the authoritie of God him selfe for albeit for the present time they laugh it to scorne abuse it with their vnseemely scoffes and iestes yet notwithstanding in their season they fynde those thinges to bee true which they will nowe by no meanes beleeue and then beyng conuicted in their owne heartes they feele horrible boylinges in their consciences In the meane tyme wee are admonished that in the Churche whiche as Paule sayth is the house of the liuing GOD 1. Tim. 3. In the Church the word of God is only to bee taught there ought nothing to bee taught and set foorth but the woorde of God For if so bee this thynge were so diligently obserued of the Prophetes and Apostles whose calling GOD confirmed by infinite argumentes and testimonies howe much more then ought the same to bee regarded of those that are by no meanes comparable vnto them Detestable therefore is their boldenesse and unpudence whiche in these dayes thinke euery thing to bee lawefull for them and that which eyther they them selues haue deuised or else receyued from their most superstitions fathers they thrust into the Churche for vndoubted oracles As for vs let vs bee mindefull of Christ who sayth My sheepe heare my voyce and they followe mee a stranger will they not follow but will flie from him because they knowe not the voyce of strangers c. Iohn 10. In the beginning of this first Sermon hee procureth attention The procuring of attention whiche is verye needfull in conceiuing the worde of God And first he stirreth vp the Elders who as they are furnished with the experience of things and therfore more apt fit to giue iudgement so by authoritie of their example they may drawe the younger sort to folowe their steppes Notwithstanding least he might seeme to speake onely to the Elders he eftsoones calleth vpon all the inhabitantes of the lande of Israel and exhorteth them not so muche to a vayne and idle hearing as vnto a diligent consideration of those things which they had hitherto suffered and which they were like afterward to suffer yea he commandeth them to commend the same to their posterity to the ende they might serue for a perpetuall instruction vnto all Hearken ye saith he all the inhabitants of the land whether such a thing that is to say any thing like vnto this hath happened in your dayes or in the daies of your fathers Tel your childrē of it let your children shew their children c. The worde of God belongeth to the instruction of all 1. Cor. 2. Psal 119. Where wee are admonished first of all that the word of belongeth to the information of all sortes of men for in as much as by the fall of sinne wee haue all of vs lost that true light of reason whiche was in our first Parentes wee nowe stande all in neede of a newe light which God vseth to offer vnto vs by his worde And hitherto serueth it that hee willeth the Elders especially to giue their attendance whome wee saide euen nowe to goe before others in experience of thinges and in giuing of aduice For albeit we be neuer so diligētly instructed nor neuer so wel seene in the long vse and experience of things yet shall we nothing at all profit in the things belonging to Gods kingdome vnlesse wee bee inlightened from aboue and hearken to God speaking vnto vs by his worde Which is the cause that the Scriptures do euery where exhort vs to the studie of the word and also do reproue the insolencie of those that neglecting it will needes be wise of themselues and follow the swindge of their owne braine How we must be occupied in Gods worde Moreouer wee are taught howe and after what sort wee ought to bee conuersant in the worde of God so as wee may reape some fruite by the exercise thereof First it behoueth vs not onely to bee hearers of it but also to marke the singuler examples of Gods iudgements whereby he vseth to adde credite to his threatnings and oracles For vnlesse wee so doe we shall euermore flatter our selues and not thinke that those thinges will euer happen vnto vs which hee threatneth to the breakers and transgressours of his lawe As oft therefore as wee heare his threatninges whereby hee denounceth his indignation against Idolaters Fornicators Adulterers couetous persons mansleaers drunkardes c. Let vs withall consider what hee hath decreed in times past against suche and besides let vs marke howe euen in our dayes hee punisheth not a fewe that defile themselues with the saide enormities Further let vs not thinke it enough to holde these thinges our selues but let vs also commende the obseruation of them to our posteritie This thing our duetie requireth whereby God hath bounde vs vnto our children and the selfesame doeth the honour and glory of God require also which as it ought to bee most highly regarded of all men so can it no other way more bee inlarged and set foorth then by the diligent instruction and information of our posteritie Exod. 13. Dout. 6. Psal 78. There are extant as touching this matter peculiar preceptes and commandements of God in the Law and in the Psalmes whereas it is written howe GOD ordeyned amongest his people that fathers shoulde declare vnto their children his wonderous workes to the ende that they also might learne to put their truste in God and become obedient vnto him And for this cause it is that GOD commendeth Abrahams soundnesse and synceritie saying I know that hee will commaunde his sonnes Gene. 18. and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde and doe righteousnesse and iudgement c. They therefore doe hyghlye deserue of Gods glory religion and publike welfare of men that eyther priuately instructe and bring vp their children in the knoweledge of gods workes or publikely lay before them the histories of their owne countrie or also of other nations to the intent that out of them their posteritie may fetch examples of Gods iudgements and bee admonished of theyr owne dueties But greatly is the wretchednesse of our tyme to bee lamented wherein the exercise of Gods word is of the most part neglected the iudgementes of God marked of very fewe histories corrupted through the peruerse affections of men and as for our children they eyther not regarded at all or els trayned vp in those thinges that it had beene muche better for them neuer to haue knowen This negligence of ours must God needes punishe to the end wee may learne to bee wise by our owne harmes that woulde not be warned by other mens He calleth to remembrance the euils Past But the Prophet goeth on and telleth them what the thinges are in the consideration whereof hee woulde haue them to bee so carefully occupied And hee recounteth vnto them diuers and sundrie calamities which had hitherto depriued them of the fruites and increase of the earth so as euen a blinde man might
well see the tokens of Gods wrath perceiue them to bee foretellings of a greater misery Wee reade of the like thing in the Prophet Amos Amos. 4. where God by rehearsing the former plagues sheweth howe litle or nothing hee had profited with the stubborne and incurable For so doth hee cast their blockishnesse in their teeth which of thinges past woulde not learne or foresee that which they now did suffer That which is left of the palmer worme hath the grashopper eaten and that which is left of the Grashopper hath the canker worme eaten and that which is left of the canker worme hath the caterpiller eaten The sense is this If one onely calamitie had destroyed the increase but of one yeere alone it might haue seemed to come by chaunce or at least not to deserue so great obseruation But seeing there haue now certaine yeeres together one folowing in anothers necke succeeded in a maner whatsoeuer is wont to bee hurtfull noysome to the fruits of the earth that of the later plagues is deuoured corrupted whatsoeuer was left of the former you must of necessitie be very blockishe that haue not acknowledged the manifest and singuler iudgement of God who would not only punish you with scarcitie hunger but also teach you by those wormes what shold shortly come to passe vnlesse by these smaler punishments you amended your liues namely that forraine enemies with an incredible multitude of souldiers shoulde ouerrunne the whole land and in maner 〈◊〉 Caterpillers or canker wormes wast and destroy all that euer is both farre neerâ— And that this is the meaning of the Propheâ— appeareth sufficiently by his woordeâ— following Small plagues forerunners of greater This place teacheth vs that lesse plagues are as it were forerunners anâ— proclaimers of greater And there beâ— in histories euery where examples whicâ— testifie that by the swarmes of Grashoppers or vnknowen birdes or also by the vnaccustomed floods and ouerflowingsâ— waters haue beene signified and denounced the inuasions of forraine enemies Suâ— a like thing as this in the yeere of our Lord 1545. hath Germanie seene when asâ— kinde of Grashoppers altogether vnknowen before came out of Italy alongest thâ— countries bordering vpon the Alpes by thâ— selfesame way which the yeere next following the souldiers sent from the Pope directly held We ought therefore to markâ— whatsoeuer belong to this kind least at any time we say with the Poet in vaine Oftetimes the trembling trees I do remember well If so bewitcht we had not beene This mischiefe did foretell Heere appeareth also the inuincible power of God and how little the forces of men can doe against him when as he is able by such small and feeble creatures to vanquishe and ouercome them For why he is called the God of hosts not onely for this cause that all creatures do serue him but for that also hee can according to his good pleasure arme them with straunge forces so as they may be sufficient to ouercome euen the most fel Tyrants and most mightie nations A notable example of this thing wee haue in Pharao whose fiercenes god tamed diuers times by mice frogges flyes wormes lice so that he was faine to stoupe and crouch vnto Moses The same happened to the Philistines when as they were in their chiefe pride for the Arke of the couenant which they had taken In like manner wee reade of Antiochus Herode Sylla and diuers other eaten and gnaweÌ„ of wormes of most mightle monarchies vtterly suâ—uerted ouerthrowen by people that weâ—â— before obscure vnknoweÌ„ As for the fruit of the earth wherupon our life dependet God can take them away either by winde or vnseasonable raine or by euery little change of weather that wee may speakâ— nothing nowe of haile frost and otherâ— bruntes of more grieuous teÌ„pests Wheâ—â—fore being mindefull of these things letâ— obserue the examples of gods iudgements and humble our selues vnder his mightâ— hand who will bountifully bestowe hâ—â— grace vpon those that turne vnto him that 〈◊〉 they may preuaile ouer all dangers by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord to whomâ— bee giuen blessing honour glory and do minion for euer and euer Amen Sermon 2. The text 5 AWake yee drunkardes and weepe and houle all ye drinkers of wine because of the liquor for it is pulled froÌ„ your mouth 6 Yea a nation coÌ„meth vpoÌ„ my laÌ„d mightie and without number whose teeth are like the teeth of a Lion and he hath the iawes of a Lionesse 7 Hee maketh my Vine waste and pilleth off the barke of my figtree Hee maketh it bare and casteth it downe the branches thereof are made white 8 Mourne like a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth 9 The meat offring and the drink offring is cutte off from the house of the Lorde the Priestes the Lordes ministers mourne 10 The field is wasted the land mourneth for the corne is destroyed the new wine is dried vp and the oyle is decayed 11 Be yee ashamed O husbandmen howle O yee Vine dressers for the wheat and for the barley because the haruest of the fielde is perished 12 The Vine is dried vp the figtree is decayed the Pomegranate tree and the Palme tree and the Aple tree and all the trees of the fielde are withered surely the ioye is withered awaye from the sonnes of men ALbeit God being prouoked by the incurable malice of men The argumeÌ„t and vse of this present place doe sometimes correct and chasten them yet he being perpetually mindefull of his goodnesse euen amiddest their punishments teacheth and admonisheth them by his worde that euen then they might searche out the causes of their sufferings and endeuoure to returne vnto him An example hereof we haue in Ioel. For at that time the Iewes sinned sundrily notwithstanding that they had Ezechias for their king a most excellent and religious priuce as wee sayde of late God had reprooued them by Esay Micheas and others and that very bitterly and often But when as hee preuayled nothing thereby at the length hee mooued Warre against them by the Assyrians And beeing in danger hee gaue Ioel vnto them for to exhorte them to repentance and to put them in hope of pardon if they conuerted vnto him Hee therefore to the intent hee might the more easily obtaine this at their handes is very plentifull in describing the punishments which he so layeth before them that they might vnderstande that they came not to passe by haphazard but were sent by the iust iudgement of God Whither especially serueth this present place wherin he stirreth vp all sortes of men to mourning intending thus much that they that had hytherto careleslye concenmed the iudgementes of God might nowe euery of them enter into their own heartes and seeke for the causes of the present warre in them selues and hauing found them go in hand with ameÌ„dment of life Where wee learne howe that in publike calamities
with them Wherefore by way of confirmation he entreateth nowe more largely of the punishmentes of their enemies to the intent he might shew that there shoulde nothing let but that GOD woulde restore them into libertie These thinges ought so to bee considered of vs that wee may gather from hence a generall doctrine and consolation against the attempts as well of our exterior as domesticall enemies For God is euermore like vnto himselfe and as hee in times past defended the cause of his people Church so also will hee not neglect the same at this day yea and they shall feele Christ to bee their iudge that wil not acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour Hee denounceth punishements to the outward enemies of the Church First hee dealeth with the outwarde enemies such as at that time were the Assyrians and the summe of the wordes is this I will not onely deliuer you from the present danger of warre but also I will render to the Assyrians your enemies such punishments as their deedes haue deserued And that the credite of the promise might be the greater and more certaine hee toucheth diligently all the circumstances of the whole businesse For beginning with the time In those dayes saieth hee and in that time when I shall bring againe the captiuitie of Iuda and Ierusalem c. The captiuitie hee calleth partly the said Assyrian warre wherein they were shut vp as captiues and prisoners so as no hope of deliuerance appeared and partly that miserie whiche they should at the length suffer in Babylō And because it seemed scarce possible that any mā should bee deliuered frō the tyranny of so mightie puissant enemies he declareth that at the selfesame time the same also shall be crushed subuerted to the intēt they might vnderstand that this should be no let but that they should be deliuered But let vs remēber that these things belong especially to the times of Christe in whome is fulfilled indeede whatsoeuer was shadowed long agoe by the deliuerance from the tyranny of the Assyrians or Babyloniās For we were all of vs captiues vnder the dominion of sinne and the Diuell Therefore Christe came at the time appointed and set vs at libertie But forasmuche as no man can take away as hee himselfe saith the weapons of any strong man Mat. 12. except hee first binde him and strippe him Christe also that he might become our permanent and perfect saluation hath subdued all the power of sinne and Satan and likewise broken in pieces all those forces which the Diuell vsed to hinder and let the common saluation of mankinde Of which sort at that time were especially the Iewes and Romane Emperours and at this day are such as persecute the preaching of the Gospell with swoorde and fire But seeing Christes time doeth still last and continue and the same is to reigne in his Churche euen to the ende of the world from hence also haue wee to fetche our comforte in these dayes For as hee by the preaching of the Gospell bringeth againe dayly the captiuitie of his people Psal 2◠So wyll hee in all ages breake them in pieces with his yron Scepter that refuse to obey and howe downe their neckes vnto him But the Lorde himselfe goeth on and sheweth what hee will doe God is the reuenger of his people when hee saith I will gather all nations and bryng them downe into the valley of Iehosophat and there I will pleade with them c. In which wordes he protesteth that he will be the deliuerer of his people and they haue euery of them a certaine force or Emphasis I will gather sayth hee all nations As though hee shoulde say They nowe conspire and flocke together against mee and trusting to their owne multitude and power thinke to bring euery thing to passe as they liste themselues But I will gather them together for an other ende and purpose will carry them euen against their willes whither they woulde not namely into the valley of Iehosophat and there will I reason the matter with them there shall they render an account of their doinges and suffer the punishmentes which they haue deserued And hee calleth the valley of Iehosophat appellatiuely the iudgement it selfe For Iehosophat in Hebrwe is the same that the Latines say Dominus iudicat and wee in Englishe The Lorde iudgeth But hee woulde vse this worde as though hee had appointed a place certaine that so he might bring backe to remembrance the auncient historie and shewe that it woulde bee a very easie matter for hun to bring to passe that which heere hee promiseth For at what time many nations had conspired against king Iehosophat 2. Chro. 20. whose power seemed to bee vnuanquishable it came to passe by the singular benefite of God that they falling out among themselues were slaine and inriched the Iewes with their spoyles Hee woulde haue them therefore to be mindful of this example and not to thinke that Gods power is nowe spent or exhausted who in times past coulde without any labour destroy euen most cruell and fierce enemies And verily wee haue also to obserue and marke that Gods iudgement is by no meanes remoued or taken away although hee now and then suffer his enemies to range beyond their compasse For hee beholdeth their counsailes and enterprises and registreth in his booke of reckoninges whatsoeuer they doe and say Againe hee hath alreadie long since appointed the time and place of reuengement neither can he want executioners of his iudgement sith hee is the Lorde of hoastes vnto whome all creatures obey Examples in Histories are euery where met withall which teache howe vaine and friuolous all their indeuours are that seek to escape the iudgement of God And what shall wee say to this 1. Cor. 5. Rom. 14. Dani 7. c. that in the last day all men muste bee summoned before the tribunall seate of Christ that they may there receiue rewardes according to their deedes Let vs bee mindfull of these thinges and giuing our selues to the studie of godlinesse keepe and hold fast astedfast and vnshaken hope of saluation against the attempts of the wicked and vngodly Further God expresseth the cause for the which he will pleade God acknowledgeth the Church for his people inheritance For my people and for mine heritage Israel For so he nameth the Iewes by reason of the couenant whereby he had consecrated them vnto him selfe and withall admonisheth them by these titles that howsoeuer they were priuie of their owne vnworthinesse yet they should not despayre but haue respect to the promises of God who woulde neuer foresake his owne inheritance and peculiar people But we ought to transfer these things vnto our selues also to the intent we may learne from hence what they do whosoeuer they are that persecute the Church of Christ They thinke they rage against men of no valure or estimation somuch the more cruelly doe they take on with
you shal neuer bring this to passe For albeit it may seem a thing impossible that they should euer returne to their owne country yet will I rayse them vp and gathering them together out of all places bring them backe againe And as for you I wil rewarde you according to your desertes and that vpon your owne heade For I wil sel your soones your daughters into the hand of the children of Iuda who shall also sell them to the Sabeans and to other nations a farre off Hee aâ—â—â—th by way of confirmation For the Lord himselfe hath spoken it But yet we neuer reade that the Tyrians and Sidonians and other the enemies of the Iewes were sold by the Iewes themselues Yet so the Lord speaketh that these thinges should happen vnto theÌ„ by reason of the disluyaltie and crueltie which they had vsed agaynst the Iewes The execution therfore of Gods iudgement is attributed to the Iewes for as much as God woulde sende it to reuenge the iniuries offred vnto his people But these thinges were fulfilled when the selfsame Assyrians Chaldeans which had afflicted the Iewes did also within a while after subdue and ouerrunne these nations togither with other the neare neighbours of the Iewes Esa 14. 32 Iere. 47. Ezech. 29.27.28 Ioan. 11. as we may see in the sermons of Esay Ieremie and Ezechiel Neuerthelesse these things ought chiefly to be referred to the times of Christ who as he hath gathered together in one the children of God which were before dispersed and solde vnder sinne so taketh hee most greeuous punishments vpon the wicked enemies of his church whereof the Iewes first of all tasted For when these had after a sort sold Christ and shamefully denied him before Pilate God solde them also into the handes of the Romanes and scattered them throughout the whole worlde so as the tokens of Gods wrath are euery where seene in them The like happened not long after to the Romanes whom God solde into the handes of the Gotthes Vandalles Herulians and other most cruell nations when they had once atmed theÌ„ selues against Christ neither is it to be doubted but that all they also are to tast of the selfe same cup in these dayes that are false and iniurious against the church And withall let theÌ„ also obserue this thing whosoeuer beside the cause of religion liue by oppression of the poore shedding of bloode and by rauine and extertion suche as are those that addicting themselues vnto mercenary warfare seeke their chiefe prayse in this if they may spoyle kill and destroy as manye as is possible Well God will one day punishe them wick euen dealing neither will Christ bee founde false Matt. 7. who sayde sometime With what measure yee mete with the selfesame shal others also mete vnto you Apoc. 13. Agayne Hee that leadeth into captiuitie goeth into captiuitie He that killeth with the sword shall perish with the sword These things are approued by the examples of all ages so as wee haue by no meanes to doubt of the truth of them c. The wicked and vngodly destroy themselues with fiting one against another But forsomuch as God punisheth the wickednes of the world with diuers and sundry penalties he now expressely sheweth what punishment he would vse against them namely warre which in maner of an herrault he deuounceth with many graue and weightie woordes to the intent hee might both awaken the carelesse contemners of Gods iudgementes and also minister hope and comfort to the godly who thought it would scarce euer come to passe that these natioÌ„s should be punished which as they were most mighty and puissant so also did they as stubbornely defend their superstitions against the church of God Hee publikely therfore denounceth warre vnto them whilest he raiseth vp al nations he sheweth it would come to passe that al the whole worlde shoulde be troubled and that they should fall by wounding one of another that had now conspired to the destructioÌ„ of Gods people Publish sayth he this among the Gentiles For god is the Lord of all nations â—â—nctifie prepare warret by which speech he signifieth that this warre should be accomplished by the furtherance and assistance of God albeit the prophane Gentiles vnderstood not so much withal he coÌ„mendeth vnto theÌ„ an earnest care endeuour to go through with it Wake vp also al the mightie valiant men let as many as are furnished with any martiall prowesse draw neere come vp Yea breake your plough shares into swordes your siethes into speares And thus he expresseth the incessaÌ„t practise of warring which should bring with it a forgetfulnes of husbandry and of all other businesses which are wonte to florishe in the time of peace For Esay by diuerse speeches expresseth the exercise of peace when prophesiyng of the kingdome of Christe hee sayeth They shall breake their swordes into mattockes and theyr speares into siethes c. Hereunto Ioel addeth Esay 2. Hee that is weake let him say I am a strong champion let him shew himself couragious in executing Gods iudgment What neede many wordes Assemble your selues and come together all ye heathen rounde about The cause For the Lord shall there namely in the sight of his Churche cast downe all the mightie men of the earth that haue hytherto afflicted her These things admonish vs how greatly God careth for his Church The Churche how much it is set by of God For as hee made all thinges for this and therefore prosecuteth all other creatures with his fauour that they might doe seruice vnto her So for the same his Churche hee meserueth kingdomes and common weales to the end they might minister thinges necessary thereunto and agayne ouerthroweth those nations and kingdomes which would haue his church banished and destroyed For example the Sodomites whom God preserued a long time for Lots sake and deliuered by Abraham from their enemies but the same heâ— strake with fire from heauen when Lot coulde no longer dwell amongest them in safetie Likewise vpon Egpyt God powred many benefites by Ioseph when as hee had appointed it the resting place of his Church but incontinently hee both most greeuously afflicted the land of the Egyptians and also destroyed their king with his whole traine of horsemen by a verye fearefull and terrible iudgement what time they began to persecute his Church In like maner dealt he with the Chananites with the Moabites with the Madianites with the Palestines Syrians Idumeans Babilonians Medians Persians Grecians and Romanes as the histories doe euery where tostifie And at this daye wee see the wicked runne together by the eares one vpon another and to turne the weapons to their owne destruction which they had prouided to oppresse the Church and so is it true in all ages that the verye earth that is to say earthly minded men and such as are giuen ouer to the worlde drinke up the floodes of water
which that olde Oragon the Diuell Apoc. 12. vomitech out against the Church Let these things serue for our comfort least wee dispaire at any time of Gods help Vnder the figure of Iudiciall processe he denounceth punishment to the enemies But the Lord goeth forward and vnder the figure of a iudicial processe threatneth the selfe same thing withall teacheth that he wil doe nothing cōtrary to right equity And hytherto maketh the very diligent rehearsall of the circumstances For first are summoned and ascited the guiltie whom it behooueth to stand forth to iudgement Secondly the iudge also is described Thē next he reciteth the sentēce at length declareth the horrible execution thereof As touching the first Let the heathen sayth he be wakened I As guiltie hee cyteth all the heathen and come vp to the valley of Iehosophat that is to the place of Gods iudgement where they may be punished for their wickednes Where wee are taught that the iudgments of God are extended to al nations neither can they be auoyded by any shiftes or forcible attemptes of men For so great is the force of Gods summoning or citation that the wicked doe euen willingly after a forte come forth when the time of vengeance is and no man compelling thē stand forth before God to be punished So Pharao willingly ran headlong into the bocome of the Sea in these dayes we see it no rare matter that the wicked desperately pluck perils vpon their owne pates wherin they miserably perish Let no man therefore either be deceiued by his owne securitie or dismaied by the successe and temerity of the vngodly Secōdly God bewraieth also the iudge to witee himselfe 2 God is iudge who elsewhere chalengeth to himselfe all iudgement and is said to be the iudge of the whole earth Deut. 1. Psalm 82. Genes 18. For I sayth he will sitte to iudge all nations round about As though hee shoulde saye This wil I do who hitherto might seeme as though I had neglected both mine owne cause and the cause of my people c. This thing is well to bee obserued of the wicked and euen of as many as are securely besotted in their sinnes They for the most part thinke that God regardeth not mortall mens matters and with those fooles say There is no God Psal 14.53 the Lorde seeth not neither doth the God of Iacob vnderstand c. But would to god the same woulde heare the Prophet making answere vnto thē Psal 94. Vnderstand ye vnwise amōg the people and O yee fooles when wil yee be wise He that planted the eare shal he not heare he that formed the eye shal he not see he that chastiseth the nations teacheth men wisedome shall hee not reproue you The Lorde knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine c. And that these thinges are most truly spoken of the Prophet as well old as new and euen dayly examples doe so manifestly prooue that they are wittinglie and willingly beside themselues that dare call the same into question 3. The sentēce of the iudge is expressed by similitudes Thirdly he declareth the sentence or verdict of the Iudge by similitudes drawen from vintage and haruest whereby hee both sheweth the cause of the punishment and also the vprightnes of the iudgement For he compareth the wicked enemies of his kingdome to a fielde and vineyarde wherein the fruites of all kinde of sinne haue hither to growen which God as yet indeede through his wonderfull long sufferance hath borne withal but now he will reape cut thē downe because that beeing come vnto ripenes they had filled vp the measure of their iniquitie Therefore hee crieth Thrust in your siethes for the haruest is ripe come gette you downe for the wine presse is full c. And thus speaketh he vnto those whom he had now constituted executioners of his iudgement Apoc. 14. The selfesame parables Iohn heard aleadged of the Angel when he described the proceeding of the last iudgement But for our partes let us learne hereby howe dangerously they are deceiued that by the long sufferance of God promise to themselues an impunitie in sinning and in the meane season thinke not of Gods iustice who distributeth vnto euery thing his proper time and season The husbandman wayteth for the time of haruest and vintage neither gathereth he his fruites before they be ripe shall we thinke that God will rashly and vnaduisedly hasten his iudgments But although he sometimes deferre the punishmentes yet he forgetteth not the sinnes which if together with a setled and incurable libertie of sinning contempt of Gods worde they come vnto ripenes then by and by he displayeth his iudgement Wherby it commeth to passe that such as seemed of long time to haue committed most heynous transgressions without check or controlement at length by adding one sinne more haue prouoked Gods wrath against thē For as the haruest being already white one day or two bringeth it vnto ripenes as the measure filled vp to the brim one onely drop maketh it run ouer euen so the sinnes that seeme to be smal prouoke the iudgemēt of God if through an incurable malice prophane contempt of the word they be added to the former transgressions Let euery one obserue marke these things neither let thē looke onely vpon that which is presently cōmitted but call to minde also their sinnes past and examine their hearts least the wicked carelesse contēpt of god cause that to be pernitious vnto thē which vnto the godly to such as sinne of infirmitie is pardoned and forgiuen 4 The horrible execution of the diuine sentence But the prophet persisting in the parable describeth the horrible execution of Gods iudgement as though being rapt out of himselfe hee saw al things done before his face he exclauneth O multitude multitude cōe into the valley of threshing c. For this is peculiar to the prophets that being rapt rauished out of thēselues they looke vpon things to come as though they were present which thing the Poet obseruing bringeth in Sibyll crying out Warres O most fearefull warres I say And slaughters manifolde And Tyber foming froth of blood Great plentie I beholde And he calleth the place of Gods iudgmēt the valley of threshing As if he should say They would not hitherto acknowledge the iudgmēt of God deuise how to escape it but haue brought their sins vnto ripenes therfore they shal come into the valley of threshing and there be broken in pieces forthw t he addeth the cause For the day of the lord is nere in the valley of threshing He calleth the day of the lord the time of vēgeance which he expressed before by the nāes of haruest vintage And that he might be token the greeuousnes thereof he sayth that the Sun Moon with the rest of the starres shal forgo their brightnes insomuch that the tokēs