vp of the New Ireusalem he sendeth forth his word that is he speaketh by his spirit in the heartes mindes of his holy Ministers that they should speake vnto the congregation that which he enioyneth them The second obseruation is that in as much as it is not simply we that speake vnto you but the spirit of our heauenly father that speaketh in vs whereupon the Prophet saith The word of the Lord came vnto me that you yeelde such attention to the word spoken by vs as vnto the word of the eternal liuing God as Christ himselfe teacheth saying He that heareth you heareth me c. Mat. 10. and that especiallye because we are vnto you as this prophet was vnto the people of ISRAEL the Embassadors or Legates of the Lord as Saint PAVL plainely prooueth saying Now then are we Embassiadors of the Lord as though God did beseech you through vs wee pray you in his steede that you would bee reconciled vnto God for hee that made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we might be the righteous of God through him 2. Cor. 5. verse 20 21. And therfore to conclude of this point I say let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit speaketh vnto the congregation Thirdly by this we may obserue and learne how farre foorth the Almightie God whome the heauen of heauens cannot hold or conteine doth conforme himselfe to our weakenes vouchsafing to speake to vs to talk with vs familiarly according to our capacities whose voice otherwise is so mighty so strong that it is compared to the thunder-claps which breaketh the Cedars of Libanus renteth the Rockes and maketh the Mountaines to cleaue in sunder This the Israelites make plaine who when they had heard the Lord speake vnto Moses and saw the thunder and the lightning they desired that Moses might speake vnto them affirming that if God spake vnto them they should dye Exo. 20. 19. so terrible is the voice of the immortal creator to the mortall creature And yet notwithstanding for our instruction admonition amendment he vouchsafeth to speake vnto man sometimes sencibly sometimes secretly euen in his eare as our Sauiour sheweth Mat. 10. 27. saying Whatsoeuer you shall heare in the eare that is whatsoeuer I shall priuately by my selfe or secretly by my spirit instill into your eares hearts or mindes for thus doth the word of the Lord come vnto vs at this day I meane the knowledge intelligence of his word euen when we are lying in our beds walking on the way looking on our bookes or otherwise sequestred from the affaires of this world in reading preaching meditating or conferring Then I say are our hearts ascending vp to God and his spirit discending downe to vs as the Angels on Iacobs ladder for euen as the naturall mans delight is in those things wherein his corrupted nature taketh pleasure And as the worldely minded mans thoughts do runne vpon his monies and his markets his buyings buildings bargaines brablings profits pleasures or any such like vanities Euen so are the spirituall mans cogitations totally and continually exercised and meditating in the lawe of the Lord and in the misteries of godlines as the Prophet Dauid manifesteth in the first ps v. 3. where he shewing how the godly man bestoweth his talent saith That his delight is in the lawe of the lord and in that law doth exercise himselfe both day and night Or if at any time he doth stoope so low as to associate or busie himselfe with the affaires of this worlde as to eat drinke talke walke laugh buy sell or recreate himselfe with any the creatures for that cause subdued vnto vanitie it is none otherwise then as the Apostle S. Paul saith 1. Co. 7. 31. Vsing this world that is this pleasure or that profit as thogh he vsed it not for why his hart is stablished in the Lord and his principle ioy is in the holy ghost I would say in the law of the Lord or word of God vnto me that is to me Ezechiel the strength of the Lord for so my name dooth signifie As if he would say though I be of my selfe a weak poore simple sinfull soule yet by his grace I am such a one as it hath pleased him to make choise of for the ministery of his word for such is his maner to chuse as S. Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 1. 27. 28. saiing But God hath chosen the foolish thinges of this world to confound the thinges which are mightie and vnnoble thinges of the World and thinges which are despised hath God chosen you and things that are not to bring to naught things that are So I by the Lord though small in the sight of man am now called vnto this holy function to be the Lords Embassador or thus whereas by my naturall Parents and birth I was the childe of death sinne and corruption for I was defiled in the wombe and euer since but now sanctified by the Spirit of sanctification begottē of the immortal seed of Gods word enabled to the ministery therof by my heauenly father both Name Nature is changed and by his grace I am that I am saying If anye demaunde whether this speech vnto the prophet was sencible or secret it is not much materiall whether either for that God vseth to speake both waies vnto his Seruants as before is prooued but seemeth in this place rather to be audible then intellectuall as appeareth in the first Chapter verse 29. where as he saith hee heard a voice of one that spake Sonne of man as if he would say Thou which art but earth and ashes though I vouchsafe to speake to thee in familiar maner to manifest my glorie to thee as in chap. 1. verse 3. 4. 5. 6. c. Yet be not thou proud thereof as some of thy fellowes before thee haue bene for knowledge puffeth vp but rather goe and doe thy message that I shal enioine thee be not as IONAS who being sent to Niniuie went to Tharsis neither as ADAM who beeing charged not to taste of the tree of knowledge of good and euill tasted of the forbidden fruite Neither as that man of God mentioned in the first booke of Kinges Cap. 13. ver 1. 2. c. that came out of Iuda and prophesied a-against the Alter that Ieroboam had set vp Who beeing charged by the word of the Lord not to eate breade nor drinke water nor to turne again the same way that he came who though he denyed the King requesting him so to doe yet afterward yeelded vnto the olde Prophet and was destroyed of a Lyon for his labour Whose example I counsell thee Ezechiel to marke that thou doe not the like least I destroy thee before them as I destroied him before thee for thou art of no better substāce nor strength thē he was or the rest before named nor more able to withstand or resist mee then they were Remember therefore
signifieth sorrowfull so there should be few truely sorrowfull or penitent for their sinnes as by perfect experience wee prooue it in these daies for notwithstanding the Gospell hath long time shined amongst vs and the iudgements of God haue bene plentifully powred down vpon vs both by sea land by Fire water Plague and Pestilence Dearth and Famine c. yet where is one Noe or preacher of righteousnes that buildeth vp the Arke as God bad him as he did or where is one Daniel that refuseth the Kings portion and prouision that is any pleasure or profit of this life and contents himselfe with pulse and water giuing himselfe to prayer and fasting as Daniel did or where is one Iob to be found so patient and penitent that of whome it may bee saide as it was of him in all his afflictions that in all this hee sinned not neither charged God foolishly for these be the verie true helps meanes to redresse this dearth Famine if it wold please God to giue vs such grace The Lord be mercifull vnto vs and create in vs new hearts and right spirits that wee may in due time breake off our sinnes by repentance and turne to the Lord our God with all our heartes vnfainedly Amen Were amongst them q. d. either to preach to them as Noe did to the olde world or to pray for them as Daniel did for the Israelites in Captiuitie or to giue example of holy life as Iob did of all long suffering patience and repentance which are the verie true meanes and remedies of these iudgemēts of God now inflicted vpon vs as I haue shewed and as the Prophet Dauid prooueth moste plainelye in the 67. Psalme saying Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee Then shall the Earth bring foorth her encrease and God euen our own God shall giue vs his blessing Where vnder the word Praise are contained all the dueties of our deuotion towards God as Faith Prayer Preaching Repentance holy life c. But happilye heere some will say haue not wee manye Godlye Preachers deuout Orators and diuine liuers amongst vs at this day as euer were as Daniel was then liuing amongst the Iewes as likewise this prophet Ezechel a man of God c True it is that both Daniel and Ezechiel were thē liuing amongst the Iewes as it is to be hoped that there are many of the Seruants of God amongst vs at this day both Prophets and Pastors and yet by reason of the captiuitie that they were in and the peoples Idolatrie which they had sette vp in their hearts as this Prophet Ezechiel sheweth in the beginning of this 14. Ch. how they had done saying Son of man these mē haue set vp their Idols in their harts and put the stumbling blocke of their iniquities before their face should I being required answere them I say what by reason of the peoples Idolatrie and their captiuitie and hard entreaty they were neither regarded nor beleeued As many of the seruants of God amongst vs at this day are in like maner dealt with from whence may be gathered that the people doe not make that vse of Gods seruants whether absent or present amongst them as they ought to do God graunt this sinne be not amongst vs but it is greatly to be feared that it is for where is one Zaccheus amongst the rich that standeth forth and saith in this needefull time of comfort Beholde Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore c. or where is their one Lidiaes heart so opened that doth cheerfully receiue or charitably refresh the seruāts of God as she did I say where is there one Man or one Woman so wonne by the word that layeth a part one linke of his Golden chaine one lace of her veluet fleeue or a bateth one breadth of their broade ruffes or setteth a part one dish of their dainty superfluities at euery feast towards the releefe of so many poore Lazares as aboūd round about vs at this day yea what haue I seene to the contrarie namely thus that where there hath bene a motion made on the Saboath day in the Church by the minister to the whole congregation assembled in the behalfe of two poore sicke naked hungrie and impotent persons for some releefe there hath bene gathered in the same day in the afternoone foure times as much for a Beareward and his beare as hath bene giuen and collected towardes those two poore Christian persons which argueth the coldnesse of charitie in manye hearts and the deadnes of deuotion amongst those that should shine as Lampes in all manner of good workes aboue others So that of the true zealous deuout and charitable conuerted Christian indeed I may say as Iob speaketh of the good interpreter if there bee one amongst a thousand it is maruaile wherefore in the way of a general Admonition I say let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall for but onely Noe Daniell and Iob shall deliuer their ownesoules by their righteousnes that is from the plague or punishment that I wil bring vppon them from whence ariseth a double question to be dissolued First whether any man can deliuer his own soule by his righteousnes Secōdly whether there be any such righteousnes in man as that thereby he should deliuer his owne soule or the soule of another man from any present plague or punishment or from euerlasting death as some suppose To the first I answere that no man can deliuer his soule nor the soule of another man from death temporall or eternall which the Prophet Dauid prooueth plainly saying Yet a man by no meanes can redeeme his brother he cannot giue his ransome to God so precious is the redēptiō of their soules the continuance for euer that he may liue stil for euer not see the graue Ps 49. ver 7. 8. 9. Secondly to approue that there is no such righteousnes in man as therby to deliuer his owne Soule the prophet Dauid saith plainelye Psalme 143. 2. Enter not in iudgement with thy Seruant O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight And the Prophet Esay Chap. 64. verse 6. saith But we haue bene all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes Saint Paul also teacheth that not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue wrought but according to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and renewing of the holye Ghost Tit. 3. 5. But then you will say how dooth the Prophet heere say that they should deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnesse that is as I haue shewed already from some temporall plague or punishment threatned or deserued As wee reade of the King of Niniuie and his people how they preuented their destruction by repentāce which otherwise should haue ensued within fortye daies Of Hezekia who calling vppon the Lord in the time of his sickenes and truely repenting
that I tell thee before hand what thou art and who Euen the Sonne of a sinfull man whether thou haue respect vnto Adam thy first parent or to buzie thine immediate parent which signifieth contempt thou art but an earthen vessell full of contempt more ready to disobey then to obey my commandement therfore take heed A Caueat to all the seruants of God how great soeuer their guiftes bee that they shewe not themselues careles of their calling nor forgetfull of their maisters busines as Christ himselfe aduertiseth saying VVhosoeuer shall put his hand to this plowe meaning the ministerie and preaching of the word and looke back that is by any kinde of negligence or disobedience is not fit for the Kingdome of heauen This I take partly to be the reason of this Title Sonne of man attributed vnto the Prophet Ezechiel as a pulback to the end he shold not be too much exalted with the multitude of visions Reuelatiōs such as were shewed vnto him at his first calling as in the first chapter are to be seene Like as Saint Paul recordeth how in the like case There was giuen vnto him the messenger of Sathan to buffet him 2. Cor. 12. 7. From whence we learne that before a man can be apt for the kingdome of heauen I mean capable of deuine misteries he must be throughly mortified schooled in Gods schoole house that is in the furnace of some affliction or great deiection so as we see in S. Paul at his conuersion how he was cast downe to the ground and strucke blinde for three daies c. Act. 9. 4. c. The like we read of Esay whose mouth was touched with a fire coale taken from the Alter that is sanctified and regenerated by Gods spirit before his iniquitie could be taken away and his sins purged that he might be worthy to goe on the Lords busines which is or may be an aduertisement vnto all such as seeke to enter into the ministery before they finde or feele in themselues any sufficient guift to discharge the same As also an item to those of superiour place that they admit not any into any pastorall place or cure that are not qualified thereunto All which is may be comprehended included vnder this title of Son of man which title I also finde atributed to Iesus Chr. as in Mat. 24. v. 30. 37. 44. to declare his humanity as in this place to this prophet to teach him his infirmitie It followes When the Land sinneth against me By land heere you must vnderstand the people for the land or earth sinneth not how beit it was once cursed for sinne A figuratiue speech very vsuall in the Prophets word of God as we read in Esay Chap. 11. v. 9. 4 where it is sayde Repleta est terra scientia domini that is The earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord. And againe He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth where he nameth the earth yet meaneth the people and rod yet meaneth the word And so heere whereas he saith land it being figuratiue giueth vs to vnderstand that there is more meant then if he had simply saide the people for it implieth not only that one sort or part of the people as the higher powers onely or the middle part should so sinne against the Lord but euen all as if he should say both king subiect priest and people poore and rich young and olde all which are but earth dust and ashes the works of my hands as the vessels of clay in the hands of the potter The land q. d. The land that I haue long time tilled and sowne with the best seed the land that I haue alwaies loued or thus the people that I haue created in mine own Image deliuered from the hands of their enemies fed with the finest flower of wheat preserued and kept as the apple of mine eye c. yet see how grieuously they haue sinned against me and prouoked me to wrath in such wise that I am ready to breake their staffe of bread therefore Against me like as it is saide Mat. 12. 30. He that is not with me is against me and prouoketh me to punish him so contrary is sinne vnto God that he holdeth him to be his enemy as it were that committeth any sinne And wold not any of vs be loath to haue his Maiestie our soueraigne I meane the king of England to be his enemie we see by common experience if a man purchase but the il wil of a Iustice of peace in his countrie or of some other superior person how it is requited againe one time or other But to prouoke the Lord of Hoastes against him who is a consuming fire who can but looke for a requitall at his hands who saith and that of right Reuenge is mine and I will repay and of whome it is also saide It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord As we may see by example how seuere he hath shewed himselfe euen towards his moste deere children Adam Dauid Paul others for can any of thē say but as they sinned against him so he punished thē for it euen to the eating of a peece of an Apple as Saul would haue sometime done to Ionathan for tasting a little hony and yet good Lord what sinnes are here committed amongst vs on euerie side against the Lord not in the singuler number as the prophet noteth saying Atrespas but in the plural number euen to Milions and multitudes it followes Then will I stretch out my hand vpon it q. d. or declare and shewe foorth my power my Iustice my iudgement and my wrath Two manner of waies may it bee saide that the Lord God Almightie dooth stretch foorth his hand that is to say eyither to saue or to destroy as in the 136. Psalme verse 12. where it is said that hee brought out Israell from amongst them meaning the Egiptians with a mightie hand and stretched out arme So in the Prophet Hose 11. Chap 3. vers I led Ephraim also as one should beare him in his armes but they knew not that I healed them As Dauid againe likewise saith Ps 77. verse 15. Thou hast redeemed thy people with thine arme euen the Sonnes of IACOB and IOSEPH As since that time how hath the Lord stretched out his arme for vs and for our deliuerance Anno 1588. when the great inuafion was pretended by the Spanish Nauie And againe since that 1605. when the Gun-powder treason was prepared for to haue made hauocke of vs all The Lord lifted vp his mightie and stretched out arme for our defence and succour Osanna his holye name haue the praise for it Now as for the defence and preseruation of his people the Lord stretcheth out his arme when they walke in his waies and turne to him by repentance So likewise when he intendeth to correct or punish his people for their Rebellions against him he is
same bee the causes of the one as the other no for as the thinges be different so the causes are likewise cōtrarie yet being considered in a spirituall thought we shall finde them verie correspondent the one to the other For as disobedience corrupting vnthankfulnesse are the causes of the one so reiecting neglecting are the causes of the other Euen as the Israelites when they were cloyed with Manna murmured and had Quailes so manye amongst vs at this day beeing drunken with superfluitie but not of Wine haue spewed vp againe that which was good at the first receauing and haue longed for that which was worse as the Israelites did for the flesh-pots of Egipt Now concerning the third cause which I haue assigned to vnthankfulnesse for as much as the Lord in a maner looketh for nothing else at our hands for all the benefits that hee hath giuen vs appeareth by Dauid Psalm 116. verse 12. 17. where he saith What shall I giue or render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards mee The answere is I will offer to thee a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the name of the Lord as if he would say I will giue him thankes and praise his name And againe Psame 63. vers 5. 6. As long as I liue I will magnifie thee on this manner and will lift vp my hands in thy name my soule shall bee satisfied euen as it were with marrowe and fatnesse when my mouth prayseth thee with ioyfull lippes Yet our mouthes cannot so doe because they are otherwise filled with Oathes Cursses Blasphemies and other prophanes or else vtterlye mute and silent as I haue shewed Thus much concerning the causes both origninall and accidentall of Dearth the Metaphores or phrase of speech the sense and meaning thereof and the Misteries and Doctrines therein contained And so now I come to the effects and fruits thereof And I will send Famine vpon it this Famine as you haue heard is to bee taken two manner of waies that is eyther for the defect of Spirituall or of Corporall foode Concerning the first which I holde moste proper vnto this place the whole scriptures are pregnant shewing how God not onely threatned but also brought the same to passe in all ages punishing sometimes therewith some particular places and persons sometimes whole Nations and sometimes the whole world as wee read in Ge. Ch 12. 26. 41. 47. How the Lord visited the South in the daies of Abraham and Iacob Egipt in the daies of Pharaoh Samaria Ierusalem other Nations from time to time The prophets Esay Ieremie and Ezechiel in one and the selfe same Chap viz. the 14. as if they had spoken al three with one mouth as they did by one spirit doe shew that the Lord will kil the root of Palestina and not leaue the rebellions of Iuda Ierulem vnpunished with famine How iust true the Lord is in al his promises propheseings our own experiēce can best of all bear witnes who haue tasted the twigs of this rod three seuerall times within the space of twentie foure yeres wherein we haue or might haue heard and seene the poore miserablye crying and dying through the extreamitie of dearth and famine Oh! but happilye you will say I neuer heard or saw any such Ans But I haue who am both auritus and oculatus testis that is both an eare and an eye witnesse thereof Indeed I think that many of superiour place haue not seene so much for as the common saying is Aquila non capit muscas the Eagle taketh no Flies because shee soareth so hye And so doe many of the richer sort of this world sildome or neuer beholde nor heare or thoroughlye feele and vnderstand the State of the poore distressed As Diues little felt what were Lazarus paines or hūger But in as much as the Lord hath said he wil send famine vpon the land that committeth a trepasse against him let that bee one proofe Like as that wofull fact of that Woman in Samaria that sodde her Sonne one day and complained to the King that her Neighbour would not doe the like for her next day But heere it may be demaunded vnto what maner of persons this dearth of ours is a Plague or a famine Ans Not vnto the rich I suppose for they feele it not no more then Pharaoh did the dearth in Egipt and therefore it may well be called the poore mans plague for so it is But what you wil then say haue not the rich sinned as well as the poore yes And haue not they procured this plague as wel as the poore yes Why then are not they punished as the rest My censure you shall see First I say with the Apostle Saint Peter that iudgement beginneth at the house of God Secondly like as Pharao felt not the stroake of dearth in Egipt nor his iolly courtiers about him yet you see how afterward hee and they were all destroyed in the red sea So when God hath visited the poore which are his owne house hee will come vppon the mighty with greater iudgemēts afterwards for as Salomon saith the mighty shal be mightily tormented Sap. 6. 6. And Dauid saith He will not verily cleere the wicked It followeth And I wil destroy both man and beast forth of it Such is the iealousie and wrath of Almightie God that when sinners will not repent he not onely doth punish their sinnes to the third and fourth generation but also extendeth the same aswell vnto the vnreasonable creatures such as the Beasts and Birdes are as vnto the vnsensible earth and fruites thereof by making it either as hard as yron vnder foote or else the Heauen as brasse ouer head q. d. Both shall bee vnfruitefull and vnseasonable so that by their distemperature the Beastes or Cattel shall likewise be destroyed As for example what murrens of Cattel and rots of Sheepe haue wee had in this Land within the space of these fewe yeares past And as for the persons that dyed that way who can tell the number or names of them And so I come to the third and last part of this Text wherein are set downe the helpes and remedies of this dearth now beeing if they may be effectually put in practise It followes Though these three men Noe Daniel and Iob were amongst them they shall deliuer but their owne soules by their Righteousnes saith the Lord But mee thinkes I heare some say what helpes or remedies are to be found or gathered from these wordes or what point of doctrine or knowledge is heere to be had concerning the same Answere Surely all that euer the word of God teacheth to be done in such a case and that is enough and sufficient if wee had eyes to see or hearts to vnderstand But in as much as many haue eies and see not and hearts and vnderstand not for the natural man perceiueth not the things that pertaine to the spirit of God for how