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A19291
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A sermon preached at Paules Crosse, the 23. of Aprill, being the Lords day, called Sonday. 1581. By Anthonie Andreson
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Anderson, Anthony, d. 1593.
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1581
(1581)
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STC 570; ESTC S108525
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42,865
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126
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be broughte to tryall and muche hinder the gratious growth of the Figge trée Let your godly heartes take that auncient precepte from Iehosophat that godly King vnto you which saith or rather Gods spirite in that place of the Chronicles 2. Chro. 19.6.7 Take heede what yee do for yee execute not the iudgementes of manne but of the Lorde and he wil bee with you in the cause and iudgements Wherfore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you Take heede and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lorde our God neither respect of persōs nor receiuing of rewarde The Wine presse for you my brethren of the vulgare sorte is that Christian duety whiche of duty we owe one vnto an other teaching vs to liue godlily Titus 2 11. Gal. 6.9 soberly iustly and not to be weary of wel doing one to another but as candles alwayes light we so shine Math 5. that our workes may procure Gods praise Let vs doe good vnto all menne but especially to the Children of God And know wel that the Apostle to the Ephesians Gal. 6.10 teacheth this to be the end of our placing in the Vineyarde that we be wel exercized in the Wine presse saying Eph. 2.10 Wee are his workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes whiche God hath ordayned that we should walke in them And thus muche of the first part concerning the great goodnesse and grace of God to his Churche this aduāced Figge trée And now beloued we approche to the reste of our Texte whiche setteth sorth vnto vs the sharpe and seuere sentence of God vppon the same Figge trée that was before so happilye harboured The seconde parte Then saide hee to the Dresser of thys Vineyard beholde these three yeres haue I come and sought fruit of this Figge tree and finde none Cutte it down why kepeth it also the groūd barren THis second parte of our text deare brethren containeth two speciall points First the Lordes long suffering the vnfruitfull Fig trée to stand in hys Vineyard wherein his great goodnesse is yet further declared Secondely hys heauy sentence vpon the Fig trée after the long abuse of his greate patience Then said he to the dresser of his Vinyard beholde these three yeres haue I come c. Oh happy Vinyard that hath such a Lord who doth not only plant it defend it fructify it but also doth daily visite the same calleth vpon his people offereth them the remembraunce of the ende wherefore they are so planted and placed in his holy Church He commeth firste in long patience to his slouthfull trées to sée if at lengthe they can take blossome and bring him fruite Note then good people the ende of your calling it is to be holy Heb. 3.13 liuely workers in the Lordes Vineyarde Iude. vers◠20.21.22.23 Esa 58. to laboure the Lords increase by teaching exhorting one an other while it is to day helping vppe some and pulling out other from the fire comforting the weake walking with the strong deliuering the oppressed and setting the prisoners frée restoring eche man hys right vsing no violence to the litle flocke but by godly example in life and daily practise to their good so to yéelde our Figges to our brethren that they séeing our good workes maye glorifie our Father whyche is in Heauen Math. 5.16 And thus shall we make oure calling and election sure as the Apostle Peter hath taught vs saying Giue al diligence thereto to bee partakers of the godlye nature sleeing corruption and luste ioyne moreouer vertue wyth youre fayth and wyth Vertue Knowledge and wyth knowledge temperance and with tēperaunce patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherlye kindenesse loue For if these things be among you and abounde they will make you that yee neyther shall bee ydle nor vnfruiteful in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christe The Lords people muste doe the Lordes workes the working God doth require a labouring people Forget not beloued that the Lorde of this Vineyarde doth in visiting vs often séeke for fruite Thrée thinges are of this Texte to be considered Firste hée commeth not hastily to looke if the trée be full of fruit although his soule desireth the firste ripe fruites but he louingly looketh as a manne desirous of some and if the trée be very sparing he doth not spéedely depart as angry at the same but he taketh the boughes tendrely into his holy handes and he lifteth vp the leaues therof and searcheth diligently if so there be any one Figge there once twice and thrice and verye often and if he at anye time comming find but some fruit be it but here and there a Figge he yet kéepeth a blessing for that trée But if after oftē comming and paineful searching he yet from whome nothing can be hidde can finde no fruite then pronounceth he his cursse vpon that Figge trée and saieth Cut it down c Oh the long loking eies of Gods mercie vpon the Figge trées of Englande He came vnto them in the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne and did mercifully plant vs he hath daylye since come by his Prophets ordinary extraordinary and all to trimme and proine vs Io. 15. that we abiding in his Christ might bring forth more fruite But hée hath by his correcting hande to London oh London looke to it thou City of God and other places with punishing roddes of plagues and sodaine deathes continually of late visited vs as thereby reprouing our wantes of fruite And now he stirreth vppe the courage of his Prophets the godly Preachers whiche truly feare him with one consent to sound as it were the solempne blaste of a laste visitation that if we can not yet be fruitefull Esay 65.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15 they shoulde tell thée O Englande that then this hys Vineyarde shall be taken from thée and thou caste out of it and shalt sée it giuen to a nation that shall bring forth his expected fruite Oh Englande GOD make thée carefull and mindefull of this seuere sentence Cutte it downe Secondly let vs here note how the Lorde saith not I haue come and found no Blossomes but I haue come and founde no fruite Fruite and apte fruit beloued is that whych the Maister of the Vineyard expecteth Blossomes are blowne awaye with a blaste Buddes are beaten downe with stormye tempestes but swéete fruite is moste méete for the Lordes mouthe But it is a harde thing for the bitter Figge trée to alter hys nature Wherefore he often draweth the vigoure of the earth to féede his bitternesse Looke vppon the Iewishe Figge trée and the Lord comming after long expectation for good fruite what fruites founde he Esay sayeth Esay 5.4 Hee looked that it shoulde bryng foorthe Grapes but it broughte foorthe Wilde Grapes viz. hee looked for iudgement but beholde oppression Vers 8. for righteousnesse but beholde a crying of them that are oppressed throughe
Christe in thys Parable Amos the Prophet to al Gods Ministers And feare you not good successe of youre prayer and youre godly trauel for thys Parable and other places of Gods Booke doe hearten you hereto namely the Lorde by the Prophet Ezechiell Ezec. 22.26 who accusing the Priestes to haue broken hys lawe to haue defiled the Sacrifices and prophaned the Sabbothes The Princes to be rauenous as wolues and to destroye soules for theyr couetous lucar The Prophets and Preachers to haue dawbed them that is flattered their vices with vntempered morter to saye thus sayth the Lord when the Lorde spake not so The people of the lande by violence and robery vexed the pore and nedy and oppressed the stranger agaynst righte all whyche prouoked Gods greate anger and their deadly destruction yet to the comforte of the ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Gouernors he there sayth Verse 30.31 And I soughte for a manne among them that shoulde make vppe the hedge and stand in the Gappe before mee for the lande that I shoulde not destroye it but I founde none Therefore haue I powred out mine indignation vppon them and consumed them with the fyre of my wrath Theyr owne wayes haue I rendered vppon theyr heades sayth the Lord. Note wel thys howe God in hys anger séeketh for hys Gods and Ministers in earth to haue theyr laboure to dygge and dung to hedge and stande in the breach against God if his vengeance be commyng and they shall preuaile If the loue of Moses be in the Magistrates as wée haue greate cause to confesse it and the bowelles of pitie in our fathers and Ministers of the church of England No doubte they will pray for vs they wyll endeuour to make vs fruitefull Of whose loue for breuities sake I send the Magistrates to Exodus 32.31 and the fatherly Pastor to Amos the Prophet 7.1 Then to discerne the time of standing in the gappe is right necessary for the godlye Magistrates in earth and when to be moste earnest to digge and dung the Figge trée And that is euen when else the Lorde woulde destroy it and saith Cutte it downe God vseth not nowe to speake to vs but by his holy Preachers whiche be ordinary and extraordinary His ordinary Preachers our dayly Pastors we knowe and by his great mercy féele the great blessings of God in thē His extraordinary Prophets are partely from heauen partelye from earth The Lorde by these dothe teache vs into his obedience and forewarneth vs of his plagues when they perceiue oure iniquitie to growe into ripenesse Amos. And surely the Lord doth stil open his secreates to his Prophets and doth giue them eyes to discerne hys iudgements comming by his former hande vppon like transgressions They are called our watchemen and surely we muste yéelde them credite Ezech. 33. when rightly they ring the Alarma or else we perish And that they myghte not be deceiued God hathe in hys worde tolde them when to praye and to stirre vppe the Magistrates to digge and giue compose But when bothe the tokens in the worde and the extraordinarie Preachers of Gods sworde doe crye to vs beware this sentence Cutte it downe then it behoueth to digge and dung that is to take awaye that and those things whiche hinder the fruite of the Figge trée and to adde and laye to it that which maye comforte supple and moysten the roote therof The time when to praye to digge and dung the Figgetrée is when the Bridegrome is departed from his spouse for a season in displesure thē must his church mourne and his Prophets pray as it is Math 9. Secondly when God by his extraordinary Prophets in earth and from Heauen dothe crye to vs the foresaide heauy sentence then it is highe time to digge and dung the Figge trée Esay 22. But the Bridegrome is absent from thys Church when in hir peace by hir owne wantonnesse and wilfull disobediēce she turneth to hir stubborne hart to loath his worde and fruitefull voice recallyng hir Fathers house to hir affections Psalm 4.5 and by the luste of carnall Aegipt doth quench in hir the purity of loue and dothe giue hir selfe to hir owne delyghtes so as hir husbande Christe can take no pleasure in hir company Thys is wel signified to vs by the Psalmiste in the 45. Psalme verse 10. Psal 45.10 by the opposite doctrine Hearken o daughter saith Christe to his espoused Churche and consyder and incline thine eare forgette also thy fathers house that Aegiptiacall and idolatrous house So shall the Kyng take pleasure in thy beautie For he is thy Lorde and reuerence thou hym But by that wée haue sufficiently sayde and the experience offered to eache man euery day we maye clearely sée that our Preachers haue at this very instant great cause to call to mourning For the loue to oure Bridegrome Christe is almost al spent we waxe weary of his worde we take vs to our owne direction and beginne to dislike to be ruled longer by it For the Papistes will not heare the Christian doth not consider his backesliding from his former loue neither inclineth with an obedient eare to the voice of the Bridegroome but our delights are wholy sette if not in the golden Calfe yet to eate and drinke and rise vppe to playe as erst we did euen as the Gentiles Exod. 32 6. 1. Cor. 10.7 which knewe not God and that wyth gréedinesse but brethren we haue not so learned Christe Ephe. 4.19 Gods Prophets séeing this and this to growe so greate as growing all abroade and for the ripenesse of it ready to the Haruest wyth one consent they crye to Englande Math. 3.2 Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande Verse 10. Nowe is the Are laide to the trée therefore euery trée which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire But they crye and lament with Esay Lorde Esa 53.1 Rom. 10.16 who is it that beleeueth our saying Wherefore it behoueth you my Lords Gods Magistrates to ioyne the sworde with the worde and more forcibly yet to digge aboute the Figge trée But let vs consider of Gods extraordinary Preachers from Heauen and with vs here in this land and marke wel whether there be not a consent of bothe in this matter to sommone vs to iudgement From Heauen God by fire hathe sommoned thys land to repentance Anno. 1581. primo Elizab. when in that tempest this most notable monument of Paules Churche by whyche we stand and is now in our eyes he to shewe his kindled wrath set fire vppon the spier of it whych was the beautie of the lande And Christianlye consider it brethren it beganne not at the Church least men might haue imagined it to haue come of trechery or negligence but from the goldē bowle downwardes that one and all might sée it to be the only worke of God Manye other Churches this noble citie hath like subiecte vnto GOD but hys