that the Priests had not f 1 9. where with to doe sacrifice unto the Lord nor Husbandmen g 1 12. wherewithall to relieve themselves That both these kinde of people were much strengthned with this famin it appeareth likewise in that which is to that purpose set down in either of them As touching the Priests how much théy were touched with it is set downe by h 1 9. these two things that the meate-offring and drink-offring was cut óf from the house of the Lord and that the Priests themselves the ministers of the Lord moorned to see the service of the Lord intermitted and them selves without reliefe As touching the Husbandmen both tillers of the ground and such as drest vines how much likewise they are streÌ„gthned with it is also set down both in the want that they haue of those things that shuld yeld theÌ„ reliefe in shewing how they are affected therwith The waÌ„t that they had in those things that shuld have yeelded theÌ„ reliefe is set down first as touching their fields then as touching their fruit-trees As touching i 1 10. â—â— their fields they are said to be wasted to moorn that corn wine oyle wheate barly the whole haruest is perished As touching their fruit-trees it is said that the k 1 12. vine the fig-tree the pomgranate the date the aple-tree al the trees of the field are withered How they were affected herewith is also declared because it is said first that they l 1 11. are confouÌ„ded and moorn then that all m 1 12. ioy such men as are woont to have at getting in their harvest or other fruits of the earth is withered away from the sons of men 8 And now to take out of this also How far we are toâ—ched with the like hand of God some part of the instruction unto our selves although first it cannot be denied but that the scarcity that of late we had and is not cleane finished yet is nothing like unto this other that the prophet here speaketh óf neither for the straungnes nor especially for the grievousnes of it yet notwithstanding was it not in either of those respects of so small importaunce but that we had and yet have good cause to enter into speciall consideration of it For although it came not in so strange maner as the other nor as some others that heretofore this land hath seene yet may wee finde it to bee such as sheweth it selfe to have come óf God proceeding as it did of so unseasonable weather and especially the season being so very wet both in seed time and haruest two yeeres together And although it did not strengthen ús so much as the other did them yet must it needes touch us neere also when as not only our corne failed so much as it did but our cattle also great and smale and that in a maner generally throughout the whole and in all parts of the Land whatsoever The like sort of people among us also are to be quick ned up unto the coÌ„sideration of it The same sort of people likewise whom the Prophet called on thén might well be called on at this present those that have lived in some speciall excesse and others likewise that have lived in pleasure in that aboundance that God hath given them For if they have lived in some special excesse then have they good cause to sorrow not only on behalfe of them selves that now were strengthned so much the more and for that they did so grievously offend thereby but also because that excesse of theirs was so great a cause of that scarcity since So likewise if they did no more but only enjoy their owne aboundance yet therein also they have good cause to lament partly for that many of them at the least were since much streightned of that liberall allowaunce that before they tooke to them selves but especially for that hereby they may finde that seeing they would neuer take up of them selves but still take their pleasure so much as they did they have so brought to passe that to their further reproach since God himselfe was fain in this sort to teach them to gather theÌ„ selves unto some better course of sobrietie That both these sorts also are to take one and the selse same lesson together with those others out of the Prophet it needeth so much the lesse to be doubted as we may very plainly see that all such disposition of theirs is ever void of all such affections and yet notwithstanding much doth neede them For first as touching those that give them selves to so great excesse as they doe never acquaint them selves with any kinde of godly sorrow so by the reason of the excesse that they doe use they are not so much as able in any good measure to hold up their eyes or to awake and yet were it good and needfull for them not only to stir up themselves and to awake that so they might the better see what case they are in before it be too late to amend it but also to give them selves to earnest sorrow both in respect of the waste they haue made and for the vengeance that is due to the same Then also as touching those that have not made so great excesse but bicause they had wherewithall have alwaies framed their portion accordingly and taken their pleasure of the aboundance that God hath given them because that use of aboundance and wealth doth easily make men to forget them selves and unable to beare in good and orderly maner a straighter allowance therefore are théy also so much the rather to stir up them selves from that their drowsie forgetfulnesse and to be sorie that they have so far disabled them selves to take in good part quietly to beare an harder estate Our sorrow also ought to be sound And bicause that so many waies we have so far provoked the wrath of God against us and especially both these sorts aforesaid therefore it is meete likewise that we never content ourselves with a slender sorrowing but that ever wee seeke to bring it to the measure that of them is required as before we have heard especially when the reasons that the Prophet there doth use doe come in a maner as neere unto us as they did to them For first as touching the thing it self although the good blessings of the earth were not altogether so much cut óf from us especially from those that now we speak óf bicause that they wil lightly have them when others do need them as they were from thém yet were they so far cut óf from ús also that very many were much distressed some among us utterly lost and those also that among ús had before so exceeded or els had but lived in that aboundance could since in no wise holde on that course nor come any thing neere it but that needs they must streighten the meaner sort so farre that they should make
he so ordered the matter that falling at variance among themselves two parts of them fell on the third when they had utterly destroyed thém then fell they each one on the other also and so made a cleane riddance of all and left the victorie and spoile together to the people of God without any stroke as they were but comming towardes them and with instruments and voice praising the Lord. And seeing the Lord calleth this but pleadings and yet appointeth the place of hearing to be in the vallie of so famous an execution as hereby he gave them to understand that their cause was so naught that it should no sooner come to hearing but that a sharpe execution thereupon should bee done so we also finding the cause of these so bad as it is may very well hope that it shall no sooner come to the hearing before the Lord but that they also shall be cast have execution accordingly done as also in these daies if we looke about us we may easily finde many things that are of that nature and do plainly witnes the same For the reason that held with thém doth in like maner hold with these likewise How iniurious they have beene to us likewise For who seeth not that they also have scattered the people of God among the nations and have parted their land among them selves Scattering us abroad They have scattered the people among the nations partly by the broiles that they have made whereby they have so afflicted Christendome and tost it up and downe like a foot-bale at their pleasure but especially because that by the corruption of doctrine that they have brought into the Church they have dispersed the people of God almost into all the errors of the heathen that have beene about us And that they have parted the lande of the people of God among them it appeareth also very plainely in that they had so much consumed them from the face of the earth and placed them selves in their roomes insomuch that of a woorthy and honourable assemblie of many good and godly people in the Church of God they had nowe of late brought it to a disordered multitude of such a people as most notoriously of all others did utterly abandon in Religion and life what so ever is good and in them both betooke them selves most impotently to that which is ill Having us in vile contempt But as for that vile contempt that those enemies had of the people of GOD when as they gave the boy of an harlot and the girle for a cup of wine that may we finde to be very farre out matched by these For it is no straunge nor great matter to speake of among souldiers when they have conquered others and taken the spoile of them at their pleasure and come laden home with the pray to give such captives as they taken for very trifles if they have many when they come so easily by them they can be content oft times to affoorde a good peniwoorth of them especially those that are the looser and the more prodigall sort that are amonge them But these were the pillers and staies of the people they were their leaders and guides in their pilgrimage they were their spirituall Pastors and Fathers and had them of trust and with speciall charge committed unto them And yet have these also made so light of the people of God The boy for an harlot the girle for a cup of wine of whom they had this speciall charge whom they tooke unto their gouernement that for the accomplishment of their foul and shameful lust and for their bellies they have freely parted not onely with the boyes girles the smallest and meanest of the people of God but with men and women also the aged and honourable and greatest of all nor that onely at some speciall time or done but of some few of them but it was the generall course of them all and such as standeth with the substance of their profession and is commonly found with them all even from the highest unto the lowest Taking froÌ„ us all â—ich and pleasant things Out of that likewise wherein he directeth his speach more specially to certain of them we also may note that these our Tyrians Sidomians and Philistins have done as fondly as did those others and daily yet doe and yet have no better cause of this their doing then had those others For these also have taken away out of the Church the citie of the great king and from among the people of God their silver and gold and all precious things and that not onely in the literall or neerest sense but much more if we goe to a further meaning Both the maintenance of the ministerie For even in the literall or neerest sense they had spoiled all Christendome and yet do where they may be allowed of a great part of their treasure silver and gold and of all such things as were most precious or of greatest aestimation among them Insomuch that they have not spared the Church-livings them selves which were all that the people had and were like to have to maintaine instruction among them to the glory of God and their own salvation And that worse is these things have they not only taken away from the people of God but have imployed them to the use of jdolatry and that so grosse as seldome at any time coulde bee overmatched among the gentiles And all our treasures in Christ himselfe If we go to a further sense theÌ„ must we charge them that they haue not onely spoiled us of our earthly treasures which notwithstanding is no small injury besides the griefe that doth justly arise to them abused so far as they are but that they have spoiled us also almost of al those our spirituall treasures or graces that we had in Christ of his Word and Sacraments that should have directed and comforted us here and of the force of the merits and passion of Christ that were to bring us to the kingdome of God And whatsoever there was that apperteined to true holines or to our redemption in Christ the greatest riches that ever were and the inaestimable treasure of the church of God that have they either altogether taken away from the Church or in such sort corrupted and defiled the same one way or other that they have bereaved the people of God of the comfort and use thereof And as those others sold away the children of Iudah unto the Graecians Selling uâ— far away for bondslaves to send them farre from their owne country so have those also solde away the people of God to palpable darkenes and all to get them farre from the Truth that they might never be able to espie the same and so to returne to their country again Neither have they onely so done heretofore but to this day also they labour it stil and ever hold on the self same course wheresoever they may labouring also
upon us and with all diligence to sort our selves to such a course as best may serve to take unto us those other mercies that now of long he hath offered unto us yet doth in so gracious maner But it may be In what maner it is deliuered that thou wilt thinke that I have over lightly passed over the Text of this Prophecie yeelding as it doth so manie good lessons so meete for our selves and for the daies wherein we live But my desire was but only to open the Prophet unto thee and that so briefly as I could that so being otherwise lesse incumbred thou mightest the better attend unto him For which cause also after everie chiefe principal division of the Text and the opening of the Methode or order of it I have briefly shewed howe we may apply the same to our selves Then also to the end that everie one may better perceive how far foorth he may account either of the sense that out of any part of the Text is gathered or of the Methode whereinto it is digested I have here set down the Text it selfe in such sort distributed or divided into such severall portions as it is aportioned handled in the Treatise it self noting also in the end of every portion in what Sections of the Treatise that portioÌ„ is handled A matter that many do litle need such as have the text already and can redily turn unto it yet may it be to good use to some others for that matter ease them of some part of their labour And the brieflier and plainlier that it is delivered unto thee the better shalt thou be able to see what it is that the Prophet doth call thee unto Which when thou perceavest then it remayneth that thou cast thee self to be in a redines to answere his cal Concerning this late publishing of it first Of the late publishing of it neverthelesse that yet also it cometh in seasen what was the cause of the stay with him to whoÌ„ the prin ting thereof was comitted who then did undertake the praesent dispatch of it I mee self am not able to say it was much against my wil considering that as at that praesent occasion had set me about that kinde of labour for the good of others so did it likewise not well accord with that needles delay that thereof was made when the time it selfe did so iustly require it Insomuch that to that verie end that is to give it so readie a course as to that season did appertain both my selfe of set purpose repayred to London and there tooke speciall order for the praesent imprinting of it Then that it is set foorth now although it may seeme to be sumwhat our of season in some respect because it relieth so much on the scarcity that then was which is in good part eased now yet the truâ—h is that the matter being better considered there is no cause why any man neede to thinke but that yet in that respect also it may well come not far out of season For though the yere that now is praesent hath brought with it God be thanked good store of come which the other wanted before yet did that other so far sinke the most mens substance at that praesent to get them graine to their needefulnesse that now they hardlier have wherewithall to get it than they had then though it bee cheaper And so consequently that scarcitie doth as yet remaine with verie many But howsoeâ—er that it is eased yet is there among us such a kinde of sickenesse at this praesent spread over all generally as that therein both by the sharpenes and strangenes of it we may plainely perceave that it is the hand of God and calleth us no doubt unto repentance Again as this our Prophet by occasion of a famin then called on the people to be effectually touched therwith with true repentance to turn to the Lord so because that this Admonition of mine hath likewise held the self same course the lesse that we have yet acknowledged that hand of God and the lesse that we thereupon did turn unto him by repentance as yet the more iâ—stly may it be demaunded of us and the more 〈◊〉 occasion hath this Admonition still to proceede and to hold on his former course Besides this whereas the prophet Ioel upon their repentance did assure them of greater mercies both a further propagation of the Gospeâ—â— and a notable deliuerance from their enimies who seeth not but that to this end also this Admonition may now very fitly come foorth when as all sorts have so much busines about the aduauncement of Religion and when as there is a generall doubt of enimies also and sufficiently knowne that for the gospel they are not a little incensed against us These reasons therfore moving I have thought good now to take some further order for the publishing of this Admonition and therewithall to shew thee what reasons moved me thereunto And now what remaineth but that VVhat benefit to take by the reading of it as the Prophet doth call upon us God himselfe hath notably provoked and our owne estate doth much require even so we addresse our selves to aunswere this gratious calling of his in stirring up our selves to a sensible feeling of that hand of God upon us and in turning our selves unto him in true repentance Of these things I thought good a little to forewarne thee gentle Reader leaving thee now at thy good pleasure to the Treatise it selfe and wishing thee to use it to the glory of him who so lovingly calleth and to the benefite of thy selfe whom he would in no wise have to miscary which that thou maist the better do I humbly beseeche God to vouchsafe thee his blessing and the direction of his holie spirite and so I bid thee well to fare in Iesus Christ The text of the Prophet Ioël in such sort distributed as it is handled in the Admonition following Sect. 1 2. 1 THE word of the Lorde that came to Ioel the sonne of Pethuel Sect. 3 8. 2 Hearke yee this ô Elders and hearken ye all inhabitants of the land whether such a thing hath beene in your dayes or yet in the daies of your fathers 3 Tell you your children of it and let your children shew to their children and their children to another generation 4 That which is left of the Palmerwoorm hath the Grashopper eaten and the residue of the grashopper hath the canker-woorm eaten the residue of the canker-woorme hath the caterpiller eaten 5 Awake ye drunkards and wepe and howle all ye drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it shall bee pulleà from your mouth 6 Yea a nation commeth upon my land mightie and without number whose teeth are like the teeth of a Lion and he hath the iawes of a great Lyon 7 He maketh my vine wast and pilleth of the barke of my fig-tree hee maketh it bare and casteth it
here he giveth is no more in effect but to shew how sorrowfull a day it is and that doth he two waies first as touching the substance of it and then by the maner of proceeding For the substance of it he saith that v 1 15. it is a day of destruction or that doth make them vtterly waste In the maner of proceeding or in what sort it cometh upon thē he noteth two things one that it cometh mightily on them or in very strong maner calling it the day of the Lord and saying that it cometh from the almightie the other that it is even at hand or that now they are very neere to utter destruction In his confirmation of it first he setteth down the matter out of which he will confirm it then confirmeth or further strengthneth that same likewise The x 1 16. matter that he setteth down for the confirmation of it resteth in two pointes the one that their meate is cut óf before their eyes or that they may plainly and evidently see that now they have nothing whereon to live the other that ioy and gladnes is also cut óf from the house of their God as evident a token of pręsent destruction as the other is That which he bringeth for the confirmation and further strengthning of this also is by shewing that those things are utterly failed which should minister both to them all necessarie foode and joy and gladnesse to those that served in the house of the Lord. To this end he addeth first as touching their y 1 17. corn that they had so litle hope or comfort thereof partly for so much as was sown was most of it rotten under the clods by immoderate wet and partly for that such as was left was also withered that now men did cōmonly let even their barnes and garners goe down then as touching their z 1 18. cattle not onely that they all moorn but also that both their heards of greater cattle pine away for lack of pasture that was destroyed by immoderate a 1 19 20. heat that afterward followed but also that even their flocks of sheepe who are woont to make good shift in very bare pastures were lost notwithstanding even the whole flocks for lack of pasture In his profession or protestation that hé will doe it although they will not we are to note first what it is that he will doe and then wherefore he will doe the same That which he will doe is that he will b 1 19. crie unto the Lord. The reason is for that the fier hath devoured the lodges or pastures of the wildernes and flamb hath burnt up the trees of the fiedes and for the beasts of the fielde did also after their maner crie unto him for want of water bicause the rivers were dried up and for want of meat bicause their pastures were devoured or burnt with heat Which that we may in like maner applie to our selves It appertaineth to those that are of the ministerie with ús likewise to have an eye to this matrer sometimes they need to be stirred up by some other first whereas he calleth on the Priests for this matter who were the ordinarie teachers of the people we may note that among us likewise such as are our ordinary teachers should haue an eye to these matters and when neede is admonish the magistrats and people also to joyn together in such good exercise And whereas those ordinarie teachers which no doubt were many were now so earnestly called upon by this our Prophet who was sent in extraordinarily and was but one it also may teach us that though our ordinarie teachers bee many yet may they forget them selues so much euen all sometimes that God may finde it needefull to send in some other extraordinarilie to put them in minde of such matters and to quicken them up thereunto and though théy be many and the other but one yet may they not therefore despise him For it falleth out very often that though they live of the Altar yet doe they not so much oft-times regarde these things that belong to the Altar I meane the true service of God and the advancement of his glorie and though they be the Ministers or servants of God yet are they not alwaies so carefull of the service of him whose servants they are And as at this time one other was found that had no part of his living of the Altar nor was any of the number of those that were the ordinarie servants of God and yet was very carefull for the Altar and to promote his maisters busines so in these daies also it pleaseth God sometimes to stir up some one or other amōg us that being nothing maintained by the altar nor any of our ordinarie teachers neither neverthelesse doth that kind of busines much more sometimes then those that are and when it pleaseth God to send any such they are not lightly to be regarded In that they are admonished first to stir up them selves to sorrow before that they should call upon others that so they might the better doe it therein likewise may we very well note what cause it is that they have to follow that in this case would do any good that is first of all to begin with them selves from whom others are to take their light and direction For unlesse they sorrow them selves and be effectually touched with their miseries it is not to be looked for In what maner they ought to sorrow that théy should stir up others unto it And whereas it is of them required not only to sorrow but also to doe it in very earnest and hearty maner and therefore it is required of them that they houl and lie all night in sakcloth although that we are not to account our selves necessarilie tied to their maner of moorning so cōsequently to their maner of sakcloth neither yet are we to doe it in very earnest and fervēt maner to know withal that as we are not necessarily tied to their sakcloth so neither do our cābriks and lawns our shak-haire undecent loks of uncleannes or pride other excesse or whatsoever other badges of our wōted delicacie or tēder nicenes any thing becum those that professe that godly sorrow that now we speake of Insomuch that as God himselfe c 〈◊〉 33 5. on a time admonished the children of Israel whē they had offended the Lord being angrie with thē they had now to seek his favour againe to lay aside their costly apparel that thereby hee might the better see how far they repented then how to deale accordingly with them so we likewise have need to account it as needfull for us especially for those that ought to be leaders unto others to lay aside the great excesse that now is used before that either thēselves shal see that there is any true repentance in them or before that others by their example or cold exhortation whilbe
people and not to give his heritage over in reproach unto the heathen In reproach to the heathen they might easilie be given even by their famin only both because that in this case they might easily be over runne of their enimies and because it was reproachfull to them being by profession the people of God to be notwithstanding in such distresse wheÌ„ the heathen had all things needfull in plentifull maner Their pleading he would haue to relie on the honor of God teaching them to say Wherfore should they say among the people where is their God Concérning the place where it should be done he would have it not at home or wheresoever els but onely in the Temple where g 1. king 8.37 9 3. God in this kind of distresse also promised to heare even Betweene the Porch and the Temple 12 Out of which likewise wee may take to our selves many good lessons to our instruction If théy were so heauie much to be doubted that weare not alwais so verie readie And first if théy were so heauy that the Prophet needed to call on them so oft for this matter and the Prophet thereupon stook not to bestowe all this labour upon them neither may we thinke that wee are easilie woon to a godlie sorrow especially when wee are to testifie the same in publique maner neither may anie to whome it belongeth thinke much to call on those that should do it again and again We also have cause to sorrow If that also were a just cause for them to blow the truÌ„pet in Zion to shout in his holy mountain for all the inhabitants of the land to tremble truely this also was as iust occasioÌ„ to ús to doe the like in ratable maner or in such measure as theÌ„ the haÌ„d of God was on ús or yet is in much like maner as it was on them For this also was a discomfortable darknes wheÌ„ as the poorer sort were so very much streightned as then they were yet are wheÌ„ their eye waxed dim for want of needful susteinaÌ„ce wheÌ„ as this cloud of darknes was spread so generally ouer the poorer sort over many of the mountaines themselues that it darkned much the light of our wonted comfort ioy haÌ„ging on vs still so much as it doth bodeth I know not what further distresse to be towards us also Or if we cast our eyes to that armie that was so fierce sore upon them we have no great cause to coÌ„ceave our selves to be freed from it wheÌ„ we may see that oùr land also being in a maner as the gardeÌ„ of Eden before hath since been so far wasted by this that in many parts of it it hath beene in the yeeld of things needful not far unlike to a wildernes also and that the same that hitherto was woont to helpe many others with all maner of graine was since fame to seeke far óf that which we wanted to our needfull relief and yet could not get it with all wee could doe But howsoeuer it hath pleased God to take away the force of that army from us yet still doth he threaten us with certain others such as would gladly pray upon us kindly doe it if once they might attaine vnto it If we doe not it is our fault it boadeth not that we have no such reason Insomuch that if our faces also bee not abashed thereat it is but oúr fault it is no argument that we were not then streightened so far as we speake of or that yet it is not euideÌ„t that God doth shake his rod against us But wheÌ„ as so many faces were pale for waÌ„t of needfull relief yet are partly by it and partly by the sickenes that is among us and when as we may plainely perceaue that it is the hand of God that is on vs it is a foul shame for vs if our countnaÌ„ce be not somthing appauled thereat a very ill token besides if neither that distres of so many nor our own sins that haue brought such a wrath upon us can so far worke with us as to be in some good measure abashed thereat For surely that necessity of ours did also ruÌ„ very stroÌ„gly against us prÄ™pared to the battel with great speed in good aray so strengthned besides by the haÌ„d of God that in no wise we could avoyde it and so did it breake into our cities it climed up into our howses it both spoiled and rifled all I can not say that the Heavens and the Earth were astonished at it that the Sunne and the Moone were darkned nor that the stars tooke their light God be thanked wee were not there yet our distres or scarcitie was not so great that in these creatures it might be said to appeare so much as that other in that sense that the Prophet doth mean it Neverthelesse it can not be denied but that by that praesent scarcitie we were so streightned that the â—eaveÌ„s by unseasonable wether for those two yeares and the earth by the small increase of corn that it hath yeelded both together by the losse of our cattell withall did pregnantly witnes the hand of God to have bene upon us and our scarcitie being such as it was those that were distressed thereby could have so litle comfort by those other creatures that to thém the Sun Moone and Stars after a sort and in some measure were darkned also in that sense that the Prophet meaneth Our spiritual famin And if we go further to that spiritual famin that not only was but yet also is among us in all those places where the meat offring and drink-offring is taken from the house of the Lorde therein may we see though in another sense but yet verie pregnant of great importance that the heavens no doubt are astonished and that the earth might verie well tremble to see the Sunne the Moone and the Starres the Truth it self the Church among us in all such places and our verie leaders themselves to bee so darkned as they are partly by their owne former ignorance and error and partly by the negligence and carelesnes of those that now should either amend themselves That we also should give our selves to our most sorrow or at least make sure that others did it And now that wee are in this case that we are what is there more seemely or convenient for us then to turne to the Lorde and to doe that in so heartie maner that neither such fasting nor weeping nor moorning as the Prophet requireth be wanting from us For what else doe these things teach us but to turn unto him and seeing that this hand of God that was on us did in some measure lie upon all though some were much more sharplie touched therewith then were some others how could we do better then to have the profession of our repentance publike also and whereas we doe plainely and dayly see that