verie sorie to execute his wrath vpon the wicked for so our Sauiour expressed his griefe for Ierusalem Luk. 13. 34. when hee cried out O Ierusalem Ierusalem howe often woulde I haue gathered thee c. The which thing putteth vs in minde of the infinite loue of God whereby hee woulde pittie our losse reuoke his sentence silence his wrath and saue vs from heauie destruction But such is our nature as is the nature of children in their birth which thinke not vpon the paines of their mothers in trauaile although they die in extremitie yet they forget them when they bee olde and so doe we both the anger and the loue of God we regarde not his mercies nor his iudgements nor his gospell nor his teares nor the bloud of our Sauiour The reasons of this doctrine First in regard of vs because we knowe not the things that belong to our peace Luke 17. 42. So wretched is the estate of men that they are not able to discerne when God blesseth them or curseth them when hee wisheth them well and when he wouldeth them euill This is cleerer then the sunne for Christ and his Gospell being offered to the worlde and preached to euery degree of men you shall see nothing more vilely esteemed or basely regarded insomuch as wee may say that the men of our time doe not knowe the thinges that belong to their peace For if the Lorde threaten them then they spurne if he blesse them then they are wanton if he punish them then they murmure if hee honour them then they are proude and euerie one thinketh that the Gospell serueth but for a time and they shall doe as well without it as with it They knowe not that nowe is their visitation or that nowe they worke their death or life or that nowe they are married to God or the diuell Surely if men beleeue not the Gospell and walke not thereafter they are sathans bond-slaues although their wealth be as great as Salomons and their authoritie as great Hamans but if they ioyfullie embrace it in the ministerie of the worde then are they the wife of the lambe and the elected heires of grace Another reason secondly in regard of God because hee rather willeth repentance then vengeance of this wee haue often spoken Let vs make this vse First when we see the froward and wicked disposition of the world that will not bee reclaimed by any warning or any mercy of God let vs doe as Christ doth for the Pharisies Marke 3. 5. Mourne for the hardnesse of their heartes It is the custome of some vaine professours for so I may terme them to raile odiously at them that will not bee ruled by their wordes and so it is of some cholericke and vnwise preachers who will take libertie in their pulpits rather to reuile men then to reclaime them except at the first they come and lay their hands vnder their feete in the one it is foolish zeale in the other vaine folly Learne therefore by our Sauiour how to be affected when thy people or thy children or thy seruants or thy friends or thy neighbours will not bee gouerned by thy instruction namely to mourne for their hardnes of hart and no maruell for thou seest God to mourne for them when thy words can no longer preuaile then let teares and if they will not be mooued by warning let them be by mourning Hardnes of hart is a sickenes sent by God and it lyeth not in the power of man to cure the same therefore cast not away a man when he is sicke not a soule when it is hard but let sorrow and prayer speake for it to God when there is no helpe in mans phisicke Another vse seeing God is vnwilling and therefore mourneth for our destruction and so do all good men also oh let vs not despise and neglect all their sorrowes and cares and teares which they powre foorth for vs it is vngodlines not to regard the Gospell but it is vnnatural not to regard the sorrowful In heauen is nothing but ioy oh wretches that wee should make the Lord sorrowful for vs in the church there is al sorrow oh vnkinde and pitilesse men that we should encrease their sorrow and mourning and teares and adde to their affliction but that which is worst of all wee are hardened and will not care for their cries Be mooued to repentance and conuersion and holines and religion for God and men do mourne for thy rebellion let their teares make thee weep in this life or else they will make thee roare in another life Secondly we may obserue in this verse when hee calleth vpon the multitude to come to destruction that God careth no more for a multitude then for one man and will as easily cast many into hell as one soule as we may see in the drowning of the old world Gen. 7. 21. The reason because all are but flesh Gen. 6. 3. that is but vile made of earth but weake wanting strength and abhominable corrupted with sinne Now what should the Lord striue and stand with earth or weaknes or sinne he hath not an angell but it is stronger then a world and therefore a multitude are as easily giuen to damnation as one or two Let vs learne not to doe euill after the example of a multitude Exod. 23. 2. Although many be blasphemers or Atheists or heathens or papists or whooremongers or neglecters of the Gospell despisers of preachers and such like yet bee not thou so for it is no ease to haue company to hell Againe when he calleth them to come into the valley of threshing meaning the place of wrath vsing no other meanes to draw them thither but his call we may note that the onely word of God shal bring men to iudgement Psalm 50. 1 2 3. and the reason is because he is strong that giueth the word Ierem. 30 7. Oh therefore that the same word might stirre vs vp to saluation which shall prepare vs to condemnation and iudgement 2. Thess 3. 1. For verily if it be so powerfull as to bring all the world in one companie togither and to raise the dead out of their graues and make liuing men out of the dust of the earth in whom I beseech you is the fault that it gathereth not vs to heare it when the Lord speaketh in the congregation and rayseth vs not vp to the life of righteousnes surely as the Lordes hand is not shortened so his word is not weakened The xlj Sermon Vers 15. The sunne and the moone shall be darkened and the starres shall withdraw their light 16 The Lord also shall roare out of Zion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the heauens and earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel AS in the former chapter when the destruction and calamities of the Lords owne people the Iewes were threatened the heauens were said to be
miserable manners they had rather goe with musicke to the gallowes then with mourning to a sermon they choose rather to goe singing to hell then weeping to heauen cursed are they which speake euill of the way of righteousnesse and say to the prophets depart from vs. The Lorde shall come with speede to render vengeance to them that receiue him not The second Sermon Vers 2. Heare this yee elders IN these wordes the Prophet declareth the second part of the description of this booke namely the subiect thereof that is the persons whom it concerneth and the wordes are thus much in effect You that are the elders and gouernors of the people heare the worde of the Lord and all you which are the inhabitants of the land of Iudea the Lords inheritance hearken you also hereunto and tell me whether you euer heard the like in your daies or in the daies of your fathers which went before you Out of these words obserue these doctrines following first that the prophets and ministers of God must call vpon the people to heare the word for you see in the entry of this prophesie the prophet crieth to the people to giue audience to his sermons And indeed this is a most necessarie obseruation to be kept as an entrance to call the peoples minds at the beginning and as a remembrance to stirre them vp in the midst and a conclusion to admonish them in the end For this cause also the prophet Isa cap. 1. vers 2. thinking that if men would not giue an eare to his sermons yet he would not want audience calleth in this sort Heare O ye heauens hearken O earth shewing that if men will be so deafe at the crie of the Lords ministers as not to lend them their eares to their preaching yet the heauens and the earth shall tremble at their word giuing obedience to their heauenly voices the dumbe creatures shal condemne such intollerable rebellion In the booke of the Apostles Act. cap. 13. ver 16. We may read when Paul and Barnabas came to Antiochia being entreated on the Saboth day to giue some words of exhortation to the people Paul standing vp and beckning with his hand called vnto them saying Men and brethren hearken The people in most places are busied in vaine speculations when the peacher is most diligent in opening the word of truth some are drousie when their hearts should be waking to heare what God wil say concerning them others are scraping in the churches with their feete superstitiously conceited when they heare but the name of Iesus mentioned and yet they wil sweare by him and make no bones at all againe others are wearie thinking euerie minute an hower till the preacher be out of the pulpit and many shew the whole congregation their backes by departing out of the church All these let the preachers call with the voice of Trumpets Heare the word of the Lord put away your vanities rouze vp your drowsines take pleasure in godlines staye your disquietnes and continue your presence in the Lords assemblies know you not that the stones you tread on the heauens you gaze on the earth you walke on and the wordes that we preach vnto you shall all come against you like witnesses and tell the Lord your disobedience therefore we often say in our sermons Heare this men and brethren The reasons of this doctrine may euidently be gathered out of the word of God and the first is the practise of the Lord himselfe Psal 81. 8. beside many other places in the scripture where the Lord calleth vpon the people before he declare his minde vnto them for audience and attention saying Heare O my people and I will speake hearken O Israell and I will testifie vnto thee What shall it auaile if we bring the toongs of angels into the congregations none or few wil lend vs their eares Although I easily graunt our perswasiōs enter as deeply into the wals of the churches as into the eares hearts of most of our hearers euen in this we are like these Israelites that if the Lord himselfe should come at one time as here he did cry Heare O my people of England yet it is much to be feared that at another time he might come and crye vnto vs Oh that my people of England would haue heard me as to them he doth in the latter ende of the Psalme Secondly another reason of this doctrine is this bicause by hearing commeth faith Rom. 10. 17. Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God so that if the hearing of the preachers beget faith in the hearers who shall more fitly or may more conueniently crie vnto them in their sermon time to heare this point of faith diligently to marke this doctrine carefully to lay vp this lesson aduisedly and remember this exhortation continually then the preachers themselues which are the midwiues of their faith Oh how wonderfully doth this doctrine condemne this faithlesse age wherein we liue for if faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God whence haue they their faith that come so seldome to our sermons Doth not this argue forcibly that their faith is as litle as their hearing therefore saluation is as little as their faith How wil they answer this argument now before men and afterward before the sonne of God that they which heare not beleeue not they which beleeue not are cōdemned alreadie and they which are in such damnable estate it is not their reuenues of thousands their pallaces and houses of glorie the garments of brauerie their prouision of delicates their gentle friends their soft beds their hungry hounds their rauening haukes their pampered horses and their retinues of seruants that can fray the deuill from taking away their soules Is not this pitie that such glorious gentlemen should be cast away for not hearing a seely preachers sermons being otherwise learned in the toongs skilfull in the artes excellent in the lawes eloquent in speeches valorous in war and comely in stature Surely I beleeue Paul was deceiued when he said Faith came by hearing and hearing by the word of God What an impudent blasphemie were this to say that Ladies and gentlewomen on whose faces the sunne is not good inough to looke whose legges must not walke on the ground but either keepe aloft in their bowers or take the ayer in their coaches whose hands must touch nothing but either chaines of pearle cloath of golde embrodered and fine needle wrought garments that these beautifull stars I say should come downe from their nicenes and learne faith at the mouth of preachers Yet farther must our gallant youthes and proper seruing then whose heads are hanged with haire as if they would fright away both Christ and his ministers from the place where they stand come frō the tauerns from gaming houses from the play houses frō the Ale houses from the whoore houses and from al their disports to be ratled vp
that they might know that as none but God could be the author of these so none but his maiestie coulde bee the sender of them These heauenly signes or rather signes in heauen are described in the two next verses first the shaking of the world secondly the darkening of the lights and thirdly the great and terrible thunders which should then be heard all which is supported by a strong reason vers 11. By this verse we may first of all learne that the extraordinarie signes of heauen are the forerunners and most euident prophets of calamitie and destruction following Isa 29. 6. God which woulde haue all his iudgements not onely felt but feared doth not let them come stealing on the world as if he could not doe them against our will or not hinder them against their nature but proclaimeth them by manifold fearefull signes in heauen The reasons are first because we should knowe that the euill onely proceedeth from him 2. Sam. 5. 24. it doth not any whit distaine the Lords honor to be a reuenger of sinne vpon the bodies and soules of many thousands but rather it maketh for his glorie for hee must iudge the world in righteousnesse Another reason is because by this meanes the Lorde doth most earnestly affect good mens harts and afflict the wicked Ezech. 32. 9. for the sight of terrible signes cannot choose but mooue the brute beastes of the earth much more reasonable men who are more giuen to feare because they are more giuen to sinne and our Sauiour saith in the gospell that mens harts shall faile them because of the signes of heauen The vses are these first let vs not be superstitious or heathenish in fearing the signes of heauen aboue the rule of faith Ier. 10. 2. For alas what can any planet or any signe doe but by the Lordes assignement and therefore in fearing it superstitiously we feare not God we distrust his prouidence we restraine his power and we cast away our owne confidence and faith It was a great signe in heauen when fire came downe and destroyed Sodom and Gomor and all cities cattel and pastures of the plaine Gen. 19. yet little Zoar was saued standing among them when all the residue were burning about it therefore beware of the slauish feare of the signes of heauen for it is the Lorde that gouerneth the starres Another vse as we are not to feare them too much so wee are not to regard them too little but vse them as promptors and furtherances to another life Luk. 21. 28. when you see these saith Christ then lift vp your heads and know that your redemption draweth neere Be it therefore that the heauens be burning the lights be darkening the stars be falling the earth be shaking and the ayre be thundering yet feare it no more then the Israelites did in Egypt but rather now thinke that the Lord will amaze sinners erect his throne of righteousnes to stand for euermore This must much encourage vs in these our later daies wher in euerie hower we looke for the accomplishing of all the signes before Christs comming and let vs watch for the appearing of our Sauiour that we be not comfortles when other shall bee both witlesse and faithles but know that good men shall stand in the middest of all these terrours and fires as the men did walke in the middest of the Babilonish furnace and not haue one haire of our head diminished When he saith that the earth shall tremble he noteth that earth quakes are notable tokens of the Lordes wrath Psal 18. 7. we are not onely to impute it to the ayre shut vp in the furrowes of the earth as in philosophie they do but we must goe to the principall cause which is the hand of God and the finall cause which is to shew his wrath for in his wrath saith the scripture he casteth downe whole mountaines Oh how terrible is this to consider that the whole earth should be shakē at the chiding of God yet man which is made of earth and standeth on earth and liueth on earth and shall returne to earth againe will not shake or tremble for the same I thinke there is more terrour in the dead bones in the graues then in liuing bodies in their houses The reasons hereofare these because the law of wrath was giuen in fire and earth-quakes Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 18. for God did then shew himselfe most terrible when the mountaine seemed to burne and there was nothing but cursing and death for the law that then was giuen did condemne many millions which now do know the same Againe earthquakes do commonly proceede and goe before the alteration of religion Reuel 6. 12. for as when Iehu altered the idolatrie of Baal the prophets and the God were both displaced so when religion is altered God is as it were displaced and all his seruants persecuted which must of necessitie shew the heauie indignation of God for he will not haue his image defaced nor endure that his glorie should be giuen to another Let vs therefore learne that if the strong earth be not able to abide the wrath of God then much lesse shal weake and sinnefull men Num. 16. 1. Againe let vs learne to preach the word more earnestly by the consideration of earth-quakes We may read Amos 1. 2. that two yeere before the earth-quake the Lord sent him to prophesie as it were to plant the minds of his church that they might haue liued without wauering Now it is well knowen that wee haue had one great and terrible earth quake in our times would God it might so worke that the preachers would for that cause preach more diligently and the people heare more attentiuely least it prooue vnto vs a token of the decay of religion Truely as yet blessed be God religion is not altered but it is much defaced and God graunt that as the earth-quake at the death of Christ was the decrease of Iudaisme and Paganisme but the increase of christianitie so that in our time may worke the like effect and may seale vnto vs the decay of Poperie and heresie but may assure vs of the continuance of veritie and pure religion We might also note out of this verse that seeing the heauens and earth are afraide of him therefore the most guiltles creatures of God cannot abide his anger But this we will deferre vnto the next chapter Againe in that the sunne and moone are darkened we may obserue not onely that God is the author of light and darkenes but also that he will not let sinners in his anger haue any benefit of them Isa 13. 9 10. The reasons are First because they are enimies to good men and good things Exod. 10. 22. Secondly bicause they are ashamed of the sinnes of men as we may see at Christs death Matth. 27 45. Let vs therefore so glorifie God in our places as these creatures do in theirs for they
glad newes of life euerlasting By iudgements we are blinded but by the Gospell we are enlightened by iudgements wee are endangered by the Gospell we are defended and to conclude they threaten our liues but the worde threatneth our soules Make much of the word in thy health for beleeue me sicknes cannot so prepare thee for the Lorde as the worde can bee conuerted by it for thou seest all other meanes faile for miracles doe make vs woonder and this maketh vs repent therefore either make this thy ioy or God shall make them thy sorrowe What then will some say this is a strange doctrine do not sorrowes and earthquakes and other fearefull thinges turne vs to the Lorde then we will not make any account of these thinges To whom I answere that if they doe so they doe that which will vndoo them shall the scholler neuercare for the rod bicause it cannot teach him but correct him and shall wee set light by the Lordes iudgementes bicause they cannot conuert vs no no they must keepe vs in obedience although they cannot beget vs to obedience they must reforme vs although they cannot turne vs. Dauid said Psal 119. when I see thy iudgements I am astonied and afraide and so must all the elect children of God vse the iudgements of God to continue them in the feare of God and to keepe their natures from being ouerproude Yea let vs tremble and quake as the earth doth let vs weepe and mourne as the aire doth when wee see the wrath of God the sunne cannot then shewe her face she is so dazeled with his brightnesse how shall men farre inferiour to her in glorie bee carelesse of his anger And although I haue said that we are but yet leading vnto execution let vs yet feare most greeuously least the wrath of God be encreased on vs for wee knowe not how soone we shall be consumed with what calamities we shall bee troubled and with what maner of death we shall be crucified Therfore let vs feare the works of God that we neede not feele them let vs be warned by them that we be not confounded by them and aboue all things let vs cast away that prophanenes that calleth for heauen and earth to take vengeance on vs. Secondly we may obserue in this verse when hee saith thus saith the Lord that if the Lorde worke not repentance in vs we shall neuer haue it while the world standeth we may weepe out our eies rip vp our breastes rend asunder our harts and satisfie for our iniuries but if the Lord worke not repentance in vs then all is lost For this cause 2. Tim. 2. 25. Paul instructeth him with meekenes to instruct those which were cōtrarie minded waiting if at any time God would giue them repentance vnto life Indeede I graunt that men may haue a kinde of repentance as Iudas had Matt. 27. 6. when hee sawe Christ condemned hee repented and went and hung vp himselfe but to haue repentance vnto life Act. 11. 18. as the church speaketh it is a speciall and woorthy worke of God And in these daies may this point be very profitably vrged wherein men are so carelesse in liuing and so wretched in sinning as if repentance were pinned on their sleeues or lay in their pockets to pull out and in at their pleasure but let them beware be warned that if they wil be saued they must seeke it at the hands of God Is repentance so easie that you can haue it at your wish indeede you may haue it but you cannot doe it Imagine in thy presence a man or woman possessed with a diuel trie thy cunning cast him forth I know your answer you wil say you cannot because you can worke no miracles so agame say I that you cannot haue repentance of your selues for it is a casting of the diuel out of your souls the which none can do but by the finger of God Repentance is not to wring out a teare or to breath out a sigh or to lift vp an ey vnto heauē or to say I am sorrie for my sins but it must fil all a mans life with weeping sighing praying cōfessing amending the which commeth frō God only The first reason of this doctrine is because with repentance goeth remissiō of sins Act. 5. 31. therefore we may as wel say that they can pardō their own sins as they say they can repent whē they list And this must needs mightily discourage vs frō sinning seeing we may cōmit that in one minute which we can neuer claw off so long as we liue Again how sweet is this consideration that remission of sins is ioined with repentance We knowe what great vile sinnes we haue committed but we knowe not will some say how or when they were pardoned Vnto whom I answere that they haue beene so long pardoned as they haue repented and they haue as many witnesses and seales of their remission as they haue weeping teares sighing sobs and wounded affections for them in the presence of God Another reason is as it is the worke of God to harden mens harts Iohn 12. 40. so it must needes be the worke of God to soften the hart But some will say how can the Lord punish men for not repenting when he denieth them repentance and how can he damne them for harde hearts when hee hath hardened them I answere an harde heart and an ill life doe not simply condemne a man but delight in them and negligence to bee deliuered from them good men are tormented with hardnesse of hart but they lament it euill men are perplexed with it they reioice in it God is saide to make hard harts but not euill harts and so to make hard harts that men may know and acknowledge that soft harts come from his workehouse so then God hardeneth but men delight in it and they are condemned not for sin but for delight in sinne Wouldest thou then knowe whether thy hart hath beene new wrought in the Lordes moulde then looke and see how thou louest sinne but thou findest thy hart harde then looke againe howe thou art pleased with this hardnes if thou like it thy hart is damnable but if thou loath it thy state is tollerable The first vse wee are to make of this doctrine is this seeing the Lorde hath the working of repentance in vs then let vs praie euerie day to his maiestie for the same Lament 5. 21. So doe the faithfull when they say Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde and wee shall be turned returne vs as of old This is the dutie of all those that haue any care of their soules health Art thou heauie in thy heart and feelest a dulnes in thy soule vnto goodnes but a nimblenes vnto euill when thou knowest thou dost those things which displease the Lord and trouble thy conscience then enter into thy soule and humble thy selfe by praier lift vp thy voice to heauen
thy conuersion shall be euerlastingly silenced I might also note out of this verse that God is more ready and willing to pardon vs then we are to aske pardon Rom. 10. 22. and therefore if we aske not he will not onely be reuenged for our sinnes but also vpon vs for the sinnes of our fathers Isa 65. 7. Againe let vs vpon this ground be bold to pray in hope and assurance for as God opened the iron gates for Peter to come foorth out of prison so hath he opened the gates of heauen that our praiers without al let may come vp before him I might also obserue in this verse that God doth somtime cast off his owne people for a seaso that he may for euer cast off the wicked Ezec. 1. 15. as a iealous husband putteth off his wife that he may for euer beware of his enimies for a friend cannot be hid in prosperitie nor an enimie in aduersitie The reasons bicause the wicked blaspheme the iust Ier. 30. 17. againe or else we should thinke that the wicked were happie Psa 37. 1 2 3. therefore when once good men beginne to crie then shall wicked men begin to fall Isa 35. 4. and we may boldly desire of God to turne his wrath from vs to them Isa 51. 22 23. that his enimies may feele his heauie hand Yea the Lord will answere and say vnto his people Behold I will send you corne and wine and oile and you shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproch among the heathen In this verse and so forwarde to the 27. the prophet doth declare the speciall worldly benefits which God would giue to his people vpon their repentance the first that he will heare their praier vers 19. and herein he promiseth first to answere them by worde secondly to ease them In this that the Lorde saith he will answere them we may note that God hath euermore a regarde to the praiers of the penitent Ioh. 9. 31. howsoeuer hee shutteth his eares against sinners accounting of their praiers and teares as of abhomination yet he maketh great reckoning of their desires that are in league with him The faithfull are as deere to the Lord as Esther was to Assuerus or Herodias daughter to Herod who promised but one halfe of their kingdome vnto them but the Lord hath freely promised a whole kingdome if we will desire the same This must mightily stirre vs vp to praier for if the Lord regarde vs when we pray to blesse vs then will he regarde vs when we pray not to curse vs. Who liueth in the world but hee hath neede of many things if he haue neede he is blinde if he see it not if he see it he is wilfull if he aske not if hee aske he is vnfaithfull if he hope not to receiue The reasons first because penitent men haue felt pouertie Psal 79. 8. that is they haue beene cast downe ynough and therefore they shall be raised vp againe Againe they delight in God and therefore will God delight in them Isa 33. 6. for it cannot be that God should loue that man or that soule that hath no delight in his maiestie Therefore hereby shall men trie whether they be repentant if so bee the meditation of God and his mercie and their calling and holinesse and his word be sweete and pleasant in their mindes and mouthes First as we tender our owne liues and welfare so let vs pray vnto the Lord Ier. 29. 12. for we haue great neede to looke to our selues in this distressed estate of the world and for so much as onely the Lorde is our keeper how shall we commend our liues vnto him but by praier Pray alway my deere brethren as diligently as you labour as feruently as you thirst as ordinarily as you eate and as ioyfully as you sleepe pray I say as a woman doth in trauell as a sicke man doth in his fits as the mariners do in a storme and as a condemned man at the place of execution Oh what would you not do that you might liue and therefore what ought you not to doe that you might pray Vnto praier there must be no comparison in worldly things all earthly things must giue place as we see in Daniel sleepe must be put off as we see in Christ and ease must be banished as we see in Dauid and the Apostle willeth for praiers sake that married folks becom strangers one to another and therefore so let vs do for praier as we do for meate for we neuer cease from hunger till we be satisfied so let vs neuer cease from praier till wee be glorified Secondly in this vers when hee promiseth Corne and wine and oyle we may obserue that all abundance accompanieth and as it were waiteth vpon religion So long as the worde raigneth the church standeth and the Gospell is obeied so long wee neede not feare for our fieldes shall abound with corne our land shal flow with plenty Psal 81. 16. We haue had best experience of this thing in England for euer since the Gospell had any footing among vs and was publikely preached and generally professed we were neuer in any generall distresse but wee haue forgotten all sorrowe and I woulde God wee had not forgotten our peace and plentie giuer But since we began to be wearie of the truth that Diuines fell to wrangling professors to carnalitie hypocrites into Atheisme since that time we haue felt some want of corne and some terrour of warre Oh that we coulde so continue in profession that we might dwell in the Lords fauour so should we bee euer fedde with the finest wheate clothed with the warmest wooll and defended by the greatest angels but seeing we begin to be wearie of our religion God beginneth to bee wearie of his liberalitie so that I verilie feare till wee haue all repented our corne and plentie shall not bee restored The reasons First bicause by such abundance the Lorde breaketh in peeces the fierie violence of wicked men Psalm 37. 17. for they accuse religion for a base and poore profession and therefore after a calamitie God giueth to his church greatest plentie as after a long raine the sunne shineth brightest Another reason because by such plentie God cureth and healeth the miserie of his people Esay 30. 28. which being fearefully afflicted through famine are againe most ioyfully comforted through plentie so that abundance is like a medicine or plaister which with good aduise healeth and cureth but through abuse corrupteth and maketh the wounde more incurable First then let vs desire the spirite of God to be powred on vs and then shall the wildernes become fruitfull and the barren earth be amended Esay 32. 15. The same spirit that maketh good harts maketh glad fields that which giueth store of righteousnes giueth store of foode and corne And thus God giueth vnder one request two benefits For when we aske for
and the posteritie of the righteous much happier and godlier if more often with Moses wee remember him to take awaie his wrath by continuing his church Another vse are wee taught Ier. 32. 39. which is that wee likewise pray that our posteritie may haue one and a single hart that they may dwell for euer in the presence of God We can no way so much benefite our posteritie as by praying for them for then wee lay vp their treasure in heauen before the Lord making him the ouerseer of our willes and his kingdome their inheritance So that as hee promised Dauid that he should neuer want a man to sit on his throne if they would continue in his couenant so may euery righteous man assure himselfe that they shall neuer want posteritie if they continue in the Lords worship As there is but one God so men should haue but one hart and as there is but one heauen so men shoulde haue but one soule now the hart is one when it abideth in the worship of God but when it wauereth and is distracted into as many follies as affections there is no hart at all as it is all one to make mo gods and to denie God so is it all one to haue many harts and no hart Therefore pray for thy children whom thou hast nourished in the worlde that they may bee single harted and remaine before the Lorde for euer and euer for surely if they multiply their harts God wil remooue their graces For as Ahab by seeking to winne Ramoth-Gilead lost his owne life because he woulde encrease his territories so shall wee loose our owne soules if wee enlarge our harts for more vanitie Remember that Ierusalem was so built as it was at vnitie in it selfe and so must euery member of Ierusalem that is of the church haue one hart in himselfe that his hart may fit the Lorde and his soule may serue for heauen Secondly wee may obserue in this verse that the policie of wicked men cannot alway preuaile against the good Psal 124. 1 2 3. It was one of the wonders of the world that euer the counsell of Achitophel was so soone confounded that hee tooke against Dauid but the Lords hand was in it for seeing he had promised that Dauid shoulde raigne was not wise Achitophel a foole that woulde assay to breake the couenant and so were these gentiles in taking counsell against the Iewes to keepe them from euer returning to their countrie againe The first reason the Lord will purge iniquitie from his sanctuarie Dan. 8. 13 14. and therefore he will not suffer iniquitie to ouerthrowe his sanctuarie For the policie of wicked men in the destruction of the godly is not so much against mankinde as it is to burie for euer the worship and worshippers of God Would God that this reason might be well waighed of them who are euermore corrupting the sanctuarie of God who broach all the deuises of the world to corrupt the gospell But as the Romaine Image standing in the holy place was called the abhomination of desolation in like manner shall the imaginations of hereticall and proud men standing in the church be called the abhominable desolation of religion Another reason because good men might not fall from God by enduring their iniuries Psal 125. 4. and therefore be assured if God will make one of his owne saints worth a thousand of his enimies then will hee rather destroy their counsels then want his worshippers The vse is let vs then knowe that not all the counsell of men nor all the policie of the diuell nor all the power of the angels shall euer cast downe the members of Christ Apoc. 7. 3. Oh sweete instruction for vs miserable deemed wretches when we neede not to feare all the engins and deuises of the diuell if hee stirre vp princes yet God is greater if wise men God is wiser if strong men Christ is stronger and if learned men yet God catcheth the learned What shall I say more all the diuels in hell cannot take away one soule from the Lord. They are bound they cannot roue they are muzled they cannot rore they are ruled they cannot rage and they are damned they cannot hurt vs. Nay they can neither hurt body nor soule for the same that redeemed soules redeemed bodies and preserueth both Therefore feare not death that hath lost his sting and feare not the diuell that hath lost his force Another vse let this confidence for our raising vp out of miserie into glorie out of iniquitie into holinesse out of death into life and quitteth vs from the wicked stirre vp euery mans soule and hart to cleaue to the Lorde for euermore for as Dinah was safe in her fathers house and none could touch her so shall we be safe in the Lords presence none can hurt vs. Thirdly by this verse when he laieth to their charge the selling of his people that they might neuer return againe which they coulde not bring to passe but yet hee telleth them he woulde punish them wee may note that God punisheth our deuises and thoughts of euill although they proceede no farther as if the thing had beene effected and the sinne perfected Genes 11. 4 8. The builders of Babell thought to builde a tower to reach to heauen but they coulde not preuaile and yet God punished their enterprise by confounding their language So that imagine with thy selfe howe often thou hast stollen by coueting howe often thou hast committed adulterie by lusting and how often thou hast deserued actuall punishment by mentall transgressing wee doe therefore all of vs most iustlie suffer the danger of all kinde of deathes because we liue in the danger of all kinde of sinne neither is there anie man liuing but at one time or other hee hath lusted after euerie sinne that he knewe for if we knewe not sinne we shoulde not sinne And indeede these builders and this building of Babel doth notablie describe and decypher vnto vs the nature of sinners and sinne for as Babell was built without God his consent so is sinne as the builders made the substance and frame thereof of themselues so do wee of sinne As they did it to continue their names that the floud shoulde no more ouerflowe them not trusting to the former promises of God so doe sinners forsake God his promise and for worldly causes fall into many follies Againe as they would build neuer cease building till they had brought it vp to heauen so is the measure of sin it woulde neuer cease till it ascended vp into the sight of God and filled all the space betweene heauen and earth And lastly as the building was not staied but by the confounding of their toongs so shall not sinne be staied but by confounding the soules of men The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause they which consent to sinne and goe no farther are woorthie of death Rom 1. 32. So that it
couered with darknesse so now when the enemies shall bee brought to iudgement the like terrors and feare and darknesse and wonders shall be wrought to their astonishment so that the prophet to the ende of this chapter handeleth these two things first the fearefull tokens of the enemies destruction in these verses and secondly he concludeth with sweete comforts to the godly Concerning the darkening of the sunne and moone and starres wee haue already spoken in the former chapter where we told you first that the darkening of these lights did teach vs that no creatures are able to keepe their places when the Lord is angrie Isa 13. 9 10. because they themselues haue a naturall feare of corruption Iob. 15. 15. Secondly wee shewed you how they waite vpon God to shine when he smileth and to frowne when he chideth teaching vs to doe the like Againe by vttering of his voice we shewed you that he meant thunder and therefore when he saith that he will vtter his voice out of Zion and roare out of Ierusalem at the ouerthrowe of his enemies he thereby teacheth vs that all that liue in the church of GOD must make account to heare and see many fearefull signes and wonders Psal 48. 5 6 7. for in the church God manifesteth his wrath against others and against it he sheweth that he is terrible and will be feared therefore we heare the thunders when other feele the blowes wee see the miracles when other smart for their operation wee are taught by others harmes and wee are terrified by other mens destructions Therefore none can liue in the church proudly but the heauens will dismay him or prophanely but signes and wonders will admonish him or wickedly but the word of God will reprooue him or ignorantly but the shaking and quaking and troubling and darkening of the world instruct him Therefore the church is well called the kingdome of feare for there is feare of God and feare of trouble and feare of damnation feare of God wrought by worde and woonders feare of trouble least violence should ouerthrowe all religion and feare of damnation least the diuels kingdome should be enlarged and surely we were better feare in this place then bee secure in another as the godly Iewes which had rather fight vpon the wals of Ierusalem then suffer all quietnesse in Babylon But I haue followed all this more effectually in another place But the Lord will be the hope When hee had tolde them that hee would roare out these destructions in Ierusalem least they should feare that a new calamitie was comming vpon them He telleth them that he will bee their hope that is they shall hope in him and he will be their strength to deliuer them from al his wrath and vengeance Whereby wee may see that by the fearefull signes and woonders which he worketh in his church he teacheth vs to hope in him more assuredly Ierem. 30. 5. 11. So that nowe I might thus reason with al my brethren We haue had many fearfull and extraordinarie thunders manie terrible flashes of lightening which haue killed men and burned houses manie woonderfull apparitions in the ayre as fire and bloode and light and darkenesse and the visions of armed men many comets or blazing starres beside many other yet hath the Church stoode the Gospell beene preached our lande quieted our prince preserued yea God is still our God and wee are still his people Therefore let vs hope in him more assuredly Paul hauing beene once stoned raised vp againe feared the violence of that death neuer afterwarde and so seeing we haue often suffered these things and neuer yet perished in them let God be our hope for euermore Consider howe he saued some in the fire some in the dens of lions some in shipwracke on the sea and some being taken vp aboue the cloudes yet returned without all hurt Euen so will he doe vnto vs no quaking of the earth or breaking of the cloudes or darkning of the day or changing of the ayre shall change our mindes from trusting in our God When Sinai shooke and burned like a worlde on fire not one of the people were hurt by it but they were prepared to a more reuerend receiuing of the law and so let these wonders and fires prepare vs to the like that our proude natures may bee humbled by them our secure liues may bee wakened our little feare of sinne may be encreased and our daily expectation of iudgement may be renued that when the Lord shall come he may finde vs preaching or praying or mourning or fasting or watching or hearing or reading or repenting and readie for his kingdome Oh blessed are they that are in such a case and blessed are they whose hope is in the Lorde The first reason bicause all the endes of the worlde may see the saluation of our God Esay 52. 10. For the godly which are scattered heere and there thorough all the worlde will spread abroad the same that euerie one might learne it Another reason because in the middest of all terrors yet is God in the church Psal 50. 2. and his beautie is then greatest when he shineth in darknes and dwelleth in fire and ruleth in woonders is feared in his signes Let vs learne by these thinges to encrease our faith and confidence in the Lorde that we may saie with Dauid Though the earth bee remooued yet we will not feare There is a base kind of trust or confidence which men retaine and content themselues withall when as they growe not forwarde into a most Christian resolution not caring for riches which are but vanitie or for health which is but weakenesse or for life which is but temporall or for death which shall bring immortality This confidence maketh a man like to Christ who cared not for the crosse bicause God was his father and in like sort shall not we care for the miseries of the worlde if as we say we care not for the world Let vs not care for that which wee cannot keepe I meane our life much lesse let vs sinne to keepe it by vnlawful means for then we do but hire a lion to watch our lambes which in the ende will destroy them all Wee can saie in our health that wee can comfort the sicke but being in sicknesse wee can receiue none our selues so there be many that make great shewe of faith and confidence in these times of health and peace and quietnesse as if they were readie to die for God but alas if the Lorde frowne vpon them but a little their faith fadeth like mowen grasse and they are at their wits ende Therefore come into the closet and storehouse of thy soule and see that thy faith be as good as thy face and that it will as well abide the burning furnace as the warme sunne and trie whether it will abide the torments of death and not be killed thy faith if it be true must be as immortall as thy
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