A Strange Vineyard in Palestine, Exposition (5 of 7)

A Strange Vineyard in Palestine · Exposition (5 of 7)

p. 184Secondly,Vſe 2. ſeeing this is ſo that Man ſhall iudge himſelfe and iuſtifie the Lord; then let it teach vsus this point of wiſdome, to beginne betimes, and nowii1 Cor. 11. 31.1 Cor 11:31 iudge our ſelues that we may not be iudged. Selfe-condemning is an eſpeciall meanes to preuent future condemnation; and the more ſpeedily we ſet vponupon the worke, the more mercifully will the Lord deale with vsus. It is recorded of Edward the firſt, ſometimes King of this land,kkActs and Monum. that being croſſed by a ſeruant of his in the ſport of Hawking, and further incenſed by a ſawcie anſwer which he made vntounto the Kings threatnings (telling him it was well there was a riuer betweene them) ſpurd his horſe into the depth of the riuer, not without great danger of his life (the water being deepe, and the bankes too high and ſteepe for his aſcending) Yet at laſt recouering land, purſues his ſeruant with his drawne ſword. The ſeruant finding himſelfe too ill horſed to outride the King, and ſeeing no way to eſcape his fury, lights from his horſe, and on his knees expoſed his necke to the blow of the Kings ſword: The King ſeeing this, puts vp his ſword, and would not touch him. Behold how humble ſubmiſſion and ſelfe-iudging ſoone pacifles him, whom a dangerous water could not with-hold from violence.

Whiles men ſtand out againſt God, iuſt fying themſelues, ſtubbornly flying from him, he that rides vponupon the wings of the winde poſts after, with the ſword of vengeance drawne; but when we condemne our ſelues, and caſt our ſelues downe at the foot of his merciemercy, then will his wrath be ſoone appeaſed towards vsus.

Thirdly,Vſe 3. here we hauehave a patterne for our imitation, and a coppy ſet to write after: Let vsus herein alſo be followers of GodllEpheſ. 5. 1.Eph 5:1 as deare Children, and be ſo vpright and iuſt in our proceedings, as that wee may dare to appeale p. 185to the conſciences of our aduerſaries for witneſſe and teſtimonie of our innocency: And (as the Apoſtle willeth)mm2 Cor. 4. 2.2 Cor 4:2 let vsus approue our ſelues to eueryevery mans conſcience in the ſight of God. Such was Dauids cariage towards Saul nn1 Sam. 24. 18. & 26. 21.1 Sam 24:181 Sam 26:21, as that he was conſtrained twice to teſtifie of him, Thou art more righteous than I. The innocencie of Shadrach, Meſhach and Abedaego, ooDan. 3. 26.Dan 3:26cauſed Nebuchadnezzar to pronounce with his owne mouth, they were the ſeruants of the high God. Though Plinius Secundus be an enemie to Chriſtians, and a perſecutor of them, yet their holy and godly conuerſation ſhall make him to certifie the Emperour his Maſter, Traian, that they are harmeleſſe perſons. Thus let thy life bee holy and innocent, and then thou maiſt fetch a teſtimony from the conſcience of the very enemie. And as Dauid ſaid ſometimes to Micol (obiecting vntounto him that euen his owne ſeruants contemned him for his dancing before the Arke)pp2 Sam. 6. 22.2 Sam 6:22 Of the ſeruants which thou haſt ſpoken of, of them ſhall I be had in honour: So ſay I; euen thoſe wicked ones that outwardly traduce thee and reuile thee, cannot, but inwardly they muſt acquit thee and commend thee; their heart and conſcience ſhall ſpeake for thee euen then, when their tongue and lips doe ſpeake againſt thee. And when euer it ſhall pleaſe the Lord to ſet their conſciences on the racke, or to compaſſe them about with the ſnares of death, then ſhall their tongue be conſtrained, will they, nill they, to diſcouer what now lies hidden for the iuſtification of thy righteouſneſſe. Then they crie out, oh ſend for ſuch a man, or ſuch a woman, they will pray for me and doe me good, and giuegive me comfort: and doe we not ſee daily that they ſooner truſt (for all their talke) ſuch as they terme Hypocrites, Diſſemblers, and Preciſians, with their goods and with their children, and with their portions, yea, and with their ſoules alſo, before any other?

The laſt thing propounded to our conſideration in this Appeale, is the Parties betweene whom the variance p. 186is, and they are the Lord and Iſrael, God and his Vineyard; God being the Plaintiffe, and the whole body of the people, euen all Iſrael and Iudah, the Defendants: As vnequally matched as euer were Earth and Heauen, Strength and Weakneſſe, or the great Beemoth and the ſillieſt worme that creepes in the chinkes and crannies of the earth. God contends with man; he that is excellent, with them that are but duſt: who then is like to hauehave the day?

Betweene mee and my Vineyard.] Text.And is it poſſible that there ſhould be a controuerſie betweene God and his Vine, which he planted with his owne right hand? Betweene him and that people whom he had ſo highly honoured? Then it will follow, that

Sinne will make bate and ſtirre vp ſtrife betweene God and his deareſt people.Doct. Sin is a make-bate betweene God and man.

There is no Citie, no not Ieruſalem; no people, no not Iſrael nor Iudah, be they graced with neuer ſo many priuileges, crowned with neuer ſo many bleſſings, but ſinne will ſet the Lord and them at variance: The Lord hath a controuerſie with the Inhabitants of the Land (ſaith Hoſeah) qqHoſea 4. 1, 2.Hos 4:1Hos 4:2becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land, &c. Sinne was the breeder of it. BabylonrrIſay 13. 19.Isa 13:19 the glory of the Kingdomes, the beautie of the Caldees excellencie: yet her pride ſet her and God at variance, ſo that her Palaces were made dens of Dragons; wilde beaſts of the field did lie there; their houſes were cages for vncleane birds; Owles did dwell there; Satyres did dance there; with dolefull creatures were they filled. And thus Sodome,ſſGen. 19. 24.Gen 19:24 ſometimes as faire and beautifull as Paradiſe it ſelfe, was ſet at variance with the Lord by reaſon of her ſinnes:ttEzek. 16. 49.Ezek 16:49 Pride, Idleneſſe, and Fulneſſe of bread, &c. bred the quarrell, and was the cauſe that ſhee was madeuuZeph. 2. 9.Zeph 2:9 a perpetuall deſolation. And will not thoſe ſeuen famous Churches of Aſia, **Reuel. 1. & 2. & 3.Rev 1Epheſus, Smyrna, Pergamus, Laodicea, Philadelphia, Sardis, (in the midſt whereof God is ſaid to hauehave his walke) p. 187witneſſe as much? Did not their ſinnes cauſe the Lord to contend with them a long time; and in the end make him to giuegive vp their Land to be inhabited by Zijm and Ochim; Turkes and Infidels? What ſhall I need to ſay more? Such a variance it made betweene God and the Angels, xxIude 6.Jude 1:6as that they were turned out of Heauen: Betweene God and our great Grand-father, asyyGen. 3. 22.Gen 3:22 that he was droue out of Paradiſe: Betweene the Lord and Moſes, zzDeut. 32. 51, 52.Deut 32:51Deut 32:52as that it kept him from Canaan: And ſuch a contention daily it breeds betweene God and men, as that infinite thouſands are thereby keptaa1 Cor. 6. 9.1 Cor 6:9 out of the Kingdome of Heauen.

Let all wicked ones hence take notice of their eſtates,Reuel. 21.Rev 21 Vſe 1.which by this Doctrine they may as clearely ſee as in a glaſſe: For doth ſinne ſet God and man at oddes? and is it a make-bate betweene them? Then certainly ſuch as liue in it, and harbour it, cannot be at peace with God. What peace (ſaith Iehu to Ioram) bb2 King 9. 22.2 Kgs 9:22ſo long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebel, and her witchcrafts are ſo man0y? So ſay I, What peace ſo long as that make-bate is harboured in thy breſt? Nay,ccIſay 57. 21.Isa 57:21 There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God. For what dd2 Cor. 6. 14.2 Cor 6:14fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with vnrighteouſneſſe? What communion hath light with darkneſſe? What concord hath Chriſt with Belial? God is thy enemie, andeeMatth. 5. 25.Matt 5:25 hath againſt thee, and therefore ſee thou agree quickly with thy aduerſarie. We ſay in a prouerbe, He is poore that God hates: true, none ſo poore as the wicked are; for what though they hauehave riches, honours, friends, &c. when there is a controuerſie betweene God and them?ff1 Sam. 2. 25.1 Sam 2:25 If one man ſinne againſt another, the Iudge ſhall iudge for him, (ſaid old Ely to his ſonnes) but if a man ſinne againſt the Lord who ſhall intreat for him? Seeke therefore reconciliation; caſt that make-bate out of thy boſome, which ſtirs vp all this ſtrife. Sinne is thy owne creature; deſtroy that, and God muſt needs louelove thee, who art his creature: but if thou wilt not, then expect no peace, but p. 188contention and deſtruction. If the Pot will needs contend with the Potter, it cannot be, but it muſt be broken: Thou art but an earthen Pitcher in the hand of thy Maker, and he can full eaſily daſh thee againſt the wall, and ſtampe thee into powder. It is good counſell that the Wiſe-man giues thee,ggEccleſ. 6. 10.Eccl 6:10 Contend not with him who is mightier than thy ſelfe: and if thou beeſt not a foole, I aduiſe thee to follow it, leſt Woe and Alas come too late.

And ſecondly;Ʋſe 2. See here the reaſon why the Lord doth ſo often bend his browes, and turne away his face from his owne people in diſpleaſure: Sinne is it, that bred the quarrell; that was it, which cauſeth it. The faſhion of many in the day of affliction, is, to crie out of euill tongues, that hauehave for ſpoken them; and ſurely, ſay they, we are bewitched: but if we looke well about vsus, we ſhall finde the grand-witch to lie lurking in our own boſomes. It is ſinne that hales downe thoſe iudgements on vsus and ours.hhIoſua 7. 8-13.Josh 7:8–13 What ſhall I ſay, O Lord, when Iſrael turnes their backes before their enemies? (ſaid Ioſua to God:) now marke Gods anſwer: Get thee vp; wherefore lieſt thou thus vponupon thy face? Iſrael hath ſinned, they hauehave tranſgreſſed my Couenant which I hauehave commanded them, for they hauehave euen taken of the accurſed thing, and hauehave alſo ſtollen, and diſſembled alſo, and they hauehave put it euen amongst their owne ſtuffe. Therefore the children of Iſrael could not ſtand before their enemies, becauſe they were accurſed: neither will I be with you any more, except you deſtroy the accurſed thing from amongst you. This anſwer may we giuegive to the like demand; Why are wee ſo often puniſhed, afflicted, plagued? Surely wee hauehave taken of that execrable thing, and broken the Couenant of the Lord; and vntill that accurſed thing (Sinne) be ſearched out and caſt away, neuer hope for any fauour to be ſhewed from the Lord:iiIonah 1. 15.Jonah 1:15 Ionah muſt be caſt ouer-boord before the ſtorme ceaſe.

Laſtly,Ʋſe 3. ſeeing ſinne ſets God and his deareſt people p. 189at variance, be they graced with neuer ſo many excellencies or priuiledges: thenkkRom. 11. 20.Rom 11:20 be not high minded, but feare: for whatſoeuer thou art that ſinneſt againſt the Lord, be thy priuiledges neuer ſo many or excellent, llIerem. 22. 24.Jer 22:24wert thou as a ſignet vponupon Gods right hand, or as the apple of his eye; yet he will hauehave a controuerſie with thee. And ſo for our Land in generall, which may ſeeme to out vie the felicitie of all other Nations in high and rich prerogatiues. Of all the trees in the Garden, wee may ſeeme to be the Vine that God hath ſet his heart vponupon; amongſt all the varietie of Flowers. England is the Lilly and the Roſe; amongſt all the Princes we hauehave had a Deborah, and hauehave a Dauid; amongſt all the Prophets of the Lord, wee hauehave the moſt reuerend Eliſhaes; amongſt all the Nurſeries and Springs of learning, wee hauehave the moſt famous Nai…ths; amongſt all Lands, we hauehave that Canaan which abounds with plentie of all good things; and amongſt all Cities, wee hauehave Ieruſalem. But will theſe priuiledges beare vsus out if wee take libertie to ſinne againſt the Lord? Alas! they cannot; nay, ſo farre are they from ſtopping Gods wrath, as that they will rather make way for it. As a man is more offended with the euill behauiour of a ſeruant that hath beene aduanced by him; ſo the Lord with vsus. When Saul behaued himſelfe not ſo well in his Kingdome as he ought, it was taken from him and giuen vntounto Dauid. Hold that thou haſt, O England, leſt miſery come vponupon thee.

And thus much for the Appeale, which was the firſt thing wee conſidered in the Plea. The Indictment followes in theſe words: Text.What could hauehave beene dore more to my Vineyard, that I hauehave not done in it? Wherefore when I looked that it ſhould bring forth grapes, brought it forth wilde grapes?

Wherein wee hauehave an Action commenced againſt them of Ingratitude, which is proſecuted and proued to their faces, and therein,

p. 190More particularly we ſee; firſt, how the Lord excuſeth himſelfe from being in any fault for that their barrenneſſe: No way was he defectiue; he had done as much as might be done to make it fruitfull: What could hauehave beene done more to my Vineyard (ſaith he) that I hauehave not done in it?

And ſecondly, hee accuſeth them for horrible vnthankfulneſſe in making ſo vngratefull a returne; which accuſation is amplified by an Antitheſis betweene his iuſt demand, He looked that it ſhould bring forth grapes, and their vniuſt demeanure, for it brought forth wilde grapes.

The forme of the words, as we ſee, is Interrogatorie; What could hauehave beene done? Wherefore when I looked, &c. And it is obſerued by ſome, that before man fell to ſinning, God fell not to queſtioning; all his ſpeeches to him were either commendatory or commandatory. But when man turned his heart to another obiect, then God turned his voice to another accent; and the firſt word he ſpeakes to him after his tranſgreſſion was a queſtion, mmGen. 3. 9.Gen 3:9Adam where art thou? and with the ſame forme and method of ſpeech hee goeth on;nnVerſe 11. Who told thee thou waſt naked? Haſt thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee thou ſhouldeſt not eat! And euer ſince it is vſuall with the Lord to diſcuſſe with man after the ſame manner; ſometimes to teach him; ſometimes to reproue him; ſometimes to confirme him; and oftentimes to conuince him: For albeit mans queſtions are for the moſt part effects of dubitation (doubting being the mother of them that breedeth them and cauſeth them) yet Gods queſtions are of another nature, and hauehave another vſe; for they for the moſt part tend to conuince the conſcience, and bring it to a ſenſe and ſcience of ſinne: And ſo here; God doth Appeale to the conſciences of theſe Iſraelites, and fetch euidence againſt them, from the impartiall euidence of their owne hearts, What could hauehave beene done more? q. d. Is there any thing that p. 191could hauehave beene deſired of a Husbandman, wherein I hauehave been wanting? Shew me wherein I hauehave failed of my dutie; alledge what you can againſt me; let your conſciences ſpeake.

Wherefore when I looked, &c.] Some reade it, Why hauehave I looked ooMoller. in loc.: as if God ſhould expoſtulate with himſelfe, why he expected any good fruit from ſo naughty and peruerſe a people; and that he doth after the manner of men, who oftentimes complaine of themſelues, and are offended with themſelues, when the euent of a thing doth not anſwer their hope and expectation; for that they hauehave beſtowed ſuch coſt and paines to ſo little purpoſe. But others thinke this ſenſe to be the plainer; ppCalu. in loc.Seeing I hauehave fully diſcharged my dutie, and hauehave done aboue all that could hauehave beene expected in huſbanding my Vine; whence comes it, that it yeelds me ſo euill recompence?

Now haply ſome may obiect,Obiect. that albeit God had thus planted and watered his Church, and vſed all outward meanes for the fertilitie thereof, yet ſeeing (as the Apoſtle ſheweth)qq1 Cor. 3.1 Cor 3 Pauls planting is nothing, nor Apolloes watering, without Gods bleſſing; how could God ſay, he had done all that could be done, when he withheld a bleſſing, and ſoftned not their hearts, that the meanes might become profitable? Might not this man of Iudah,Reſp. 1. and in habitant of Ieruſalem hauehave had replied in the words of the Leper,Loquitur de ſufficientia externorū mediorum, non internae gratiae. Hieron. & Vrſin. Simul pluit Dominus ſuper ſegetes & ſuper ſpinas: ſed ſegeti pluit ad horreum, ſpinis ad ignem; & tamen vna est pluvia. August. de benedict. Eſau & Iacob. rrMatth. 8. 2.Matt 8:2Why Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make vsus cleane?

For anſwer hereunto: Firſt, we are to know, that God here ſpeaketh of the ſufficiencie of the outward meanes, and not of inward grace: That was done to this wicked Vineyard, which if it had beene good, would hauehave brought forth the fruit of repentance and new obedience. The Raine fals, the Sunne ſhines vponupon the earth; the garden hereupon brings forth herbes, the deſart thornes; whence is this, but from the nature of the ground? there is as much done to make one fruitfull as the other. Thus God had done enough, the meanes p. 192he vſed were ſufficient, had not this people been of ſuch a peeuiſh and froward diſpoſition.

And ſecondly,Resp. 2. God ſpeaketh not here of his abſolute power, whereby he can doe whatſoeuer pleaſeth him: (he could make iron ſwim, and cauſe ſtonie rocks to yeeld forth ſtreames of water: he could raiſe vp of ſtones children vntounto Abraham; and giuegive Chriſt more than twelue Legions of Angels to deliuer him) but he denies that he was bound to doe any more for them than he did. And therefore that cauill would hauehave beene but friuolous (ſaith Caluin) for their conſciences pricked them in ſuch wiſe, as that they could not eſcape by laying the fault vponupon another. For albeit God doe not pierce with efficacie into the hearts of men by his holy Spirit to make them teachable; yet it will be in vaine for any notwithſtanding to mutter that this was wanting to them, ſeeing that their externall vocation doth ſufficiently cut off all pretext and ſhew of ignorance whatſoeuer. And now let vsus come to ſome ſuch Inſtructions as the text will naturally afford: And firſt we ſee how

God is altogether out of fault,Doctr. God cannot any way be charged with mans barrenneſſe. and can no way be charged with the ſinfulneſſe and barrenneſſe of mens hearts and liues.

In another place of this propheſie we finde the Lord complaining,ſſIſai. 65. 2.Isa 65:2 that he had held out his hands all the day long to a gainſaying and rebellious people. His armes were ſtretched out, he ready to receiue, but they did gaineſay and rebell, and refuſed to come into his armes. And by the Prophet Ieremiah he telleth the people, howttIer. 44. 4, 5.Jer 44:4Jer 44:5 he ſent all his ſeruants the Prophets vntounto them, riſing early, and ſending them, ſaying, Oh doe not ſuch abominable things which I hate. But they harkned not, nor enclined their eares to turne from their wickedneſſe. And by the Prophet Hoſea he thus ſpeaketh;uuHoſ. 12. 10.Hos 12:10 I hauehave ſpoken vntounto them by the Prophets, and I hauehave multiplied viſions, and vſed ſimilitudes by the miniſterie of the Prophets. The p. 193meaning is, that he had declared his will, and made knowne his minde vntounto them ſo plainly, as that they could not plead ignorance, or any way charge him with fault. And our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt complaines thus; **Matth. 23. 37.Matt 23:37O Ieruſalem, Ieruſalem, thou that killeſt the Prophets, and ſtoneſt them which are ſent vntounto thee; how often would I hauehave gathered thy children together, euen as a Hen gathereth her chickens, and yee would not. Where we ſee clearely how God would their conuerſion (vnderſtand it of hisxxƲoluntas ſigni, not voluntas beneplaciti. ſignifying will) and therefore gaue them the outward meanes, ſending vntounto themyyVerſ. 34. Prophets, Wiſemen, and Scribes; meſſengers endued with all varietie of gifts, adminiſtrations, and operations; and that not once. but often; How often would I hauehave gathered? Often by the mouth of his ſeruants; often by his owne ſelfe; as the louing Hen is alwaies caring for her chickens; alwaies clucking and calling them, if they wander out of her ſight neuer ſo little, that ſhee may gather them and guard them from the miſchiefe of all vermine: But they would not; they themſelues gaineſaid. Where then lay the fault? And ſo S. Stephen complaineth of the Iewes; yea telleth them to their faces, that they werezzActs 7. 51.Acts 7:51 ſtiffe-necked, and of vncircumciſed hearts and eares, and did alwaies reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt; that is, the worke of the Holy Ghoſt in the miniſterie of the word, and would not be wrought vponupon.

But the Scripture ſpeaketh of Gods hardningaaExod. 7. 3. & 10. 27.Exod 7:3Exod 10:27 Pharaohs heart,Obiect. ſo that the meanes ſhould not be profitable vntounto him: And God himſelf commandeth Iſaiah, to preach vntounto the people, that they may be hardnedbbIſai. 6. 10. & 63. 17.Isa 6:10Isa 63:17, and ſo not conuerted.

True;Resp. 1. and yet in all this God cannot be charged with any fault or blame. For it is a iuſt and righteous thing with God to puniſh ſinne with ſinne:ccPſal. 81. 12.Ps 81:12 My people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me: ſo I gaue them vp vntounto their owne hearts luſts, and they walked in their owne counſels. Thus then God p. 194doth this for a puniſhment of ſuch as withſtand and contemne thoſe gratious meanes hee offers them for their good.Pharaoh ſeipſum indurauit libero arbitrio: Deus indurauit Pharaonem iuſto iudicio. Aug. If Pharaoh harden his heart againſt the meanes, God will harden his heart that he ſhall not profit by the meanes. So then though Sathan hardneth as a malitious Author; and man hardneth himſelfe as a voluntarie inſtrument; yet God hardneth no otherwiſe, than as he is a iuſt Iudge and righteous auenger of ſinne.

2And ſecondly, God doth not hardenddNon inducendo malitiam, ſed ſubtrahendo gratiam. Aquin. by infuſing euill, but by with-holding of his grace, and forſaking of his creature, which Diuines call ſpirituall deſertion. As the Sunne freezeth the water, not by adding coldneſſe to it, but by keeping backe his heat: ſo is God a deficient cauſe of hardneſſe, but no efficient thereof. And this muſt be marked, that we erre not in this point. Now let vsus make the Vſe.

And firſt,Ʋſe 1. this frees vsus from a ſlander that the Papiſts hauehave laid vponupon vsus, in giuing out that we teach directly or by conſequence, that God is the author of ſinne, and only cauſe thereof. Now whether this be true or no, iudge you. You now heare it taught, that he is out of fault, and may no way be charged with the leaſt ſpot of ſinne; he is moſt holy, iuſt, and pure in all his waies and workes. Now therefore the Lord be Iudge betweene them and vsus.

And ſecondly,Vſe 2. ſee how damnable and excuſeleſſe ſhall the careleſneſſe of the moſt be in the matter of their ſaluation: to excuſe and leſſen their owne ſinne, they will not ſticke to lay the fault on God himſelfe; and charge their Maker with their damnation: They ſweare, ſwagger, drinke to drunkenneſſe, defile forbidden beds, ſhoot at heauen with their blaſphemous oathes, and then fetch from Gods decree and purpoſe excuſes for theſe their outragious wickedneſſes. And why ſhould fault be found with them? If God would it ſhould be otherwiſe;eeRom. 9. 19.Rom 9:19 Who hath euer reſisted his will? and why doth he yet finde fault? He hath decreed it, and his p. 195decree muſt ſtand: If the Deuils in hell ſhould ſpeake, what could they ſay more? We hauehave fallen, and God cauſed it. Wicked and fearefull thoughts! When Adam ſinned, ffGen. 3. 12.Gen 3:12he blamed his wife; and ſhee, God himſelfe; and we hauehave ſucked the ſame milke: but as it would not ſerue Adams turne, no more will it ſerue ours. Ceaſe then thou fooliſh one from charging God, or drawing him in as an acceſſarie to thy prophaneneſſe; God would hauehave thee ſaued, but thou wilt not: He labours to make thee good, and dareſt thou lay to his charge thy owne voluntarie badneſſe? Behold, God is ſo farre from being guilty of thy miſerie, as that he giueth thee his Word, his Sacraments, and affordeth thee all good helps to mollifie thy heart, iuſtifying himſelfe by theſe proferd meanes of thy ſaluation, that he hath no deſire nor delight in thy deſtruction; and dareſt thou charge him with thy damnation?

Thou ſaiſt,Obiect. 1. If God would, it ſhould be otherwiſe: if he pleaſe, he could ſaue without theſe meanes.

True;Reſp. if we ſpeake of his abſolute power (as was before ſhewed) but it is his actuall power that thou muſt looke vntounto; and ſo he (hauing tied the end and the meanes together) cannot, becauſe he will not bring thee to the end without thy vſing of thoſe meanes which tend vntounto the end: for that is the ordinarie courſe which he hath decreed to vſe, and which he will not alter but vponupon ſpeciall occaſion, as our Sauiour noteth ggLuke 4. 26, 27.Luke 4:26Luke 4:27in the cure of Naaman, and in the feeding of the widow of Sarepta. God hath ordained that a mans bodie ſhould liue by the meanes of meat, drinke, ſleep, &c. ſhouldſt thou now neglect theſe meanes for the preſeruation thereof, and yet accuſe God if thou groweſt ſicke, and weake, &c. becauſe if he would he could continue health and ſtrength vntounto thee without theſe helps; I am ſure that all men would condemne thee; nay that thou wouldſt condemne thy ſelfe of ſolly and preſumption.

p. 196Thou pleadeſt further Gods decree; Obiect. 2.for albeit thou vſe the meanes, yet the end is already decreed, and who can alter it?

But ſecret things belong vntounto the Lord;Resp. leaue them to him: It is not for thee to pry into that Arke which is couered with a curtaine of holy ſecrecie; not to be drawne aſide vntill that day comes, wherein we ſhall know as we are knowne. That ſigned and reuealed will, written in Tables, publiſhed with trumpets, is it to which thou ſtandeſt bound. Neither doth the neceſſitie of this Decree excuſe: for God doth not by his Decree force thee vntounto euill; but he findes thee euill, and prone only vntounto it of thy ſelfe: He decrees that thou ſhalt be ſo or ſo; and knoweth that thou wouldſt be ſo, had he neuer decreed it: but ſeeing thou knoweſt not what this his decree is, vſe the meanes, and condemne not God.

Thus learne to chamber thy tongue, vaine man: for God cannot be charged, nor any way blamed with thy ſinfulneſſe and barrenneſſe. Lay thy hand vponupon thy mouth, and condemne thy ſelfe: forhhHoſ. 13.Hos 13 Thy deſtruction is of thy ſelfe, oh Iſrael. Say not, what can I remedie it, if God will not ſaue me; for what can God doe more than he hath done for thee? God raines vponupon thee his holy deawes, and is not wanting in his purging and pruning thee with his corrections. He hath giuen thee ſtrange and excellent meanes; ſo that it is only thou that art wanting to thy ſelfe: Heauen is good, but thy ground is naught. A cunning Caruer can cut the ſimilitude of any creature; yet not on a rotten ſticke: where lies the fault? Surely in the rottenneſſe of the wood, and not in the Caruers cunning: that thou art not wrought vponupon, the fault is thy owne, and not the Lords. Thy caſe is that of Ieruſalem; How often would I hauehave gathered thee, and thou wouldſt not. If then thou ſmarteſt for thy ſinfull and barren life, thanke thy ſelfe; for thou art the cauſe, God only the auenger; thy bloud then be vponupon thy owne head, that which will die let it die. And p. 197thus much for the firſt point. A ſecond followes: and I propound it thus:

The wicked will ſtill continue wicked,Doct. The wicked will ſtill continue wicked, notwithſtanding all means to the contrarie. although God vſe all good meanes that can be vſed to bring them vntounto good, and make them better. God had done what might be done, and yet his Vineyard is as bad, nay worſe than euer: A pregnant proofe this our Prophet giues vsus, when he ſaith, iiIſay 26. 10.Isa 26:10Let fauour be ſhewed to the wicked, yet will he not learne righteouſneſſe: in the land of vprightneſſe will he deale vniuſtly, and will not behold the Maieſtie of the Lord. Such is the vile and curſed nature of them, as that no mercy nor fauour can worke with them to doe well; nay in the land of vprightneſſe, amongſt many occaſions and meanes of good, they will doe wickedly. And thus Ieremiah to the ſame purpoſe; kkIer. 2. 30, 31.Jer 2:30Jer 2:31In vain I hauehave ſmitten your children, they receiued no correction, &c. O Generation, ſee ye the word of the Lord: hauehave I been a wilderneſſe vntounto Iſrael,? a land of darkneſſe? wherefore ſay my people, We are Lords, we will come no more vntounto thee? And againe, llCap. 5. 3.O Lord, are not thine eies vponupon the truth? thou haſt ſtricken them, but they hauehave not grieued; thou haſt conſumed them, but they hauehave refuſed to receiue correction, they hauehave made their faces harder than a rocke, they hauehave refuſed to returne. And ſo AmosmmAmos 4. 6.Amos 4:6 ſheweth how incorrigible the wicked of his time were; no correction that the Lord could vſe, would better them. Many are the examples likewiſe that might be brought for the further ſtrengthening of this truth, as of Pharaoh, Ahaz, and others; but I purpoſely forbeare, inaſmuch as ſomething hath formerly beene ſpoken to this purpoſe. Now briefly for the vſe, which is,

For Admonition, Vſe.that we beware of this ſinne which hath an aggrauating circumſtance with it: for then is ſinne moſt vile and filthie when it breakes out againſt thoſe meanes that ſhould hauehave kept it in:Meanes that ſhould keepe vsus from ſinne. Amongſt many of which meanes, theſe are ſome; which let vsus all take eſpeciall notice of.

p. 198Firſt,1. Ʋowes. our Vowes and promiſes which we hauehave often made vntounto the Lord both in health and ſickneſſe, that we would doe ſuch or ſuch a holy dutie, and refraine from ſuch or ſuch an euill action: let vsus beware of ſinning againſt theſe: our vowes are Gods debts, and they muſt be paid; and therefore ſaith Solomon, nnEccleſ. 5. 4, 5.Eccl 5:4Eccl 5:5When thou voweſt a vow to God, deferre not to pay it; for he hath no pleaſure in fooles: pay that which thou haſt vowed. Better is it that thou ſhouldeſt not vow, than that thou ſhouldeſt vow and not pay. And indeedooIuſte exigitur ad ſoluendum, qui non cogitur ad vouendum. Bern. he is iuſtly required to pay, that was not compelled to vow. And amongſt all other vowes, be mindfull of that ſolemne vow which thou madeſt to God in thy Baptiſme, and haſt often ſince renued in thy comming to the Supper of the Lord. Oh! what a fearefull thing is it, if we wittingly and wilfully breake couenant with God, when ciuill honeſty maketh ſome conſcience of keeping promiſe made with man.

Secondly,2. Checke of Conſcience. checke of Conſcience. God hath ſet conſcience within vsus as a Monitor to giuegive vsus an Item when we doe amiſſe, and to forewarne vsus of euill; this oftentimes tels vsus we may not doe ſuch or ſuch an action, or when we hauehave done it, that it is not well: now beware we of ſinning againſt conſcience; neglect not the checkes thereof reprouing vsus of our waies, but heedfully minde it watch-word; for elſe know aſſuredly, that the conſcience which now checkes thee, ſhall hereafter iudge thee, and that which now reproueth thee, will hereafter vexe thee and torment thee for thy neglect. Beware alſo how thou ſuppreſſeſt any good motion ſuggeſted by conſcience; for in ſo doing, thou wilt in the end cleane ſilence conſcience, and quite kill it, ſo that the groſſeſt ſinnes ſhall be practiſed withoutppEpheſ. 4. 18, 19.Eph 4:18Eph 4:19 any checke or remorſe. Fearefull is this ſinne, and ſuch as is the forerunner ofqqRom. 1. 21, 26.Rom 1:21Rom 1:26 a reprobate minde.

Thirdly,3. Corrections. Corrections and Afflictions. Theſe are the rrHoſ. 2. 6.Hos 2:6thornes wherewith God doth hedge vsus in; and ſerue to p. 199keepe vsus from leaping out of Gods paſtures into the paſture of wickedneſſe and ſinne. Beware we then of leaping ouer this hedge: take we heede of ſinning againſt theſe meanes: let it not be ſaid of vsus as it was of Ahaz, ſſ2 Chron. 28. 22.2 Chr 28:22This is that King Ahaz, who in the time of his diſtreſſe did treſpaſſe yet more and more againſt the Lord. To be afflicted, and not to be purged by affliction; to be ſtricken with the rods of God, and to hauehave no correction nor reformation follow, is a ſigne of a fearefull induration. ttIer. 6. 29, 30.Jer 6:29Jer 6:30The bellowes are burnt, the lead is conſumed with the fire: the founder melteth in vaine; for the wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate ſiluer ſhall men call them, becauſe the Lord hath reiected them.

Fourthly,4. The Word. Gods many and great mercies; eſpecially the Word, and the light of the Goſpell: take we heed how we withhold theuuRom. 1. 18.Rom 1:18 Truth of God in vnrighteouſneſſe, **Pſal. 50. 16.Ps 50:16hating to be reformed, caſting it behinde our backes. Such a ſinne is this, as brings condemnation with a witneſſe, with a vengeance; ſore and heauie condemnation: xxIohn 3. 19.John 3:19This is that condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men louelove darkneſſe rather than light, becauſe their deeds are euill. The cleare light of the truth ſhining, hath diſcouered to vsus, that Swearing is a ſinne; Drunkenneſſe is a ſinne; Sabbath breaking is a ſinne, &c. what now will ſuch plead for themſelues that liue therein? Surely they hauehave nowyyIohn 15. 22.John 15:22 no cloake for their ſins. S. Paul would hauehave the word of GodzzColoſſ. 3. 16.Col 3:16 to dwell plentifully in our hearts; to hauehave full ſcope and the whole ſway in the heart of a Chriſtian: And ſo be it. Theſe and the like meanes which God affordeth vsus for our good, let vsus profit by, and by no meanes ſinne againſt them; for if we doe, aſſuredly God will require it of vsus; for good turnes aggrauate vnkindneſſes, and our offences are increaſed with out obligations: Of all the gracious meanes he affords vsus, he keepes a reckoning. The ſundry afflictionsaaAmos 4. 6. 11.Amos 4:6Amos 4:11 wherewith his people were afflicted, are by him remembred; and ſo the Sermons p. 200and Propheſies of his ſeruants,bbIſay 1. 1.Isa 1:1 with the circumſtances of time and place,bbIer. 1. 1.Jer 1:1 and vnderunder what Kings reigne,bbHoſ. 1. 1.Hos 1:1 are likewiſe by him recorded. Since therefore God keepes ſuch a preciſe account of the meanes he vouchſafeth to vsus, let it ſtir vp all to make better account & vſe of thoſe meanes: for otherwiſe they will be reckoned for no other end, but to make our reckoning the heauier. So many meanes will the Lord one day ſay I hauehave afforded you; ſo many Miniſters hauehave liued amongſt you, and warned you; ſo many hundred Sermons you hauehave heard, and loſt. We reade that he tooke account of how many men were won by accActs 2. 41.Acts 2:41 Sermon; and ſhall we then thinke he doth not take an account of how many Sermons are loſt by men? Oh! how ſhould this make eueryevery one ſee that they profit by the meanes which God affords?

Wherefore when I looked that it ſhould bring forth grapes,Text. brought it forth wild grapes?

Whether we take this ſecond member, as a complaint made by God againſt himſelfe, for that he expected fruit from ſo bad a Vineyard, as (we noted before) ſome doe: or elſe as a complaint made by him againſt them, for nor profiting by the meanes; it is not much materiall. From either of them both we may collect,

God takes it grieuouſly, Doct. God grieues when the meanes of mans good is deſpiſed.that the meanes which he vſeth for mans good ſhould be contamned. For this is a complaint, and proceedeth (as it were) from a grieued heart and troubled minde.

To proue this point, remember what is ſaid of the old world: after Gods SpiritddGen. 6. 3.Gen 6:3 had ſtriued with them a long time by admonition, reprehenſion, threating, & expectatiō (for that is there meant by his ſpirits ſtriuing) labouring (in vain) to bring them to repentance,eeVerſ. 6. It repented the Lord he had made man on the earth, & it grieued him at the heart. This cauſed the Lord to take vp that pitifull complaint againſt Iſrael and Iudah;ffHoſ. 6. 4.Hos 6:4 Ephraim, what ſhall I doe vntounto thee? O Iudah, how ſhall intreat p. 201thee? for your goodneſſe is as a morning cloud, & as the morning dew it goeth away: As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Hitherto I hauehave vſed al means that poſſible I can, to humble you for your ſins and to do you good, ſo that I know not what I ſhall doe more for you; and yet I can bring you to no good paſſe: therefore it grieues me for you, and I cannot but mourne to ſee you ſo rebellious. And thus our bleſſed Sauiour beheld Ieruſalem and wept ouer it, ſaying;ggLuke 19. 42.Luke 19:42 If thou hadſt knowne, euen thou, at leaſt in this thy day, the things which belong vntounto thy peace, &c. Hee conſidering the obſtinacie and ſtubbornneſſe of this people, deſpiſing his Word, reproching his miracles, and reiecting his grace, could not refraine, but hee muſt burſt forth into teares. By theſe Scriptures it is euident, that it is grieuous vntounto God, to ſee men neglect the good meanes ordained and afforded for their good and welfare.

And indeed,Reaſon. a little vnkindneſſe at their hands of whom we hauehave deſerued well, muſt needs be grieuous; when much indignity receiued from an enemy, ſhall neuer bee regarded.

Whoſe example may be for our Inſtruction: Ʋſe 1.When we ſee the froward and peruerſe diſpoſition of wicked ones, who will not be reclaimed by any meanes that is, or can bee vſed; let vsus grieue and mourne for the hardneſſe of their hearts:hhIſay 24. 16.Isa 24:16 My leanneſſe, my leanneſſe, (crieth out this our Prophet Iſaiah) woe is mee: the treacherous dealers hauehave dealt very treacherouſly, yea the treacherous dealers hauehave dealt very treacherouſly. Hee did ſo grieue at the tranſgreſſions of the people, that hee became exceeding leane therewith, as the doubling of the word importeth. The Prophet Ieremiah likewiſe is full of paſſion in this behalfe, and cries out; iiIer. 4. 19.Jer 4:19My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noiſe in mee, I cannot hold my peace: Yea he wiſheth, that his head were full of water, kkCap. 9. 1.and his eies a fountaine of teares, that hee might weepe day p. 202and night, for the ſinnes of the people: And alſo tels them,llCap. 13. 17. That if they ſtill contemne the meanes, and turne away the eare refuſing to heare, his ſoule ſhould weepe in ſecret places for them, and his eies ſhould weepe ſore and runne downe with teares. Thus did righteous Lot mm2 Pet. 2. 7, 8.2 Pet 2:72 Pet 2:8vex his ſoule with the vncleane conuerſation of the wicked: And thus did Samuel nn1 Sam. 16. 2.1 Sam 16:2weepe for the ſinnes of Saul: And ſo did Dauids ooPſal. 119. 139.Ps 119:139eies guſh out with teares, becauſe men kept not Gods Law. Thus did Ezra ppEzra 10. 1.Ezra 10:1weepe for the ſinnes of the people in his time: And Paul qqPhil. 3. 18.Phil 3:18weepe for them that did walke inordinately amongſt the Philippians. Did Gods children ſo weepe in thoſe daies, for the obſtinacy and hard-heartedneſſe of the wicked? How comes it to paſſe then in theſe daies, that wee are ſo dried? Is it becauſe the men of this generation are not ſo bad? or rather (as the truth is) wee that profeſſe our ſelues Chriſtians are not ſo good? Soone may we gueſſe then, of what ſtampe they are of, who are ſo farre from mourning and grieuing at the ſinfulneſſe and hard-heartedneſſe of this age, as that they make themſelues merry therewith, and reioice thereat: In Theaters, Play-houſes, and ſuch like meetings, not onelyonly with patience, but with content, and delight, heare blaſphemy, and behold vncleanneſſe: Blaſphemy, Pride, Drunkenneſſe, and ſuch like prophaneneſſe, they can ſee & heare without remorſe, yea laught at: What monſters are theſe?rrIudg. 5.Judg 5 Meroz muſt be curſed bitterly, for not helping the Lord againſt the mighty: and can ſuch looke to be bleſſed, that laugh with thoſe that fight againſt him? When thou ſeeſt the iniquity of the people, remember God grieues for it; and wilt thou reioice at it? If thoſe infernall and helliſh ſpirits hauehave any delight, this is their delight, to ſee men ſinne and offend their God: And wilt thou make the Deuils delight, thine? Doe not ſo; but bee thou contrary to him, and grieue at that which he takes pleaſure in. Wouldeſt thou in ſtead of a ſmile afford a teare, p. 203when thou ſeeſt ſinners to tranſgreſſe, it might ſo come to paſſe, that thy griefe might worke alſo a griefe in them; and thy tears cauſe them to relent, (as many times we ſee, the ſeeing others fall heartily to their meat brings on their ſtomacke) when thy ſmile confirmes them in their wickedneſſe.

And ſecondly;Vſe 2. ſeeing this is ſo, that God takes it grieuouſly when the meanes hee vſeth for our good, is contemned by vsus; let this ſerue to preſſe that vſe which we lately heard, and cauſe vsus to profit by all the gratious meanes that God affords. Thou art afflicted and lieſt vnderunder Gods correcting hand; oh! how grieuous will it bee to God, if thou commeſt out of this fire not refined? Thou commeſt to his houſe, and ſitteſt downe at his Table, and departeſt againe away leſſe iuſtified than thou cameſt thither: Oh! how doth this cauſe God to mourne? HaueHave you no regard of this his ſorrow?ſſLament. 1. 12.Lam 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you that paſſe by? What creature is there that God hath made in heauen, earth, ſeas, or all depths, brings heauineſſe into the Courts of happineſſe, except man? It is he, and onelyonly he, that doth it. Thou mockeſt at thy oppreſſions, oathes, ſacriledges, luſts, frauds; for theſe hee grieues. Thou ſcorneſt his Goſpell preached; hee bewailes thy ſcorne. That which is ſorrow to his ſoule, is butttProu. 14. 9.Prov 14:9 a paſtime vntounto thee. Oh doe no more ſo wickedly, my brethren; bewaile ſinne paſt, and amend for time to come.

And laſtly;Ʋſe 3. hence may the humbled and contrite ſoule ſucke forth much ſweetneſſe: For doth he grieue when we profit not by the meanes? Then queſtionleſſe his eares muſt needs bee open to the ſighs and groanes, to the praiers and ſupplications, of ſuch as are wrought vponupon by the meanes, to turne vntounto him with true contrition and godly ſorrow, and call vponupon him with a liuely faith. How ſhould this encourage ſuch as are comming on, to come on with cheerefulneſſe? But if p. 204we will not, then aſſuredly he will deſtroy vsus, though with griefe. As the Iudge paſſing ſentence on a malefactor, though hee be moued with indignation againſt him, as he is a theefe, or murtherer, &c. yet with compaſſion as he is a man. And if we be condemned, whether it bee with the will or againſt the will, all commeth to one end; our paines and plagues ſhall bee neuer the leſſe, nor lighter.

And now goe to;Text. I will tell you what I will doe to my Vineyard:Verſ. 5. I will take away the hedge thereof, and it ſhall bee eaten vp; and breake downe the wall thereof, and it ſhall be trodden downe.

6And I will lay it waſte, it ſhall not be pruned nor digged, but there ſhall come vp briers and thornes: I will alſo command the clouds, that they raine no raine vponupon it.

Looke as in Courts of Iuſtice, and ſeats of Iudgement, after Conuiction followes ſentence of Condemnation; ſo here wee hauehave the like proceeding: They being conuicted by their owne conſciences, and as condemned perſons by their owne mouthes, ſentence paſſeth againſt them on the plaintifes ſide; and that moſt fearefull: for it is a ſentence of deſtruction and deſolation, euen of the whole Land and People. Hee will take from them thoſe many belſſings and fauours, which hee had beſtowed on them. And that is not all: for he will alſo lay them open, and giuegive them vp to the ſpoile of their enemies, ſo that they ſhall bee trodden downe and made deſolate.

In which ſentence is conſiderable:Diuiſion. Firſt, A gracious Premonition, in the beginning of the fift verſe.

Secondly, A terrible Executions of the iudgement threatned, from the middle of the fift verſe, to the end of the ſixt.

In the Premonition, obſerue we Gods mercifull goodneſſe: Firſt, in foretelling them of the Iudgement; And now goe to, I will tell you. Secondly, In prolonging it; for hee doth not by and by puniſh them, but a while p. 205deferres, and therefore he ſpeaketh in the future tenſe, what I will doe.

In the execution, conſider we theſe three circumſtances: 1. The partie puniſhing, and that is the Lord himſelfe [I] will take away, [I] will breake, &c. 2. The parties puniſhed, and they are Gods owne people, his choſen vineyard, his owne inheritance [It] ſhall be trodden downe, the hedge [thereof] &c. 3. The puniſhment it ſelfe, and that conſiſts both in the paine of loſſe and paine of ſenſe: good things ſhall be remoued, and euill things inflicted. For firſt he will take away the hedge, and breake downe the wall; whereupon ſhall follow eating vp, treading downe, laying waſte: and then ſecondly, he will withdraw his paines in pruning and digging of it, and with-hold the clouds from raining raine vponupon it; and thereupon ſhall follow the barrenneſſe of it: for it ſhall bring forth nothing, or worſe than nothing; briers and thornes ſhall grow vponupon it.

Hauing now ſeene the ſumme; let vsus ſpend a little time in the opening of the words, that ſo hauing found out the ſenſe and meaning, we may the better raiſe ſome profitable obſeruation.

And now goe to] The Lord ſeeme here to excite and ſtirre vp himſelfe after the manner of men to proceed in iudgement.Expoſition.

I will ſhew you what I will doe to my Vineyard] or, I will giuegive you to vnderſtand, or, make knowne vntounto you (as ſome reade it) q. d. Seeing that you are condemned in your conſciences, and yet will not pronounce ſentence with your mouthes, therefore goe to now, I my ſelfe will tell you what I will doe.

I will take away the hedge thereof] By hedge, as before verſ. 2. we hauehave ſeene ſundry things may be vnderſtood: but not to trouble you with repetition of what was before taught, we are eſpecially (as I take it) to vnderſtand thereby Gods diuine protection, which was as a hedge or wall about them, and whereof they ſhould be p. 206now depriued. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid; Hitherto you hauehave had my mercifull protection, which hath miniſtred vntounto you ſafetie and defence from all your enemies; but now I will leaue off to helpe, ſuccour, or defend you any more. This was that for want whereof the Church did complaine;uuPſal. 80. 12.Ps 80:12 Why hast thou broken downe her hedges, ſo that all they that doe paſſe by the way doe plucke her?

And it ſhall be eaten vp] or, That it may be eaten vp, and deuoured; to wit, by the beaſts of the field, the enemies of the Church. Not only their neighbours nigh about them, but alſo their enemies farre off ſhould moleſt and trouble them, according to that threatning, **Deut. 31. 17.Deut 31:17Mine anger ſhall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forſake them, and hide my face from them, and they ſhall be deuoured, and many euils and troubles ſhall be fall them, &c. This alſo doth the Church complaine of in the place before quoted; xxPſal. 80. 13.Ps 80:13The Boare out of the wood doth waſte it, and the wilde beaſt of the field doth deuoure it.

And breake downe the wall thereof] or, as ſome reade it, teare downe the wall thereof: and ſo indeed the word ſignifieth, to teare downe a thing with violence; which noteth out the vehemencie of Gods wrath: for it ſhall not fall downe of it ſelfe, but be violently torne or broken downe. Now by this wall many vnderſtand the Tower which he ſpake of before, verſ. 2. that was built in the midſt of the Vineyard, whereby, as we ſaw (after the iudgement of many of the learned) the Temple was to be vnderſtood. But what need we be ſo exact in each of theſe particulars?Idem alijs atque alijs verbis his dicit. Muſ. in. loc. For if by wall we vnderſtand no other thing, than that before was meant by hedge, we ſhould not fall into any great abſurditie.

And it ſhall be trodden downe] or, for a treading. He here alludeth to the manner of wilde beaſts breaking into a Vineyard, which doe not only eat and deuoure, but tread downe and ſpoile. And this notes a higher degree of wrath than the former did. The enemies of p. 207this people ſhould not only trouble them and afflict them, but ouercome them and enter into their poſſeſſions; and not only carry away, but alſo make ſtrip and waſte; hauocke and ſpoile what they leaue behinde. This alſo ſets out vntounto vsus the rage and furie of the wicked againſt Gods Church.

And I will lay it waſte] or, make it a deſolation; ſo that it ſhall become as a vaſt deſart without any to inhabit it. And here we hauehave a higher degree than either of the former: for though the enemie might ouercome them and ſpoile their country, yet there might remaine ſome Citie: and albeit ſome Cities might be aſſailed and deſtroyed; yet ſome houſes in thoſe Cities might ſtill continue: Or ſay it ſhould ſo fall out, that all their Cities, and houſes in their Cities ſhould be laid leuell with the ground; yet ſome men might haply eſcape by flight, and afterwards returne, and build new houſes, Cities, and erect new lawes and gouernment. But in that he threatens to lay it waſte, and make it a deſolation, all hope is gone. This is that which the Lord ſpeaketh in the next chapter, where he ſeemeth to comment vponupon theſe words,yyIſa. 6. 11, 12.Isa 6:11Isa 6:12 The Cities ſhall be waſted without inhabitant; and the houſes without man, and the land be vtterly deſolate. And the Lord will remoue men farre away, and there ſhall be a great forſaking in the midſt of the land. All which befell this people at their carrying away into Babylon: and much more fully and compleatly was it fulfilled after Chriſts time, when Ieruſalem was vtterly deſtroyed, ſo that one ſtone was not left vponupon another. To which time ſome referre it.

It ſhall not be pruned nor digged] By cutting or pruning, he ſeemeth to vnderſtand fatherly diſcipline and correction, which now he would with-hold from them, according to that in the firſt of this propheſie;zzIſai. 1. 5.Isa 1:5 Why ſhould you be ſtricken any more? As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: I ſee it is but loſt labour to ſmite you; for the more I correct you, the worſe you proue. And by digging he p. 208vnderſtandeth that point of husbandry,Moller. in loc. whereby the earth is drawne into ridges, or heapes, chiefly about the vines; which is ſo conuenient and neceſſarie in ſuch places where vintages are, as that without it, the vines will neuer proſper. And here hee alludeth vntounto ſuch husbandmen, as hauing barren vineyards and fruitleſſe trees, doe neglect to prune or cut them, dung or digge about them, becauſe they take no pleaſure nor delight in them.

But there ſhall come vp briers and thornes] By briers and thornes ſome here vnderſtand the Gentiles, Muſculus in loc.according to that of our Sauiour;aaLuke 21. 24.Luke 21:24 Ieruſalem ſhall be trodden downe of the Gentiles, vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. But we may better vnderſtand thereby, Idolatry and ſuperſtition, with other errors and abominations, that for want of Gods husbandry ſhould (as afterwards there did) grow vp amongſt them. And thus ſinnes and tranſgreſſions are compared to thornes and briers bbHeb. 6. 8.Heb 6:8elſewhere in Scripture. And that fi…ly: 1 For their wounding and pricking thoſe that handle them; for whom doth not ſinne wound? whom hath it not ſtung that euer dealt with it? 2. For their holding together, and twining one within another. Sinnes grow in heapes, and where you finde any, you may finde many. And therefore when the Apoſtle ſpeakes of them, hee couples them,ccRom. 13. 13.Rom 13:13 Chambering and wantonneſſe, gluttonie and drunkenneſſe, ſtrife and enuying: thus they grow like thornes in hedges, by companies. 3. Becauſe they choake the plants, and hinder them from the Sunnes hear and influence of heauen: thus the ſeed is choaked by theſe thornes,ddMatth. 13.Matt 13 as our Sauiour teacheth: And therefore S. Peter willeth toee1 Pet. 1. 1.1 Pet 1:1 lay aſide all malice, and all guile, and hypocriſie, and enuies, and euill ſpeakings (thoſe curſed thornes and briers) and then As new borne babes deſire the ſincere milke of the word to grow thereby.Verſ. 2.

I will alſo command the clouds that they raine no raine vponupon it] By clouds vnderſtand we the Prophets;Cald. Paraph. & Hect. Pint. and by p. 209raine the Word. The Metaphor is vſuall: Moſes thus begins his Song; ffDeut. 32. 2.Deut 32:2My doctrine ſhall drop as the raine, my ſpeech ſhall diſtill as the dew; as the ſmall raine vponupon the tender herbe, and as the ſhowres vponupon the graſſe. And ſo the word of the Lord came to Ezechiel, and ſaid, ggEzek. 21. 2.Ezek 21:2Sonne of man, ſet thy face towards Ieruſalem, and drop thy word towards the holy places, and propheſie againſt the land of Iſrael. And thus Amos ſpeaketh to Amaziah; hhAmos 7. 16.Amos 7:16Thou ſaieſt, Propheſie not againſt Iſrael, and drop not thy word againſt the houſe of Iſaac. In which places it is apparant, that Gods Prophets are as clouds, and their words or propheſies like drops of raine. Now in comparing the raine and the word, we ſhall finde good reſemblance in ſundry particulars: as, 1. In regard of cooling heat: 2. quenching thirſt: 3. cleanſing the aire: 4. allaying the windes: 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat-hardned earth. In each one of which, if wee ſhould ſpend time, we ſhould finde an excellent agreement: but eſpecially in a ſixth reſpect; It is a principall meanes and ſubordinate cauſe that all things fructifie and grow. And therefore this muſt needs be a heauy iudgement, and argue Gods hot diſpleaſure againſt his Vineyard, in commanding the clouds to raine no more raine vponupon it, according to that charge giuen to Micah,iiMic. 2. 6.Mic 2:6 Propheſie ye not vntounto them; ſeeing that without it, it was impoſſible the Vine ſhould grow or flouriſh. Thus we ſee that as by briers and thornes the Plants ſhould be choaked; ſo for want of raine their very roots ſhould wither.

And thus much for the literall expoſition. Now to come to ſome particular obſeruation.

And now goe to, Text.I will tell you] This is the vſuall manner of Gods dealing,Doct. God doth warne before he ſmite. To warne before he ſtrikes, and foretell the iudgement before he inflicteth it. He puniſheth none before he hath admoniſhed them; ſmiteth none before he hath forewarned them.

That of the Prophet Amos makes this good,kkAmos 3. 7.Amos 3:7 Surely p. 210the Lord God will doe nothing, but he reuealeth his ſecrets vntounto his ſeruants the Prophets. He ſendeth his Heralds to proclaime warre before he makes it, and foretels them of ſuch iudgements as he is purpoſed to inflict, that they may forewarne others. Take the old world, my brethren, for an enſample: did hee not foretell the deſtruction of it vntountollHeb. 11. 7.Heb 11:7 Noah, before he brought that great Deluge vponupon the earth? And was not Noah mm2 Pet. 2. 5.2 Pet 2:5a Preacher of righteouſneſſe vntounto them, whoſe hand taught them as much as his tongue? His buſineſſe in building the Arke was a reall Sermon to the world, wherein at once were taught mercy and life to the belieuer, and to the rebellious deſtruction. And did he not the like by Sodome and Gomorrah, vntounto whom hee ſent his ſeruant Lot, nn2 Pet. 2. 8.2 Pet 2:8whoſe righteous ſoule was vexed from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds? Was not this likewiſe his dealing with Pharaoh and his people? did he notooExod. 8. 2. 21. & 9. 3. 14. 19. & 10. 4.Exod 8:2Exod 8:21Exod 9:3Exod 9:14Exod 9:19Exod 10:4 againe and againe admoniſh them, and threaten them by his ſeruants Moſes and Aaron, that if they would not let his people goe, he would doe thus and thus vntounto them? And ſo with the Niniuites, vntounto whom he ſent Ionah with this erie,ppIonah 3. 4.Jonah 3:4 Yet fortie daies and Niniuie ſhall be ouerthrowne? And with Ieruſalem qqMatth. 23. 37.Matt 23:37which was often forewarned by his Prophets, and by our Lord himſelfe of her deſtruction before it fell?

Two reaſons may be rendered for this truth;Reaſon 1. the one is in regard of the godly, and ſuch as feare the Lord, that they may not be taken at vnawares; but may be awakened out of their ſecuritie, and timely preuent thoſe iudgements threatned, as thoſe did, who vponupon the hearing of that plague of haile which Moſes foretold would fall on Egypt,rrExo. 19. 20.Exod 19:20 ſent their ſeruants to fetch their cattell into their houſes.

The other is,Reaſon 2. that the wicked may be left without excuſe in the day of wrath;ſſIohn 15. 22.John 15:22 If I had not come and ſpoken vntounto them, they had had no ſinne; but now they hauehave no cloake for their ſinne (ſaith our bleſſed Sauiour.) Theſe p. 211may be ſome reaſons why God giues a Caueat before his Capias, and doth warne before he wound.

And is this Gods vſuall dealing?Ʋſe 1. why then are wee ſmitten, plagued, puniſhed? Were we not forewarned of iudgement? Oh our wilfulneſſe and folly! Oh whom, oh man, canſt thou lay the fault? whom wilt thou charge with thy ſmart? Canſt thou iuſtly ſay Gods ſilence was any cauſe thereof? Hath not he ſhot off many a warning peece, and ſounded many an alarum before he ſet himſelfe in battell-array againſt thee? In the ſecret of thy ſoule thou knoweſt he hath done thus: Often and often he hath by his ſeruants, the Miniſters, warned thee of danger at the doore; and by thy owne conſcience many a time reproued thee, and premoniſhed thee of future vengeance: He hath not played the part of a ſubtill enemie, and ſtollen vponupon thee at vnawares, but (as Tamberlane that warlike Scythian) diſplayed firſt a white Flagge, in token of merciemercy, and then a red, menacing and threatning bloud, before that blacke Flagge, the meſſenger and enſigne of death, was hung abroad. Accuſe not the Lord then of any hard dealing, but the hardneſſe of thy owne heart which will take no warning. Hee need not to giuegive thee any warning of his iudgements; thou gaueſt him no warning of thy ſinnes, no reſpit: yet that God might approue his mercies to thee, he giues thee warning, and reſpit of repenting. How loth art thou, oh bleſſed God, to ſtrike, that threats before! He that delights in reuenge, ſurpriſes his aduerſarie, whereas he that giues warning, deſires to be preuented: Were we not wilfull, what need wee euer feele ſmart?

Oh that this might teach vsus wiſdome to ſee the euill and flie from it!Vſe 2. which that we may the better doe,Diuers waies God forewarneth vsus of vengeance. let vsus diligently obſerue the vſual waies whereby the Lord premoniſheth, and they are ſundrie: As firſt, By the miniſerie of his ſeruants the Prophets▪ whereby he foretelleth when wrath is readie to fall vponupon vsus for our ſinnes:1. By the miniſtery of his ſeruants. p. 212By them he foretoldtt2 Chron. 36. 15, 16.2 Chr 36:152 Chr 36:16 the Iſraelites of the King of the Caldeans comming vp againſt them, whom they laughed to ſcorne and contemned: and by them Ieruſalem was fore-warned (as was before noted.) Their threatnings therefore and menaces ſhould not bee lightly deſpiſed, but feared; not paſſed ouer, but preuented; not derided, but applied to our conſciences. For though they die,uuZach. 1. 5.Zech 1:5 yet Gods word ſhall liue, and his iudgements they denounced ſeize vponupon vsus except we die to ſinne.

By ſignes and wonders;2. By ſignes in the heauens. of which ſort was that Earthquake which happened**Amos 1. 1.Amos 1:1 in Vzziahs daies in the whole Countrey:**Zach. 14. 5.Zech 14:5 And thoſe ſtrange apparitions ſeene in the heauens a little before the deſtruction of Ieruſalem; as that Blazing ſtarre like a ſword, which hung ouer the Citie a whole yeeres ſpace; Horſes and Chariots with armed troopes of men ſeene in the aire; the Eclipſe of the Moone for twelue nights together, with many other wonders,Ioſeph. de Bell. Iud. lib. 7. cap. 12. whereof Ioſephus hath at large written, as that voice heard in the Temple the night before the Feaſt of Pentecoſt; Let vsus depart from hence: And the conſtant crying of one about the walles for a long ſpace, Woe, Matth. 24. 32.Matt 24:32woe, woe to Ieruſalem, and the like. And thus doth God forewarne vsus of the end of the world, as our bleſſed Sauiour ſheweth.

3 By leſſer and lighter iudgements; 3. By leſſer iudgements.by gentle and fatherly corrections, that by them we may be brought to turne vntounto him, and ſo eſcape further vengeance. Thus were the Iſraelites often warned from the Lord: ſometimes xxAmos 4. 8.Amos 4:8he ſmote them with Blaſtings and Mildewes; and at other times by giuing their Gardens, Vineyards, Fig-trees, and Oliue-trees to the Palmer-worme to deuoure: and when theſe warnings would not ſerue, then he ſent amongſt them the Peſtilence, after the manner of Egypt, and ſlew their young men with the ſword, and tooke away their horſes, &c. And when nothing would ſerue, he ouerthrew them as he ouerthrew Sodome and p. 213Gomorrah. And ſo our Sauiour hauing foretold many euils that ſhould come vponupon Ieruſalem for their contempt of the Goſpell, and refuſing of grace offered, addeth, yyMatth. 24. 6. 8.Matt 24:6Matt 24:8All theſe are but the beginnings of ſorrowes, the end is not yet. There were more in number and greater in weight to follow after theſe. Thus leſſer iudgements are as it were the prints of Gods foot, whereby we may trace him, if he be come out againſt vsus.

4 By the death of the godly, 4. By the death of the godly.and ſuch as feare his name, are future iudgements forewarned: eſpecially if they be ſuch as are great and eminent, whether in Church or Common-wealth: If theſe be taken away, it is a fearefull ſigne that ſome grieuous iudgement will ouertake the remnant of the people. This is that wherof our Prophet Eſay ſpeaketh,zzIſay 3. 1, 2, 3.Isa 3:1Isa 3:2Isa 3:3 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hoſts doth take away from Ieruſalem the mightie man, and the man of warre, the Iudge, and the Prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient: The Captains of fiftie, and the honourable man, and the Counſellor, &c. And elſewhere, thus; aaCap. 57. 1.The righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to his heart, and mercifull men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come. Thus was that good King Ioſiah dealt withall,bb2 King. 22. 20.2 Kgs 22:20 not long after whoſe death followed the Captiuitie of Babel: In that graue wherein he was interred, the libertie, glory, and peace of Iewrie lay alſo buried. And ſo Luther, after whoſe death preſently followed that miſerable calamitie vponupon Germany, which hee had often foretold would come vponupon them for their contempt of the Word, and which he deſired he might neuer liue to ſee (as Caluin obſerues in his Comment vponupon that place of Iſay laſt quoted▪)Cap. 57. 1.

Theſe are ſome wayes whereby the Lord fore-warneth vsus that euill is at hand, and therefore it behoueth vsus when by any of theſe he premoniſheth vsus of danger nigh, weccAmos 4.Amos 4 prepare to meet him, and preuent it. And ſurely if euer there was cauſe, then now there is, why we p. 214ſhould humble our ſelues before him in ſackcloth and aſhes: for who can be ignorant of the many warnings we hauehave had in each particular kinde? The Turtles of this Land hauehave groaned out the ſad tunes of woe and miſery; God hath ſo guided the hearts and tongues of his Miniſters, as that they all, euen as one man, doe conſtantly crie out, (with that Ieſus the ſonne of Anani a little before the deſtruction of Ieruſalem) Woe to England, and to the inhabitants thereof, by reaſon of ſuch outragious wickedneſſe as eueryevery where aboundeth; which thing is not lightly to be paſſed by, but deſerues pondering on. For certainly, if wee be not perſwaded to feare their threatnings, we ſhall in the end be conſtrained to feele them, whether wee will or no. Beſides, what ſtrange ſignes and wonders, and what varietie of them hauehave we lately ſeene, both in the heauens and vponupon the earth? What wonderfull and mightie tempeſts, fearefull thundring and lightning hath lately happened,This preſent yeere 1622. on Auguſt 19. whereby much hurt hath beene done at Sea. many ſhips and barkes caſt away, and that in the ſafeſt Rodes and Harbours of this land▪ As appeares in that relation of the tempeſt which hapned in Deuon; the yeere and monethmonth aforeſaid, which is in Print.beſides the almoſt incredible hurt done by land, throughout this Kingdome; the violence of the winde, thunder, and lightning, being ſuch, as that in many places Weſt-ward whole fields of Corne hauehave beene blaſted, ſtackes of Corne ſcorched, and here with vsus the Corne hath beene ſo diſperſed and ſcattered, as if it had beene ſowen againe, and ſo beaten out of the eares, as if it had beene threſhed on the floore; ſo that with the Mildew and blaſting which was ſent vponupon our Corne in generall before our harueſt, and now with this ſudden iudgement of winde, vponupon that little ſtore of Corne remaining in harueſt, God hath taken from vsus our ſtay and ſtaffe of bread. What ſhall I need to ſpeake of thoſe many Earthquakes, mightie inundations of waters, great haileſtones, ſtrange Eclipſes, monſtrous births, which eueryevery yeere brings forth? Certainly if the Sorcerers of Egypt were now amongſt vsus, they p. 215would confeſſe theſe to be the finger of God: But fooles and blind, that we are, who hauehave no eies to ſee, nor harts to vnderſtand theſe things, or at moſt make of them but a nine daies wonderment, and ſo paſſe them ouer.

And againe, hath not God often warned vsus by leſſer and lighter iudgements; hath hee not viſited vsus with Famines, Poſtilence, and other ſuch like infection of ſickneſſe? Theſe are but as warning-peeces ſhot off in our eares, and aſſured fore-runners of greater iudgements, Perk. Exhort. to Repent.vnleſſe repentance cut off their courſe. For looke as one cloud followeth another till the Sunne conſume them; ſo one iudgement haſtens after another, and Repentance only is the Sunne that muſt diſpell them. And laſtly, that the righteous periſh, who ſeeth not? and yet alas! who ſeeth it ſo, as to conſider it in his heart? The Lords hand hath beene vponupon vsus theſe many yeeres, and hath come, not in fauour to weed out the worſt, but in diſpleaſure to gather the beſt and ripeſt. Amongſt our Princes he hath ſmitten at our chiefeſt: Amongſt our Nobles, he hath taken of our nobleſt: Amongſt our Magiſtrates he hath fetched away of our vprighteſt. Surely, ſurely, God neuer thus beheads a State or Countrey, but for ſome treaſon. The Shepherds are ſmitten for the ſheepes vnthankefulneſſe, vnfruitfulneſſe. What ſhall I ſay more? Death hath beene at the Citie, as well as at the Court; and in the Countrey, as well as in the Citie, and hath fetched away of all ſorts almoſt the beſt. And can this be any other than a plaine prognoſtication of ſome euill nigh at hand? which euils they hauehave preuented by their death: God grant we likewiſe may preuent them by our Repentance.

To draw towards a concluſion of this point; let eueryevery one in particular, yea thou that heareſt and readeſt this, goe home to thy ſelfe and make application hereof to thy owne ſoule, for God ſpeaketh in particular to thee, as well as to any other, and demandeth of thee how thou haſt profited by theſe or the like warnings. p. 216For hath he not often by the miniſtery of his ſeruants come ſo home vntounto thy conſcience, as that thou haſt beene perſwaded and enforced to confeſſe thou art the man he meaneth, and at whom he aimeth. And what drunkard, or prophane Eſau is there here amongſt vsus, who hath not been at ſometimes or other told by them, that if they repent not they ſhall be damned? Beſides, hauehave not thine eies ſeene his ſignes and wonders in the heauens, vponupon the earth, &c. Thou haſt heard, and haſt beene told of ſuch a childe, borne without a mouth, or with two heads, or with one eye, &c. why; take thou warning, this is meant to thee, as well as to any other. And hath not the Lord ſmote thee (hitherto) with a little rod? afflicted thee with light loſſes, croſſes, &c. ſee then thouddMich. 6. 9.Mic 6:9 heareſt the rod, and who hath appointed it. And once againe I will demand of thee; anſwer mee: Haſt thou not beene depriued of ſome faithfull friend; it may be of a godly husband, a religious wife, a Chriſtian and carefull parent, a gratious childe, a faithfull Shepherd, or a true hearted brother? If it be ſo, take it as the ſhaking of the rod, and as a warning from God vntounto thee, that thou mend thy manners. Remember Solomons Prouerbe,eeProu. 22. 3.Prov 22:3 A prudent man foreſeeth the euill and hideth himſelfe, but the ſimple paſſeon and are puniſhed. Be thou that wiſeman, not this foole, but foreſee the danger, and preuent it before it fall. Oh happie man, to heare this word, before it fall, ſound in thine eares. As for many thouſands, it is fallen irrecouerably vponupon them alreadie; to thoſe poore ſoules it cannot be ſaid, as now it is to thee, Preuent it by repentance before it fall: for iudgement hath alreadie ſeized vponupon them; but how happie art thou, if thou kneweſt thy happineſſe in that thy day is yet to come? And therefore I ſay to thee, take warning by theſe things, and preuent the euill before it fall; for when it is fallen, there is no preuenting of it.ffLuke 19. 41.Luke 19:41 Oh that thou kneweſt at the leaſt in this thy day thoſe things which belong vntounto thy peace, and that they were not p. 217hidden from thine eies! My praier ſhall be for thee, my ſelfe, and the whole land in generall, that we may ſo doe. Euen ſo, O Lord open our eies, that we may ſo ſee thee warning, as that we may feare thee threatning; and obey thee teaching, and patiently ſuffer thee chaſtiſing, and at laſt be by thee made partakers of thoſe good things, Which gg2 Cor. 2. 9.2 Cor 2:9neither eie hath ſeene, nor eare heard, nor can enter into the heart of man. Amen, Amen.

What I will doe] Great was Gods mercy towards this his people in foretelling and premoniſhing them of vengeance. Text.And this makes it greater in his prolonging of it. He doth not by and by inflict, but will a while deferre. There ſhall be ſome delay and pauſe, ſome lucida interualla miſericordiae; A breathing time and mercifull ſpace is granted betweene the fault and puniſhment. And therefore he ſpeakes not in the preſent tenſe, but in the future; What I will doe: where we ſee, and whence we learne,

God is of a patient and forbearing nature,Doctr. God is of a patient and forbearing nature. of much gentleneſſe and long ſufferance, forbearing ſinners for ſome ſpace after they hauehave tranſgreſſed before he proceed to puniſh.

Many examples might be brought for proofe.hhIſay 65. 2.Isa 65:2 All the day long he did wait vponupon the Iſraelites, ſtretching out his hand to that diſobedient and rebellious people. iiGen. 19. 1. 23.Gen 19:1Gen 19:23A whole night did he forbeare deſtroying Sodome after he had told Abraham thereof, and forewarned them by Lot. kkIon. 3. 4.Jonah 3:4Fortie daies did the Lord allot vntounto Niniuie for then Repentance; Yet fortie daies and Niniuie ſhall be deſtroied. llLuke 13. 7.Luke 13:7Three yeeres did he beare with the barren figge tree before he would cut it downe with the Axe of his iudgements. He ſuffered the ill manners (the word is very ſignificant) of the Iſraelites,mmAct. 13. 18. foreign.Acts 13:18 Fortie yeares in the Wilderneſſe before he did deſtroy them.nnGen. 6. 3.Gen 6:3 One hundred and twentie yeares reſpit of repenting God gaue the old World,1 Pet. 3. 20.1 Pet 3:20 euen all the while the Arke was a preparing. ooGen. 15. 16.Gen 15:16For the ſpace of foure hundred yeeres he ſpared the p. 218Canaanites and Amorites. Yea he ſuffered the Gentiles to wander in their owne waies, and in the vanitie of their mindes almoſt forppActs 14. 16.Acts 14:16 three thouſand yeares together. Thus, 1. Al a day, 2. A whole night, 3. Fortie daies, 4. Three whole yeeres, 5. Fortie yeeres, 6. One hundred and twenty yeeres, 7. Foure hundred yeeres, 8. Three thouſand yeeres breathing time is giuen man between the threatning and execution. Oh! how loth is God to ſtrike, that threats ſo long? In a word hauehave we not all experience of this truth? Are there not ſo many thouſand witneſſes as there are conſciences in this congregation to confirme this point? Had not this beene true, where ſhould eueryevery one of vsus hauehave beene at this preſent? Surely I ſhould neither hauehave beene here to ſpeake, nor thou to heare; but long before this houre we ſhould hauehave beene ſwept from off the earth like dung, had there not beene this Patience and long animitie in God. Thus ſundry waies hath God made good his name, which all of vsus muſt needs feelingly ſubſcribe vntounto:qqExod. 34. 6.Exod 34:6 The Lord, the Lord ſtrong, mercifull, and gracious, ſlow to anger, abundant in goodneſſe and in truth, &c.

And no maruell,Reaſon 1. if we conſider, Firſt, that he is God: were he not God, it were impoſſible for him ſo long together to hold his hands; but he is God and not man, therefore he forbeares. This reaſon ſeemes ſecretly to be implied in thoſe words of the Chronicles,rr2 Chron. 36. 14, 15.2 Chr 36:142 Chr 36:15 The Lord God of their fathers ſent to them his meſſengers, &c.

2. He knoweth our weakneſſe,Reaſ. 2. our frame, and remembreth that we are but duſt;ſſPſal. 103. 10, 14.Ps 103:10Ps 103:14 he therefore dealeth not with vsus after our ſinnes, nor rewardeth vsus after our iniquities. This reaſon is rendered by the Pſalmiſt, why he pitieth, ſpareth.

3.2 Pet. 3. 9.2 Pet 3:9 ^t He is not ſlacke concerning his promiſe,Reaſ. 3. as ſome men count ſlackneſſe, but is long ſuffering to vsus-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. He deſires our conuerſion, not deſtruction, p. 219and therefore beares ſo long. And this is the reaſon that Saint Peter giues.

4. He beareth a long time with the veſſels of his wrath,Reaſ. 4. to the end that they mayuuGen. 15. 16.Gen 15:16 fill vp the meaſure of their ſinnes. And this is the reaſon the Holy Ghoſt makes why the Amorites were forborne ſo long, before puniſhment was executed on them for their wickedneſſe. Let vsus now apply theſe things vntounto our ſelues: And

Firſt,Vſe 1. this ſerues for Information of our Iudgements, whence it comes, that wicked men are ſo long ſpared and ſuffered to run on in ſin. We ſee how wretched and prophane many are, being blaſphemers of Gods name, prophaners of his Sabbaths, contemners of his word, and giuen ouer to the committing of all ſinne with greedineſſe, and yet are ſuffered to runne on without puniſhment, which cauſeth matter of wonderment oftentimes **Ierem. 12. 1.Jer 12:1in the hearts of Gods children. But ſee here the reaſon;Non ille amiſit prouidentiam, aut amiſit potentiam, ſed patentiam exercet ſuam, dum poenitentiam expectat tuam. Auguſt. God is of a patient and forbearing nature: the wicked thinke it isxxPſal. 50.Ps 50 becauſe God is like them, a louer and liker of ſinne: but be not thou deluded, learne the cauſe.

2. Admire the richneſſe of Gods grace in bearing ſo long with rebellious ſinners. For God to beare with his owne children when they prouoke him is very much; but to ſuffer his enemies, and beare ſo long with the veſſels of his wrath;Vſe 2. to ſuffer drunkards, whoremongers, Sabbath-breakers, to runne on in a courſe of ſinne, liuing day after day, weeke after weeke, yeere after yeere, and neuer in all that time to ſeeke his fauour, but to waxe the worſe becauſe they are forborne, this muſt needes argue an infinite perfection. Oh, how can we ſufficiently magnifie ſuch a God as this! how can we enough admire his goodneſſe, or ſet forth his praiſe? Here is mercy, patience, goodneſſe, paſt the comprehenſion of all finite ſpirits, and only to be conceiued by him whoſe it is.

And thirdly,Vſe 3. if this bee ſo, that God is of ſuch a patient and forbearing nature, ſee what an odious contempt p. 220of Gods grace it is to take occaſion by this patience, to continue and increaſe in ſinne. In things of this life, we hold it deteſtable if a ſeruant ſhould thus reaſon from his maſters bounty; Hee dealeth thus and thus gratiouſlie with me, therefore I care not how I prouoke him and diſpleaſe him. And yet this is the reaſoning of thouſands in the world: for thus ſay ſome (and farre more thinke) I hauehave liued in ſuch or ſuch a courſe (as I heare Preachers ſay of ſinning) for many yeeres, but I ſee that God hath bleſſed me as well as the preciſeſt of them all; I liue ſtill and thriue well (God I thanke thee) and therefore I purpoſe to hold on as I hauehave begunne, talke theſ. Preachers what they pleaſe, I paſſe not. And thus,yyEccleſ. 8. 11.Eccl 8:11 becauſe ſentence is not ſpeedily executed, vngodly men take courage to offend: Dealing with God as birds doe with the ſcarcrow, at firſt they are afraid; but ſeeing it not to ſtirre, at length they come neere it and ſit vponupon it: So theſe, at firſt they are ſomewhat fearefull to offend, but through impunity they harden themſelues to commit iniquity: And yet (ſaith Solomon) zzVerſe 12, 13.Though a ſinner doe euill an hundred times and God prolong his daies, yet ſurely I know that it ſhall be well with them that feare the Lord, which feare before him. But it ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his daies which are as a ſhadow, becauſe he feareth not before God. Vnderſtand therefore, oh yee vnwiſe amongſt the people; all is not well becauſe God forbeares to puniſh: His patience and longanimity, is no good argument of mans innocency. It may bee by the praiers of the Vinedreſſers aaLuke 13. 6.Luke 13:6reſpit hath beene obtained for thee for a while before thy cutting downe, as was for that barren figge-tree: Or elſe it may bee thy ſinnes (though hainous enough amongſt vsus)bbGen. 15. 16.Gen 15:16 are not come as yet to their full ripeneſſe: Or haply, God thus forbeares thee, to ſhew his lothneſſe to deſtroy. How euer his patience alwaies tends not to countenance receiued courſes, but to giuegive occaſion to alter our accuſtomed euils. And what though p. 221his wrath comes ſlowly, yet in the end hee will make amends for his delay with the weight of vengeance.Lento gradu ad vindictam ſui. His mill grindes ſlow, but yet ſure and ſmall. And this while he beares, he is but a fetching of the blow; and the higher he lifts, the heauier it lights. Now hee is preparing his deadly arrowes, this time he takes to fit them to the ſtring, and becauſe hee meanes not to miſſe the marke, he ſtands long at leuell, and drawes far, euen to the head, that his arrowes may pierce deepe euen to the ſoule. Take Ieruſalem for an enſample, and ſet that famous Citie before thine eyes; Did euer any people taſte more of Gods patience, or drinke deeper of the cup of his mercifull forbearance, than Ieruſalem, famous Ieruſalem did? How long did he ſpare them? how many wayes did he forewarne them? And when nothing would ſerue, how was his patience turned into furie? ccMatth. 24. 2.Matt 24:2Not one ſtone left vponupon another; and the inhabitants and their poſteritie made ſlaues and vagabonds for this 1600 yeeres. Say not then with Agag, dd1 Sam. 15. 32.1 Sam 15:32Surely the bitterneſſe of death is paſt, becauſe thou art a while forborne: No, no; the longer before the reckoning, the greater the account will be.Patientia laeſa …it faeror. And euermore remember, that there is no wrath ſo furiouſly outragious, as that which ariſeth from patience long & obſtinately abuſed.

See therefore in the next place thou beeſt admoniſhed, Vſe 4.to beware how thou abuſeſt this patience and long-ſuffering of the Lord: And ſee thou follow the Apoſtles direction;eeRom. 2. 4.Rom 2:4 Let it leade thee to repentance. Happy thou, if thou doe thus vſe it. And indeed, except thou doſt ſo, thou neuer makeſt the true and proper vſe thereof: ffPſal. 130. 4.Ps 130:4There is mercy with thee, that thou maieſt bee feared (ſaith that Kingly Prophet.) Gods children doe feare God ggHoſ. 3. 5.Hos 3:5and his goodneſſe, and feare to offend God in regard of his goodneſſe. Ioſeph reaſons thus,iiGen. 39. 8.Gen 39:8 My Maſter hath dealt thus kindly with mee, &c. how then can I commit this great wickedneſſe? So muſt all Gods children reaſon.

p. 222Againe,Vſe 5. this may be for Imitation: As God is and hath beene towards vsus patient and long-ſuffering, ſo let vsus bee towards others. That haſtie ſpirit of calling for fire from heauen for eueryevery diſobedience, was ſharply kkLuke 9. 54.Luke 9:54reproued by our bleſſed Sauiour. Let vsus learne to hauehave an eie to the rich patience of our God, who is daily by vsus prouoked; and (after his example) tolerate the froward infirmities of our ignorant brethren, ll2 Tim. 2. 25.2 Tim 2:25with meekneſſe inſtructing them rather, than with raſhneſſe of zeale reiecting them; and in caſe of wrong, ſay not, I will recompence euill. It was a good ſpeech (and comming out of a Heathens mouth, deſerues the more regard)mmSocrates. I will willingly neither ſuffer wrong nor doe it; but if I muſt chuſe one, I will rather chuſe to ſuffer than to doe. But why ſpeake I of the Heathen (vnleſſe to ſhame vsus) when we hauehave God himſelfe to imitate? How patient is he towards reprobates and veſſels of his wrath? If thou putteſt vp an iniury patiently once or twice, thou haſt thy ſelfe highly in admiration, and (in thy owne conceit) deſerueſt to bee chronicled, for a rare patterne of patience. But God doth beare with thee and other, many thouſand times in a day; write after that copy, and forgiuennMatth. 18. 22.Matt 18:22 not ſeuen times, but ſeuenty times ſeuen times, if thou beeſt ſo often wronged: And be thou transformed into the ſame image of God, from glory to glory.

Laſtly,Vſe 6. hence may perplexed and diſquietted conſciences, who tremble vnderunder Gods hand, fearing the power of his wrath by reaſon of their ſinnes, hauehave a vſe of Comfort, for the lifting of them vp. It is Gods nature to be patient, be not therefore out of hope. Hee is long ere he be prouoked, and when he is prouoked, eaſie to be appeaſed. An earthly father will not take eueryevery aduantage againſt his childe; hee will tell him and forewarne him, before hee doth correct and puniſh him: And why ſhould we thinke God harder than our ſelues? How long beares he with ſuch as neuer grieue, mourne, p. 223nor complaine of ſinne? will he then be haſty to marke what is done amiſſe by ſuch as grone vnderunder the burden of their corruptions? He ſpareth ſuch as neuer ſo much as ſay,ooIer. What hauehave I done; and is it poſſible that he ſhould not ſpare ſuch as with the Prodigall crie out,ppLuke 15.Luke 15 Father I hauehave ſinned? Certainly if the wicked fare ſo wel, the godly ſhall fare much better: and be thou perſwaded ſo. And thus much for the Premonition: the Execution followes.

I will take away the hedge thereof,Text. and it ſhall bee eaten vp; and breake downe the wall thereof, and it ſhall be trodden downe, &c.

Here (according to our propounded method) conſider we firſt the Party puniſhing; and who it is that doth inflict this iudgement on them: and that is the Lord himſelfe, [I] will take away, &c. Thence obſerue:

Gods holy hand hath a ſpeciall ſtroake in thoſe afflictions and viſitations which are laid vponupon his Church and befall his people,Doctr. Gods hand is in all afflictions that doe befall vsus. whoſoeuer be the inſtrument.

What truth more ſtrongly confirmed in holy Writ than this? Doe wee not there reade thus; qqIob 5. 6.Job 5:6Affliction commeth not forth of the duſt, neither doth trouble ſpring out of the ground.rrEſay 45. 7.Isa 45:7 I forme the light and create darkneſſe, I make peace and create euill: I the Lord doe all theſe things.ſſEſay 28. 21.Isa 28:21 The Lord ſhall riſe vp as in mount Perazim, he ſhall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that hee may doe his worke, his ſtrange worke, and bring to paſſe his act, his ſtrange act.tt1 Sam. 2. 6, 7.1 Sam 2:61 Sam 2:7 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue, hee bringeth downe: to the graue, and bringeth vp. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich: he bringeth low and lifteth vp.uuDeut. 32. 39.Deut 32:39 I, euen I am hee, and there is no god with me: I kill and I make aliue, I wound and I heale, neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand. And, **Amos 3. 6.Amos 3:6What euill is there in the City (vnderſtand it of the euill of puniſhment) that I hauehave not done? Hereupon doth the Church xxHoſ 6. 1.Hos 6:1mutually exhort one another, to returne vntounto the Lord, becauſe he hath torne and hee will heale, hee hath ſmitten and hee will binde vp. p. 224And by S. Peter wee are inſtructed, to yy1 Pet. 5. 6.1 Pet 5:6Humble our ſelues vnderunder the mighty hand of God, that hee may exalt vsus in due time. And hereupon Ioſeph, though of his enuious brethren ſold into Aegypt, ſaith; zzGen. 45. 8.Gen 45:8God hath ſent mee hither: And Dauid being curſed by Shemei, ſaid; aa2 Sam. 16. 10.2 Sam 16:10God had bid him curſe: And Iob robbed by the Sabaeans ſaith; bbIob 1. 21.Job 1:21God hath taken away.

And how can it otherwiſe be,Reaſ. ſeeing thatccMatth. 10. 29.Matt 10:29 a ſparrow falleth not to the ground, nor a haire from off our heads, without the prouidence of the Almighty, as our Sauiour hath taught vsus? If then Gods prouidence reacheth to matters of ſuch ſmall weight, it muſt needs reach to matters of greater moment.

If any now obiect,Obiect. That wicked and bad men, yea the Deuill himſelfe, doth perſecute Gods Church, and ſorely afflict his people, and that the moſt euils which befall Gods children come from them, how then can it be ſaid, they are of God?

I anſwer;Resp. Wee are to know that theſe are but as the executioners, God employing them no otherwiſe than as a Iudge doth ſome baſe ſlaue in making him the hangman.God hath a hand in thoſe euils which are inflicted by wicked inſtruments. Still hath God a hand in thoſe puniſhments inflicted on his by thoſe euill ones; which ſhewes it ſelfe in theſe actions:

Firſt, in ordaining and appointing them euen from all eternitie to doeddActs 2. 28.Acts 2:28 whatſoeuer thine hand and counſell hath appointed to be done.1. In ordaining them.

2. In ordering and dispoſing them; firſt, in regard of the time when they ſhall both begin and end;2. In ordering them: as ſo as that all the furie and malice of the wicked cannot any iot haſten, 1. In regard of the time.lengthen, or prolong them. There is an houre appointed for the powers of darkneſſe to worke in, and till that houre be come, an haire ſhall not fall from the heads of any of the godly. Let the Iewes take vp neuer ſo many ſtones againſt Chriſt Ieſus, yet he ſhall eſcape: let them ſeeke to take him, yet none ſhall dare to lay hold vponupon him, becauſeeeIohn 7. 30.John 7:30 his houre is not yet come. And when p. 225that houre is come, they ſhall not be able to lengthen it one moment; as we may ſee in the 400 yeeres appointed to the Iſraelites in the Egyptian ſeruitude, which being once expired, they came out (maugre all the malice of their enemies)ffExod. 12. 41.Exod 12:41 euen the ſelfe-ſame day: and in the ggDan. 9. 2. 21, 23.Dan 9:2Dan 9:21Dan 9:2370 yeeres of the Babyloniſh captiuitie; as alſo in the afflictions and perſecutions of the Church of Smyrna, hhReuel. 2. 10.Rev 2:10raiſed vp by Sathan, which is reſtrained to a determinate time of ten dayes. 2. For meaſure.Secondly, in regard of the meaſure, which is alſo appointed in ſuch an exact and ſtrict manner, as that it is alike impoſſible, for all the powers of men or deuils to adde one dram vntounto the weight, as we ſee iniiIob 1. 12.Job 1:12 Iobs example. For as Sathan at firſt could not touch him, vntill he had receiued a commiſſion from God; ſo neither could he addekk& 2. 6. any thing to his firſt afflictions, vntill his commiſſion was renued. To this purpoſe ſpeaketh the Pſalmiſt thus;llPſal. 80. 5.Ps 80:5 Thou feedeſt them with the bread of teares, and giueſt them teares to drinke in great meaſure. 3. Of their ends.And thirdly, in regard of their ends & iſſues, turning them to his owne glory and Churches good;mmRom. 8. 28.Rom 8:28 All things working together for their beſt. Thus Ioſeph ſaid of his ſelling into Egypt,nnGen. 50. 20.Gen 50:20 God dispoſed it to good, though it was euill which his brethren intended againſt him. Thus the Caldeans ſteale Iobs wealth to enrich themſelues; the Deuill afflicts his bodie in his hatred to mankinde; God ſuffers all this for the triall of his patience: Man for couetouſneſſe; the Deuill for malice; God for the probation of the afflicteds conſtancie, and aduancing his owne glory. The couetous Extortioner, or griping Vſurer, ſpoiles thee of thy goods; God in wiſdome raiſeth profit from it, and by thy pouertie in purſe, helps thee to the riches of his grace, and ſuffers theſe ſnares to be taken from thee to ſaue thy ſoule; yet no thanks to them. Thus we hauehave ſeene how God hath a hand in ſuch euils as are inflicted on vsus by wicked inſtruments.

Now hence againe it may be queſtioned,Queſt. 1. why God p. 226doth not rather correct his ſeruants by his owne hand, and let his chaſtiſements come purely from himſelfe, or by the meanes of righteous and iuſt men, than by ſuch wicked inſtruments, who infuſe into thoſe afflictions the poyſon of their malitiouſneſſe and ſpleene.

The execution of puniſhment,Anſwer. in it ſelfe, is a baſe and ſeruile thing, and doth not ſo fitly agree with the nature of the moſt High, who being the chiefe goodneſſe, taketh his chiefe delight in doing good. Now becauſe it is not familiar and delightfull to his nature, he doth it not by himſelfe, nor yet by the godly, but commonly allotteth it to the Deuill and wicked ones, as being fitteſt for ſuch a ſeruice. For doe we not ſee a Carpenter hath diuers kindes of tooles? ſome are courſe, which he vſeth about ſtones or grauell; others are choiſe, which he vſeth about finer worke. Thus when God hath ſome baſe worke to effect, he hath ſome reprobate at hand, about which he is employed: but if a more honourable peece of ſeruice, then he vſually fetcheth a toole of a purer metall and finer making, one of his children ſhall be ſent for. He will not vſe the Virgin Mary, or ſuch choice peeces, but a Iudas, a Caiphas, a Pilate, and ſuch like as they, if Chriſt is to be crucified.

But how can it ſtand with Gods iuſtice,Queſt. 2. to puniſh the wicked for afflicting of his Church and people, ſeeing they are but his inſtruments in executing of his iudgements, and doe no other than that whereabout he ſets them?

Know we that the will of God is ſecret or reuealed. Anſw. 1.The former was neuer propounded as a rule for vsus to conforme our actions vntounto; but the latter, which wee finde written in his Law, vntounto which he requireth conformitie and obedience; and by it we are enioyned to louelove our neighbour as our ſelues, and by all good meanes to ſeeke the good and aduancement of our brethren: now thoug they doe the ſecret will of God (which the Deuill and all reprobates doe, and cannot otherwiſe p. 227chuſe but muſt doe, will they nill they) yet becauſe they runnefull butt againſt Gods reuealed will, the rule and ſquare of all their actions, their condemnation is moſt iuſt.

Againe, they aime not therein at the glory of God, 2and neuer thinke of the effecting of his counſels and ſecret will, but only aime at, and labour for the accompliſhing of their owne hearts luſts, deſiring to glut their crueltie, and to aduance themſelues out of the ruine of Gods ſeruants. See an excellent example hereof in that Aſſyrian King, whom God ſent in his ſecret counſell againſt his people to afflict them for their ſinnes:ooIſai. 10. 7.Isa 10:7 Howbeit (ſaith the text) he meaneth not ſo, neither doth his heart thinke ſo. His intent and purpoſe was to deſtroy and cut off not a few Nations; that he might make all his Princes Kings, and ſo himſelfe a mighty Monarch. This then ſerueth not for their excuſe, that they are but inſtruments, ſeeing they are ſuch inſtruments. Now we come to apply the point vntounto our ſelues. And firſt.

Seeing it is ſo,Vſe 1. that all afflictions and viſitations that befall vsus come from God, and are inflicted by him; it confuteth and taxeth vsus for a vanitie at leaſt (I had almoſt ſaid a blaſphemie) deeply rooted and ſetled amongſt vsus: when any calamitie doth befall vsus, wee ſtraight cry out, Bad lucke, bad fortune. If any loſſe or croſſe betide vsus, oh (ſay we) what lucke and fortune was this. In eueryevery miſery, blinde fortune is complained of: And ſo è contra, when any good thing happens, Lucke and Fortune muſt be thanked for it; thus walking after the luſts of the Gentiles,Te facinius, Fortuna, Deam, coelo que locamus. Iuuen. Satyr. 10. who held Fortune as a Goddeſſe, and aſſigned her a place in heauen; repreſenting her by a woman ſitting vponupon a ball; as if the whole world were at her command; hauing with her a raſor, as if ſhee could at her pleaſure cut off and end mans happineſſe; bearing in her right hand the ſterne of a ſhip, as if ſhee could turne about all things at her pleaſure; and in her left hand, the horne of abundance, as though p. 228all plenty came from her. Which palpable Idolatry that was amongſt them, ſhould be renounced and abhorred by vsus Chriſtians. Yea ſo farre ſhould it be had in deteſtation, that the very name of Fortune ſhould not once be named amongſt vsus, and much leſſe any thing aſcribed to it, whereof we ſee not an apparent cauſe.

Secondly,Vſe 2. ſeeing afflictions are inflicted by the hand of God, this ſhould teach vsus patience, as it did Dauid when Abſolon roſe vp againſt him;ppPſal. 39. 10.Ps 39:10 I was dumbe, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou diddeſt it. It muſt needs be a bold audacious impudencie to murmur in afflictions, conſidering God is the author and inflicter. If our inferiour ſtrike vsus, we reuenge it treble: if an equall, we requite it: if a ſuperiour, we hauehave learned this wiſdome not to repine; or if we mutter, yet not to vtter our diſcontent. Thinke whoſe hand ſtrikes: It is Gods, who-euer be the inſtrument; the blow was his, whatſoeuer was the weapon. It is vſually ſeene, that in corrections comming immediatly from Gods hand, we are not ordinarily ſo impatient, as in thoſe which come by meanes of wicked inſtruments; and what is the cauſe but this? we doe not ſo apparently behold Gods holy hand ſtriking vsus in theſe latter as in the former: Did we but ſeriouſly conſider, that it is God that ſcourgeth vsus by them, we would be then aſhamed of our folly in being angry at the rod without any regard of the ſmiter; in ſnarling like dogs at the ſtone, neuer conſidering the flinger. Doe we not ſee how patiently Lords and Nobles condemned to die, ſuffer the ſtroke of death at the hands of the baſe hangman, ſhewing therein their ſubiection and obedience to their Prince? Euen ſo ſhould we, quietly and patiently endure all the indignities that are offered vntounto vsus by wicked worldly men, therein giuing teſtimonie of our obedience to God, who vſeth them as inſtruments of his iuſtice to correct vsus. See then that thou doſt ſo: neuer ſeuer the croſſe from Gods hand, though there be neuer ſo many inſtruments; p. 229but Heare the rod, & who hath appointed it; ſo ſhalt thou with patience and meekneſſe beare that affliction that is inflicted. But if otherwiſe; if when the croſſe comes, thou art willing to ſee any thing rather than God, running vponupon inferiour cauſes, gazing on men, or meanes, regarding more the ſtaffe wherewith thou art ſmitten, than the hand mouing and ruling it; it will then be intolerable, and thou muſt needs breake the bounds of patience.