the Deuils sake but the Deuill for sinnes sake And therefore to shut vp all with that exhortation of the Apostle Dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hitherto we haue intreated of the Vineyards plantation The supplantation of it followes next to be handled which is contained in the 3 4 5 6 verses wherein we haue First the Lords Plea with them vers 3 4. Secondly the Verdict or Iudgement past vpon them vers 5 6. In the Plea we haue first an Appeale made to them vers 3. And secondly an Inditement against them vers 4. In the Appeale diuers circumstances are considerable As 1. The Manner of it which is not in commanding-wise as it might haue beene but by way of intreaty and request I pray you 2. The Matter requested and for which this Appeale was made and that is that they would discerne wisely of the matter and accordingly passe sentence Iudge 3. Who they be which are made Iudges of the cause and they are the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem euen the whole multitude 4. The Parties betweene whom the controuersie and variance is and they are God and his Vineyard God being the Plaintiffe and Israel the Defendant And now ô inhabitants of Ierusalem iudge I pray you betwixt me and my Vineyard c. And now or Now therefore These are the words of God himselfe q d. Seeing it is thus that my Vineyard hath so frustrated my hopes therefore now c. O inhabitants And men The words are in the Originall read in the singular not in the plurall number O inhabitant and man By whom some would haue the Lord Iesus to be meant as before was shewed but it is euident that here the Lord appealeth to the Iewes themselues and makes them Iudges in their owne cause referring the matter betweene him and them to their owne consciences And we know it is no rare thing in Scripture to finde one number put for another the plurall for the singular and the singular for the plurall Now the reason why the Lord speaketh to one man as it were rather than to all or to them all as if they were but one may be this because he would haue iudgement not as simply of them all together but particularly of euery one willing euery singular person of Iudah and Ierusalem to commune with their owne hearts and accordingly giue sentence And therefore Tremillius and Iunius with diuers others reade as the Originall hath it Ierusalem Iudah Iudah was the Country Ierusalem was the chiefe Citie in that Country and indeed one of the most famous Cities of the world full of people great amongst the Nations Princesse amongst the Prouinces and in one respect exceeded all other Cities in the world besides for therin was Mount Zion the place of Gods seruice and worship and therefore it was called the Citie of the Lord of Hoasts The Citie of God Iudge To iudge sometimes signifieth to passe an vpright or vnpartiall sentence against any true or false so Christ willeth the Iewes to iudge righteous iudgement and sometimes it is only taken for the vnderstanding and discerning of all things so meaneth the Apostle when he saith Let two or three speake and let the other iudge i. discerne what is spoken This latter some would haue only here meant as if the Lord did not require sentence but only an inspection into the cause But it may rather seeme the Lord requires not only that they should consider and discerne but also that they should speake their minde and giue sentence against such a Vineyard We shall not need to stand longer vpon Interpretation the other words are cleare we come now to Doctrine with the Vses and duties which we are to learne from each of the particulars And first from the Manner of this Appeale I pray you learne that With much meeknesse and mildnesse doth God proceed against sinners When he hath to deale with them he doth not come in furie and rage but in milde and peaceable termes with kinde intreaties He doth not as we see imperiously command them with Sic volo sic jubeo c. but vouchsafeth kindly to request them Iudicate quaeso I pray yee iudge The like was Gods manner of proceeding with Adam after his transgression Adam where art thou Who told thee thou wert naked Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I told thee thou shouldst not eat In the like manner he comes to Cain Where is thy brother Abel What hast thou done And so our blessed Sauiour how mildly did he deale with him that smote him vniustly If I haue spoken euill beare witnesse of the euill but if well why smitest thou me And what mildnesse and meeknesse did he shew to Iudas when he came to betray him euen at that time calling him friend Friend betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse In that parable of the mariage of the Kings sonne wherein Gods proceeding against wicked and vngodly professors who repent not of sinne neither doe beleeue in Christ is set forth this point may haue further confirmation for to him that hath not on a wedding garment the King saith thus Friend how camest thou in hither c. quietly and peaceably examining and conuincing him And this the Lord doth that he may the sooner and the better bring the sinner to a sight and sense of his sinne and fault and that he might if it were possible be pricked in his heart and be brought to see that it is out of loue which the Lord beareth to him as he is his creature and that he desireth not his death but his repentance that he might liue And certainly this milde and gentle kinde of dealing doth much sooner cause the offender to see his fault than a hastie and passionate proceeding doth or can So that vnworthy guest when he was so friendly dealt withall had nothing to answer but was speechlesse Herein let vs be followers of God as deare children in manifesting this notable fruit of the Spirit when we haue to deale with sinners which hath in it the very pith of loue which when it accompanieth a reprehension or obiurgation it is as that same pretious oile which shall not breake the head Let Ministers here learne how to deale with their hearers intreating exhorting beseeching euen then when they may lawfully command In things of this life see how men are faine to intreat and sue hard for that which is their owne and heart-glad they are if by any such course they can gather vp their debts How glad then may we be if by any earnest perswasion or faire intreatie we can gather vp the debt of obedience which our people owe vnto the Lord I will neuer thinke much to speake faire and friendly so that may follow thereupon And thus the Apostle Paul doth
vnderwent the heauiest trials especially when it hath beene for their Sauiours sake taking greater pleasure in their iron fetters than the proudest Courtier doth of his golden chaine It was Hardings inuectiue against our reuerend and pretious Iewell that we Protestants were worse than the very deuils For whereas bread and water and the Crosse could scar them away Princes could be rid of vs by no meanes but fire To whom that excellent Bishop answered that though it pleased his malitious humour to make but a iest of the bloud of Gods Saints yet it was no more ignominie for Lambes to suffer what Christ suffered than it was praise and credit for Wolues to betray him as Iudas did By our Zeale lastly may our loue be tried For whether it be an intention of loue as some would haue it or a compound of loue and anger as other describe it Certainly it is a spirituall heat wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Ghost improuing this good affection of loue as one of late hath well defined it By this Moyses discouered his loue for though hee were the meekest man vpon the earth yet he was not only grieued but wonderfully angry when he saw God to be dishonoured So Elijah Phineas Samuel Dauid Nehemiah and many others did the like as largely appeareth in their stories And surely if we loued the Lord it could not bee but wee would be zealous for the Lord. It is a cold loue that is not heated with this fire When men can disgest oathes and blasphemies as easie as the Ostridge iron and see God to be dishonoured without indignation let them conclude loue is wanting That same Spirit that descended first vpon the Lord Iesus in the similitude of a Doue descended afterwards vpon his Apostles in the similitude of fire As in somethings we should be meeke and patient so in other things hot and earnest Meeknesse in our owne causes but in Gods zeale and feruencie doth well And thus wee haue seene the first rule of triall wherein I haue beene somewhat large though I hope not ouer-large forgiue all good faults breuity in the next shall make amends The second way for the discouery of our loue is by our Speeches For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Experience makes this good The niggard will be talking of his niggardnesse the worldling of his wealth the voluptuous of his pleasures the ambitious one of his honours and preferments And whatsoeuer a man loueth most that will hee take his greatest ioy in talking of What commendation shall you heare the Huntsman giue of his Dogge The Faulkner of his Hawke How large are these in praising of their sport Thus is the tongue the Interpreter of the mind and by its language you may easily ghesse at the hearts meaning If the loue of God be there thy tongue will be the tell-tale and bewray it either in speaking of the Lord or for the Lord. Of him in commending or admiring him It was the loue of God in Dauids heart that fild his mouth with often praises The Spouse in the Canticles she loued much and praised much My welbeloued is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousands his head is as the most sine gold his lockes are bushie and blacke as a Rauen his eyes are as the eyes of Doues c. So shee goes on her tongue being as the Pen of a ready Writer hauing words at will to praise and admire euery thing that was in him So likewise for him the tongue will be imployed if loue bee in the heart Dauid will speake for God and for his truth euen before Kings and will not be ashamed To heare God to bee dishonoured his Word blasphemed his Gospell scorned his Children reuiled Loue cannot brooke It will worke within vs as Nature wrought in the sonne of Craessus of whom it is recorded that though he had beene alwaies dumbe yet seeing one come to kill his father the impediments and strings of his tongue were violently broken through the force of naturall affection so that he cried out Oh man kill not Craessus And surely wee may in this case say as that heroicall Luther said in the like Cursed be that silence that here forbeareth Thus may we make our tongues the touchstone of our hearts For as the doore-keeper said to Peter so say I Thy speech bewraieth thee The third and last way is by our workes and actions Loue is full of operation so shewes Saint Paul and hardly can it deny any worke which the party beloued doth enioyne Hence said Dalilah to Sampson How canst thou say I loue thee when thy heart is not with mee Thou hast mocked me these three times hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth Our blessed Sauiour makes this a rule of triall If you loue mee saith hee keepe my Commandements And againe thus Hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loueth me And elsewhere thus You are my friends if you doe whatsoeuer I command you Thus Abraham made good his loue by his ready obedience to Gods command in offring vp his sonne and in leauing his owne Country to goe to that place whither God should send him And as loue maketh vs thus obedient and dutifull so it causeth vs to be bountifull and liberall as the Apostle speaketh For where the heart is inlarged the hand cannot bee straightned where the bowels are open the purse is neuer shut So that Herod may haue his pleasure which hee affects what cares hee though hee part with halfe his Kingdome What will a man spare from his speciall friend that may bee for his good All I haue is at his command to whom I haue giuen my selfe So said Iehosaphat to Ahab I am as thou art and my people are as thy people Ionathan loues Dauid as his soule and he will shew it by stripping himselfe euen to his sword and to his bow for the supporting and helping of his dearest Dauid Of so franke a disposition is loue that it will bee prodigall of its neerest and dearest things If Maries teares will wash her Sauiours feet she will powre them out and not thinke her haire too good to bee the towell No Spikenard shall bee too costly for his head whom her soule affects what though that vnguent might haue beene sold for some great summe of mony wherewith shee might haue done her selfe much good Yet shee had rather bestow it on her Sauiour than on her selfe because shee loued her Sauiour more than her selfe Thus loue will bee content to bee at cost for Christ and thinkes nothing too much that is done to him or for him As that renowned Master Fox of whom it is reported that hee would neuer deny Beggar that asked in Gods name Thus by our obeying of him and cost for him
And therefore let this serue further for our Instruction that we learne highly to esteeme of such as be truly godly seeme they neuer so meane or base in the worlds eye Thus did S. Lawrence that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus who being demanded of the Tyrant where the riches of the Church lay looking for store of gold and such like treasure he gathered together a multitude of poore Christians telling the Tyrant that there was the riches and beauty of the Church and albeit they were now ragged and vnseemly in the eyes of men yet they should one day be clad in white robes and shine in maiestie and glory before the throne of God The like as I haue read was the practise of Ingo an ancient King of the Draues and Veneds who making vpon a time a stately feast inuited thereunto all his Nobles who were at that time Pagans and vnconuerted to the Christian faith and a multitude of poore Christians His Nobles he set in his Hall below and those poore Christians with himselfe in his presence chamber entertaining them with the royallest cheere and kingliest attendance that might be At which when his Nobles wondered he told them this he did not as hee was king of the Drauâ—s but as king of another world wherein these should bee his companions and fellow Princes To them he would giue ciuill due in the gouernment of the Commonwealth but these hee must loue and honour in his heart as most honoured and best beloued of God Reade this to thy shame who knowest not how to shew the least respect vnto a Christian and if thou wouldst not haue it to condemne thee let it mend thee causing thee to be more respectiue in thy cariage towards such as serue the Lord So shalt thou imitate God like a good childe herein and get a testimonie to thy owne conscience that thou art Gods because thou louest his image which marke of a childe of God may comfort thee when all others in the time of temptation may faile thee Hence also we may haue Direction how to become excellent and famous namely by becomming gracious This way will not faile to effect it and no other course can be auaileable without it Men may be wealthy and ignominious they may haue gorgeous apparell and yet be contemptible Pharaohs horses had costly trappings and the Midianites Camels had chaines of gold about their necks Grace and goodnesse doe more decke and adorne than all these doe or can This is that which the Apostle calleth Seeking glory and honour by well-doing and only is that whereby Abel Noah Abraham and the rest obtained a good report How grosly then are such deceiued as thinke godlinesse doth cause contempt and the way to become honourable is to grow gracelesse and sinfull For can any wise man thinke that the dunghill of wickednesse is a fit Mine to digge out a good estimation or that the puddle water of vanity will make a man seeme beautifull and faire or that the onely way to make a man sweet is to tumble in a iakes Certainly figgs grow not vpon thornes neither is the sweet oyntment of a good name compounded of those stinking ingredients Pride Drunkennesse Whoredome Profanenesse or the like A good name ariseth out of honest things as the Poet could say and not from actions sinfull and dishonest Cain and Esau we know were wicked men and dead many hundred yeeres agoe yet the Scripture neuer speaketh of them but with great reproach as Prophane Esau Cain who was of that wicked one and slow his brother And so Iudas who is neuer almost spoken of but he is called by the name of traitor The Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles haue likewise beene a long time dead and yet how louely are their names Scripture neuer speakes of them but with great respect as Abraham the Father of the faithfull Moses the seruant of God Dauid the sweet singer of Israel And S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn and so the rest Thus the wicked leaue a filthy sauour behinde them as a greasie snuffe when it goeth out which euery one that passeth by stops his nose at but the godly leaue their names behinde them for a blessing the very remembrance of them is sweet and like the end of some sweet wax candle which euery one loues to haue the sent of euen after it hath left burning Wouldst thou then bee counted excellent See that thou doe worthily in Ephratha and so be famous in Bethlehem It is vertue onely that can emblazon thy name and that will doe it A field of sinceritie charged with deeds of pietie cannot but be accomplisht with a crest of glorie But if thou liuest licentiously and prophanely so loathsome will thy abominable life make thee as that thou shalt scarce euer come into mention of Gods people but with a stile like that of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne And lastly for Consolation let this serue to the godly poore despised by the rich and worldly wise Know thou for thy comfort thou art a choise plant in Gods account and hee that knowes the true worth of things esteemes thee precious and holds thee for one of his iewels of great price whateuer men doe deeme And when that day of separation shall come hee will then make it known to all the world First by his setting thee on his right hand as one of his darlings whom he purposeth to aduance and honour when all other shall be turned to the left hand as base and contemptible Secondly by that his gracious call and sweet sentence Come thou blessed c. The prosecuting of this point would bee very comfortable but I hasten and now come to the fift Particular heere mentioned whereby Gods loue to this his Vineyard was manifested in these words He built a Tower in the midst of it which was as well for the beautifying and adorning it as for the further strengthning of it By which Tower whether wee vnderstand the glorious Temple in Ierusalem that stately edifice and building or Ierusalem it selfe whereunto all the Tribes resorted and the nations came to worship it will leade vs to this Obseruation that The Beautie and Bulwarke of a place is Gods seruice and worship erected and set vp in that place For neither is Ierusalem nor Zion here compared to a Tower especially in regard of the stately buildings multiplicity of Turrets aspiring Towers or the like but in regard of Religion that was found in it In Ierusalem was the continuall worship of God In the Temple the continued seruice of God and this was it which gaue the grace and countenance this made it the golden head of the picture Ladie of the world seat of the Monarchie and as Micah agreeing with this of our Prophet cals it the Tower of the flocke and the strong hold of the daughter of