any blood Secondly the nature of it is to crie for vengeance in the eares of God Gen. 4. 10. as the Lord saide to Cain and therefore I thinke verily there will come a day that our recusants which are the ofspring of many bloodie persecutours shall haue the blood of the Lords saints reuenged vpon them But if the blood of saints shall be so reuenged then much more shall the blood of Christ Heb. 10. 29. There are only two kinds of people vpon whom the Lord wil bring the blood of his son the Iewes whom we see scattered ouer all the world being accounted a verie miserable and forlorne people the other are the contemners of the Gospell which make no account to be saued thereby who are in a maner as guiltie of the death of Christ as were the soldiers Iewes that nayled him on the crosse Wherfore God will not forget how they tread vnder their feete his pretious blood Againe let vs take occasion to praise the Lord which letteth not the blood of his children be shed in vaine Deut. 32. 43. as he blesseth them that take reuenge vpon his enimies make them fall to the earth so he curseth thē that cause any of his seruants to com to their latter end Again by this verse we may note that the blood of the Lords saints is innocent 2. King 21. 16. whatsoeuer lawes of princes or decrees of men be laide to their charge yet this must stil comfort them that if they die for the Lords cause they are innocent and shall certainly receiue life eternall The reasons because thorough hatred and malice of the world are they deliuered Ioh. 17. 4 Secondly being the seruants of righteousnes they cannot bee iustly executed for the same Rom. 6. 18. Let vs bee heereby encouraged not to feare death 1. Pet. 2. 19. for if we die naturally we die happily and if we die violently we die innocently Againe let not any of vs that are Christians suffer for our euill doing 1. Pet. 4. 15. but rather let vs watch ouer our liues that no sinful danger of humane lawes doe euer ouertake vs. But Iudah shall dwell for euer and Ierusalem from generation to generation For I will clense their blood that I haue not clensed and the Lord shall dwell in Zion These verses containe the last promises of the Lord vnto his church grounded vpon the presence of God among them First for their perpetuitie Secondly for the declaration of their innocencie which hee noteth when he saith that he will clense their blood c. when as vpon the report of the iniuries receiued in the former verse he presently addeth that they shall dwell for euer we may note that the wrongs which good men in this life endure shall bee one meanes to forwarde their rest and glorification Psa 12. 5. For this is the fruit of our afflictions to perswade the Lord for our immortalitie for as when the Israelites cried in Egypt then the Lord brought them into Canaan so when wee crie for our wrongs we are readiest for heauen The reasons God euermore hath an eie to the afflicted Psal 9. 13. Secondly then are we most like to the sonne of God and when we are likest to him on earth wee are neerest to him in heauen Let vs so beare our afflictions and wrongs as if we were borne for them 1. Cor. 4 9. for we see they shall turne to our greater ioy But of this matter we haue spoke often I might also remember out of this verse when he saith that Iudah and Ierusalem shall dwell for euer hee meaneth not the citie Ierusalem for that is long agoe destroied but he meaneth that the Iewes shall neuer be vtterly destroied but many of them shal be saued in the world to come When he saith that he wil clense their blood that is hee will manifest to all the worlde that they were not iustly executed but vniustly murdered whereby we may see at length that the wicked whether they were wilfully blinded or ignorantly affected in persecuting good men yet they shall know and so shall other that they murdered them vniustly as the Iewes which shall see Christ whom they pearced Reuel 1. 7. Mat. 27. 3 4. for wilfull murders cannot be euerlastingly concealed and it is al one before God to steale by authoriti◠or without law to kill by law or without authority Lastly we may see when he saith he will dwell in Zion that the presence of God preserueth the church Reuel 1. 13. how can it euer perish when the Lord maintayneth it Surely sathan told Christ that he could not do amisse for the Angels watched about him and held him vp that at no time he should dash his foot against a stone If the helpe of Angels in the diuels conceit was so great to preserue Christ then much greater is the presence and hand of God to vphold his church Hee alone buildeth it that it fal not keepeth it that it fade not dresseth it that it may be holy preserueth it that it may be godly so that so long as the Lord endureth so long shall the church stand maugre the might of all the diuels in hell To the which God euerlasting immortall and onely wise the most glorious Trinitie the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost let vs render all praise ascribe all maiestie and giue our whole spirits soules and bodies that he may be glorified in vs and we be glorified in him Amen Amen FINIS Cassianus Ioseph de antiq lib. 12. Herod lib. 7. Sabel Enn. lib. 9. Enn. 5. Ioseph lib. 7. cap. 24. Stobaeus ser 96 Fulg. lib. 1. 2. Cypr. aduers Demetr Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 7. cap. 11. Sab. lib. 4. Ennead 6. Plutarch Boeth lib. 8. Eurip. Plut. de amore Duditius de cometis The time of this prophesie The scope of this labour The diuision of this prophesie Cap. 1. vers 1. The prophets sermons are the Lordes owne words Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. If God did not send his word none would aske for it Reas 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 Men preferred before angels in the preaching of the word Reas 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 The ministers must call on the people to heare Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 The greatest men should be the greatest professors Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. a Principes cum ad limen delubri veniunt proinde sunt atque priuati 2 None must liue in the Church vnlesse they outwardly bee subiect to the Gospell Reason 1. 2 Vser 2 God his works must be perpetually remembred Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 We must tell our children what God hath done in our daies Reason 1. 2 Vse 1 2 Be carefull what we commit to posteritie Reason 1. No impiety but it will find some followers 2 Vse 1. 2 A speciall iudgement to increase hurtfull beastes Reason 1. 2 Vse 1. 2 Euery little beast can ouercome the welfare of man * Ecce me inquit qui vobis Deus videor
as he doth the Pismires and conies Prou. 30. 25. 26. Then he sheweth for the terrour of the people howe they are armed to destroy euen as lyons with their greedie iawes and sharpe teeth which teare in sunder whomsoeuer they meete neither shall they onely execute this malice vpon men but they shall take vengeance on the vines and figge trees stripping off the barke breaking downe the branches and deuour the fruit and the body togither From hence we may first of all note seeing he maketh these beastes infinite in number mightie in power and a nation for pollicie and vnitie that it is in vaine to resist the iudgements of God seeme they neuer so small What coulde bee more base then to threaten the Iewes which had so many cities so many castles so many corne fieldes so many store-houses and so many inhabitants to be destroied by a few grashoppers and caterpillers which a man may treade on the ground or phisicke or naturall meanes may driue away yet wee see in this place the spirite of God so dealeth and armeth them with sufficient power to dismay and deuoure all things Shall we nowe saie that anie iudgement of God is small and of no reckoning when hee can make the vnarmed wormes to wearie the harnished souldiours No verily for he hath set his iudgements some in the heauens some in the earth some in the aire and some in the waters that euery where we might be driuen from rebellion and drawne from disobedience We may see in the heauens sometimes darknesse who can remedie it we may feele in the earth barrennesse who can redresse it we may smel in the aire loathsomnes who can purge it and a little billowe of the waters can ouerwhelme vs who then can saue vs For this cause Salomon Prou. 27. 12. called him a foole that running against iudgement destroyed himselfe Oh saith he in sicknesse why should I repent I hope the physician can remedie this and so delaieth till it be too late If he be poore then saith he I will take of other mens goodes and they shall maintaine me and considereth not that the gallowes are at hand Nay that which is woorse they see the iudgements of God against idle teachers vnfruitfull hearers vncleane liuers and intolerable blasphemers and yet they cannot hide themselues from it Oh my deere brethren we haue many iudgements in our lande and how doe men resist them the husbandman by plowing the gentlemen by fining the rich men by gayning and almost euery one by vngodly flattering therefore I beseech you let vs no longer be hardened for we doe striue against the streame and bid warre against the almightie if there be any meanes to escape them it is by yeelding or else assuredly we shall neuer bee eased Let vs then set our harts at rest and neuer wage battell against the Euerlasting for he as we may reade Iob. 34. 20. and 29. 37. can easily without all might destroy the strongest catch the wisest ouerturne the swiftest and confound the noblest why doe we then take a contrarie course as Balaam did which the Lorde hath not hitherto blessed It is not in our labour to releeue vs or in the earth to redresse vs it is not in our repentance or submission but principally in the mercie of God to deliuer vs. Then I beseech and entreate by your morning and euening praier that our harts may be plowed and then shall our barnes and garners be filled Againe why should we delay to worke our owne reconciliation who is able to abide the angrie countenance of the Lord for the Psalmist saith If his wrath bee kindled but a little then blessed are they that trust in him Oh how infinite is his mercie towards vs which haue so long felt his iudgements and yet hath not his wrath beene kindled I may feare and all that haue any soules may feare that all this time the coles of our transgressions are in gathering together and shortly will the Lords wrath set them on fire and then who shall not bee burned This is euident that wee resist the iudgements of God because we seeke not a truce with him And therefore looke shortly to be serued as the Iewes were to haue our flies turned into lions our wormes into beastes our friendes into foes and these small euils which already we haue shall be growen vnsufferable The vses which arise from hence is first the same that Elihu Iobs friend maketh Iob. 37. 24. when he had reckoned vp the wonderfull iudgements and works of God he thus concludeth Let men therefore feare before him for he regardeth none that are wise in their owne conceites Wherein he teacheth vs that although the Lord worketh strangely in the world and yet forbeareth to destroy vs it is because that thereby we should learne to feare him for in the feare of God is all religion and assurance of saluation Dauid saith it is the beginning of wisedome Peter telleth vs it is the continuance of our adoption and Paul saith it is the ende of our profession when he biddeth vs to finish vp our saluation with feare and trembling Then my beloued let vs feare God for so the word of God exhorteth and the Lord commandeth and the worlde and course of nature teacheth Feare him not as a iudge for then thou shalt bee condemned feare him not as a seruant for then thou shalt be punished but feare him as a father and then thou shalt be deliuered But some waxe desperate through feeling of the Lords iudgements and others are hardened because they haue seene others taken and themselues escaped and in our times although we haue so many causes to feare him oh fearefull times wherein is so little feare we may feare this one thing least as it falleth out with a sicke man a little before his ende he hath a lightening of his paines so that he feeleth himselfe voide of pangs and then presently dieth so now hauing so little feare after so long feare we be suddenly destroied But some will say if wee knew that the Lorde had sent it and not appointed any meanes to redresse then we would rest contented and in the meane time we cannot choose but labour to be eased by some way or other I graunt if the Lord should sounde from heauen vnto you or send an angell to reprooue your rebellion then it is like you would giue ouer but why are you not contented to knowe this by his word that it is the punishing of your sinnes and till you doe away your sinnes he will not doe away his iudgements Well saide Elihu Iob. 33. 13 14. Why dost thou striue against God for he doth not giue account of all his matters for God speaketh once or twice and man seeth it not then he openeth the eares of men by their corrections which he had sealed that hee might turne them from their euill hide their pride and keepe their soule from the pit So long therefore as
worldly tortures to bring vs to death therewith he would bee contented but it is yet a more fearefull thing when we are subiect to all these and more also to leade an endlesse and easelesse life in the euer burning and neuer dying flames of hell The vses which wee must make of this doctrine are these first that wee learne to feare none of them that kill the body but onely him that is able to cast both bodie and soule into the fire of hell Mat. 10. 28. But I know euerie one will subscribe vnto me and say that they feare him aboue all when as this feare is such a weake dampe that it putteth not foorth any sinnes and it holdeth as much godlinesse in their harts as a sieue will holde water in the open aire Moses was afraide of a serpent and it made him run away what feare is this that possesseth our gospellers mindes that will not cause them to be as much afraide of the sting of sinne as Moses was of the sting of the serpent Ioseph saide for the feare of God he could not commit follie with his lady and if the feare of God had any rooting in your harts you could not leade such licentious liues as you doe The Israelites were afraide to sacrifice a sheepe in Egypt because it was abhomination to the Egyptians but you are not afraide to offer your filthy deadly and abhominable lustes to the Lord although they be abhomination to his maiestie yea although there bee an vnmeasurable iudgement hanging ouer your heads Therefore feare the Lord that must rule you and the iudge that must trie you and the sauiour that must keepe you or else you shall feele the deadly paine that shall torment you The poore woman that came before Salomon would rather depart with her childe to her neighbour then suffer it to be diuided in sunder but how much more deere it is to haue your soules cut in sunder feare you not this Therefore with all speede looke vnto the Lorde as humbly as petitioners pray vnto him as mournfully as prisoners tremble at him as fearfully as the hill of Sinai fall downe before him as lowe as Daniel melt at his anger as the waxe before the sunne Another vse is that we alway keepe our confidence in the Lord for if his wrath be but a little kindled then are they blessed that put their trust in him Psal 2. 11. Balaam feared God yet because his faith and confidence was not in the Lord he was slaine among the other enimies of God therefore let me now take occasion to exhort all your harts to a sure confidence in the Lorde because his wrath shall neuer touch those which put their trust in him It is saide Psal 99. 4. that Moses and Aaron and Samuel put their trust in God and he deliuered them This was such a trust as was exercised with all Christian vertues the which you must ioyne with them or else you cannot enioy it Forsake your selues imbrace the Lord loue not the worlde and desire Christes kingdome and then you trust in the Lorde confirme your harts with patience beautifie your minds with knowledge reforme your affections by repentance and amende your liues by the whole Gospell of God and then shall the Lord say you haue trusted in him Oh then blessed shall you be for although the world be drowned you shall bee saued although the citie be burned you shall bee deliuered although the people be captiuated you shall be enlarged and although the earth be cursed yet you shall be blessed If sicknesse weare thy body and anguish vexe thy soule and trouble oppresse thy life and losses catch away thy goodes and enimies spoile thy children and death doe ende thy daies yet shall not the wrath of God consume thy ioyes What wouldest thou haue more if God hate thee not hee loueth thee if hee loue thee he will keepe thee if he keepe thee danger shall not oppresse thee if thou be not oppressed then art thou blessed and if thou be blessed be sure thou shalt be saued The xiiij Sermon Vers 16. And ioy and gladnesse is cut off from the house of our God COncerning the former words of this verse we haue spoken in the verse before and now to the next following where the prophet telleth them or rather the Lord that now men could take no delight nor ioy in the outward seruice of his maiestie which was a most lamentable thing when one should come into the house of God where was woont to be most sweete melodie in the harts and voices of men like vnto another paradise now he should finde it full of teares and cries and yelling and sorrowes and euery one ashamed to shewe his face for griefe this doth the prophet offer to the consideration of God Whereby we will note this that the seruice of God must be performed with ioy and delight Deut. 16. 11. I meane the ordinarie seruice and worship of God But in our daies we may almost complaine as this prophet doth that ioy is parted from the house of our God men come almost as willingly to the churches as some goe to execution and tarrie as ioyfully before the preacher to heare the sermon as other doe before the iudge to heare the sentence When we are at our praier they are at their books when we are at our preaching they are at their sleepe when we are at our psalmes they are in the tauernes Maruell you not to see the ioy of these men in the worship of God vnto whome the church is a iaile the minister is a keeper the Lord is a iudge themselues are the prisoners and their zeales are as ioyfull to them as little ease yet for all this we will reioice in the Lorde our God and account one day spent in his courtes better then a thousande spent else where And as Dauid reioyced to see other men goe so will we reioice when our number is increased when our voices are aduaunced and our Lord Iesus magnified The reasons of this doctrine are these first because this ioy in the seruice of God is a token of the presence of God his spirite in the harts of men Rom. 14. 17. so on the other side when men are lumpish and heauie in this worship and heauenly businesse it is a token they like not the matter but are hindered and blinded by the spirit of malice Shall we then say that they are all giuen to the diuell who haue not beene baptised into the Lords spirit and possessed with a delight in the Lordes seruice then must wee say that all hard harted misers wicked minded ruffians fickle brained yoonglings and wind-wauering women which had rather be playing with their loues or their children or else be disporting in brauerie and wantonnesse or bee mumbling a few Paternosters of old angels or new stuffed barnes then yeeld their eares their hart their soule their minde and their whole man to the Lordes most
needefull and blessed businesse oh wretched men thus possessed by those that rather ought to be possessed by them Another reason is because this delight in this worke is the very ende and fruite of the gospell 1. Iohn 1. 4. My brethren saith Iohn I write vnto you that your ioy may be full that is that you may reioice in all things as in meate for there is the Lords hand in apparell for there is his prouidence in health for there is his goodnesse in sicknesse for there is his mercie in your houses for they are his tabernacles and in his church for there is his seruice A pagan a heathen an infidell a Iew a papist or any other enimie of Christ can come to our assemblies and with a minde readie to vomite vp whatsoeuer they heare attende to their greefe what is there done as many among vs doe and yet be neuer the better therefore bee you better then these and let your righteousnesses exceede theirs or else you shall neuer reioice in his euerlasting kingdome The vses which come of this doctrine are these first that whatsoeuer we doe in the Lords house let vs do it cheerefully of an vpright and peaceable minde that we say of our selues as Dauid and Christ of them Psal 69. 9. The zeale of thy house hath eaten mee vp so of zeale let vs doe euery thing that wee doe for as reason must measure all matters in humane and worldly affaires so must zeale season all things in spirituall and diuine matters Zeale is like the loue of Iacob to Rahel it thinketh no frost too cold nor any raine too dangerous nor any snowe too great nor any heate so vehement nor any sunne so parching but he endureth it for the loue of a woman What shall Iacob loue a faire face better then a Christian loues a glorious Sauiour oh no no but let our loue be deerer then the loue of a woman and let vs all say and that all with Marie the mother of Christ My soule reioiceth in God my Sauiour But oh where and of whome shall I complaine that haue not beene eaten vp with zeale no nor bitten therewith or that which is lesse it hath not licked their soules nor kissed their liues that is they haue neither beene iealous nor zealous for the Lorde of hostes sake for themselues they care not what God is for other they care not what their soules bee and for all they care not what hell shall be they are not earnestly righteous nor obstinately wicked but openly indifferent and that is no body in religion they mourne not when other sorrow they reioice not when other laugh they stirre not when other are mooued and they feele not when other are afflicted How zealous I beseech you are they when they haue beene colde in the heate of the day and neuer sweate one drop in the worke of Christ or wept one teare in the cause of Christ Another vse is this that seeing we must be carefull to worship God with ioy let vs then pray for the peace of the church whereby there may be no mourning within our pallaces Psal 122. 6. I graunt our sacrifices to God are as acceptable when our reioicing is banished in any common aduersitie when wee humble our selues by praier and fasting as when in times of greater prosperitie and securitie we are lifted vp with thankesgiuing yet this is better for the church and equall to the Lord. Therefore let vs most carefully commend Ierusalems peace and euerie member thereof to the Lords tuition pray for it with an earnest desire I say to obtaine and an vnwearied labour till thou hast atchieued To abate but Dauids thirst three of his men aduentured their liues being but onely to satisfie the kings minde who was Dauid but a member of the church and therefore if they would doe so much for one let vs doe more for all the church together that her thirst may be satified and her ease be procured Oh therefore how happie is our age wherein we liue for the church hath peace abundantly and our basest things are become very honourable the blood which other haue shed for the same doe we enioy and they by filthie prisons haue purchased for vs most pleasant houses O England be not wearie of thy well doing least the Lord be wearie of thee be not vnthankfull for thy peace least the bond there of be strooke in sunder be not proud of thy benefites least thou be stripped of thy ornaments be not secure in thy glorie least thou be stirred vp to greater labour but pray the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter the lorde with the seruant the mistresse with the maide the maister with the familie the rich with the poore and men with women and little children peace be within our wals and prosperitie within our dwellings The seede is rotten vnder the clods the garners are destroied the barnes are broken downe for the corne is withered It seemeth that these men being somewhat touched with want one â—eere yet they comforted vp themselues with their husbandrie and tillage thinking the next yeere woulde make amends for all like as we haue seene in our lande these times of dearth for men haue yeere by yeere sowed and plowed loosing both seede and crop notwithstanding all their labour as these husbandmen here doe thinking that whether God will or not they will make things cheaper and plentie againe but all is in vaine For if they sowe it rotteth in the ground if they keepe the houses fall vpon it if they eate they spende their store and if they spende then will shortly their liues be ended By these wordes we may obserue that it is in vaine by any naturall meanes to seeke to doe away the Lords hande Hag. 1. 6. The people of Israel being in some perplexitie they sowed and eared and planted and laboured to bee releeued but alas the prophet telleth them that he wasted their seede he bloweth on their store and the labourer putteth his wages into a broken bagge What had hee no pittie on the poore labouring man that worketh for a groate or sixe pence a day but hee must consume that also yea verily for the Lorde must bee serued as well by the poore countrie man as the rich citizen and therefore curseth as well the gettings of the one as the gaines of the other But what shall I say vnto you shall I bid you not till the earth or not sowe your corne no verily but plow vp your harts and cast in the seede of regeneration and then plow vp your land and cast in your seede of sustentation How shal the corne grow in your fields when vertue will not growe in your soules Therefore labour not in vaine it is not in all our plowing or planting or sowing or reaping or working to helpe our selues but in the Lords blessings who will then blesse the earth when we haue washed away the curse of our
Againe let rich men especially looke to themselues Iam. 5. 1. for they for the most part esteeme more of gaine then of grace and of a great gentleman though he be an infidell then of a poore and true member of Christ Let them remember how fewe good rich men are named in the Scriptures and let them alway set before their eies that most dreadful saying of our Sauior It is easier for agable to goe thorough the eie of a needle then for a rich man to enter into heauen Let them bee liberall to good vses courteous to euery christian sparing in all expenses humble in all authoritie not gorgeous but clothed with Christ not couetous but open handed not ambitious but content with their place and not infidels but as farre exceede other in faith as they doe in wealth He shall giue you the first raine In those countries they had ordinarily two raines in the yeere especially desired wherof the first was most acceptable when they first sowed their seede and the latter raine was in the spring of the yeere which is here called the first moneth answering in some part to our March and Aprill because the world was made as it were in the spring of the yere But in this that the Prophet promiseth them the first and the latter raine we must obserue that it is the Lord that ruleth the cloudes giuing al seasonable and vnseasonable weather 1. King 18. 1. The reasons are bicause he will onely be knowen to blesse the workes of our hands Deut. 28. 1. Againe it is onely hee which decketh the heauens with clouds Psal 147. 8. Let vs therefore learne to feare the Lord by the consideration of raine Ierem. 5. 24. for hee reserueth for vs the appointed weeks for haruest Me thinkes that euerie creature of God do so admonish vs of our duetie that not so much as the little drops of raine but they teach vs to feare him Oh that our soules could so thirst for the mercie of God as the earth thirsteth for the water drops or the grace of God might so fall from heauen on our hearts as the raine doth issue from the cloudes on the ploughed land Againe let vs seeke for the testimonie of the Lords fauour towards vs in them Act. 14. 17. the Apostle sheweth the raine of the clouds the spring of the earth and the encrease of temporal things to be a sufficient meanes for the old world to haue searched for and found out God but yet they did not search into it and so is it now a good meanes for many ignorant soules to leade them to God at the first if they consider the world continueth the grasse groweth the corne increaseth the raine falleth down from heauē that by these as it were by the crosse-row of letters they might com to greater knowledge in religion When he saith that their barnes shall be full of wheat and their presses shall abound with oyle and wine he noteth thereby that their decaied houses shall be builded againe and their full ioy restored And also that if God do once begin to do good to his people hee neuer thinketh any thing too much that is bestowed on them if they be repentant The xxix Sermon Vers 25. And I will render vnto you the yeeres that the grashopper hath eaten the caterpiller and canker-woorme and palmer-woorme my great hoste which I sent among you NOw he toucheth the restitution of their goods lost in famine telling them that all their former yeeres deuoured by the beasts shall bee restored againe By which we may note a woonderful example of the Lords kindnes that he wil giue to the repentant whatsoeuer they haue lost in trouble It were enough for him yea more then he oweth vs if he did onely ease our miserie yet is he not contented therewith but giueth vs as much as we desire and beyond our desires as much as we lost so he dealt with Iob. cap. 42. 10. giuing him a thousand for fiue hundred sixe for three fourteene for seuen The first reason because he would haue none to be like him in mercie and liberalitie Mich. 7. 18. Secondly that the wicked may note a difference betwixt the iust and the vniust Mal. 3. 18. therefore let not any thing in the worlde hinder thy conuersion Ierem. 7. 14. for thy sinnes shall bee chaunged into much holines thy pouertie into great wealth thy sorrow into double ioy and thy short life into twise so many daies If thou hadst little ease now it shall be more or little peace it shall be increased or little grace it shall bee augmented or little ioy it shall be multiplied and thus will God take away curse and change it into blessing and turne our punishment into pardon Againe let vs hereby be instructed that there shall neuer be any hinderance to the ioy of the Lords saints Isa 40. 2 3. the crooked shal be made straight the high shall be made low the low shall be made high the weake shall be made strong the sicke shall be made whole the lame shall be made wel limmed the sorrowfull heart shall bee reioysed and the contrite soule shall be glorified the great power of sathan shall not hinder the tyrannie of sinne shall not preuaile nor the space twixt heauen and earth shall keepe vs from ascending to ioies Oh come on my brethren with hope and comfort and bestow your labour in the word more cheerefully that our single sorrowes may receiue double ioyes So you shall eate and bee satisfied and praise the name of the Lorde your God that hath dealt maruellouslie with you and my people shall neuer bee ashamed Hauing signified vnto them their plentie nowe hee granteth vnto them the free and lawfull vse of euerie creature telling them they shoulde eate and drinke them and praise the name of God for them When hee saith They shall eate and bee satisfied we may note a great blessing of God vpon meate temperately receiued for it satisfieth vs meaning it nourisheth and maintaineth life Hag. 1. 6. but when it is riotously and gluttonously deuoured then men fall into sicknesse in steade of health into raging in stead of quietnesse and this is the very cause why our affraies and quarrels are begunne at tauernes and alehouses and at great idoll and glutton feastes bicause men receiue them not in moderation but in excesse The first reason bicause meate so taken giueth strength to the body 1. Sam. 1427. Ionathan tasted but a drop of hony and his wearied body was strengthened and his eies almost blinde recouered their sight Another reason because meate thus taken cheereth the hart of man Ruth 3. 7. Let vs therfore learn what a singular benefit it is to eat be satisfied with the labours of our owne hande Eccle. 5. 16. 17. for if the Lord should breath thereon then were our trauaile in the dust meate hath no life in it and yet it
continuall sight and remembrance then shal they not be forgotten or couered when the number shall be rehearsed And surely me thinkes that the conscience of this matter should mightily terrifie our natures from sin seeing that all our offences are continually in the Lords memorie Some thinke that because the time is long since they committed adulterie or sacriledge or theft or drunkennes or idolatrie now God hath forgotten it and it shall neuer more be laide to their charge But they must knowe that a thousande yeeres are with the Lorde as one day seeing that is past as a watch in the night and therfore the Lord doth as well remember their old committed sinnes as a watchman remembreth who came by him in the night their childish vanitie their youthful wantonnes their sinfull sporting their filthie resting their babish trifling and their merrie pastimes are fresh before the Lord 1. Sam. 15. 1 2 3. The Lord telleth Samuel that he remembreth what Amalek did to Israell Exod. 17. how he was the first that bid them to battle after they came out of Egypt and therefore commandeth Saul to destroy them man woman and childe This was many hundred yeeres after the acte committed and the iniurie offered yet God thinketh vpon it although they had beene alreadie well punished for it And so doth he remember how thou hast oppressed the poore long ago how many acres thou hast encroched how many pounds thou hast gathered by vsurie how many mens cattle thou hast bought by extortion and finally how often in thy yonger dayes thou were negligent to sanctifie the sabbaoth If thy sinnes might fall from thy life as thy teeth in age doe fall from thy mouth thou were happie or if thy life could be chaunged into holines as thy old yeeres turne thy blacke haire into whitenes blessed were thou but alas thy strength faileth thy beautie fadeth thy life weareth thy hand weakeneth thy blood dryeth thy head chaungeth and thy whole bodie stoopeth to the earth yet thy wickednes remaineth vntouched and vnblasted as the Iuie which is thickest and greenest when it hath killed and withered the great oake The vse which commeth of this doctrine is the same that the most wise preacher that euer was taught vs Eccles 12. 13. That seeing God woulde bring euery secret worke into iudgement therefore feare him and keepe his commaundements Howe many waies wee are taught to feare the Lorde appeereth in the former sermons and therefore it were needlesse to vrge this exhortation any farther in this place But if we consider that if it be such a shame to endure the speeches of friendes and enemies in this life for the faultes we haue committed how much more ought wee to blush before the Lord with all the angels of heauen and all the men that euer were are or shall be in the world when at the latter day our faultes shall bee opened when euery one shall hisse at our filthinesse and laugh at our wickednesse Oh confesse thy selfe to a fewe in this world rather then deferre to bee reuealed before all in the ende of the world Thinke not that thy owne estate will be any thing more tolerable because all other men shall haue their faultes also ripped vp and repeated for the more the worse a Iudge will bee more easily entreated for one then for twentie and therefore God will be lesse partiall because so many shall be found guiltie feare not shame but death abstaine not from sinne for the worldes sake but for the Lords sake and let not other mens voices more appalle thee then the sentence of God It hath beene heretofore and shall be hereafter more manifestly shewed that God doth no more spare a multitude then a man or many then one and therefore neuer flatter thy selfe in the matter but onely vse the time and these admonitions that God may forget thy sinnes and then they shall bee forgiuen thee and if they bee forgiuen they shall not bee opened but silenced at the latter day For although we shall then heare of the murder that Cain did of the mocking that Ismael did of the filthinesse that Er and Onan did of the rebellion of Absolon and the treason of Iudas yet wee shall not heare of Noahs drunkennesse or Lots incest or Iosephs oath or Moses vnfaithfulnesse or Dauids adulterie or Peters deniall or of any of the faultes of the elect for their sinnes shall remaine in the graue when their bodies are raised vp to the ioy of another life The xxxiiij Sermon FOr my people In these words we may obserue that God will iudge the world for the iniuries done to his church and for nothing more Psal 9. 17. for hee will then open the counsels thou hast conceiued against the godly how many stripes thou hast giuen them how many times thou hast reuiled them how many waies thou hast oppressed them how often thou hast imprisoned them and how many thou hast murdered of them He will aske thy poore neighbour howe thou didst releeue him howe often thou didst lend him how much vsurie thou tookest of him how many times thou didst harbour him and with what affection of hart thou didst embrace him I graunt that he will open thy other sinnes and condemne thee for them but yet the speciall cause why he sitteth in iudgement at the latter day with all the world before him is that he may make inquisition for the blood of his saints and iustifie his children whom the world condemned The reasons are First because he is the life of the faithfull Col. 3. 4. Secondly because this doth shew his righteousnes 2. Thess 1. 6 7. when he doth acquite the faultlesse and condemne the guiltie The vses which wee may make thereof are these First that wee neuer grieue any of the saints of God Psal 105. 15. when Iehu was to kill all the prophets of Baal he bad them search diligently for the seruants of God and be sure that there were not one among them to be hurt This care ought men to haue of the least and basest in the church that they prouoke them not to complaine vpon them to the Lord for surely if the poorest member of Christ that liueth among vs doe iustly complaine of the greatest Lord and potentate of the world vnto the God of heauen it were better for that Lord that a milstone were tyed about his necke and he were cast into the sea Againe seeing it is so dangerous to offer any violence to any of the Lords children let vs abide in the Lord Iesus Ioh. 2. 28. and then will he reuenge our cause for hee cannot forget his owne stripes and for his sake are we buffeted disdained and mocked and reuiled persecuted martyred and therefore by him shall we be defended reuenged vpō them If we be of the Lords body we cannot hurt the Lords members therfore they which persecute the church speak euil of the poore are none of the