darling that they shold so monstrouslie requite him with vnthankfulnes as to fall from him and go a whâ—â—ring after their owne waies for we all of vs easilie condemn that wife who the husband making choice of hir aboue all other women shall refuse him be take hir selfe to a stranger but especiallie if he being a king of royall maiesty shall finding hir no better than a beggars brat aduaunce her 〈◊〉 the estate of a Queene â— if shee do not loue him reuerence him obey hym and bee euerie waie pliable vnto his will wee all of vs will easilie say that shee is vnworthie to liue much more vnwoorthie of that high and glorious dignitie and euen so it fareth with vs wee professe our selues to bee the church of God and therefore looke to bee pertakers in those priueleges which God bestoweth vpon the same he found vs in the state of damnation of his owne free mercie hee begate vs againe by the woord of trueth and hath sette vs into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God ioyning vs in the inheritance with his onely sonne Now if wee shall by our wicked liues anie waie staine that glorie that hee hath bestowed vpon vs if our conuersation be not euerie waie answerable vnto that thankefull loue feare and obedience which hee requireth at our handes then shall wee be found guiltie euen our owne mouths condemning vs of the most heynous rebellion and most horrible ingratitude that can bee committed amongest the sonnes of men And therefore wee haue great need to looke more circumspectlie vnto our wayes that our steppes bee straight in the wayes of Godlinesse for the blessings of God with the imbracing of his gospel are so many so great that if they draw vs not to an vnfained holines of life they shall rise vp against vs at the day of iudgement as so many witnesses to iustifie and so manye iust accusers to aggrauat and encrease our condemation the drift of this comparison is to vrge them vnto a deepe and vnfeigned griefe of hart for sinne wherby we learne that we must haue it in a high detestation loathing abhorring it in all men but especiallie in our selues and greeuing at the committing of it in any laboring by all the good meanes wee maye to staye the streames of it and where we cannot to bee grieued at the very hart at it which lesson though euery one will acknowledge to bee true yet very few do in any measure put it in execution but rather clean contray making but a test of sinne as though it caried no inconueniences with it but the Lord in this place teacheth al them that will be instructed by him out of his blessed woord to haue it in more detestation and when it is committed to bee more sensiblie affected with griefe for it then for anie other thing in the world the which is further to bee learned in the consideration of this comparison for when he biddeth theÌ„ mourn like a virgin for the husband of hir youth it is as much as if he should saie you haue as great cause to mourne as euer any such virgines haue for you haue lost as great a losse and greater as anie of them can thereby declaring that their disobedience had so ascended into the eares of the Lorde of hostes that it had procured a diuorce between him and them for as the Lorde matcheth his church vnto him selfe in righteousnes and in iudgement and in mercie and compassion so when wee fall to iniquitie and forgetting the Lord fall to do those things that seeme good in our own eies then is it the nature of those sinnes to be seperate betwixt God and vs and to hide his face that hee will not heare and therefore seeing that it depriueth vs of al the blessings of God and procureth his anger and displeasure against vs what cause haue we to bid battaile against it all the daies of our life and to hate it aboue all thinges that wee hate most seeing that it is of that nature to depriue vs of euery good thing and to wrappe vs in all miserie and desolation The fourth sermon Verse 9. The meat offering and the drinke-offering is cutte off from the house of the Lord the priests the lords ministers mourn THe meat-offering c. Hauing shewed the sorrowe that they were to conceiue in regard of the heauy hand of God vppon them and also the maner how it was to bee increased by the comparison of the virgin mourning for the husbande of hir youth and knowing that this true and vnfeigned repentaunce is hardly perswaded vnto fleshe and bloud because naturallie wee like not of it he proceedeth now to lay open the causes that were yet further to induce them therevnto the first whereof consisteth in the consideration of the miserye that was vpon them in regard of the temple and the publike seruice of God for when he sayth The meat-offering and drinke-offering is cutte off from the house of the Lord his meaning is as much as if hee should say haue you not great cause to mourne and lament seeing that the temple which is your glory amoÌ„g the nations and the daily sacrifices wherewith you daily serued God there shall by reason of the ruin that your foes shall bring vpon the land bee so left desolate and forsaken that there shalbe no resorting thither with any meate-effrings drink-offrings 〈◊〉 this wofull state did fall vpon them because of their transgressions disobedience vnto the word of God which teacheth vnto vs this doctrine that when or whersoeuer the publik profession of the gospel decaieth or the gifts of the ministery wither away or the labor of gods seruants become fruitles it ariseth from the disobedieÌ„ce and vngodly behauiour of the people it springeth from this that they for whose instruction y e lord hath erected y e ministery of his gospel reiecting the food of their soules offred vnto them do acount themselues vnworthy of eternal life which doctrine is diligently to bee obserued for it is now euery where the iust complaint of al that haue any sight into religion that the profession of thereof dooth decaie the lyking thereof is in so few mens hearts that Atheisme and poperie is in more request euery wher then true religion which is true again it is the complaint of many that the word is not of that power in the mouth of y e ministers thereof y t it hath bin hertofore which also is to true But where is the fault no doubt Satan is not to bee excused that slaundereth the truth nor his instruments to be accounted giltlesse that could stop the passage of the same but if we could learn the lesson which the holie ghost teacheth the Israelites in this place we should say let vs mourne for that our sinnes haue caused the meat-offeringes and drinke-offeringes to cease from the house of our God that is the passages of true religion to be
The true remedie against Famine and warres Fiue Sermons vpon the firste chapter of the prophesie of Ioel wherein the Councell that the holy Ghoste gaue the Israelites to redresse the famine which they felt and preuent the warres that were threatened to come vpon them is applied in particular vnto our present time Preached in the time of the dearth 1586. By Iohn Vdall preacher of the worde of God at Kingston vpon Thames IEREM 2.29 VVherefore vvil ye plead vvith me ye al haue rebelled against me saith the lord I haue smiten your children in vaine they receiued no correction AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue for T. Man and T. Gubbins TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Lord AMBROSE DVDLEY Earle of Warwicke Baron Lisle Master of hir Maiesties Ordinance Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of hir Highnes priuie Councell And to the right Honorable and godly Lady his wife Iohn Vdall wisheth increase of all true Honor and comfort in this life euerlasting happines in that which is to come IT hath euer bene the naturall disposition of man right Honourable in all those miseries that fall vpon him to turne his minde a contrary way and thinke amisse of the cause of his estate and condition therevpon to vse such means for the redres thereof as shal neuer amend but rather make worse that whiche they would helpe or if they take in hand any of the wayes that be lawfull yet it is that which shoulde bee the laste as their owne pollicie and wisdome and neuer thinke of their sinnes that haue procured Gods displeasure against them that they might begin by repentance to seeke reconciliation with him which prepostrous dealing doth not only possesse the hart of perticular men but also beareth the swaye for the most parte euen in common-wealthes and gouernements For we see that when any thing is amis in the same there is great consultation and prouident aduising how things may be redressed but the wayes that be taken are for the most part framed in the shop of humane pollicy only therefore the effect thereof is but as the loppinge of some boughes or twigges from the toppe of a tree after which it doth rather flowrish the more then wither away wheras it shoulde bee considered that all ennormities and disorder doe proceed from sinne and euerie breach in a state from the displeasure of the Lorde for the contempte or neglect of his holy commaundements and therefore if euer wee looke to haue our policies prosper to search more narowly into the wil of God to the end it may be established with more authority and practized with more holy obedience and then shoulde those wise plots that the guiftes of nature or experience doe teach vs when once they com in their place attendinge vppon that Souereigne scepter of Gods most blessed word receiue a blessinge from the Lorde and haue a good issue whiche else shall bee as the winde that beeinge long trauelled of whē it is brought forth doeth vanishe as the smoake in the sight of the sunne This lesson doth the holy Ghoste by this his Prophet IOEL teache vnto vs in his firste chapter more at large the doctrine wherof as neere as I could remember according as the Lorde did inable me to vtter it I haue penned being drawne thereunto both by the importunitie of some whom I might not well denie in so honest a request as also by the conueniencye of the doctrine for the instruction of moe then heard it Nowe among many other notable instrumentes that the Lorde in his mercie hath stirred vp not onely to wishe well vnto but also to trauayle for the good of that poore people his faythfull seruauntes among whom it hath pleased him to place me not onely I but they also doe stand bound in dutie and shall so remaine still vnto your HH for that carefull diligence that it pleased you both to vse then to intreat for vs when if God had not beene on our side the floodes of malicious mens practises had runne ouer our heades to the vtter vndoing of all good beginninges among vs so that whatsoeuer good it shall please the LORDE to dooe in his Churche by my weake laboures wherevnto I thought an ende had beene added your Honours may iustly bee reputed the instrumentes of the same In regarde whereof I desiringe too haue some opportunitye to shewe the thankfulnesse of our hearts haue especially made choyce of youre Honours vnto whome I might dedicate these my poore laboures most humblye intreatinge the same to accept heereof not accordinge to the valewe that it caryeth whiche is verye small but accordinge to the affection of the giuer whoe acknoweledging him-selfe together with that people whiche haue the benefit of my ministery to be bound to pray vnfeignedly vnto the Lord for your Hh. that it would please him to increase al the graces of his sanctifying spirite vppon the same to the further aduauncement of his glorie the greater benefite of hys poore Church and fuller consolation of your owne soules Sobeit Your Hh. most humble to commaund in the Lorde Iohn Vdall IOEL 1. vers 1 2. ¶ The word of the Lord that came to Ioel the sonne of Pethuel Heare ye this O elders and hearken ye all inhabitants of the land whether such a thing hath bin in your days or yet in the dayes of your fathers COncerning the time when this Prophet liued and prophecied diuers men haue shewed their diuers iudgements and opinions whereof if the best and most probable be receiued yet it is but a coniecture and therefore I will leaue it as doth the holie ghost in this place vndetermined and so much the rather for that the ignoraunce thereof bringeth neither anie dammage to the truth of the prophesie nor yet any darknesse vnto the vnderstanding of the same This onely is to be obserued that the time when he liued and the age wherevnto hee did prophesie had great need of the doctrine which he taught them for that as appeareth by the course of his wordes they were growne vnto great extremitie in rebellion against the Lord and besotted so senslesly in their iniquitie that albeit the hand of God was heauie vppon them yet they considered it not but to the ende that those on whome God had ordained to bestowe his grace might be rowzed out of their sleepinesse and they whom in his heauie and eternal displeasure he had cast off might be made the more without excuse the Lorde stirred vp this prophet to speak vnto them which teacheth vnto vs this doctrine for our instruction that in those places and among that people where in any maner his name is called vpon the Lord wil euer in more or lesse measure make knowne his iudgements for their particular sinnes and shewe vnto them the way to escape the same and meanes howe to preuent it to this end that when either in any one priuate person the matter shall be discoursed in the
stopped that it floweeth not vnto vs in such streames as it hath doone heeretofore and doth at this daie vnto others for why should we think that the sinnes of the reprobate ordeined to destruction should anye way hinder or further the proceedings of the gospell for whether it bee taught or buried in silence whether it flowrish or be extinguished it is no matter to them it is therefore the sinnes of the people of god that dammeth vp the proceeding of the truth for euen as it was a matter no waye appertaining to the nation which GOD threatneth by his prophet to come vpon the land of Israel whether the lords worship in the temple florished or no but was a thing perticularlie belonging vnto the Iewes Gods chosen nation and it was not their sinnes but the sins of the Israelites that procured the decaie thereof euen so it is in the Church of God for euer the sinnes of the vngodlie and those that are without doe neuer cause the Lord to ouerturne or giue smal successe vnto his owne ordinance but the transgressions of those who hauing receiued the woord of life doe not frame their hearts within and conuersation without according to the rule of the same this made the prophet Ieremie to tell them of Iudah that their sins had turned away Gods blessings and their transgressions turned good thinges from them the Propet Isaiah like-wise telleth them that their sinnes were the cause that iudgement was turned backward and iustice stood a farre off that truth was fallen in the streets and equitie could not enter And therefore let vs neuer poste the fault ouer to anie other as Adam did vnto Euâ—â— if any thing bee not as it should be but let vs laye the fault where it is to wit in our owne sinnes for assuredlie if wee could in the vnrighteousnesse of our hearts consent together amongest our selues and with one accord seeke the aduauncement of Gods glorie First in our selues and then in others What wicked man what Pope What Deuill shoulde bee able to withstand vs and therefore haue we iust cause to mourne when wee see the preaching of the Gospell cutte off from the people and the power thereof lessened that it conuerteth not where it is preached seeing that our owne sinnes bee the cause of al these with manie more abhominations For the zeale of the people to receiue and practise the trueth dooth open the mouth inlarge the heart and furnish the minister of GOD with graces in great aboundaunce that may make his woorde more powerfull vnto them whereas on the other side their sinnes and colde attendance therevnto doe freeze his affections and stoppe his mouth that hee cannot speak vnto them wyth that maiestie that so glorious a message requireth Againe by this sequell following vpon the warres in Israell that the dailie offerings should bee cutte off wee learne that of all the troubles and afflictions that befall vnto the Church of GOD warres bee the greatest enemie vnto the publike profession of religion for though it be true that as all other trialls so this maketh the godly more feruent and stirreth them vppe to more feeling then they hadde in the time of their prosperitie and peace yet such is the contradiction betwixt warres and the open profession of religion that they do hardlie stande together but especialie if the enimies therof preuaile then proue they the bane of it and though they do not yet such is the hurt that it receiueth thereby as it is longe before it recouer the former condition For a good course beeing once interrupted is hardlie renewed So many hynderaunces can Sathan inuent and so readie is our nature to take vppe euerie lette and alleadge it for an excuse besides that because it is the nature of man first to prouide for his owne steeled house though the Arke of GOD dwell betweene the curtaines that is to haue greater care of hys priuate estate then of the publique benefite of others especiallie in matters of Religion and yet when troubles arise in a nation the first thyng that is discontinued is Religion Therefore it is that Warres bee so greate an enemye therevnto Then it shoulde followe of the contrarie that peace should begette the most perfect building of the kingdoome of Christ and so should wee bee the most glorious that waie but alasse though it should bee so yet it is fallen out cleane contrarie for wee haue imployed our selues in this time of our quietnesse to build our selues strong in sinne and to fortifie our hearts against the entraunce of anye good thing so that in steade of the grapes that our vine being so dressed shold haue brought foorth we haue yeelded sower grapes and such as causeth the Lord to threaten the casting downe of the hedge the ouerthrowe of the wine-presse and the vtter ruine of the whole vineyard howe much better had it beene for vs if God had so beene pleased if wee had beene left with the rest of our breathren and good neighbours round about vs vnto the winde and wether that our faith might the more haue bene purged and our zeale made more feruent and not placed in this settled securitie as a standing people which gathereth vnto it and reteineth all kind of filth and corruption let vs nowe consider a little the reason which the Prophet vseth to see whether it bee of force sufficient to perswade them to mourne and it may seem that it is not for the meat-offeringes and drinke-offeringes that were brought into the temple were either consecrated vnto the fire or for the most part allotted vnto the priestes and therefore this reason seemeth to reach no further then onelie vnto them that were to minister in the temple because their liuings did decaie but wee must note that he meaneth not onelie that they should mourne because their ministers lacked liuing albeit euen that is a iust cause for the people of God to mourne but especiallie hee had regard vnto the exercise of the ministerie in the temple which concerned both the glorie of God and the saluation of their own soules and then the reson is in effect thus muche there is great cause you should mourne seing not onelie the meanes wherby your soules haue bene fed is taken away but also the maner how the honor of God hath bin made more glorious among you then in any other nation vnder the sunne And surely the reason vnto all those that haue anye sparkle of grace in them is very forcible for seing it is euident by manie places of the scripture that the principall ende of our creation is that wee might with all possible endeuour set forth the glory of God it must follow that when hee is glorified by vs in deede wee must reioyce aboue all other things wherof we may take pleasure in this worlde againe the principall ende of our creation and redemption in respect of our selues being the saluation of our soules when
beene possible would haue plucked out their owne eies to haue giuen them vnto him it would make vs learne that he who is instructed in the word should make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goodes or coulde wee thinke you make a marte of the doctrine taught by them refusing to giue it the hearing Or if we do determine before hand not to beleeue it sauing so farre as it pleaseth our humour no it is not possible but rather it woulde make vs with all zealous care attend vnto the voice of God speaking to vs by them pray to God continually to teache vs the vnderstanding of the same and to indeuour vnfainedly to put in execution whatsoeuer appeareth vnto vs to bee enioyned from the mouth of the Lorde I am persuaded that among many our sinnes that crie to the Lorde for vengeance vppon vs this is not the least that the true Ministers of God and indeede the doctrine of the trueth taught by them haue so manie snubs and discouragements and on the other side they that prophecie vnto vs of wine and strong drinke and speake vnto vs pleasant things are had in such estimation and their lying vanities so highlie regarded wherein is truelie performed that euill that Solomon sawe in hys time that follie is set in great excellencie and the rich set in lowe place Well the land hath cause to mourne that giueth the Ministers of God occasion of sadnes The field is wasted In these woords the Prophete sheweth yet an other reason to induce them vnto mourning which is annexed vnto the former as a thing thoughe in it selfe not greater yet by reason of mans corruption who feeleth the wantes of his body sooner than of his foule it is that which woulde more sensibly be felt in which wordes hee reasoneth thus Albeit neither the decay of religion nor the sorrowe of Gods Ministers doe mooue you to mourne yet if you doe looke well into your estate there is a miserie comming vpon you which wil touch you verie neerly and that is your fruitefull and pleasant fieldes shall be so laide waste that euen the very ground shall mourne and lament to see her encrease so consumed for the corne the wine and the oile which are the chiefe yeeld in the lande and the fruits which you stand in greatest neede of perish and come to nothing Out of whiche wee learne first this lesson that those whome neither the care of Gods glorie by the flourishing of true religion nor the saluation of their owne Soules by the preaching of the trueth will anie thing mooue at all are yet often by the iust iudgement of GOD brought vnto the sence and feeling of their miserie by the remoouing of those things that their affections are most setled vppon the which if we looke into the word of God is manifest vnto vs by diuerse exampls Cain that wicked murtherer when hee would neither be moued with the voice of GOD speaking to him from heauen nor the innocencie of his brother iustified vnto him to refraine from his diuellish purpose the Lorde sette a marke of such ignominie vpon him as made him euen by hys guiltie conscience thinke that all men abhorred him All the wicked of whome we reade from the beginning to the ending of the booke of GOD haue euer reiected the woord of truth that they might with more free libertie delight in the pleasures of sinne but the LORD hath euer in the ende either remooued from them those thynges which possessed theyr myndes and kept them from Godlinesse or which is more inflycted vppon them the earnest of his eternall displeasure the which is diligentlie to bee noted that wee maie make our profite of it for if wee could learne it and bee trulie perswaded of it wee shoulde heare with more reuerence and obeye wyth greater obedience the holye woord of the Lorde our GOD. What is the cause that maketh men so lightlie to esteeme that heauenly course of life which the Gospell propoundeth vnto vs but onelie this that thorowe the corruption of their owne hearts and seducementes of Sathan They haue framed vnto themselues some course of life and promised to their owne hearts some present blessednesse whych can not stande wyth the practise of sincere Godlinesse Nowe if thys could bee dryuen into their heades that there is nothing wherein wee canne haue anye safetye or true happynesse when the woord of the Lorde is disobeyed it woulde make them aboue all thinges seeke vnto it that they might learne out of the same that true and vnfained attonement with God whereby the lawfull fruition and delight in the thinges of this life might bee possessed by them wyth more peace but whilest they neuer once intertaine any such cogitation but rather on the contrary part thinke y e religion bringeth with it these and these inconueniences depriueth of such and such commodities and abandoneth manye of those pleasures that they cannot leaue it commeth to passe that they are so farre from thinking well of godlinesse as they bid battell vnto it as if it were their greatest foe to the end as they falsely persuade themselues that they may bee the more safe in their sinfull purpose But poore soules if they coulde learne or be perswaded of that which both Gods worde and daily experience laieth before our eies that the Lord will be sure to crosse that course which is anie waie taken in hand to the impairing of his glory yea which hindereth vs from being greeued at it when other impare it they would alwaies labour to learne that lesson taught by our Sauiour Christ first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then all these things shal be ministred vnto you Againe in that the Prophet presently vpon the ouerthrow of religion doth speake of the misery of the land as a present sequele vpon the former wee learne that wheresoeuer the honor of God in the building of his church by the ministery of his woorde decaieth or is hindered there dooth followe desolation and miserie to that common-wealth For seeing that the glorie of God is the end for which he hath ordained people to be ruled by magistrats which glorie is no way aduaunced but by the gospell And seeing that the Lord saith plainly that kings raigne by him and it is he that giueth peace and maketh war sendeth plenty pincheth with penurie to conclude seeing that God ordained that euen kings should be foster fathers queens nursing mothers vnto the church of God therfore commanded them to kisse his son Iesus Christ least he waxing angry they perish in the way it must needs be that that cōmon-wealth which is founded vpon any other ground-work than onlie true religion must needs come to ruine and desolation which doctrine is diligently to bee obserued especiallie in these our daies wherein the moste blasphemous conclusions and pestiferous platformes of that Italian helhound Machiauell are