such faire warning to avoyd the stroke of his sword drawne out against us For wherefore doth hee not destroy us Is it for want of desart on our part No doubtlesse he findeth just cause to proceede against us and hee is of infinite power to punish us The Prophet teacheth Num. 11.23 Esay 59.1 that his hand is not weakned as though he could not strike us neither is his arme shortned as though hee could not reach us Esa 59.1 v. Secondly if any man bee overtaken with any judgement he must know thus much that certainely God was true and that his purpose was we should prevent it or else he would never have given warning of it There is no man that can justly say that the silence of God is the cause of his security for Gods manner is never to come with any judgement and to discharge a whole volly of shot but he alwayes sendeth a warning peece before But you will say we have no Prophets to foretell Ob. they are all gone it is not with us as it was in former times Answ To this I make answer as our Saviour saith of the rich man in the Gospell that his brethren had both Moses and the Prophets among them Luk. 16.29.31 when indeed both Moses and the Prophets were all dead long before but his meaning was that they had the bookes of Moses and the writings of the Prophets before them So may I say that wee have the Prophets and Apostles still among us I meane we have the holy Scriptures wherein are contained the workes of the Prophets and of the Apostles and besides these God hath given to us his Ministers that they might as it were put life againe into the dead Prophets that they might open and declare unto us those things which are doubtfull and obscure and therefore if any man be admonished by these that judgements shall certainly come let him take heed he withstand not the Spirit of God for it is as true and evident as if the Prophets and Moses himselfe were alive and uttered these threatnings and it is the wonderfull goodnesse of God that hee will foretell us of his judgements and after a sort send them home to our owne hearts Our consciences tell us that wee are guilty of those sinnes which have formerly beene reprooved and whereof we have beene forewarned let us therefore conclude with our selves that it is the mercy of God that hee doth threaten hell and judgements unto us as well as promise heaven and happinesse and let us blesse his name in our hearts that he hath granted such a gracious warning unto us and endeavour to breake off our sinnes that so hee may bee pleased to proceede no farther with his judgements against us Lastly this dealing of God must provoke us to repentance and to turne unto God Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.13 because his patience serveth to leade us to repentance Rom. 2.4 The daies of his patience last long but they are not everlasting if we repent not Let us meete him betimes while hee is in the way before he approach nearer unto us and come upon us Sinne separateth betweene him and us and maketh God our utter enemy Let us make an attonement with him before his wrath burne like fire True it is he beareth long but if we greeve his Spirit we shall beare his indignation and our owne condemnation whosoever we be He forbeareth long but he will not alwaies forbeare Exod. 34.6 he will come speedily and suddainly upon us The longer he is in drawing his bow the deeper do his arrowes pierce Thus much of the generall doctrine Yet forty daies Before we come to the cheefe point offered to our considerations in these words Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intiellgit post 40. dies non intrà ut quidavolunt Vide Drusij Lection a question may bee demanded how this threatning standeth with the truth of God and the issue and event of the matter mentioned in the end of this prophesy to pronounce such a dreadfull sentence against a City and the inhabitants thereof which tooke not that effect or shall wee thinke that God changed his minde to propose that which he purposed not and doth not the Scripture teach us that he is unchangable and no shaddow of turning with him I answer the threatnings of God are oftentimes conditionall though the condition be not expressed as appeareth in the last verse of the 3. Chapter Chap. 3.10 God repented of the Evill that he had said that he would doe unto them and he did it not True it is he might have destroyed them justly for their crying sins if it had pleased him Chap. 1.2 seeing their wickednesse was come up before him calling for judgement and it had beene as easy for him to have sent a destroying Angell to overturne them as a preaching Prophet to turne them unto him From hence wee learne Doct. 2 that the threatnings of God and denouncing of his judgements are not absolute but conditionall toward his people Gods threatnings are conditionall Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 1 Cor. 6.9.10 Eph. 5.5 they containe an exception and limitation except they repent and amend their waies The condition is understood So it was to the old world Their daies were an hundred and twenty yeares which S. Peter calleth the time of his patience while the Arke was preparing See the same 2 King 20.1 Gen. 20.3 Mic. 3.12 and Ier. 26.18 Sometimes it is expressed as Lu. 13.3.5 Re. 2.5 Let us see some reasons Reason 1 First because after threatnings if we repent and lay them to our hearts it causeth forgivenesse and blotting of our sinnes out of his remembrance For sinne the cause of Gods judgements being removed Ezek. 33.14 c. the effect will cease as Ezek. 33. If I say to the wicked you shall dye the death if he turne from his sinne and doe that is lawfull and right none of his sinnes that he hath committed shall be mentioned he shall live and not die Secondly God is a God of long sufferance and much patience ready to forgive and receive to mercy yea in judgement to remember mercy as 2 Sam. 24 16. and Hab. 3.2 when once we turne unto him Ier. 3.22 and 33.20 as Ier. 3. O ye disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellion and Chap. 31. when Ephraim after his corrections lamented saying Thou hast chastened me and I was chastened as a Bullocke unaccustomed to the Yoke surely after that I was turned I repented the Lord answered My bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him he is my deare sonne he is my pleasant child Thirdly it is a speciall end and purpose why God doth denounce his judgements and threaten his plagues that we should repent and so that he might repent therefore they are not absolute but limited with condition except we change and amend And thus did the King of Nineveh understand
speake aright and repent him of his wickednesse saying what have I done This reproveth the boldnesse and rashnesse of such as dare take upon them to enter into the secrets of God Vse 1 without any warrant or commission from him 2 Sam. 6.19 as they that adventured to pry into the Arke were punished 1 Sam. 6. so such as presume to read what is written in the booke of life and presume to open the booke that is clasped and sealed with many seales may happily never finde their owne names registred therein For the farther reproofe of such as dare pronounce the sentence of damnation upon any and judge others reprobates and the directing of our selves herein let us observe these few rules for the cleering of the point and the keeping of us in the meane betweene two extremes Deut. 29.29 First it is a good rule which Moses giveth The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may doe all the words of this law But the sentence of reprobation is one of the secrets of God or rather the secret of secrets the most hidden secret of all the rest Secondly it is noted of charity it thinketh no evill 1 Cro. 13.5.7 it beleeveth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things Such then as despaire of the conversion of others doe plainely declare they are destitute of love which covereth a multitude of sinnes Thirdly we must notwithstanding learne the great folly of many men in the world that build awry or amisse upon a good foundation For seing we must not be as men without hope of Salvation of others much lesse of our selves we see how diverse are deceived that give an easie passage entrance to commit sinne till they be so caught and intangled yea so enwrapped and fettered with it as a fowle in a snare or as a prisoner in chaines that they cannot easily breake it off againe neither ridde themselves of it as the wise Salomon speaketh of the strange woman Pro. 2. Pro. 2.19 None that goe unto her returne againe neither take they hold of the pathes of life True it is this is an excessive and hyperbolicall speech often used in Scripture as Esay 59 4. 64.7 Ier. 8.6 and sundry examples teach the same 2 Sam. 12.13 1 Cor. 6.11 Heb. 11.31.32 Iam. 2.25 But the meaning is few come to repentance to reforme themselves or take a better course of life that they might be saved And this is another folly of the sinner who being rebuked and threatned for sinne doe by and by answer Tush we can leave sinne when we list we will repent at leysure and helpe all But Salomon will teach these fooles that few or none compassed with the continuall practise of sinne amend their wayes Pro. 6.22.27 but goe as the Oxe to the slaughter or as a foole to the correction of the stockes because they have set themselves in the way to hell Ier. 13.23 going downe to the Chambers of death For custome is as strong as nature or rather much stronger It is as the Ethiopians skin and the Leopards spotts which cannot be changed It is hard for a man to forget his naturall language and his mother tongue but it is harder for the sinner to forsake his sinfull course For a man by nature or birth is indifferent to any language and inclined to no one more then to another because he hath it by hearing and imitation of others as appeareth in such as are borne deafe but we doe not only sucke in sinne with the mothers milke but as the Prophet confesseth Psal 51.5 We were shapen in iniquitie and in sinne did our mothers conceive us which is a great deale more then can be spoken of the language which we learne in our youth Besides it is a great pollicy of Satan to cover his purpose at the first as the fisher doth the hooke to deceive us the sooner he beginneth with lesser sinnes until he have wrapped us in the greater and our consciences be hardned and as it were seared with an hote iron Fourthly A tvvo fold favour of God to the sinner this sheweth the wonderfull love and favour of God which he vouchsafeth to any both when he preventeth sinne that we doe not fall into it and when he breaketh off the course of it when we are overtaken with it This is a twofold grace We are by nature prone to sin and ready to yeeld to every tentation as we see in Peter that denied his Master at the word of a seely damsell when therefore the Lord putteth his hand under us and stayeth us up that we doe not stumble and fall is not this a wonderfull grace to keepe us from sinning against him and wounding our owne soules As this is a great blessing so the other is yet greater to pull us out of the snare when we have one foot in hell as it is a greater worke to stay a man that is running downe a steepe hill then to perswade him not to runne at all The truth of both these we see in David a man after Gods owne heart for when he was purposed to shed blood 1 Sam. 25.22.33 and to destroy all that pertained to Nabal by the morning light he blessed God that had kept him from comming to shed blood and from avenging himselfe with his owne hand Loe here the preventing grace of God to stay him that was running and making haste to commit sinne Againe when he had given himselfe over to commit one sinne after another Luc. 11.22 as it were to adde drunkennesse unto thirst the strong man bagan to possesse the house but a stronger then he came and overcame him and tooke from him all his armour wherein he trusted and so recovered him out of the snare of the Devil which he laid to entrap him He had as much as lay in him cast himselfe into the mouth of the roaring Lyon that gapeth after his prey it was therefore the speciall mercy of God to reclaime and recover him out of the snare of the devill who after a sort was taken captive by him at his will Lastly we must labour that sinne may not raigne in our mortall bodies For albeit we cannot be without sinne because we carry about the flesh yet we must take heed it exercise not a kingdome in us it hath an easie entrance an easie continuance but it is hard to get out and to ridde our selves from the tyranny thereof as we may see in Esau Gen. 26. in Saul 1 Sam. 14 15. and in Iudas who passed from one degree to another till at last they filled up the measure of their sinne It is an easie matter to pull up the bankes and throw downe the walles whereby as by fenses or bulwarkes the sea is kept out from overflowing the land and so to let in the water but it
Ninevites did and what God himselfe did The actions of the Ninevites concerning The people King of Nineveh The actions of the people are Their faith Fruits of faith The actions of the King are set downe His example Verse 6. His proclamation 7.8 His proclamation is published confirmed The publishing and proclaiming thereof instructeth What they must not doe What they must doe The actions of God what he did He saw their workes that they turned Verse 10. He repented of the evill threatned Verse 10. The beginning of their conversion stood in this that they beleeved the word of God And this helped and furthered to stirre up faith in them that they considered they had to doe with God himselfe and not with the Prophet onely Wherein consider 2 King 14.6 that albeit hee was sent to them with heavy tydings as the Prophet said to the wife of Ieroboam Act. 7.27 yet they did not thrust him away from them as the Israelite did Moses Act. 7.27 they did not stretch forth their hand saying lay hold on him as Ieroboam did to the man of God 1 King 13.4 they did not mocke him and misuse him as the lewes did the Prophets 2 Chro. 36.16 they did not account him a mad fellow for his strange message Act. 26.24 as the Captaines did one of the Children of the Prophets 2 King 9.11 they did not waxe wroth and put him in a prison house as men in a rage as Asa dealt with Hanani the Seer 2 Chro 16.10 then bid them feed him with the bread of affliction with the water of affliction as Ahab gave charge to the Governor of the City concerning Micaiah 1 King 22.27 They did not put him to death and stone him with stones as they dealt with Zechariah at the commandement of the King 2 Chro. 24.31 they did not suggest to the King Ionah hath conspired against thee in the middest of the Citie the land is not able to beare all his words or say unto him O thou Seer goe fly thee away into the Land of Iudah and there eate bread and prophecie there but prophecie not any more at Nineveh for it is the house of the kingdom as Amaziah said to Amos Amo. 7.10.12 Neither did they put him in the stockes and smite him on the mouth with the fist as Pashur did Ieremy and the standers by did Paul Ier. 20.2 Act. 23.2 Neither did they apprehend him and throw him into a dungeon or accuse him saying This man is worthy to die for he hath prophecied against this Citie all the words that ye have heard as the Priests and false Prophets pleaded against Ieremy at an other time Ier. 26.11 neither did they drive him out of their coastes and thrust him out of their Citie as the people of Nazareth dealt with Christ Luk. 4.29 and the Gadarens when they had lost their Swine Math. 8.34 Neither did they stop their eares and gnash on him with their teeth and runne upon him with one accord as they served Stephen Act. 7.54.57 Neither did they beat him or charge command him that he should speak no more in the name of the Lord his God and then let him goe as they dealt with Peter and the other Apostles Act. 5.40 but they heard him attentively patiently and readily they accounted him not as a troubler of the state as the filth of the world 1 Cor. 4.13 and as the off-scouring of all things but they received his words as the oracles of God they perswaded themselues that he was sent unto them of God and constantly beleeved that those things would undoubtedly come to passe which he had spoken Of this faith what it was see more afterward vers 9. This threatning for the certainty of it is utttered in the time present for in the originall it is word for word is overthrowne and therefore the destruction being so neere and so certaine it was high time for them to looke about them We learne from hence that the word preached is the ordinary meanes ordained of God to worke in us faith Doct. 4 The word preached is the instrument of faith as Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 15.1.2 Iam. 1.18 Examples hereof are plentifull to be found in the Acts of the Apostles after the hearing of the word they were pricked in their hearts and said What shall we do Act. 2.37 they received his word gladly and were baptized vers 41. many of them which heard the word beleeved Chap. 4.4 Cornelius is directed to Peter who should tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved Act. 11.14 The Gentiles were glad when they heard the word and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved chap. 13.48 the Lord opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul chap. 16.14 some beleeved and clave unto him chap. 17.4.12.34 and 18 9.10 The Souldiers the Publicanes and the people that came out to heare the preaching of Iohn were converted and said Master what shall we doe Luk. 3.10.12.14 The reasons Reason 1 First because this is the high ordinance of God which he hath appointed to beginne and worke in us faith and so the conversion of a sinner 1 Cor. 1.21 If he had ordained other means other means should have bin effectuall Secondly faith cannot be without knowledge knowledge cannot be without instruction Mat. 2.7 instruction cannot be without such as instruct us in the faith and therefore we must necessarily heare their voyce and seeke the law at their mouthes Mal. 2.7 Thirdly to this end and purpose God gave gifts to men and called them to beare his word to his people Eph. 4.11.12 so the Prophet teacheth that the Priestslips must preserue knowledge Mal. 2. Lastly our first parents were turned from God and drawne to unbeleefe by hearing the voyce of the old Serpent the devill it is therefore convenient that the elect by hearing the voyce of God should be converted to the faith and returne to him that calleth Obj. 1. If this be so Obiect 1 then it must needes goe hard with deafe men that cannot heare For if faith presuppose knowledge knowledge instruction and instruction hearing which is the sense of learning what shall we thinke of them that are borne deafe How shall they beleeve and be saved Answ Blind men may heare but deafe men cannot I answere albeit God doth ordinarily worke faith by hearing yet he can and doth extraordinarily worke faith without it and of stones raise up children to Abraham as he gave faith to Rahab the harlot by hearing of his workes not of his word Ios 2. For the holy Ghost that teacheth by inspiration supplieth the want of outward meanes by an inward motion in their hearts So that albeit they cannot have knowledge nor salvation by the hearing of faith yet they may have them by an inward worke supplying the defect of the outward senses Secondly Object 2 how shall infants and children
disability or prophanenesse or from contempt or from deriding of all good things in such as delight in them or from posting it over to the Minister or from lying in some knowne sinne or from an evill custome and continuance without reading or praying in their houses To conclude this point we must obserue two rule First it is not enough to bid others pray for us as did Pharaoh Ieroboam Simon Magus and some others but we must pray our selues We must learne this knowledge As Parents will not have their children require others to request them to grant such things as they want but will accustome them to come boldly themselues so it is with our heavenly Father He will not have us to depend upon others to speake unto him for us but he will have us come to his throne our selues with such reverence and boldnesse as behoveth children to come to their fathers Secondly we ought not to pray in company onely for that many times is hypocrisie The greatest sort rest in comming to the Church in hearing the Word in receiving the Sacraments in being present at the prayers of the Church and in doing as others do but over and above this we must pray in secret between God and our selues that he which seeth in secret may reward us openly He that never prayed but in company never prayed in sincerity If we have the spirit of supplicatioÌ„ we must sequester our selues from others for private meditation as our Saviour both instructed others and practised himselfe Math 6.6 Touching others he willeth us to enter into our Closet and shut the dore Math. 6. and to pray to our father in secret Luk. 6.12 And touching himselfe He went out into a Mountaine to pray and continued all night in prayer and was oftentimes aâ—one by himselfe as we shewed before Lastly come often to Gods throne as children do to their father accounting it a necessary duty Iam. 5.13 not arbitrary or left at our liberty as Iam. 5. Is any among you afflicted let him pray Neither let any man pretend the difficulty The more hard it is the more excellent and the greater labour should we employ to be able to do it If an earthly Prince should make Proclamation among the lowest meanest sort of his subjectes that whosoever would come to begge such a mannor at his hands and put up his petition for it shewing his case and laying open his poverty there is none so simple or so shallow but he would find wordes and matter enough to plead for himselfe Why then are we not so wise for the soule as we are for the body for the life to come as for this present life for heaven as we are for the earth for eternall things as we are temporall Let us therfore draw neere to God and he will draw neere vnto us he is more ready to heare then we are to speake to grant then we are to aske to open then we are to knock True it is he is often found before we seeke after him and when we aske one blessing he is ready to grant many yea more then we desire and we make an end of asking before he doth of granting Gen. 18. yet if we enioy the things of this life when we refuse to pray for them and resolue not once to open our mouthes unto him all such blessings are turned into curses as he threatneth Mal. 2.2 Yea let them turne every one from their evill wayes It was not enough for these Ninevites to pray to pray fervently to pray unto God but they must turne every one from his evill way This is necessary to be annexed as a companion to the former For as fasting is nothing worth without prayer so prayer is nothing worth without repentance Doct. This teacheth that no prayer is acceptable to God No prayer accepted but of the righteous Psal 145.19 but the prayer of the penitent of such as walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse The Prophet teacheth that he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him 1 Tim. 28. he will heare their prayers also and saue them as if he should say theirs and no others The Apostle willeth that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Iam. 5.16 Thus also another teacheth that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much If then it be not the prayer of a righteous man it is not the prayer of faith and without faith it is unpossible to please God Heb 11.6 The reasons are many that shew the causes wherefore God regardeth not a wicked mans prayer Reas 1 Ioh. 9.31 For first God heareth no sinners Ioh. 9 but if any be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Secondly sinne separeteth from God and divideth between him and us Esay 59.2 2 King 4.40 and defileth all our prayers This the Prophet teacheth Your iniquities have separated you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that he will not heare As then the children of the Prophets having gathered wild gourds cryed out there is death in the pot so when we mingled our prayer with the sowre herbes of iniquity we may cry out death is in our prayer Thirdly our persons must please God before our Prayers can be accepted Gen 4.5 Mal 1.8 3.3 God had no respect to the person of Caine because he was of that evill one and came in hypocrisie into his presence and therefore he accepted not his offering but unto Abâ—l and Tit. 1.15 to his offering he had respect so the Apostle teacheth that to the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeeving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled To apply these things to our selues Vse 1 First it teacheth that the prayer of the wicked is abominable before him the ungodly are not accepted in his sight If we incline our hearts to wickednesse the Lord will not heare us Psal 66. Psal 66.18 nay the more we pray the more we sinne if we be impenitent Therefore the prayers of such are abominable as Solomon teacheth in many places He assureth us that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Pro 15.29 28. â— but the prayer of the upright is his delight and after the Lord is farre from the wicked but he heareth the prayer of the righteous and chap. 28. he that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination Albeit such may and do often cry in his eares with a loud voyce Ezek. 8.18 yet he will not heare them Ezek. The wicked therefore are out of hope of obtaining for their comfort the things that they pray for nay they farther provoke God to the confusion of their faces by their mock-prayers This answereth an objection which the wicked may make God hath commanded us to pray and hath
sanctifieth all Gods creatures unto our use It obtaineth a good right and title to them and a blessing upon them 1 Tim. 4.5 Our callings our labours our actions and the workes of our hands are sanctified by it as Psal 127. Except the Lord keepe the City Psal 127.1.2 the watch-man waketh but in vaine it is in vaine for you to rise up early to sit up late to eate the bread of sorrowes c. Seing these things be thus that these be the fruits of prayer Ezr. 9.6.10.11.13 Neh. 9.32.33 Psal 79.8.9 80.3 Dan. 9.7.8.18.19 let us put it in practise and double our zeale and never cease to follow the example of this Dresser to cry to the Lord for our brethren Lord let them alone this yeare also spare thy people and give them not over into the hands of the destroyer we are ashamed and blush to lift up our faces to thee O our God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespasses are growne up unto the heavens And now O our God what shall we say after this for we have forsaken thy Commandements which thou hast commanded and all this evill is come upon us for our evill deedes and for our great trespasses for asmuch as thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserue Now therfore O our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest Covenant and mercy let not all the troubles which are most heavy upon us and our chiefe Cities seeme little before thee howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly and dealt foolishly and frowardly with thee O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low helpe us O God of our Salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sinnes for thy names sake wherefore should the enemies of the Gospel say where is their God turne us againe O God and cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved O Lord God of hostes how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces to our Princes to our fathers to our people incline thine eare and heare open thine eyes and behold our desolations and the City which is called by thy name For we doe not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe deferre not for thine owne sake for the City and thy people are called by thy name Now is the time of this humiliation now God calleth to us to call upon him now is the time of trouble and affliction Let us give him no rest you that are the Lords remembrancers stand in the breach which his right hand hath made Numb 16.48 as it were betweene the living and the dead let us never give over neither let him alone untill we have received a gratious answer that our iniquities be pardoned his present judgments removed and his ancient favours recovered Till I shall digge about it and dung it The labour of the Lord of the Vineyard hath beene before expressed so that the complaint of the Prophet may be renewed Esay 40.4 53.1 65.23 I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine and in another place who hath beleeved our report Doct. and againe I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walke in a way that is not good We must have hope touching the salvation of others albeit they runne aâ— stray yet the barren fig-tree is not forsaken and given over so long as there is any hope but the Dresser wil still be digging about it and dunging of it This teacheth that we must not despaire of the salvation of any howsoever they have long gone astray We see this in the example of Manasses he built altars for all the host of heaven he caused his children to passe through the fire he used Witch-craft and enchantment he dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards 2 Chro. 33.5.6 he shed innocent blood very much till he had filled Ierusalem from one end to another and wrought much evill in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger yet the Lord was intreated of him 2 King 21.16 and heard his supplication when he had learned by wofull experience that the Lord was God Act. 2.37 10.11.12.13.14.15 Thus it was with those that crucified the Lord of life they were pricked in their hearts and had Salvation preached vnto them Hereunto commeth the vision of Peter he saw heaven opened and a certaine vessel descending unto him as it had beene a great sheet knit at the foure corners wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth wild beasts and creeping things and soules of the aire and there came a voyce to him Rise Peter kill and eate And when he refused because he had never eaten any thing that is common or uncleane the same voyce answered What God hath clensed that call not thou vncleane This was the interpretation of the vision that which is uncleane God is able to cleanse Paul before his conversion was a blasphemer and a persecuter and a great oppressour 1. Tim. 1.13 but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly through unbeleefe The Gentiles wandred many yeares even thousands of yeares in superstition and Idolatry yet at length when the time of their conversion was come Gen. 9.27 Ioh. 10.16 God perswaded Iapheth to come and dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9. and our Saviour speaking of them saith Other sheepe I have 2 Tim. 2.25 which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one fold and one shepheard So the servant of the Lord must not strive but be patient and gentle unto all proving if God will give them repentance The reasons are plaine First Reason 1 because God calleth at all houres of the day who hoth the times and seasons in his owne power Math. 20.3.5 6. some at the third some at the sixt some at the ninth and some at the eleventh houre and we have a notable example thereof in the penitent theefe converted by the powerfull word of Christ upon the Crosse Luc. 23.34 he that was running a pace to hell hath promise to be carried into Paradise whereby the common proverbe is verified if in any thing else that he runneth far which never returneth Secondly God waiteth the time that he may be gracious unto us Esay 30.18 and have mercy upon us for he is a God of judgment and blessed are all they that wait for him Esay 30. ought not we therefore to follow his example and to hearken who will
it make us not better it maketh us worse A soft heart is a singular blessing they are thrice happy that have attained unto it on the other side the sinner that is as brasse and iron and past feeling lyeth under an heavy curse Pro. 20.12 Hence it is that Salomon sayth The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them We cannot see what is before us untill God direct us Gen. 21.19 Luk. 24.16.31 We cannot heare the voice that soundeth untill he open our eares Act. 22.9 If then he have opened our eares that it may be said of us My sheepe heare my voyce Ioh. 10 27. and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish and if withall he opened our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia Act. 16.14 that we may attend to the things which are spoken We have received such a blessing as many thousands do want and for which we are bound to give continuall thankes to almighty God to whom be praise in the Church for ever Amen FINIS A Recapitulation of the Doctrines handled in this Scripture THe way to prevent Gods judgments is to repent Doubtlesse such as continue in sinne without repentance shall perish We are rather to looke to our selves then to censure others Outward judgments neither alwaies seaze upon the worst sort neither alwayes free the best men God hath many wayes to take away mans life and that suddainely when pleaseth him The wicked are by nature bloody and cruell Examples of Gods judgements upon some are profitable to others Jt is lawfull for the Minister of God to use parables and similitudes The end of Gods patience ought to be our repentance The favour and patience of God toward his Church is infinite Patience neglected and abused bringeth destruction Evill minded men are altogether unprofitable to themselves and others Gods children make intercession for others and are heard We should not utterly despaire of the salvation of others howsoever they runne astray The promises and threatnings of God are conditionall The barren estate is very dangerous neere to the fire Repentance obtaineth for givenesse of sinnes and the favour of God All that are in the Church are not true members of the Church The Lrod though he suffer long punisheth at last Such as grow desperate and are past recovery God is determined to destroy FINIS PHISICKE AGAINST FAMINE OR A SOVERAIGNE Preservative against all distrustfull thoughts and cares touching the things of this life prescribed and administred by the best Physicion of soule and body Christ Iesus Comfortable in these dayes Opened and expounded in certaine Sermons by WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the Word of God PSAL. 37.25 I have beene yong and now am old yet have I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread ROM 8.32 He that spared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things LONDON Printed by E. A. for Michael Sparke the yonger dwelling at the blue Bible in Greene Arbour 1632. TO THE RIGHT VVORshipfull and worthy Lady the Lady DOROTHY SHVRLEY all happinesse in this life and in the life to come Madam THe saying of the Apostle is remarkable and never to be forgotten 1 Tim. 4.8 6.6 Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and afterward in the same Epistle Godlines with cōtentment is great gaine For what can it profit a man if hee should gaine the whole world and then lose his owne soule Now the drift of this ensuing Treatise as appeareth by the Title is to shew to a godly Christian received already into the love and favour of God in this life looking for happines in heaven after this life by what holy meanes he may support his heart as posts doe the house with sufficient contentment against all the miseries that doe or may assault him in time of necessity The crosses and tentations wherewith the life especially of a poore Christian is distressed are manifold and Satan worketh upon their severall wants to surprize them and make them often cry out What shall we eate Matth. 6.31 or what shall we drinke or wherewithall shall we be clothed Every calling in the world from the highest to the lowest is assaulted with his proper and peculiar tentations and there are certaine unlawfull and ungodly courses practised by wicked man which we may not unfitly call The speciall sinnes of such a calling Hence it is that the Apostle among other precepts beateth upon this Heb. 13.5 6. Gen. 28.15 Deut. 31.6 8. Iosh 1.5 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and bee content with such things as ye have for hee hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not feare what man shall doe unto me and our Saviour to comfort us against feare of famine sendeth us sometimes to God sometimes to our selves sometimes to the Heaven sometimes to the earth and sometimes to the Gentiles that by all these wee might have strong consolation and rest in him that hath given us both our lives and our bodies Consider a little the History of the Creation as it is described in the Booke of Genesis God made all the Creatures to serve for mans use before he made man himselfe wherein wee may behold a perpetuall patterne of his providence that he never bringeth any into the world but that first hee ordaineth things needfull for them for the time alotted them to be there even as milke in the Mothers brests for the child to sucke before ever the child be borne to sucke the same A very gaod patterne alwaies to have before on eyes against that distrust and infidelity which commonly hangeth on and haunteth the nature of man in those matters Let us also take heed of setting our heart upon the world and the things in the world and be ready evermore to confesse in word and shew it by our practice that we account our selves to be but as Strangers and Pilgrims in this world Heb 11.13 Psal 62.10 if riches increase we must looke to it that we set not our hearts upon them and we must use the world as if we used it not because the fashion thereof passeth away And if we doe not set our hearts and affections upon our riches sundry good fruits will follow thereupon First it bringeth comfort and contentment with our estate as being that portion which God allotteth unto us maketh us not to repine against his providence because we have not a larger allowance for he that doth not too much affect their presence will not too much bewaile their absence neither be discontent because he hath not abundance of that which hee doth not much regard but as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6.8 Having food and raiment will
confession For as Christ Iesus at the last Day shall say to the reprobate Inasmuch as they shewed no mercy to his brethren they did it not to him so may I say to these scoffers In as much as they doe it against the Word they doe it against the Lord himselfe whose Word it is To conclude I will speak to them in the words of the Prophet Esay 57.3 4. Draw neere hither ye sonnes of the Sorceresse the seed of the Adulterer and the Whore against whom doe yee sport your selves against whom make yee a wide mouth and draw out the tongue are ye not children of transgression a seed of falsehood Secondly here is peace and comfort against all discouragements that arise in the world from prophane persons and a soveraigne preservative to all those that truely feare God though they see themselves alone like a Pellican in the Wildernesse like an Owle in the Desart and like a Sparrow upon the house top If wee be as a signe and wonder in Israel Esay 8.28 yea as a monster among men yet let us not be discouraged but remember that the Lords portion hath beene but as the tenth that is in comparison of the multitude in all ages the least part as it were an handfull If then we have heretofore run into all excesse of riot with the world of the ungodly and made conscience of nothing that is good or pleasing to God and now have learned better things by the direction of the Word to refraine from every evill way to have respect to all the Commandements of God and to make conscience of all even the least sins albeit we finde our selves left alone as Eliah the Prophet did when they had killed the Prophets of the Lord and digged downe his Altars and walke in a rugged and untrodden path like Jonathan and his Armour-bearer having few to follow us 1 Sam. 14 13. or to accompany us many to disswade and discourage us and some ready to hinder us and to pull us backe yet let us say with Peter Though all men should forsake thee Matth. 26.32 Iohn 6.68 yet will I never leave thee and elsewhere Whither shall wee goe thou hast the Words of eternall life when Iesus said unto the Twelve Will yee also goe away And let this bee our comfort and give us rest that thus it hath gone evermore with the faithfull this hath beene the state of Religion and few in comparison of the rest have found the true path-way that leadeth to life and salvation to their endlesse comfort Thirdly learne that the number of the wicked and reprobate is exceeding great and the way to Hell hath many people and passengers that thrust and throng by heapes that way The way is broad and the gate wide that leadeth to destruction Matth. 7.14 and many there be that enter in thereat Matth. 7. We are ready to follow a multitude to evill but Christ Iesus giveth us counsell to shun that way as a dangerous rocke which the multitude treadeth Hence it is that the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 1. Not many wise after the flesh not many mighty 1 Cor. 1.26 27. not many noble are called but the foolish things weake and base and despised and things which are not hath God chosen to confound and bring to nought the glory of the world The worst courses have commonly the most followers and the worst number is for the most part the greatest number forasmuch as the greatest part are left out of the Booke of Life and the Catalogue of Gods election And as in the old world when the flood came 2 Pet. 2.5 Gen. 6.22 Luke 18.8 all flesh had corrupted his wayes upon the earth so at the comming of the Sonne of man shall he finde faith upon the earth The greatest part shall bee given to carnall security and worldly profits without any respect to heavenly things Such as came out of Egypt were for the most part of them murmurers and therefore perished There were foure hundred and fifty false prophets standing to plead Baals cause 1 King 18.19 when one onely Elias stood for the honour and glory of the true God of Israel 1 King 22.6 There were also foure hundred flattering prophets against one plaine Preacher Michaiah that spake the truth from his heart yea even for the good of the King himselfe if he had knowne the things that belonged to his owne peace but they were hidden from him Hereby then we learne the vanity of all such as goe about to excuse themselves because they have many fellowes that are followers of their folly and multitudes of companions in throngs and heapes partakers of their evil courses They say We are not alone We have a world of people in the same case If this be all they can alleadge for themselves and their sinnes and their consorts woe unto them for as they have many joyne with them in evill so they shall have multitudes partake with them in punishment God will judge all the ungodly he regardeth neither might nor multitude What store of carcasses perished in the waters and what heapes went to Hell among them and at the last Day the Lord will give iudgement against all men Iude 15. and rebuke all the ungodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their cruell speaking which wicked sinners have spoken against him Every man shall receive the things which are done in his body 2 Cor. 5.10 according to that he hath done whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5.10 Hee hath evermore plagued multitudes as well as a few persons with whom it is easie to doe execution inasmuch as he commeth with thousands of his Saints and Angels Jude 14. The worst waies have evermore found the greatest applause consent and countenance of the world When it was agreed to compasse Lots house they assembled together both young and old Gen 19.4 all the people from every quarter Gen. 19. When the golden calfe was to be made Exod. 32.3 all the people brake off the golden earings which were in their eares Exod. 32. When Pilate demanded what should be done with Christ Matth. 27.22 they all cryed out Let him bee crucified Matth. 27. So in maintenance of Idolatry the zeale was so great Acts 19.34 that all with one voyce cryed out Great is Diana of the Ephesians Every place is full of evill the greatest part ready to backe and bolster it to uphold and countenance it Esay 59.15 and such as never so little oppose against it make themselves a prey Who seeth not what plenty is every where of Atheists unbeleevers ignorant persons disobedient swearers blasphemers prophane breakers of the Sabbath contemners of the Gospell and what not It is not their multitudes that can protect and patronize them but shall rather encrease their sorrow and punishment Lastly it is our duty to seeke nay to strive to enter