〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceede in their cruelties How dare bloudie Antiochus afflict the Church how dare cruel Iezabel murther the Prophets how dare prowd Sennacherib blaspheme the lining God ◠Re. 19.2 how dare wicked Herode behead Iohn the Baptist how dare churlish Diues despise the wofull Lazarus Luk. 16.19 and how dare the wicked world set it self against God For he commeth where wilt thou hide thyselfe If thou clyme vp to heauen euen there he wil find thée If thou go downe to hell Amos. 9.2 his power wil preuent thée If thou make a way with the wings of the morning his presence onertakes thée If thou wouldest smoother sinne in the bottome of thy conscience there is a worme to gnaw and grind thée If thou call vpon the hilles to fall vpon thée or crye to the mountaines to hide and coner thée it will be in vaine it cannot preuail thée for God commeth a consuming fire a terrible Iudge a fierce reuenger And now shal the wicked find it as true as terrible Deut. 4.24 that it is a fearefull thing to fal into the hands of the liuing God Oh consider this ye that forget God lest he take you away in your wickednes for if his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him And thus at last I come to the Text which for order and memories sake I wil dispose to the vnderstāding of the simple Wherein obserue with me I pray these foure circumstaunces naturallye arising out of the words The first of the person Who cōmeth God The second of the place from whence From Teman mount Paran The thirde of the manner how in glory For his glorie couereth the Heauens The fourth last the end and why he commeth That the earth may be ful of his praise Who commeth Whence How and why he commeth Concerning the first to wit of the person I minde not to propound Hiero his question to Simonides Cicer. de nat deorū For Christians haue alreadie learned that touching the incomprehensible maiestie and essence of the great and eternall God Mans knowledge is too shallowe to comprohende the vnmeasurable depth of this hidden mysterie When Reason therefore woulde be ouerbolde and busie in this scutanie let Religion ouer-rule her for where reason leaueth religiō beginneth that religiō propoundeth faith apprehendeth that faith assureth hope holdeth and that hope enioyeth Loue shall accomplish But the interim who so shall saucelie prie with the Bethshamites into the Arke shall assuredly finde destruction 1. Sa. 6.19 and he that wil curiously gaze vpon the maiestie of the godhead shall be oppressed with the glorie thereof A lesson to be looked vnto in time to be learned of the secreat Arrians of our dayes whose proude and insolent spirites cannot be conteined within the limits of this religious compasse till wayward conceit haue carried them headlong into damnable heresies Wherof we haue dailie examples Epist ad Leand. It was a graue speach of Gregorie that the sacred Scriptures are like a déep foord where the Lambe may yet safely wade when the Elephant shall swimme And right well saide Augustine Humilitas omnia quecunque benefacimus precedat comitetur consequatur Epist 56. Humilitie is the entrance the middle and ende of all that is well done And thus we may be warned not ouerbusilie to pursue this point of the Essence and maiestie of God A second and safer way to better our knowledge and benefit our selues in this behalfe is by the names of God whereby it pleaseth him to manifest in some sort his existence all sufficiencie and mairstie as when he saith to Abraham I am Schad dai Gen. 17.1 all sufficient to vpholde and sustains the creatures in heauen and earth at whose almesbaket both King and Kaysar are brinen to begg their daily bread at whose hand the eyes of all creatures do expect their foode in due time and at whose mercie seate all mankinde must knocke and crye for grace and remission of sinnes To Moses I am Iehouah the essentiall name of God Exo. 3.6 to shewe as mans capacitie may beare it his essence and being of himselfe before all eternitie from whome all things haue their breath mouing and being Againe he is sometime called Theos of his swiftnes and presence Act. 17.24 passing through the secrete corners priuie places of the heart vnderstanding our thoughts long before Sometime the Lorde of Hostes Psa 46.8 11. to expresse his almightines with Frogges and Flyes subduing Kings and conquering Nations at his own will Here he is called Elohah and the holy one all verie sweete and significant to set foorth the power of God and to perswade the feare of his most holie name Where wee must be warefull lest wee become sotted with Popish superstitions or inchanted with Romish sorceries as though the wearing or bearing about vs these names of God written in virgin parchement with crosses and caracters were of force to cure maladies to chase away bugges and cast out diuels which in truth is blasphemously to abuse and take in vaine the holie name of God to our owne destruction But learne we rather to harbour and carrie the power faith of this name deepe in our hearts So shall it be to our comforts and victorie in al temptation For this is our victorie that ouercommeth Sathan sinne the worlde euen our faith 1. Ioh. 5.4 A third and verie good way to help yet in this case is by consideration of the offices attributed to the persons in the Godhead as Creation to the Father and therein his wonderfull wisedome disposing and transposing all things to his owne will in the frame of whese prouidence all the actions and accidents among the sonnes of men are daily wrought and come to their appointed end Redemption to the sonne and therein his inspeakable mercie towardes mankinde most willingly affording the dearest droppes of his heart bloud for the raunsoming of wretched sinners Sanctification to the Holy ghost and herein the ineruaylous and powerfull hand of our God in changing and renuing the hearts of men raising vs daily from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnes Uerye comfortable be these also to expresse and manifest the great care and goodnes of our God Psa 86.15 by nature mercifull long suffering slowe to wrath and readye to pardon wickednesse It is his mercye to take awaye the burthen and wayght of our sinnes but it is his great mercie to renue vs with indumentes of grace in this life and to crowne vs with glorye in the life to come And hitherto of the first circumstance And now to the second to wit of the place From Teman and from mount Paran Where whether you take Taeman for that Citie of Idumaea buylded by Teman one of the Tukes of the sonnes of Esau and threatened by Ieremie with vtter extirpation Gen. 36.1
receiued into the Church But if neyther the ioyes of a king can induce them in time to retire nor an Emperours sorrowes yet reduce them to come hume by weeping crosse 21 Sam 12 13 with open humble acknowledgement of their offence to returne with Dauid in time Mat. 27.4 lest Iudas Peccaui come too late Then let the Maiestrate by whose negligence this sect monstrously swelleth with daylye increase in diners parts of the land Haue an eye this waye lest foolish pittie spoyle a citie and pester a comon wealth with a people full of blasphemies against God and not all void of treasons against the King Dionisius the Bishop of Alexandria for bare not to tell Nouatus to his teeth that the sinne is greater to breake the vnitie and peare of the Church â—…seb in â—…ta Const than to commit Idolatrie And reasoning a paena in the example of Chore that quoth he was punished with the sworde but this with the yawning of the earth Et non dubitatur scaeleratius esse commissum quod grauius erat vindicatum That saith hee was more haynously committed which was more heauily punished And now to the thirde circumstance namely the manner of Gods comming in these wordes His glorie couereth the Heauens Which as you see are discerned from the former parte of the texte Psa 3.2.4.8 by this worde Selah full oft obserued in the booke of Psalmes Psa 4.2.4 and seruing in the old Church for the singers direction in the change of their voyce or tune Psa 9.16.20 But here Psa 31.4 as I take it Psa 49.15 standing as an important note to moue both attention and affection Psa 68.19 and no meruail for the matter in hand is weightie Men haue written much of Xerxes fourth comming with his Nauies Alexander with his Armies and Salomon in his royaltie their fame flewe farre and their puissance was renowmed yet were they but men whose breath was in their nostrels their power was limitted their arme was but flesh their pomp was but a flower soone changed into dust yea all was but vanitie and lighter then vanitie it self But when God commeth foorth the heauens melted and the earth shooke saith Dauid euen as Sinay also was moued at the presence of the God of Iacob Psa 68.8 For nowe the Heauens and firmament by violent fraction and rupture of the clowdes seemed to burst in sunder and the fearfull lightenings and roaring thunderclaps did rend the bending sides of the skie the darke wallowing clowdes skirmishing in the ayre did driue away with vehement course Psa 77.17 as shunning most fearfully the sight of this presence Yea the smothering mount in the rage of the tempest did cast foorth sparckling vapours and flashings of fire like another Aetna or an image of hell thus God commeth from Teman and thus came the holy one from mount Paran Againe the people stricken with astonishment stoode trembling about the hill not daring to aproch but quaking crye vnto Moses Obe thou our spokesman or else we dye The rattling sharme of the Trumpe calling on and summoning apparance seemed to resemble the daye of doome when the heauie sentence goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire shall be denounced against the wicked Yea Mat. 25.4 the Sunne was turned into bloud the foules forsooke the light the beasts of the field sought succour among the dennes of the Lyons and euery creature else that could crall away sought a place or corner where to hyde his head and thus God commeth from Teman and thus came the holie one from mount Paran Furthermore the Lawe it selfe by a Sub paena inforcing a strict and absolute obedience in worke worde and thought euen vnder paine of death â—eu 28.15 and eftsones bewraying the priuation of originall Iustice reuealing sinne discouering the impuritie of nature and displaying the verie frame of mans heart â—en 6.5 altogether out of course and out of measure wicked Nowe shee hurleth curses and nowe shee heapeth woes Nowe shee poureth out wrath and nowe shee plungeth sinners and consequently dendunceth the heauie sentence of condemnation against all flesh And thus God commeth from Teman and thus came the holy one from mount Paran The ende and vse of his thus comming was to strike the heartes of this people with a reuerend regarde and holye feare of his most glorious name and presence to shewe what in iustice hee might challenge at ours handes and the impossibilitie on our parte to perfourme it in the least part thus to bring all men to the knowledge of sinne and that thus the Lawe might scoole vs vnto Christ Gal. 3.24 where I praye doe not mistake mee to laye these imputations to the Lawe as properly the cause of sinne God forbid For as saith the Apostle the Lawe is pure Rom. 7.12 the Lawe is holye and the Lawe is good But in that shee increaseth sinne in that shee is the mynister of death c. it is per accidens and in our default For euen as men deformed in their bodies and blemished in their faces while they be compassed with darkenesse are not discerned from others but the light once appearing dooth by and by bewraye their ouglinesse and shewe them in their kinde and yet the cause not in the light but in them selues So the Lawe is our light and glasse poincting out our coruptions and deformities of nature and yet the cause not in the glasse but in the flesh not in the Lawe but in our nature And thus you haue heard how God commeth from Teman and the holie one from mount Paran Now where Moses calleth the Law Iugum ferreum a hard a heauie Iron yoke Deur 28. â— Christ calleth the Gospell Iugum suaue a sweete a light easie yoke Mat. 11.3 Wher Esaie calleth the Law Virgam exactoris The rod of the oppressour Esa 9.4 Michea calleth the Gospel Virgam pastoris Mich. 7.14 the rod of the Shepheard where vnder he guydeth his flock in the pastures of comfort and conducteth them to the waters of life Where Ieremie tearmeth the Lawe Mallens dissipans petram Ier. 23.29 The hammer that grindeth the rockes to powder Psa 45.6 Dauid calleth the Gospell Sceptrum Regni The Scepter of the kingdome wherewith Christ in all lenitie and mildnes gouerneth in his Church Esa 42.3 not once breaking the brused reed nor yet quenching the smoking flar Where S. Paul calleth the Lawe Ministram mortis The minister of death He saith 2. Cor. 3. â— the Gospell is Ministratio vitae The administration of life So that God is nowe come to vs not from Teman but from heauen not from mount Paran but from mount Sion not in the sharme of the trumpe denouncing death Heb. 12. but in the sound of the trumpe proclaiming life not in the shrill voice that cleaueth the mountaines 〈◊〉 Re. 19.11 but in the
brethren be the sinnes that bring kingdomes to ruyne and populous cities to desolate heapes of stones and God is chiefe Iustice that striketh Nations with destruction Psa 107 4â— and powreth contempt vpon Princes for their disobedience He hath his Angels aboue and his armies belowe with a storehouse of plagues to discharge vpon the wicked Hos 11.6 He can let fall a bloudie sword vpon the rebellious Citie He can pine a pampered people with penurie and scant He can strip the land of pride to a hissing and shame Hos 2.3 He can smite with the pestilence after the manner of Egypt Ps 7.12.13 Surely his howe is full bent and his sworde readie whet He is comming to execution with the instruments of death O it is full time then for vs to turne vnto the Lorde Zeph. 2.1.2 to sowe in teares that we might reape in ioy Amos. 8.10 to séeke the Lorde while he may be found and to gather our selues before the decrée come foorth to turne our feastes into fastes and our songs into sighings to gyrd sorrowe about our loynes and to rend our hearts with mourning yea the time is come for prince and subiects with the King and people of Niniue to come foorth in sackcloth and ashes Ionas 3.6 for the Bride with Quéene Hester to forsake her closet Hest 4.15 and the Bridegrome his chamber For the minister of the Lorde to crye betwéene the porche and the Altar Iocl 2.16 17 spare Oh Lorde spare thine heritage that we all come forth in mourning cheare with the teares of repentance to turne away Gods heauie wrath and prepared destruction For his hand is not shortened but that he can paye vs home nor his wrath for all this so withdrawen but that he will reuenge Againe our case is not so desperate nor wee so farre falne from God Our wickednes is not of that height nor our sinnes of so déepe die but vnfained repentance will reconcile vs vnto God and blot out all remembrance of former displeasure out of his sight If therfore there be any consolation in Christ Iesus â—hil 2.1 any desire or liking of Christian religion If there be any loue or loyaltie towardes her sacred maiestie or care in thy heart of thy natiue countrie If any hope of resurrection to eternall life anye longing or looking for the kingdome to come Let thy repentance thy teares thy sorrowe for sinne thy couenant to serue the Lord vndertaken this day in some good measure of grace performed all the daies of thy life be meanes to sue for thy pardon to reconcile thee to the Lord to turne away his wrathfull indignation and to continue his wonted mercies towarde the realme of England And here let euery one begin with himselfe and séeke first a reformation in his owne conscience And herein God helpe vs and prosper the worke of our hands vpon vs O Lorde prosper thou our handie worke Psa 90.17 So Ierusalem shal be builded Psa 79.13 and thy Zion neuer be remoued but stand fast for euer So we that be thy people and shéepe of thy pasture shall giue thée thanks for euer So shall our victory be thy glorie the fall of our foes the aduauncement of thy Gospel the preseruation of our liues the amendment of our wicked liues hereafter that in life and death we may be thine and glorifie thée our rocke our defence only God of trust euen all the dayes of our life That after our short and vncertaine course here belowe spent in thy seruice and feare wée may at last depart in peace from this vale of miserie to thy kingdom of glorie there to raigne with thée for euer and to be satiate with the fulnesse of thy glorie in the heauens for euermore and that by thy alone merite and in the only mediation of Iesus Christ our sole sufficient Saniour to whome O Father of lightes together with thee and the Holy Ghost three distinct in person one onlye true eternall and euerliuing God be immortall praise glorie power dominion and maiestie both now and for euer Amen FINIS LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe for Edward Aggas 1589.