would haue the knowledge of saluation to bee common vnto alhis people therefore behooued the Apostles to be indued with the holy ghost that they might put vs in mind of the things that come to passe at this day in the Church c. The perillous estate of the â—â—ttâ—r time But least any man at the springing vp of Christes kingdome shoulde promise to himselfe all thinges ioyfull and prosperous Ioel consequently setteth downe what a huge masse of mischiefes and dangers shoulde euery where arise partly to the ende hee might remedie the offence of the crosse and that hee might commende and set foorth faith in Christe which alone is able to saue vs in these dangers and partly that by rehearsing of these thinges hee might terrifie and dismay those that shoulde come after least otherwise they should refuse the redeemer giuen vnto theÌ„ of God I will shew saith the Lord wonders in heauen and in earth blood fire and pillers of smoke The Sunne shal be turned into darkenesse and the Moone into blood before that great and terrible day of the Lorde come And because hee maketh mention of that greate day wherein Christe shall come to iudgement it is euident enough that hee comprehendeth all the time from Christes manifestatioÌ„ in the flesh euen to his last comming in which hee will accomplishe his kingdome in his elect and punish his enemies with the paines of eternall death and damnation And hee sheweth that there wil euery where appeare tokens of Gods wrath and that such shall bee the countenance of the whole worlde as that all the partes thereof might seeme to haue conspired together to the destruction of mankynde Heereunto agree those thinges that Christe foretelleth in the gospel of the later times Mat. 24. Mark 13. Luke 21. And they beganne to bee accoÌ„plished by and by after his ascention into heauen as touching the nation of the Iewes For there were seen wonders of al sortes after the which followed immediately the destruction both of their citie and nation But vnder the Romane Empyre whereunto the whole worlde was then subiect there raged in horrible wise seditions warres pestilences famines and all maner of mischiefes whatsoeuer and the histories are full stuffed with the rehearsall of straunge tokens These thinges haue continued euen vnto our time neither as yet are they come vnto an ende For who is ignoraunt of the Cometes and blasing starres of the Swoordes Speares and other like thinges which haue now certaine yeeres past beene seene in the skies As for Earthquakes and Inundations of waters wee haue seene very many And in some places great quantities of blood haue gushed out of the earth and els where it hath rayned blood from heauen I let passe the monstrous shapes and birthes which if I shoulde stande to recount the day woulde scarce bee sufficient And that these are no vaine scare-crowes the thing it selfe testifieth when as the wretched worlde is vexed and disquieted with warres famine pestilence other plagues innumerable The cause of the calamities of the latter time But some man may aske what the cause is of these calamities and why GOD seemeth nowe to bee more offended with all mankinde then hee was in times past before Christe was giuen vnto vs in the fleshe This question is not superfluous considering that in times past the enemies of the Christian faith tooke heereby occasion to slaunder it in that after the rising thereof they saide whole swarmes of mischiefes brake into the worlde And among the Christians there are not a fewe that are greatly troubled with the consideration heereof But if we coÌ„sider the thing it self it will appeare that the cause of these euils commeth not of the Christian faith or religion but proceedeth from the people For among these the greater part is of the wicked and vngodly who either as hogges of Epicures heard giue themselues to the lustes of the fleshe and despise all religion or els beeing superstitious and Idolaters doe dayly deuise and heape vp vnlawfull worshippinges And both these sortes hate and persecute the light of the truth so as notwithstanding that they followe diuers practises of life yet in this one thing they egregiously agree and by their wickednes it commeth to passe that there seemes no enormitie worthie of greater punishement then if any make a fyncere and free confession of the truth Is it therefore to be thought any maruell or a thing vn worthy if God punish the desperate boldnesse of these men with all kinde of plagues which wilfully refuse the saluation offered This doubtles is the cause for the which Christe himselfe foretold that the nation of the Iewes should bee rooted out Mat. 21.23 Luke 19. for which also the Romane Empire was manifoldly afflicted as Orosius in diuers places witnesseth But for so much as a number in these dayes followe and imitate the wickednesse of the Iewes and Emperours it is nieete and requisite that they shoulde suffer and abide the selfe same paines and punishments with them Where if so bee wee looke vpon those that haue giuen their names vnto Christe although they bee of a right iudgemente as touching faith and religion and also do refreine themselues from the grosser sins and superstitions yet concurre there many thinges in them which deserue the sharper kinde of discipline and chastizemente For some blinded with the loue of this worlde couet after honours and riches othersome hauing too good an opinion of themselues are made secure and carelesse others there be that become slaues to their affections and followe without measure their owne lustes and pleasures As therefore it is necessarie that these shoulde bee brydeled and prouoked to a more feruent desire of Godlinesse so the iustice of God requireth that in punishing the sins of the wicked worlde 1. Pet. 4. hee shoulde begin first with his owne house least hee might seeme to allow those things in his owne which hee so seuerely punisheth in others No man therefore hath any cause to complaine of GOD. For in as muche as the state and condition of the worlde will bee alwayes alike it is good reason also that the same should be vexed with the like punishments and afflictions vntill that great day of the Lorde appeare which as it wyll bee terrible to the wicked as the Prophete signifieth Luke 21.1 Thes 4 so will the same bee ioyfull to the Godly and bryng vnto them their full and perfect redemption Heereby are confuted the Chiliastes and as many as in these dayes doe restore againe their dotages whylest they promise to themselues a certayne golden worlde vpon earth And withall the goodnesse of GOD is to bee obserued The vse of strange tokeÌ„s who before hee bring foorth the punishments which wee haue deserued is accustomed to forwarne vs not onely by his worde but also to awake vs by signes and wonders Examples of this forte are extant in the histories of all ages and as
no man ought to bee carelesse as though hee him selfe were no parte or cause thereof For albeeit some sinne more greeuously then other yet is no man altogether without fault yea and it commeth commonly to passe by the sinnes of the people that eyther wicked princes are giuen vnto them which bring all thinges out of order by their desperate counsayle or els that there is no good done by the holesome coūsailes of the best and most godly princes Euery one therfore ought to enter into thēselues and to bewayle not onely the common calamitie but also their sinnes wherby they haue caused it and to seeke the amendement of them which is the very best and onely way whereby they maye prouide both for the safety of themselues and of that which they haue Hee prouoketh the drunkardes first to mourning But let vs come to the wordes of the Prophet who beginning with the Drunkards exhorteth thē first of all to mourne namely because they were the chiefe and principal authors of al the miserie For it is euident by the sermons of Esay and Micheas Esa 5.28.56 Mich. 2. that at that time drunkennesse reigned in all sortes and degrees of men both high and lowe yea and euen in the priestes and Prophets them selues Heereby it came to passe that the Peeres of the realme neglected the common wealth the Priestes dealt carelesly in their office the Prophets by their flattering and fond sermons hardened the wicked more and more and the people as well by their own intemperance as also prouoked by the example of the states ranne headlong without checke into all kind of sinne and abomination The Prophet therefore doth not without a cause range them first of all in aray and applieth his speech very fittingly to their maners Awake saith he yee drunkards and weepe howle all yee drinkers of wine c. For why Drunkards and winebibbers are wont to spend the greatest part of their time in slouthfull sleepe and although they somtimes wake yet differ they little from sleepers sith they haue no certainetie of any thing and want the vse both of reason and senses Moreouer they sleepe securely in their sinnes they reioyce in them yeathey fill al thinges with their mad musicke and frantike iollitie and outrage in all kinde of wanconnesse Now therefore the Prophet willeth them to awake to weepe and to howle intending thereby to vpbrayde them with these their wicked maners and conditions As though hee shoulde saye Yee haue slept hitherto through stitch O yee drunken rioters Esay 50 in whose feastes that I may vse the wordes of Esay are the harpe and viole timbrell and pipe but in the meane time yee haue not regarded the worke of the Lord Amos. 6. nay as Amos saith ye would seeme to be like vnto Dauid and yet could he nothing at al preuaile with you by his godly admonitions But now is it time as I suppose that you also should awake and fall to weeping For albeit the publike calamitie of the whole nation doe not as yet mooue yee yet at leaste mourne for the liquor of life which is pluckt awaye from your mouth By liquor he vnderstandeth nothing else then wine but yet he would vse this word to the intent hee might taunt the scurrilitie of the Drunkardes which are wont to giue sundrye and vnusuall names to their wine that euē by that means they might testifie their vnsatiable loue of wine Exāples of this lightnes we haue ouer many with vs euery day to be seen But he teacheth thē by this means that they should euen now be compelled in spight of their teeth to become more sober when as God had taken from them this liquor wherewith they had hitherto beene ouermuch moystend and made frolicke Neither wanteth it great force in that he saith it is pluckt from their mouth to shew that all hope was now quite gone from them seeing that God had smitten the very cuppes out of their hands which they were euen now about to set to their lippes And to the end hee might the better rouze them vp hee layeth before them a description of the enemies and of the desolation by them made very fearefull and terrible saying For a nation commeth vpon my land a nation I say mightie and without number whose teeth are like the teeth of a Lyon c. And by teeth he signifieth the inuincible strength and we apons of the Assyrians such as are in the teeth and iawes of Lions very incredible That nation maketh my Vine waste pilleth off the barke of my fygtree c. In which wordes he signifieth a more thē ordinary crueltie of the enemies who not contented to haue wreaked their fury vpon the bodies of men and to haue spoyled the fruites nowe layde vp in the fielde and left still on the trees should exercise their crueltie also euen vppon the land it selfe and vppon the very trees that all commoditie of dwelling in that lande might quite be taken from those that had happily escaped their handes Neither doeth God say without a cause that these thinges were done in his land in his vineyarde in his figtree that so he might teach them that hee woulde neuer haue suffred these thinges to come to passe except their wickednesse had enforced him which had hitherto prophaned that lande that ought to be consecrated to him alone and the very seate of his true worship Wee are admonished therefore by this example The punishment of drunkards c. howe common drunkardes and vnthankefull wasters of Gods benefites are like to speede These men are wonte by their intemperate liuing to seeke for prayse and glory and as though they were borne to consume the good fruites of the earth they deuoure all things throughe their vnsatiable throates Thus doing they abuse GOD himselfe with horrible blasphemie whose giftes they shamefully waste and consume They are well worthye therefore to bee plagued at Gods hande eyther with tempestes or with sundrye sortes of wormes and vermine and at the length with most cruell enemies that the fruites of the earth beeing taken away they may either hunger and thirst or els hee flaine downe to rightes altogether For it is much better that wine and all manner of fruites perishe at once and that the lande it felfe be made waste and desolate then that there shoulde be giuen matter and occasion to these filthy hogges of Epicures hearde whereby to offende both against the common comlines of maners and also against the Glory of GOD himselfe without ceassing The Prophets foretolde that these thinges shoulde happen vnto them but they woulde not beleeue them That therefore came to passe which loel rehearseth in this place and they that before woulde not heare the Prophet were afterwarde compelled to heare Rabsaketh who with most shamefull woordes casting in their teeth the hunger that they suffred in the time of the siege sayde Esay 36. Am I not sente to these caytifes that keepe
that shall with their Alarum both terryfie those dumbe Dogges and also theyr partakers Nowe followeth a description of the vengeance which hee first propoundeth in generall A generall description of Gods vengeance to the intent hee might signifie how great and grieuous it was like to be A day of darkenes and blackenes a day of Cloudes and obscuritie By darkenesse and blackenes are vnderstood inextricable troubles and calamities which cause men to be vncertaine what to doe and euen at their wittes end Hee threatneth therefore that this also shall happen vnto them and addeth As the morning is spred vpon the mountaines By which similitude is betokened the vnauoydable necessitie and celeritie of an incredible vengeance and the sense is this That like as no man can forbid the morning but that she will rise and stretche forth her rosecoulered fingers as the Greeke Poets vse to speake sodenly to the very toppes of the mountaines and from thence with wonderfull swiftnesse throughout the whole earth so shall no man let God but that he will stretch his wreakefull hand vnto you whereby hee will sooner then can be told afflict and destroy all your whole land For there shal come namely coÌ„ducted by the Lord a mighty strong people the like wherof was neuer seene in the world before The power of the Assyrians incomparable neither shall be hereafter He meaneth the Assyrians who in continuance of gouernement in victories and puissance farre surmounted all peoples beside For their kingdome began in the hundreth and one and thirtith yeere after the floode Gene 10. which was from the creation of the world the seuenteene hundreth fourescore and nienth 2. King 14. There are reckoned from that time vnto the fourteenth yeere of Ezechias wherein this warre was made a thousand foure hundred and two and forty yeeres And although a little after the Babylonians began to reigne yet was not the Empire of the Assyrians ouerthrowne but rather the Kinges seate was remooued and the name of the Assyrians continued still vntill the Monarchie came to the Persians and Medes The Prophet therefore doeth not without a cause say that this people excelled all others Where wee haue especiallye to obserue howe hee sayeth that these shall bee the executours of Gods vengeance For heereby it appeareth that GOD will neuer wante such as by whose ayde hee maye punishe the wicked and vngodly when as hee can vse the most mighty nations and those that are furthest of from the knowledge of his name according to his owne good will and pleasure For that which is heere done commeth oftentimes to passe and there are examples euerye where in Hystories But more of this the Prophet him selfe will adde in the woordes following A particular declaration of the punishment For that which he propounded in generall hee declareth by a diligent and long rehearsall of all that they namely the Assyrians shoulde doe where it is not needefull to stande vppon the woordes sith they are plaine and euident of themselues but rather the matter it selfe is to bee considered For the ende and scope of all is this namely that he will shewe that nothing can possiblye let but that Gods vengeance shall proceede and therefore hee taketh from them all thinges wherein they might put any hope or confidence The chiefe among these were the fertilitie and plenteousnesse of the Lande the greate distance of places betweene Iudea and the countries of the Assyrians the harde passages throughe the mountaines a huge number of strong and valiant men together with moste strong townes and fortifications whiche seemed to be such as might easily stoppe the comming of the enemies But hee telleth them that none of all these thinges shall profit them For first of all the Assyrians shall come like a fire and shall so hideouslye waste and destroye all thinges that the Lande whiche nowe florisheth as a Paradise shall after theyr departure become like vnto a huge and desolate wilâ—ernesse Secondly they shall come verye cruell and swift and shall euen runne through the toppes of the Mountaynes where there seemed to bee scarce any place for Horsemen to passe Yea and looke howe soone the fire catcheth and deuoureth the stubble euen so soone shall they ouer runne the whole lande Thirdlye as touching men of warre all your warriours surdaunted onely with the fame and report of their enemies shall feare and tremble and shall with the palenesse of their faces testifie that they are afrayde on the other side your enemies shall runne hither and thither like Gyants they shall scale the walles they shall keepe their order with wonderfull diligence so as none shall bee a let vnto another Moreouer setting a parte the feare of death they shall rushe euen into the middest of the swoordes and yet shall not bee wounded Fourthly albeit strong Cities bee set against them yet shall they sodenly passe through them euen as through the open fieldes and hauing broken vp the gates or battered downe the walles they shall enter in at the very windowes Finally so great shal be the rage and astonishment of your people that the earth it selfe shall tremble the heauens shall mooue the Sunne and Moone shall be darkened and the Starres shall withdrawe their light And in these woordes his meaning is nothing else theÌ„ that in euery part of the worlde shall appeare tokens of Gods wrath and nothing shall bee any safegarde vnto them That these thinges were fulfilled wee may gather by the historie especially out of Esay chap. 10. Where it is declared what way Sennacharib came to Hierusalem And so GOD perfourmed in deede that which hee had threatned before in the Law to the wicked transgressours of his commandementes In the consideration heereof we haue so to bee occupied that wee bee not carried awaye with the confidence of our owne strength or munitions to rebell agaynst the Lorde For to let passe all olde examples wee haue in our time seene manye of this forte whiche maye teache vs howe vayne the Fortes and Defences are that men doe prouide against GOD c. Furthermore least any should attribute these thinges to the power or rage of the enemies hee teacheth expressely that God shall bee the Captayne of this Warre God the captayne Emperour of warre For hee sayeth The Lorde shall vtter his voyce before his hoaste That is all thinges shall come to passe by his conducte and assignemente hee shall encourage the Assyrians but shall terryfie you as I sayde euen nowe For Gods armye is exceeding greate and hee that executeth his commaundement namely the Assyrian is strong Terrible therefore and greate shall that day bee so as none shall Bee able to abyde it Wee haue heere to obserue and marke that hee calleth expressely the Hoast and Camp of the Assyrians Gods hoast and Campe and hee acknowledgeth the Tyrant Sennacharib to bee the executioner of his woorde and commaundement Esay 10. So in Esay hee calleth the
well see the tokens of Gods wrath perceiue them to bee foretellings of a greater misery Wee reade of the like thing in the Prophet Amos Amos. 4. where God by rehearsing the former plagues sheweth howe litle or nothing hee had profited with the stubborne and incurable For so doth hee cast their blockishnesse in their teeth which of thinges past woulde not learne or foresee that which they now did suffer That which is left of the palmer worme hath the grashopper eaten and that which is left of the Grashopper hath the canker worme eaten and that which is left of the canker worme hath the caterpiller eaten The sense is this If one onely calamitie had destroyed the increase but of one yeere alone it might haue seemed to come by chaunce or at least not to deserue so great obseruation But seeing there haue now certaine yeeres together one folowing in anothers necke succeeded in a maner whatsoeuer is wont to bee hurtfull noysome to the fruits of the earth that of the later plagues is deuoured corrupted whatsoeuer was left of the former you must of necessitie be very blockishe that haue not acknowledged the manifest and singuler iudgement of God who would not only punish you with scarcitie hunger but also teach you by those wormes what shold shortly come to passe vnlesse by these smaler punishments you amended your liues namely that forraine enemies with an incredible multitude of souldiers shoulde ouerrunne the whole land and in maner 〈◊〉 Caterpillers or canker wormes wast and destroy all that euer is both farre neerâ— And that this is the meaning of the Propheâ— appeareth sufficiently by his woordeâ— following Small plagues forerunners of greater This place teacheth vs that lesse plagues are as it were forerunners anâ— proclaimers of greater And there beâ— in histories euery where examples whicâ— testifie that by the swarmes of Grashoppers or vnknowen birdes or also by the vnaccustomed floods and ouerflowingsâ— waters haue beene signified and denounced the inuasions of forraine enemies Suâ— a like thing as this in the yeere of our Lord 1545. hath Germanie seene when asâ— kinde of Grashoppers altogether vnknowen before came out of Italy alongest thâ— countries bordering vpon the Alpes by thâ— selfesame way which the yeere next following the souldiers sent from the Pope directly held We ought therefore to markâ— whatsoeuer belong to this kind least at any time we say with the Poet in vaine Oftetimes the trembling trees I do remember well If so bewitcht we had not beene This mischiefe did foretell Heere appeareth also the inuincible power of God and how little the forces of men can doe against him when as he is able by such small and feeble creatures to vanquishe and ouercome them For why he is called the God of hosts not onely for this cause that all creatures do serue him but for that also hee can according to his good pleasure arme them with straunge forces so as they may be sufficient to ouercome euen the most fel Tyrants and most mightie nations A notable example of this thing wee haue in Pharao whose fiercenes god tamed diuers times by mice frogges flyes wormes lice so that he was faine to stoupe and crouch vnto Moses The same happened to the Philistines when as they were in their chiefe pride for the Arke of the couenant which they had taken In like manner wee reade of Antiochus Herode Sylla and diuers other eaten and gnaweÌ„ of wormes of most mightle monarchies vtterly suâ—uerted ouerthrowen by people that weâ—â— before obscure vnknoweÌ„ As for the fruit of the earth wherupon our life dependet God can take them away either by winde or vnseasonable raine or by euery little change of weather that wee may speakâ— nothing nowe of haile frost and otherâ— bruntes of more grieuous teÌ„pests Wheâ—â—fore being mindefull of these things letâ— obserue the examples of gods iudgements and humble our selues vnder his mightâ— hand who will bountifully bestowe hâ—â— grace vpon those that turne vnto him that 〈◊〉 they may preuaile ouer all dangers by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord to whomâ— bee giuen blessing honour glory and do minion for euer and euer Amen Sermon 2. The text 5 AWake yee drunkardes and weepe and houle all ye drinkers of wine because of the liquor for it is pulled froÌ„ your mouth 6 Yea a nation coÌ„meth vpoÌ„ my laÌ„d mightie and without number whose teeth are like the teeth of a Lion and he hath the iawes of a Lionesse 7 Hee maketh my Vine waste and pilleth off the barke of my figtree Hee maketh it bare and casteth it downe the branches thereof are made white 8 Mourne like a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth 9 The meat offring and the drink offring is cutte off from the house of the Lorde the Priestes the Lordes ministers mourne 10 The field is wasted the land mourneth for the corne is destroyed the new wine is dried vp and the oyle is decayed 11 Be yee ashamed O husbandmen howle O yee Vine dressers for the wheat and for the barley because the haruest of the fielde is perished 12 The Vine is dried vp the figtree is decayed the Pomegranate tree and the Palme tree and the Aple tree and all the trees of the fielde are withered surely the ioye is withered awaye from the sonnes of men ALbeit God being prouoked by the incurable malice of men The argumeÌ„t and vse of this present place doe sometimes correct and chasten them yet he being perpetually mindefull of his goodnesse euen amiddest their punishments teacheth and admonisheth them by his worde that euen then they might searche out the causes of their sufferings and endeuoure to returne vnto him An example hereof we haue in Ioel. For at that time the Iewes sinned sundrily notwithstanding that they had Ezechias for their king a most excellent and religious priuce as wee sayde of late God had reprooued them by Esay Micheas and others and that very bitterly and often But when as hee preuayled nothing thereby at the length hee mooued Warre against them by the Assyrians And beeing in danger hee gaue Ioel vnto them for to exhorte them to repentance and to put them in hope of pardon if they conuerted vnto him Hee therefore to the intent hee might the more easily obtaine this at their handes is very plentifull in describing the punishments which he so layeth before them that they might vnderstande that they came not to passe by haphazard but were sent by the iust iudgement of God Whither especially serueth this present place wherin he stirreth vp all sortes of men to mourning intending thus much that they that had hytherto careleslye concenmed the iudgementes of God might nowe euery of them enter into their own heartes and seeke for the causes of the present warre in them selues and hauing found them go in hand with ameÌ„dment of life Where wee learne howe that in publike calamities
24. and of this preaching hee appointeth two parts to witte repentance and remission of sinnes The very selfe same also do the examples teach which are set foorth in the Ministers of the newe Testament Certesse the first of them Iohn Baptist dealt more hardly and seuerely with none then with the Pharisees whose authoritie at that time was greatest in matters of religioÌ„ The same thought good not to spare euen Herode himselfe Math. 3. Luke 3. when as hauing forgotten both his owne dignitie and publike honestie hee kept to himselfe his brothers wife What shoulde wee say of Christe Mark 6. Math. 15. 21.23 Luke 11. Ioan. 8. Act. 2.3 c. who beeing wont to deale very gently with the people yet against the Priestes and Scribes inueigheth as I may so say with full sayle And the Apostles folowing his example doe publikelye in their Sermons hitte the Priestes in the teeth with their sinne of murthering the Sonne of GOD. Neither did the dignitie of their order defende them which they were not ignorant was long before ordeined of GOD and full of the Mysteries of Christe Iesus Loke distinct 40. cap. Papa Detestable therefore is the pride of the Romish Bishops which will bee checked and controused of none although they both neglect their office and carry away innumerable soules to hell Yea when as they treade all holy thinges vnder foote make all religion their owne gaine and offer the same to the Iewes Turkes to bee laughed to scorne they persesecute all those with fyre and sworde that couet the restitution of sounde doctrine and the pure Seruice and worship of GOD. Compâ—â—â—ns of these men are all those princes and magistrates made which whilest they openly sinne will yet also suffer themselues to bee admonished and reprooued of none But we reade howe Dauid Ezechias Iosias afterwarde Theodosius were farre otherwise minded who in this behalfe procured to them selues most excellent commendation and to their kingdoms assured peace for that they set the worde of God before their eyes to be folowed and paciently suffered the rebuke thereof c. He instituteth publike repeÌ„tance But after that hee hath taught what ought priuately to bee done of euery of the Priestes nowe he telleth them what they shoulde doe publikely and so compriseth in fewe woordes whatsoeuer belongeth to publike repentance a thing very needefull in common calamities First sanctifie sayth he a fast That is to say 1. A fast proclaime such a fast as all men at once forsaking al their prophane studies delightes may bende themselues onely to those things that serue to Gods glory and the leading of a holy and Christian conuersation for by the name of Fasting the Scripture vnderstandeth not a superstitious abstinence which consisteth in the difference of meats and obseruation of certaine dayes such as of late tymes was brought in by mens traditions but it requireth a discipline where by the pride and lust of our fleshe may be tamed and kept vnder This discipline is extended to all those thinges that cause the flesh to become more proude or fierce whether the same bee meate or drinke or apparell or also company with our wiues asit shal appeare in the second Chapter There can therefore heere no certaine lawes bee prescribed but euery man must be a law to himselfe whilest he obserueth the nature and disposition of his owne flesh and withdraweth the nourishments of lust from the same Neither also are these thinges required to this ende and purpose as though they merited any thing of themselues for the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke Rom. 14. but righteousnes and peace and ioye in the holy Ghost And the saying of the Lorde is wel knowen in the Prophet When ye fast ye fast to your selues and when yee eate Zach. 7. yee eate to your selues c But that the spirite myght haue and enioye this power and dominion in vs least that the fleshe preuayling ouer it shoulde disturbbe and put bye the exercise of repentance Whiche also is the cause that it is not tyed or bounde to anye certayne dayes but is then commaunded when eyther wee stande in neede of publique repentaunce for speciall causes or else wee our selues priuately feele the power of the spirite to decay and waxe weake in vs so farre foorth that Christe whiche in the brydegrome of our soules may seeme to bee departed and gone fromvs of whiche thyng hee hym selfe in the Gospell inueyghyng agaynst the Pharisaical fastes Math. 9. putteth vs in mynde Ioel therefore prescribeth no superstitious thyng but hee vegeth this at their handes that reiectyng the baites and entysementes of sinne they woulde prepare them selues vnto prayer and amendemente of lyfe But some man may say Why wylleth hee a faste to be publikely proclaymed Math. 6. when as Christ commandeth vs to hide also conceale our fastes where we must marke and obserue that some fastes are priuate and other some publike And those that are taken in hande for priuate causes ought as Christe teacheth to be closely handled least wee shoulde seeme to seeke our own priuate glory and a vaine estimation of holines with the people There is another consideration to bee had of publike fastes whiche serue to the publike confession of sinnes repentance suche as in this place Ioel commaundeth and such as that was also which wee reade the king of the Niniuites caused to be proclaymed And that these shoulde bee done openly Ion. 3. it is requisite for many causes for so are mens mindes the more stirred vp by the examples of other and those are euen for shame of the worlde kept from sinning which were before touched with no religion agayne it is meete and conuenient that such as were not ashamed to sinne openly shoulde also not be ashamed of open repentance whereby they may craue mercye at Gods hand Secondly 2. Holy assemblies he sayeth Call a solemne assembly And immediatly he setteth bowâ— who they are whither they should be called Gather the Elders and all the inhabitantes of the lande into the house of the Lord your God He will haue the Elders to be called by the name of whom are vnderstood as many as beeing placed in anie dignitie doe surmount other in authoritie And he hath a speciall eye vnto these because that by the example of such publik asseÌ„blies repentance is greatly furthered Yet he adioyneth vnto theÌ„ al other states degrees whatsoeuer for why it is coÌ„uenient that seeing al together haue by sinning prouoked God vnto anger all likewise shoulde bee carefull howe to appease the same But he will haue these assemblies to be made in the Temple and that because it had excellent promises as appeareth in the first booke of the Kings 1. King 8. not verely for the gorgious building thereof but for that as well the Temple it selfe as also the things that were done in it by the appointâ—◠〈◊〉 of the
and full of passions Alas for that day saith hee for the day of the Lorde is at hande and will come as a destruction from the Almightie And the Scripture calleth the day of the Lorde the time of vengeance wherein hee punisheth the vngodly because he then especially proueth him self to be God who seemeth to be none when he suffereth sins to goe vnpunished The sense therefore of the words is this Hitherto forsooth our gracious and merciful God hath of long time deferred the punishmentes which you haue deserued But forsomuch as you haue shamefully abused his long suffering pacience nowe is the day of iudgement at hande and that suche as euen nowe when I thinke of it it causeth mee to shake and quake for feare For it will come as a certayne desolation from the Almightie That is to say it will come much like as if God shoulde bend all his forces at once to destroy those that woulde not hitherto bee amended Where wee are admonished that they doe in vayne trust in the long sufferaunce of God which cease not to prouoke his wrath by their continuall custome of sinning For such doe heape vp to themselues wrath as Paule saith Rom. 2. and doe euen arme all the forces of God against themselues and shall feele the same one day to be their destruction in which they ought most of al to haue hoped He repeateth things past present esa 30.31.36 But because he knewe them partly to be so blockish and senselesse and partly so proude and desperate to wit by reason of the confidence they had in the Egyptian League as is to be seene in Esay that they were not terrified with the threatnings of the punishment to come he returneth agayne to the thinges past and eftsoones repeateth what they had suffered and withal setteth before their eyes the countenance of their present state and conditioÌ„ that by the consideration of all these thinges they might vnderstande the same to be preambles of greater mischiefes And he frameth his speech with an interrogation to the intent they might be conuicted by the testimony of their owne consciences Is not the meat sayth he cut off froÌ„ before our eyes Is not ioy and gladnes departed from the house of our God for why the sacrifices of the Iewes were full of reioycement and comfort as well because they renewed the memorie of Gods auncient benefites towardes them as also for that they were types and figures of the redemption to come in Christ and confirmed the promises thereof Deut. 14.16 Hereunto were added the holy feastes wherein they reioyced as Moses commaunded before the Lorde and relieued also the poore with their liberalitie Because therefore there coulde no such thing bee done or accomplished in all the time of the warre the Prophete mencioneth these thinges And the sense is this If your matters bee so cock-sure that you think ye haue no such great neede of repentance neither are ye terrifyed with the threatnings of calamities to come at lestwise consider what things ye haue hitherto suffered For why you can not deny but that euen before your faces are cutte vp and as it were stricken out of your handes whatsoeuer serue to your liuing and welfare Neyther is penury alone entred into priuate houses but it hath inuaded also the Temple wherein are to bee seene no maner of printes at all of the former ioy and gladnesse There is nowe no resort vnto this as hath beene in times past from all places rounde about There are nowe no sacrifices no holy dayes no feastes no remembrance of Gods olde and auncient benefites to cheere your heartes withall but all thinges are full of mourning and heauines And can you thinke that these thinges are come to passe without a speciall cause or woulde God haue suffered them thus to bee if his wrath had not been kindled euen to the vttermost It appeareth by this Gods woorship for sinne is taken away howe great the heynousenes of sinnes is before God when as he punisheth theÌ„ in such sort that hee spareth not euen those thinges that belong to his owne seruice and worship Yea we are taught here howe vaine the confidence of outwarde profession and religion is except the mind and maners be answerable thereunto for he taketh from the vnthankful creatures al external helpes least he might seem to be a fauorer of their sins Examples of this seuerity we may set at this day throughout Greece Asia and Affrica when as in those places doe reygne the detestable impiety of Mahomets sect wherein in times past were the most flourishing Churches of Christ The consideration wherof ought to moue vs also least that wee puffed vp with a vayne profession doe one day fall into the selfesame punishmentes He taketh aâ— the hope of Poyson to â—â—me Moreouer because the Iewes promised to themselues better thinges hereafter were not a little comforted with the hope of their haruest to come the prophet taketh euen this also from theÌ„ saying The feedes are rotten vnder the cloddes whereunto they were committed And what hope then can you haue of them But there are some barnes you thinke still stored replenished Nay whatsoeuer was laid vp in any place is all together spoyled destroyed of the enemies yea the very barnes theÌ„selues are not onely robbed spoyled but also subuerted and ouerthrowen insomuch that out of them can now nothing at al be looked for We are â—â—monisheâ— hee by the way what they are like to find that doe not vse the fruites and other giftes of God as becommeth them The Iewes grieuously offended in this behalfe as may appeare in the Sermons of the Prophets partly by intemperancie in eating and drinking as wee saide of late and partly by coueteousnes wherthrough they hoiâ—ded vp the fruites of the earth to the ende they might sell them the dearer afterward being in the meane time no whitmoued with the miserie and outcries of the hungrie and needy It came to passe therefore by the iust iudgement of God that both those drunkardes hungred and thirsted and also the couetous were brought to extreeme need and necessitie so as they were constrained to leaue that for a pray vnto the enemies which they coulde not finde in their heartes to bestowe vpon the poore The like examples we haue euery where in histories whereof this ought to bee the vse vnto vs that wee may bee thankefull vnto God that wee may moderately and soberly vse his giftes but especially that wee may endeuour to bee liberall to the poore whome hee hath so carefully commended vnto vs c. By the exaÌ„ple of the bruite beasts hee reproueth their blockishnes But that which hee had saide as touching the hope of the yeere to come already taken away hee amplifieth by an example where withall he so much the more reproueth their blockishnesse Howe doe the beasts mourne how do the heardes of cattell pine away because they haue no
all faces shall gather blacknes 7 They shall runne like gyants or strong men and goe vp to the wall like men of warre and euery man shall goe forwarde in his wayes and shall not stay in their pathes 8 No man shall thrust his brother but euery one shal walke in his path and when they fall vpon the sworde they shall not be wounded 9 They shall runne to and fro in the citie they shall runne vppon the wall they shall clime vp vppon the houses and enter in at the windowes like a theefe 10 The earth shall tremble before him the heauens shall shake the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the Starres shall withdrawe their shining 11 And the Lorde shall vtter his voyce before his host for his armie is very great for hee is strong that doeth his woorke for the day of the Lorde is great and very terrible and who can abide it Sermon 5. The argumeÌ„t of the second Sermon IOel beginneth now his other Sermon wherein hee handleth the same that he did in the former but hee intreateth more largely and euidently of euery point adding also some things which are not there mentioned yet serue they excelleÌ„tly wel to the preseÌ„t treatise For he exhorteth them to repentance that were oppressed with a greeuous warre by the Assyrians And there are three partes of his discourse In the first hee agayne describeth the danger to the entent that they beeing wakened by the consideration therof might perceiue that they had neede of repentance In the seconde hee teacheth the maner of true repentance and sheweth in what pointes it consisteth In the last hee declareth the effectes or fruites thereof and by that occasion prophesieth of the happie state of the Godly and destruction of the enemies which finally is fulfilled in the kingdome of Christ Now these things are so to bee considered of vs that wee beeing distressed with aduersities and afflictions may from hence fetch those thinges that serue to our instruction and comforce at this time wee will onely examine the first part A Tragieaâ— beginning wherein chiefly he stirreth vp the Prophets The beginning of his Sermon is very tragicall and warlike wherein hee rouzeth vp the secure and carelesse that they might prepare themselues for the punishmentes nowe readye to light vppon them And because they were to bee punished with warre he alluding to afeate of warre willeth the watchmen or spies to sound out Alarum and proclaime the batteil For hee sayth Blow the trumpet in Sion and shout in my holy mountayne Hee maketh mention of Sion and of the holy hill or Temple partlye leaste they shoulde thinke themselues to hee safe for the holynesse of the place and partly that they might vnderstand this thing especiallye to bee enioyned to the. Prophetes whome GOD had appointed watchmen to his people Ezech. 3.33 as wee may read in Ezechiel He addeth Let all the inhabitantes of the lande tremble Hee nameth all leaste anye shoulde thinke him selfe to bee without faulte And he biddeth them tremble to the end they might perceiue God to deale in good earnest and therefore that they also must not dally Whereunto serueth the cause which he by and by addeth For the day of the Lord commeth that is the time is at hand which God hath nowe long since appointed for veÌ„geaÌ„ce which euen now also waiteth at your dores Heere commeth the goodnes of God to be noted of vs who like a kinde father first dealeth in woordes The goodnes of God in giuing warning before he punisheth before hee addeth stripes Neyther doubtlesse are suche prophesiynges in vayne or appointed to stirre vp a vayne feare or terrour For as many as beeing terryfied with them are conuerted to GOD doe escape the punishments as GOD himselfe promiseth in Ieremie But if in cace the number of the wicked doe preuayle Ieremie 18. vnto whom these thinges seeme but as toyes and trifles and therefore GOD cannot deferre the punishment yet doe the Godly receiue greate comforte hereby For when they call these prophesiynges to minde they vnderstande also that all these thinges are ordered by Gods gouernment who because hee is faythfull and loueth vs suffereth not his to be tempted aboue their strength but that for his mercies sake hee causeth that all thinges woorke for the best vnto them God vseth his ministers as watchmen Further wee haue to marke that God oftentimes by his Prophets and ministers of his woord doth foretell his punishments and that as before wee haue sayde hee ordeyned them to the ende that as watchmen they shoulde sounde the Trumpet and stirre vp the people committed to their charge vnto that spirituall fight which consisteth especially in the exercise of repentance and woorde of GOD and whiche alone is able to turne away the plagues imminent and at hand The consideration hereof admonisheth as well ministers as also the whole people and euery creature particularly of their dueties For it belongeth vnto them to attende vppon theyr flocke and to marke the state and condition of euery one and with all the dangers that eyther publikely or priuately â—ang ouer their heades Moreouer to reprooue and denounce the same so as euery man maye perceiue what hee ought to doe This did the holy Prophets in times past and the selfesame doeth Paule very grauelye require of the Ministers of the new Testament Actes 20. 2. Tim. 4. Mat. 24. and 25. And they that doe their duetie in this behalfe shall enter into the ioye of their Lorde But as many as are carelesse and negligent at their handes shall bee required the blood of them that perishe Againe it shall bee the parte of all those that will bee numbred amongest the people of GOD to tremble at the sound of Gods woorde Ezechi 33. and with speedie repentance to preuente the daye of the Lorde The Prophet admonisheth vs thereof when hee sayth it is at hande For by that threatning he putteth them in hope that they may as yet escape the punishmentes nowe ready to light vpon them if they will applye them selues vnto GOD giuing them warning These thinges were of vs to be considered O Brethren when as turmoylinges and dangers doe euery where arise And GOD truly for his parte executeth his office neither want there faythfull watchmen by him raysed vp whiche reprooue sinne and denounce the plagues hanging ouer vs. But in the meane time there want not such as are negligent also Esay 56. who eyther by diminishing Gods threatnings do fauoure and maynetayne wickednes or else by the lewde example of their life doe shamefully prostitute the authoritie of the woorde and ministerye This occasion euery lewde and wicked verlet catcheth holde of and heerevppon it commeth that the carelesse libertie of sinning doeth euerye where preuayle and the warninges of the faythfuller Ministers are wicke dly scoffed at and laughed to skorne But Gods iudgement shall not slacke who will rayse vppe most cruell enemies
let the bride groome goe foorth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet 17 Let the priestes the ministers of the Lorde weepe betweene the porch and the altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine heritage to reproch that the heathen should rule ouer them Wherefore should they say among the people where is their God The argumēt vse of this present place AS God hath beene accustomed to punish mens sinnes with warres famine pestilence and other plagues innumerable so doe the scriptures teache no other way of escaping out of afflictions but repentance whereby men returne vnto God from whom by sinning they went away But for so much as in repentance it selfe there is much wandering and straying the holy Ghost also boeth euery where set down the order and maner thereof but of all other most diligently by Ioel who is altogither in this that he might couze those vp to repentance that were in extreeme danger and withall declareth at large how the same ought to be ordered and accomplished And of late forsooth he admonished what euery one ought priuately to doe But by cause they were altogether infected as yee woulde with one maladie and disease and therfore had need of publike and solemne repentance he now preseribeth in like maner the order of this which as it ought to be obserued of euery one so it especially admonisheth them of their duetie whom God hath appointed keepers defenders of the publike welfare Hee will haue repentance to be appointed by publike authoritie For he beginneth with them when hee sayth Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast c. For this place must bee vnderstoode of the holy trumpets by the sounde whereof the feastfull dayes were proclaimed and the holy assemblies gathered together as Moses had commanded by Gods ordinance Numb 10. But for because the Prophet requireth heere a certaine extraordinary matter which must be ordered not by any priuate mās authority but publik he speaketh this vnto those especially vnto whom belonged the chiefe gouernement and whose commaundementes it was no light matter to despise namely to the kinges and states of the realme whome heere hee will admonishe of their duetie For inasmuche as vnto these was committed the safetie of the people vnto the same especially do appertaine the thinges which serue for their preseruation and whereby the plagues at hand may bee driuen away to witte the true worshippe of God and repentance This thing sawe all the excellent princes whose fayth and godlines is commended in the scriptures For in as much as they knewe howe that God in teaching and deliuering the maner of his worship woulde vse the help and ministerie of Moses who bare the chieft rule and authoritie among the people they thought not without cause that the care thereof belonged most especially vnto them ◠Sam. 6.7 1. Chro. 29. ◠Chro. 19.20.29.34 c. Therefore Dauid began his reigne with the restoring of Gods worship and caused his sonne Solomon to doe the same Whose steppes wee reade afterwarde that Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias followed who were not onely carefull as touching the outwarde worship but also prouided that publike repentance shoulde of all men bee imbraced and taken in hand if at any time they perceiued Gods wrath to bee kindled Yea and the Scripture for this cause commendeth the king of Niniue Ionas 3. for that the Niniuites repented by his commandement And that this thing belongeth as well to the times of the newe Testament Psal 2. it may appeare by this that Dauid exhorteth kinges to kisse and embrace Christ and to submit themselues vnto his dominion and God promiseth the selfe-same in Esay namely Esay 49. that kinges shall bee nourses to his Church For howe shall they embrace Christ or preserue his church like nourses if they neglect those things without the which neither the worship of God nor the publike welfare can consist Al flouthful Magistrates therefore are reprooued who either thinke this charge to belong nothing at all vnto them or else are perswaded that ciuill lawes in this behalfe will doe no good For albeit they cannot enforce or change the mindes of men yet may they take away publike offences and by their example prouoke others yea and bring many backe into the right way before they be altogether past recouery Heereupon grewe the imperiall lawes as touching diuine matters for the reuiuing wherof in these dayes the princes and magistrates ought to be carefull that are desirous of the safetie of the common weale The partes of of a publike and solemne repentance But let vs see what the Prophet would haue instituted by publike authoritie and the whole order of publike repentance wil appeare vnto vs which is contayned altogether in foure heades First hee willeth them to sanctify a fast Wee haue spoken of this in the first chapter 1 A Fast But yee shall obserue agayne that by the worde sanctifiyng is betokened the true ende and vse of fastings which is that they may both be holy vnto God and also serue to the mortifiyng of the fleshe least it shoulde hinder the deuotion of the minde and the dueties of true christianitie which also is the chief and principall point in priuate fastes But here he will haue a publike fast to be summoned which may answere to the profession of a solemne repentance and be as it were a witnes and testmonye thereof This place therefore doth nothing at all help the superstitions professours of fastes For if wee take awaye from fastings the thinges which we spake of eueu now there will be no more vse of them neither can they be approoued vnto God Secondly Call a solemne assemblie 2 Solemne assemblies sayth hee The same hee touched also before where wee shewed that holye assemblies are therefore required for that they make to the mutuall preuocation and deuotion of mindes and for that they helpe and further prayers which by the consent of many doe after a forte gather the greater strength But here are two thinges to be obserued First the way and ende which it behooueth to keepe in gathering of assemblies How holy assemblies ought to be handled The prophet also expresseth this by the worde sanctifyng For albeit he had respect to the law which would haue those that were to offer sacrifices first to bee purged least they shoulde come vnto them vncleane yet doth hee rather require that which was ment and signified by these washings and purifiynges of the Law namely the purenesse and holynes of the heart Heb. 12 Leuit 19. Psa 15. without the which as the Apostle sayth no man shall see God For in deede it cannot be that they shoulde keepe companie with the holy God which are not themselues also holy And although it becommeth vs continually to bee in loue with this thing yet is the same most chiefly necessary for vs when we come
togither to the hearing of Gods word and vnto publike prayers and doe enter into the holy congregation as it were into the presence of God himselfe Then therefore ought wee to goe downe into our selues to examine our dealinges to correct our vices and especially to embrace Christ Iesus who is made vnto vs of God holynesse and sanctification This except we doe neyther shall we heare Gods worde with any fruite 1. Corinth 1. neither shall our prayers bee accepted of God which are accompanied with handes full of blood Esay 1. Wee see therefore what wee haue to iudge of those that shew foorth their pride and superfluitie in the very temples them selues and doe not onely giue ouer them selues to moste vile thoughtes and cogitations but also minister matter vnto others of the like vile thoughtes and desires They are of the number of those of whome the Lorde speaketh by the Prophet This people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouthes Esay 29. and honoureth mee with their lippes but their heartes are farre from mee c. But what shall wee say of the assemblies of our time suche as are gathered together in the dedications of Churches and in very many feastes of the Christians where a men shall see nothing but riot and superfluitie and an vnbrideled libertie of drinking dauncing playing and reuelling They sanctifie their assemblies not vnto God but vnto Bacchus and Venus and shall one day bee punished of God whose name they so shamefully and and impudently abuse Who they be that must assemble and meete together Secondly wee haue to obserue who ought to assemble and come together First hee willeth them to gather the whole people And by and by least any man should suppose himselfe not to be conteined vnder the name of people hee specefieth two fortes or kindes wherein hee comprehendeth all estates and degrees of men whatsoeuer For like as all folkes ought to runne together to the quenching of a common and publike fire euen so to the quenching of Gods wrath it becommeth all and euery one to sette to theyr helping handes that will bee called and accounted good citizens Wherefore he nameth the elders together with the children and euen the sucking Babes also or such as hang vpon the brestes the elder sorte that by their example they might go before others whom either through their negligence or euill example they had before corrupted and the infantes that the parents being prouoked by beholding theÌ„ might acknowledge their offence whereby they procured destruction not onely to themselues but also to their infantes and by remembrance thereof might bee stirred vp to the more effectuall and feruent desire of repentance For like as we haue seene in Hosee Gods wrath is wont to stretch it selfe euen vnto infantes Hosee 13. and brute beastes also as is declared at large in the first chapter Whiche onely reason ought to bee sufficient to awaken vs from sinning sith it is so prouided by nature that al men wish well to themselues and to those that belong vnto them In the meane time we are admonished that no man ought to be exempted from repayring to the church or resorting to holy assemblies For why all the sort of vs haue neede of the instruction of Gods woorde and prayers and it is a ioyfull thing to the Godly to be conuersant among those with whom they knowe God to be present Greeuous therefore and shamefull is the errour of those that either neuer come theÌ„selues or do not enure their children to followe the exercises of godlines and religion Men offend euery where now adayes in this behalfe so that euen heereby it may appeare howe little Christianitie there is in them that doe glory in the name of Christ Thirdly hee sayth Let the Bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber 3. Publike mourning and the Bride out of her closette By whiche woordes he proclaimeth a publike mourning and commaundeth them to abstaine euen from lawfull delightes For vnder the name of marriage and the companye betweene man and wife hee comprehendeth all other thinges of like sorte the vse wherof is otherwise lawfull But because in the time of peace wee doe commonly abuse our lawfull and honest pleasures it is conuenient that we afterwarde abstaine from the same and euen by this meanes punishe the wantonnesse of our fleshe 2. Sam. 11. This thing Vrias obserued who thought it vnlawfull to company with his wyfe so long as Israel was entangled with a greeuous and dangerous warre Heerevpon therefore let vs gather a generall doctrine that there is no pleasure or delight so honest and lawfull that ought not to be layde aside if at any time God publikely requireth vengeance for sinnes For first of all there is no man without faulte sith it is playne that euen the iust man falleth seuen times a day Prou. 24. Agayne albeeit some peraduenture bee voyde of those crimes for the which Gods wrath is especially kindled yet shall it be their partes to weep with theÌ„ that weepe Rom 12. least they should seeme vtterly to renounce the fellowship which wee haue all of vs in Christ Iesus Further seeing the corruption of our nature is such that the things which are lawfull doe withdrawe vs from the exercises of fayth and prayer euen for this cause ought the same to bee intermitted that wee may the more feruently bee occupied in those thinges that concerne Gods glory and our â—wne saluation 2. Corin. 7 So Paule wiâ—â—eâ— married folkes to goe aparte some times by coâ—â—â—t that they might the more conueniently giue them selues to fasting and prayeâ— Howe then shall wee think of those who when afflictions doe euery where hang ouer them seeke their owne priuate pleasures yea and abstaine not euen from thinges vnlawfull but breake foorth into all kinde of lust and licentiousnesse This is too too common in these dayes so as euen by this argument a man may well discerne the maners and conditions of the last time Fourthly hee instituteth publike prayers 4. Publike praiers where he setteth downe the forme of a Letanie not such a one as the superstitious sort and men giuen to their owne gayne doe vse but such as beeing ioyned with true fayth seeketh onely the glory of God The ringleaders heereof hee appoynteth the Priestes not that other ought to holde their peace but for that hee might put them in minde of Christe the Mediatour a Type whereof they did represent and without whome their prayers coulde not please GOD. Let the Priestes sayeth hee weepe betweene the porch and the altar c. The porche was the place of the people and the altar resembled the presence of God himselfe vnto whom there the sacrifices were offred and that the Priestes bare the person of Christ it is better knowne out of the Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 2. 5.9 c. then that it needeth with many woordes to bee prooued In the meane season the ministers of
testimonies whilest among so many treacheries of hypocrites and horrible enterprises of Tyrantes he maruellously defendeth and preserueth his Churche It shall be our partes therefore to depend vpon him alone with a strong and vnshaken fayth to feare and worship him in spirit and in truth Whosoeuer shall this doe can neuer be confounded For this is the voyce of Christ Iesus Matth. 28. Beholde I am with you euen to the end of the worlde To him bee giuen blessing honour glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen Sermon 10. The text 28. ANd after this will I poure out my spirit vpon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shal prophesy your old mē shal dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions 29 And also vpon the seruantes and vpon the handmaids in thōse dayes will I poure my spirit 30 And I will shewe wonders in the heauens and in the earth blood and fire and pillers of smoke 31 The sunne shal be turned into darknes the moone into blood before the great terrible day of the Lord come The argumēt vse of this present place Gene. 3. AS God promised vnto our first parentes his sonne Iesus Christ for a redeemer who being made man of a woman should crush and breake in pieces the heade of the serpent so did he afterward oftetimes repeate the same promise yea would haue al other to be groūded therō For inasmuch as in him he is recōciled with vs 2. Corin. 1. for his sake alone also is giuē to vs whatsoeuer good we receiue frō him As oft therfore as the prophets promise to the anciēt people either deliuerāce frō enemies or peace or plentiful increase of the earth or other tēporall benefits of like sort they alwayes for the most part enterlace in their promises prophesies as touching Christ to the end that by thē the godly may vnderstād that god wil not be wanting to his people of whō it behoued the promised redeemer of mankind to be borne nor that they should doubt of the promises of cōmon benefites when as God would perfourme greater matters in his sonne The selfsame thing doth Ioel obserue heere in this place who being about to comfort those that were altogether dismaid by feare of the Assyrian warre hitherto hee hath promised manye things which make to the happines of this life as plentie of corne graine victory peace trāquilitie so far forth that they might vnderstand that god would ratifie confirme his couenant dwell euen in the midst of thē These things that he might the better warrant withall warne the Iewes least sticking fast in these earthly commodities they should neglect the more excellent testimonies of Gods grace now he cōmeth down vnto Christs times Actes 2. of which that this place ought to be expounded the Apostle Peter expressely teacheth And there is in this place together with the things that follow to the end of this chapter a verye notable prophesie of Christs kingdōe which ought of vs diligently to be considered for that it conteineth many things the knowledge wherof is necessary vnto vs both to the attayning and retaining of saluation For first he prophesieth of the sending downe of the holy Ghost so teacheth what maner of kingdome Christ should haue vpō earth what we ought to seek for in it Secondly what the stat condition of this worlde will be whē Christ shal be exhibited he instructeth the godly against the offēce of the cros Thirdly he cōpriseth the order of our saluatiō in a short sum sheweth what we ought to doe if wee minde to holde faste the saluation which Christ hath purchased for vs. At this present wee will declare onely the two former partes and speake of the third part in the Sermon following Prophesiyng of Christes kingdome he beginneth with the sending down of the holy Ghost First and formost he prophesieth of the sending of the holy Ghost which shoulde be both more common and plentifull then euer at any time before Where first of all we haue to obserue that being about to prophesie of Christes kingdome amongest the innumerable benefites whiche God hath giuen vs in him hee chiefelye celebrateth the gifte of the holye Ghost The cause is for that next after Christ giuen vnto vs there could nothing be giuen more excellēt and more necessary then that spirit of whō heere he speaketh For albeit al the treasures of Gods grace goodnes be giuē vnto vs in Christ Iesus yet can wee by no meanes enioy them without the gift of the holy Ghost 1. Cori. 2. Rom. 7. For why naturally we abhor from Gods kingdome we perceiue not the misteries therof we are vanquished with the entisemēts of sinne we yeeld giue ouer to temptatiōs to the crosse therfore we either apprehēd not saluatiō in Christ or if we do apprehend it yet wee hold it not fast But al these things the holy Ghost remedieth who by the seede of the eternal word of God begetteth vs againe 1. Pet. 1. Ioan. 3. illuminateth our mindes and inflameth them with the loue of heauenly thinges resisteth the affections of the fleshe in temptations is a most certaine pledge of saluation 2. Cor. 1.5 and mourning vnder the crosse confirmeth vs with most effectuall cōsolatiōs Not without cause therfore doth the Prophet chiefly cōmend his gift yea by this meanes hee assureth thē of euerlasting saluation vnto whome hytherto hee had promised earthly and temporall benefites In the meane time this order of the prophet admonisheth vs The conditiō of Christes kingdome what ought to bee sought for in it what the state and condition of Christes kingdome is vpon earth and what wee ought to hope looke for in it This thing is very necessary to be obserued For in as much as a great number doe gape onely after earthly thinges and vnder colour of Christian libertie hunt eyther for riches and promotions or els seeke the libertie of the flesh and freedome of sinning the faith commonly which they professe with their mouthes they denie in their liues in the time of triall and persecution shamefully shrinke and fall away But the kingdome of Christe is not of this worlde as hee himselfe protesteth vnto Pilate but consisteth in ioy of the holy ghost Ioan. 18. Rom. 14. and offereth those thinges vnto vs which make to the inheritance of the heauenly life Let vs therefore couet after Spirituall giftes to the ende that being renewed and borne again in him we may liue a life worthy the profession of our faith by the crosse couragiously wrastle foorth to the heauenly kingdome The holy ghoste is promised vnto al. Moreouer the Prophet expresseth the maner of this sending and who they are that shal be partakers of the holy Ghoste I will powre out saith hee my spirite vpon all fleshe c. By the worde of powring out hee promiseth
vs because they suppose wee are neither regarded of God nor men But in the meane season they inuade and make hauocke of Gods people and of Gods inheritance then the which the whole vniuersall worlde hath nothing inâ—tâ—more excellent and glorious For why God maketh so great account of his elect and chosen 1. Pet. 1. Act. 20. that hee woulde purchase them vnto himselfe with the blood of his onely begotten sonne because there coulde no where bee founde any other price sufficient and further hauing purchased them Psal 2. Ephes 5. hee allotted them vnto his sonne for an inheritance yea he would haue them to be his spouse which he might make partaker of his heauenly kingdom of euerlasting happines They are iniurious therefore not against men but against God himselfe as many as lay violent handes vpon his Church and they shall vndoubtedly feele him to bee their iudge reueÌ„ger For the threatning of God is wel knowen speaking by Zachary Zach. 1. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eyet the saying of Christ Saule Saul why persecutest thou mee Act. 9. Which as they strike a terrour vnto the wicked so are they a comfort to the godly when they vnderstand that God will bee a reuenger of their cause He declareth the causes of the punishments But least God might seeme to haue taken any thing rashly in hande hee rehearseth in order what they had done against his people and against his inheritance First they haue scattered them among all nations For they had both led away the people and dispearsed them throughout their prouinces and also had brought of their own nation into the land of Israel to inhabite according as the sacred historie euidently testifieth of Salmanazar 2. King 17. and that Sennacherib the tyrant attempted the like it may appeare by the wordes of Rabsaketh wherewith hee sollicited them of Ierusalem to surrender their Citie Esay 36. And this doeth the Lorde obiect vnto them as a great and heynous crime when yet notwithstanding Sennacherib chiefly glorifieth heerein Esa 10. Act. 17. Deut. 32. that hee had remoued the boundes of kingdomes and nations And because it is plaine that God hath appointed to euery people their seuerall limites and borders they sin in like maner whosoeuer without great and vrgent cause inuade the countries and dominions of other Albeit the Prophete doth not heere onely accuse this kinde of iniustice and crueltie but also the vngodlines wherby they both prophaned the people consecrated vnto God and also the lande that was the seate of his worship Which selfe same thing in effect doe the persecutors in these dayes when as they compell the professours of Christe to deny the faith to set vp idolatrie in those places where the Gospel was taught before Moreouer they haue cast lottes for my people And so he betokeneth an extreeme contempt and that they accounted them for most vile whomsoeuer that tooke in that battaile Hee addeth And they haue giuen the childe for the harlot and haue solde the damosell for wine The former member may be taken two waies that wee may vnderstande them either to haue abused the children to their abhominable lust or els to haue giuen them for gifces to their harlots But in the latter member hee reprooueth their practise of gluttonie and drunkennesse and withall putteth the Iewes in minde howe iustly they had hitherto suffered extremities that had so carelesly neglected Gods glory For doubtlesse a fearefull thing it is if we coÌ„sider that these things hapned to gods people and inheritance and euen then happened too when God yet acknowledged theÌ„ for his owne people But the like thinges intimes past the Christians also suffered at this day in some places they are faine to suffer the selfe same Wee ought not therfore to bee offended but rather to consider of the faultes and corruptions of the Church which it behoueth by this meanes to bee corrected and resereined In the meane time heere also are expressed the maners and practises of the enemies and persecutors of the Church The maners and conditioÌ„s of the enimies of the church They will seeme as though they handled gods cause were desirous to preserue defend religion when commonly beeing giuen to most foule and filthie pleasures they run headlong through a desperate and insatiable libertie into all kinde of lust and villauie Such wee reade were in times past the Herodes the Neroes the Domitians and many other Such also in these dayes are seene to be the Romish Bishops togeather with their protectors and defenders and the whole rabble in a maner of the anointed and shauen crewe who when they burne with an vnquenchable practise of dice play venerie and gluttonie and are not eshamed of any enormitie whatsoeuer yet forsooth will bee counted the onely patrons and defenders of Gods glory and religion But euen they also shall feele at the length what it is to mocke God and the Church of Christe And these things bee spoken as touching the outwarde enemies He thretneth punishments to their domesticall and neighborlike enemies He passeth now to the neighbour nations of the Iewes which in the time of the Assyrian warre ioyned themselues with their enemies wheÌ„ before they were either their subiects or els by leagues lawes of friendship bound and vnited vnto them For it is euident that the Philistines were subdued by Dauid and that the Tyrians were confederate with Dauid and Salomon And they forsooth namely the Philistines thought they had nowe occasion giuen them wherby they mought reuenge their olde wronges but these other I meane the Tyrians be wrayed the lightnesse and inconstancy of their minds when as they became enimies vnto them in aduersitie whose partes they had taken before in prosperitie But they are an example or figure of the domestical home-bredde enemies of the Church who either against their willes or allured by the successe of happy conclusions doe for a time counterfet the loue of true religion but at last assoone as occasion is giuen bewray the priuie poyson of their stomackes Of which sort seeing there is nowe euery where a huge nuÌ„ber that ought diligently to bee marked that the Lorde denounceth heere vnto these Yea and what haue you to doe with mee saith hee O Tyre Sidon and all the coastes of Palestina As though hee shoulde say Goe to admit the Assyrians had some cause of warre against mee or at least coulde pretende some excuse that they beeing farre off from my lande were also voide and destitute of the knowledge of my lawes maner of my true worship But tell me what moued you to ioyne your selues vnto these and to bee drawen into the societie of the battaile What will yee render mee a recompence that is to say haue yee suffered any iniurie by me that might deserue such a recompence Certainely you can alleddge no such matter when rather yee owe thankes vnto
you shal neuer bring this to passe For albeit it may seem a thing impossible that they should euer returne to their owne country yet will I rayse them vp and gathering them together out of all places bring them backe againe And as for you I wil rewarde you according to your desertes and that vpon your owne heade For I wil sel your soones your daughters into the hand of the children of Iuda who shall also sell them to the Sabeans and to other nations a farre off Hee aâ—â—â—th by way of confirmation For the Lord himselfe hath spoken it But yet we neuer reade that the Tyrians and Sidonians and other the enemies of the Iewes were sold by the Iewes themselues Yet so the Lord speaketh that these thinges should happen vnto theÌ„ by reason of the disluyaltie and crueltie which they had vsed agaynst the Iewes The execution therfore of Gods iudgement is attributed to the Iewes for as much as God woulde sende it to reuenge the iniuries offred vnto his people But these thinges were fulfilled when the selfsame Assyrians Chaldeans which had afflicted the Iewes did also within a while after subdue and ouerrunne these nations togither with other the neare neighbours of the Iewes Esa 14. 32 Iere. 47. Ezech. 29.27.28 Ioan. 11. as we may see in the sermons of Esay Ieremie and Ezechiel Neuerthelesse these things ought chiefly to be referred to the times of Christ who as he hath gathered together in one the children of God which were before dispersed and solde vnder sinne so taketh hee most greeuous punishments vpon the wicked enemies of his church whereof the Iewes first of all tasted For when these had after a sort sold Christ and shamefully denied him before Pilate God solde them also into the handes of the Romanes and scattered them throughout the whole worlde so as the tokens of Gods wrath are euery where seene in them The like happened not long after to the Romanes whom God solde into the handes of the Gotthes Vandalles Herulians and other most cruell nations when they had once atmed theÌ„ selues against Christ neither is it to be doubted but that all they also are to tast of the selfe same cup in these dayes that are false and iniurious against the church And withall let theÌ„ also obserue this thing whosoeuer beside the cause of religion liue by oppression of the poore shedding of bloode and by rauine and extertion suche as are those that addicting themselues vnto mercenary warfare seeke their chiefe prayse in this if they may spoyle kill and destroy as manye as is possible Well God will one day punishe them wick euen dealing neither will Christ bee founde false Matt. 7. who sayde sometime With what measure yee mete with the selfesame shal others also mete vnto you Apoc. 13. Agayne Hee that leadeth into captiuitie goeth into captiuitie He that killeth with the sword shall perish with the sword These things are approued by the examples of all ages so as wee haue by no meanes to doubt of the truth of them c. The wicked and vngodly destroy themselues with fiting one against another But forsomuch as God punisheth the wickednes of the world with diuers and sundry penalties he now expressely sheweth what punishment he would vse against them namely warre which in maner of an herrault he deuounceth with many graue and weightie woordes to the intent hee might both awaken the carelesse contemners of Gods iudgementes and also minister hope and comfort to the godly who thought it would scarce euer come to passe that these natioÌ„s should be punished which as they were most mighty and puissant so also did they as stubbornely defend their superstitions against the church of God Hee publikely therfore denounceth warre vnto them whilest he raiseth vp al nations he sheweth it would come to passe that al the whole worlde shoulde be troubled and that they should fall by wounding one of another that had now conspired to the destructioÌ„ of Gods people Publish sayth he this among the Gentiles For god is the Lord of all nations â—â—nctifie prepare warret by which speech he signifieth that this warre should be accomplished by the furtherance and assistance of God albeit the prophane Gentiles vnderstood not so much withal he coÌ„mendeth vnto theÌ„ an earnest care endeuour to go through with it Wake vp also al the mightie valiant men let as many as are furnished with any martiall prowesse draw neere come vp Yea breake your plough shares into swordes your siethes into speares And thus he expresseth the incessaÌ„t practise of warring which should bring with it a forgetfulnes of husbandry and of all other businesses which are wonte to florishe in the time of peace For Esay by diuerse speeches expresseth the exercise of peace when prophesiyng of the kingdome of Christe hee sayeth They shall breake their swordes into mattockes and theyr speares into siethes c. Hereunto Ioel addeth Esay 2. Hee that is weake let him say I am a strong champion let him shew himself couragious in executing Gods iudgment What neede many wordes Assemble your selues and come together all ye heathen rounde about The cause For the Lord shall there namely in the sight of his Churche cast downe all the mightie men of the earth that haue hytherto afflicted her These things admonish vs how greatly God careth for his Church The Churche how much it is set by of God For as hee made all thinges for this and therefore prosecuteth all other creatures with his fauour that they might doe seruice vnto her So for the same his Churche hee meserueth kingdomes and common weales to the end they might minister thinges necessary thereunto and agayne ouerthroweth those nations and kingdomes which would haue his church banished and destroyed For example the Sodomites whom God preserued a long time for Lots sake and deliuered by Abraham from their enemies but the same heâ— strake with fire from heauen when Lot coulde no longer dwell amongest them in safetie Likewise vpon Egpyt God powred many benefites by Ioseph when as hee had appointed it the resting place of his Church but incontinently hee both most greeuously afflicted the land of the Egyptians and also destroyed their king with his whole traine of horsemen by a verye fearefull and terrible iudgement what time they began to persecute his Church In like maner dealt he with the Chananites with the Moabites with the Madianites with the Palestines Syrians Idumeans Babilonians Medians Persians Grecians and Romanes as the histories doe euery where tostifie And at this daye wee see the wicked runne together by the eares one vpon another and to turne the weapons to their owne destruction which they had prouided to oppresse the Church and so is it true in all ages that the verye earth that is to say earthly minded men and such as are giuen ouer to the worlde drinke up the floodes of water
which that olde Oragon the Diuell Apoc. 12. vomitech out against the Church Let these things serue for our comfort least wee dispaire at any time of Gods help Vnder the figure of Iudiciall processe he denounceth punishment to the enemies But the Lord goeth forward and vnder the figure of a iudicial processe threatneth the selfe same thing withall teacheth that he wil doe nothing cōtrary to right equity And hytherto maketh the very diligent rehearsall of the circumstances For first are summoned and ascited the guiltie whom it behooueth to stand forth to iudgement Secondly the iudge also is described Thē next he reciteth the sentēce at length declareth the horrible execution thereof As touching the first Let the heathen sayth he be wakened I As guiltie hee cyteth all the heathen and come vp to the valley of Iehosophat that is to the place of Gods iudgement where they may be punished for their wickednes Where wee are taught that the iudgments of God are extended to al nations neither can they be auoyded by any shiftes or forcible attemptes of men For so great is the force of Gods summoning or citation that the wicked doe euen willingly after a forte come forth when the time of vengeance is and no man compelling thē stand forth before God to be punished So Pharao willingly ran headlong into the bocome of the Sea in these dayes we see it no rare matter that the wicked desperately pluck perils vpon their owne pates wherin they miserably perish Let no man therefore either be deceiued by his owne securitie or dismaied by the successe and temerity of the vngodly Secōdly God bewraieth also the iudge to witee himselfe 2 God is iudge who elsewhere chalengeth to himselfe all iudgement and is said to be the iudge of the whole earth Deut. 1. Psalm 82. Genes 18. For I sayth he will sitte to iudge all nations round about As though hee shoulde saye This wil I do who hitherto might seeme as though I had neglected both mine owne cause and the cause of my people c. This thing is well to bee obserued of the wicked and euen of as many as are securely besotted in their sinnes They for the most part thinke that God regardeth not mortall mens matters and with those fooles say There is no God Psal 14.53 the Lorde seeth not neither doth the God of Iacob vnderstand c. But would to god the same woulde heare the Prophet making answere vnto thē Psal 94. Vnderstand ye vnwise amōg the people and O yee fooles when wil yee be wise He that planted the eare shal he not heare he that formed the eye shal he not see he that chastiseth the nations teacheth men wisedome shall hee not reproue you The Lorde knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine c. And that these thinges are most truly spoken of the Prophet as well old as new and euen dayly examples doe so manifestly prooue that they are wittinglie and willingly beside themselues that dare call the same into question 3. The sentēce of the iudge is expressed by similitudes Thirdly he declareth the sentence or verdict of the Iudge by similitudes drawen from vintage and haruest whereby hee both sheweth the cause of the punishment and also the vprightnes of the iudgement For he compareth the wicked enemies of his kingdome to a fielde and vineyarde wherein the fruites of all kinde of sinne haue hither to growen which God as yet indeede through his wonderfull long sufferance hath borne withal but now he will reape cut thē downe because that beeing come vnto ripenes they had filled vp the measure of their iniquitie Therefore hee crieth Thrust in your siethes for the haruest is ripe come gette you downe for the wine presse is full c. And thus speaketh he vnto those whom he had now constituted executioners of his iudgement Apoc. 14. The selfesame parables Iohn heard aleadged of the Angel when he described the proceeding of the last iudgement But for our partes let us learne hereby howe dangerously they are deceiued that by the long sufferance of God promise to themselues an impunitie in sinning and in the meane season thinke not of Gods iustice who distributeth vnto euery thing his proper time and season The husbandman wayteth for the time of haruest and vintage neither gathereth he his fruites before they be ripe shall we thinke that God will rashly and vnaduisedly hasten his iudgments But although he sometimes deferre the punishmentes yet he forgetteth not the sinnes which if together with a setled and incurable libertie of sinning contempt of Gods worde they come vnto ripenes then by and by he displayeth his iudgement Wherby it commeth to passe that such as seemed of long time to haue committed most heynous transgressions without check or controlement at length by adding one sinne more haue prouoked Gods wrath against thē For as the haruest being already white one day or two bringeth it vnto ripenes as the measure filled vp to the brim one onely drop maketh it run ouer euen so the sinnes that seeme to be smal prouoke the iudgemēt of God if through an incurable malice prophane contempt of the word they be added to the former transgressions Let euery one obserue marke these things neither let thē looke onely vpon that which is presently cōmitted but call to minde also their sinnes past and examine their hearts least the wicked carelesse contēpt of god cause that to be pernitious vnto thē which vnto the godly to such as sinne of infirmitie is pardoned and forgiuen 4 The horrible execution of the diuine sentence But the prophet persisting in the parable describeth the horrible execution of Gods iudgement as though being rapt out of himselfe hee saw al things done before his face he exclauneth O multitude multitude cōe into the valley of threshing c. For this is peculiar to the prophets that being rapt rauished out of thēselues they looke vpon things to come as though they were present which thing the Poet obseruing bringeth in Sibyll crying out Warres O most fearefull warres I say And slaughters manifolde And Tyber foming froth of blood Great plentie I beholde And he calleth the place of Gods iudgmēt the valley of threshing As if he should say They would not hitherto acknowledge the iudgmēt of God deuise how to escape it but haue brought their sins vnto ripenes therfore they shal come into the valley of threshing and there be broken in pieces forthw t he addeth the cause For the day of the lord is nere in the valley of threshing He calleth the day of the lord the time of vēgeance which he expressed before by the nāes of haruest vintage And that he might be token the greeuousnes thereof he sayth that the Sun Moon with the rest of the starres shal forgo their brightnes insomuch that the tokēs