his slocke as often he doeth in others of the Prophets to the ende that the matter wherof he was to speake being of so great importance they might regarde and respect it and not the party by whom it was to be vttered which thing is also vnto vs worthy the consideration to teach vs that wee maye not hang the credite or truth of the worde of God on the sleeue of him that vttereth it but to receiue and imbrace it as it is indeede for the worde of God whatsoeuer hee bee that speaketh it whereby I doe not meane that wee are indifferently and with the like affection to heare him that sinisterly or of a sinister purpose preacheth the word and him also that sincerely and with a sincere coÌ„science deliuereth it but for the thing it selfe to esteeme of it as it is in what vessell soeuer it be carried and yet to desire and by al meanes to labour that wee may receiue it in a vessell fit and worthy as neare as can be so pretious treasure the which may be made more euident by a comparison from the body to the soule and from the food of the bodie to the foode of the soule for as meate is stil the creature of God ordained for the nourishing of mans bodie whatsoeuer it be dressed and made ready by a neate and cleanlie cooke or by him that doeth handle it sluttishly and vnhansomly so is the worde of God being ordained for the feeding of the soule still to be esteemed the same in it selfe whatsoeuer he be that dispenseth it vnto vs but as there is no man that hath care of the health of his
out all his patrimonie vpon brauerie or the whoormonger that giueth him selfe ouer to vncleannesse or the Atheist that maketh a iest of Gods woord to make anie man of reason beleeue that hee thinkes that euer hee shall come to a reckoning for these thinges no no if hee did thinke it indeed it would make his heart quake within him to thinke of the rearedges that he is alreadie runne into and the straightnes of the iudge when he taketh the account and in consideration therof it would make him haue such a watchful eie ouer himselfe that he would neuer cease to vse al good meanes that might draw his affections inwardly his temporal blessings outwardly to be holy bent to honor him whose heauenly disposition hath cast them vpon him to y e end besides this he calleth it his vine to this end that he might bring thē to a due consideration of his continuall care ouer them that so their own cōsciences might conuict thē of the greater ingratitude against his maiesty and declare them to be worthy of the more heauy iudgemēts which also serueth for our instruction for if this be a true saiing of Christ our Sauiour that hee that hath receiued fiue talents must make his account according to that rate that is must gaine to his maister the encrease of such a quantitie if he and his reckoning be accepted if this be also true that hee who hath most debt forgiuen him ought in reason to acknowledge himselfe best beholden vnto the forgiuer and so loue him more entirelie then surelie that standeth as an infallible truth in the eies of the maiestie of God that the more blessinges wee receiue from his hand the greater must our obedience bee vnto him or els the more intollerable shall our damnation be Which if it were learned then should this bee a generall rule in the worlde the greater that a man is in riches wisedome credite or anie other preferment the holier the zealouser and more obedient vnto God he should be but while it is not regarded the clean contrarie is practised that so many thinges as we excell others in or abound in so manie occasions do we take to draw vs into sinne wickednes but let such persons if they will learne anie thing knowe that as they haue beene aduaunced higher in the things of this life then others haue so shall they for abusing the good blessings of God be throwne downe lower into hell and receiue the greater condemnation Moreouer in that this vine of the lords own planting and dressing is saide to come to such a miserable confusion and ruine we may first beholde the vnspeake-able hatred that the Lord beareth vnto sinne who cannot abide it nor let it goe vnpunished no not in hys peculier people whome he made more reckoning off then of all the worlde besides which if we could see and perceiue make profit of it for our selues we should finde it an exceeding help vnto godlines a break-necke of all impietie and wickednes for we see that the most men now-adaies yea manie of them that take them selues to bee great gospellers do but make a very mock of sin not esteeming it of anie importance either to do good or harme but if they haue committed it laugh it out or if they cannot shift it off an other helpe shall come God is mercifull they them selues in the mean while conceiuing no grief at it at al but if they had learned on the one side that God doth most infinitlye detest sinne in all men whose fierce wrath without repentance they can neuer hide themselues from and on the other side that if they bee the children of GOD there must be a likenes betweene him and them that those thinges which he loueth without measure they ought to loue vnfeignedlie and those thinges that hee hateth with a perfect hatred they must hate from the bottome of their hearts or els they canne haue no assurance that they be any better thā bastards it would doubtles make them to look better about them and haue in more detestation all sin and iniquity both in themselues and others Secondly we do learne the vnappeasable malice that the wicked do bear to the church of God for albeit this punishment was a iust iudgement of God vppon the Israelites for their rebellion againste his maiestie yet the instruments that he vsed for the effecting thereof had no such intent but did run on head beeing set on fire with an hatefull spite against them and a thirsting desire to satisfie their owne affection now in that it is said that they not onely lay it wast but pill it make it bare cast it down it appeareth manifestly that their malice was not satisfied in hurting them nor spoiling them nor yet in killing and destroying many of them but stil they proceeded to the vtter racing out of their memory as much as in them was from vnder the sunne and if we looke into the examples of the word of God we shall see the same verified in practise from time to time Pharaoh the king of Egypt did not onelie impose vpon the Israelites such burdens as they were not able to bear but also gaue commandement that all the male children should be killed to the end that within one generation they might bee rooted out the malice of the Iewes against Christ hys church appeareth in the historie of the Euangelists Acts to be so great that they not onelie pursued him to death but also other that would any way take his part the dailie experience of the bloud-sucking papists doth verifie the same if any man doe seeme to meruaile whye it shoulde bee so seeing that wee bee all the sonnes of Adam and therefore shalbe desirous to aske a reason of it if he will looke into the holie word of God hee shall easilie find that the cause therof is this God hath not ordeined all men to bee saued but hath cast off the greatest number in hys eternall displeasure to bee vessels of his wrath wyth the Deuill and his angels all which beeing in this life the vassals of sathan to put in execution his auncient emnity against Gods people are set on fire by him from time to time to woorke Christ Iesus in his members the greatest spite that they can whervpon it commeth that the wicked doe from time to time do so much hurt and beare so vnreconcilable hatred to the godlie the vse of which doctrine is that wee neuer promise vnto our selues anie security heer but prepare our bodies soules vnto the batel against sinne the world and the Deuill so long as wee shalbe in this vale of miserie The hauocke that the enemies make in Israell dooth clearlie shew vnto vs what will and courage they came vp withall to wit with a hope and purpose to ouercome the whole Lande and yet a man woulde haue thought if they hadde but considered the vnspeake-able