heare Now let vs consider the manifold dangers which we make our selues subiect vnto by lending our eares to the counsell of wicked men Salomon saith Can a man carrie fire in his bosome not be burnt Prou. 6.27 No more can we imbrace wicked counsell but we bring dammage vnto our selues As appeareth by the example of Roboam the king of Israel who refused the counsell of the graue and wise ancients who willed him to speake kindly and deale louingly with those that came vnto him but not regarding their counsel he took the aduice of wicked and desperate youths who aduised him to speake roughly or churlishly vnto them saying My least part shal be heauier then my fathers loynes if my father did chastice you with rods 1. Reg. 12. I wil correct you with scourges or scorpions But what followed a lamentable sequell The kingdome of Dauid was rent a sunder and the Tribes of Israel diuided Also we read of the young Prophet being perswaded to eate bread by the old Prophet where the Lord had commanded the contrarie and by that meanes he procured to himselfe a fearefull death 1. King 13. being slaine with a Liō So Michaiah was perswaded by the kings Chamberlaine to speak vnto the king like vnto all the rest of the Prophets who said vnto him by these words let thy words be like vnto theirs and surely he had many reasons to moue him thereunto among the which this might be one speciall reason 1. King 22. that there was 400. Prophets that consented and ioyned together to speake good vnto the king 2. Another reason was this that he was aduised by a great courtier and a man of account but this aboue all might be a sufficient motiue to induce him that to contradict the counsel of so many prophets might cost him his life Exod. 13.2 But Michah had learned this lesion that he must not follow a multitude to do euill and therefore hee returned this answere as the Lord liueth what the Lord speaketh vnto me that will I speake And therfore we are not to follow high nor low young nor old friend nor kinsman any further then is agreeable to the word of our eternall God Nay we are not to follow the godly any further then they follow Christ Phil. 3.17 For Paul biddeth vs to follow him as he was a follower of Christ Then much lesse may we follow the counsel of wicked and prophane men Further let vs heare what that Lord saith by Moses vnto Israel If thy brother Deut. 13. the sonne of thy mother or thine owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend that is vnto thee as thine own soule intice thee secretly saying Let vs go and serue other Gods c. thou shalt not consent vnto him nor heare him neyther shall thine eye pitie him thy hand shall be first vpon him meaning to see him punished So that we see that wicked counsell specially in the seruice and worship of God must not go scot-free or vnpunished how much lesse are we to suffer our selues to be ledde as captiues by them howsoeuer they seeme to affect vs for it is the policie of Sathan many times to vse those that are neere vnto vs to alienate and draw our hearts from God and that wee should not perfourme those things which the Lord hath commanded vs as it appeareth by the practise of Sathan who vsed Peter the Apostle to stay our Sauiour Christ from Ierusalē as the Euangelist recordeth that when our Sauiour begā to tel his Disciples of his going to Ierusalē and of his suffering there Peter tooke him aside and began to rebuke him saying Master pitie thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee then our Sauiour looked back said vnto him Get thee behind me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me Mat. 16.12.23 because thou vnderstādest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men Againe we may reade in Amos of politike Amazia who gaue counsell vnto the Prophet Amos to flee into the land of Iuda and there to eate his bread and to prophecie vsing these words as a reason to perswade him that it was the Kings chappell and the Kings court Amazia fearing that his prophecying there might be a meanes to turne the King but the Prophet was so farre from hearkening vnto him that hee thundred Gods iudgements against him Amos 7.12.13 saying Thus sayth the Lorde thy wife shall be a harlot in the citie and thy sonnes and thy daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be diuided by lyne and thou shalt die in a polluted land and Israel shall surely go into captiuitie forth out this land Thus if wee will be Christs souldiers and stand for him and the glory of our God let vs set our selues against Sathan and his instruments putting vpon vs our spirituall armour and not fearing them but as Christ commanded vs to learne of him humilitie Matth. 11. so let vs also learne of him courage and boldnesse to resist and reprehend as hee did Peter their wicked counsell who speake vnto vs from Sathan that sent them or els their counsel is carnal 1. Pet. 2. but as Peter saith that fleshly lusts fight against the soule so fleshly counsel fights against the soule and as Salomon saith An angrie countenance driueth away a slaundering tongue Pro. 25. so an angrie rebuke and a sharpe reprehension driueth away a worldly fleshly and diuellish counsellour What gayned Ahab by following the counsell of Iesabel 1. Reg 22. in taking away the vineyard of Naboth surely his reward was death the Lorde meeteth with his wickednesse that he being in his chariot notwithstanding his armour hee was slaine with an arrow which pearced the ioyntes of his brigandyne the like iudgement the Lord inflicted vpon Iehoram his sonne by Iehu 2. Reg. 17. whom the Lord vsed further in the punishing of Iesabel Ahabs counsellour whom he commanded to be cast out of the window and the bellies of hungrie dogs became the sepulchre of her corps And as the Lord recorded the wickednesse of Amelech for opposing himselfe against Israel Exod. 27. so the Lord hath recorded the wickednesse of Ahab Ioram and Iesabel 1. Reg. 21. and sent his Prophet to foretell the iudgements that should ensue What successe had Absolon in following the counsell of Achitophel notwithstanding the scripture reporteth of him to be a man of singular beautie and louelinesse and yet the earth refused any longer to beare him and the heauens would not receiue him and therefore he hanged betwixt heauen earth by the haire of the head whose example may be a looking glasse for all such monsters 1. Reg. 18. who are so in loue with their locks that they bestow more time in trimming of them then in any exercise of religion 2. Sam. 17. and Achitophel his counseller hanged himselfe a iust reward
Diuell our aduersarie walketh about like a roaring Lion 1. Pet. 5.8 seeking about whom he may denoure And therefore the Apostle willeth vs to watch and be sober a verie necessarie admonition for vs seeing the nature of man is so inclinable vnto that which is euill But if it be demaunded why these Princes did not goe about to put this matter in practise before I answere according to the prouerbe there was a hatch before the doore that is Iehoiada was liuing and therefore they knew that Gods high Priest would not suffer so vild a thing to be attempted but rather would resist their enterprise And therefore they watched their time when there was a doore opened vnto them by the death of Iehoiada Thus for the most part the enemies of the Gospell waiteth their seasons when they may do most hurt vsing also the meanes by the which they may best preuaile against the trueth The which practise of theirs I meane their forwardnesse in wickednesse should teach vs to be the more watchfull ouer our selues and others then we are For if Sathan and his instruments to wit the aduersaries of the grace of God will vse the benefite of the time against the Trueth how much more ought we that are Christians to take heed that wee suffer not so precious a thing as time to be pretermitted but rather we should stirre vp our selues while it is called to day to make our saluation sure least wee be shut out of the Lordes rest and the doore of his mercy bolted vp against vs and we knocking to be let in it shal be said vnto vs Depart from me ye that worke iniquitie Againe Matth. 7.23 let vs consider when it was that the children of Israel fel away to grosse Idolatrie and worshipped the goldē calfe which they constrained Aaron to make and we shall find it was euen in the absence of Moses Exod. 32. hee being vpon Mount Sina with the Lord to receiue the two Tables of the Testimonie a fit oportunitie for Sathan to bring them to Idolatrie When was it that the tempter came to our Sauiour Christ and willed him to commaund stones to be made bread Matth. 4.2.3 euen when our Sauiour had fasted fortie dayes and fortienights and was at the last hungrie When was it that Dauid committed adulterie with Bethshaba not when he followed Gods enemies and his in battaile 2. Sam. 11.2 but euen then when he tooke his ease at home in his pallace and walked vpon the roofe thereof So long as Sampson fought with the vncircumcised Philistines Iudg. 16.2 and imployed his time against his enemies he could not be taken of them but after he gaue himselfe to idlenesse and slept in the lappe of Dalilah his harlot hee was taken and made blind by the Philistines King Salomon 1. King 19. after he had left off to build the Temple hee was seduced and brought to Idolatrie by women When was it that Simon Peter denied and forsware his Master not so long as he was in his companie Mat. 16. Mark 14. Luke 22. but after our Sauiour Christ was taken by the high Priests and hee bathing and warming himselfe in the high Priests hall he had soone forgot his promise vnto Christ and before the cocke crew he denyed him thrice And therefore let vs watch ouer our selues and keepe good watch and ward at all times and in all places least we be found of our Arch-enemy vnarmed and let vs buckle on our armour of proofe that the dangerous blowes of Sathan do not pearce it for as I haue said before he watcheth his time when he may best take vs at an aduantage like a cunning master of Fence who will be sure to giue a venie if at any time we lie open vnto him These examples which we haue shewed of the fal of good men may be looking glasses for vs all wherein we may see what flesh and blood is without Gods spirit assisting vs. For who is more holier then was Dauid of whom the Lord said he was a man after his own hart or who more stronger then Sampson or who more wiser then Salomon or who loued Christ more then Peter and yet all these slipped and troad awrie So that there is not any man that can assure himselfe of standing no not the holy father the Pope himselfe And therefore truely is it said from hence commeth all mischiefe euen when men slept Mat. 13.25 the enemie came and sowed tares among the wheate and went his way when men runne not forward in the race of their saluation the diuell laboureth to worke their destruction as afterward it may appeare by the fall of this King which by Gods iust iudgement was slaine by his owne seruants and the Princes destroyed and the people deliuered vp into the handes of the Aramites and so the land was depriued of their gouernours and peaceable gouernement Thus beloued we shal heare that the taking away of gouernours and the want of godly gouernement is one of the greatest punishments that the Lord vseth to inflict vpon the land Esay 3.4 as it appeareth in Esay where the Lorde threatneth that for the sinne of the people he will appoint children to be their Princes and babes to raigne ouer them and the people shal be oppressed one of another which punishment the Lord in his mercy hath kept from vs vntill this day For the which wee haue iust cause to giue laude and praise vnto God who hath so myraculously defended our gratious Queene from the hands of all her enemies in despight of their beards whom the Lord still continue amongst vs that she may be an old noursing mother in Israel for his Christ his sake God we must needs confesse hath taken away many good Iehoiadaes out of this land I meane godly and sage Counsellours which no doubt is an argument of his displeasure against vs for sinne and yet what people or nation vnder the heauens haue enioyed that peaceable and christian gouernement so long time as wee haue done and at this present do enioy by the meanes of our blessed Debora Thus we haue seene what hath fallen out in their times which may be sufficient motiues vnto vs not to detract the time any longer but as we are forward in the obseruation of the times and seasons in our outward trauaile and labours so let vs make benefite of this precious time of the Gospell that thereby wee may be made fitte for Gods kingdome when we shall be called hence Thus I will conclude this circumstance in a worde obseruing this that as the Angels of God could do nothing in punishing of Sodom Gen. 19 2◠vntill Lot was gone out vnto little Zoar no more could these Princes seduce Ioash vntill Iehoiada was gone to God after which time they preuailed with the King and brought him to Idolatrie as wee shall afterwards heare And thus much for the first circumstance concerning the time wherein these
Princes are said to come vnto the King Now followeth the second which is the maner of their comming and they did reuerence vnto the King which is a certaine outward obedience which they shewed vnder the colour of submission which humilitie and obeysance of theirs was vsed partly after an hypocriticall manner to steale away the heart of the King vnto Idolatrie which hath bin a perilous practise in all ages and therefore the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians admonisheth them to take heed of those false brethren Col. cap. 2.4 who vnder the colour and pretence of humilitie labour to estrange and drawe them backe frō Christ But I wil giue you the words as they are set downe in the Epistle which are these And this I say Col. 2.4 least any man should beguile you with inticing words and agayne Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenesse of mind If you reade the whole Chapter you may see how carefull the Apostle is least they should be corrupted by false brethren and so depriued of their Crowne by the subtiltie and counterfeit humilitie of some who laboured to draw them to the worshipping of Angels or to tie them to ceremonies and types in the Law which were abrogated and ended in Christ and were but shadowes of things to come If the Apostle had this care that hee would not haue them to receiue any thing seeme it neuer so little contrary to the Analogie of faith in the professiō of the Gospel and the true worship of God how much more ought we to haue a special care that we fal not away from grace in Christ Iesus Well let vs now see further how dangerous these flattering hypocrites be in the Church of God and in the common wealth surely it many times falleth out that the very conceit and good opinion that we take of some doth much blind our eyes that wee seldome or neuer examine their peeuish counsell giuen vnto vs whether it be of God or no but their speeches they are as authenticall with vs almost as the articles of our faith 1. Iohn 4.1 This is not to trie the spirites whether they be of God or not Thus was King Darius circumuented by the flatterie of his nobles in making and sealing a decree against his subiect Daniel they no doubt perswading him that it would be a matter of great policie for the trying of the obedience of his new subiects and that by that meanes he should finde out those that were disobedient which would tend greatly to his good when as indeed their purpose was nothing els but to destroy Daniel The Prophet Dauid complaineth of those flatterers which were in his time as appeareth in the twelueth Psalme saying They speake deceitfully euery one vnto his neighbour Psal 12. flattering with their lippes and speaking with a double heart but in the next verse he saith The Lord cut off all flattering lippes and the tongue that speaketh proud things Ier. 9. Also Ieremie the Prophet cryeth out against these deceiuers Let euery one take heed of his neighbour and trust you not in any brother for euery brother will vse deceit and euery friend will deale deceitfully and euery one will deceiue his friend and will not speake the trueth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lyes and take great paynes to do wickedly By which place of Scripture wee may see how common a thing it is for men to worke wickednesse and how hard a matter it is for men to deale faithfully one with another This was not only the sinne of the Iewes which were then the people of God and whom the Lorde had chosen vnto himselfe from amongst all the nations of the earth but it is now as commō amongst vs that are Gentiles who haue taken vpon vs the profession of the Gospell Also wee reade that our Sauiour Christ was betrayed by the flatterie of Iudas for the Euangelist saith that he came vnto his Master with these wordes Mat. 26.49 Mark 14. Luke 22. God saue thee master and kissed him We may reade also how Dauid that holy man was seduced by the flatterie and deceiueable speeches of Ziba who accused Mephibosheth his good subiect 2. Sam. 16.4 and by him hee was moued to giue away the lands of Mephibosheth vnto that fawning and flattering sycophant Ziba And surely if we will take a litle paynes in reading the Scriptures we shall find how these flatterers crept into Princes Courtes as into the Court of King Saul who was the first King that raigned ouer Israel 1. Reg. 12. who had Doeg and others ready to accuse Dauid vnto the King Also king Roboam had his flatterers who caused him to speake roughly vnto his people and so Darius as we haue heard before had many about him that sought the death of Daniel Amos. 7.10 We reade also of Ieroboam who had Amaziah at his elbow to accuse Amos the Prophet Ezra 4.8 Also wee reade in Ezra of Rehum the Chauncellour and Shimshay the Scribe with the rest of their companions who writ vnto Artahshashte the king accusing the inhabitants of Iudea Ierusalem of rebellion against the King and Princes of the land But what should we speake of more examples out of the Scripture when we haue daily experience that teacheth vs that there is nothing more common at this day then flatterie and deceipt which men carry vnder the cloake of humilitie and vse it as the chiefest weapon to fight against the children of God The olde prouerbe being verified in them that vnder green leanes lieth hidden the viperous Serpent of whom if we take not heed and be very warie we may be stung vnto death So if we take not heed of these flattering Sycophants which are the diuels instruments we may be brought to confusion of bodie soule which many times commeth to passe by their smooth perswasions and sweet in chantments And yet they are such as beare the world in hand the they are friends to religion when as their purpose is no thing else but the ouerthrow of the same These men they shroud themselues in the very bosome of the Church so that they may well be compared to these false brethren which seduced the Galathians after that they had receiued the Gospell from the Apostle Saint Paul which false teachers corrupted the pure doctrine of the holy Ghost and ioyned with it the obseruing of diuers ceremonies Gal. 1. which they taught as necessarie to saluation Wherefore the Apostle Saint Paul seemeth to wonder at their sodaine chaunge and therefore in his Epistle to them after his salutation he reprehendeth them after this manner I meruaile saith he that you are so soone remoued away vnto another Gospel from him that hath called you in the grace of Christ which is not another Gospell saue that there be some that trouble you and intend to peruert the Gospell of Christ Therfore if we or an
for rebels and traytors The Prophet Dauid foreseeing the manifold dangers and mischiefes that men fall into by walking in the counsell of wicked men beginneth thus Psal 1. Blessed is that man that walketh not in the counsell of the vngodly which blessednes the Lord graunt vnto all them that feare him Now as we haue heard how dangerous outward enemies are vnto vs and how they labour by all wayes and meanes to ouerthrow religion both generally and particularly so we must also be very watchfull ouer our home-bred enemies which is our owne concupiscence and the vntowardnes of our corrupt nature which maketh continuall warre against the spirit and therefore it is very necessary that wee should labour to expell those traytors out of vs or els it will little boote vs to fight against the enemies abroad Gregorie in moral And therefore one saith it is in vaine to fight against the enemie in the field if we harbour a traytor within the wals There is no worse counseller then that which we carie about with vs which are as dangerous vnto vs as the counsellours of Ahab and Herod which is our corrupt affections which is well called of one a domesticall traytor and a seditious counseller for that it walketh standeth sitteth sleepeth and dwelleth with vs. The Apostle S. Gal. 5. Paul willeth the Galathians to walke in the spirite and then you shall not saith he fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh But the holy Apostle in his Epistle to the Romaines doth most notablie handle at large this combate betweene the spirite and the flesh Rom. 7. where the Apostle bringeth in his owne deeds to be contrary to the will of the spirit Now if this blessed Apostle and elect seruant of God who was regenerate by the power of the spirite did find in himselfe this imbecillitie and weakenesse how much more may we behold in our selues our grosse impieties and manifold rebellions against our mercifull father and sweete Sauiour Christ whose sides and heart we newly pearce crucifying againe the Lord of life Let vs therefore not onely croppe the branches of sinne as to abstaine from the outward shew of euill but let vs labour rather to plucke vp sinne by the rootes in our selues so that we may wholy giue ouer our selues not as seruants to sinne but as seruants to righteousnesse praying vnto God continually for the assistance of his holy spirite so that all our thoughtes words works and wayes may be ordered by the rule and square of his blessed and reuealed word and let vs bring our actions to the touchstone which is the word of God Iob. 31. that we may trie them as gold is tryed in the furnace and let vs be like vnto Iob that as he made a couenant with his eyes so let vs make a couenant with our heartes that wee suffer them not to stray from the commandements of the Lord. For our heart is the fountaine from whence springeth all our actions whether they be good or euill And this is a generall disease among vs at this day the worser sort are not onely infected with it but many of the better sort can be content to beare a generall good liking towards the word of God and his commandements but seldome or neuer do they labor to approue their hearts before God in the performance of their seuerall duties which they owe vnto God or vnto their brethren but they rather content themselues with the very name or title of Professors of the Gospell when as in the meane time they ought to haue considered that the very neglect of any one dutie commanded vs in the worde and knowne vnto vs redoundeth to the contempt of the Lorde himselfe who is the Law-giuer and therefore the right perusing of the seueral duties commanded vs in his Law will bring vs from our pretended profession to an approued practise of such duties as are commanded vs of the Lord for the Lord beholdeth not the outward obedience alone but he looketh to the obedience of the heart Pro. 23.26 Deut 6. and therefore Salomon saith in the person of God My sonne giue me thy heart and the Lord in Deut. commandeth the children of Israel to loue him with all their heart with all their soule and all their strength Thus we haue heard how king loash hearkened with consent vnto the counsell of his Princes also how the Lord hath punished many other for following of wicked counsell and againe how the godly haue refused to be led by it and againe how wee are to set our selues against home-bred counsellers namely our owne concupiscence and fleshly affections which like traytors and rebels haue conspired our ouerthrow and lastly how we are to approue our hearts before God in the practise of those seuerall duties which he hath commaunded vs in his word and so much for the third circumstance where it is said that he hearkened vnto them Now it followeth to be considered wherein the King is said to haue followed their counsell in these words They left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and serued groues and idols By which words it appeareth that as they left off to serue God according as they had bin instructed and taught by â—ehotadâ— in the lawes and commandements giuen by Moses so also they left the place of Gods worship namely the house of God and the holy temple built by Salomon and serued their Idols in other places of their own inuention But first let vs consider how God is said to be the God of their fathers God calleth himselfe The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob and bound himselfe by a conenant to be a God vnto them and to their seed for euer and therefore Iacob when he stood in seare of his brother Esau turneth himselfe by prayer vnto God saying Gen. 32. O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac c. As the Lorde would haue no other gods ioyned with him so he gaue commandement for the maner of his worship how it should be performed and also for the place where the Iewes should assemble themselues to offer their sacrifices and other rites and ceremonies commanded them in the Law by Moses Deut. 12.5 as appeareth in Deut. where Moses speaketh thus vnto them You shall seeke the place which the Lord your God shal chuse out of all your tribes to put his name there to dwell and thither thou shalt come And againe he saith Deut. 13. Take heede that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in euery place that thou seest but in the place which the Lord shal chuse in one of your tribes And therefore the Arke which was made did represent Gods presence and was placed in Shilo where some thinke it remayned more then three hundred yeeres and afterwards was remoued into other places till the appointed time that God
Luke 8 there being a throng of many people it should seeme shee stood not vpon her disparagement or discredit which shee might reape by her going to the Sermon of Christ and that also to the sea side neither yet did she much respect her own case for we do not read of any pewes stooles or cushins that were prepared for her No no shee stood not vpon any of these things as many of our tender dames doe now a daies who may if they will heare the word of God in our publique assemblies in the Church and not trauell as they did farre for it but this must be the worke of the spitit of God in thē as no doubt it was in this Ladie and the other woman who went with an earnest desire to profit themselues by the doctrine of Christ which desire if it be wanting in any that vseth to heare the word they shall hardly profit by it And therefore as it is said that Simeon came into the Temple by the motion of the fpirit and found Christ so if we will finde Christ to our saluation Luke 2 let vs craue at the hands of God the assistance of his holy spirit when we frequent the exercises of religion and thus much for the fourth point Now it followeth in the last circūstance And wrath came vpon Iuda Ierusalem because of their trespasse The wrath of God as one saith is not an heat of a troubled mind as it is in vs poore wretches but a iust reuenge and punishment of our sinnes and the scripture doth very notably speake vnto vs according to our capacitie in attributing vnto God wrath furie and indignation and it is because that we for the most part are so blockish as that we cannot apprehend as we ought the greatnesse of his diuine Maiestie neither yet seare his iudgements the wrath of God is so fearefull a thing that no consuming fire or the most terrible things that are vsed of the Lord to correct his people cannot at the ful sufficiently informe vs of the great vehemencie thereof the Prophet saith If a man will not turne he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it readie he hath prepared the instruments of death Psal 7.12 he hath prepared his arrowes against the persecutors c. The Lord will not suffer the wicked to goe scotfree and vnpunished for so it standeth with his iustice and yet he is slow to anger and such a one as is sorie for our offences We haue many excamples in the scripture how hee meeteth with all sorts of sinners yea the Lord spared not our grand parents Adam and Eue but for their offences he banished then out of Eden which was a most fruitfull and delightfull place and also inflicted a grieuous punishment vpon them first saying to the woman I will greatly increase thy sorrowes and thy conceptions In sorrow shalt thou bring forth thy children Gen. 3. and thy desire shal be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule ouer thee Also vnto Adam he said Because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree whereof I commaunded thee saying thou shalt not eate of it cursed is the earth for thy sake c. And further he saith In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate bread till thou returne to the earth Gen. 7. For sinne the old worlde was destroyed with the flood Gen. 18. Sodom was consumed with fire and brimstone Corah and his company went downe into the bowels of the earth The Israelites were grieuously punished many times for their disobedience and manifold rebellions as appeareth in the books of Moses and the Prophets Dauid lost threescore and ton thousand men Chro. 1. chap. 21. whom the Lorde destroyed with the pestilence Saul was deposed from his kingdome afflicted and vexed with a diuell and after slaine as also his owne sonnes his armour bearer and his men in one day Roboam the sonne of Salomon of 12. tribes lost ten Sedecias was ledde captiue into Babilon 2. King 4. Exod. 14.27 and his eyes put out Pharaoh with his chariots ouerwhelmed in the red Sea Herod came to a horrible end Senacharib slaine by his owne seruants Chron. 2. chap. 32. Iesabell cast out of the window Ionas cast into the sea Ionas 1. A certaine Prophet slaine by a lyon 1. Kin. 20. The children that mocked the man of God Elizeus were torne with Beares Infinite are the examples of Gods wrath and heauie displeasure vpon the wicked and prophane as wee may reade of Esau Absolon Achitophel Iudas with many other Yea the Lorde hath punished many Kingdoms for sinne the Romaines the kingdom of the Chaldeans the kingdome of the Persians the kingdom of the Macedonians the Carthaginians nay the Lord hath not spared the famous citie of Ierusalem with the holy temple where his Namedwelt But as he did often afflict the Iewes his chosen people so at the last he made Ierusalem euē with the ground neuer to be reedified againe which was especially for the contempt of his word which hee sent vnto them by his Prophets and also for reiecting of our Sauiour Christ with his doctrine and myracles which he wrought among them and therefore our Sauiour prophecyeth of their perpetuall destruction Paul preached to the Colossians Hierapolitans and Laodiceans but they contemned his doctrine and therefore one witnesseth Oriofius lib. 7. cap. 5. that the earth opened and swallowed them vp But what should I say the reward of sinne is death and the soule that sinneth shal die and to draw to an end this punishment which the Lord laid vpon Ioash the Princes and people may be sufficient to admonish vs to beware of Idolatrie or any other sinne least we pull the like iudgements vpon our owne heads and let vs remember what one saith the punishment of one is an example for all then it remaineth that as we haue heard that God is iust in punishing of sinne as well in his children as in the wicked that we labour to preuent his wrath by turning vnto him before wee feele the like iudgement and let vs not passe by any affliction or trouble which hee vseth to lay vpon any or vpon our selues but rather to lay them to our hearts making that vse of them for the which they are sent which is that we may by them he made more fitte for God this vse made Dauid of his troubles when he said Psal 119. Ecclc. 7. It was good for me that I was in trouble c. and Salomon saith It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting for the liuing will lay it to his heart So it is better sometime to be inaduersitie then in prosperitie for good men will make vse of it but it is the policie of Sathan that wee should neuer apply God his iudgements which we see to be vpon others vnto our selues in such sort as wee
should thereby profit in repentance Sinne vnrepented what are the effects following it Amongst many good meanes to draw men to vnfaigned repentance of their sinnes before God and in their owne heart this me thinketh should not be of the least force wel and deepely to weigh the feareful effects that finne vnrepented of bringeth foorth in the sight of God and men and in their owne minds that liue so impenitently 1. First it quencheth yea driueth away the power and working of Gods spirit in vs which being most holy and pure of it selfe cannot abide to dwel in much lesse to worke effectually in an vncleane soule and impenitent heart 2 Secondly it hindereth vs from the right and holy profit that we might receiue by the worde of God which is not profitable nor powerfull in any but those that tremble thereat as God speaketh in Esay 3 Thirdly it shutteth our mouthes from inuocation prayer and calling vpon Gods name for how can wee call vpon him in whom we beleeue not or how can we be said to beleeue whilest we continue in our sinnes 4 Fourthly it causeth God to stop his eares from hearing our prayers or graunting our requests for God heareth not sinners and againe the prayers of the wicked are abominable as the Scripture saith 5 Lastly it prouoketh God that of his owne nature is most inclinable vnto all mercie through our sinnes to let in vpon vs all the floods of his eternall Iustice to our fearefull confusion our sinnes and nothing els making a separation betwixt vs and God as the Prophet affirmeth Isay 17. Amongst many things Sinne to be repressed because it bringeth iudgement vpon all estates and persons that should represse the rage of sinne before we fall or els should moue vs to vnfeigned repentance after sinne is committed this me thinketh should be one of great force and power namely that euen some particular mens sinnes vnrepented of or wincked at and not punished may and do iustly prouoke Gods heauie indignation against all estates and persons 1 As first for example against the Magistrates because that God hauing put the sword of holy authoritie into their hands for the punishment of euill and maintenance of good they haue not according to Gods word their duties and the haynousnesse of the offence punished the same 2 Against Ministers Malac. 22. because God hauing put into their mouthes the worde of trueth and appointing them thereby to cut downe sinne they contrary vnto Gods expresse commandement and their owne conscience and calling haue bin tongue-tied and durst not speake 3 Against the people because that they keeping themselues notwithstanding in the compasse of their Christiācalling haue not by sharpe reproofe either shewed their dislikes of the sinnes committed or their loue labouring the conuersion of the offending partie 4 And against the parties committing it because they through impenitencie and hard heartednesse continuing in sinne and hauing few or no meanes for their reclaiming can not but looke for fearefull indignation and wrath from the Lord for the same But the wicked do deferre their repentance not thinking Gods iudgementes to be at hand when as indeed the Lorde hath stretched out his arme already to strike But it is otherwise with the children of God who are not drawne by a slauish feare of punishment vnto obedience but rather of a childlike loue they beare vnto God their father through and by which loue they perfourme willingly that which the Lord hath commaunded according to that measure of grace which God hath giuen them omitting also the contrary through loue which obedience is no doubt acceptable to God The Lord for his Christs sake touch our hearts with such loue to his Maiestie that all our wayes may please him and that as wee haue inioyed many yeeres of peace and plentie of temporary blessings with the preaching of his glorious Gospell vnder the raigne of our most dread Soueraigne so let vs call vpon his name for the continuance of all his mercies with the preseruation of our gracious Queene that although our sinnes haue prouoked the contrary yet that hee would graunt vs these things for his Christ his sake our onely Lorde and Sauiour to whom with God the Father and the holy Ghost we acknowledge to be due and desire in our hearts to yeeld all praise glory and honor both now and euermore Amen What ere thou be pray God alwayes To blesse our Queene with happie dayes Whose wisdome vnder God so long Hath kept this Realme from forreine wrong FINIS