men haue wandered from one place to another to relieue their hunger and as many being brought to extreame pouertie with their wiues and children haue bene forced to begge from doore to doore in Cities Townes and Villages but especially in Countrey Townes where commonly is most want who hauing once folowed this idle trade can hardly be reclaimed to worke though there be many indeed that cannot for want of strength doe anie kinde of labouring worke their flesh scarce cleauing to their bones Very patheticall and pitifull is the complaint of Ieremie Lam. 4.4 The tongue of the sucking childe cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst the young children aske bread but no man breaketh it vnto them verse 7. Her Nazarites were purer then the snow and whiter then the milke they were more ruddie in bodie then the redde precious stones they were like polished Saphir But now their visage is blacker then a cole they can not know them in the streetes their skinne cleaueth to their bones it is withered like a stocke Take an example or two for perspecuitie Anno. 1527. When the French made warre for the recouerie of Millaine within the territories thereof so horrible was the spoile of corne through the continuance of war that a dreadfull Famine insuing the price of graine rose to an vnreasonable rate Cōuoy of vittails was sent frō Strawsborow Heluetia to succor them else had they al died generally very many hauing bin alredy famished to death as that dolefull spectacle in the streets argued where you might see many fall downe dead some of them with hearbs and grasse in their mouths At which sight our men being sore astonished left their campe and returned home som of them for euer forswearing warres least they should be forced to see the like spectacle Ann. 157 and some yeares following in Austria and through Germanie manie were starued and so in Italie too where many rather choosing anie torment then that death offered themselues to bee Gallie slaues verie willinglie submitting themselues to that torture which is layde vppon none but Rascalles and Theeues Anno 1572. in Occitana and along the Sea Coastes a greeuous Famine arose though the Region in it owne nature bee verie fruitfull insomuch that euerie where you shall see starued Karcasses lie in the streetes and in these cases it falleth out oft that Mice Dogges Horses Asses chaffe pels hides sawdust are vsed for good sustenance and at last mans flesh yea which is not to bee spoken without trembling the mothers haue eaten for very hunger their owne children as in the siege of Samaria in the first siege of Hierusalem vnder Nabuchodonozer and in the last vnder Vespasian and Titus How fearefull this is all mothers can easily coniecture and he that will read Iosephus lib. 6. cap. 11. de bello Iud. and Eusebius which hath borrowed it from Iosephus if his heart yarne not it is brawnie Such was the Famine which the Inhabitants of Sancerra 1573. endured more grieuous then that of Sagūtum which for the extremitie thereof is come into a prouerbe And such also was the Famine in Fraunce Anno. 649 in the fourth yeare of Clodouey his raigne and in the yeare 839 and in Germanie Anno. 808. a dreadfull Famine possessed the whole coūtrey at which time Hatto the Bishop of Moguntū executed that villany vpon the poore country swanes asking him bread Vrspergensis writeth that the great Famine which befell Vnno 898. made men to eat and deuour one another and so in Anno. 1010. a general Famin was ouer the whole world and An. 1062 an earthquake huge hailstones fel great dearth of vittaile and a straunge famine was felt in our countries of Heluetia which punishment of late God hath renued this superstitious or rather this irreligious worlde deseruing to bee visited by no plague more gentle In the Holy warre which the Christians had in Syria in all places of the world there was a great Famine especially in the Christian armie as in an example or two you shall see When Antiochia was besieged by the Sarracenes such an intollerable Famine followed their plentie that hardly they abstained from mans flesh Otho Frising li. 7. ca. 4 let them note this by the way which thinke that the meane to auoide a dearth is to presse Souldiours out of the land About Prage in Bohemia An. 284. many died through extreame hunger and Anno. 1313. through Boheme and Polonia as Vrspergensis out of the 4. Booke of the Polonian Chronicles describeth Cap. 8. A Famine more cruell then any warre raged in those two Countries and dayly increased lasting three full yeares absuming many men parents slaying their children and they their parents to relieue their hunger some did not stick to take the flesh of them that were executed on the gallowes to stay the rage thereof Wolues set vpon those they met deuoured them though they carried Gunns and Bowes for their defence Oftentimes it falleth out that prisoners condemned to die with Famine haue eaten of their own flesh so farre as they could reach before they could die many also haue had no other remedie to preuent it but by slaying themselues And lastly that which maketh this plague more dreadfull it seldome or neuer commeth without a pestilence And so much of the horror of this fearfull punishment Now why God doth punish men with this so terrible a iudgement we will shew in the next Sermon God of his mercie turne our hearts to him that he may turn this plague from vs. Amen The end of the first Sermon THE SECOND SERMON IN any publike calamitie wherto mankind is subiect two things are principally to be considered First from whom Secondly for what cause it comes wherin the iudgment of the world respecting the second causes rather then the first and principall is so fouly corrupted that men know not well either where to aske coūsel or how to behaue themselues beeing surprised with any miserie Among all other Famin Dearth of vittails is not the least of which wee now intreat hauing in our first sermō proued both by testimonies examples of scripture the true first efficient cause to bee God I am he saith God of himself by Esay 45.7 which make peace and create euill of punishment not of sinning Naturall courses and mens malice beeing no causes but outward meanes which God vseth stirring vp the wicked to chastice vs not by inspiring their malice into them but vsing the malice which is in them for his iudgement and our chastisement Secondly we haue there described the miseries and mischiefes of that dreadfull plague Now in the third place it followeth to enquire what should mooue so pitifull and mercifull a God to afflict men good and bad olde and young Countries and Nations with this tertible scourge All men indeede feele this heauy hand of Gods wrath and the complaint is generall and common but wanting a right iudgement beeing more blockish then the bruit beast neither
And the people to whome these prophets doo prophecie shall be cast out in the streets of Ierusalem because of the Famine and the Sworde The verie same doctrine did Ezechiel preach in Babilon which Ieremy did in Iudah and Ierusalem that for their Idolatrie and greeuous sinnes manie of them should be giuen ouer by God to the Plague and Famine both they which were alreadie and they also which shuld return home afterward In the 4. Chapt. he is more vehement and plaine where God willeth him to pourtray the Cittie of Ierusalem vpon a brick to besiege it the whole time of the siege to eate bread made of wheate barley beanes lentiles millet fetches and that by weight and drinke water by measure and insteede of coales to bake his breade with to take mans or bullockes dung By all which as himselfe interprets it Verse 16 it was meant that the force of nourishing should be taken from the bread and that their bread shuld be giuē them by weight and their water by measure and that they should want fuell necessarie in Ierusalem For whiles Cities are besieged and in defensed places by Garrisons kept if Famin or Dearth be feared all the corne is vsually carried to the Generall and Captaines which serue it out to euerie man by weight and measure and so water also in drie places for in many vplands the souldiers haue bene constrained to fetch their water by force and armes as in Ierusalem the cause of all this he yeeldeth in the ende of the Chapter Bread and water shall faile them and they shall consume away because of their iniquitie The same hee repeateth almost word for word in the 12. Chapter he said Thus saith the Lord Verse 7. Because you haue not walked in my statutes nor kept my iudgements Verse 10. The fathers shall eate their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers c. This was a iust iudgment of God they contrarie to God his expresse commaundement sacrificed their sonnes to Moloch that is he whom the Gentiles call Saturnus so that this was a punishment by Retaliation a like plague for the like offence And a litle after ver 16. I wil send vpon you the euil Arrowes of Famin which shall be for your destruction and I will increase the Famine vppon you and will breake the staffe of bread By the Arrowes of Famine he meaneth the Canker and Palmer wormes the grashoppers vermin immoderate heat vnseasonable weather and showres as also those walking Vermin those Tempests of a common wealth Monopolists Ingrossers Cornhoorders who had rather the corne should waxe fustie in their garners then to sell it out at a reasonable rate And chap. 6. verse 11. Thus saith the Lorde smite the earth with thy hand and stretch foorth with thy foote and say Alas for al the wicked abhominatiōs of the house of Israel for they shal fall by the sword by the Famine and by the pestilence And in the 7. chap. he againe foretelleth of a great afflictiō to ensue for the abhominable wickednes of the lād VVithout the sword within plague Famin. And a litle after he speaketh vnto Richmen to whom also he threateneth the like punishment who like vnto the wealthy Cormullions of our time increase their wealth by others want some of them abusing the barrennesse of the earth and the Dearth of graine to their owne gaine other feeding faring most riotously whē as the poore did starue most rufully Their siluer and their golde cannot deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lorde God they shall not satisfie their soules neither fill their bowels for this ruine is for their iniquitie Rich men of all others thinke themselues best armed against all daungers that may happen either to soule or bodie Prouer. 10.15 The rich mans goods are his strong cittie that is as souldiers trust to their munition so doo they to their wealth which often failes them for the time may come wherein they may feele the like want which the poore distressed doo whome they so litle regard for in the siege and expugnation of Citties the Rich vsually fare worse then the poore the common souldier forcing them by torture of paine or terror of death to confesse where their wealth lyeth In the fourth Chapter hee threateneth to the hard hearted and impenitent sinners soure plagues Sword Pestilence Famine noysome beastes Of Famine thus he speaketh vers 13. Sonne of man if the land sinne against me by committing a trespasse the Hebrew word signifieth a lie I will stretch out my hand vpon it and will breake the staffe of the bread thereof and will send Famine vpon it and though these three men Noah Daniel Iob were among them they should deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnesse saith the Lord God The cause why this Prophet Ezechiel vrgeth the people with the threats of this plague more vehemently and hotly then the other Prophets is because the state of the Iewes was then most daungerous no threatenings no warnings woulde mooue them rebellious they were alway and stifnecked therefore he repeateth the oftner this Blow to make it the more to enter into and pearce them and in a fewe words hee compriseth much matter First that God is the efficient cause of Famine the impulsiue or forcing causes their sinnes the maner The bread shall not nourish them the effects Man and beast rich and poore pelly melly shall die Now go we on to the smaller Prophet Hos. cap. 4 makes a long catalogue or beadroule of sinnes for which God chasteneth his people with this affliction Thus hee speaketh The Lorde hath a controuersie with the Inhabitaunts of the lande because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the lande by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the lande mourne the foules of the heauen the beastes of the fielde and the fishes of the sea shall be taken away And in his ninth Chapter verse 1. Reioyce not ô Israel for ioy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God thou hast loued a rewarde vppon euerie corne floore The floore and the VVinepresse shall not feede them and the new VVine shall faile in her c. Amos cap. 4 vpbraydeth the people who for religions sake went on pilgrimage to Bethel and yet defiled themselues with Idolatry false whorsip telleth them that therfore he will giue them cleannesse of teeth that is they shal not need any Toothpikes to cleanse their teethe for any meat sticking in them because hardly they shuld haue brown bread to chew on By all which places it sufficiently appears that Famin Dearth is sent for the punishment of sinnes especially Atheisme and false worship And so much generally or as we say in the whole lumpe of all the enormious sinnes which are causes of this iudgement now we will single some of them out and
In the dayes of Ahab many godly in Israel this way afflicted God himselfe confessing that there were seuen thousande which neuer bowed knee to Baal yet they thus distressed and fed priuily by Obadias in caues Paule 1. Cor. 11. felt this scarcitie Many of the Saintes killed with Famine in the 11. to the Hebrewes VVandring about in Desarts in dennes in holes on hilles where commonly is no great plentie Wee aunswere that euen the most faithful are sinners their corruption naturall wil sticke by them to the death although it brake not out into manifest blaines and grosse sinnes and yet sometimes it doth as when they are slacke in punishing offenders or backwarde in preferring men of good qualitie and desert so that it is good for them that God punisheth them in their bodies for if in his exact iudgement hee should deale with them they should be in daunger of eternall perdition But this happily will not satisfie you for if Idolatry and notorious crimes are to be punished with Dearth and Famine thē should they bee most subiect to this plague which are more wicked then any other For thogh the godly haue their slips and straines yet it greeueth them that their standing is so slippery and their knees so weake they wish that they might shake off those occasions to sinning but the Infidels and impudent sinners little regard anie amendment which think it not inogh to offende God themselues but are readie to drawe other into the same pitfals yea and are angrie as the Apostle speaketh if others will not goe on with them in that excesse of riot and yet these are no more nay not so much punished as the other hauing in such times of Famine their arts and shiftes by which they not onely scape the brunt of this heauie iudgement but inrich themselues therby Rather had the godlie starue for hunger then to vse these sleightes to preserue their life and yet is their condition no better then theirs This tentation hath in all ages much distracted and troubled the mindes of the verie best men hath forced them to doubt of gods prouidence as though hee regarded not the actions of men whether good or ill Malachy in his third fourth Chapter saith that many haue burst out into these blasphemies It is in vain to serue the Lorde and it is all one to doo well or ill for neither is the iust rewarded nor the ill man punished But we must know there is a great difference betweene the wicked and godly in the like punishment as also that albeit sinne is the principall and chiefe cause of all mischiefe for other causes God dooth afflict men with Famine Swoord or Pestilence The two Theeues on the Crosse died the like death yet great was the difference betweene them the one patiently taking his death and acknowledging Christ to be the Messias the other storming at his punishment and scorning our Sauiour to his face Many causes there are which moue God to punish his children more then others as we shall in briefe see for our comfort First God by Famin such like plagues stirreth vp his chosen to a more earnest repentance for presently vpon the infliction of any punishment the godly search out the cause thereof When Dauid saw the dearth of victuals ceased not he inquired of the Lord wherefore hee was so angry with his people Answer was made him as you heard before Ofttimes the faithful fal into many errors and sinnes neither can they bee recalled into the right way vnlesse God by punishment do fetch them in Amos cap. 1 God complaineth that although he had punished his people with scarcitie of bread and drinke yet they returned not vnto him Whereout we gather that God therefore sendeth Famine vppon the earth that Men may bee turned to him As we plucke backe and stay our horses if either they gallop too fast or goe any thing out of the way so doth God reduce vs into a right path with such chastisements If a boy that is put to learning either runne away or play the treuant presently we send for him to fetch him to schoole perhaps with a rodde at his backe Secondly God by these trieth our faith in him and our loue towardes our neighbours as also our patience in our selues Wee many times persuade our selues that we haue a sound faith yet if wee bee any long time pincht with anie distresse then wee feele how necessary it is to crie with the Apostle Lord increase our faith Peter walked vpon the lake when Christ bid him but feeling the winde so fierce and his ground so slipperie in dismay of minde hee began to sinke that by his maisters hand he might be supported Math. 14. God will trie our behauior toward our neighbors either in the paiment of our debts or in lending to the needie or giuing freely and such like againe howe patiently we can endure the crosse whereof we glorie much before miseries come but when they light vpon vs in some weight and number then we grow discontented and impatient feeling our owne infirmities how weake and fraile we are The soldier which neuer saw a pight field promiseth himself much courage but whē he seeth the armies ioyne hears the thundring of the Cannons and spies a tempest of bullettes whirling beholdes riuers of mens bloud flowing and heapes of his fellowes lying some dead some wounded then hee trembleth and quaketh wishing himself at home God knowes our weaknesse before he chasten vs yet lest we should thinke better of our selues then we ought he will make vs feele his hand that we may confesse it our selues Some will not stick to say I wil rather die then rob alas not knowing the gripes of hunger and Famine which wil as we say breake through stone walles who afterwarde beeing in want are driuen to fall into suche leaude practises for life is sweete Thirdly hee will in a manner preuent these afflictions that is keep vs from falling into more greeuous enormities like a skilfull Phisitian that giueth his patient phisicke to preuent a disease to which he is inclining so dealeth God with vs that we might say to our selues as our Sauiour to the woman Iohn 8 Goe thy wayes sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee The Germans haue a prouerbe which we in Englande vse The burnt childe dreads the fire So if any haue bene once distressed hee will beware lest hee fall into the same or some greater danger There is also another cause why god thus exerciseth his childrē namely that they may pray earnestly for such is our nature that if he afflict vs not we are more slack in praying For Plentie makes wantonnesse and prosperitie dissolute Which mischiefes Famine and calamities preuent making vs more instaunte in prayer They that are full fedde prooue vnthankfull who if they be but toucht with want then flie they vnto him whome before they forgatte and not for themselues onelie but for others also
examine them parcell meale namely how God hath punished euen some speciall sinnes this way For many thinke that because their sinnes are not notorious and written in their foreheades not grosse sinnes as Idolatry and such like that therefore they deserue not to be in this kinde afflicted But they must know that being subiect naturally to sinne they must also lie open to the common punishment of sinne Let vs see then some particulars for which GOD expresly threateneth this plague by name First Iere. cap. II declareth how his countrey men in Anathoth had forbidden him to preach vpon paine of his life this impudency of theirs God threatneth to reuēge by Famin ver 21.22 Of y e men of Anathots that say Prophecie no more in the name of the Lord that thou die not by our hands Behold saith the Lord I will visit them their sons and their daughters shall die by famine c. Surely this is nothing else but iustice if men set light by the worde of God the precious foode of their soules that hee should keepe from them the necessarie sustenaunce of their bodies See Amos. cap. 8. And whereas many desire to heare the worde to conferre with Preachers and to reade Scriptures but will not obey what they heare this contempt doth God this way punish Iere. 42. When the Citie was sacked by Nabuchodonozor the remnant left behind came to Ieremie to aske of him whether they should go downe into Egypt or no He denied it perswading them the contrarie notwithstanding they woulde needes goe for this dissembling disspight hee threatneth this plague of Famine to pursue them in Egypt The like course do we take daily hearing but stil refusing to obey so that worthie are wee when wee call for our daily bread not be heard by God in that petition 2 The desire of priuate gain prouoketh God his wrath when men preferre the increase of their owne commodities before the glorie of God the propagation of his worde or the publike benefit The Israelites being reduced and brought backe from Babell to their own Country hauing no regard at all to Gods house built setled and furnished their owne houses and mansions both stately and curiously whereupon God threatneth them this plague by Agge ver 4. Is it time for you to dwell in your fieled houses and this house lie waste Now therfore thus saith the Lord Consider your owne wayes in your heartes Yee haue sowne much and bring in little yee eate but yee haue not inough yee drinke but yee are not filled c. verse 9. You looked for much and loe it came to little and when you brought it home I did blow vpon it And why saith the Lorde of Hosts because of mine house that is waste and you run euerie man to his own house Therfore the heauen ouer you stayed it selfe from dewe and the earth staid her fruit c. 3 Periurie and Oppression of the poore is this way also visited as that excellent example 2. Sam. 21. sheweth When the Famine had been in the lande three yeares Dauid asketh of the Lorde where and what the cause was of this so heauie a iudgement aunswere was made that it was for Saule and his bloudie house because hee slue the Gibeonites contrarie to the oath of Iosuah and the Elders Doubtlesse Saule had an excuse and defence for himselfe in this fact which might carrie a pretence before the people of Law and Iustice yet God assureth Dauid till his crueltie were reuenged the Famine should not bee remoued Therfore Dauid asketh the Gibeonites howe they would be satisfied they requiring seuen of Saul his sonnes had them hanged them vp to the Lord and so the Famine ceased 4 This plague also followeth that inexpleble and deuouring gulfe of greedie desire Esay cap. 5. complaining that in the Lords vineyard wild Grapes only and sowre were found among the rest hee saith VVo vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place that yee may be placed by your selues in the midst of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of Hoasts Surely many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant For ten akers of Vines shall yeeld one bath and the seede of an homer shall yeeld one ephah Nowe if there bee but small yeelde there must needes be great scarcitie 5 In the 34. of Ieremie we read that the king and the people as it were conspiring togither did according to the Law manumit or set free their men maid seruants but afterward reuoking their former fact they brought them backe againe to their olde slauerie euen for this crueltie the Lord threatneth this plague of Famine Poore folkes and seruants are not to bee intreated cruelly because we must remember that they and we haue one maister in heauen much lesse dealt withall falsely which is a cruelty cloked vnder the name of honest gaine For thus saith the Lord Mich. 6.10 Are yet the treatures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure which is abhominable c. verse 14. Therfore thou shalt eat and not be satisfied verse 15. Thou shalt sow but not reape thou shalt treade thy Oliues but thou shalt not annoynt thee with oyle for the statutes of Omri are kept and all the maner of the house of Ahab c. 6 Pride is also scourged by this distresse as witnesseth 2. Sam. 24. where it is written that Dauid numbred the people and gloried in the multitude of his Subiects for which sinne God appoynted him the choyse of Famin Pestilence or the sword of his enemies because one of these should bee the punishment of his vaunting and vainglorie 7 Drunkennesse and Surfetting are thus also chastized by the testimonie of Ioell who in his first chapter willeth the Drunkards to mourne for there should an huge army come that should make the Vineyards wast and plucke the wine from their mouths as if hee should say ye haue so prouoked God to anger with your Drunkennesse that hereafter yee shall bee content to drinke water albeeit in that Countrey they seldome haue any good water to drinke 8 Againe if Tythes or other Debts wherby either Gods worship should bee maintained or his power relieued be not iustly paid Dearth is the reuenger of that sacriledge As on the contrarie God by Malachy promiseth abundance if these duties be faithfully discharged If wee reade ouer all the Stories from the tymes of the Prophetes to our dayes wee shall finde manie straunge examples of dreadfull Famine but withall wee shall reade that those tymes were most corrupt eyther Prince or Subiect fayling in their seuerall functions and places In the Actes of the Apostles mention is made of a greate Famine when Claudius was Emperour of the Romanes the same which Swetonius and Dion doe both recorde the cause why the worlde was so visited at that tyme was especially for that
that are in like sort distressed And if it please God to deliuer them for that once they after proue more thankfull to God more carefull in their duties and more pitiful to the needie Again this and other such miseries humble vs vnder the mightie hand of God Our flesh swelleth and like Sathyrions pelles or skinnes which as they write will not lie still in the bottome of a presse or chest though kept downe with cloathes but will swell and rise vp we are of vnquiet restlesse minds houen lifted vp knowing neither our selues nor GOD. Wherefore he cuts our combes and tames our flesh with these wants teaching vs what we lacke and how necessarie his grace is for vs. The whole race of mankind if all their forces and witts were vnited is not able to bring forth a stalke from out the earth or to create a grape and yet they bear them selues so loftily as if they could liue without gods blessing and help who if he withdraw his hand they are like those whome wee teach first to go or swim let goe our hold the one falles the other sinkes all which in our fulnesse we consider not Furthermore God by these such other kindleth in the godly an earnest desire of the other life to come with the contempt of this Discontenting world For if we should here liue at harts ease without any crossing we would loue this life too well and not regard that at al yea much adoo haue we euen for all these sorts and varieties of plagues iniuries malice villanies of men to weane our selues from the loue of this worlde much more hardly would wee bee drawne from it if none of these should happen to vs. Still we hope that our state will be bettered but all in vaine for experience shewes that it is like daily to bee worse They therefore who wish for a longer life in hope of a better state here may as well think that a garment will be the better the longer and oftener it is worne Our whole life saith the prouerbe is but a vale of miserie Art thou a single man thou hast no care but for thy self hast thou a wife that is a double care will she not be ruled by thee that is a miserie an vntamed wife Is her alliaunce rich they will disdaine thy kindred they will be thy maisters Are they poore they will be thy boorders and lie vppon thy charge hast thou children thy cares are the more the elder they wax the greater is thy trouble But if thou wantest for thy selfe and them things necessarie now art thou wearie of this life and desirest to be dissolued and to be in heauen where there is no want of food or raiment but a life Angelicall without care or trouble and the sooner the better thou thinkest because there is a more speedy riddance from these calamities Lastly God by punishing his children makes them an example of patience to all others The godly seeing them in these afflictions so patient so constant so faithfull so thankfull reape much comfort therby hoping for the like helpe from God in their like distresse For thus they reason within themselues God doth assist them by his holie spirit to take all things patiently so wil he also be present with mee arming mee with the same minde against all suche calamities And the wicked thereby may conclude that if God thus punish his owne children they must looke for a more greeuous chastisement If it fare so with the greene and frutefull tree what shall become of the withered branch In brief all sorts may obserue by this his correction of his owne chosen thus fearefully the heauie iudgement and direfull wrath of the iust God against mens sinnes that sithence hee chasteneth small sinnes in them much more will hee scourge them that sinne with an hie hand and that offēd with a presumptuous foot But to conclude you hauing heard for the most part the causes and motiues that prouoke God to sende this plague of Famine with other publike and priuate afflictions vpon men not sparing his owne elect and faithfull let vs desire of God patience in such distresses and repentance from sinne the causes principall of such distresses To him be glorie and praise c. THE THIRD SERMON AS an expert Phisitian first sheweth the causes and danger of the disease and after that prescribeth to his patient both phisick to cure him and the order of his diet the same course must a spirituall Phisitian take in any publike plague of Famine and Dearth namely to make men both feele the greeuousnesse of the calamitie also to teach them their dutie of demeanor in this publike or priuate affliction And this course haue wee hitherto obserued in the two former Sermons setting foorth God to be the authour of plentie and want with the dreadfulnesse of Famin and that our sinnes are the only motiues which prouoke God thereto and lastly the end why God doth punish in this sort as well his chosen children as the wicked Atheist Nowe it remaineth that I prescribe the Diet that is the maner of our behauiour in such afflictions And herein that we may more orderly proceed we will first shewe what duerie belongeth to the Church of Christ in these cases afterward what concerneth Magistrates Preachers Housholders rich poore of all sorts to do herein particularly adding this as the preparatiue to our diet that wee aduertise the Faithfull not so to dispaire in these punishments as if God had reserued to them no hope of mercie and assistance though their sinnes be great and many Salomon in this his prayer among other thinges warneth the godlie that in the time of Dearth and Penurie they doo confesse theyr sinnes bewayle them and amende theyr liues not onelie in ceassing to doo ill but in dooing good For by these miseries it pleaseth GOD to call vs into the way of godlinesse After hee willeth vs to praise the name of God by acknowledging both his iudgement and his mercie that in punishing our sinnes thus in that he vtterly ouerthroweth vs not For it is his mercies that wee are not all consumed For if hee should marke extreamely what is done amisse and punish vs accordingly both in this life miserably and in the other we should bee eternally afflicted It is the nature of man from Adam saith Iob to conceale his owne fault and to laie it vppon another and so in the time of Famine manie crie out vppon Cornhoorders Vsurers Ingrossers Witches and Coniurers as if they were the onelie procurers of Scarcitie and sometimes perhappes not amisse but this is the more Christian and nearest course to haue recourse to our selues euerie man to say of himselfe herein as Dauid spake in a like punishment It is I that haue sinned and haue brought on this iudgement Furthermore he biddeth vs desire God for Christ his sake to turn away these greeuous stormes rains or tempests as also vnseasonable droughts
which are secundary causes of this plague The temple of Salomon was a type representation of Christ and his Church so that he requesting the Almightie to heare his people praying in that Temple it is all one as if he had desired the Father to heare them for and in the name of his sonne Christ. From whence also it is euidēt that because God only knoweth the hearts of men Salomon is of this minde that God onely is to be prayed vnto Oft-times wee onely pray in hart sildom expressing our thoughts by woorde of mouth and manie times we are troubled in our praiers so that we cannot vtter what we conceiue especially our speach failing vs as at the instant of death So that the praiers made to them which hear vs not are in vaine neither vnderstanding our thoughts nor knowing our wants nor able to supplie our necessities nor to rid vs from any trouble Paule Rom. 10. saith that he onely is to be praied to in whom we beleeue and we beleeue in none but in God Again in Scripture there is neither precept nor example nor promise made to praiers and inuocation of saints That which they bring out of Ezechiell is a verie lame one as after shall appeare The Popish sort in these times of Distresse flie to their Letanies and Processions as to their sacred Anchor which as they are vsed by them are meere forgeries of men and derogation to God Gregorie the great and Claudius Mamertin Bishop of Vienna first inuenting them wherein God hath the least part Angels Patriarches Martyrs Confessors Virgins VVidowes filing vp the row and roome whom they haue canonized as their Turn-away Gods to rid them from such plagues which is in the onely wisedome and power of God himselfe But what are the things which wee must desire of God Surelie that it would please him not to deale with vs after our desertes but to turne from vs or at least diminish the grieuousnesse of this affliction graunting vs patience and thankefulnesse with amendment of life and desire of doing well Christ willes vs to pray for our daylie bread that is for the thinges which concerne this and the other life all which as wee must earnestlie entreate so we must as constauntlie beleeue that hee is able and willing to perfourme that wee desire Vsing in the meane time these lawful and honest meanes patientlie induring his heauie hand till it please him to ease vs and auoyding those thinges which may eyther hinder the feruencie of our prayers or prouoke his displeasure further hauing rather an especiall regarde to the ordering and bettering of our lyues which course the holie Scriptures commend and set out The Israelites being slaine by the Philistims and the Arke of God taken 1. Samuel 1. Sam. 7.3 exhortes them to repent and by forsaking the Heathenish Idolles heartily to turne to their God who would deliuer them if they did so and the euent proued this promise true Which example though it concerne VVarre yet may it as well serue for Famin and Dearth The same order did Daniell obserue Dan. 9.5 6. VVee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea wee haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgements For wee would not obey thy seruaunts the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers and to all the people of the land He confesseth that euerie one had sinned excepting none although some had offended more grieuously yet all were guiltie of some sinnes See Amos 4. and Ioel. 1. and 2. Chap. Thus haue all the godlie behaued themselues not despairing of Gods grace nor denying the faith nor flying to meanes vnlawfull and extraordinarie in the Famine The Prodigall Sonne the liuely remembrance of mankind broght himselfe by his owne folly into these streights that for very hunger he was driuen to bee Swineheard and full glad he was if he might be so happie but to feede so well as his hogs but this Penurie making him to remember himselfe hee returned to his Fathers house spying his father cried out vnto him a farre off Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee neither am I worthie to be called thy sonne A verie good president for vs when God visiteth with scarcitie and want to acknowledge our owne faults and flie to him for a supply thereof who is as readie to receiue vs as wee are willing to returne to him which if we omit either in neglecting him and his worde or not regarding the amendement of our liues or slacke assiduitie of our praiers no maruaile it is if God weigh vs downe with his heauie hand Iam. 4.2 Ye fight and warre and get nothing because ye aske not yee aske and receiue not because you aske amisse that ye might consume it on your lusts Ezechiel in his fourth Chapter telleth vs that euen the praiers of the most godly men are not allowed of God vnlesse they for whome they pray doe repent Although Noah Daniel and Iob these three men stande vp yet shall they onelie saue their soules in their righteousnesse So speaketh Ieremie 15. Chapter If Moses and Samuel were before me I woulde not yet regarde this people Cast them out of my sight that they may go And if they say whither then say vnto them such as are appoynted to the sworde to the sworde and such as are for the Famine to the Famine The Iewes relyed much vpon the prayers of the faythfull what neede wee feare say they the Prophets threates sithence there are so manie good men praying for vs whome GOD no doubt will heare Well sayeth the Prophet bee it that euen these the most faithfull seruants of the Lorde doe pray for you yet shall they not auaile you By which wee learne that other mens prayers are nothing profitable to the vnrepentant sinner Therefore in the seuenth of Ieremie God saith vnto the Prohet Pray not for this people neyther lift vp thy voice for them Thus was Samuel reiected when he prayed for Saule Now then if the praiers of such faithfull men will not preuaile with God much lesse the Orisons of Superstitious Hirelings worse perhappes then they for whome they pray Againe if the prayers of the godlie alone heere on earth profite nothing can we thinke that they which are in heauen and deliuered from the sense of these calamities can ayde or ridde vs from them So that to ground vppon these places the Inuocation of Saints is most ridiculous For the Proposition is conditionall and as Zuinglius hath well obserued vppon that place of Ieremie The Prophete sayeth If they shoulde stande not they doe stande and intreate For it is a Proposition or a supposition of persons which were and are not as if he should say If Iob and Noah were now aliue and would request your deliuerance and ease I would not bee entreated by them Moreouer Daniel whom Ezechiell nameth was then aliue so that to argue