credite with the Lord and countenanced of him as the Empresse of the world her glorie is here threatned to bee layd in the dust Gē 11.2 Let Nimrod and his companie build a Citie whose towres and turrets may reach vp into heauen yet shall Babel bee Babel the thing it selfe shall bee the confusion thereof The whore of Babylon may aduaunce her selfe in pleasures Reu. 18.8 and in the pride of her heart say she sits as a Queene and shal see no mourning yet shall her plagues come at one day death sorrow and famine and shee shall bee burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her Reu. 18.8 Therfore if we assure our selues of the continuance of Gods fauour amongst vs by our outward prosperitie or thinke to stand hereafter as wee haue stood hitherto wee are deceiued for were we as deere and neere vnto the Lord as Ierusalem or answerable vnto it either for brauerie of buildings commodities of marchandize store of munition to driue backe the force and fierce assaults of our enemies yet are they not sufficient to driue back the gun-shot of Gods displeasure when for our transgression hee entendeth our destruction Vse 4 Fourthly seeing wee see Ierusalems estate to bee this it teacheth vs to cōmend our prayers and supplications vnto GOD for this speciall blessing of perseuerance Simile for what profiteth a man to sayle a long voyage prosperously and with successe if at length hee makes shipwracke beeing ready to enter into the hauen So what will it auayle vs my brethren sayling in the full sea of Gods blessings and in the flouds of his aboundant mercies with the winds of prosperitie and before we come to our iourneyes end make shipwracke of fayth and a good conscience It is not sufficient for vs that wee runne but we must so runne as wee may attaine It will not auaile vs to begin well if wee doe not continue to the end if wee haue begunne in the spirit Gal. 3.3 there is no perfection to be looked for in the flesh That seede is in vaine cast into the ground 〈…〉 man filleth not 〈…〉 of haruest 〈…〉 Gospel is 〈…〉 purpose except we perseuere vnto the end Obiect Now it may be demanded Why did the Lord looke for such measure of obedience perseuerance and other fruits in Ierusalem more then in the Caldeans Answ The reason is Because he had bestowed greatest blessings vpon them and the Lords maner is where he bestowes greatest blessings there he lookes for greatest obedience and where there is greatest preaching there doth hee expect greatest practise That Parable of the fig-tree Luk. 31.6 planted in a vineyard serues fitly for the illustration hereof A certaine man sayth hee had a figtree planted in a vineyard and because hee had planted it he came and sought fruit thereon but found none Then sayd he to the dresser of the vineyard Lo this 3 yeere haue I come and sought fruit thereon hauc found none cut it down why keepeth it the ground barren This vineyard beloued is the Church of 〈…〉 fig-tree though it bee there 〈…〉 estate of the Iewes yet by 〈…〉 vnderstood the estate of euery seuerall soule the planter thereof is Christ the dressers are his seruants the Prophets Nowe sayth Christ I haue planted a fig-tree great cause therefore that I should haue fruit of it Well any time these three yeres haue I come and sought fruit thereon but haue found none Neither is it onely fruitlesse it selfe but it makes the ground barren and fruitlesse likewise Surely my purpose is it shall bee cut downe and cast into the fire O Lord beloued an happie thing were it if in our vineyard wee had no such vnprofitable fig-trees if in our Church wee had no such vnprofitable professors vpon whom Gods Prophets and ministers haue bestowed cost and of whom no doubt the Lord hath expected and wayted for not three yeres but many yeeres the fruits of his blessings but alas wee deceiue his expectation long hath he thought for and sought after the fruits of his Gospel but loe nothing but weedes of disobedience spring vp amongst vs. What will bee the end of this Surely we may iustly feare the like iudgemēt that befell to the fig-tree Cut it down why keepeth it the ground barren Wee may I confesse bee suffered to grow for a time to flourish for a season yet vtter destruction wil happē in the end We know heretofore how the Lord hath dealt with vs for wee haue playd the hypocrites with him and therefore hath hee made the earth and the creatures thereon to play the hypocrites with vs. The Lord hath expected the fruits of our obedience but behold it is like vnto a shadow something in shew but nothing in substance or euen as Ephraims righteousnesse Ose 6.4 like to the morning dew so wee in former yeeres haue expected the fruits of the earth from him yet haue wee beene partakers of the curse that Iob speakes of Iob. 31.40 That thistles haue growne in steade of wheate and cockle in steade of harley so as the husband-man sorrowed and sighed within himselfe when hee saw no better fruit of his labours Thus hath the Lord caused the earth to deceiue our expectation because wee haue deceiued his and though now on a sodaine hee hath equally diuided the pipes and cunduites of his mercie and opened the windowes of heauen and hath sent downe a gracious raine vpon the ground of the good and of the bad of the iust and of the vniust filling our bosomes with aboūdance of blessings that our vineyards clap their hands and our fields doe reioyce and sing yet let vs beware that this sodaine prosperity and plenty bee not to fat vs against a day of slaughter Let vs therefore consider our estate what wee are and what wee haue beene euen a people blessed of the Lord but wee may speake of our selues as Pliny speakes of a certaine countrey that ex siccitate lutū ex imbre puluerē c. drought hath caused durt and raine hath stirred vp dust amongst vs for what hath the sunshine of his mercies but caused vs to lie in the mire of our abominations and what hath the moysture of his graces but euen dryed vp the fountaine of grace in vs so as wee are giuen ouer to worke transgression with greedinesse the increase of his blessings haue encreased our iniquities and the aboundance of his mercies haue brought forth aboundance of sinne in vs for what haue wee but in steade of obedience rebellion in steade of knowledge ignorance Is there no complaint of oppression to be heard in our streetes doe not rich men grinde the faces of the poore plucking their skinnes from their bodies and their flesh from their bones as the Prophet speakes Is not one man readie to pull out the throat of another vrging and vsing extremitie rather then a good conscience in matters of law Is there no swearing and forswearing no
his Prophets hath vsed exhortations euen without number to disswade them from the cause of Gods iudgements that is from sinne disobedience and transgression Especially from the beginning of this Prophesie Ieremie hath beene very earnest as in the third Chapter the Lord condemneth Israel for an harlot Lift vp thine eyes Oh Israel vnto the high places see and behold if thou hast not playd the harlot c. Thou hast sitten wayting for them in the wayes as the Arabian in the wildernesse yea the land is polluted with thy whoredomes and abominations yet when Israel had done all this God sayde Turne vnto mee notwithstanding shee returned not as her rebellious sister Iudah saw Againe in the fourteenth verse O ye disobedient children turne vnto me and I will take you one of a Citie and 2. of a tribe and wil bring you into Sion and I will giue you pastors according to mine owne heart that shall feed you with wisedome and vnderstanding The like in the 22. verse and in many other places the Lord seemes to bee mooued with a pitifull compassion and commiseration ouer his owne people their case was pitifull in his sight and their carelesse regard wrought sorrow in his heart when he saw that howsoeuer he was prouident for their saluation yet were they verie forward in their owne destruction and the more carefull he he was for their conuersion the lesse respect had they to his admonition Indeede true it is an auncient father sayth The wicked alacrius currunt ad mortem quà m nos ad vitam they runne farre faster in the way to condemnation then the godly doe in the way to saluation as the Psalmist notes them for their haste when hee describes the vngodly as if they had wings on their heeles Their feete are swift to shed bloud Ps 145. Yet the Lord who as Dauid sayth is merciful gracious long-suffering and of great goodnes laboureth to draw them home his heart breakes within him and his bowels yearne with griefe when he sees Ierusalem that is to say his own people how wilful they are in their owne destruction As I liue sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner As if he should say The fault is not mine when sinners drinke the dregges of iniquitie when the scourge of my iudgements fasten vpon them for I haue no pleasure to see the workmanship of mine owne hands perish in confusion As I liue as I liue sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner Marcellus Valerius after his souldiers had conquered Syracusa not without the great slaughter of many was so cōpassionate ouer them that he went vp to the highest towre in the Castle and with teares lamēted the ruine ouerthrow therof Plutarch speaks of one Pollio a Romane who hauing inuited the Emperor Augustus to a feast would haue thrown his seruāt into a deep poole in his rage for a smal matter The Emperor beholding his angrie spirit controlde him with these words Homo cuiuscunque conditionis c. A man of what state or condition soeuer he bee if there were no other cause but because hee is a man is more to bee valued and esteemed then all the gold and siluer in the world Well whatsoeuer may bee sayd of Marcellus for his clemencie ouer those whom hee had slain or of the milde and humane spirit of the Emperour Augustus iudging it to be very noble and honourable yet is there no comparison to bee made betwixt him and the Emperour of heauen and earth euen the God of the whole world who as the Prophet sayth is mercifull gracious long-suffering and of great goodnes For if Mercie were not before him and Grace behind him if long-suffering stood not at his right hand and great goodnes at his left if these Peacemakers as I may cal them being qualities in his nature did not mightily preuaile with him why so great is our sinne that the world could not stand but had long ere this time perished like Sodome and had beene destroyed as was Gomorrah Therefore would you know what vpholds the frame and structure of the world why it is Mercy would you know what vpholds the good estate of Israel of our land His Mercy would you know what continues the dayes of our ancient mother in Israel our gracious Soueraigne that as yet we cannot say of her as was sayd of Moses Deut. 34.7 that her eyes haue waxed dimme in her head or her natural force abated but stil flourisheth as the Palme tree and groweth vp as a Cedar in Lebanon t is Mercy In a word you know the cause of the Gospels continuance amongst vs that yet with freedome we may heare the sound of it in our Temples and with peace behold the open faces of Gods Prophets which bring vnto vs the gladde tidings of saluation why wee enioy other blessings and benefits in the land and are not taken away from vs by the violence and rapine of forraine strangers it is his Mercy his Grace his long suffering his great goodnes that hee bare to thee O Ierusalem euen to vs his owne people Mat. 23 37. our Sauior Christ doth there challenge Ierusalem for great crueltie that hee had sent Prophets but she had slaine them and Apostles but she had stoned them O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which haue beene sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thee together euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings but yee would not The hen was not more tender ouer her yong ones thē I was ouer you sayth the Lord and my loue and kindnes and louing kindnes was not once or twice but often Neither would I haue committed the trust of you to any other but my selfe would haue gathered you together What loue and kindnesse could I more shew but you would not I would O Ierusalem but thou wouldst not How often beloued hath the Lord wooed vs on this maner how oftē hath the heauenly trumpet of his mercie sounded in our eares howe often hath the sweete showres of his mercie fallen vpon our heads euen as aboundantly as the Quailes vpon the Israelites If you should denie it I would aske the starres in the heauens the beasts of the earth the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the sea and all these would witnesse with me How often hath the Lord cried vnto you in effect Yarmouth Yarmouth thou that swellest in the vanitie of thy conceit that sayst with Laodicea Reu. 3. I am rich increased with goods and haue neede of nothing and therefore pride and enuie striue which shall get the vpper hand as the vnruly waues of the sea encoūter one another wickednesse walkes vp and downe among you without controlment and iniquitie runs full sea in the channels of thy streets and the course thereof cannot be stayed Sodome and Gomorrah lie not in the dust for greater abominations then are daily committed thou Yarmouth
that is filthie or polluted for our hearts being as sinkes or channels apt to receiue any filth and corruption are to bee purged and scoured with the besome of repentance and washed with the teares of contrition that they may not appeare loathsome vnto God The leprosie of Naaman 2. King 5. a greeuous leprosie Verse 14 yet when hee had washed himselfe seuen times in the waters of Iordan his flesh came againe like the flesh of a little child and he was cleane So likewise wee haue all a more greeuous leprosie then euer Naaman had and are more lothsome in the sight of God then euer he was in the sight of men Esay 1.5 for there is nothing whole within vs but woundes sores and swellings and our hands are full of bloud yea from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot we are nothing but blemished with iniquitie Esa 1.16 and stained with corruption therefore saith the Prophet Wash you make you cleane wee must with Naaman to the waters of Iordan and there wash our selues seuen times and we shal be cleane Neither must we follow our owne carnall reason for then wee will iudge Pharpar and Abanah riuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel but we must take the direction of the man of God and Iordan is the place must doe vs good If we consult with flesh and bloud about the matter of our conuersion and washing away of sinne we shall neuer be cleane but if we follow the aduice of Elisha or any of Gods ministers were pur leprosie worse then Naamans the Assyrian the waters of Iordan would wash it away were our hearts like Ahabs chariot 1. 1. King 22.38 Kings 22. euen embrued with bloud and filthines yet would they be cleane being washed in the poole of Samaria Were we eyther sicke Ioh. 5.3 or blind or halt or withered and had neuer so many diseases or neuer so much distraction in our limmes yet if we wayte for the moouing of the water and step into the poole of Bethesda and there wash our selues we shal be recouered were our sinnes like crimsin Esay 1. yet they shall be as white as snowe and were they as red as scarlet they shall be as white as wooll This is the great benefit that wee shall reape and receiue after our baptisme regeneration in the waters of repentance as Ionas in the waters of the sea wherin being throughly purged washed from our corruptiōs by the bloud of the immaculate Lambe we shall with Ionas receiue a newe commission and be inuested into our former credit and fauour with God For this same corruption of sinne which lyeth in the heart vnwashed away is a bird which as I may say sings two maner of notes or hath two maner of calles It eyther cals to vs or it cals to the Lord when to vs it cals for repētance when to the Lord it cals for vengeance So that though sinne lyeth shrowded full low in our hearts and wickednes be harboured in the secrets of our soules yet is thy sinne like the sinne of Sodome the cry of it is exceeding great for they are so many in number so diuers in nature and differēt in kinde that being in thy heart they are like vnto a sort of fierce Lions and cruell Tygres in a den Beastes of diuers kinds which cannot agree together And therfore if thou labourest not to empty thy selfe of them and open thine care vnto them when they crie and call vnto thee for repentance the Lord will open his eares whē they call to him for vengeance It is lamentable to consider yet it euer hath beene and I thinke it will be that men are possessed with smallest care in matters of greatest danger The infection or corruption of the bodie euerie man will labour to purge wash away but the corruption of the soule the wickednes of the hart no man regards nay after sinne committed as the Prophet fitly notes No man saith What haue I done O miserable wretched mā that I am what haue I done though it be an aspiring kind of wickednes as that of the Niniuites Ionds 1.2 ascending clyming and being feathered with the wings of presumption flies vp into the court of heauen euen daring to shew it selfe in the presence of the most high though it extends to the annoyance of the earth below to the prouocation of the heauons aboue to the punishment of all the creatures in and betweene them both nay though it strikes and strikes with a double hand at the maiestie of God himselfe yet no man sayes What haue I done O Lord beloued a long time haue wee beene acquainted with sinne but can our acquaintance gaine vs no experience of sinne will you euer looke vpon the pleasure and profite that sinne brings vnto you but will you neuer haue an eye to the policie and subtiltie thereof Indeed wee make much of it Easola voluptas solamēque mali Aenei 3 we nourish it in the secrets of our harts and keep it warme in the inwards of our soules wee are as loth to forsake sinne as Iacob was to forsake Beniamin and to depart from iniquitie as Lot was to depart from Sodom but shall we neuer looke into the mischiefe that ensueth of it When shal we once be wise They say that no element is ponderous or waightie in his proper place as for example we feele not the weight of the aire although we liue within the circle and compasse of it Suppose a man should lie in the bottom of the sea it would not offend him with any pressure or burdensome waight although it ill annoyed him otherwise so is it in the estimation of sinne wee liue and wee lie in it but alas wretches that we are we feele not no we feele not the weight and burden thereof how it euen presseth our soules vnto condemnation Sinne is not heauie vnto vs by reason of the inclination of mans will thereunto which greedily doth ingurgitate readily swallow vp a whole sea of abomination It may seeme strange which is written of the nature of thunder that it bruiseth the tree yet breaketh not the bark it cracketh the blade but neuer hurteth the scabbard such a thing is the nature of sin it wil bruise wound the heart but neuer harm the eies or the eares or the hands it wil pearce and afflict the conscience but neuer hurt the outwarde man it is euen a plague vnto the soule yet a pleasure vnto the body Well the time wil not permit to set out sinne as it deserues to acquaint you more with the nature of it although I would to God wee were lesse acquainted with the vse lesse affected with the desire thereof yet so violently are our head-strong affections caried and rauished that we adde sinne to sinne and ioyne them in a league of friendship when we haue so done we lay iniquitie
vpon sinne wickednes vpon iniquitie rebellion vpon wickednes and transgression vpon rebellion and nothing els but an heauing and heaping vp of confusion vpon confusion Gen. 11.2 as if Nimrod were amongst vs Babel againe to be built the towers wherof might reach vp vnto the starres Well beloued let vs lay the foundation of sinne as low as wee will and build as strongly thereupon as we can as if wee were assured that the hand of Gods iudgements should neuer rase it vp yet no doubt we shall find that it is nowe high time for vs to leaue our sinnes seeing wee see the Lord begins to leaue vs for our sinnes It is nowe high time for vs not to wash our hands with Pilate but our hearts with Ierusalem to chaunge our Morian skinnes to put off our stained and defiled garmentes to entertaine repentance into our soules seeing that euen nowe wee feare the rewarde of our impieties and the portion of iniquitie to bee shared out for vs. If euer before it was needfull surely nowe much more necessitie enforceth and time it is for Abigal if she respect her owne safetie to arise and meete Dauid with a present to appease his wrath 1. Sam. 25. for it seemes hee is now at hand with his sword girded vpon his thigh though not to lade our Asses as she did with two bottles of wine with frailes of raisins and a sheepe readie dressed or such like prouision but to lade our bodies and sinfull carkasses which wee haue vsed as Asses to beare the huge burthen of our sinnes with sackcloth and ashes Saceus ieiunium sunt arma poenitentiae with fasting mourning which are the armour of repentance to withstand his iudgemeÌ„ts Let our eyes be as 2. bottles of wine to cary with vs the teares wherof we may drinke to comfort vs in the assurance of Gods mercies our broken contrite harts as presents which the Lord wil haue respect vnto and receiue kindly at our hands Verse 35. lay his sword downe which he hath taken vp against vs. and bidde vs returne in peace vnto our houses Oh that I could possibly preuaile thus farre with you to possesse your soules with the consideration of this point Though this sodaine oportunitie of repentance were not offred vs yet let vs examine our estate and we shall finde that alas we are not sinners of yesterday we are not newly entred into Satans schole but we are of a great standing for in sinne our mothers conceyued vs in iniquitie they brought vs foorth and wee drewe corruption from their breasts all which as wee haue growne with them so they haue growne with vs. We haue long and ouerlong traced the footesteps of wickednesse and troden the paths of iniustice wee haue tyerd our selues and surfeted our selues with the workes of abomination we are not fallen of ignorance alas as our forefathers which knewe not the Gospell but willingly wilfully haue we brought our selues into the habite of sinne into the nature of sinne into the custome of sin and within the compasse of Gods most fearefull iudgements to seaze vpon soule and body vnto condemnation and not vpon our selues onely but such is the corruption thereof that it hath ouerspred the face of the heauens of the earth and ouerunne all the creatures that euen they for our sin must one day come to iudgement O then how needfull is it that with Ierusalem wee shoulde wash our wicked heartes from this corruption with the teares of repentance that shee might sit in thy heart and with her strong sighes and grones breake the heauens which are hardned against thee and draw downe the Lords louing fauour to thy soule If the infant in the cradle cries for milke if the Lion in the forrest cries for food because they want it how should it moue vs my brethreÌ„ to send vp our cries for the fauour of God because we haue it not The teares of our eyes being shed in true contrition for our sinnes will bee as little messengers to the great and angrie God of heauen and earth to entreate a truce betwixt him and vs his creatures and as gunshotte will batter downe the partition walles of our sinnes and cause his louing countenance to shine vpon our soules Let vs therefore in the feare of God make experience of this and though for the time it may seeme bitter as Aloes vnto the flesh yet is it wholesome and medicinable vnto the soule And looke as it was the manner of ancient times when trouble or heauines befell to any they presently called for women and others who were tender harted and skilful in mourning to cause them mourne the better so we which would faine learne to repent and lament for our sinnes and know not rightly how let vs haue recourse vnto the booke of God and there may we behold the teares standing in Ierusalems eyes and in the eyes of Marie Magdalene 1. Sam. 1 of Anna the wife of Elkanah that their weeping might procure our weeping their griefe prouoke our griefe their passions moue our affections with the like lamentation and sorrow for our sinnes QuorsuÌ„ So much for the thing required being the second point Wash thine heart from wickednes End Now followes the third which is the End That thou mayest besaued J Doubt not Vt salua sis Verses 5.6.7.8 but the trumpet blowne in the land and the crie which said vnto them of Iudah Assemble your selues together get you into stroÌ„g cities and the standard set vp in Sion and the plague threatened to be brought from the North Interfector Gentium and the Lion that should come from his den and the Drie wind in the high places of the wildernesse and that suddenly for it should be as a tempest and swift for his horses are lighter then Eagles might easily perswade them of imminent and present danger except they had the hearts of the Leuiathan as strong as stones or as hard as the nether milstone not to receiue any impression or their ioynts tough as Elephants that nothing could bend them Therefore their danger threatning such extremitie it was more then time to take some course for their owne safetie The Poet notably describes the feare that Aeneas and they of Troy were in Aenci. 3 and the great speed they made to escape the danger of the Cyclops Praecipites metus acer agit quocunque rudentes Excutere ve t is intendere vela secuÌ„dis When they saw the companie of giants clustring vpon the shore Aetnâ—â—s fratres resembling the strength and fortitude of mightie Okes or loftie Cypresse trees that their verie looks threatned destruction it was no time for them of stay but speedily to hoysse vp their sailes Parebiazonto nimbly to betake them to their oares rather then the giants should offer violence to them they offer violence to the sea and hasten away The only course that Icrusalem hath to
preuent this imminent distres which was euen at their shore ready to assault them is swiftly to saile away in the waters of repentance euerie man to betake himselfe to his oares of true contrition and inuocation vnto God to labour painefully in the sea of their sinful hearts though they be well washed drenched with the waues thereof for their owne safetie and preseruation Wash thine hart from wickednes Ve Deus te in fauorem recipiat That thou mayest be saued In the handling of which I will first speake of the sence of the words secondly of the vse For the first the word in the originall signifieth Salutem opena opitulationem A versu quinto either safetie helpe or aide and here it may fitly beare a double sence first by the relation of matter going before for in the former part of this Chapter many iudgements are exemplified by many figures to come vpon Ierusalem by Nabuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans who shoulde cut them downe with the sword lay their land waste Now this being so the Prophet stirs vp Ierusalem to repentance that she may be saued that is to say In this common calamity and iudgement which is to fall yet that she may be secure and safe from the touch thereof and bee restored to the fauour of God and therefore that the faithfull among them should not despaire but rather lift vp their heads and cheare themselues with a hope of safety in time of danger as also to crosse the crooked generation of hypocrites shewing that there is no way to appease Gods wrath by any shiftes but by true conuersion which must beginne at the hart Or thus Repent that thou mayest bee saued in the day of iudgement by the redemptiō of Christ because without repentance there is no saluatiō And so for the sence The vse followes vse 1 In time of daunger or of prosperity or whensoeuer is any thing sweeter vnto vs then our life or more precious then the breath of our owne nostrils Why sayes the Deuill when hee enformed against Iob Iob. 2.4 Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath he will giue for his life Be it a life of sorrow miserie and vexation yet naturally wee loue it better then death Tanti est contemplatio coeli lucis ipsius c. So wee may beholde heauen and the light thereof in our owne estimation it is so much worth that we are content to endure any miserie for it I will appeale to no other witnesses at this time then to the Gibeonites Iosuah 9.24 who did that which they did and became slaues to the hoast of Israel For feare of their liues they were content to endure any slauerie and bondage so as they might escape with life And therefore that action of Cleombrotus may seeme strange that reading Platoes discourse of the immortalitie of the soule fell from the top of an high wall of purpose to breake his neck the sooner to attaine to immortalitie Howsoeuer this action of his as one sayes was Potius magnè factum quà m bene factum a great act rather then a good acte It seemed likewise that Achaemenides the vnfortunate companion of Vlisses Comes infoelicis Vlissis Virgil. Spargite me fluctus vastoque immergite ponte 1. King 19. little regarded the benefite of life and thought it rather a glorie to die so it might bee manibus hominum in some manlike manner And that of Elias in the sacred volume sauoreth much to this purpose It sufficeth Lord take away my soule from me let me not liue any longer to bee eye-witnesse of that miserie that Iezabel hath thretned vnto me Well howsoeuer to let them passe that are so weary of their dearest friend sure it is euerie thing in nature desireth being from the greatest to the smallest and this great benefite repentance brings with it life in the middest of death safetie in time of calamitie preseruation against iudgements deliuerance in time of danger O Ierusalem if when Nabuchadnezzar shall come as a fierce Lion from his den the Chaldeans as cruell Tygers to deuoure thee when mine indignation shall be thy portion to drinke and whē destruction vpon destruction shall befall for the execution of my vengeance yet if thou wilt be saued when others must be destroyed here 's thy remedie Wash thine heart from wickednes So you see the Prophet reasoneth with them a fructu poenitentiae from the benefites arising from repentance To giue you the taste of it in a word If the seas which are as a girdle to this Iland enuironing and encompassing the same about were at our command or that the Lord should put the raines and gouernment of the mightie waters into our handes that wee might rule them as wee list for the subuersion of our enemies or that our land were walled with brasse and strengthened with the strongest defence against our Nabuchadnezzar of Spaine and our enemies the Caldeans Yet would not all this make so much for our safetie as if we had repentance in our hearts a speciall antidote against any iudgement In deed we feare the forces of our forraine foes and we may iustly but our greatest enemies are our home-bredde sinnes We stand quiuering and shaking vnder the rod of his Iudgement the feare whereof hath so possessed vs that we runne hither and thither and are almost at our wits end as if there were no God to goe before the shields of Israel What is the cause hereof Alas our guilty consciences doe accuse vs and we can not but confesse howe iust our destruction is For were wee penitent sinners and at peace and reconciliation with God we should not neede to feare what man can doe vnto vs but till sinne be remoued out of our hearts and our iniquities as rebels cast out of our soules vntill wee become penitent for the manifest manifold transgressions of our liues alas we must yet liue in feare of the Spaniard neyther may we feare Spayne alone but euen the heauens and the starres in the heauens to sight against vs Iudg. 5. as they fought against Sisera the earth and the creatures on the earth to plot out our subuersion for the Lord will vse them as his men of warre against vs and make them at vtter defiance with vs. Nay wee may feare our hands which we account as our dearest friends for he can make them as the hands of Saul I. Samu. 31.4 euen instruments of our owne confusion If therefore wee will haue peace in our land betwixt Spayne and vs wee must labour for peace in our consciences betwixt God and vs. If we would haue Gods Iudgements remoued from vs wee must labour to remooue our sinnes which are the cause of them and then will the Lord passe his word vnto vs that wee shall bee saued Prou. 16 17. To depart from euill saith Salomon is a fortresse and a bulwarke to preserue the righteous from Iudgements If the whole
world with engines of warre threatened our confusion yet if wee were engrafted into Christ and made one with him betwixt whome there is nowe as great a separation as Abrahams gulfe Luk. 16. by reason of our manifold sinnes and transgressions there is no doubt but his louing countenance and mercifull eye should euer be vpon vs his right arme stretched out for our defēce Wil any mā hurt the apple of his owne eye and not rather to be tender ouer it why we are as the apple of the Lordes eye Will a man cast off or dishonour the signet of his right arme why we are his signet wil a man vse violence to the wife of his own bosome who is one flesh with himselfe why we are the Lords spouse Cant. 5.1 he hath made vs one with him and therefore may looke for protection and defence at his handes and not for strokes and violence as if our God were a stranger vnto vs had neuer giuen vs pledges of his loue Thus as you see the danger that we may iustly feare by reason of sinne so likewise the comfort and confidēce that we may haue if we become penitent for our sinne Therfore which of these two makes greatest for our safetie iudge you Vse 2 Secondly to speake of saluation by the redemption of Christ who gaue his bloud once for our rāsome it is a thing generally desired of vs all Reu. 1.5 heb 9.14 Gen. 27. nay many make claime vnto it as Esau did vnto the blessing yet must go without it The way that leadeth thereunto is narrow Mat. 7.13 and scarse one amongst a number findes it we are as lame creeples we cannot so much as get to the beaufull gate except we be carried Act. 3.2 much lesse into the temple it selfe vnlesse our lamenesse be taken away There is but one way vnto it and that is by repentance he that seekes saluation Gods kingdome any other way takes a wrōg course it will not be got either with pleasure or profit all the gold of Ophir the treasures of Ezekias or the riches of Salomon will not buy it onely repentance will so farre preuaile that thou mayst be saued And therfore Christ told the Iewes who thought thēselues priuiledged and therfore condemned the Galileans Except you repent Luk. 13.3 ye all shall likewise perish Therefore beare this principle in mind for it stands as firme as the pillers of heauē that without repentance there is no saluation And thus much for the Exhortation it selfe and the parts thereof First the person exhorted Secondly the thing required Thirdly the end Now followes the reason Howe long shall thy wicked thoughts remayne within thee THis is an argument vsed by way of complaint wherein if you remember we obserued these 5. poynts First the circumstance of time wherewith the argument was enforced How long Secondly the thing which the Lord complaynes of they are thoughts Thirdly the qualities they are Wicked Fourthly their continuance they remayne Fiftly the place of their abode is within vs. Concerning the foure latter though we may compare our selues to the sea into which all the riuers of the earth runne is neuer the fuller so though all the instructions in the Scripture be applyed vnto vs yet many are neuer the better and therefore necessary to handle these seuerally Diuision which would minister excellent matter vnto vs yet let it suffice to fasten onely vpon the sence of the Prophet and deliuer from them ioyntly such instructions Coniūctū as flow from the words themselues for our edification Quovsque But first for the circūstance of time How long A word of great consequēce It implyes thus much Is it not sufficient O Ierusalem that I haue borne with sinne so long and doe you thinke me still able to endure it Haue I but hitherto winked at your iniquities and will you yet and yet vexe my righteous soule Is this the fruite that my long-suffring brings forth in you Wert thou borne sinful and wilt thou dye sinfull Is there no place for repentance Howe long shall thy wicked thoughts remayne within thee Thus the Lord reasons with Ierusalem and with vs. And surely it is fearfull that our sinne should growe to such an height and iniquitie waxe so ripe that the Lord should thus cōplaine of it Howe long When God sends Iudgements vpō vs the fingers of his wrath fastē either on our bodies or goods whē pestilence came with cōmissiō frō the angry God of heauen to attach our sinfull and rebellious carcasses and the bodies of our sonnes and daughters when we feared to draw our breath in the streetes lest we should haue drawne our confusion and not an haires-breadth there was betwixt vs and death when the vnsatiate mouth of the graue still craued for more and neuer thought it had inough and spared not to swallow vp our sweetest comforts when day by day we followed our friends with weeping our neighbours with mourning our nerest kinsfolks with lamētation to bring them the way of all flesh whē death was as a tyrant amongst vs Mors tyrānns Cicero and the pestilence as an vnmercifull souldier that spared none then beloued what did we Surely we cried cried How long Lord Lord how lōg wilt thou absent thy selfe hiding thine eyes from beholding and stopping thine eares from hearing the wordes of our complaint How long Lord wilt thou giue vs gall to drinke and fill our soules with bitternesse as with wormwood Lord how long how long Lord shall it be thus or thus with vs Thus we pressed the eares of the Lord with our how long and he heard it He looked downe from heauen and beheld the sorrow of the sonnes of men vpon earth He commanded his Angell to stay his hand clearing our ayre frō infection and seasoning our ioynts with health Thus did the Lord helpe vs when we could not helpe our selues But alas he cryes and complaynes of our wicked thoughts sinfull liues and adulterous conuersations but we giue him not the hearing Loe beloued our vnequall hearts and the vnkindnesse wherewith we requite him who so kindly hath dealt with vs. Let. God complayne but we will not complayne He cryes Howe long We cry with Salomons sluggard Not long inough Yet a little more sleepe a little more slumber a little more folding of the armes together Iudg. 1.15 ios 15.18 And as Achsaph in the booke of Iudges was importunate for riches and neuer thought her selfe satisfied so is it with vs when wee haue committed one sinne we thinke we may commit a second and that being done we will yet venter vpon a third If wee liued one hundreth yeeres we could be content to liue another so wee may liue to sinne when we haue liued two yet we thinke it not enough Well let vs in the feare of God slake the thirsty desire thereof and labour to ridde our selues of it for he that hath fewest