the people of my wrath to take the spoyle and to take the pray and to treade them vnder feet like the mire in the streetes Ieremie 25.9 Beholde I will send and take to mee all the families of the North sayth the Lord Nabuchadnezzar the king of Babel my seruant and will bring them against this land and against the inhabitants thereof and against all these Nations round about and will destroy them and make them an astonishment and an hissing and a continuall desolation Exodus 1.13 Wherefore the Egyptians by crueltie caused the children of Israel to serue verse 14. Thus they made them wearie of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke and in all works in the fielde with all manner of bondage which they layde vpon them most cruelly Examples of their cruelties are many in all ages The Reason is because first they wil not do that worke of God negligently and so shall wee bee the more afflicted with it and the better humbled Secondly God wil thereby kéepe his people from familiaritie with the wicked Thirdly that his loue to vs may the better appeare in burning the rod vpon our repentance Vse The vse is to teach vs first that it is the lot of the godly to be punished by the wicked so was Christ so were the Apostles and Prophets then let vs looke for it and not murmur at it nor shrinke from the truth of it Secondly that sinne is a most vglie thing in Gods sight that causeth him to deale so seuerely with his dearest children Thirdly that we take héede of béeing in league with the wicked for they are our enemies and must scourge vs. If men do hate vs and despise vs let it put vs in mind that wée haue not loued our GOD and therefore it is good reason that wee should receiue such reward of hatred vpon our heads God then entendeth to trie our lowlinesse and patience in this behalfe by our méeke receiuing of the iniuries that men do to vs without stomaking thē For this delicate bringing vs vp in ease without enemies at our pleasures causeth vs to bee impatient so as wee cannot beare any thing so as if a man do but passe by vs with a frowning countenance it gréeueth vs yea it is such a corosiue vnto vs that wee know not which way to turne vs. Then if the Lord our God inure vs to the suffering of enmities wrongs and reproches let vs learne that therein hee procureth our welfare and profite to the intent that wee should be all whole and sound as they say And this is the cause that S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 6.7 that it behooueth vs to bee armed on both sides that wee may passe through enmitie shame and reproch as through amitie glorie and honour If men hate and detest vs let vs neuerthelesse take all patiently considering that we haue heretofore not walked in the wayes of God although that now wee doe For this is a most true saying and worthie of al men to bee receiued and learned that no affliction commeth vpon vs but for our sinnes and if he now afflict vs and we walke in his wayes hee doth it that wee may not bee ouercome of the same séeing hee nowe giueth vs power to beare it And thereupon it behooueth euerie one of vs to bethinke himselfe aduisedly and as soone as any man shall hate and persecute any of vs we must learn to acknowledge that God putteth vs in minde to make our owne accusation Euen the heathē Philosophers would say that our deadly enemies doe many times profite vs more then our friends Wherefore Our friendes beare with vs oftentimes which causeth vs to féed our owne vices For although their intent bée not to flatter vs yet notwithstanding the gentlenesse or rather the crueltie that they vse in bearing with vs is a cause that wée thinke not vpon our imperfections to amende them But our enemies doe praye vpon vs and séeke all the meanes that may bee to lay open all the faults that are in vs. Therefore when any man hateth or findeth fault with vs it behooueth vs to thinke thus I sée that God here citeth mée to make mine owne proces and to accuse my selfe that I may bee mine owne Iudge to condemne my selfe that by so doing my shame may be couered and buried And if wee know that such as hate vs haue cause so to doe although they doe it of malice yet notwithstanding lette vs not replie to say that this man is ledde by Sathan to reuenge although it bee true lette vs not looke on any such things but let vs pleade guiltie and pray vnto GOD in the name of Iesus Christ to blot out all our offences to the end wée may bee quitte both before GOD and the world Yea although wee know not any reason why our enemies should hate vs in that behalfe yet let vs acknowledge that although we bee not guiltie in that poynt whereof wee are blamed yet haue wee many other vices whereof wee are guiltie but our good God spareth vs and will not haue them come to the knowledge of men If it pleased him to stirre abroad all our filthinesse what a stinke would there be Let vs consider that by that meanes God intēdeth to set secretly before our eies the sinne which wee would haue cast behind our backs and that is to make vs to hate the euill that is in vs without any flattering of our selues If men do blame vs for executing of our offices and duties faithfully for following Gods word zealously and sincerely lette vs assure our selues that Gods will is that our receiuing of such a reward shall bee to the end that wee should looke for a better at his hand And if wee sée no cause at all but are vtterly abashed in our selues let vs not therefore cease to say O Lord thou art righteous whatsoeuer come of it And herewithall let vs endeuour to profite our selues by all the chastisements which God sendeth vs from day to day and let vs vnderstand that therby God intendeth to fashiō vs to praise and glorifie him euen when wee sée good men hated and persecuted For as euerie one of vs ought to bee patient and by his patience to praise God for all things that hee suffereth so also must we not blame him but rather as Dauid here doth pray vnto him when we sée him suffer good men to bee hated and persecuted wherefore lette vs not bée too much grieued when wee sée them so hardly vsed Wée sée Dauids estate he was a patterne of al holinesse a man after Gods owne heart and yet notwithstanding we sée him in such misery by the hatred of his enemies that he seemeth to bee vtterly past recouerie Can we blame God in this behalfe Nay rather when wée sée such afflictions come vpon others or our selues lette vs humble our selues And although the reason why God doth so be not apparant vnto vs yet notwithstanding let vs assure
For they cast downe euery man his rodde they were turned into serpents but Aarons rodde deuoured their rodde Exod. 8.7 And the sorcerers also did likewise with their sorceries and brought frogs vpon the land of Egypt And of this sort was Simon Magus of Samaria of whome Luke in the 8. chapter of the Acts recordeth And of this sort are all Enchanters Coniurers which vse the seruice and worke of the Deuil to bring their matters to passe and as many as vnder the pretence of Religiō with false doctrine deceyue the mindes of men that the truth they cannot sée nor discerne or that by vnlawfull meanes apply and minister their medicines and Phisicke whyle they vse Exorcismes or do hang about the necks of the sicke enchaunted hearbes or rootes or any other thing of the like sort August de Doctrina Christiana lib. 2. cap. 20. This beastly superstition the wisest of the heathen did as it appéereth greatly dislike and abhorre Theophrastus as Plutarch writeth noted Pericles who being sicke shewed vnto a friend of his who came to visite him certaine enchantments which by certaine women were tied about his necke and by that he iudged him to be of as badde a mind as a man could be seing that such madnesse he regarded Yet at this day such as vse manifest impiety and such as abuse the sacred name of God in their deuilish sorceries among Christians O lamentable are suffered vnpunished The other sort are called Megnonenim whom we call Diuiners The Etimon of the word is of diuers significations among the Hebrues Some deriue the word of Gnanah to answere to speake to testifie Isa 3.9.26.5 Deuter. 19.18 And this they thinke they are called because beyng asked they giue answeres as Apollos Interpreters vsed to do Some deduce the roote thereof of Gnanan a clowde Ezech. 1.4 who are so called because they prophesie of things to come by the celestiall influences or by the positions or situations of the Starres Some called them so of the roote Gnanah which signifieth a determinate appointed time Wherupon they are called Gnonemin which make computations of tymes and houres and of certaine signes do gather what at sometime can be begunne when euent of things as they say shall be Notwithstanding herein they all agrée that the Prophet speaketh of Diuiners which curiously enquire to know things both secret and to come by exercising curious and vnlawfull Artes. Vayne curiositie and heady rashnesse haue found out many artes of prophecyings whose names argue the vanity and incredible boldnesse of mans witte Of which sort are Necromātia Necromantia which is Diuination by calling of Spirites Hydromantia Hydromantia Diuination by calling Spirites out of the waters Pyromāiia Pyromantia Diuination by fire Coscinomantia Coscinomantia Diuination made by a siue Geomantia Geomantia working in sorcery by circles and prickes in the earth Cataptromantia Cataptromantia Diuination which is made by a glasse and diuers others which are so called by the instruments that they vse Aruspices Of this sort are Bowelgazers to foretell things to come Exorcists whom the Deuill doth easily draw to be ministers of his impiety whereby he may the more easily draw men away from God and his holy word And although these Artes were in a manner odious among the wise and studious yet they gaue themselues many of them to the studie of Astrologie whereby they by the starres foretelling things to come got vnto themselues a great name to be accompted wisemen But let vs obserue and marke that these artes are of that sort that if wée vse them they will hinder vs for entering into the kingdome of heauen Leuiticus 20.6 If any turne after such as worke with Spirites and after soothsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people Leuit. 19.26 You shall not vse witchcraft nor obserue times Leuit. 19.31 Yee shall not regard them that worke with Spirites neyther Soothsayers yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by thē I am the Lord your God Deut. 18.9 When thou shalt come into the land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee thou shalt not learne to do after the abominations of those nations verse 10. Let none bee found among you that maketh his sonne or his daughters to goe through the fire or that vseth witchcraft or a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of fowles or a Sorcerer verse 11. Or a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a soothsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead verse 12. For all that doe such things are abomination to the Lord and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee The causes of Gods seuerity against such great and gréeuous sinners are waighty For first it is an inexcusable rashnes and presumption to search out the knowledge of those things which the Lord will not haue to be knowen This rash presumption is condemned by our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the Acts 1.7 when he answered to his Disciples asking him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel And hee said vnto them It is not for you to know the time or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Secondly it derogateth from the goodnesse and glorie of God as though that the Lord had not faithfully taught all things in the sacred Scriptures which were necessarie to be knowne of vs. Thirdly it taketh from Christ that honour which is due to him which of God is giuen a Doctor and teacher vnto vs and in whome all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hidde as Paul teacheth To conclude therefore this poynt let vs not séeke vnto them but vnto our God in our afflictions then will he help vs and deliuer vs out of our miseries for hee is a God of power and therefore is able a God of mercie and therefore is willing to deliuer vs out of trouble for as a father hath pitie vpon his children so is the Lord merciful to those that trust in him The ninth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme verses 19 20. 19. Behold mine enemies for they are many and they hate mee with cruell hatred The sence is O Lord my God although I haue bin thy seruant yet sathan hath raised vp many aduersaries mortall enemies against mee who deadly cruelly and most tyrannously detest and hate mee so that except thou be good and gratious vnto mee to protect and defend me I shall surely perish Doct. 1 1. Doct. God is accustomed to whip his childrē for their sinnes by the multitude of Infidels that hate the truth Isai 10.5 O Asshur saith the Lord by the Prophet the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignation verse 6. I will send him to a dissembling nation and I will giue him a charge against
part of the first Sermon TWo branches a Consolation an Imprecation Doct. 1 1. Doct. God preserueth from shame al that hope in him The Reason is Because he hath promised so to do Psal 91.14 Because he hath loued me therefore will I deliuer him Secondly he hath alwaies in greatest extremities deliuered his people Psal 22.4 Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted and thou diddest deliuer them verse 5. They called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded The vse is That as wée beléeue the promises of God in generall so we must beléeue them to appertaine to our selues especially otherwise our hope and faith differeth not from the hope and faith of the Diuels for they beléeue and tremble Doct. 2 2. Doct. God confoundeth often in this life Cain Babilo Philistiās Egiptiās Haman Daniels Sydracs Misachs and Abednagoes enemies alwaies without true conuersion to God in the life to come all those that by persecuting the godly without cause do transgresse his lawes The Reason is That by persecuting them they persecute Christ himselfe Act. 9.4 And Saul fell to the earth and heard a voyce saying vnto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee verse 5. And hee said Who art thou Lorde And the Lord said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kicke against prickes Zachar. 2.8 Hee that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Vse The vse is First to walke in the feare of God and as members of the body of Christ séeing he hath so great care of vs. Vse The 2. vse Not to be discouraged although our afflictions by the wicked are long in the end hée will burne the rodde Vse The 3. vse is Let vs pray to God to endue vs with his spirite rather to be persecuted then to persecute the mēbers of Christ séeing their end is so miserable Iob 5.3 I haue seene the foolish wel rooted and sodainly I cursed his habitation saying vers 4. His children shal be farre from saluation and they shal be destroied in the gate and none shal deliuer them vers 5. The hungry shall eate vp his haruest yea they shall take it from among the thornes and the thirsty shall drinke vp their substance * Simil. Like as a tree thoroughly well setled and deepely rooted standeth fast although it be shaken with wind euē so it seemeth that after God hath once planted the wicked their raigne is for euer But forasmuch as oftentimes the kickers against GOD do prosper and are well at their ease here is mention made of their estate notwithstanding that men estéeme them happy to the worldward Eliphas saith that when hée saw a foolish man in prosperity he iudged not as men commonly doe which is This man is happy he is blessed of GOD but knew by and by that the end of him shal be euill and that hée shall be punished euen in his ofspring God doth oftentimes vtter such kind of sayings to turne vs frō the false opinion which we may conceyue when we see them not punished out of hand that runne into such excesse of wickednes but rather to our séeming are fauoured of God I know what the common opinion is for we estéeme of things as they may be séene by the eye our mind wadeth no further If God lift vp his hand and execute any Iustice that may be séene scarcely will men vouchsafe to regard it But if he winke at thinges and tarry patiently for the sinners wée thinke him to be asléepe and that he gouerneth not the world but letteth all thinges goe at randome without any minde to remedy them Sée how blockish we be But God sheweth vs that the wicked persecutors cease not to bée cursed euen in the middest of their prosperity that we néed not to spite them for their happy successe as they terme it For they must be doubly punished so that it were farre better for them that they were miserable because they shall pay ouer-déere for their pleasures And behold also why I said that it behoueth vs to marke well these sentēces both of my text which is They shal be confoūded that without cause persecute the Saincts of God as also I haue seene the foolish well rooted and immediatly or sodainly I cursed his habitation Because both containe a profitable lesson and because the Prophet Dauid in this his prayer to God saith Let them be confounded that transgresse without a cause In which wordes he cursed his persecutors not so much for that they were his enemies but in persecuting him they foolishly kicked against the prickes that is against Christ himselfe And Eliphaz calleth thē Fooles that are wicked though they haue taken roote and presently He hath cursed his habitation which both are to be vnderstood in one sence I purpose God willing the longer to persist in this necessarie point both to consider in what sence the wicked persecutours although flourishing in this world for a time may be said to be fooles as also how cursing of them may not disagrée to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Blesse Math. 5. I say and curse not For the first That we may the better profite our selues by the doctrine herein contayned First it behooueth vs to note that this word Foole is here Iere. 5. Mat. 23. Gal. 3.1 and in diuers other places of the sacred Scriptures put for those that in their prosperity and persecuting regard not GOD. For although the world accompteth them wise mē which can skill well to deale for their owne profite and can shift their matters cunningly as they say the holy Scriptures tell vs there is none other wisdome then the feare of the Lord. Then if wée lift vp our soules and cast vp our eyes fast fixed on GOD in the heauens so as wée direct our lyfe according to his will and put our whole trust in him as Dauid in this and diuers other Psalmes diuersly protested hée did to haue by Prayer recourse to him for succour behold the same is our true wisedome And here wée sée why Saint Paul saith that such as are learned in the Gospell are perfectly wise Col. 1.28 Whome that is Christ Iesus wee preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that wee may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus Therefore the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ our Sauiour is called wisedome for that there we find how to order our whole lyfe without missing or erring Although then that men bée full of subtilty and fine conueyance and suppose themselues to be very wise yet must wée holde vs to that which the Scriptures teach vs how it is in euery whit of it but folly and vanity for for their folly in persecuting the Saincts without cause they shal be confounded séeing that the feare of GOD is not in them I haue saith Eliphaz seene the Foole taking roote and immediatly I haue cursed his house Whereas hée speaketh of taking
that wée need not but in necessity to call vpon God No Then should we be too rechles if wée should not call vpon him but constraynedly Therefore it behoueth vs to call vpon him at all times as more largely shall be shewed Yet the Lord prouoketh vs by his whippes and in so doing he correcteth our slouthfulnes and quickneth vs to come vnto him It is expresly said that that is the time to call vpon him and that that is the due and very conuenient season as in the Psalm 32.6 Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his praier vnto thee in a time when thou maiest be found surely in a floud of great waters they shall not come neere him In the time that is when aduersity presseth them Not that we haue not occasiō to do so cōtinually but our occasiō then is greater thē at any other time of prosperity And hereby we are taught that whē soeuer pouerty pincheth vs persecution afflicteth vs to the vttermost so that we can endure no more let vs not faint but rather be encouraged to come to our gracious God louing father knowing that not onely by his worke but by his word he allureth vs that as a louing mother when shée seeth that her child cannot stand but by meanes of his weakenes is ready to fall flat to the ground reacheth out her kind hand to stay him from falling euen so our good gracious father doth not only reach vs his merciful hād willeth vs to take it but also as it were by force draweth vs by reason of our great sluggishnes wée haue to come to him Also here withall let vs vnderstand the fruit of our faith what it is This it is In al our aduersities we are happy all the curses that God turneth vpō mē for their sins are by the means thereof turned to our good profit when we pray vnto God haue our recourse to him Wherefore for in the middest of our troubles he sheweth himselfe our Sauiour and causeth vs to féele that he is néere at hand with vs. Let vs therefore with the good Prophet Dauid assure our selues if our féet be in the nets of our aduersaries if wée lift vp our eies and affections to God in our feruent prayers that he will when he seeth it fit in his wisedome deliuer vs out of them all for he neuer faileth them that trust in him Psal 25. verse 16. Turne thy face vnto me and haue mercy vpon mee for I am desolate and poore The 2. part of the 7. Sermon The sence thereof is SO great is the malice of mine enemies O Lord my GOD who like Bees compassing and like the fat Buls of Basan enclosing mée on euery side haue so greatly preuailed against mée that I am desolate without dwelling poore without possessing of such things as I in my calling stād in néed of wherby thou séemest as though thou regardest not thy seruant I humbly euen for the Messias thy déerely beloued sonne Iesus Christes sake beséech thée to shew thy louing countenance and care towards mée in extending thy mercies towards me in deliuering me from the handes of mine enemies by which meanes my dwelling shal be restored my pouerty redressed so shall I magnifie thy great mercies all the daies of my life Doct. 1 1. Doctr. God hideth his face from vs when he afflicteth vs eyther by our enemies or sicknes desolation pouerty imprisonment banishment persecution or the like when thinges séeme straunge vnto vs when wée know not the reason why hée worketh after that sort What is the face or countenance of God It is not a shape like vnto a mans visage which hath nose eies and mouth but the face of God is the fauour of God the care that he hath of his déere children the record that he giueth when we know his will God therefore sheweth vs his face when he telleth sheweth vs why hée doth this or that thing as wherfore he afflicteth his and spareth them that are none of his it is all one as if we saw him before our eies Therefore when God holdeth vs in ignorance of his will it is an hiding of his face from vs. Vse The Vse of this doctrine is Let vs marke that whensoeuer it shall please GOD to shew himselfe vnto vs it behoueth vs to know him and to consider his workes as hée teacheth vs them and to be attentiue to marke the reason why hée doth so And when he worketh after a straunge fashion vnknowen vnto vs let vs reuerence such secrets acknowledging neuertheles that hée is righteous howsoeuer the world go Let vs dwell continually in that beléefe and hold vs quiet and contented wayting patiently vntill hee shewe vs more fully those things that are hidden frō vs assuring our selues that during this life our knowledge must be onely in part Do wée then sée the state of the world so troubled that wée know not what to say It is all one as if GOD should hide his face from vs. And in this case what haue wée els to do but to humble our selues wée are hereby exhorted to modesty and sobriety because our wittes are too rude and grosse to comprehend the secrets of GOD and moreouer the Lord purposeth to humble vs when he withdraweth himselfe from vs. If odious and detestable sinnes bée committed as if quarrelling and brawling ariseth and if snares be layd by the wicked so that by them the godly are desolated and impouerished so that they know not how to escape then doth GOD as it were turne his face from vs. True it is that hée is neuer the farther from vs nor hath the lesse care of vs howbeit wee can neyther sée nor perceyue it On the other side when wée cannot consider what is done it séemeth to vs that GOD regardeth vs not wée sée nothing but darknes the light that should guide vs shineth not vnto vs. Now thē what must we do but shrink downe our heads close our mouthes wait Gods leysure patiētly vntill he remedy the incōueniēces that trouble vs Also let vs alwaies be at this point neuer to enquire farther then it is lawfull for vs. Wée must be well perswaded that God doth nothing without great causes let vs enter rather into the consideration of our sinnes for if we curiously enquire the secretes of God and his incomprehensible determinations it is a pride that will vtterly ouerthrow vs. And therefore let vs learne not to be ouerwise knowing that God sometimes leadeth vs like poore blind soules And wheras good Dauid was by his enemies the wicked oppressed let vs learne that although it be a sore temptation to sée the wicked florish and triumph ouer the children of God and to sée that might ouercōmeth right so that a man knoweth not whither to go for refuge verily it is a very hard crosse to ouercome neuerthelesse the holy Ghost purposeth to set it before vs to the intēt we should be armed