speake of the famines z 2 King 6.25 Lam. 4.9.10 pestilences a Num. 14.12 2 Sam. 24.15 2 Chron. 7.13 Ier. 21.6 Ezek. 14.21 inuasions by the enemies b Iere. 32.24 Ezek. 38.22 Ezek. 11.3 Ch. 39.33 2 Chro. 6.36 captiuities and the like so often mentioned in sacred Writ that were imminent ouer the people of the Iewes For in that such mischiefes fell vpon them of necessitie they did hang ouer them ere they came All the threatnings of grieuous plagues against that people wheresoeuer you meete with them in the writings of the Prophets great or small you may well refer to this poynt as vnanswerable proofes of the same There is neuer a Chapter in the Lamentations of Ieremy but you shall meete with some such sentence as this IVDAH is gone into Captiuitie c Lam. 1.3 the wayes of SION doe mourne all HER gates are desolate HER Priests sigh d Vers 4. How hath the Lord couered the daughter of SION with a Cloud in his anger and cast to the earth the beautie of ISRAEL e Ch. 2.2 The punishment of the iniquitie of the daughter of MY PEOPLE is greater then the punishment of the sinne of Sodom f Chap. 4.6 The Mountaine of SION is desolate the Foxes walke vpon it g Lam. 5.18 Now in what place of the world were there better people then in Iudah then in Sion It was the place where God himselfe did delight to dwell h Psal 9.12.68.17.132.14 1 Kin. 6.13 yet misery came vpon them and therefore it did hang ouer them Reason Neither is this any groundles Doctrine for why God may be greatly provoked by such a people and so may come to loath them and abhorre them as he was provoked by the tongues and doings of the old Israelites i Isa 3.8 and did abhorre the excellencie of Iacob k Amos. 6.8 But a people which provoke God to anger and whom the Lord abhorreth heauie plagues may hang ouer Ergo c. Vse How iustly doth this reproue a number of iesting and careles people amongst vs who when they heare tell of the euill day and that it is possible for our Land for our Kingdome to be punished to be plagued with some grieuous scourge or other by the Almightie they flout in the sleeue as at some scurilous and ridiculous tale much like the last-dayes Rebells that Peter speakes of Where is the promise of his comming l 2 Pet. 3.3 taking after the sonnes in Law of Lot vnto whom when he told them of the destruction of Sodom he seemed to mocke m Gen. 19.14 as though this were a matter to be iested at to be laughed at I trow the Lord hath begunne with vs alreadie if we could yea if we would see it It is true I confesse our Land may be called the very excellencie of Iacob n Amos. 6.8 of all places in Christendome none in priuiledges especially in that * Magna illa praerogatiua dominica religionis Salu. de Pro. l. 8. p. 271. great priuiledge of true Religion haue gone beyond vs in the abundance of heauenly wisedome in the plentie of holy wise Christians most Countries come behinde vs yet the poynt in hand intimateth that plagues may hang ouer places where Religion and religous ones bee Is it then a sufficient cause of derision to say iudgements may be approching OVR kingdome Foure yeeres agoe the Lord had a wise and vnderstanding people in the Palatinate yet the euill which hath since befallen it was euen at that time imminent ouer it Well THERE iudgement is begunne o 1 Pet. 4.17 where it will stay God knoweth Can WEE onely looke to escape Scot-free Were the naturall branches not spared p Rom. 11.21 and is it impossible for VS a part of the wilde Oliue to be spoyled Had not Gods mercie beene Our Rampart q Mal. 3.8 wee had beene consumed ere this time Cannot God be possibly prouoked amongst Vs Is it not possible for him to abhorre and loath Vs I doubt not but ere I haue done I shall too manifestly declare that it is past the peraduenture or it may be and come to this that God IS prouoked amongst vs IS most strongly incited to detest vs. Wherefore cease thy mocking whosoeuer thou art and this carelesse putting away the euill day from before thine eyes least as now the Word of reproofe meetes with thee so the day of vengeance ouer-takee thee like a snare or a theefe in the night ere thou art aware * 2. Doct. From the 1. particular in the 2. Branch of the first part Gods children haue a foresight of misery ensuing I come now to a second Doctrine which is that I would be at That when any grieuous calamitie is approaching Gods Children haue some foresight of it Prudent Christians foresee the plague What euerlasting miseries may light vpon themselues without preuention by repentance they foresee when the Lord first opens their eyes to see what their estate by nature is What likelihoodes of spirituall iudgements to fall vpon them they suspect and feare sometimes their many complaints of the remainder of hardnesse vnbeliefe coldnes of zeale and loue c. in themselues doe declare But to ratifie the Doctrine in these particulars is not to our purpose That they haue some foreknowledge of some common euill that may be comming against the places where they liue it is very plaine § A cautiō Lest the ensuing proofes of this poynt should seeme impertinent I referre thee Reader to the Obiection in the 3. Vse of this Doctrine and to the answer of the same Pag. 15. Noah foresaw the drowning of the old world r Gen. 6.13 Heb. 11.7 Abraham and Lot foresaw the burning of Sodom ſ Gen. 18.20 Ch. 19.13 Ioseph foresaw the seauen yeeres famine that came vpon Aegypt in his time and vpon the Countries round about it t Gen. 11.30.31 After Iosephs time the ten great plagues of turning the waters into bloud u Exod. 7.17 of frogges * Ch. 8.2 lice x Ch. 8.16 flies y Vers 21. of the murraine vpon the bodies of beasts z Chap. 9.3 of botches and blaines vpon the bodies of men a Vers 8. of the haile b Vers 18. locusts c Ch. 10.4 darkenes d Vers 21. and death of the first borne e Ch. 11.4 which fell vpon the same kingdome were all foreseene foreknowne by Moses and Aaron the seruants of the Lord as the Storie doth plentifully relate I omit the foresight of particular plagues vpon particular persons as Samuell's of the renting of Saules Kingdome out of Saules hand f 1 Sa. 13.14 Ch. 15.23 and Michaiah's of Ahabs perishing at Ramoth Gilead g 1 Kin 22.19 25.28 verses had not most of the Prophets great and small visions and praeuisions of the great miseries which both in after their times the people of the Iewes met
letters amongst those capitall sinnes which brought those great miseries vpon the Iewes that they did vnder-goe Heare what Esay saith How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot It WAS full of iudgement righteousnes DID lodge in it but NOW murtherers Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues euery one loueth gâ—fts and followeth after rewardes they iudge not the fatherlâ—s neither doth the cause of the widdow come before them THEREFORE sayth the Lord the Lord of hostes Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies p Isa 1.21.23.24 And how the Lord did avenge himselfe of these vnrighteous Adversaries Ieremie sheweth in the Lamentations Hee hath swallowed vp all the habitations of Iacob and hath not pitied He hath polluted the kingdome and the Princes thereof He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horne of Israel q Lam. 2.2.3 Heare what Amos saith They know not to doe right therefore thus saith the Lord God an Adversary there shall be euen round about thy Land and he shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy pallaces shall be destroyed r Amos. 3.10.11 Heare yee this yee Kine of Bashan that are in the Mountaine of Samaria Å¿ Ch. 4.1.2 t In Montanis Synecdoche meÌ„bri Sed potest propriè â—ntelligi de monte in quo sita erat vrbs Samaria Et hoc potius videtur quia é sequentibus apparet prophetaÌ„ hîc proprie alloqui Iudices illi autem residebani in vrbe Samaria Piscat Schol. in Amos. 4. v. 1. that is yee Magistrates which haue your abode in Samaria the chiefe Citie of the Land which oppresse the poore which crush the needie The Lord hath sworne by his holines that loe the dayes shall come vpon you that he will take you away with hookes and your posteritie with fish-hookes and yee shall goe out at the breaches that is u Per rupturas scil Murorum effectas ab hostibus Id. ibid. vers 3. at the breaches of the walls which the enemies shall make when they carry you away captiues In another place what sayes the same Prophet They afflict the iust they take a bribe they turne aside the poore in the gate from their right Therefore wayling shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the high wayes Alas Alas Heare also what Micha saith Heare this yee Heads of the house of Iacob and Princes of the house of Israel that abhorre iudgement and peruert all equitie They build vp Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie The Heades thereof iudge for reward Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a field Ierusalem become heapes and the mountaine of the house of the Lord as the high places of the Forrest * Mich. 3.9.10.11.12 euen wast and desolate “ Ier. 5.28.29 The right of the needie saith Ieremie doe they not iudge shall I not visit for this saith the Lord shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this 12. Vaine confidence 12. Signe Vaine confidence is another thing that foregoes destruction when men leane vpon forraine stayes trust to their wittes wealth friends strength yea more then to God or as much as to God they cannot but euen come to ruine x Illi faedissimè cadunt quihumanis praesidijs â—â—ituntur Luth. in Isa c. 30. And y Tametsi ad Tempus votis potiri videntur tamen omnia tandem ipsis exitiosa sunt Calv. in Is 30. v. 3. although for a time things may succeed according to their vaine hope yet the end will be euill When the Rebellious Children of Israel went to goe downe into Aegypt without asking counsell as Gods mouth to strengthen themselues in the strength of Pharaoh an enemy of God too z Pâ—arâ—onem Deo non abs re oppouit Esaias Calv. in Is c. 30. v. 2. and to trust in the shadow of Aegypt as deadly enemies as euer Israel had who some generations agoe sought their vtter ouerthrow When the Princes of Israell goe to Zoan the greatest Citie in Aegypt a Zoan vrbs maxima in Egypto Vatâ—b in Isa c. 30. v. 4. and her Ambassadors to Hanes THEN Woe to them Into a land of TROVBLE and ANGVISH they must b Isa 30.1.2.4.6 What remedie when they needs will When they call to Aegypt and goe to Assyria saith the Lord I will spread my net vpon them I will chastise them as their Congregation hath heard c Hos 7.12.13 Because thou didst trust in thy way thine owne way in the multitude of thy mightie men Therefore shall a tumult rise among thy people and all thy fortresses shall be spoyled d Chap. 10.13.14 13. Signe Persecuting of the godly A thirteenth signe is cruell and hard dealing with the Children of God or persecuting of the Saints It was Pharaohs crueltie against the Israelites that plunged him and his into the bottome of the Sea When he would needes be so madd as to pursue and persecute them euen through the red Sea Exod. 14. then he must needes be ouerwhelmed there was no escaping When Saul trounced that good man Dauid vp and downe and would not let him rest in any corner but ferretted him out of euery hole he tooke the onely course to haue the kingdome rent out of his hand and his soule rent out of his bodie Did not the Iewes bring the guilt of innocent bloud vpon their owne heades and made way for their miserable reiection by persecuting the righteous men of God and crucifying the Lord of glory Nothing is plainer then this that the molesting of the godly is enough to pull fire from heauen and to let in a Sea of trouble and tribulation vpon a people See Ezek. 35.4.5 14. Signe A pathy or incompassionatenesse In the next place want of compassion and vnreadines to helpe their brethren in affliction doth presage some great calamitie No man remembreth the affliction of Ioseph sayth Amos Therefore they shall goe captiue with the first that goe captiue Amos. 6.6.7 Curse yee Meroz said the Angell of the Lord curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie * Iudg. 5.23 How often do the Prophets threaten iudgements against Iudah for their vnmercifulnesse to the poore What procured the Aegyptians ruine Want of compassion they regarded not the sighes and the grones of the Israelites but rather oppressed them with heauier burthens Mordecai told Esther if thou holdest thy peace at such a time that is if thou doest not coÌ„miserate the estate of the Iewes NOW but swimming in pleasure thy selfe forgettest them and vsest no meanes to helpe them thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed * Esth 4.14 The 15. Signe is loue of flattery 15. Signe Loue of flattery a strong and strange desire to be soothed vp in sinne to heare smooth
sayth the Lord l Isa 13.11 When ALL flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth THEN God sayd I will destroy the earth m Gen. 6.12.13 Deus ob malitiae nimietatem sententiam tulit quid vniversali perditione humanum genus sit puniendum Chrysost in Gen. c. 6. Hom. 22. The * Quia enim hoâ—ines qui tantaÌ„â—uitatem â—nhaâ—itabant multos â—npietatis frucâ—us protulerunt â—lcirco inquit â—ot inutiles frucâ—us terra faciaÌ„ â—t et llis aboliis perpetuuÌ„ si â—onumentuÌ„ seâ—uentibus geneâ—ationibus omâ—es docens quaÌ„ â—ta fuerit inhaâ—itantium maâ—itia Chrys in Gen cap. 19. Hom. 42 ad â—alcem Inhabitants of Sodom brought forth MANY fruits of vngodlinesse and vpon THIS did the Lord consume them and make the very ground barren as a monument of their great wickednes to after ages The like thing the Prophet Esay noteth concerning the people of Israel He telleth them in the name of the Lord that o Isa 1.7.8 their whole country was desolate that is should certainely be desolate their Cities burnt with fire their Land ouerthrowne and deuoured by strangers the daughter of Sion left as a cottage in a Vineyard as a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers as a besieged Citie But what went before this great miserie Euen generall ouerspreading iniquitie p See v. 4. 6. Gentem peccaâ—ricem appellat quod tota pectatis sit dedita Arcul in Isa pag. 19. The whole Nation was sinfull a people laden with iniquitie a seed of euill doers from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote there was no soundnes but woundes and bruises and putrifying sores The manners of * Placet mihi illegoria caput id est princeps cor id est sapientes et reliquaÌ„ corporis partem vsque ad plantas id est plebem c. Luther in Isa c. 1. p. 27. all sortes from the high to the low from the Princes to the people were depraued and this did presage those generall hardships which that people did endure at the handes of their enemies § 3. Signe Contempt of the Word A third signe of future euill hath beene Contempt of the Word q Adversus Evangelij irrisores indignatio desaeuiet Marc. Marul Evangelistar l 1. c. 9 p. 16. Si Sodomitas minus esse dicit damnabiles quam cunâ—tos Evangelia negligentes câ—â—tissima ergo ratio est quâ nos qui in plurimis Evangelia negligimus peius timere aliquando debeamus Sal. de Pro. l. 4 p. 108 109. Wee haue a pregnant example for this in the last of the Chronicles When Zedekiah his Nobles Priests and People were growne to that lewd and forlorne passe as to make a mocke at the messengers of the Lord of hostes and despise the Word which they Preached then into Babylon vnto bondage they must there was no remedie r 2 Chr. 36.12.16.17.18.19.20 To the very same purpose is that Prophecie in Ieremy Because yee haue not heard my wordes behold I will send and take all the families of the north saith the Lord and Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my servant and will bring them against this Land and against all the inhabitants thereof and against these Nations round about and will vtterly destroy them and make them an astonishment an hissing and a perpetuall desolation Å¿ Ier. 25.8 9.10.11 see Ier. 22.21.22 I will bring euill vpon this people euen the fruites of their thoughts because they haue not hearkened to my wordes nor to my Law but reiected it Iere. 6.19 Fourthly it is a signe that some generall iudgement is at hand when the offers of grace 4. Signe Reiecting the offers of grace are reiected by the greatest number of people This fore-ran Ierusalems ruine as appeareth by Christ his owne complaint Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I haue gathered thee together as an hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings how oft haue I freely made most large and bountifull offers of grace vnto thee but yee would not Behold THEREFORE your habitation is left vnto you desolate t Mat. 23.37 Luk. 13.34.35 Fiftly as the reiecting of mercies offred so the abusing of mercies receiued as namely the patience 5. Signe Abuse of Gods goodnesse and patience and bountie of God presageth some ruine When the Lord had with great patience borne with the people of the old world an hundred and twenty yeares and yet they would not repent then he threatned to destroy them and accordingly did destroy them from off the face of the earth u Gen. 6.3.7 When as Israel did prepare for Baal that is abuse to the seruing of Baal the corne wine oyle siluer and gold which the Lord had multiplied and bestowed abundantly vpon her THEN he threatned not onely to take away those his blessings from her but also to Visit vpon her the daies of Baallm * Hos 2.8.13 to inflict vpon her some great and grieuous punishments in stead of the good things that shee formerly enioyed A sixt signe is couetousnesse oppression and violence 6. Signe Couetousnes with her two hand-maydes Oppression Violence Quam multorum malorum causa sit immodica cupiditas quis explicet Mâ—rul Evang. l. 4. c. 49. The Prophet Ieremy speaking to Shallum the King of Iudah vnder his name including the rest of the Iewes saith thus Thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy couetousnes and for to shed innocent blood and for oppression and for violence to doe it x Ier. 22.17 and after he addes y Vers 2. The Winde shall eate vp all thy pastures and thy louers shall goe into Captiuitie surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickednes The earth is filled with VIOLENCE by them sayd God to Noah and I will destroy them with the earth z Gen. 6.13 This is that also which the Prophet Ezekiell poynts at The people of the Land haue vsed oppression and exercised robbery and haue vexed the poore and needie yea they haue oppressed the stranger wrongfully THEREFORE haue I powred out mine indignation vpon them I haue consumed them with the fire of my wrath a Ezek. 21.29.31 The Scribes Pharises deuoured widdowes houses and afterward desolation came vpon them No certainer signe of ensuing plagues then this damnable kinde of vnrighteousnesse couetousnesse and oppression I will stretch out my hand vpon the inhabitants of the Land saith the Lord For from the least of them euen to the greatest euery one is giuen to couetousnesse b Ier. 6.12.13 In the 7. place Pride 7. Signe Generall Pride goes before destruction and haughtinesse of minde before a fall * Pro 16.18 Ch. 18.12 The day of the Lord sayth the Prophet shall be vpon euery one that is proud and loftie and lifted vp c Isa 2.12 This was one of the sinnes which procured and prognosticated the ouerthrow of Sodom d Ezek. 16.49 Because
the daughters of Sion sayth Esay are HAVGHTIE and walke with stretched forth neckes c. Her gates shall lament and mourne and shee being desolate shall sit vpon the ground e Isa 3.16.26 It was pride as one obserueth who wrote about an * Anno 1519. hundreth yeere since which gaue the Turkes aduantage against the Christians so that they inhabited their Villages Townes and Prouinces defiled their Temples and places of worship carried their bodies to prison tooke their beastes for a prey and exercised all manner of villanie and crueltie against them f Vtinam non de nobis ista viz. loca Isa 13.11 Eze. 7.24 exponi queant quorum infideles Tuâ—ci viros oppida prouincias occuparuÌ„t aras focosquè prophaâ—antes nullo die â—essant in reliqua Christianorum regna debachari captiuos ab ducere pecora depraedari vastare agros cadibus grassari in nomen Christianum magis quam dici queat impiè fuerent hoc perpetuo flâ—gello nostra percutituâ— superbia Marul Evang. l. 7. c. 8. 348. Insomuch that whosoeuer thinketh to escape imminent iudgements and yet continues in pride is greatly deceiued and like to vndergoe some more horrible miserie g Caeterum siquis hanc quam imminere cernimus calamitatem effugerit tamen superbiasese efferre non desieru nequaquam illâ multò horribiliorem erumnam effugiet Id ibid. * 8. Signe Carnall securitie Eightly Like as h Diu viuere nequeunt qui multo seâ—â— o dediti Marcent tument vultus lurido colore infecti putrescentiaque viscera repentè ingruens inualitudo dissoluere festinat Marul Spal Evang l. 2. c 7 p. 80. extraordinary and immoderate sleepe pines the bodie and presageth death so carnall securitie in the bodie of a people doth ever “ Cum pacem securitatem dicant tunc repentina eis imminet pernicies Chrys in Mat. c. 24. Hom. 78. prognosticate some weakning some wasting to that bodie by some plague that may come vpon it So much doth the Prophet Amos tell vs Woe to them that are at ease in Sion that put away the euill day farre from them they shall be led captiue with the first that goe captiue i Amos. 6.1.3 7. All the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword which say the euill shall not ouertake vs nor preuent vs k Amos. 9.10 So much also doth Zephanie tell vs off They are setled vpon their lees they say in their hearts Tush the Lord will neither doe good nor euill THEREFORE their goods shall become a bootie and their houses a desolation l Zeph 1.12.13 Our Saviour tells his Disciples that when that generation of Vipers the malicious and obstinate Iewes should be like the people of the old world in the dayes of Noah marrying and merry-making and so secure as not once to dreame of their destruction then should their destruction be neerest at hand m Mat 24.38.39 This is one of the signes which goes before the ruine of the Romish Babylon Shee saith in her heart I sit a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no sorrow THEREFORE shall her plagues come * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one day n Apoc. 18.7.8 Yea as it is in the tenth verse in “ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 10. one houre That is when shee shall be most secure then shall her plagues be most sudden and sure when shee thinkes her selfe safest then shall shee be vnawares surprised euen as Babylon once was by Cyrus who inuaded it in a night when it did least thinke of its owne inuasion o Non longâ obsidione regnum premetur sed subitò capietur quia erit secura sicut Cyrus Babylonem securaÌ„ vna nocte inuasi a socijs deserta c. Paraus in Apoc col 984. There is no want of examples in holy Scripture to show that the end and issue of sloth and carnall securitie hath vsually beene euill and vnhappie p Nec exempla de sunt quibus dotemur quam infelix sit carnalis securitatis secordiae exitus Guaâ—tâ—m Act. Hom. 39. c. 5. Hence it is that the Lord in Scripture q Psal 88. Isa 13. Ier. 9 9. when he comes to iudge or punish a place for sinne is sayd to visit that place because he is wont to strike when men are most secure and doe r In malam partem dâ—cituâ— Deus visitare cum peccata quae diu dissimuâ—â—uerat INEXPECTATO flâ—gello vlciscitur Zanch de Redem part 1. l. â— Tom. 4. col 371. least suspect his stroake His visiting notes out a sudden plaguing of a people when they are secure No sinne doth more prouoke him to smite then securitie doth * 9. Signe Luxurie Ninthly Å¿ â—nâ—è aspice latè florentes quondam luxus quas verterit vrbes Sillius Bell punâ—o l. 15. Luxurie riot and wantonnes haue gone before some generall calamitie This sinne went before the destruction of the old world The sonnes of God saw that is with a lustfull eye the daughters of men and tooke them to wiues t Gen. 6.2 mingled themselues together and so u Viri magno stupro amoris et fornicationis istorum mulieres collapsae sunt et in omnibus fornicationis erat confusio magna Metho Rev. in Orthodox pag 388. committed great filthines one with another and immediately after came the floud to scoure this filth from the face of the earth * Gen. 7.22 Did not this also precede the burning of Sodom Questionles it did Sodom did burne as “ Salu. de Gub. Dei l. 7. 240. Sicut Aetna intestinis quibusdaÌ„ naturae feueÌ„tibus ardoribus sic ILLA abominaÌ„dis iugiter fornicationum ignibus aestuavit one saith of Affrica Aetna-like with the fire of fornication and the Lord did burne IT with the fire of Desolation The inhabitants of that Citie as the same Author writes of the Carthaginians x Foetebant vt ita dixeriÌ„ cuncti vrbis illius ciues cano libidinis spurcum sibimetipsis mutuae impudicitiae nidoreÌ„ inhalantes Id. ibid. p. 244 et paulo post eadem pag. p. 245. Quis in illorum numero castus fuit Castum dico Quis non fornicarius non adulter hoc sine cessatione sine termino did stinke with the filthinesse of lust breathing forth the noysome savour of vncleannes and the Lord punished them with the stinking flame of Brimstone from heauen y Int. Cur sulphureo igne puniebantur Resp vt putidissimus libidinis ardor putidissimo flammarum ardore puniretur Albin Quaest in Genes in Orthodox p. 1073. Their gluttonie prouoked them to incontinencie and the Lord did then incontinently with fire and Brimstone together extinguish and consume them for euer z Gula Sodomitas Gomorrhaeos priùs in nefandos egit concubitus DEINDE igne sulphure de Caelo pluente extinxit Marul Spalat Evang. l. 4. cap. 22. It was