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cause_n	true_a	zeal_n	zealous_a	107	3	8.9133	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20529	Foure godlie and fruitful sermons two preached at Draiton in Oxford-shire, at a fast, enioyned by authoritie, by occasion of the pestilence then dangerously dispearsed. Likewise two other sermons on the twelfth Psalme. VVhereunto is annexed a briefe tract of zeale. / By I. Dod. R. Cleauer.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625.; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.; Greenham, Richard.	1611 (1611)	STC 6938; ESTC S114261	70,793	120

whomsoeuer True zeale loueth friends as they be Gods friends true zeale hateth aduersaries so farre as they be Gods aduersaries true zeale loueth a good thing in the most professed enemie true zeale hateth sinne in the most assured friend If wee be perswaded that our enemies bee Gods children howsoeuer wee disagree in some particulars yet wee must swallow vp manie priuate iniuries and more reioice in them as they be Gods seruants then be grieued at them as they haue iniuried vs. Indeed true Zeale is most grieued at the sinnes of the godly because so much are their sinnes more grieuous then the sinnes of others by how much they came neerer to the image of God then others The last rule is that wee keepe a tenour of zeale in both estates to wit of prosperitie and aduersitie Wee must especiallie looke to that whereunto wee are most readie that is whether wee be more zealous in prosperitie and fall away in aduersitie or whether we be more feruent in affliction and ouer-whelmed in abundance whether by the one we are not puffed vp with securitie and secret pride and whether by the other we be not too farre abased and discouraged or which is worst of all quite driuen out of the way for many in time of peace are religious who seeing persecution to follow the Gospell begin like those that are compared to stonie ground to step backe and at last vtterly to renounce their former profession Others so long as they may haue credit by embracing the Gospell will seeme to goe farre but when discredit comes they forsake all contrarie to the practise of Dauid who saith The bandes of the wicked haue robbed mee yet haue I not forgotten thy Law And againe Princes did persecute mee without cause but mine heart stood in awe of thy Word And for disgrace hee saith I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy Word Others on the contrary part so long as God exerciseth them with any crosse are zealous professours who beeing set aloft and comming once vnto promotion begin to grow secure and carelesse of all duties towards God or men as is to be seene in the lsraelites from time to time We see manie in time of their miserie to hee much humbled and whiles they want liuings and preferments we see both Preachers and people in outward appearance very godlie who hauing obtained that which they sought for haue their zeale vtterly choked Doe not many pray for the continuance of the peace of the Gospell that they themselues might continue in peace and prosperitie Doe not manie mourne in the aduersitie of the Gospell because they are grieued for their owne aduersitie Oh great corruption of our hearts Oh bottomles pit of hypocrisie If wee were ashamed that wee are no more grounded on the word and that wee can bee no nore holie and vpright in our hearts surely the Lord will so gouerne vs that he would not suffer either prosperitie to quench our zeale or aduersitie to discourage our hearts This is then our triall herein if when we are in greatest prosperitie we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lorde and when wee are in greatest aduersitie wee can reioyce with them that reioyce in Christ. This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell nor fauour the word because wee haue a loue to prosperitie neither are zealous to see the word contemned because wee haue an hatred of aduersitie Daniel concerning outward things was an happie man as being neere to the Crowne and yet when hee saw the God of Israels glory to be defaced and his seruants and seruices to be trodden vnder foote hee could content himselfe with nothing so much as with fasting weeping and prayer And Paul on the other side being in bonds for the testimonie of Iesus Christ and concerning his outward man in a miserable case reioyced greatly and was as it were reuiued when he heard that the Gospell flourished and that the faith and loue of the Saints was still continued This zeale should we much labour for that in all estates we might be rightly affected towards God and men FINIS Verse 10. Sound sorrow the first step to repentance Ioel. 2. 13. Note Acts. 2. Psal. 45. Reasons Iob. 11. Rom. 7. Act. 9. Math. 5. 4. 6. Vse 1. Luke 6. Reuel 6. 16. Vse 2. Vse 3. Meanes to get tendernes of heart Iohn 16. 8. Ezeck 36. Ier. 31. Isa. 30. 2. Sam. 12. Doct. 2. God looketh into the manner of our doing Mat. 24. 38. Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 445. Heb. 13. Gen. 6. 2. Luk. 17. 28. See M. Dods Sermon on Isa. 10. Doct. 1. Vse 1. Vse 2. Ionah 3. 8. 9. Vse 3. Doct. 3. Confession of sinne must folowe griefe for sinne Doct. 4. Asking pardon must be ioyned with confession Luk. 18. 13. Daniel 9. 19. Nehem. 9. Exod. 34. Ezeck 36. Mat. ● Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Vse 3. How we may attaine to earnestnesse in asking pardon Doct. 5. The greatest sinners are the veriest fooles Ioshua 7. Reason Vse 1. Psal. 119. 93. Obiect Answer Doct. 6. It is hard to be at downe mans pride Psalm 30. 6. 7. Verse 9. 2. Cor. 12. Micah 7. Lament 3. Dan. 4. 24. Dan. 5. 20. 2. Chron. 11. Iam. 4. 8. Vse Prou. 16. 5. 18. Psal. 119. Pet. 3. Iam. 4. 2. Cor. 12. 10. 7. Fruites of pride Prou. 13. 10. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Psal. 51. 1. Sam. 25. 32. Iob. 31. 13. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Remedies against Pride Luke 18. 13. Rom. 7. 24. Obiect Answer Rom. 1. 14. Math. 25. Gen. 18. 27. Isa. 42. 6. Iob. 42. 6. Eccl. 1. 13. Prou. Isa. 61. 1. Luk. 4. 18. Psal. 37. 11. Isa. 57. 15. Iam. 4. 6. Math. 5. 3. 2. Sam. 12. Psal. 141. 5. Doct. 7. Speedy iudging of our selues procures fauour The time being expired this point was briefly handled Vse 1. se. 2. Verse 14. Lament 9. Verse 15. Verse 16. Verse 17. Doct. 1. Sinne brings men into straits 1. King 22. 31. 32. 2. King 3. Iudges 16. Prou. 22. 5. Pro. 13. 32. 29. 30. Prou. 21. 17. Prou. 6. 26. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Iob. 27. 8. Pro. 1. 26. ●● Rom. 2. Vse 1. Iob. 31. 3. Verse 4. Math. 4. Iohn 8. Vse 2. Prou. 5. 22. Psal. 107. Vse 3. 2. Cor. 4. 8. Doct. 2. The godly finde greatest fauour with God Hos. 11. 1. Pett 6. Isa. 27. 9. Hos. 6. 1. Vse 1. Reasons why the pestilence is a more fauorable stroke then the sword Lamen 5. Reuel 6. 8. Leuit. 26. The time allotted being welneere spēt the points following were but briefly touched Doct. 3. Gods punishments are answerable to mens sinnes Ioel. 1. 5. Isa. 23. Prou. Reason Vse Ezek. 24. 35. Doct. 4. Gods iudgements very swift Psal. 147. 15. Exod. 12. Zach. 5. 2. Gen. 3. 17. 18. 1. Cor. 15. 52. Reason Vse Psal. 1 39. Doct. 5. God is present at the execution of his indgements Gen. 28. 12. Verse 15. Vse Doct. 6. A good man is most seuere against himselfe 2. Tim. 1. 15. Exod. 32. Philip. Reasons 1. Cor 13. Vse 1. Nehem. 5. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Verse 1. Doct. 1. Gods childrē neuer helples Micah 7. 2. Verse 7. Psal. 22. 11. Isa. 59. 4. 16. Reasons 1. Sam. 14. 6. 2. Chro. 14. 11 Psal. 62. 11. Math. 6. Hos. 14. Psal. 107. Psal. 141. 4. 5. Vse 1. Psal. 3. 1. 2. 3. Psal. 71. 10. 11. Verse 12. 13. Vse 2. Gen. 31. Psal. 27. Doct. 2. want of good men much to be lamented Micah 7. I. 2. Hos. 4. 3. 1. Kings 19. 11. Verse 4. Verse 1● Psal. 16. 3. Psal. 42. Reasons Psal. 67. 5. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 3. Fained friends worse then open foes Prou. 27. 6. Iudas Matth. 26. 49. Reasons Psal. 55. 12. 13 Vse 1. Vse 2. Ier. 9. 4. 5. Vse 3. Obiect Answere Obiect Answere Verse 3. Doct. 1. The more cunning any is for mischiefe the more fearefull shall his mine be Psal. 52. 4. 5. 1. Sam. 22. 8. 9. c. Ier. 4. 22. Ier. 9. 5. Reasons Gal. 3. 2. Cor. 11. 2. 3. Vers. 13. 14. 15. Iob. 5. 12. Psal. 7. 9. Vse 1. Prou. 24. 8. Prou. 20. 17. Vse 2. Prou. 21. 30. Psal. 33. 10. Doct. 2. The wickeds boasting a forerunner of their ruine Psal. 59 7. 8. Exod. 15. 9. 2. Kings 18. Chap. 19. 28. Reasons Psal. 52. 1. Psal. 10. Psal. 73. 9. Vse 1. Vse 2. Reuel 18. 7. 8. Doct. 3. No man hath the ordering of his owne tongue Reasons Prou. 16. 1. Num. 23. Ephes. 4. Prou. 18. 7. Micah 4. 11. 12. 13. Mat. 12. 36. 37 Vse 1. Psal. 141. 3. Vse 2 Iob. 5. 27. Isa. 45. 16. 17. Act. 4. 29. Titus 2. 14. Rom. 12. 1● 2. Cor. 7. 11. 1. Cor. 5. 1. 2. Reu. 3. 19. Psal. 119. 139. Psal. 69. 9. Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 3. Rules of true zeale The matter must be good Gal. 4. 18. 1. King 18. 28 Ier. 7. 31. We must know the thing to be good for which we are zealous Rom. 14. 23. Rom. 10. 2. Zeale must begin at home Luke 6. 42. Heb. 2. 17. 18. Luk. 16. 15. 18. 9. Wee must make greatest account of the weightiest matters Matth. 23. 23. We must look to the inside as well as to the out-side Ier. 4. 14. Iam. 4. 8. Matth. 23. Ioh. 31. Gen. 39. Matth. 23. Wee must be more strict to our selues then to others Titus 3. 1. Gen. 14. 23. 24. Iob. 1. 1. Cor. 4. 12. 1. Thess. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5. 18. Zeale condemneth sin in friends as wel as in foes Mat. 16. 23. Gal. 3. 1. 1. Cor. Gen. 25. 28. 1. Sam. 2. 3. 4. Zeale opposeth itselfe against the sins of the mighty Iob. 29. 8. 9. Iob. 29. 12. Compassion to be ioyned with zeale Mark 3. 5. Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 19. 41. 42. 2. Cor. 12. 21. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Sam. 15. 35. True zeale maketh men desirous of admonition Iob. 30. 13. Wee must be most feruent in Gods causes Exod. 32. 19. 20. Reuel 2. 2. Zeale must be constant in all estates Luke 8. 13. Psal. 119. 61. Verse 161. Verse 141. Verse 141. Psal 63. 34. c. Iudges Dan. 9. 1. Thess. 3. 6. 7. 8.

for the wickednesse committed against the Maiestie of God till then there is no turning vnto him one may as well bid a prisoner that is in strong hold and hath bolts and fetters vpon his heeles walke abroade and take the fresh aire and not remaine any longer in that darke loathsome dungeon as bid one that hath not his heart crushed humbled to turne vnto the Lord alas he is held fast in the chaines of Sathan and cannot stirre one foote to God-ward therefore is it noted in those conuerts Act. 2. 37. that They were pricked in their hearts when they began the worke of repentance the rebukes of God had wakened their drowsie consciences so that they saw their sinnes and Gods vengeance due vnto them and the words of Peter had gone through their hearts euen as a two edged sword and then they were fit to bee soundly healed and comforted when they had beene pierced and throughly wounded by the Arrowes of God 1 First till the heart bee broken for sinne there can be no plaine confession of sinne and therfore no repentance Men naturally are like wilde Asse-Colts nothing will worke vpon them nor bring them vnto any good frame or order though they heare often of their faults they will not acknowledge them but be still vnruly and vntamed as Paul was before his conuersion so long as he was heart-whole in his owne conceit though he had heard many excellent Sermons no doubt yet hee was like a beast still neuer bewailing nor confessing his grieuous offences till the Lord had taken him downe and throughly mastered him 2 Nay further men are so farre from taking paines to come to a true acknowledgment of their iniquities till such time as there is a breach made into their hearts by godly sorrow they doe not so much as desire to be deliuered from them nor make any reckoning of Gods mercy for the pardoning of them till such time as they become mourners for sinne they cannot possibly hunger and thirst after righteousnes And indeed what reason is there that they should esteeme of that medicine which will cure when they doe not feele themselues to be sicke they thinke it a matter worth the looking after to be freed from pouertie from infamie from the pestilence c. but as for the corruptions of their nature and the sinfulnesse of their waies they were neuer much troubled with them and therefore they make little account to be deliuered from them See this poynt more at large in M. Dods Sermon on Isa. 1 Doct. 1. Seeing therefore that inward contrition for sinne is the first step to repentance and that which killeth the roote of sinne and setteth vs free from the power and dominion of it and erecteth in our hearts a throne for Christ Iesus the vse of this point is First for reproofe of those that perswade themselues and beare others in hard that they haue truely repented and doe continually confesse their faults and aske pardon for them but what griefe and paine haue they had in their hearts for their sinnes nay they thanke God they were neuer terrified nor troubled in their consciences Do you thanke God for this it is in effect to thanke him for that you want the first and principall note of true conuersion if your harts haue neuer beene pricked and slung with the sense of your vilenesse and wretchednesse it is because you are senselesse for there is cause sufficient why you should be grieued and the lesse you haue had the more you are likely to haue if not heere yet in the world to come and at that day when you shall be most vnwilling of it Secondly heere are those to be reprooued that run into farre greater excesse of sinning than euer Dauid did breaking forth into grosse and foule euils that euerie body seeth and knoweth and condemneth and yet they passe them ouer slightly and carelessly as if they were matters of nothing When Dauid did but cut off the lap of Sauls coat his heart smote him and was grieued within him in that he was so neere vnto sinne what then shall we thinke of these that doe not cut off the lappe of the coate of an enemie but are iniurious to their friends and cruell against their brethren that breake couenant and promise sinne against God blaspheme his name profane his Sabbaths and the like and yet none of all these do soundly worke vpon them nor much trouble them surely such men are not of Dauids spirit and therefore not being broken hearted heere they shall be broken and crushed in peeces with the vnsupportable weight of Gods vengeance heereafter Thirdly sith this inward touch for sinne is a thing so necessarie let vs hence learne to labour for it and to keepe tendernes of heart when we haue obtained it for that sorrow which breaketh the heart doth withall breake the necke of sinne and therefore when the Lord doth checke controle our consciences let vs esteeme it as a great mercie and not let such stroakes passe without their right vse but let vs goe to God and to his children for helpe and direction and them that little sparke of the fire of God in our soules being fed nourished will grow in the end to a great flame Now that our harts may be kept alwaies tender sensible of those checks which Gods spirit giueth vs let vs vse these meanes that follow First let vs lay vp in our hearts the weapon of God euen the sword of the spirit whereby our hearts may be wounded as often as need requireth for vnregenerate persons wanting that weapon will rather defend then smite themselues when they haue offended and euery childe of God hath somewhat of old Adam in him in which regard he must be more carefull to vse the sword of the spirit for the piercing of his heart when any sinne is committed by him withall praying for the spirit of grace which will conuince the conscience when it is guiltie so that it shall haue nothing to say in defense of it selfe but very much for the condemnation of it selfe as is euident Ezec. 36. 27. whereby we may obserue that when God hath giuen his spirit vnto his elect and as it is in Ieremy 31. 33. withall written his lawes in their hearts then they shall remember their owne wicked waies and their deedes that were not good and shall iudge themselues worthy to haue beene destroyed for their iniquities for their abhominations What is the reason they should passe such a heauie sentence vpon themselues one would thinke they should rather reioyce now allow of themselues and of their workes so they doe reioyce at and approue of themselues and their workes so farre as they are spirituall but they proclaime war against themselues and their workes so far as either they are or haue beene carnall and sinfull and that because the word of God

and the spirit of God doe beare sway in their hearts they are at vtter defiance with their pride and hypocrisie and all wretched lusts that fight against their soules being neuer so much tormented with those sinnes as when they haue attained to a great measure of humilitie and of sinceritie He that is most lowly is euer most vexed with his pride and he that is most vpright and true hearted is most of all troubled with the guilefulnes and deceitfulnes of his owne heart because the word and the spirit working together doe cause him both more clerely to see and more throughly to hate those corruptions than euer hee did before he had attained to that measure of grace Secondly we must not content our selues when once we haue gotten the word and spirit of God within vs but we must still striue to keepe our hearts humble and lowly for otherwise we shall not feele the strokes of the word and spirit of God therefore it is said Isay. 30. 20 21. that when the Lord had dieted his people a while giuing them the bread of aduersitie and the water of affliction and thereby taken downe the pride and stubbornenesse of their hearts that then their eares should heare a word behind them saying this is the way walke in it c. that is when they were thus humbled as soone as euer they had committed any offence they should presently haue a blow vpon their hearts for it and be full of feare and anguish though no man in the world tell them of it yet the word in their hearts will be like a good guide that is still following a little child and telling him this is not the right way leaue it there is the right way walke in it but many haue hearts pestered with pride and lust and couetousnesse and yet goe a whole moneth nay many monethes and yeares together and neuer feele any rebuke in their consciences How comes this to passe that others are full of griefe and full of teares for their sinnes and they are neuer troubled for them is it beause there is greater vprightnes in them then there is in others No surely it is because they haue a more blind minde and a more proud and senselesse hart then others haue for the more humble any one is the more often shall he heare the voyce of the spirit checking him when hee goeth out of the way moouing him to turne again into the right way Thirdly we must especially beware of presūptuous sins for if we liue therein our hearts will cease to smite vs or at least we shall be senselesse of these strokes as may be seene in the case of Dauid when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment and numbred the people which were but infirmities forthwith his conscience rebuked him and he was humbled before the Lord but when he had committed adulterie and murder either the checkes of his conscience were none at all or else they were so weake that hee had no sense nor feeling thereof so that Nathan was driuen to fetch about as it were and to vse all the art that might be to make him see his offences and passe sentence against himselfe for the same Let vs therefore by his example learne to beware how we presumptuously sinne against our consciences especially in palpable and grosse offences least our mindes being by degrees blinded and our affections by little and little corrupted we become in the end very blocks and stones and haue our consciences so darkened that they will not accuse vs or our hearts so benummed that they will not be mooued with the stroakes of God and with the checks of his holy spirit After that he had numbred the people Heere is his speciall sinne that he numbred his subiects which may seeme to be no such great matter for which God should so plague the land and if there had bene that measure of hypocrisie in Dauid as there is in many of vs he would haue pleaded thus for himselfe What need I to be so troubled for this and what reason is there why God should proceede so seuerely against me for the same did not Moses and Ioshua holy men of God number the people in their daies and that warrantably and why then may not I doe the like hauing more absolute authoritie ouer them then they had but his heart staied him from all such reasoning of the matter and told him that though hee did the same action which they did yet the manner of doing thereof was diuers he performed it not in obedience to God as they did but in pride and hautines of minde in regard of the multitude and strength of his subiects before he esteemed Gods name a strong tower for his defence but now what need he runne crying vnto God he had so many souldiers and valiant warriours in his dominion that he could make his part good against any forren power whatsoeuer Thus was his heart lifted vp vnto vanitie when it should haue bene lifted vp to God in thankfulnes and therefore was he so humbled because he had an ill affection and a wrong end in a good action Whence ariseth this doctrine That it is not enough for to forbeare things that are euill and to make conscience of grosse sinnes but men must doe lawfull things lawfully and performe good workes in a good manner otherwise the Lord may and will punish them for doing lawfull things aswell as for vnlawfull things This may be seene in that great enditement which Christ brings against the old world They did eate and drinke marry and giue in marriage A naturall man would haue thought there could be no hurt in these if they had bene charged with whoredome murder blasphemie or the like they had bene matters of some moment but for those before named what fault can be found with them Indeed the things in themselues are very warrantable but the manner of performing them doth either make or marre them to eate and drinke without feare without prayer and thanks-giuing as if the creatures were our owne and not the Lords to abuse the blessings of God to surfetting and drunkennesse c these and the like corruptions doe turne eating and drinking into sinne which in themselues are not onely allowable but also necessarie The like may be said concerning marriage it is a sanctified ordinance of God vnto those that vse it holily but then it becomes very sinfull and hatefull vnto the Lord when the Sonnes of God doe ioyne with the daughters of men and professors are yoaked with Infidels for beautie or commoditie or any such carnall respect yet that is a horrible sinne too too common among such as professe Christianitie that they make no scruple of matching their children with those whome they know by their workes to be as yet the children of the diuell and so in other matters if they can proue them once to be in themselues lawfull they make

when this is said to bee a fauourable stroke we must vnderstand that it is so only vnto Gods children not to the wicked concerning whose departure out of this world it is saide that Hell followeth death If they bee not reconciled vnto God but liue and die in their sinnes their case is fearefull And therefore is it a iust hand of God vpon impenitent sinners that they should bee horriblie afraid of that sicknes No sinne nor Sathan himselfe is so much feared of them as the pestilence nay nor Gods wrath it selfe and therefore they care not what foule sinne they commit whereby they are sure to incurre the Lords displeasure so their bodies may escape this plague of God But suppose they doe escape it if they be as full of impiety and iniustice and impurity as they were wont to be the Lord hath seuen times greater plagues behinde and his reuenging hand will be stretched out against them still Therefore let them labour to make a good vse of this to humble themselues and turne from their euill wayes otherwise assuredly some greater punishment will light on their soules or bodies or both Verse 15. So the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel c. and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seuenty thousand men Yee heard the cause of this before to wit because Dauid partly through pride and partly through vaine confidence had numbred the people whence this point may be gathered that God maketh his iudgements sutable to our sinnes Dauid was lifted vp because hee had so many strong and valient men therefore doth God lessen the number of them So Ioel 1. 5. it is said Weepe houle ye drinkers of wine for the new wine shal be pulled from your mouth This was a most iust correction that they should be punished with scarcitie of drinke seeing they had before time so wretchedly abused the same In like sort doth the Lord meete with proud men turning their glory into shame as wee may obserue in Tyrus Isa. 23. 8. where the question is made Who hath decreed this against Tyrus that crowneth men whose Merchants are Princes whose Chapmen are the Nobles of the world And the answere is made vers 9. The Lord of Hosts hath decreed this to staine the pride of all glorie and to bring to contempt all them that be glorious in the earth So for couetous men they are many times brought to beggarie according to that of the wise man Hee that maketh hast to be rich shall surely come to pouertie Albeit they vse wonderfull diligence and be exceeding painfull and haue an excellent capacitie and a deepe reach for worldly things seeme to want nothing that may make them prosper yet because God is displeased with them he brings them downe both stripping them of their wealth which they most affected and plaguing them with pouertie which they most detested And a cause heereof is that he giueth men thereby to vnderstand that he taketh knowledge of their waies to the end they should take knowledge of his iudgements when they see them directed so iust against their faults and affections And by this meanes as reprobates are left without excuse the elect are much furthered to repentance when their corrupt wils their vnlawfull desires and sinfull delights are crossed when they behold Gods visible hand and righteous hand when he sheweth them the nature and qualitie of their offences by the manner and proceeding of his corrections that was the true cause why the Lord laid this stroake on Dauid at this time rather than any other viz that he might more speedily and euidently see his fault and more soundly and heartily repent for the same Which maketh for our instruction if wee would haue comfort in any thing that we possesse let vs vse it well neither let our hearts deceine vs whether it be honour or goods or children if we dote vpon them and make Gods of them we are likely to be depriued of them the Lord can take from vs our power the ioy of our honour the pleasure of our eyes and the desire of our hearts euen our sonnes and our daughters When men loue to be commanders God can take their authoritie from them if they stand vpon their honour and reputation he can soone make it wither and vanish if the delights of their eyes doe content them he can quickly remoue those from them finally if they set their affections immoderately vpon their children and lift vp their soules vnto them as the words are in the originall that is make them the desire of their hearts God can suddenly bereaue them of their children or so bring it to passe that they shall haue little comfort in them Would we then haue our houses and our children free from Gods strokes and in particular from the pestilence as that many pretend that they are more carefull for their children then for themselues then let vs neuer commit any sinne to set them vp for that is the next way to depriue vs of them when we carry more affection to them then to the Lord himselfe we endanger our selues and them both The Lords will is that you should in the first place serue him and so doing you shall make your children not Lords but kings not of an earthly but of an heauenly kingdome The next thing heere briefly to be considered is the space in which these seuentie thousand men died namely in three daies Doctrine that When God sets in with his iudgements they shall be farre dispersed in a short time He can cause his plagues to flie fast and make great speed This is prooued in the Psalme where speaking of any decree of God it is said He sendeth forth his commandement vpon earth and his word runneth very swiftly What God determineth to doe he can doe it out of hand when it standeth with his good pleasure So we see how he could cause one Angell to goe thorow the whole land of Aegypt in one night and to slay the first borne in euery house and in this regard Gods curse is compared to a flying booke to note the swiftnesse of it that it commeth as it were with two wings but withall it is likened to a talent of lead that sticketh fast where it fals it maketh speed vnto the place that God appointeth and tarrieth there where once it lighteth Furthermore we see how quickly Gods curse was scattered ouer the whole earth when our first parents had sinned the deformitie came not vpon the creatures by degrees but it ouertooke them presently and out of hand And so at the last day Christ shall come in the twinckling of an eye as to call the godly forthwith vnto glory so to draw the wicked immediately before Gods iudgement seate to receiue present and euerlasting punishment and torment And the reason of this is because God at all times is in all places and of