Sermon. 1.

WHo Ioel y ^e sonne of Pe­thuel was, The authori­tie of Ioel. is no where expressed in y ^e holy scrip­tures. Norwithstanding that his credite and au­thoritie was great, it ap­peareth by the firste ser­mon of the Apostle Peter, Actes 2. wherin he vseth the testimonie of Ioel against the blasphe­mous scorners of the holy Ghost, and pro­ueth that his sending down was promised and prophesied of long before. Again Paul alleadgeth the selfesame Prophet, Ro [...]. 10. when he disputeth of the chiefe and principal points of our faith and saluation. But when and [Page 2]in what time he prophesied, The time. y ^e opinion of y ^e interpreters are diuers & sundry. I for my part agree with them, that deeme him to haue flourished in y ^e time of Esay y ^e prophet and to haue executed the office of teaching in the kingdom of Iuda: & euen thē verily, when as that most bloody warre first begā, which we reade was holden by Sennacha­rib the tyrāt of The assyrians agaynst Eze­chias. For albeit the same Eezechias had restored the true seruice & worship of God, 2. King. 18. 2. Cro. 29.30.31. yet notwithstanding (as we may see in E­say) there wanted not some, which laboured to keep still their old superstitions, & with­all brake forth by vnbrydeled libertie into all kind of sinne & wickednes. Hereunto was added y ^e Egyptian league or couenāt, Esay. 30.31. into which Ezechias, beeing otherwise a most excellent & religious prince, was dra­wen through y ^e crafty conueiance of some: Insomuch that such was then the conditiō of the Iewishe kingdome, as is nowe a­dayes for the most parte the state of the Churche vnder Christian Magistrates, when as some stand openly in defence of superstitiōs, & other some vnder pretence of y ^e gospel, liue too too licentiously, Esay. 36.37. & repose their whole trust & cōsidēce in y ^e help of mā. [Page]Which was the cause, that God sent vnto them the Assyrians, to destroy the ingrate & vnthankful rebels, to the intent they might learne by experience of their owne calami­tie to submit thēselues vnto God, The argumēt of the prophet that had hitherto ouer malapertly despised his word. Neuertheles he sent his prophets before, to admonish them of the danger to come, and the same being nowe at hand, to comfort & instruct the people in the doctrine of repē ­tance: amongst whō is Ioel numbred, who inueigheth against sinne not so seuerely in deede, as the rest commonly are wont to do (inasmuch as they were nowe rather to be taught and comforted, then chidden and re­buked) but with singular grauity he recoū teth vnto them what they had hitherto suf­fered, and what they were like hereafter to suffer. Further he sheweth them the way to escape, to be repentance, the whole order and maner whereof hee diligently decla­reth. Last of all, least any should be offen­ded with the prosperous successes of the e­ [...]emies of God, he foretelleth vnto them al­so their punishments, and vpon that occasi­on prophesieth of Christes kingdome and of the happie instauration thereof. And [Page 3]these thinges he accomplisheth altogether in two Sermons, wherof the former sum­marily comprehēdeth, whatsoeuer serueth to the denouncing of the punishments and the course of repentance: the other decla­reth the selfe same thinges more at large, together with those pointes that belong to the punishments of the enemies and y ^e pro­mised kingdome of Christ. And in these thinges forsooth conmeth the wonderfull goodnes of God to be considered, who pu­nisheth not euen those that are most wicked & vngodly, except he first admonisheth thē before. Yea, and hee so layeth his plagues vpon them, that in the meane time he hath a speciall consideration of his owne, whom he susteyneth with fatherly comfortes: for why? looke what he did long a goe in the time of the Prophets, and the selfe same vs wee feele also to bee true by experience in these dayes. Would God we might as wel remember our dueties, and not by our in­curable stubburnnes against God, willing­ly and willingly plucke destruction upon our owne heads.

The title of the prophesie.Furthermore these thinges being thus premised, let vs goe in hand with the words [Page]of the Prophet, who according to the com­mon maner of the Prophets, prefixeth a ti­tle to his prophesie in this sorte: The woorde of the Lorde that came to Ioel the sonne of Pethuel. In these wordes he both auoucheth his calling, and also procu­reth authoritie to his doctrine, least they shoulde thinke him to vtter foorth the con­reytes or dreames of his own braine. This thing the Prophets are accustomed euery where to doe by reason of the boldenesse of the wicked; with whome it is a verye common and ordinarye matter, to seeke on euery side occasions, whereby they may call the doctrine, that reproueth them, in­to question, and bryng it into batted. A­gainst whiche men there can no other au­thoritie more ryghtly or conueniently be obiected, then the authoritie of God him selfe: for albeit for the present time they laugh it to scorne, & abuse it with their vn­seemely scoffes and iestes, yet notwith­standing in their season they fynde those thinges to bee true, which they will nowe by no meanes beleeue, and then beyng conuicted in their owne heartes, they feele horrible boylinges in their consciences. In the meane tyme wee are admonished, [Page 4]that in the Churche, whiche (as Paule sayth) is the house of the liuing GOD, 1. Tim. 3. In the Church the word of God is only to bee taught. there ought nothing to bee taught and set foorth but the woorde of God. For if so bee this thynge were so diligently obser­ued of the Prophetes and Apostles, whose calling GOD confirmed by infinite ar­gumentes and testimonies: howe much more then ought the same to bee regarded of those that are by no meanes compara­ble vnto them: Detestable therefore is their boldenesse and unpudence, whiche in these dayes thinke euery thing to bee lawefull for them, and that which eyther they them selues haue deuised, or else re­ceyued from their most superstitions fa­thers, they thrust into the Churche for vn­doubted oracles. As for vs, let vs bee mindefull of Christ, who sayth: My sheepe heare my voyce, and they followe mee: a stranger will they not follow, but will flie from him, because they knowe not the voyce of strangers. &c. Iohn 10.

In the beginning of this first Sermon, hee procureth attention, The procu­ring of atten­tion. whiche is verye needfull in conceiuing the worde of God. And first he stirreth vp the Elders, who as [Page]they are furnished with the experience of things, and therfore more apt & fit to giue iudgement: so by authoritie of their exam­ple they may drawe the younger sort to fo­lowe their steppes. Notwithstanding, least he might seeme to speake onely to the El­ders, he eftsoones calleth vpon all the in­habitantes of the lande of Israel, and ex­horteth them not so muche to a vayne and idle hearing as vnto a diligent considera­tion of those things, which they had hither­to suffered, and which they were like after­ward to suffer: yea he commandeth them to commend the same to their posterity, to the ende they might serue for a perpetuall in­struction vnto all. Hearken ye (saith he) all the inhabitants of the land, whether such a thing (that is to say, any thing like vnto this) hath happened in your dayes, or in the daies of your fathers. Tel your childrē of it, & let your children shew their chil­dren, &c. The worde of God belong­eth to the in­struction of all. 1. Cor. 2. Psal. 119. Where wee are admonished first of all, that the word of belongeth to the information of all sortes of men: for in as much as by the fall of sinne wee haue all of vs lost that true light of reason whiche was in our first Parentes, wee nowe [Page 5]stande all in neede of a newe light, which God vseth to offer vnto vs by his worde. And hitherto serueth it, that hee willeth the Elders especially to giue their atten­dance, whome wee saide euen nowe to goe before others in experience of thinges and in giuing of aduice. For albeit we be ne­uer so diligētly instructed, nor neuer so wel seene in the long vse and experience of things; yet shall we nothing at all profit in the things belonging to Gods kingdome, vnlesse wee bee inlightened from aboue, and hearken to God speaking vnto vs by his worde: Which is the cause, that the Scriptures do euery where exhort vs to the studie of the word, and also do reproue the insolencie of those, that neglecting it, will needes be wise of themselues, and follow the swindge of their owne braine.

How we must be occupied in Gods worde.Moreouer wee are taught, howe and after what sort wee ought to bee conuer­sant in the worde of God, so as wee may reape some fruite by the exercise thereof. First, it behoueth vs not onely to bee hea­rers of it, but also to marke the singuler examples of Gods iudgements, whereby he vseth to adde credite to his threatnings [Page]and oracles. For vnlesse wee so doe, we shall euermore flatter our selues, and not thinke that those thinges will euer hap­pen vnto vs, which hee threatneth to the breakers and transgressours of his lawe. As oft therefore as wee heare his threat­ninges, whereby hee denounceth his in­dignation against Idolaters, Fornica­tors, Adulterers, couetous persons, man­sleaers, drunkardes, &c. Let vs withall consider what hee hath decreed in times past against suche, and besides let vs marke howe euen in our dayes hee puni­sheth not a fewe, that defile themselues with the saide enormities. Further let vs not thinke it enough to holde these thinges our selues, but let vs also commende the obseruation of them to our posteritie, This thing our duetie requireth, whereby God hath bounde vs vnto our children, and the selfesame doeth the honour and glory of God require also, which as it ought to bee most highly re­garded of all men, so can it no other way more bee inlarged and set foorth, then by the diligent instruction and information [Page 6]of our posteritie. Exod. 13. Dout. 6. Psal. 78. There are extant as touching this matter, peculiar preceptes and commandements of God in the Law, and in the Psalmes whereas it is written howe GOD ordeyned amongest his people, that fathers shoulde declare vnto their children his wonderous workes, to the ende that they also might learne to put their truste in God, and become obe­dient vnto him. And for this cause it is, that GOD commendeth Abrahams soundnesse and synceritie, saying: I know that hee will commaunde his sonnes, Gene. 18. and his housholde after him, that they keepe the way of the Lorde, and doe righteousnesse and iudgement. &c. They therefore doe hyghlye deserue of Gods glory, religion and publike wel­fare of men, that eyther priuately instructe and bring vp their children in the knowe­ledge of gods workes, or publikely lay be­fore them the histories of their owne coun­trie, or also of other nations, to the intent y ^t out of them their posteritie may fetch ex­amples of Gods iudgements, and bee admonished of theyr owne dueties. But greatly is the wretchednesse of our tyme [Page]to bee lamented, wherein the exercise of Gods word is of the most part neglected, the iudgementes of God marked of very fewe, histories corrupted through the per­uerse affections of men, and as for our children, they eyther not regarded at all, or els trayned vp in those thinges, that it had beene muche better for them neuer to haue knowen. This negligence of ours must God needes punishe, to the end wee may learne to bee wise by our owne harmes, that woulde not be warned by o­ther mens.

He calleth to remembrance the euils Past.But the Prophet goeth on, and telleth them what the thinges are, in the conside­ration whereof hee woulde haue them to bee so carefully occupied. And hee re­counteth vnto them diuers and sundrie ca­lamities, which had hitherto depriued them of the fruites and increase of the earth, so as euen a blinde man might well see the tokens of Gods wrath, & perceiue them to bee foretellings of a greater mise­ry. Wee reade of the like thing in the Prophet Amos, Amos. 4. where God by rehearsing the former plagues, sheweth, howe litle or nothing hee had profited with the stub­borne [Page 7]and incurable. For so doth hee cast their blockishnesse in their teeth, which of thinges past woulde not learne or foresee that which they now did suffer. That which is left of the palmer worme, hath the grashopper eaten, and that which is left of the Grashopper, hath the canker worme eaten, and that which is left of the canker worme, hath the caterpiller eaten. The sense is this: If one onely ca­lamitie had destroyed the increase but of one yeere alone, it might haue seemed to come by chaunce, or at least not to deserue so great obseruation. But seeing there haue now certaine yeeres together, one fo­lowing in anothers necke, succeeded in a maner whatsoeuer is wont to bee hurtfull & noysome, to the fruits of the earth, & that of the later plagues is deuoured & corrup­ted, whatsoeuer was left of the former: you must of necessitie be very blockishe, y ^t haue not acknowledged the manifest and singu­ler iudgement of God, who would not on­ly punish you with scarcitie & hunger, but also teach you by those wormes, what shold shortly come to passe, vnlesse by these sma­ler punishments you amended your liues: [Page]namely that forraine enemies with an in­credible multitude of souldiers shoulde o­uerrunne the whole land, and in maner [...] Caterpillers or canker wormes wast and destroy all that euer is both farre & neer [...] And y ^t this is the meaning of the Prophe [...] appeareth sufficiently by his woorde [...] following.

Small plagues forerunners of greater.This place teacheth vs, that lesse plagues are as it were forerunners an [...] proclaimers of greater. And there be [...] in histories euery where examples, whic [...] testifie that by the swarmes of Grashoppers or vnknowen birdes, or also by the vnaccustomed floods and ouerflowings [...] waters, haue beene signified and denounced y ^e inuasions of forraine enemies. Su [...] a like thing as this in y ^e yeere of our Lord 1545. hath Germanie seene, when as [...] kinde of Grashoppers, altogether vnkno­wen before, came out of Italy alongest th [...] countries bordering vpon the Alpes by th [...] selfesame way, which the yeere next following the souldiers sent from the Pope di­rectly held. We ought therefore to mark [...] whatsoeuer belong to this kind, least at a­ny time we say with the Poet in vaine.

Heere appeareth also the inuincible power of God, and how little the forces of men can doe against him, when as he is a­ble by such small and feeble creatures to vanquishe and ouercome them. For why? he is called the God of hosts, not onely for this cause, that all creatures do serue him, but for that also hee can (according to his good pleasure) arme them with straunge forces, so as they may be sufficient to ouer­come euen the most fel Tyrants and most mightie nations. A notable example of this thing wee haue in Pharao, whose fiercenes god tamed diuers times by mice, frogges, flyes, wormes, lice, so that he was faine to stoupe and crouch vnto Moses. The same happened to the Philistines. when as they were in their chiefe pride for the Arke of the couenant which they had taken. In like manner wee reade of Antiochus, Herode, Sylla and [Page]diuers other eaten and gnawē of wormes & of most mightle monarchies vtterly su [...] ­uerted & ouerthrowen by people that we [...] before obscure & vnknowē. As for y ^e fruit of the earth, wherupon our life dependet▪ God can take them away either by winde or vnseasonable raine, or by euery little change of weather: that wee may speak [...] nothing nowe of haile, frost, and other [...] bruntes of more grieuous tēpests. Whe [...] fore being mindefull of these things, let [...] obserue y ^e examples of gods iudgements and humble our selues vnder his might [...] hand, who will bountifully bestowe h [...] grace vpon those y ^t turne vnto him, that [...] they may preuaile ouer all dangers by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord: to whom [...] bee giuen blessing, honour, glory and do minion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon 2.

ALbeit God being prouoked by the incurable malice of men, The argumēt and vse of this present place. doe some­times correct and chasten them, yet he be­ing perpetually mindefull of his good­nesse, euen amiddest their punishments teacheth and admonisheth them by his worde: that euen then they might searche out the causes of their sufferings, and en­deuoure to returne vnto him. An example hereof we haue in Ioel. For at y ^t time the Iewes sinned sundrily, notwithstanding that they had Ezechias for their king, a most excellent and religious priuce, as wee sayde of late. God had reprooued them by Esay, Micheas, and others, and that very bitterly and often. But when as hee preuayled nothing thereby, at the length hee mooued Warre against them by the Assyrians. And beeing in danger, hee gaue Ioel vnto them for to exhorte them to repentance, and to put them in hope of pardon if they conuerted vnto him. Hee therefore to the intent hee might the more easily obtaine this at their handes, is very plentifull in describing the punishments, which he so layeth before [Page 10]them, that they might vnderstande that they came not to passe by haphazard, but were sent by the iust iudgement of God. Whither especially serueth this present place, wherin he stirreth vp all sortes of men to mourning: intending thus much, that they that had hytherto careleslye con­cenmed the iudgementes of God, might nowe euery of them enter into their own heartes, and seeke for the causes of the present warre in them selues, and hauing found them, go in hand with amēdment of life. Where wee learne, howe that in publike calamities no man ought to bee carelesse, as though hee him selfe were no parte or cause thereof. For al­beeit some sinne more greeuously then o­ther, yet is no man altogether without fault: yea and it commeth commonly to passe by the sinnes of the people, that ey­ther wicked princes are giuen vnto them, which bring all thinges out of order by their desperate counsayle, or els that there is no good done by the holesome coūsailes of the best and most godly princes. Euery one therfore ought to enter into thēselues, [Page]and to bewayle not onely the common ca­lamitie, but also their sinnes, wherby they haue caused it, and to seeke the amende­ment of them, which is the very best and onely way, whereby they maye prouide both for the safety of themselues and of that which they haue.

Hee prouo­keth the drun­kardes first to mourning.But let vs come to the wordes of the Prophet who beginning with the Drun­kards, exhorteth thē first of all to mourne: namely because they were the chiefe and principal authors of al y ^e miserie. For it is euident by the sermons of Esay and Mi­cheas, Esa. 5.28.56 Mich. 2. that at that time drunkennesse reig­ned in all sortes and degrees of men, both high and lowe, yea and euen in the priestes and Prophets them selues. Heereby it came to passe, that the Peeres of the realme neglected the common wealth, the Priestes dealt carelesly in their office, the Prophets by their flattering and fond sermons hardened the wicked more and more, and the people, as well by their own intemperance, as also prouoked by the ex­ample of the states, ranne headlong with­out checke into all kind of sinne and abo­mination: The Prophet therefore doth [Page 11]not without a cause range them first of all in aray, and applieth his speech very fittingly to their maners. Awake (saith he) yee drunkards, and weepe, howle all yee drinkers of wine. &c. For why: Drun­kards and winebibbers are wont to spend the greatest part of their time in slouthfull sleepe, and although they somtimes wake, yet differ they little from sleepers, sith they haue no certainetie of any thing, and want the vse both of reason and senses. Moreouer they sleepe securely in their sinnes, they reioyce in them, yeathey fill al thinges with their mad musicke and fran­tike iollitie, and outrage in all kinde of wanconnesse. Now therefore the Pro­phet willeth them to awake, to weepe and to howle: intending thereby to vpbrayde them with these their wicked maners and conditions. As though hee shoulde saye, Yee haue slept hitherto through stitch O yee drunken rioters, Esay. 50 in whose feastes (that I may vse the wordes of Esay) are the harpe and viole, timbrell and pipe, but in the meane time yee haue not re­garded the worke of the Lord, Amos. 6. nay (as A­mos saith) ye would seeme to be like vn­to [Page]Dauid, and yet could he nothing at al preuaile with you by his godly admo­nitions. But now is it time as I suppose, that you also should awake and fall to weeping. For albeit the publike calami­tie of the whole nation doe not as yet mooue yee, yet at leaste mourne for the liquor of life, which is pluckt awaye from your mouth. By liquor he vnder­standeth nothing else then wine: but yet he would vse this word, to the intent hee might taunt the scurrilitie of the Drun­kardes, which are wont to giue sundrye and vnusuall names to their wine, that euē by y ^t means they might testifie their vnsa­tiable loue of wine. Exāples of this light­nes we haue ouer many w ^t vs euery day to be seen. But he teacheth thē by this means y ^t they should euen now be compelled in spight of their teeth, to become more so­ber, when as God had taken from them this liquor, wherewith they had hitherto beene ouermuch moystend and made fro­licke. Neither wanteth it great force, in that he saith it is pluckt from their mouth, to shew, that all hope was now quite gone from them, seeing that God had smitten [Page 12]the very cuppes out of their hands, which they were euen now about to set to their lippes. And to the end hee might the bet­ter rouze them vp, hee layeth before them a description of the enemies and of the de­solation by them made very fearefull and terrible, saying: For a nation commeth vpon my land, a nation (I say) mightie, and without number, whose teeth are like the teeth of a Lyon. &c. And by teeth he signifieth the inuincible strength and we apons of the Assyrians, such as are in the teeth and iawes of Lions very incre­dible. That nation maketh my Vine waste, & pilleth off the barke of my fyg­tree. &c. In which wordes he signifieth a more thē ordinary crueltie of the enemies, who not contented to haue wreaked their fury vpon the bodies of men, and to haue spoyled the fruites nowe layde vp in the fielde and left still on the trees, should ex­ercise their crueltie also, euen vppon the land it selfe, and vppon the very trees, that all commoditie of dwelling in that lande might quite be taken from those, that had happily escaped their handes. Neither doeth God say without a cause, that [Page]these thinges were done in his land, in his vineyarde, in his figtree: that so he might teach them, that hee woulde neuer haue suffred these thinges to come to passe ex­cept their wickednesse had enforced him, which had hitherto prophaned that lande, that ought to be consecrated to him alone and the very seate of his true worship.

Wee are admonished therefore by this example, The punish­ment of drun­kards. &c. howe common drunkardes and vnthankefull wasters of Gods benefites are like to speede. These men are wonte by their intemperate liuing to seeke for prayse and glory, and as though they were borne to consume the good fruites of the earth, they deuoure all things throughe their vnsatiable throates. Thus doing, they abuse GOD himselfe with horrible blasphemie, whose giftes they shamefully waste and consume. They are well wor­thye therefore to bee plagued at Gods hande eyther with tempestes, or with sun­drye sortes of wormes and vermine, and at the length with most cruell enemies, that the fruites of the earth beeing taken away, they may either hunger and thirst, or els hee flaine downe to rightes altoge­ther. [Page 13]For it is much better, that wine and all manner of fruites perishe at once, and that the lande it felfe be made waste and desolate, then that there shoulde be giuen matter and occasion to these filthy hogges of Epicures hearde, whereby to offende both against the common comlines of ma­ners and also against the Glory of GOD himselfe without ceassing. The Pro­phets foretolde that these thinges shoulde happen vnto them, but they woulde not beleeue them. That therefore came to passe which loel rehearseth in this place, and they, that before woulde not heare the Prophet, were afterwarde compelled to heare Rabsaketh, who with most shame­full woordes casting in their teeth the hunger, that they suffred in the time of the siege, sayde: Esay. 36. Am I not sente to these caytifes that keepe watche vppon the Walles: That they may eate theyr owne doung and drinke theyr owne pisse with you: And truely this was a horrible iudgement of GOD, wherby he would haue his own land thus to be af­flicted. Neyther yet happened these [Page]thinges at that time alone, but when as afterwarde they returned to the selfe same manners, they had the desolation of seuentie yeeres brought vpon them by the Babylonians. And at length both the Citie and Temple beeing vtterlye subuerted by the Romanes, God (accor­ding as hee had threatned in the Lawe) wholy remooued his blessing from that lande, Liuit. 25. so as nowe it might seeme to bee of Brasse, and to haue a firmament of y­ron, y ^t before flowed altogether with milke and Hony. Would to GOD they would consider these thinges now adayes, which doe so addict them selues to the practise of Drunkennesse, that they will bee re­fourmed neyther by admonitions nor ex­amples, whereof there are store yet euery day both priuatly and publikely. Well, there hangeth ouer▪ them also vndoubtedlye a publike and vniuersall calamitie, which will plucke the Wine and fruites from their mouthes, and bring deserued destruction vppon their owne heades.

But omitting these Drunkardes, [Page 14]the Prophet turneth his speeche to the Churche of the Godly, The Church of the godly is willed to mourne. and willeth them also to mourne. Mourne (sayth he) like a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the Lorde of her youth. So calleth hee the husbande, whome GOD him selfe hath commanded to take the rule and gouern­ment ouer the wife. And hee compareth the Churche of the Godlye to a wife or spouse, which parable is euery where to be met with all in the Scriptures. But in this place it signifieth moste bitter mourning. For like as the loue of new married folkes is most tender and feruēt, so can there not bee but moste grieuous mourning, if euen in the first beginning it be interrupted by the death of the hus­band. But he prescribeth to the Godly a farre other cause of mourning, then vnto the Drunkards. For he willed these to mourne because of the wine taken from them, for as much as they make account of nothing to be so sweete and pleasant vnto them as wine. But to the other he sayth: For the meate offring and drinke offring is cutte off from the house of the Lorde, the Priestes [Page]that serue the Lord mourne. And in these wordes he signifieth the subuersion of Gods worshippe, whiche was grown by the terrour of the warre and destructi­on of the Land, as that whiche immediath followeth doeth testifie, when hee addeth▪ The fielde is wasted, the land mourneth, for the Corne is destroyed, Leuit. 2. & 23. &c. and the wine is dryed vp, and the oyle is decayed. For they vsed dayly in their meate offringes corne and oyle, and when they offred their firste fruites they cooke also a certaine quantitie of wine. And in these kindes he comprehendeth the whole externall wor­ship, which in the time of warre was for the most part intermiteed, when as they could neither goe vp to the temple that dwelt in Iudea, neither also were the fruites sufficient for the daily sacrifices in that horible desolation of the whole land. This thing was most grieuous vnto the priestes, whom he sayth therfore to haue mourned, when namely they com­pared the present confusion of thinges with the former concourse of the whole nation vnto the holy rites. But for the same cause the Prophet biddeth also the [Page 15]rest of the godly to mourne. For although it be lawfull for vs to lament our domesti­call and priuate miseries (so that it be mo­destlie done) yet for so much as the worship of God ought before all other thinges to bee most deare vnto vs, it behooueth vs to mourne, for this also especially, if at any time we perceiue the same to fayle or de­cay: and so muche the more bitter ought this griefe to bee vnto vs, for because this thing happeneth by our default, whose duetie it was by our continuall practise of godlinesse and innocencie, to mamtaine and defend the true seruice and worship of GOD. It is a griefe to the childe, if he heare the honour of his father to come in danger. But if he see the same to hap­pen by his owne ouersight, that seemeth indeede vnto him a thing intosterable.

The like consideration is to bee had of Gods children, who are wont to preferre the glory of God before all maner of ri­ches, and euen before their owne proper life it selfe. This thing bewrayeth the great wretchednesse of the people of our dayes, who are at a point, whatsoeuer the state of Gods worship and religion bee, [Page]so as they may keepe reuell route and en­ioy their goodes after their owne heartes desire. But they shall one day bee com­pelled to lament their owne destruction, that would not bewayle the losse of Gods glory and religion.

Thirdly, he speaketh to the husband­men & vinedressers, He prouo­keth al the cō ­mon people to mourne. vnder which he com­prehendeth all the residue of the vulgar people. And because such for the most part are led onely with present things, and haue no regard to those thinges that belong to the worship of God: he produ­ceth the selfesame causes, which he did be­fore to the Drunkardes, and yet not so bitterly, for that they sinned more through blockishnesse and ignorance, then through malice. Be ye ashamed O husbandmen (saith hee) Howle O ye vine dressers, for the wheate and for the Barley, because the haruest of the fielde is perished. And forthwith he reckoneth vp diuers and sun­dry kindes, and sheweth that all is nowe quite taken awaye, which was wonte to bee a ioye and comforte vnto men. Neither ought this so often a repetiti­on of one and the selfesame thing to bee [Page 16]thought superfluous. For there is no question but that they all wepte aboun­dantly, when they sawe the cruell ene­mies to destroye all that euer was on eue­ry side. But they mourned no otherwise then like brute beastes, for that they wan­ted those thinges, which serued their ne­cessitie and delight: in the meane time as touching the pacifying of Gods wrath, they cared not much for that. Whiche blockishnesse to the ende hee might driue from them, he efte soones heapeth together and inculketh whatsoeuer was done con­trary to the common maner of warfaring by the vnaccustomed fury of the souldi­ers: that so they might acknowledge the singular iudgèment of God, and beginue by that occasion to consider of their sinnes.

These thinges therfore ought to serue also for our instruction. For this blor­ [...]shnesse or stupiditie sticketh fast in all men, so as they cannot euen with most grieuous plagues be brought to the ac­knowledgement of their transgressions, for in as much as we sticke commonly in [Page]second causes, wee acknowledge not these thinges to proceede from Gods wrath. Our mourning therefore being ioyned with a beastly astonishment, conteyneth nothing else then outcries and howlings, witnesses of our impatiencie and despera­tion, whereby we cause both our punish­mentes to be more grieuous, and also pro­uoke Gods wrath so muche the more a­gainst vs. Let vs remember therefore, that wee haue so to mourne in the time of our troubles, that we may diligentlye obserue the causes of them, and be vnfeig­nedly grieued for y ^t same through faith to Godward: which grief or sorrow (as Paul sayth) causeth repentance to saluation, 2. Cor. 7. not to bee repented of. For it bringeth vs to Christ Iesus, who as he reconcileth vs to God his father, so doth he prepare vs to euery good worke, that finally hauing escaped all the miseries of this world, we may reigne with hun for euer in heauen. To him therefore bee giuen, blessing, ho­nour, glory and dominion for euer and e­uer. Amen.

Sermon 3.

The argumēt & vse of this present place. IOel the Prophet is wholy occupied in this, namely, that hee might rouze vp the people of his time, whome the dan­gets of The Assyrian warre on euery side oppressed, to repentance. Which to the intent hee might the better bring to passe, hee beginneth with the description of the punishments, which being amplist­ed with a diligent rehearsall of all the cir­cumstances, he layeth before them: and this he doeth partly to shewe, that the euils [Page]whiche they had hytherto suffered came not at all aduenture, but were sente of GOD: and partly to prooue that repen­tance and conuertion vnto GOD was verye requisite and necessarie for them. For why? men are wont commonly to fayle in these two pointes, that first they acknowledge not the hande of GOD in afflicting them, but perswade them­selues that all thinges come to passe by chaunce, or at haphazarde: Whereup­on straight wayes followeth the other: namely, that they thinke they haue no neede of repentaunce. Which two thinges forasmuch as they reigne euerye where nowe adayes, the diligence of the Prophete, which hee presently vseth, ought by no meanes to bee deemed super­fluous, for to these hee adioyneth nowe the doctrine of repentance, to the which hee duely exhorteth them, and in fewe woordes comprehendeth all those things, which, whysest wee bee chastized of God, are necessary of vs to bee obserued and done.

The priests by their own ex­ample ought to be guides vnto other to repentance.But hee beginneth with the Priestes, whome hee admonisheth, that they would become leaders of the people to repen­tance. For hee saith: Gyrde your selues, and lament yee Priestes, howle yee Ministers of the altar, that is to say: you whome God hath appointed to bee ad­ministers of the Sacrifices and of the whole outwarde seruice, Come, to wit, into the temple, neither put yee on your solemne and mysticall garments, but ap­parrell your selues with, sackcloth, and lye there all night O ye Ministers of my God. And hee willeth them to put on sackcloth, after the custome and maner of the people of the East, who were wont in theyr greatest heauinesse, and in y ^e time of their publike repentance to change their garmentes, & to vse a more streighter kind of weede, and more fitte to mourne with­all.

But the end of all is this, that they should not onelye require repentaunce of o­thers, as though they themselues were voyde of all blame, but rather to bee the first that should returne vnto God, & to [Page]become guides vnto other in returning to him, whome before by their negligence they estranged from him. And hee al­leadgeth the selfesame cause, as before, when hee addeth: Because the meate of­fering and drinke off [...]ring is taken away from the house of your God. And hee addeth weight vnto the cause, in that hee calleth them the Ministers of the Altar, and of God himselfe. For if so bee the re­ligion and worship of God, bee highly to bee tendred euen of priuate persons, howe muche more then ought the same to be re­garded of those, whom God himselfe hath made Presidents of religion, and which liue by the ministerie thereof?

The dutie of the chiefe peeres in common calami­ties.But from hence wee haue to ga­ther a generall doctrine, that as well the Ecclesiasticall as Temporall Magi­strates when publike calamities are at hande, ought firste of all to be thinke them of repentaunce, and to goe be­fore others by theyr example. For although GOD punisheth also the of­fences of the common people, yet for the most part is the sinne of the Ma­gistrates [Page 19]and Prelates more grieuous, who oftentimes eyther through negli­gence doe foreslowe their office, or els doe offende others by their most perillous example. Whereby it com­meth to passe, that in euery of their sinnes is a manyfolde giltinesse. For they bothe transgresse the commaunde­mente of GOD, and neglect the saluation of those whome GOD hath committed to their charge, and besides are the authours of offence, which is so muche the more greeuous and hurt­full, as it taketh more weight by their authoritie. As therefore they ought more carefully to bethynke them of re­conciliation with GOD for their own saluations sake, so is it meete and con­uenient, that they shoulde giue exam­ple of repentaunce to the very same, whome before they offended by their ex­ample. Whereupon wee may ga­ther, that they doe worst of all prouide for theyr owne, and for the Publike welfare, which least they shoulde seeme at any time to haue doone amisse, per­seuer [Page]and goe forwarde in theyr pur­pose of sinning, and so weene they onely their honour and dignitie may bee prouided for, if they admit no mans warninges or admonition.

But heere must wee obserue also, that the Ministers of the woorde haue receyued this commaundemente from GOD himselfe, It is lawefull for Ministers to admonishe and reprooue the Magi­strates. that they shoulde no lesse prouoke suche to repentaunce, then the base and common people. This doeth Ioel heere in this place, and that hee dyd well therein, it may ap­peare by those woordes, whiche the Lorde speaketh vnto Ieremie: Be­holde this day daye doe I make thee a defenced Citie, Iere. 1. an yron pyl­ler, and a brazen wall against the whole lande, against the kinges of Iuda, and againste the Princes thereof, againste the Priestes, and against the people of the whole land.

Loe euen to Kinges, Princes, and Priestes ought Ieremie to preache, whom it is euidente to haue preached no other thing then repentance, namely, that [Page 20]forsaking their sinnes they should turne vnto GOD, and bee made partakers of saluation in Christ.

This selfe same thing obserued the reste of the Prophetes, as in theyr Ser­mons is to bee seene. And that there is no other order of teaching prescribed in the Newe Testament, the precepte of Christe declareth, who commaundeth the Gospell to bee preached to all peo­ple of all sortes and degrees, Mark. 16. Luke. 24. and of this preaching hee appointeth two parts, to witte, repentance and remission of sinnes.

The very selfe same also do y ^e examples teach, which are set foorth in the Mini­sters of the newe Testament. Certesse the first of them Iohn Baptist dealt more hardly and seuerely with none, then with the Pharisees, whose authoritie at that time was greatest in matters of reli­giō. The same thought good not to spare euen Herode himselfe, Math. 3. Luke. 3. when as hauing forgotten both his owne dignitie and pub­like honestie, hee kept to himselfe his bro­thers wife.

What shoulde wee say of Christe, Mark. 6. Math. 15. 21.23. Luke. 11. Ioan. 8. Act. 2.3. &c. who beeing wont to deale very gently with the people, yet against the Priestes and Scribes inueigheth (as I may so say) with full sayle? And the Apostles fo­lowing his example, doe publikelye in their Sermons hitte the Priestes in the teeth with their sinne of murthe­ring the Sonne of GOD. Neither did the dignitie of their order defende them, which they were not ignorant was long before ordeined of GOD, and full of the Mysteries of Christe Iesus. Loke distinct. 40. cap. Papa. De­testable therefore is the pride of the Ro­mish Bishops, which will bee checked and controused of none, although they both neglect their office, and carry away innumerable soules to hell. Yea, when as they treade all holy thinges vnder foote, make all religion their owne gaine, and offer the same to the Iewes & Turkes to bee laughed to scorne: they perse­secute all those with fyre and sworde, that couet the restitution of sounde doctrine, and the pure Seruice and worship of GOD. Comp [...]ns of [Page 21]these men are all those princes and magi­strates made, which whilest they openly sinne, will yet also suffer themselues to bee admonished and reprooued of none. But we reade howe Dauid, Ezechias, Iosias, & afterwarde Theodosius were farre other­wise minded, who in this behalfe procured to them selues most excellent commenda­tion, and to their kingdoms assured peace, for that they set the worde of God before their eyes to be folowed, and paciently suf­fered the rebuke thereof, &c.

He instituteth publike repē ­tance.But after that hee hath taught, what ought priuately to bee done of euery of the Priestes, nowe he telleth them what they shoulde doe publikely, and so compriseth in fewe woordes whatsoeuer belongeth to publike repentance, a thing very needefull in common calamities. First, sanctifie (sayth he) a fast. That is to say, 1. A fast. proclaime such a fast, as all men at once forsaking al their prophane studies & delightes, may bende themselues onely to those things, that serue to Gods glory, and the leading of a holy and Christian conuersation: for by the name of Fasting, the Scripture vn­derstandeth not a superstitious abstinence, [Page]which consisteth in the difference of meats, and obseruation of certaine dayes, such as of late tymes was brought in by mens tra­ditions: but it requireth a discipline, where by the pride and lust of our fleshe may be ta­med and kept vnder. This discipline is extended to all those thinges, that cause the flesh to become more proude or fierce, whe­ther the same bee meate, or drinke, or appa­rell, or also company with our wiues, asit shal appeare in the second Chapter. There can therefore heere no certaine lawes bee prescribed, but euery man must be a law to himselfe, whilest he obserueth the nature and disposition of his owne flesh, and with­draweth the nourishments of lust from the same. Neither also are these thinges re­quired to this ende and purpose, as though they merited any thing of themselues: (for the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke, Rom. 14. but righteousnes, and peace, and ioye in the holy Ghost. And y ^e saying of the Lorde is wel knowen in the Prophet: When ye fast ye fast to your selues, and when yee eate, Zach. 7. yee eate to your selues, &c,) But that the spirite myght haue and [Page 22]enioye this power and dominion in vs, least that the fleshe preuayling ouer it, shoulde disturbbe and put bye the exercise of repentance. Whiche also is the cause, that it is not tyed or bounde to anye cer­tayne dayes, but is then commaunded, when eyther wee stande in neede of pub­lique repentaunce for speciall causes, or else wee our selues priuately feele the po­wer of the spirite to decay and waxe weake in vs, so farre foorth that Christe, whiche in the brydegrome of our soules, may seeme to bee departed and gone fromvs: of whiche thyng hee hym selfe in the Gos­pell inueyghyng agaynst the Pharisaical fastes, Math. 9. putteth vs in mynde.

Ioel therefore prescribeth no super­stitious thyng, but hee vegeth this at their handes, that reiectyng the baites and entysementes of sinne, they woulde prepare them selues vnto prayer and a­mendemente of lyfe. But some man may say: Why wylleth hee a faste to be publikely proclaymed, Math. 6. when as Christ commandeth vs to hide also conceale our [Page]fastes: where we must marke and obserue, that some fastes are priuate, and other some publike. And those that are taken in hande for priuate causes, ought, as Christe teach­eth, to be closely handled, least wee shoulde seeme to seeke our own priuate glory, and a vaine estimation of holines with the peo­ple. There is another consideration to bee had of publike fastes, whiche serue to the publike confession of sinnes & repentance: suche as in this place Ioel commaundeth, and such as that was also, which wee reade the king of the Niniuites caused to be pro­claymed. And that these shoulde bee done openly, Ion. 3. it is requisite for many causes: for so are mens mindes the more stirred vp by the examples of other, and those are euen for shame of the worlde kept from sinning, which were before touched with no religi­on: agayne, it is meete and conuenient, that such as were not ashamed to sinne openly, shoulde also not be ashamed of open repen­tance, whereby they may craue mercye at Gods hand.

Secondly, 2. Holy as­semblies. he sayeth, Call a solemne assembly. And immediatly he setteth bow [...] [Page 23]who they are, & whither they should be cal­led. Gather the Elders, and all the inha­bitantes of the lande, into the house of the Lord your God. He will haue the El­ders to be called, by the name of whom are vnderstood, as many as beeing placed in a­nie dignitie doe surmount other in autho­ritie. And he hath a speciall eye vnto these, because that by the example of such publik assēblies, repentance is greatly furthered. Yet he adioyneth vnto thē al other states & degrees whatsoeuer: for why, it is cōueni­ent, that seeing al together haue by sinning prouoked God vnto anger, all likewise shoulde bee carefull howe to appease the same. But he will haue these assemblies to be made in the Temple, and that because it had excellent promises, as appeareth in the first booke of the Kings: 1. King. 8. not verely for the gorgious building thereof, but for that as well the Temple it selfe, as also the things that were done in it by the appoint [...] [...] of the Lawe, represented the mysteries of Christ Iesus, who alone is able to pac [...]e Gods wrath, and reconcile vs vnto him. Thus therefore he sendeth them to the pro­mised [Page]Sauior of mankinde, least they shoulde attribute any glory of merit either to their fasts or outward assēblies. In the meane time this place maketh much to the commendation of holy assemblies, for al­though neither the worshippe of God, nor praiers ought to bee tied to any certaine places (because that the true worshippers doe worshippe euery where in spirite and trueth) yet for orders sake, Ioan. 4. and to a­uoyde confusion, it behooueth vs to haue aplace certayne, wherein congregations may come together to heare the woorde of God, and vnto publique prayers. For that euen these also are moste effectuall with GOD, appeareth by the promise of Christ, Math. 18. saying: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middest of them: and what­soeuer they shal aske, it shalbe giuen them of my Father, which is in heauen. For seeyng God woulde haue vs eipecially to bee of one minde in religion, their consent can not but greatly please him, that meete together to praye that his wrath may bee turned from them.

Where vpon in tymes past Tertul­lian In Apologet. Cap. 39. [Page 24]wrote: We come together in the con­gregation, to the intent that making as is were a hande vnto God wee may compasse him with our prayers. This force is ac­ceptable and pleasing vnto God. And hereof it came (as it seemeth vnto mee) that the auncient Fathers appoynted cer­tayne houres of prayers, whereof there is mention in Daniel and in the Actes: Dani. [...]. Act. 3.10 [...] to the ende that suche as coulde not come to the Churches, might at least ioyne their priuate praiers at home with the publique. Nowe adayes the superstition, whiche by this occasion haue growen in force, there are many that set against it (and that wor­thily) but as touching the restoring of pub­like praiers, fewe or none make any questi­on.

Furthermore, 3. Publik [...] prayers. to what ende the assem­bly or congregation should come together, the prophete him selfe sheweth when hee addeth: And crye vnto the Lorde. So he prouideth, least any shoulde thinke repen­tance to consist in a certaine vame & stage­like ostētation: for he wisteth them to pray, nay to crye, that he might commende vnto thē an earnest & feruent desire of praying. [Page]And he will haue them to direct their pray­ers vnto the Lord, least after the maner of the Gentiles and superstitious sorte, they shoulde craue ayde and helpe of the crea­tures. As for the forme of prayer, which they must publikely vse, he will prescribe that in the Chapter following. In the meane season it is our partes, to learne heereby what wee ought to doe in these daies, when as the tokens of Gods wrath are euerie where seene: and the wicked e­uenues of God doe most grieuouslye op­presse his church. Many there be in deede, endewed both with wisedome and autho­ritie, that consulte aboute this matter. But the onely way of appeasing Gods wrath and atteining vnto sauing health must this bee, which is heere taught and set downe. For it is confirmed with infinite promises and examples, euen from the beginning of the worlde to this day. The Prophets doe thunder out this euery where. Math. 3. With this doth Iohn begin the doctrine of the Newe Testament, and with the same comman­deth Christ his Apostles to beginne. Luke. 34. As many as haue refused this in time paste, haue alwaies beene punished with most [Page 25]grieuous plagues. But O the wretched state and condition of our time: for howe fewe shall a man finde, that consider anye thing at all of fasting and of brideling of the fleshe? when as wee absteine not euen from vnlawfull and vngodly pleasures? There reigneth nowe among all sortes of men Iustfulnesse insatiable, pride outragi­ous, and more then beastly rage of drunkē ­nesse. Holy assemblies and meeting es are of the most part neglected, and what time soeuer is bestowed in them, is supposed to be onerlong and tedious. Which is a to­ken, that our prayers also are verye colde and fr [...]sen. And if there be any that deale with repentance, it is such as is counter­fet and momentany, Hosee. 6. like vnto that that Ho­see wh [...] doth y ^e Israelites withall▪ What do we then maruaile at the wrath and dis­pleasure of God, hanging euery where o­uer our heades, & dayly threatning more grieuous plagues vnto vs? God graunt for his mercies sake, that we being euen softened and mollified with scourges may returne vnto the Lorde, who hath giuen vs free accesse vnto the throne of his grace in Christ Iesus our onely Sauiour: to whom [Page]be giuen blessing, honour, glory, and domi­nion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon. 4.

The argumē [...] and vse of this present place.MOst men in deed doe confesse with one consent, that repentaunce and conuersion vnto God is need­full, if at any time euen priuate ca­lamities bee vpon them: but the same not­withstanding doe very hardly admit y ^e true doctrine of repentāce: for inasmuch as they suppose it to consist only in a certaine out­ward & stage like behauiour, it seemeth vn­to thē to bee superfluous, whatsoeuer they heare spoken of the mortifiyng of the flesh, of mans renewing, of the amēdemēt of life & maners, also of prayers, & other such like exercises of true faith & religion. Therfore Ioel, whē as he had of late diligētly taught & set forth y ^e maner of true repētance: now he exhorteth thē very grauely to imbrace y ^e same, seing they could no other way be prouided for: & w ^t al he sharply reproueth their more thē beastly blockishnes, which were so hardned at y ^e sense of gods wrath, that they were nothing at al moued with the euils y ^t on euery side oppressed thē. The vse of the place vnto vs also may bee this, namely, y ^t we may draw arguments frō it, how to cas [...] off al blockishnes, & to stirre vp our selues to the exercise of repentance.

He teacheth repentance to be needefull.But hee beginneth with a reason or argument which he deriueth from the ne­cessitie of the matter, and denounceth it by an exclamation very pathetical and full of passions. Alas for that day (saith hee) for the day of the Lorde is at hande, and will come as a destruction from the Almigh­tie. And the Scripture calleth the day of the Lorde the time of vengeance, wherein hee punisheth the vngodly: because he then especially proueth him self to be God, who seemeth to be none, when he suffereth sins to goe vnpunished. The sense therefore of the words is this: Hitherto forsooth our gracious and merciful God hath of long time deferred the punishmentes, which you haue deserued. But forsomuch as you haue shamefully abused his long suf­fering pacience, nowe is the day of iudgement at hande, and that suche, as e­uen nowe when I thinke of it, it causeth mee to shake and quake for feare. For it will come as a certayne desolation from the Almightie. That is to say, it will come much like, as if God shoulde bend all his forces at once to destroy those that woulde not hitherto bee amended.

Where wee are admonished, that they doe in vayne trust in the long sufferaunce of God, which cease not to prouoke his wrath by their continuall custome of sin­ning. For such doe heape vp to themselues wrath, as Paule saith, Rom. 2. and doe euen arme all the forces of God against themselues, and shall feele the same one day to be their destruction, in which they ought most of al to haue hoped.

He repeateth things past & present. esa. 30.31.36.But because he knewe them partly to be so blockish and senselesse, and partly so proude and desperate (to wit, by reason of the confidence they had in the Egyptian League, as is to be seene in Esay:) that they were not terrified with the threatnings of the punishment to come, he returneth a­gayne to the thinges past, and eftsoones re­peateth what they had suffered, and withal setteth before their eyes the countenance of their present state and conditiō, that by the consideration of all these thinges, they might vnderstande the same to be pream­bles of greater mischiefes. And he fra­meth his speech with an interrogation, to the intent, they might be conuicted by the testimony of their owne consciences. Is [Page]not the meat (sayth he) cut off frō before our eyes? Is not ioy and gladnes depar­ted from the house of our God: for why? the sacrifices of the Iewes were full of re­ioycement and comfort, as well because they renewed the memorie of Gods aunci­ent benefites towardes them, as also for that they were types and figures of the re­demption to come in Christ, and confir­med the promises thereof. Deut. 14.16 Hereunto were added the holy feastes, wherein they reioy­ced (as Moses commaunded) before the Lorde, and relieued also the poore with their liberalitie. Because therefore there coulde no such thing bee done or accompli­shed in all the time of the warre, the Pro­phete mencioneth these thinges. And the sense is this: If your matters bee so cock­sure, that you think ye haue no such great neede of repentance, neither are ye ter­rifyed with the threatnings of calamities to come, at lestwise consider what things ye haue hitherto suffered. For why? you can not deny, but that euen before your faces are cutte vp, and as it were stricken out of your handes, whatsoeuer serue to your liuing and welfare. Neyther is [Page 28]penury alone entred into priuate houses, but it hath inuaded also the Temple, wherein are to bee seene no maner of printes at all of the former ioy and glad­nesse. There is nowe no resort vnto this, as hath beene in times past from all pla­ces rounde about. There are nowe no sacrifices, no holy dayes, no feastes, no re­membrance of Gods olde and auncient benefites, to cheere your heartes withall, but all thinges are full of mourning and heauines. And can you thinke that these thinges are come to passe without a speciall cause? or woulde God haue suffered them thus to bee, if his wrath had not been kindled euen to the vtter­most? It appeareth by this, Gods woor­ship for sinne is taken away. howe great the heynousenes of sinnes is before God, when as he punisheth thē in such sort, that hee spareth not euen those thinges that be­long to his owne seruice and worship. Yea we are taught here, howe vaine the confi­dence of outwarde profession and religion is, except the mind and maners be answe­rable thereunto: for he taketh from the vn­thankful creatures al external helpes, least he might seem to be a fauorer of their sins. [Page]Examples of this seuerity, we may set at this day throughout Greece, Asia, and Af­frica, when as in those places doe reygne the detestable impiety of Mahomets sect, wherein in times past were the most flou­rishing Churches of Christ. The conside­ration wherof, ought to moue vs also, least that wee puffed vp with a vayne professi­on, doe one day fall into the selfesame pu­nishmentes.

He taketh a [...] the hope of Poyson to [...]me.Moreouer, because the Iewes promised to themselues better thinges hereafter, & were not a little comforted with the hope of their haruest to come, the prophet taketh euen this also from thē, saying: The feedes are rotten vnder the cloddes, whereunto they were committed. And what hope then can you haue of them? But there are some barnes you thinke still stored & replenished. Nay whatsoeuer was laid vp in any place, is all together spoyled & destroyed of the enemies: yea & the very barnes thēselues are not onely robbed & spoyled, but also subuerted and ouer­throwen, insomuch that out of them can now nothing at al be looked for. We are [...]monishe [...] hee by the way, what they are [Page 29]like to find, that doe not vse the fruites and other giftes of God, as becommeth them. The Iewes grieuously offended in this be­halfe, as may appeare in the Sermons of the Prophets, partly by intemperancie in eating and drinking (as wee saide of late) and partly by coueteousnes, wherthrough they hoi [...]ded vp the fruites of the earth, to the ende they might sell them the dea­rer afterward, being in the meane time no whitmoued with the miserie and outcries of the hungrie and needy. It came to passe therefore by the iust iudgement of God, y ^t both those drunkardes hungred and thir­sted, and also the couetous were brought to extreeme need and necessitie, so as they were constrained to leaue that for a pray vnto the enemies, which they coulde not finde in their heartes to bestowe vpon the poore. The like examples we haue euery where in histories, whereof this ought to bee the vse vnto vs, that wee may bee thankefull vnto God, that wee may mo­derately and soberly vse his giftes, but e­specially that wee may endeuour to bee li­berall to the poore, whome hee hath so carefully commended vnto vs, &c.

By the exāple of the bruite beasts hee re­proueth their blockishnes.But that which hee had saide as tou­ching the hope of the yeere to come alrea­dy taken away, hee amplifieth by an exam­ple, where withall he so much the more re­proueth their blockishnesse. Howe doe the beasts mourne: how do the heardes of cattell pine away? because they haue no pasture, yea and the flocks of sheepe are destroyed. The meaning is, that such and so great is the force of Gods wrath, that the sense thereof is come euen to the bruite and sauage beastes. The beastes mourne in y ^e woods for hūger. The wilde Harts bray for want of waters. The hun­gerstarued Oxen wote not which way to turne them. The sheepe for want of pa­sture are scattered abroade. And are not you ashamed in the meane time not to ac­knowledge the hande of Gods wrath, nei­ther as yet mourne ye for your sins, where­bye you haue deserued this so greate a mi­serie: But that which the prophet vpbray­deth this people withall, is nowe adayes too too common and vsuall. And this is a great token of mans corruption. All creatures feele and perceiue the blessing [Page 30]of the Lorde, they reioyce in it, and are thankefull vnto God their good benefac­tour, whilest they constantly execute and discharge their duties. The same mourne and are greeued when God is angrie. For euen the bruite beastes doe percetue Gods wrath, and bewaile it: the signes and to­kens heereof appeare in all y ^e Elements, yea and this whole frame of the world be­ing greeued with the weight of our sinnes and malediction, Rom. 8. groneth and wayteth for deliuerance. Onely man neither ac­knowledgeth God his benefactour, nor yet perceiueth his wrath and scourges, but as a blocke onely poareth and poddreth about seconde causes. For although hee desire to bee deliuered from euils, and is greeued for them, yet doth hee very seldome thinke of GOD and of his sinnes, whereby hee hath proud­ked his wrath.

Let vs hee ashamed therefore of this vnthriftinesse, and let vs bee inflamed with the studie of the woorde, whiche alone is able to cure this maladie.

Heerewithall the Prophet nowe inter­laceth his owne example, He stirreth thē vp by his owne exāple. and whilest hee telleth them what he himselfe will doe, hee admonisheth them also what they ought to doe. I will cry vnto thee O Lord, saith he. As though hee should say, Let them do as they list, & if they will, let thē with their blockishnes exceed euen the very bruit beastes themselues, yet shall they neuer cause me to fayle in my duetie. For I will crye vnto the Lorde that hee may both giue them a better minde, and also mer­cifully remoue these calamities. And heere againe hee repeateth the selfe same causes, to the intent he might both stirre vp himself the more, and also reproue them once againe for their blockishnesse. For the fire hath consumed the pastures of the wildernesse, & the flame hath burnt vp all the trees of the fielde. And in these wordes, he betokeneth the rage of the ene­mies, or rather the horrible vengeance of God, which should shew foorth it self euen in wilde and desert places. But we are admonished by the example of the prophet, that Bishops and Ministers ought to pray continually for the people committed to [Page 31]their charge, so long as they be not forbid­ [...]en by the expresse cōmandement of God, as once Ieremie was. Ier. 7.11.14. For why: it doth not easily appeare vnto vs, who they are that sinne against the holy Ghost, 1. Ioan. 5. & there­fore vnmeete to bee prayed for. And the greater that mens blockishnesse is, in not acknowledging theyr miserie, so much the more feruently haue wee to labour, to prouide for their health and safetie. Moses obserued this thing, Exod. 32.33. who neuer ceased to pray for the Israelites, although they of­tentimes offended in the selfesame maner. The same did Samuel for the children of Israel, 1. Sam. 8.1 [...]. not withstanding that the Lorde had saide vnto him. They haue not reiected thee, but me, because I should not raigne ouer them. And the Apostle Paule prayed for the Iewes day and night, Rom. 10. when as hee had none gricuouser enemies then they. This duetie ought also to bee transferred vnto other states and degrees, as Magi­strates, fathers of families, and whosoeuer tis haue any charge inioyned them of the Lorde. Let these also doe their duetie. so long as occasion ferueth, though they see that they litle preuaple. There [Page]will once bee a tyme, when they shall see them selues to haue profited more then they woulde thinke. But if all other thinges fayle, Eze. 3.33. at least they shall deliuer their owne soules, &c.

The beastes cry vnto the Lorde.Last of all hee repeateth, that which hee had saide of the beastes crying vnto the Lorde. As though hee shoulde say, Why shoulde not I crie, when as the very beastes are inforced to crie, from whome this destruction haue taken away not onely the pastures, but also the riuers and fountaines of wa­teres: The bruite beasts are saide to crye vnto GOD when as by their braying or roaring they testifie that they haue neede of Gods prouidence. So doe the young Rauens forsaken of their dammes crie vnto y ^e Lord for help, Iob. 38. Psalm. 47. Luk. 12. when as they are fed with y ^e deawe of hea­uen.

And this consideration of Gods pro­iudence is very full of comfort, whiche extendeth it selfe euen vnto beastes, and withal it reproueth the detestable distrust­fulnesse of men, who refuse, to depende [Page 32]upon God, though his fatherly care to­wardes vs doe on euery side appeare. Let these thinges therefore serue for our instruction also as touching the matter of repentance, whereof is presently entrea­ted. And albeit wee see due plagues for our sinnes hanging ouer vs alreadie, yet let vs not despaire of Gods goodnes, but turne vnto him with our whole harts. For hee that heareth the voyces of Ra­uens crying vnto him, and the waylinges of hungrie beastes, cannot neglect vs vn­to whome hee hath giuen free accesse to the throne of his grace by our Lorde Ie­sus Christe: to whome bee giuen bles­sing, honour, glory, and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.

Sermon 5.

The argumēt of the second Sermon.IOel beginneth now his other Sermon, wherein hee handleth the same that he did in the former, but hee intreateth more largely and euidently of euery point, adding also some things, which are not there mentioned, yet serue they excel­lētly wel to y ^e presēt treatise. For he exhor­teth them to repentance, that were oppres­sed with a greeuous warre by the Assy­rians. And there are three partes of his discourse. In the first, hee agayne de­scribeth the danger, to the entent that they beeing wakened by the consideration ther­of might perceiue that they had neede of repentance. In the seconde, hee teacheth the maner of true repentance, and sheweth in what pointes it consisteth. In the last, hee declareth the effectes or fruites thereof, and by that occasion pro­phesieth of the happie state of the Godly and destruction of the enemies, which fi­nally is fulfilled in the kingdome of Christ. Now these things are so to bee considered of vs, that wee beeing distres­sed with aduersities and afflictions, may [Page 34]from hence fetch those thinges that serue to our instruction and comforce, at this time wee will onely examine the first part.

A Tragiea [...] beginning wherein chief­ly he stirreth vp the Pro­phets.The beginning of his Sermon is very tragicall and warlike, wherein hee rouzeth vp the secure and carelesse, that they might prepare themselues for the pu­nishmentes nowe readye to light vppon them. And because they were to bee punished with warre, he alluding to afeate of warre, willeth the watchmen or spies to sound out Alarum and proclaime the batteil. For hee sayth, Blow the trum­pet in Sion, and shout in my holy moun­tayne. Hee maketh mention of Sion and of the holy hill or Temple, partlye leaste they shoulde thinke themselues to hee safe for the holynesse of the place, and partly that they might vn­derstand this thing especiallye to bee en­ioyned to the. Prophetes, whome GOD had appointed watchmen to his people: Ezech. 3.33. as wee may read in Ezechiel. He addeth: Let all the inhabitantes of the lande tremble. Hee nameth all, leaste anye shoulde thinke him selfe to bee without [Page]faulte. And he biddeth them tremble, to the end they might perceiue God to deale in good earnest, and therefore that they also must not dally. Whereunto serueth the cause which he by and by addeth: For the day of the Lord commeth, that is, the time is at hand, which God hath nowe long since appointed for vēgeāce, which euen now also waiteth at your dores.

Heere commeth the goodnes of God to be noted of vs, who like a kinde fa­ther first dealeth in woordes, The goodnes of God in gi­uing warning before he pu­nisheth. before hee addeth stripes. Neyther doubtlesse are suche prophesiynges in vayne, or appoin­ted to stirre vp a vayne feare or terrour. For as many as beeing terryfied with them, are conuerted to GOD, doe es­cape the punishments, as GOD him­selfe promiseth in Ieremie. But if in cace the number of the wicked doe pre­uayle, Ieremie. 18. vnto whom these thinges seeme but as toyes and trifles, and therefore GOD cannot deferre the punishment: yet doe the Godly receiue greate comforte hereby. For when they call these prophesiynges to minde, they vnderstande also that all these thinges are ordered by Gods go­uernment, [Page 35]who because hee is faythfull and loueth vs, suffereth not his to be temp­ted aboue their strength, but that for his mercies sake hee causeth, that all thinges woorke for the best vnto them.

God vseth his ministers as watchmen.Further wee haue to marke, that God oftentimes by his Prophets and mi­nisters of his woord doth foretell his pu­nishments, and that (as before wee haue sayde) hee ordeyned them, to the ende that as watchmen they shoulde sounde the Trumpet, and stirre vp the people committed to their charge vnto that spi­rituall fight, which consisteth especially in the exercise of repentance, and woorde of GOD, and whiche alone is able to turne away the plagues imminent and at hand. The consideration hereof ad­monisheth as well ministers, as also the whole people, and euery creature parti­cularly of their dueties. For it belon­geth vnto them to attende vppon theyr flocke, and to marke the state and condi­tion of euery one, and with all the dan­gers that eyther publikely or priuately [...]ang ouer their heades. Moreouer, [Page]to reprooue and denounce the same, so as euery man maye perceiue what hee ought to doe. This did the holy Pro­phets in times past, and the selfesame doeth Paule very grauelye require of the Ministers of the new Testament. Actes. 20. 2. Tim. 4. Mat. 24. and 25. And they that doe their duetie in this behalfe shall enter into the ioye of their Lorde. But as many as are carelesse and negli­gent, at their handes shall bee required the blood of them that perishe. Againe it shall bee the parte of all those that will bee numbred amongest the people of GOD to tremble at the sound of Gods woorde, Ezechi. 33. and with speedie repentance to preuente the daye of the Lorde. The Prophet admonisheth vs thereof, when hee sayth, it is at hande. For by that threatning he putteth them in hope, that they may as yet escape the punishmentes nowe ready to light vpon them, if they will applye them selues vnto GOD giuing them warning. These thinges were of vs to be considered, O Brethren, when as turmoylinges and dangers doe [Page 36]euery where arise. And GOD truly for his parte executeth his office, neither want there faythfull watchmen by him raysed vp, whiche reprooue sinne and de­nounce the plagues hanging ouer vs. But in the meane time there want not such as are negligent also, Esay. 56. who eyther by diminishing Gods threatnings do fa­uoure and maynetayne wickednes, or else by the lewde example of their life doe shamefully prostitute the authori­tie of the woorde and ministerye. This occasion euery lewde and wicked verlet catcheth holde of, and heerevppon it com­meth that the carelesse libertie of sin­ning doeth euerye where preuayle, and the warninges of the faythfuller Mi­nisters are wicke dly scoffed at and laugh­ed to skorne. But Gods iudgement shall not slacke, who will rayse vppe most cruell enemies, that shall with their Alarum both terryfie those dumbe Dogges, and also theyr parta­kers.

Nowe followeth a description [Page]of the vengeance which hee first propoun­deth in generall, A generall de­scription of Gods venge­ance. to the intent hee might signifie how great and grieuous it was like to be, A day of darkenes and blacke­nes, a day of Cloudes and obscuritie. By darkenesse and blackenes are vnderstood inextricable troubles and calamities, which cause men to be vncertaine what to doe, and euen at their wittes end. Hee threatneth therefore that this also shall happen vnto them: and addeth. As the morning is spred vpon the mountaines. By which similitude is betokened the vn­auoydable necessitie and celeritie of an in­credible vengeance: and the sense is this. That like as no man can forbid the mor­ning, but that she will rise, and stretche forth her rosecoulered fingers (as the Greeke Poets vse to speake) sodenly to the very toppes of the mountaines, and from thence with wonderfull swiftnesse throughout the whole earth: so shall no man let God, but that he will stretch his wreakefull hand vnto you, whereby hee will sooner then can be told afflict and destroy all your whole land. For there shal come (namely, cōducted by the Lord) [Page 37] a mighty & strong people, the like wher­of was neuer seene in the world before, The power of the Assyrians incomparable. neither shall be hereafter. He meaneth the Assyrians, who in continuance of go­uernement, in victories and puissance farre surmounted all peoples beside. For their kingdome began in the hundreth and one and thirtith yeere after the floode, Gene, 10. which was from the creation of the world the seuenteene hundreth fourescore and nienth. 2. King. 14. There are reckoned from that time, vnto the fourteenth yeere of Eze­chias, wherein this warre was made, a thousand foure hundred and two and for­ty yeeres. And although a little after the Babylonians began to reigne, yet was not the Empire of the Assyrians ouerthrowne, but rather the Kinges seate was remooued, and the name of the Assyrians continued still vntill the Monarchie came to the Persians and Me­des. The Prophet therefore doeth not without a cause say, that this people excelled all others. Where wee haue especiallye to obserue howe hee sayeth, that these shall bee the executours of [Page]Gods vengeance. For heereby it ap­peareth that GOD will neuer wante such, as by whose ayde hee maye pu­nishe the wicked and vngodly, when as hee can vse the most mighty nations and those that are furthest of from the know­ledge of his name according to his owne good will and pleasure. For that which is heere done, commeth often­times to passe, and there are examples euerye where in Hystories. But more of this the Prophet him selfe will adde in the woordes following.

A particular declaration of the punish­ment.For that which he propounded in generall, hee declareth by a diligent and long rehearsall of all that they (name­ly the Assyrians) shoulde doe: where it is not needefull to stande vppon the woordes, sith they are plaine and euident of themselues, but rather the matter it selfe is to bee considered.

For the ende and scope of all, is this, namely, that he will shewe, that nothing can possiblye let, but that Gods venge­ance shall proceede, and therefore hee ta­keth from them all thinges, wherein they [Page 38]might put any hope or confidence. The chiefe among these were, the fertilitie and plenteousnesse of the Lande, the greate distance of places betweene Iudea and the countries of the Assyrians, the harde passages throughe the mountaines, a huge number of strong and valiant men, together with moste strong townes and fortifications, whiche seemed to be such as might easily stoppe the com­ming of the enemies. But hee telleth them that none of all these thinges shall profit them.

For first of all the Assyrians shall come like a fire, and shall so hideouslye waste and destroye all thinges, that the Lande whiche nowe florisheth as a Pa­radise, shall after theyr departure be­come like vnto a huge and desolate wil­ [...]ernesse.

Secondly, they shall come verye cruell and swift, and shall euen runne through the toppes of the Mountaynes, where there seemed to bee scarce any place for Horsemen to passe.

Yea, and looke howe soone [Page]the fire catcheth and deuoureth the stub­ble, euen so soone shall they ouer runne the whole lande.

Thirdlye, as touching men of warre, all your warriours surdaunted onely with the fame and report of their enemies, shall feare and tremble, and shall with the palenesse of their faces testifie that they are afrayde: on the other side your ene­mies shall runne hither and thither like Gyants, they shall scale the walles, they shall keepe their order with wonderfull diligence so as none shall bee a let vnto another: Moreouer setting a parte the feare of death they shall rushe euen into the middest of the swoordes, and yet shall not bee wounded.

Fourthly, albeit strong Cities bee set against them, yet shall they sodenly passe through them, euen as through the open fieldes, and hauing broken vp the gates or battered downe the walles, they shall enter in at the very windowes. Finally so great shal be the rage and astonishment of your people, that the earth it selfe shall tremble, the heauens shall mooue, the Sunne and Moone shall be darkened, [Page 39]and the Starres shall withdrawe their light. And in these woordes his mea­ning is nothing else, thē that in euery part of the worlde shall appeare tokens of Gods wrath, and nothing shall bee any safegarde vnto them. That these thinges were fulfilled, wee may gather by the historie, especially out of Esay chap. 10. Where it is declared what way Sen­nacharib came to Hierusalem. And so GOD perfourmed in deede, that which hee had threatned before in the Law, to the wicked transgressours of his com­mandementes. In the consideration heereof we haue so to bee occupied, that wee bee not carried awaye with the con­fidence of our owne strength or muniti­ons, to rebell agaynst the Lorde. For to let passe all olde examples, wee haue in our time seene manye of this forte, whiche maye teache vs howe vayne the Fortes and Defences are, that men doe prouide against GOD &c.

Furthermore least any should attribute these thinges to the power or rage of the enemies, hee teacheth expressely, that [Page]God shall bee the Captayne of this Warre. God the cap­tayne & Em­perour of warre. For hee sayeth, The Lorde shall vtter his voyce before his hoaste. That is, all thinges shall come to passe by his conducte and assignemente, hee shall encourage the Assyrians, but shall terryfie you, as I sayde euen nowe. For Gods armye is exceeding greate, and hee that executeth his commaundement (namely the Assyri­an) is strong: Terrible therefore and greate shall that day bee, so as none shall Bee able to abyde it.

Wee haue heere to obserue and marke that hee calleth expressely the Hoast, and Camp of the Assyrians Gods hoast and Campe, and hee acknowledgeth the Tyrant Sennacharib to bee the exe­cutioner of his woorde and commaun­dement. Esay. 10. So in Esay hee calleth the same the staffe of his wrath or furye.

Therefore GOD vseth also the ayde of the wicked whylest hee will execute his iudgementes. And yet for all that are not the wicked excused whilest they destroy Cities and Townes, and make [Page 40]hauocke of all with fire and swoorde. For by their owne proper malice they are carried vnto mischiefe, and the am­bition, or couetousnesse, or wrath, or cru­eltie that dritteth them forwarde, is of their owne growing, neither is GOD to bee charged with it. But GOD by his wisedome and iustice vseth theyr euill and malice to a good ende and purpose, to the intent he might eyther exercise the fayth of his chosen, or bee a­uenged on the wicked and vugodlye.

In these thinges shyneth foorth his pro­uidence, which serueth greatly both for our instruction and consolation. For it teacheth that no euils or calami­ties doe happen vnto vs without his counsel and determination, whose iudge­mentes are Iustice and Trueth: and therefore that wee must not holde plea agaynst him.

Agayne it is for our comforte that wee knowe him to bee faythfull, who will not suffer his Children to bee temp­ted aboue theyr strength, 1. Corin. 10. and that in the meane time, hee prepareth [Page]a pitte for the vngodly (as the Psalme sayth) whilest by their helpe hee chasteneth his owne. Psalm. 94. They that weighe not these thinges as they ought, thruste God from his gouernmente and Soueraintie, whi­lest they are afrayde least they shoulde make him the Authour of some euill, and besides, vnto those that are afflicted and in miserye they become Authores of impa­ciencye and desperation.

Let vs acknowledge therfore his proui­dence, which extendeth it selfe euen vnto Sparowes and the heyres of our heade. Matth. 10. Luke. 12. & let vs know it to be his hand, if at any time wee bee afflicted: againe, let vs take it pa­ciently, and turning vnto him embrace his sauing health, which hee offreth vnto vs in his sonne Iesus Christe: to whome be gi­uen blessing, honour, glory, and dominion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon 6.

The argumēt and vse of this present place.IOel hath declared in the first part of this sermon the great danger, which at that rune hung ouer the Iewes by reason of The assyrian warre. The ende of this declaration was, to rouze by the secure and careles, to the intent they might see repen­tance to be necessarie for them, and there­fore prepare themselues vnto it. Hee ad­deth therefore now the second part, where­in hee entreateth of true repentance, and first verily he teacheth in this presēt place, what euery one ought priuately to doe, in­tending afterwarde also to speake of those thinges, that serue to publike and solemne repentance. But wee haue first and for­most [Page]especially to obserue, that hee expres­ly testifieth that these things were prescri­bed vnto them of the Lorde himselfe. For thereby wee may gather, that a perpetuall rule is giuen vnto vs, which ought to bee obserued in all ages, and which is the one­ly & sole way, wherby God may be pacifi­ed, and the punishments at hande auerted and turned away. It shall bee expedi­ent therefore diligently to consider of eue­ry point.

Hee beginneth with a noting of the time, He declareth that there is yet hope and time of repen­tance. when hee saith: Therefore e­uen now also saith the Lord. These words haue a certaine Emphasis or force in them, which may easily appeare, if wee consider the thinges, that went before. For hee hath described the horrible vengeance of God, which no man was able to abide. And nowe thereunto he adioyneth these words, as though hee shoulde say: I woulde not haue these thinges so to bee taken, as though there were no hope of grace left. For albeit yee deserue vtterly to bee de­stroyed & rooted out, & god hath decre­ed no common plague against you, yet is this his decree cōditionall: insomuch [Page 42]that if you wil euen nowe, whilest your matters stande as it were vpon the rasers edge, turne and conuert vnto him, hee will graciously and louingly receiue you into fauour. o repentāce too late so it be vn­feigned. By which place wee are ad­monished, that no repentāce commeth too late, so it bee true and earnest. For inas­much as God in the Scriptures will bee called our father, he resembleth good and faithfull fathers, who seeke nothing so much as the conuersion and amendement of their children, as Christe aboundantly teacheth in y ^t parable of y ^e prodigall childe. Luke. 15. Yea and hee himself by his Prophet saith, Ezeche. 18. Haue I any desire that the wicked should die? and not rather that hee should turne from his euill wayes, and liue? Againe: If your sinnes were as Crimsyn, Esay. 1. yet shall they be whiter then snow: if they were as red as skarlet, yet shal they be as white as woll. And Iohn saith: 1. Iohn. 1. If wee acknow­ledge our sinnes, hee is faithfull and iust, to forgiue vs our sinnes, &c. But with infinit exāples are these promises confir­med, amōg which y ^t ought not to be lest ac­coūted off, w ^c is here set downe. For when [Page]the Iewes imbraced the counsell of the pro­phete, by and by the Lord was their helper, and by his Angel smote the Assyrians with a mightie slaughter. Esay. 37. To the same ende also belongeth Manasses, who after all sortes of sinne and iniquitie turning vnto the Lorde, 1. Chro. 33. was of him heard and restored to his kingdome. The like mercy and fa­uour haue that sinful woman in y ^e Gospel, Magdalen, Zacheus, the Thiefe crucified with Christ, and many other moe felt and tasted off. Of all whiche this ought to be the vse vnto vs, that they may serue for our comfort against the terrors and temp­tations of conscience, wherewith Satan is wont to weaken our fayth: for euery one ought to applye this vnto him selfe, and to say with himselfe: Yea euen very nowe turne vnto the Lorde, and let not the re­membrance of thy life past dismay thee: but the more heynous that it hath been, so much the more earnest let thy conuer­sion bee, and thou shalt straight-wayes perceyue Gods eares to bee open to thy prayers, &c.

A summarie doctrine of repentance.But wee ought more deepely to con­sider, what it is that God commaundeth in [Page 43]this cause. Turne (sayth hee) vnto mee with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning: and rent your heart, and not your garmentes, &c. He compre­hendeth in these woordes all, that may bee spoken of repentance, which we haue oftentimes saide, to bee properly a turning or conuersion vnto God. But to the intent the maner of this conuersion may the more plainely appeare, foure things in order are to be considered of vs.

1. From what we must turneFirst, from whence this turning or conuersion ought to bee. Namely from those thinges, that haue turned vs from God. These are generally our sinnes, wherby that we are deuided and seperated from God, hee himselfe testifieth in Esay. Esay. 59. But vnder the title of sinne are reckned, not onely those grosse woordes and deeds, which by the common consent of men are accompted for filthy and vnlawfull, but al­so the Iustes of the flesh, Galath. 5 whiche (as Paule, sayth) striue against the spirite and will of God, and therefore ought earnestly to bee brydeled and restreined. To the same end belōg false & erronious opinions of God, superstitions also which grow out of these [Page]vnlawfull worshippings, & whatsoeuer els is of this sorte. All these things they must leaue and forsake, which will truely con­uerte and repente: For in asmuch as for these thinges sake, Col. 3. commeth the wrath of God vpon vs, we cannot looke for an ende of punishment so longe as wee continue in the same. They therefore are reproued in this place, which when they will seeme pe­nitente, doe not onely not forsake their su­perstitions, but rather daily heape vp new: which also suffer the desires of the fleshe to boyle in them, which amend not their ma­ners, but are occupied about vaine ceremo­nies, and in the meane time (which God condemneth in Esay) bring their hands full of bloode into his presence. Esai. 1. And such com­monly is the popishe penance, which con­sisteth in the Lent fast & fantastical satisfac­tions. &c.

2. To whome we must turn.Secondely wee are to consider, vnto whom we must turne. Euen vnto me, saith he. Our turning therfore, must be vnto god, & truly vnto God alone, because he only is the truth & fountaine of all goodnes. But we must beware, y ^t wee goe streight vnto [Page 44]him, and not ceasse before wee haue layde hold of him. And this must bee done by faith, seeing God, which is a spirit, can no other way bee apprehended or taken holde off. They then doe erre first, which turne not vnto God, but vnto creatures, or to the inuentions of men, or to their owne merites.

Secondly, which beginne in deede to turne, but stay in the middest of their course, before they come to the mark prefixed vnto them. 2. Tim. 2. They verily striue for a time, but they are not crowned because they striue not lawfully: and that saying of Christe agreeth vnto them: No man that putteth his hande to the plough, & looketh backe, is fit for the kingdome of God. Luke 9.

3. By wha [...] meanes wee must turne.But forasmuch as there is no commu­nion betwixt God and vs, and wee doe no lesse flie from him, then did our first pa­rents when they had sinned: wee haue neede of a Mediatour, which may make vs away vnto him, and reconcile him vnto vs, who is angrie with our sinnes.

The same is onely and alone Christ Iesus, the sonne of God the father, coeternall and consubstantiall with him, who in the time appointed was of y ^e virgin Mary made mā, to the end he might become a mediator be­tweene God and vs, and pacifie his wrath. Of him the father himselfe witnesseth from heauen: Math. 3.17. This is my deerely beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased. And he him­selfe in the gospel crieth out: Ioan. 14. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man commeth to the father, but by mee. For he alone by the sacrifice of his body and blood, purgeth & purifieth our sinnes, Ioan. 1.3. and there withall by the seed of his word begetteth them againe into the sonnes of God, & prepareth them vnto euery good worke, 1. Pet. 1. which were by na­ture the children of wrath, for which cause the apostles affirme, Act. 3. that he was exalted of God, to the intent he might giue repentāce vnto Israel & remission of sinnes. And him­selfe commaundeth them both to bee prea­ched in his name. Luk. 24. They therefore are deceyued that preach repentante without Christe, and place it in mens woorkes. They may in deede talke muche of good works & of y ^e christiā discipline of maners: [Page 45]but except we haue Christ, we shall neuer perfourme any thing y ^t good is. For with­out mee (saith hee) yee can doe nothing. Ioan. 15. Yea they that thinke they haue done any thing, goe so much the further off from God, by howe much they repose their trust and confidence in their owne workes and merites.

4. The maner of our tur­ning.Fourthly, the Prophete diligently de­clareth the maner of our turning or repen­tance, and toucheth all the thinges as well internall as externall, whiche are heere to bee obserued of vs.

• And first hee woulde haue vs to turne vnto God with our whole heart. By mentioning of the heart, hee ex­cludeth hypocrisie,
  Esai. 29.
  least wee shoulde drawe neere vnto God onely with our mouth & lippes.
• Secondly, he requireth the sin­cere studie of godlinesse and true religion, and that, to the ende y ^e forsaking all things which are repugnant vnto God, wee may consecrate vnto him our heartes and al the powers both of our mind and body, accor­ding to that which is saide in the Lawe:
  Deut. 6.
  Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength.

There is nothing [Page]therefore left vnto vs heere, which wee may giue vnto the worlde, or to the de­sires of the flesh. For inasmuche as the hearte is the fountaine and welspring of all actions, they doe liue vnto GOD a­lone as many as are turned vnto him with their whole hearte. Neither doe they yet truely repent, which halting on both sides, one while obey God, and a­nother while thinke it lawfull for them, to set him aside and to serue the worlde and the fleshe. But forsomuch as wee are heere letted and hindred by the pride and naturall corruptions of the fleshe, hee inioyneth fasting, whereby hee meaneth not a superstitious abstinence, or diffe­rence of meates, but a discipline of the fleshe, wherethrough the nourishmentes of lust and pride or stubbornenesse are withdrawen, as wee saide before. Hee addeth vnto this weeping and lamenting or mourning, which conteine an out­warde profession of repentance, whereof wee haue neede, partly, that wee may te­stifie Gods righteousnesse, whilest wee confesse by this meanes that wee haue de­serued [Page 46]punishment: and partly that wee may remedy the offence, which is publike­ly giuen to the weake. This did Dauid perceiue, who not contēted to haue beway­led his sins priuately, would publikely al­so in Psalmes testifie his griefe and hea­uinesse, Psal. 25.32.51.130.143 &c. to the intent hee might both cele­brate the righteousnesse of God, and also restraine those, that mought abuse his ex­ample to the libertie of sinning. They are therefore very farre off from true re­pentance, whosoeuer will not acknowe­ledge theyr sinnes, and are so farre from bewayling them, that rather they glory in them, like vnto Doeg the Idumean, a­gainst whō Dauid for this cause inueigh­eth. Psal. 52. But least that any shoulde thinke repentāce to consist in outward weeping, hee repeateth that, wherein the substance of the whole matter standeth, when hee addeth: And rent your hearte, and not your garments, and turne to the Lord your God. For they of the East coun­trie were wont to teare their garments, if any thing had happened vnto them, which seemed to bee intollerable. But the hy­pocrites abused that gesture as though [Page]the whole order of repentance had cōsisted therein. Hee auoucheth therefore that there is a farre other matter required: namely that they should he broken in their hearts, and vnfeignedly detest their sinnes, and so vtterly retecting them returne vn­to God, from whome before they were de­parted. For why: God is not delighted with outwarde ceremonies, but (as wee saide in the beginning) hee requireth the heart, and the same contrite and humbled hee doth not despise, as Dauid admoni­sheth. Psal. 51. And of outwarde matters there is no other vse, but so farre foorth as both wee are stirred vp by them, and the same serue to Gods glory, and the edifiyng of o­thers, where againe they are reprooued, which are wont to place all their repen­tance in most colde and frozen Ceremo­nies.

That our re­pentance is not vnprofi­table.But to this doctrine or exhortation hee annexeth reasons deriued from the person of God, whereby hee teacheth, that our re­pentance shall not bee vnprofitable or vn­fruitefull. For as in euery businesse our heartes doe faile vs, if in case wee thinke that wee labour in vaine: so heere in this [Page 47]especially. For heereupon cōmeth eyther sodaine desperation, or els an vnbrideled libertie of sinning, which at length endeth in desperation. Least therefore any such thing shoulde happen also vnto these, hee assureth them of Gods grace and goodnes who will receiue them into fauour that turne vnto him. And this hee prooueth by the selfe same titles or Epithets, wher­with God describeth himselfe in Moses: saying: Exod. 34. For hee is gracious and merci­full, slowe to anger, and of great good­nes, & repenteth him of the euill.

• First. 1 hee calleth him gracious or fauourable, as hee that by nature is prone and ready to doe good rather then to punish.
• Se­condly, hee attributeth vnto him mercy, 2 or rather (if you consider the Hebrwe word) the bowels of mercyes, wherby are signi­fied the naturall affections of parents to­wardes their children. This Dauid de­clareth in the Psalmes, saying:
  Psal. 103.
  As a father pitieth his children, so doth the Lorde Pitie them that feare him. For he kno­weth whereof we bee made, hee remem­breth that wee are but dust, &c.
• Thirdly, hee sayth that hee is slowe to anger, 3 that [Page]is to say, 4 long suffering, and one that is not lightly prouoked.
• Fourthly, of great goodnesse or bountifulnesse. For hee is the bottomelesse fountaine of all goodnesse, who is delighted to doe good vnto vs, sith for this cause especially hee created men, that hee might haue some, whom to make partakers of his benefits.
• Fiftly, and it repenteth him of the euil: that is to say, 5 hee reuoketh the sentence of punishment alreadie pronounced, when he seeth them to bee amended and conuer­ted, vpon whom hee meant to execute the same.

Examples heereof are euerye where extant. For hitherto belongeth the whole historie of the Israelites, if wee consider what was done with them in the desert, and afterwarde vnder their Iud­ges and Kinges. To these are added the priuate examples of Dauid, Peter, and others, whome wee reade to haue beene conuerted from many folde and most grèe­uous sinnes, and to haue returned into fa­uour with God againe. Let these things serue to comfort vs, least wee rashly des­payre of Gods goodnesse. For sith hee [Page 48]suffereth with much lenitie the vessels of wrath (as Paule sayeth) hee will muche more pardon their infirmities, Rom. 9. y ^t acknow­ledge him, and long to bee reconciled vnto him. In the meane season these verye thinges ought to stirre vs vp to repen­tance, least wee abuse his goodnesse. For theyr faulte is inexcuseable, which refuse to come vnto God, so willingly of­fering himselfe vnto them.

The faithfull speak modest­ly as touching the remission of Gods pu­nishments.Further wee haue diligently to ob­serue heere, with what woordes the Pro­phet inferreth the conclusion, wherein he putteth them in hope of pardon: who knoweth (sayth hee) whether he will turne and repent, and leaue behinde him a blessing, euen a meate offering and drinke offering to the Lorde your God: Which wordes are not so to bee taken, as though they proceeded from one doubting of Gods grace and the remissi­on of sinnes, which we with constant faith must beleeue: but first they resemble the nature and disposition of faith, which although it sticketh with vndoubted trust to the promises of God, yet is it modest, [Page]and not malapert or importunate, neither doth it rashly presume vpon God. Se­condly they ought to bee expounded rather of the punishment then of the remission of sinne. For albeit wee bee sure and cer­taine of this, neither in deede is it lawefull to doubt: yet is there an other considera­tion to bee had of the punishments, which God sendeth in the way of chastisemente, neyther doth hee take them away before, that hee seeth vs to bee amended, and the pride of our fleshe to bee crushed and bro­ken. But heere is the obedience of faith needefull, which both patiently submitteth it selfe to Gods will, and euen then also hopeth well of his mercy, when the tokens of his wrath seeme still to appeare. And that hytherto also these thinges ought to bee referred, it appeareth by the wordes following, wherein he saith: And leaue behinde him a blessing, that is to say, giue a plentifull increase of the earth, so as wee may againe celebrate his Sacri­fices, which for want and necessitie haue for a time ceased. Where againe appea­reth the nature of faith, which that it is chiefly carefull of Gods worship we haue [Page 49]often sayde alreadie. For they craue the fruites of the earth, not to guzzle, and glutte themselues, or to pamper theyr bo­dies with the pleasures of the fleshe: but to the ende they might serue God and yeelde vnto him his due worship. They are ther­fore a great way off from the nature and propertie of faith, who, so they may abound in delight is and ydlenes, doe seldome or neuer bethinke themselues, eyther of the conseruation or instauration of Gods worship and glory. It shall bee our parts to acknowledge the goodnesse of God, and forsaking our sinnes and errours to turne vnto him by fayth in Christ, who, both gi­ueth vs repentance, and also pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes. To him bee giuen blessing, honour, glory, and dominion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon 7.

The argumēt & vse of this present place.AS God hath beene accustomed to punish mens sinnes with warres, fa­mine, pestilence, and other plagues innumerable: so doe the scriptures teache no other way of escaping out of af­flictions, but repentance, whereby men re­turne vnto God, from whom by sinning they went away. But for so much as in re­pentance it selfe there is much wandering and straying, the holy Ghost also boeth e­uery where set down the order and maner thereof, but of all other most diligently by Ioel, who is altogither in this, y ^t he might couze those vp to repentance that were in [Page 50]extreeme danger and withall declareth at large, how the same ought to be ordered and accomplished. And of late forsooth he admonished what euery one ought pri­uately to doe. But by cause they were al­together infected as yee woulde with one maladie and disease, and therfore had need of publike and solemne repentance, he now preseribeth in like maner the order of this: which as it ought to be obserued of euery one, so it especially admonisheth them of their duetie, whom God hath appointed keepers & defenders of y ^e publike welfare.

Hee will haue repentance to be appointed by publike authoritie.For he beginneth with them, when hee sayth: Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctifie a fast, &c. For this place must bee vnder­stoode of the holy trumpets, by the sounde whereof the feastfull dayes were proclai­med, and the holy assemblies gathered to­gether as Moses had commanded by Gods ordinance. Numb. 10. But for because the Prophet requireth heere a certaine extraordinary matter, which must be ordered not by any priuate mās authority, but publik, he spea­keth this vnto those, especially vnto whom belonged the chiefe gouernement, and whose commaundementes it was no [Page]light matter to despise: namely to the kinges and states of the realme, whome heere hee will admonishe of their duetie. For inasmuche as vnto these was com­mitted the safetie of the people, vnto the same especially do appertaine the thinges which serue for their preseruation, and whereby the plagues at hand may bee dri­uen away, to witte the true worshippe of God and repentance. This thing sawe all the excellent princes, whose fayth and godlines is commended in the scriptures. For in as much as they knewe howe that God in teaching and deliuering the ma­ner of his worship woulde vse the help and ministerie of Moses, who bare the chieft rule and authoritie among the people: they thought not without cause that the care thereof belonged most especially vnto them. [...]. Sam. 6.7. 1. Chro. 29. [...]. Chro. 19.20.29.34, &c. Therefore Dauid began his reigne with the restoring of Gods worship, and caused his sonne Solomon to doe the same. Whose steppes wee reade afterwarde that Iosaphat, Ezechias, and Iosias followed, who were not onely carefull as touching the outwarde worship, but also prouided, that publike repentance shoulde of all men [Page 51]bee imbraced and taken in hand, if at any time they perceiued Gods wrath to bee kindled. Yea, and the Scripture for this cause commendeth the king of Niniue, Ionas. 3. for that the Niniuites repented by his com­mandement. And that this thing belon­geth as well to the times of the newe Te­stament, Psal. 2. it may appeare by this that Da­uid exhorteth kinges, to kisse and embrace Christ, and to submit themselues vnto his dominion: and God promiseth the selfe­same in Esay, namely, Esay. 49. that kinges shall bee nourses to his Church. For howe shall they embrace Christ, or preserue his church like nourses, if they neglect those things, without the which neither the worship of God nor the publike welfare can consist: Al flouthful Magistrates therefore are re­prooued, who either thinke this charge to belong nothing at all vnto them, or else are perswaded that ciuill lawes in this be­halfe will doe no good. For albeit they cannot enforce or change the mindes of men, yet may they take away publike of­fences, and by their example prouoke o­thers, yea and bring many backe into the right way, before they be altogether past [Page]recouery. Heereupon grewe the impe­riall lawes as touching diuine matters, for the reuiuing wherof in these dayes the princes and magistrates ought to be care­full, that are desirous of the safetie of the common weale.

The partes of of a publike and solemne repentance.But let vs see, what the Prophet would haue instituted by publike authoritie, and the whole order of publike repentance wil appeare vnto vs which is contayned alto­gether in foure heades. First hee willeth them to sanctify a fast. Wee haue spoken of this in the first chapter. 1 A Fast. But yee shall obserue agayne, that by the worde sancti­fiyng is betokened the true ende and vse of fastings, which is, that they may both be holy vnto God and also serue to the mor­tifiyng of the fleshe, least it shoulde hinder the deuotion of the minde and the dueties of true christianitie: which also is the chief and principall point in priuate fastes. But here he will haue a publike fast to be sum­moned, which may answere to the profes­sion of a solemne repentance, and be as it were a witnes and testmonye thereof. This place therefore doth nothing at all help the superstitions professours of fastes. [Page 52]For if wee take awaye from fastings the thinges which we spake of eueu now, there will be no more vse of them, neither can they be approoued vnto God.

Secondly, Call a solemne assemblie, 2 Solemne as­semblies. sayth hee. The same hee touched also be­fore, where wee shewed, that holye assem­blies are therefore required, for that they make to the mutuall preuocation and de­uotion of mindes, and for that they helpe and further prayers, which by the consent of many doe after a forte gather the grea­ter strength. But here are two thinges to be obserued. First the way and ende which it behooueth to keepe in gathering of assemblies. How holy as­semblies ought to be handled. The prophet also expres­seth this by the worde sanctifyng. For al­beit he had respect to the law which would haue those that were to offer sacrifices, first to bee purged, least they shoulde come vn­to them vncleane: yet doth hee rather re­quire that, which was ment and signified by these washings and purifiynges of the Law, namely the purenesse and holynes of the heart, Heb. 12, Leuit, 19. Psa. 15. without the which (as the Apo­stle sayth) no man shall see God. For in deede, it cannot be that they shoulde keepe [Page]companie with the holy God, which are not themselues also holy. And although it be­commeth vs continually to bee in loue with this thing, yet is the same most chief­ly necessary for vs when we come togither to the hearing of Gods word and vnto pub­like prayers, and doe enter into the holy congregation as it were into the presence of God himselfe. Then therefore ought wee to goe downe into our selues, to exa­mine our dealinges, to correct our vices, and especially to embrace Christ Iesus, who is made vnto vs of God holynesse and sanctification. This except we doe, ney­ther shall we heare Gods worde with any fruite, 1. Corinth. 1. neither shall our prayers bee accep­ted of God, which are accompanied with handes full of blood. Esay. 1. Wee see therefore what wee haue to iudge of those, that shew foorth their pride and superfluitie in the very temples them selues, and doe not one­ly giue ouer them selues to moste vile thoughtes and cogitations, but also mini­ster matter vnto others of the like vile thoughtes and desires. They are of the number of those, of whome the Lorde speaketh by the Prophet: This [Page 53]people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouthes, Esay. 29. and honoureth mee with their lippes, but their heartes are farre from mee. &c. But what shall wee say of the assemblies of our time, suche as are gathered together in the dedications of Churches and in very many feastes of the Christians, where a men shall see nothing but riot and superfluitie, and an vnbrideled libertie of drinking, dauncing, playing and reuelling: They sanctifie their assem­blies, not vnto God, but vnto Bacchus and Venus, and shall one day bee punished of God, whose name they so shamefully and and impudently abuse.

Who they be that must assemble and meete toge­ther.Secondly wee haue to obserue, who ought to assemble and come together. First hee willeth them to gather the whole people. And by and by least any man should suppose himselfe not to be conteined vnder the name of people, hee specefieth two fortes or kindes, wherein hee comprehen­deth all estates and degrees of men what­soeuer. For like as all folkes ought to runne together to the quenching of a com­mon and publike fire: euen so to the quen­ching of Gods wrath it becommeth all [Page]and euery one to sette to theyr helping handes, that will bee called and ac­counted good citizens. Wherefore he na­meth the elders together with the chil­dren, and euen the sucking Babes also, or such as hang vpon the brestes: the elder sorte, that by their example they might go before others, whom either through their negligence or euill example they had be­fore corrupted, and the infantes, that the parents being prouoked by beholding thē, might acknowledge their offence, where­by they procured destruction not onely to themselues, but also to their infantes, and by remembrance thereof might bee stirred vp to the more effectuall and feruent desire of repentance. For (like as we haue seene in Hosee) Gods wrath is wont to stretch it selfe euen vnto infantes, Hosee. 13. and brute beastes also, as is declared at large in the first chapter. Whiche onely reason ought to bee sufficient to awaken vs from sin­ning: sith it is so prouided by nature, that al men wish well to themselues and to those that belong vnto them. In the meane time we are admonished, that no man ought to be exempted from repayring to the church or resorting to holy assemblies. For why? [Page 54]all the sort of vs haue neede of the instructi­on of Gods woorde and prayers, and it is a ioyfull thing to the Godly to be conuer­sant among those, with whom they knowe God to be present. Greeuous therefore and shamefull is the errour of those, that ei­ther neuer come thēselues, or do not enure their children, to followe the exercises of godlines and religion. Men offend euery where now adayes in this behalfe, so that euen heereby it may appeare, howe little Christianitie there is in them, that doe glo­ry in the name of Christ.

Thirdly hee sayth: Let the Bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber, 3. Publike mourning and the Bride out of her closette. By whiche woordes he proclaimeth a publike mour­ning, and commaundeth them to abstaine euen from lawfull delightes. For vnder the name of marriage and the companye betweene man and wife, hee comprehen­deth all other thinges of like sorte, the vse wherof is otherwise lawfull. But because in the time of peace wee doe commonly a­buse our lawfull and honest pleasures, it is conuenient, that we afterwarde abstaine from the same, and euen by this meanes punishe the wantonnesse of our fleshe. 2. Sam. 11. [Page]This thing Vrias obserued, who thought it vnlawfull to company with his wyfe, so long as Israel was entangled with a greeuous and dangerous warre. Heere­vpon therefore let vs gather a generall doctrine, that there is no pleasure or de­light so honest and lawfull, that ought not to be layde aside, if at any time God pub­likely requireth vengeance for sinnes. For first of all there is no man without faulte sith it is playne, that euen the iust man fal­leth seuen times a day. Prou. 24. Agayne, albeeit some peraduenture bee voyde of those crimes, for the which Gods wrath is espe­cially kindled, yet shall it be their partes to weep with thē y ^t weepe, Rom, 12. least they should seeme vtterly to renounce the fellowship which wee haue all of vs in Christ Iesus. Further seeing the corruption of our na­ture is such, that the things which are law­full doe withdrawe vs from the exercises of fayth and prayer, euen for this cause ought the same to bee intermitted, that wee may the more feruently bee occupied in those thinges, that concerne Gods glory and our [...]wne saluation. 2. Corin. 7 So Paule wi [...]e [...] married folkes to goe aparte some [Page 55]times by co [...]t, that they might the more conueniently giue them selues to fasting and praye [...] ▪ Howe then shall wee think of those, who when afflictions doe euery where hang ouer them, seeke their owne priuate pleasures: yea and abstaine not euen from thinges vnlawfull, but breake foorth into all kinde of lust and licentious­nesse? This is too too common in these dayes, so as euen by this argument a man may well discerne the maners and con­ditions of the last time.

Fourthly, hee instituteth publike prayers, 4. Publike praiers. where he setteth downe the forme of a Letanie, not such a one as the super­stitious sort, and men, giuen to their owne gayne doe vse, but such as beeing ioyned with true fayth, seeketh onely the glory of God. The ringleaders heereof hee ap­poynteth the Priestes, not that other ought to holde their peace, but for that hee might put them in minde of Christe the Mediatour, a Type whereof they did represent, and without whome their pray­ers coulde not please GOD. Let the Priestes (sayeth hee) weepe betweene the porch and the altar. &c. The porche [Page]was the place of the people, and the altar resembled the presence of God himselfe, vnto whom there the sacrifices were of­fred: and that the Priestes bare the per­son of Christ, it is better knowne out of the Epistle to the Hebrues, Heb. 2. 5.9. &c. then that it needeth with many woordes to bee prooued. In the meane season the ministers of churches are admonished of their duetie, namely that they put themselues betweene the people & God being angry. For although the glo­ry of intercession or atonement doe belong properly vnto Christ alone, yet is it their partes neuer to ceasse praying, whereby they may asswage the wrath of God, and reconcile the people vnto him. So wee reade Aaron intermingled himselfe, umb. 16. and stood in the middest betweene the quicke and the deade, when the plague of GOD grew hote among the people. 1. Sam. 12. And Samuel thought it a greate offence, if hee shoulde ceasse to pray for the people, which had cast off Gods yoke and gouernement. For seeing GOD complaineth of this in the Prophets more then in one place or two, that no man woulde offer himselfe or stand in the breache of the wall, Ezech. 22. Esay. 59. to stoppe the course of his wrath and fury: it cannot but exceedingly displease him, if the mini­sters [Page 56]themselues bee in this case forgetfull of their dueties. &c.

Now he prescribeth the prayer in this sort: Spare thy people, O Lord, A fourme of publike pray­ers. and giue not thine heritage to reproche. &c. The petition is briefe: Spare (say they) thy peo­ple. These wordes haue in them a con­fession of sinne, and with all they shew that all hope of saluation is to be sought onely in Gods mercy. As though he should say: We haue sinned, O Lorde, and are vtter­ly vnworthy of any better successe: but spare vs we beseech thee, and enter not into iudgement with vs. &c. Vnto these wordes they adioyne reasons, and the first they draw and alleadge from their owne person, whilest they cal themselues Gods people, and adde: Neither giue thine heri­tage into reproch, for y ^e sense is this, Exod. 19. what­soeuer we be, we are thy people, thine in­heritāce, thy chosen, but who I pray thee will suffer his inheritance to perish, if hee may saue it: And thus he sendeth thē to the free couenāt of god, who had made thē his peculiar people. The other reasō they fetch frō y ^e person of god, whose glory they say should be called into questiō: why shal they say amōg the people, where is their god? for as the vngodly acknowledge no God [Page]at all, but visible: So are they wont to iudge of the true God and of his worship onely according to the present successe. Assoone therefore as they see the profes­sours of the true fayth and religion to bee in danger, by and by they cast them in the teeth with their fayth and worship of the true God: as in these daies, alas for sorrow, is euery where to bee seene. But wee are taught in this place, how prayers as well publike as priuate ought to bee ordered, Publike prai­ers how they are to bee made. when publike calamities doe vrge and op­presse vs. First, and before all thinges we haue neede of the confession of sinnes, which must be ioyned with faith, so as wee may haue the hope of our saluation fi [...]ed onely in the grace and mercy of God. Be­cause, if we looke vpon our selues, we must perish without remedie, seeing our sinnes doe on euery side bewray them selues, and euen our righteousnesses are nothing but vncleannesse. Esay. 64. Secondly least this hope should wauer as a thing vncertaine, Gene. 17.22. &c. wee must haue recourse to the couenant of God, which beeing made with our fathers and confirmed by the death of Christ, cannot at any time become voyde or frustrate. [Page 57]For if no person by his owne priuate au­thoritie may abolish the testament and wil of a man, Gala. 3. which is lawfully written & con­firmed: then perdy must the authoritie of Gods will and testament of necessitie bee greater, wherein hee hath inrolled & made vs his heires.

And as the Prophete calleth these folke still the people and inheritance of God, notwithstanding that they were pre­sently to bee punished for their sinnes: e­uen so at this day the Lorde doth not by and by reiect his Churche, although some spottes and infirmities doe cleaue vnto it, [...] that shee hold-fast y ^e seede of faith, and be desirous to bee reconciled with him. But especially wee must bee carefull to pro­mote gods glory, which ought to bee more heere vnto vs, then our owne proper wel­fare and saluation. For this thing doth the order of the Ten commaudementes, and the course of the Lords prayer teach vs, & euen the common sense and experience of nature, which causeth children to be vigi­lant and carefull for the fame and honour of their parents. This thing saw Moses, Exod. 32. Nū. 14. &c. who as ofte as hee maketh interces­sion [Page]for the people, alleadgeth chiefly god [...] glory, least God shoulde giue it vp to the reproche of the Heathen. And the godly cry out in the Psalmes: Psal. 115. Not vnto vs, O Lord, not vnto vs, but to thy name giue the glory, &c. Most detestable therefore is their sinne and iniquitie, who when they are not ignorant how Gods glory is blas­phemed of the wicked by reason of their enormities and most corrupt maners, yet can by no meanes bee brought, to consider of y ^e amendment of them. Moreouer it is full of comfort, in that wee see our salua­tion coupled with Gods glory. For in as much as God is a ielous God, hee will not suffer the glorye of his name to fall to the grounde, and therefore his chozen, in whō the same is in hazarde, hee will neuer for­sake. Let vs be mindefull of these things in these most dangerous dayes, and return vnto God, who will be mercifull to so ma­ny as conuert vnto him, through Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord: to whom be giuen blessing, honour, glory, and domi­nion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon. 8.

The argumēt and vse of this present place.GOD vseth indeede to punish mens sinnes with sundrie and greeuous penalties, and yet so many as re­turne vnto him, hee graciously re­ceiueth into fauour. There are extant of this matter many promises, which are confirmed with in [...]umerable examples, a­mongest which that is very notable, that is propounded and set foorth by Ioel. For hee in the first part of this Sermon terri­fied the Iewes with a greeuous denun­tiation of the punishmentes, to the ende they might the better bee stirred vp to re­pentance. Secondly he declared the true way and maner of repentāce. Wher­unto nowe in the thirde place hee addeth a consolation, whereby hee telleth them that they shall not looze their labour, if they turne vnto God: for why he is graci­ous and mercifull, so as hee will heare their prayers, and deliuer them out of dan­ger. The historie agreeth very well with the promise, which testifieth that all this was perfourmed with singuler fideli­tie. These things ought to comfort us in temptations, and therewithall to awaken vs, least wee despise Gods goodnes, wher­through [Page 59]hee inuiteth vs no lesse in those day [...] of repentance. But it shall bee p [...]table to consider euery thing in o [...] ­der.

The cause of reconcilem [...] with god. &c.First hee sheweth the cause, wherefore GOD woulde bee reconciled vnto them: namely his free mercy and goodnes. The Lorde (saith hee) will bee ielous ouer his la [...]de, &c. Nowe ielousie is that loue, whereby the husbande through the secrete prou [...]cation of the spirite is so affected th­ [...]es his wife, that he cannot abide that shee shoulde either bee subiect vnto other [...]e [...], or iniuriously dea [...] withal of others. This ielousie the S [...]pture attributeth [...]nto God, not that any such affections or passions doe light vpon him: but that it [...]ght expresse the vehemencie of Gods [...]oue towarde vs, which is such & so great, Ephe. 5. that tooke what is doone to his Churche, whereof hee accounteth as of his spoust, hee deemeth done vnto himselfe: which he hi [...]selfe witnesseth in Zacharie, saying: Zach. 2. Hee that toucheth you toucheth the ap­ple of mine eye. And hytherto ma­keth it, that hee calleth the lande of the Iewes his land, and the people his people: [Page]namely, that as he had made them his peo­ple, so had he consecrated their la [...]de to himselfe, to the ende is might bee, a [...] y [...]t woulde say, the certaine seate of his wor­ship and religion according to that say­ing of the Psalme, God is knowen in Iury, &c. Psal. 7 [...]. But if ye aske, from whence that zeale or ielousie of God commeth, and why hee chose, the Iewes before o­ther people: Wee can render no other cause, then his meere loue and free mercy: whereof Moses, Deut. 7.8.9. Ezech. 16. also oftentimes admoni­shed them, and himselfe in Ezechiel vnder the parable of a marriage expresly testifi­eth. The Prophet therefore by the men­tion of ielousie sendeth them backe to Gods goodnesse, least for the doctrines sake of repentance, which hee had premi­sed, they shoulde attribute any thing to their owne merits. But the self same is the state and condition of vs all. For why? if GOD did not with most feruent zeale maintaine and defende our saluation, it were impossible among so many & gree­uous assaultes of the Deuil, and of the worlde, for any man to bee safe eyther in [Page 60]body or soule. And haue wee deser­ued, that hee shoulde burne with so greate zeale for vs? No verily. For what can they deserue, Psal. 51. that are conceiued and borne in sinne, and that haue with themselues drawen the earth and euen this whole frame of the worlde into cursednesse? Gene. 3. For albeit wee beeing wakened sometimes eyther by the admonitions of Gods word, or by punishments doe conuert vnto him, yet is there no merite or worthines of this conuersion before God, sith hee himselfe is the authour and chiefe cause thereof in vs.

It becommeth vs therefore to acknow­ledge the grace of GOD, and to ascribe vnto this alone, whatsoeuer good is in vs, which is want to bee any furtherance to our saluation. This thing serueth for our instruction, that wee also may loue GOD againe, and with no lesse zeale and feruencie propagate and set foorth his glory. But especially heereup­on ought a comforte to bee raysed in temptations: in as muche as we heare that GOD keepeth still his zeale men [Page]towardes those, and acknowledgeth them still for his people, whome he afflicteth and punisheth for their sinnes. For there­by it appeareth, hewe that afflictions are in no wise the tokens of an enemilike [...]unde in God, but rather doe testifie of his fatherly good will towardes vs. For this doth the corruption of our nature require, which cannot otherwise be brweled and ta­med. For why? if hee teache vs by his worde, wee vnderstand not the teacher. If hee admonish vs, we suppose this belongs not vnto vs. Pro. 3. If hee reprooue vs, wee com­plaine that wee haue wrong offered vs. If he threaten vs, wee scoffe and abuse his long sufferance. Hee is inforced there­fore to imitate trustie and faithful fathers, who do vse to correct their stubborne & dis­obedient children so much the more sharp­ly and seuerely, least they shoulde perishe and come to nought. Let vs therefore patiently abide his hande, and immediatly the thinges will further vs to saluat [...], that seemed [...] the first to bee intollerable, See Paule to the Heb. 12. and 1. Co [...]inth▪ 11.

The effects of our reconcile­ment with God.Howheit vnto this promise hee adioy­neth the effects or fruites of the saide re­conciliation, to the intent hee might proue in very deede, that they should haue God fauourable vnto them. And that the pro­mise might bee the more certaine, hee brin­geth in God himselfe answering to the prayers and complaints of the people, as wee hearde of late. First, Behold (saith hee) I will sende you corne, and wine, and oyle, and you shall bee satisfied there­with. These thinges are set against the penurie and hunger, which they suffered in most gree [...]ous wise: and in three fores hee comprehendeth all that belongeth to mans sustenance. And the particle, Be­holde, signifieth a sodaine and vnlo [...] ­ked for plentie of thinges. By which place we are admonished, that suste­nance and all the fruites of the earth are giuen vnto vs of God. Gen [...]. 3. For although it [...]eho [...]eth the earth to bee tilled by the labours of mens handes, yet shall it be til­led in vaine, vnlesse God blesse both it and our labours. For why? 1. Cor. 3. neither is hee that planteth, nor hee that watereth [...]y thing (saith Saint Paule) but God [Page]that giueth the increase. Let vs there­fore acknowledge Gods grace and good­nesse, and modestly and soberly vse the giftes that hee giueth vs. Againe, let vs not despaire, if at any time wee bee pin­ched with penurie, and the perill of hun­ger hang ouer our heads. Math. 6.10. Luke. 12. Psal. 147. For hee that by his liberalitie prouideth for the wilde beastes and foules of the ayre, and feedeth the young Rauens that call vpon him, wyll by no meanes neglect those, whome hee hath bought with the blood of his own sonne. The same GOD can also beyond all expectation helpe and suceour them vpon the sodaine that stande in need, if it so seemeth good vnto him. For why: if you consider the thinges that are heere spoken, I doubt not, but they will seeme incredible to a great number: but that the matter fell so out, in very deede, wee may gather out of Esay also & the whole discourse of the historie. Esai. 37. Hytherto ma­keth it, that God nourished the Israelites forcie yeeres together after a wonderfull maner in the wildernesse, to the ende hee myght teache vs by that example, that [Page 62]we [...] liue not by bread onely, Deut. 8. but by euery woorde that proceedeth out of his mouth. And in the reigne of King Ioram wee reade howe that after a horrible and more then desperate scarcitie sodenly there was giuen an vnlooked for and most plentifull foyson of corne and vitaile. 2. Kin. 8. Many ex­amples like vnto these wee may see euery yeere both publikely and priuately: of all which this ought to bee the vse vnto vs, that wee may trust in GOD our fa­ther, & humbly obey his commaunde­ments, &c.

Secondly hee saith: 2. Glory and honour. I will no more make you a reproche among the Hea­then. For they had complained of this, chiefly because his glory was in hazarde. Hee promiseth therefore that they shall no more bee troubled with any such matter. They therefore doe best prouide for theyr owne glory, that make most of Gods glo­ry, so as they can preferre this before all maner of riches of their owne. For this is Gods promise: 1, Sam. 2. I will honour them, that honour mee, and againe con­trariwise.

Whereby it appeareth, what wee haue to doe in these dayes as well privately as publikely, if in case wee desire to bee deli­uered from reproches and [...]aunders. Let vs be inflamed with y ^e zeale of gods glory, and i [...]uour our se [...]e [...] a [...]uannce the same, and euen foorthwith wee shall per­ceiue that God also will prouide for [...] same and glory.

3 Victorie against the enemie.But for [...]omuch as the huge power of the Assyrians made them astonied, so as they cou [...] scarcely giue credite to these thinges, hee telleth them in the third place what shall be come of that matter. And hee calleth them the Northren armie, for be­cause the Assyrians haue their situation Northwar [...]e from the Iewes. I will driue (saith hee) this Northren armie farre a­way from you. By the worde [ driue] hee Theweth howe easily, and with howe [...] a [...] he will d [...]ing this thing to p [...]e, euen like as if a man with a [...]lappe wou [...] driue away flyes, or as the gras [...] vs are driuen away with the [...]ittde, which be­fore oc [...]ed all places both farre & neete. Neither is there any cause why ye should thinke that there will bee no place lefte [Page 63]whither to driue him. For I will driue him into desolate places, so as one parte of so great an armie shall bee dispearsed euen to the East Sea, and another part shall flie to the West. And truly it is to hee thought, that so many as eseaped from the slaughter made by the Angel, being di­stressed with horrible feare and perpleritie were scattered by flight into diuers & sun­dry places. But he addeth: And his stinck shall come vp, &c. Hee meaneth the infa­mous memorie of his name, which onely and alone of so great attempts Sennache­rib shoulde leaue behinde him. The cause: For that hee hath magnified him­self to do this: that is, he hath proudly & unpiously exalted himselfe, as though hee woulde after his owne lust and liking o­uer rule both God and men. To the ex­position of this place make those thinges, Esai. 10.36. The pride & end of tyrāts. that are recited at large in Esay as touch­ing his outragious boasting. But by this example is finely set out the pryde of Tyrants, and the vnhappie ende of the same. They are wont to conce [...]e migh­tie matters in their minds, and can scarce­ly in the whole worlde finde any place fit [Page]to receiue them. Yea and beeing aduan­ced aboue the cloudes in their conceites they promise to them selues euerlasting memorie, & vaunt forth thēselues amongst men for some gods vpon earth. But assone as they haue finished their course, God e­uen in a moment scattereth their forces and enterprises, so farre foorth that of all their glory and triumphes, they conueigh ouer nothing els to their posteritie, then a shameful remēbrāce of their tyrāny, which like vnto stinke rysing vp from a rotten carkasse filleth and infecteth the whole worlde. Examples heereof wee haue in Histories euery where plentie. For to this ranke belongeth the first authour of tyrannie, Genc. 10. Nimroth, with all those that haue followed his steppes, of which forte for the most part were all the Babylonian and Assyrian princes, the Aegyptian Pha­raos, the Chananites, Antiochusses, He­rodes, Romayne Emperours, Ezech. 32. and as many as beeing like vnto these haue caused their feare (as the Prophet saith) to be in the land of the liuing. Let no man therefore bee afraide of their at­temptes and threateninges, but rather [Page 64]let vs feare GOD, and then beeing safe vnder his protection wee shall leaue behind vs a holy and renowmed memorie of our names, howesoeuer the wretched worlde deuise all kinde of reproch against vs.

4. The ioyfull restitution of the land and of the crea­tures.But to the intent hee might prouide for their infirmitie, whome the present dan­ger held still in doubt and perpleritie, he ampli [...]eth at large the happie condition of all thinges, which by Gods recon­cilement shoulde immediately followe. And like as in the beginning hee had threatened that the sense and feeling of Gods wrath shoulde reache euen vnto the earth it selfe and bruite beasts also: so nowe bee promiseth that GOD with his fauour will reioyce the earthe, and likewise the beastes. And hee v­seth a feate figure, whereby hee speaketh to the earthe and beastes, as though they were endued with sense and rea­son: Feare not, O lande, reioyce and bee gladde, for the Lorde will doe greate thinges. As though hee should say: God seemeth nowe to lie along and [Page]sleepe, seeing Sennacherib so proudly exalteth himselfe: but euen foorthwith God wil cast him downe, and shew forth his own power, and restore a glad coun­tenance to the earth. And you, O beasts, whom famine compelleth as yet to wan­der about and mourne, nowe lay aside all feare. For the pastures of the de­ferr shall floorish, and so shal al trees, and Likewise the figtrees, and vines shal bring foorth their fruite, whereby foode shall be ministred both to you and vnto men. And thus woulde he comforte the people, and stirre vp the same to the consideration of Gods benefite, that from thence foorth, they might yeelde themselues thankefull and obedient vnto God. For as we said of late, a foule shame it is, for men not to acknowledge the hande of God, which e­uen the grosse earth, and bruite beasts doe perceiue. But more of this shalbe saide in that which followeth. It shall bee our partes in the meane time, to awaken our selues by the consideration heereof, and to giue thankes vnto God without eeasing. Who hath giuen vs greater thinges then these in Christe Iesus, who hath destroyed [Page 65]the power of the diuell, defaced his king­dome, and restored vs men vnto happines, which we had lost by the fall of our first pa­rentes. To him therfore be giuen blessing. honour, glory, and dominion, for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon 9.

The argumēt & vse of this present place.AS men that abounde in peace and y­dlenes, doe for the moste parte ac­count all things to be cockesure vn­to themselues, neyther thinke they it euer likely, that any aduersitie should hap­pen vnto them: So if at any time they per­ceyue Gods wrath to be kindled, and that all thinges beginne to goe agaynst them, then by and by casting away all hope they fall to trembling, and can hardly bee per­swaded with any comfortes. This thing the Prophet Ioel did well perceiue, and therefore to the doctrine of repentance he adioyneth manifolde matter of consolati­on, wherby he confirmeth thē, whom a little before by declaring the danger hee had made afrayd. And of late forsooth hee de­scibed the zeale or ielousie of God, who will so graciously receiue them into fa­uour that turne vnto him, that the tokens of his goodnes may be seene euen in the brute beastes them selues, and in the very [Page 66]earth. But now he applieth all that matter vnto the people, whom he doeth not onely comfort, but also teach, what it becommeth them to doe, when by Gods benefite they are deliuered. And so hee setteth foorth a generall doctrine, what the godly haue to obserue, when either they are exercised with aduersitie, or finde Gods deliue­rance towardes them.

He willeth the godly to re­ioyce for the promised de­liuerance.And first coupling this present place w ^t that y ^t went before, he sayth: Be glad thē ye children of Sion, & reioyce in the Lord your God, &c. As though he shoulde saye, Seeing the earth it selfe is to reioyce and the beastes to cast off al feare, how much more becōmeth it you to reioyce, which are the childrē of Siō, to wit of the church, which God hath chosen as peculiar to himself, & for whose sake he blesseth the earth, & the rest of the creatures. And thus he asswageth y ^e sharpnes of y ^e presēt dāger, with y ^e promise of ioy to come: & teacheth, y ^t such as are y ^e childrē of y ^e church haue a per­petual cause of reioycing, albeit they be be­set on euery side with dangers. Where notwithstanding wee haue diligentlye to obserue, what manner of ioye it is [Page]that he inioyneth vnto thē. For in as much as he had promised abundance of fruites, & was to say yet more of that matter, some might conceiue in their heartes a carnall ioy, and by that occasion breake foorth in­to all licentiousnes, which thing common­ly is wont to be the cause of greater misery and mourning. Hee sayth therefore: Bee glad and reioyce in the Lord your God: The godly ought to re­ioyce in the Lord. and so hee pointeth the cause and matter of their reioycement onely and alone in God, whom they should finde fauorable and mercifull vnto them. Hee putteth there­fore a feate distinction betwixt men and beastes. For these because they can con­ceiue no further, he willed to reioyce in the happy forzon of the earth and in the abun­dance of fodder: but men hee sendeth vnto God the fountaine and giuer of all good­nes. After the same manner the Apostle willeth the faythful to reioyce in the Lord, Phil. 3.4. which is diligently to be obserued, if at any time we feele our prosperitie to encrease. For then they that beeing mindefull of the Lord theyr God, doe reioyce in him alone, the same also doe compasse about their ioy with the feare and reuerence of God, least [Page 67]it should breake forth into the libertie of the flesh: yea they so much the more earnestlye giue themselues vnto godlynesse, by howe much they feele the clearer testimonies of Gods goodnes towardes them. As for the vngodly it is not so with them, for they like brute beastes doe sticke onely in thinges present, and filthily abuse the same with the losse of theyr saluation.

But the Prophet goeth on, He declareth the causes of their ioye. and decla­reth more diligently the causes of this ho­ly reioycement. The first is, because he hath giuen you a teacher vnto righteous­nesse. The Hebrue word signifieth both a teacher and rayne. For as it behooueth the earth to bee watered with rayne, so is it necessarye that the riuers of heauenlye doctrine should flowe into the mindes of men being otherwise barren and out of kil­ter, to the end they may be made fitte for those thinges, that are prescribed vnto vs of the Lord. Whether it belongeth that God compareth his worde in Esay to the rayne. Esay. 55. But the Prophet vseth a doubtfull worde, because he would allude to the ca­lamitie of the present warre, which like vn­to a sodeine storme of rayne ouerflowed the [Page]whole land. And he telleth them that this was sent from GOD, not that they should perish, but y ^t they should be instructed here­by vnto righteousnes, and bee made more ware and circumspecte heereafter. For as we sayd in the beginning, the Iewes vnder Ezechias, a most excellent and godly prince, sinned diuers wayes, when as they both followed a most dissolute trade of life▪ and also cleane contrary to the threatnings of the prophets trusted to the league of the Egyptians. Therefore God sent vnto them the Assyrians, to the intent that bee­ing by them driuen into extreeme haz­ard they might bee taught, howe vayne and hurtfull and that confidence is, which is reposed in the externall helpes. The Prophet therefore biddeth them to reioyce for this very cause, that God by such afflic­tions vouchsafed to instruct them, whom hee might haue altogether destroyed, if hee would haue vsed his owne aduantage.

These thinges teache vs what we ought to iudge of the afflictions, wherewith God exerciseth vs. Afflictions are as tea­chers vnto righteousnes. They are as Teachers, which instruct vs vnto righteousnesse. For when all thinges fall out as we would [Page 68]wish, we become more careles in the things that concerne our dueties, neyther also doe wee apply our mindes vnto those pointes, that are taught vs by the woorde of God. Wee haue neede therefore of affliction, whiche (as the Prophet sayth) maye giue vs vnderstanding, and prouoke vs to the dueties of godlines. Esay. 28. The Saintes do acknowledge this, and say with Dauid, Psal. 119. It is good O Lord, that thou hast humbled me. Againe: Thy rod and thy staffe com­fort me. For why: Psal. 23. they acknowledge the fatherly hand of God in chastising thē, and therefore they reioyce in afflictions, which they know will woorke for the best vnto them. This thing is to bee obserued of vs, when eyther we are tempted publik­ly with warres and famine, or priuatelye with disseases and other aduersities. For so being made partakers of Christ in bea­ring his crosse, wee shall reigne for euer with him in glory.

Neuerthelesse least they might think y ^t this afflictiō should alwaies last & cōtinue, God testifi­eth his fa­uour by out­ward bene­sites. he repeateth y ^t w ^c he had said of y ^e fruitfulnes of y ^e earth & of y ^e most plētifull increase of corne & victual, w ^c is another cause of reioy­sing [Page]in the Lord: namely that they should acknowledge the fauoure of God by his externall benefites, and euen in very deede haue experience thereof. For hee sayth: He will cause the rayne to come downe vnto you, euen the first rayne and the lat­ter rayne in the first moneth. That is said to be the first rayne, which in the moneth of September after seede time watereth the fieldes, that the seedes may grow and take roote. The latter rayne, which when the Corne is now in riping causeth, that the Graines in the Eares are not scor­ched with ouermuch heat, but are made more plentifull. And in these two kindes he comprehendeth all other influences of the heauens, which make to the happy in­crease and foizon of the earth. Neither doeth hee promise these onely, but te [...]heth also, that they shall be effectuall, wh [...] hee addeth. And the barnes shall be filled with wheate and the presses shall abound with wine and oyle: and I will render and make good vnto you the yeeres, that is, those yeerely fruites, which the Grashop­pers haue deuoured, the Canker worme, and the Caterpiller, and the Palmer [Page 59]worme, my great hoast, which I sent a­mongest you. Victuall and sustenance commeth on­ly by the bles­sing of God. Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Psalm. 104. 145.147. In which place wee are admonished, that seasonable weather and the fruites of the earth doe come to passe, onely and alone by Gods blessing. There are extant as touching this matter promi­ses in the law, & Dauid oftentimes maketh mention thereof in the Psalmes. As ofte therefore as wee inioye those benefites, let vs acknowledge them to bee testimonies of Gods grace and goodnes, and vse the same soberly and with thankesgiuing. 1. Tim. 4. For by this Paule witnesseth that our meates are sanctified. But if wee be vnthankfull and intemperate, then they turne vnto our destruction, which ought to haue serued our necessitie, and withall God taketh awaye his giftes, and punisheth them with penu­ry and hunger, which would not acknow­ledge his goodnes and bountie. Neither is this any harde matter for him to doe, when as by most vile wormes hee can so­denly cutte shorte the whole hope of the yeere. Neyther doeth he without cause cal these heere in this place his hoast or army. For albeit these seely creatures seeme to bee most weake and feeble thinges, yet doe [Page]they make huge swarmes, wherby they de­stroy all that euer is both farre and neere, in so much that a man may more easily de­fend the fieldes from the inuations of ene­mies then from them. Examples are e­uery where extant in hystories, Exod. 10. and wee haue seene some in our tune, in the consi­deration whereof, woulde GOD wee were more diligentlye occupied, and then remembring our owne weakenesse wee should haue lesse cause to be proude against GOD, who is able with most vile and wretched creatures to subdue euen the cru­elest Tyrantes and fiercest nations that be.

Hitherto maketh that which hee addeth, saying: How Gods benefites ought to bee vsed. And you shall eate and be satisfi­ed, and prayse the name of the Lord your God, who hath dealt maruellously with you. In which wordes he sheweth thē how they ought to vse peace and the plenty of things belonging to mans sustenance. For God would y ^t we should enioy thē & be sa­tisfied with thē. But withall he will haue vs to be mindfull of him, and to prayse his name, that is, his power and bountifulnes. It was miraculous to behold, y ^e sodeine de­liuerance & felicitie, which happened to the Iewes after the Assyrian war. But no lesse [Page 70]admiration deserue the things y ^t we daily haue experience of, & that al creatures are occupied about mās liuelihood & welfare. Therfore a more then beastly blockishnes it is, if in case we being satisfied with Gods giftes, doe neither acknowledge his libera­litie our selues, nor prayse and commēd the same vnto others, &c.

He promiseth the present ayde and pro­tection of God.Hereunto he addeth in way of cōfirmatiō: And you shal know that I am in the mid­dest of Israel, that is to say, so great and so notable shal your happines be, that if you wil not beleeue my wordes, yet shal you find by experience and indeed, that I am conuersant amōgst you, & that I stand in defence for you with mine aide: and how that I am your god, & that only, & alone. Because I wil thē deliuer you, whē as bee­ing forsakē of al men, there shal no where appeare any hope of health or safetie. To be short, I wil bring to passe, that my peo­ple shal neuer be cōfoūded. And so he she­weth thē that y ^e fountaine of al good things consisteth in the free promise & couenant of God. For in that that God had chosen his dwelling place amongest them, it was of no merit or desert of theirs, but of his owne meere grace and fauour, wherewith [Page]he embraced them being vnworthie, and deseruing no such matter, Exod. 16. Leuit. 26. as Moses him­selfe more then in one place or two witnes­seth. But in that the Iewes are at this day horribly confounded, & made a laugh­ing stocke to the whole worlde, it deroga­teth nothing at al from Gods promise. For why? this is restrained to the people of god, Therefore inasmuch as they ceassed to bee Gods people, and are reiected by his iust iudgement, the same belongeth no more vnto them. In the meane season wee ought to apply these thinges to our instruction and comfort. For as in times paste the Iewes, Ephes. 1. 2. Corin. 6. 1. Pet. 2. Ephes. 1. 2. Corin. 15. Rom. 8. so hath God by grace chosen vs in Christ Iesus. Who hath not onely redee­med vs by the merit of his death, but also made vs a liuing temple vnto him selfe, which he vouchsafeth to dwell in by his spirit and worde. Yea and he hath en­grauen his spirit in our heartes, as a sure and certaine pledge of our saluation, whereby we cry, Abba Father. Of which grace there appeare sufficient trials and cleare testimonies, whilest among so many treacheries of hypocrites and horrible en­terprises of Tyrantes, he maruellously de­fendeth [Page 71]and preserueth his Churche. It shall be our partes therefore to depend vp­on him alone with a strong and vnshaken fayth, to feare and worship him in spirit and in truth. Whosoeuer shall this doe, can ne­uer be confounded. For this is the voyce of Christ Iesus: Matth. 28. Beholde I am with you euen to the end of the worlde. To him bee gi­uen blessing, honour, glory, and dominion. for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon. 10.

The argumēt & vse of this present place. Gene. 3.AS God promised vnto our first pa­rentes his sonne Iesus Christ, for a re­deemer, who being made man of a woman should crush and breake in pieces the heade of y ^e serpent: so did he afterward oftetimes repeate y ^e same promise, yea & would haue al other to be groūded therō. For inasmuch as in him he is recōciled w ^t vs, 2. Corin. 1. for his sake alone also is giuē to vs, whatsoeuer good we receiue frō him. As oft therfore as y ^e prophets promise to y ^e anciēt people either de­liuerāce frō enemies, or peace, or plentiful increase of y ^e earth, or other tēporall bene­fits of like sort, they alwayes for y ^e most part enterlace in their promises prophesies as touching Christ, to y ^e end y ^t by thē, the godly may vnderstād y ^t god wil not be wanting to his people, of whō it behoued the promised redeemer of mankind to be borne, nor that they should doubt of the promises of cōmon benefites, when as God would perfourme greater matters in his sonne. The selfsame thing doth Ioel obserue heere in this place, who being about to comfort those, y ^t were altogether dismaid by feare of y ^e Assyrian warre, hitherto hee hath promised manye things, which make to the happines of this life, as plentie of corne & graine, victory, [Page 72]peace & trāquilitie, so far forth y ^t they might vnderstand y ^t god would ratifie & confirme his couenant, & dwell euen in the midst of thē. These things y ^t he might y ^e better war­rant & withall warne the Iewes, least stic­king fast in these earthly commodities they should neglect the more excellent testimo­nies of Gods grace: now he cōmeth down vnto Christs times, Actes. 2. of which y ^t this place ought to be expounded, the Apostle Peter expressely teacheth. And there is in this place together with the things that follow to the end of this chapter a verye notable prophesie of Christs kingdōe: which ought of vs diligently to be considered, for that it conteineth many things, the knowledge wherof is necessary vnto vs, both to the at­tayning and retaining of saluation. For first he prophesieth of the sending downe of the holy Ghost, & so teacheth what maner of kingdome Christ should haue vpō earth, & what we ought to seek for in it. Second­ly what the stat & condition of this worlde will be, whē Christ shalbe exhibited, & he in­structeth y ^e godly against y ^e offēce of y ^e cros. Thirdly he cōpriseth y ^e order of our saluatiō in a short sum, & sheweth what we ought to doe, if wee minde to holde faste the sal­uation, [Page]which Christ hath purchased for vs. At this present wee will declare onely the two former partes, and speake of the third part in the Sermon following.

Prophesiyng of Christes kingdome, he beginneth with the sen­ding down of the holy Ghost.First and formost he prophesieth of the sending of the holy Ghost, which shoulde be both more common and plentifull, then euer at any time before. Where first of all we haue to obserue, that being about to pro­phesie of Christes kingdome, amongest the innumerable benefites, whiche God hath giuen vs in him, hee chiefelye celebrateth the gifte of the holye Ghost. The cause is, for that next after Christ giuen vnto vs, there could nothing be giuen more excellēt and more necessary, then that spirit, of whō heere he speaketh. For albeit al the trea­sures of Gods grace & goodnes be giuē vn­to vs in Christ Iesus, yet can wee by no meanes enioy them without the gift of the holy Ghost. 1. Cori. 2. Rom. 7. For why? naturally we abhor from Gods kingdome, we perceiue not the misteries therof, we are vanquished with y ^e entisemēts of sinne, we yeeld & giue ouer to temptatiōs & to the crosse, & therfore we either apprehēd not saluatiō in Christ, or if we do apprehend it, yet wee hold it not fast [Page 73]But al these things the holy Ghost reme­dieth, who by the seede of the eternal word of God begetteth vs againe, 1. Pet. 1. Ioan. 3.illuminateth our mindes, and inflameth them with the loue of heauenly thinges, resisteth the af­fections of the fleshe, in temptations is a most certaine pledge of saluation, 2. Cor. 1.5. and mourning vnder the crosse confirmeth vs with most effectuall cōsolatiōs. Not with­out cause therfore doth the Prophet chiefly cōmend his gift: yea & by this meanes hee assureth thē of euerlasting saluation, vnto whome hytherto hee had promised earthly and temporall benefites. In the meane time this order of the prophet admonisheth vs, The conditiō of Christes kingdome, & what ought to bee sought for in it. what the state and condition of Chri­stes kingdome is vpon earth, and what wee ought to hope & looke for in it. This thing is very necessary to be obserued. For in as much as a great number doe gape onely after earthly thinges, and vnder co­lour of Christian libertie, hunt eyther for riches and promotions, or els seeke the li­bertie of the flesh and freedome of sinning, the faith commonly, which they professe with their mouthes, they denie in their liues, & in y ^e time of triall and persecution [Page]shamefully shrinke and fall away. But the kingdome of Christe is not of this worlde (as hee himselfe protesteth vnto Pi­late) but consisteth in ioy of the holy ghost, Ioan. 18. Rom. 14. and offereth those thinges vnto vs, which make to y ^e inheritance of y ^e heauenly life. Let vs therefore couet after Spirituall giftes, to the ende that being renewed and borne again in him, we may liue a life wor­thy the profession of our faith, & by y ^e crosse couragiously wrastle foorth to the heauen­ly kingdome.

The holy ghoste is pro­mised vnto al.Moreouer the Prophet expresseth the maner of this sending, and who they are that shalbe partakers of the holy Ghoste, I will powre out (saith hee) my spirite vp­on all fleshe, &c. By the worde of pow­ring out, hee promiseth a large and ample grace of the spirite. Ioan. 3. For as hee is not gi­uen to Christe himselfe by measure, so al­so in his members is perceiued a certaine euer flowing power of the same spirite. And whilest hee nameth all flesh, hee ma­keth the promise vniuersall: namely as touching the elect and faithfull, which it behoued to be gathered from amongest all people, and to bee borne againe by the spi­rite. And immediatly he setteth downe as [Page 74]specialties, sonnes and daughters, young men & olde men, seruants & handmaydes: to shew that in Christ there is no differēce either of sexe, or age, or condition, or also of countrie and nation, as Paul more then in one place or two hath noted. Galat. 3. Col. 3. The differēce of the old & new testemēt. And heere appeareth the diuersitie of the olde & new Testament. In both of them indeede is set foorth one and the same Christe, one & the same faith, & one & the salvation. Yet dif­fer they not a little in the number of belee­uers, & in the maner of teaching and kno­wing of Christ. For in olde time the number of beleeuers was very small, and the knowledge of saluation might seeme to bee shet vp onely within the borders of Iudea. For these are the wordes of God to y ^e Israelites, saying: Exo. 19. You shall bee my people before all nations. Againe: you onely haue I knowen of all the kindreds of the earth. Amos. 3. Of which sort are those which we haue in the Psalmes: Psal. 76.147. In Iury is God knowen, his name is famous in Israel. In Salem is his tabernacle, & his dwelling in zion. He declareth his word vnto Iacob, his ordināces & iudgements vnto Israel: he hath not dealt so with euery natiō, &c

But in the newe Testament y ^e spirite of God is powred foorth vpon all flesh, and the doctrine of saluation is preached throughout the whole worlde, and they are called from the East and from the West, which shall sitte downe in the kingdome of God with Abraham, Math. 8. Isaak and Iacob: yea and there is fulfilled that saying of the Prophet, who foretolde that the barren shoulde haue many moe children then the married wife. Esai. 54. Further albeit there are in the olde Testament notable and renow­med examples of beleeuers, yet is the knowledge of saluation much more glo­rious and plentifull after the comming of Christe, then it was in times past. For in the olde worlde the faithfull depended onely vpon the promises and figures of the lawe and oracles of the Prophetes, which nowe are seeue to bee cleere and e­uident enough, but in those daies no doubt they seemed obscure & darke, considering the truth of them was not yet fully kno­wen. But after that Christe came into the worlde, hee vtterly remoued all the veyle, I [...]an. 1. Mat. 13. and brought in the light, which en­lighteneth euery man: so farre foorth that [Page 75]euen fishermen and Publicanes might see those thinges, that in times past the Prophetes desired to see and heare. A­gaine, in the dayes of olde there were but fewe that coulde execute the Priestes of­fice: but in these dayes as many as be­leeue, Apoc. 1.5. Rom. 12. Hos. 14. the same are made Priestes by Christe, which giue themselues a quicke sacrifice vnto God, and offer the calues of their lippes in the name of Christe. It shall become vs therefore, to acknowledge Gods liberalitie, and to yeelde our selues thankefull vnto him, who voucheth safe to shed foorth (as yee woulde say) the giftes of his spirit vpon vs: least if we remaine stubborne and obstinate, wee bee one day conuinced to haue finned against the holy ghoste.

The effects of the holy ghoste.After these thinges Ioel rehearseth the effects of y ^e holy ghost. And omitting those thinges which wee touched in the begin­ning, and which are very necessarie for vs all to knowe, hee nowe setteth downe that by the which as by a peculiar token, the more plentifull grace of gods spirite may bee knowen. That is to say prophesie, vnder which that the gift also of tongues [Page]is comprehended it appeareth by the inter­pretation of Peter. But they are proper­ly saide to prophesie, which treate of the se­crete will of God and of thinges to come. And Paul stretching more largely the sig­nification of this worde, 1. Cor. 11.14 saith that they al­so doe prophesie, which eyther expound the Scriptures themselues, or that attentiue­ly heare the interpretations of other. Not­withstanding in this place Ioel speaketh of the gift of prophesying, & of a more pro­found knowledge of y ^e misteries of y ^e scrip­ture. Your sonnes and your daughters (saith hee) shall prophesie. That is, from them shall euery where arise such, as shall foresee things to come, & by drawing forth the secretes of the Scripture, apply them to the common instruction and consolati­on of all.

Againe, Your olde men shall dreame dreames, and your young men shall see visions. For by these meanes common­ly in times past God reuealed his will to the Prophetes, Numb. 12. 1. Sam 9. whereupon they were cal­led Seeres. But the thinges that are heere promised, began immediately after Christes ascention to bee perfourmed: [Page 76]what time the holy Ghoste comming downe vpon the Apostles in a visible shape did so adorne them with the knowledge both of the holy Scriptures and the tongues, that they were an admiration euen to their enemies also, Act. 4. Act. 10.16.20.27. 1. Timo. 4. which knewe them to be Idiotes and men vnlearned. And that the same sawe visions, and were in their dreames admonished of graue and necessarie matters, the examples of Peter and Paule doe sufficiently testifie. 2. Thess. 2. The selfe same also foretold of things to come, namely, what the maners and conditions of the last time shoulde bee, and how the tyrannie of Antichrist shoulde after a hor­rible maner wast and destroy the Church: 2. Pet. 2.3. whither ought to bee referred the whole booke of the Apocalyps. And doe wee not reade, I pray you, Act. 21. how that Philip (as Luke recordeth) had iiii. daughters which prophesied? Neither did the gifte of pro­phesie florishe onely in the Apostles time, but also certame ages after, as histories doe witnesse.

And Theodoret. bishop of Cyrus writeth [Page]that in his time there were some, who bee­ing instructed with a singuler gift of the spirite prophesied of thinges to come. But because this gift was singuler and for a time onely, and the thinges nowe abun­dantly taught in the Scriptures, which are requisite for vs to knowe, this gift (as many other moe besides) is ceased. Ne­uerthelesse there remaineth yet still a cer­taine and cleere knowledge of the trueth, the certaintie of our saluation, the effects of our regeneration, adoption, and other thinges of like sort, without the which our faith can by no meanes consist. In the meane season they are reprooued in this place, which will not haue the holy scrip­tures published in these dayes, and y ^t couet to suppresse the oracles of the Apostles, as touching the last times, seeing God would haue the knowledge of saluation to bee common vnto alhis people, & therefore be­hooued the Apostles to be indued with the holy ghost, that they might put vs in mind of the things, that come to passe at this day in the Church, &c.

The perillous estate of the [...]tt [...]r time.But least any man at the springing vp of Christes kingdome shoulde promise [Page 89]to himselfe all thinges ioyfull and prospe­rous, Ioel consequently setteth downe what a huge masse of mischiefes and dan­gers shoulde euery where arise: partly to the ende hee might remedie the offence of the crosse, and that hee might commende and set foorth faith in Christe, which alone is able to saue vs in these dangers: and partly that by rehearsing of these thinges hee might terrifie and dismay those that shoulde come after, least otherwise they should refuse the redeemer giuen vnto thē of God. I will shew (saith the Lord) won­ders in heauen and in earth, blood & fire and pillers of smoke. The Sunne shalbe turned into darkenesse, and the Moone into blood, before that great and ter­rible day of the Lorde come. And be­cause hee maketh mention of that greate day, wherein Christe shall come to iudge­ment, it is euident enough, that hee com­prehendeth all the time from Christes ma­nifestatiō in the flesh euen to his last com­ming, in which hee will accomplishe his kingdome in his elect, and punish his ene­mies with the paines of eternall death and damnation. And hee sheweth that there [Page]wil euery where appeare tokens of Gods wrath, and that such shall bee the counte­nance of the whole worlde, as that all the partes thereof might seeme to haue con­spired together to the destruction of man­kynde. Heereunto agree those thinges, that Christe foretelleth in y ^e gospel of the later times. Mat. 24. Mark. 13. Luke. 21. And they beganne to bee ac­cōplished by and by after his ascention in­to heauen, as touching the nation of the Iewes. For there were seen wonders of al sortes, after the which followed immedi­ately the destruction both of their citie and nation.

But vnder the Romane Empyre, whereunto the whole worlde was then subiect, there raged in horrible wise se­ditions, warres, pestilences, famines, and all maner of mischiefes whatsoeuer, and the histories are full stuffed with the rehearsall of straunge tokens. These thinges haue continued euen vnto our time, neither as yet are they come vn­to an ende. For who is ignoraunt of the Cometes and blasing starres, of the Swoordes, Speares, and other like [Page 78]thinges, which haue now certaine yeeres past beene seene in the skies: As for Earthquakes and Inundations of wa­ters wee haue seene very many. And in some places great quantities of blood haue gushed out of the earth, and els where it hath rayned blood from heauen. I let passe the monstrous shapes and birthes, which if I shoulde stande to re­count, the day woulde scarce bee suffici­ent.

And that these are no vaine scare­crowes the thing it selfe testifieth, when as the wretched worlde is vexed and dis­quieted with warres, famine, pestilence, & other plagues innumerable.

The cause of the calamities of the latter time.But some man may aske, what the cause is of these calamities, and why GOD seemeth nowe to bee more offen­ded with all mankinde, then hee was in times past, before Christe was giuen vnto vs in the fleshe? This question is not superfluous, considering that in times past the enemies of the Christian faith tooke heereby occasion to slaunder it, in that after the rising thereof, they saide [Page]whole swarmes of mischiefes brake into the worlde. And among the Christians there are not a fewe that are greatly trou­bled with the consideration heereof. But if we cōsider y ^e thing it self, it will appeare that the cause of these euils commeth not of the Christian faith or religion, but pro­ceedeth from the people. For among these the greater part is of the wicked and vngodly, who either as hogges of Epi­cures heard, giue themselues to the lustes of the fleshe, and despise all religion, or els beeing superstitious and Idolaters doe dayly deuise and heape vp vnlawfull wor­shippinges. And both these sortes hate and persecute the light of the truth: so as notwithstanding that they followe diuers practises of life, yet in this one thing they egregiously agree, and by their wickednes it commeth to passe, that there seemes no enormitie worthie of greater punishe­ment, then if any make a fyncere and free confession of the truth. Is it therefore to be thought any maruell or a thing vn wor­thy, if God punish the desperate boldnesse of these men with all kinde of plagues, which wilfully refuse the saluation of­fered: [Page 71]This doubtles is the cause, for the which Christe himselfe foretold that the nation of the Iewes should bee rooted out, Mat. 21.23. Luke. 19. & for which also the Romane Empire was manifoldly afflicted, as Orosius in diuers places witnesseth. But for so much as a number in these dayes followe and imitate the wickednesse of the Iewes and Emperours, it is nieete and requisite that they shoulde suffer and abide the selfe same paines and punishments with them. Where, if so bee wee looke vpon those, that haue giuen their names vnto Christe, although they bee of a right iudgemente as touching faith and religion, and also do refreine themselues from the grosser sins and superstitions, yet concurre there ma­ny thinges in them, which deserue y ^e shar­per kinde of discipline and chastizemente. For some blinded with the loue of this worlde, couet after honours and riches, o­thersome hauing too good an opinion of themselues are made secure and carelesse, others there be that become slaues to their affections, and followe without measure their owne lustes and pleasures. As therefore it is necessarie that these shoulde [Page]bee brydeled and prouoked to a more fer­uent desire of Godlinesse, so the iustice of God requireth, that in punishing the sins of the wicked worlde, 1. Pet. 4. hee shoulde begin first with his owne house, least hee might seeme to allow those things in his owne, which hee so seuerely punisheth in others. No man therefore hath any cause to com­plaine of GOD. For in as muche as the state and condition of the worlde will bee alwayes alike, it is good reason also that the same should be vexed with the like punishments and afflictions, vntill that great day of the Lorde appeare, which as it wyll bee terrible to the wicked as the Prophete signifieth, Luke. 21.1. Thes. 4 so will the same bee ioyfull to the Godly, and bryng vnto them their full and perfect redemption. Heere­by are confuted the Chiliastes, and as ma­ny as in these dayes doe restore againe their dotages, whylest they promise to themselues a certayne golden worlde vp­on earth. And withall the goodnesse of GOD is to bee obserued, The vse of strange tokēs. who before hee bring foorth the punishments, which wee haue deserued, is accustomed to for­warne [Page 80]vs not onely by his worde, but al­so to awake vs by signes and wonders. Examples of this forte are extant in the histories of all ages, and as wee saide euen nowe, there appeare great store of them in these dayes. It shall bee our partes, to be mooued with these thinges, and to flie vnto Christe Iesus, who will giue saluation to all that call vpon his name, as shall bee saide in the Sermon fo­lowing. To him bee giuen blessing, honour, glory and dominion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon 11.

The argumēt & vse of this present place.OVr Lord Iesus Christis the vni­uersal redeemer, not only of those that after his incarnatiō beleeued [Page]in him, but also of all those, that imbra­cing the auncient promises, haue reposed the hope and confidence of their saluation in him alone. This hee himselfe witnes­seth, when as hee saith, that Abraham saw his day, Ioan. 8. Apoc. 13. and reioyed in it. And Iohn calleth him the Lambe of God, which was staine from the beginning of the worlde, y ^t is whose merit reacheth vnto all those y ^t haue euen from the first beginning of the worlde beleeued in him. Therefore all the Prophetes are wont to prophesie of Christe, and in him they fixe the foundati­on of all other promises. This thing doth Ioel also. For after hee had promi­sed that God woulde deliuer his people from the handes of the Assyrians, foorth­with by way of confirmation hee addeth an euident prophesie of Christe, who ha­uing accomplished the worke of our re­demption, shoulde sende foorth his spirite, & spreade abrod his kingdome by the Go­spell vnto all nations. But because al­so hee foresaw the wickednesse of y ^e Iewes and other people, wherof the greater part despiseth and retecteth Christ, hee denoun­ced vnto these likewise, gods wrath & hor­rible [Page 81]punishmentes. Heereunto nowe he annexeth the third part of this prophesie, wherein hee instructeth those, that are de­sirous to escape the sayde dangers, and withall in fewe words comprehendeth the whole order of our saluation. Where appeareth a wonderfull token of Gods goodnes, who in the middest of our afflic­tions doth so mercifully shewe vnto vs a way of escaping. For the selfesame thing doth Moses in the Law, Leuit. 26. Deut. 30.32. where after most grecuous threatninges, hee addeth a com­fortable doctrine as touching the true con­uersion vnto God. Luk. 21. 1. Tim [...]. &c The like order doe the Prophets obserue, and also Christ and the Apostles, when as they entreate of the most trouble some state of the latter times. It shall be our parts therefore, to acknow­ledge this fatherly care of God for vs, and to obey his precepts, &c.

The waye, whereby men may prouide for thēselues in aduersitie.But as touching the wordes of the Pro­phet, first he teacheth the maner and waye, wherebye men may prouide for them­selues among so greate dangers, saying: But whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued. And so hee knit­teth this sen [...]e with that which went be­fore [Page]in so much that it is to bee taken not without a singuler force and emphasis. For it is all one, as if he had sayd. Howsoeuer the whole world is troubled, and the signes of Gods wrath do euery where ap­peare, yet these things oght by no means to abash the godly. For whosoeuer in the meane time shal cal vpon the name of the Lord, shal find him to be their deliuerer & redeemer. Paule citeth this place in a cause of great weight, Rom. 10 where hee auoucheth the calling of the Gentiles against the Iewes: wherefore euery part thereof is deligently to be discussed of vs.

First let vs see, to whom this way and maner of saluation is prescribed. The way of saluation is promised vni­versally to all that embrace it. But (sayth he) whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord. &c. This promise therefore rea­cheth vnto al, so far forth y ^t neither the diffe­rence of nation, nor sexe, nor state or degree shal exclude or debarre any. So Paule ex­poundeth this place, when as by it he pro­ueth the calling of the Gentiles, and tea­cheth that the preaching of the Gospel be­longeth also vnto them. For hee sayth: There is no difference either of Iewe or Grecian. For there is one Lord of al riche vnto all that call vpon him. For whosoe­uer [Page 82]shall cal on the name of the Lord shal be saued. And in another place. Glory ho­nour and peace to euery one that doeth good, to the Iewe first, Rom. 2. & also to the Gre­cian: For there is no respect of persons with God. Whether also belongeth that saying of Peter, speaking to like effect: I perceiue in very deede that there is no respect of persons with God, Act. 10. but in euery nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousnes, is accepted of him. Yea and the Scripture also maketh the promises of saluation vniuersal, to the end that eue­ry man may apply the same vnto himselfe, and conceiue by them a sure and certaine hope of saluation. These thinges do com­mend and set foorth the goodnes and boun­ty of God, and bring with them a most ef­fectuall comfort in temptations: and with­all doe admonish vs of our duetie, that wee also without any enuious respect of per­sons, should embrace those with Christian loue and charitie, whome the fellowship of one fayth hath ioyned & knit together with vs, The way of saluation is assigned to inuocation. and vpon whom God poureth forth his fauour with so great liberalitie.

Secondarily hee sheweth what those [Page]should doe that desire to be saued, when hee sayth. They that call vpon the name of the Lord. Hereunto agreeth the whole Scripture, which assigneth vnto vs euery where the port of saluation in the calling vpon and inuocation of the Lord.

Certes the Lord himselfe in the Psalmes sayth: Psal. 50. 145 and 34. Call vpon mee in the daye of thy trouble, and I will deliuer thee. Also: He is neere vnto all that call vpon him. And agayne: The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous, and his eares are open vn­to their prayers. Saluation therefore is to be sought for, from without vs, and nothing to be attributed vnto mans strength. For if it were either in our selues or might bee attained by our owne strength, wee shoulde then haue no neede of inuocation. For see­ing inuocation belongeth onely vnto God, it remayneth that all sauing health is to be sought and hoped for in him alone. Saluatiō is at­tributed vnto inuocation by reasō of faith. Howbe­it wee must marke that saluation is promi­sed to inuocation, not for the very woorke of prayer, but rather for the faythes sake, out of which true inuocation springeth. Paule giueth an inkling of this, when to the same effect he inferreth: Howe shall [Page 83]they call vpon him, in whom they haue not beleeued? For as none craueth ayde of a man, vnlesse hee be perswaded that hee both can and will help him: so no man cal­leth vpon God that hath not alreadye con­ceyued an vndoubted hope and assurance of his wil and power. This the Prophet mea­neth, when as hee plainely expresseth the maner of inuocation. For why? he doeth not simply require them to call vpon the Lord him selfe, but vpon the name of the Lord: teaching thereby, The maner & confidence of praying. what the true ma­ner of praying is, and whence the confidēce of prayer ought to be conceiued; for in very deede God hath no name, whereby his na­ture may be comprehended or declared. In consideration whereof to Iacob in times past, enquiring after his name, hee sayde: Why askest thou for my name? Genes. 32. And to Moses demaunding the same question, hee answered: I am that I am. Exod. 3. Wherefore the Scripture speaking of God after the fa­shion of men, calleth all that his name, whereby he may be knowne: as namely his goodnes, mercy, truth, wisedome, omnipo­tencie, iustice, and if there be any other ti­tles like vnto these, which are partely ga­thered [Page]out of his word, and partly out of his workes. This thing God himself teacheth, whē as to Moses, desirous to see him, he heapeth vp a sort of words, whereby hee descri­bed his owne nature saying. The Lord, the Lord, Exod. 34. strong, merciful, and gratious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodnes and truth, reseruing mercy for thousandes, forgiuing iniquitie, transgression & sinne and not making the wicked innocent, vi­siting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, & vpon childrens children. &c. But for as much as all these thinges are found especially in the sonne of God, Heb. 1. Ie­sus Christ who is therfore called the bright­nes of his glory and the expresse image of his substance, the same also is the verye true name of GOD, in and by which inuocation ought to be made. Of this thing God himselfe admonisheth, when as he witnesseth of him from heauen, Mat. 3.17. That he is his dearely beloued sonne in whom he is well pleased. And he himselfe in the Gos­pell, when he had sayd that he was the way by whiche wee come vnto the father, immediately addeth: Ioan. 14.16. Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my [Page 84]name, he will giue it vnto you. Heb. 14.4. For which cause Paul affirmeth y ^e same to be our altar, by whom we may offer vp the sacrifice of praise: yea and he testifieth that by him we haue accesse and entrance to the throne of grace. Wherupon also that most ancient vsage of the Church preuailed, whereby prayers for the most part are ended in the name of Christ. Whilest therefore the pro­phet willeth vs to cal vpon the name of the Lord, he inioyneth no other thing thē fayth in Christ, which both commendeth vs vnto God, and also maketh our prayers graceful and acceptable vnto him. But he expresseth this fayth by the name of inuocation, least we should imagine a dumbe and ydle faith. These thinges serue for our consolation & doe meruellously confirme our confidence in praying. For albeit we are vnwoorthie (as we must needes confesse) y ^t God should heare vs, yet cannot he passe ouer our prai­ers with deafe eare, when wee bring before hun his sonne Christ, 1. Corin. 1. which of him is made vnto vs righteousnes, and satisfaction.

The fruite of the inuocatiō of fayth.This confidence is encreased by the fruit of inuocation, which the Prophet ad­deth in the thirde place. For hee sayeth: [Page] Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lorde shall be saued or deliuered. Hee v­seth the word of sauing or deliuering, to the end he might shew that saluation should happen euen vnto those also, that seemed al­readie to be vtterly perished, yea and quite fallen frō al hope. There are many exāples of this sort to be found. For hither belon­geth that which is written of the children of Israel, trying out at the redde Sea with infinite thinges beside, Exod. 14. that happened vnto them whilest they were in the wildernes. And in the time of the Iudges wee reads that they were heard and deliuered, as ofte as they cryed vnto the Lorde. Psal. 107. Dauid in like manner as hee confesseth himselfe to be hearde oftentimes, so heapeth hee togi­ther very many examples of them, whome God deliuered when they called for his ayde. But especially this ought to be trans­ferred to the safetie and prefernation of soules, the certainetie whereof is here pro­ued and declared, for they that faithfully call vpon God through Christ, receiue in him remission of their sinnes.

But where sinnes ceasse or bee aboli­shed, there the wrath and punishmentes of [Page 85]God, which flowe from sinnes, must of ne­cessitie ceasse likewise. Whereupon true and perfect safetie followeth, which hath no maner of neede of any thing to be added to it. These thinges teach vs what we ought to doe at this day. The tokens of Gods wrath doe euery where appeare, and all sortes of calamities breake in on euery side, which Christ and the Apostles foretolde, should come to passe in the last time. Ma­ny there be that acknowledge these things and consult by what meanes the dangers may be auoyded. But how vayne their con­sultations are, which chalenge to thēselues the chiefe prayse of wisdome, the euent and successe of thinges doeth abundantlye prooue.

Let vs therefore (omitting our owne reasons and deuices) goe that waye to woorke, whiche the holy Ghoste prescri­beth in this place. For in as muche as it leaneth vppon the promise of GOD, who is the truth it selfe, wee can by no meanes erre or goe astraye. Let vs ac­knowledge our sinnes, and casting away all confidence of our owne woorkes, let [Page]vs implore and call for the grace of God alone through Christ Iesus, who as he hath reconciled his father vnto vs, so also woorketh hee true repentance in those, whome hee regenerateth by his spi­rit. &c.

A confirmati­on of the pro­mise compre­hending the whole order of saluation.But he maketh a further confirmation of that which he sayd, when he addeth: For in mount Sion, and in Hierusalem shalbe deliuerance, as the Lord hath sayd, that is to say, albeit the church may seeme euen now to be vtterly perished yet in Siō shall saluation be had, & there agayne shal bee gathered togither the remnantes, whiche the Lord hauing chosen from euerlasting shall call by his Gospell, as he hath pro­mised, And these promises are euery where extant in the prophets. God doubtlesse had sayd to Dauid as touching Hierusalem, y ^t the same should be his rest, Psal. 123. Esay. 10. & concerning the remnantes to be saued Esay expressely speaketh. And to these certes the histories a­gree very well. For this war of the Assyri­ans being ended the church vnder Ezechias florished notably by y ^e space of fifteen yeres together. Further albeit the people falling againe vnto wickednes their citie was of [Page 86]the Chaldeans together with their temple vtterly burned and consumed, yet after they they were returned from Babilon they builded agayn and reedified their citie and temple, Esay. 2. Mich. 4. & there at length by the Apostles the church beganne to be gathered, and the worde of the Lord comming out of Sion in a very shorte space spread ouer the whole world. Saluation on­ly to be had in the church. We are admonished here that salua­tion is to be fofid only & alone in y ^e church, a type & figure wherof in times past was Ie­rusalē w ^c was situate vpō moūt Siō famous & renowned through y ^e temple of y ^e Lord, for that these thinges are not to bee taken litterally or according to the sense of y ^e letter, that we should tye the grace of God and our saluation to the terrestriall Sion and Hierusalem, it appeareth abundantly by this, that Christ called the same citie af­terward a denne of theeues, and threatened vēgeance vnto it, Math. 21.23.24. such as was neuer shew­ed the like since the foundation of y ^e world. These promises therefore ought to be ex­tended to the church, in the bosome wherof doe lye safe, Luke. 19. Psal. 48. Psal. 84. as many as shall haue recourse vnto it. For there the Sparrowes finde a nest, and there the Swallowes laye [Page]their yong ones: because there florisheth the merit of Iesus Christ, who offering him­selfe on mount Sion for our sinnes, hath pacified God his father toward vs. This Church shall alwayes endure, howsoeuer the world storme and rage. For why: it can by no meanes reele or stagger, because it is grounded vpon Christ, which is the rocke, against whom the gates of hell shall neuer preuayle, Matt, 16. & 28. and who hath promised himselfe to be present with vs, euen vnto the end of the worlde. It behoueth vs ther­fore to haue an eye vnto these promises, if at any time we be tempted, and not to mea­sure the stabilitie of the Church, or the cer­taintie of our saluation, after the attempts and enterprises of this worlde.

Saluation be­longeth to the elect.But wee haue to marke with singular diligence, vnto whom that saluation belon­geth, that God hath prepared in Sion. Namely, to the remnāts whom the Lord shall call. He nameth these expressely, to intent he might exclude hypocrites, which trust in the merites of their owne workes, and to the end he might shewe vnto vs the foundation of saluation only and alone in the grace and fauour of God. For wee [Page 87]haue beene all of vs subiect vnto sinne, and by reason of sinne to euerlasting damnati­on, Rom. 3. and haue beene destitute of the glory of God: in so muche that if the Lorde had not reserued vnto vs certayne small remnants we shoulde haue beene as Sodome, and shoulde haue beene like vnto Gomorrha. Esay. 1. These remnantes hee hath chosen by his e­uerlasting purpose before this worlde was made, and the same moreouer, Epes. 8. when it plea­seth him, hee calleth, and being called iusti­fieth them, Rom. 8. and beeing iustified glorifieth them, as Paule teacheth. To these Da­uid consenteth, Psa. 65. who comprizing the whole order of our saluation in the selfesame heades, sayth: Wicked deeds haue preuai­led agaynst vs, But thou wilt be mercifull vnto our transgressions: Blessed is hee, whom thou choosest, and causest to come to thee: hee shall dwell in thy courtes, and shal be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house, euen of thy holy temple. For so much therefore as out of the corrupt masse of mankind some are saued, that is onely of meere grace, by the which wee are elected in Christ: and by this it commeth to passe, that like as in tunes past, when the Ty­rant [Page]of the Assyrians wasted & destroyed all y ^t euer was both far & neere, God saued his people in Hierusalē: euen so in all ages hee deliuereth his out of the snares of the Di­uel, & by y ^e preaching of the Gospel calleth thē into y ^e felowship of his church, & maketh them partakers of saluatiō in Christ. In y ^e meane season y ^e wordes of remnantes & reliques betokē y ^e fewenesse of beleeuers, which if they be compared with the multi­tude of y ^e vngodly, The fewnesse of the fayth­ful beleeuers. may be accounted very few, as we are admonished euery where in y ^e scriptures. Christ verily calleth his a little flocke, & he saith y ^t many are indeed called, but few chosen, w ^c doe passe by y ^e strait gate into y ^e kingdōe of God. Luke. 12. Math. 20. 22. &. 7. There is no cause therfore why we should be mooued at this day with y ^e slanders of such, as do cast in our teeth y ^e fewnes of thē y ^t beleeue y ^e Gospel, & gloriously vaūt of y ^e gay shew of their owne party. Neither also let vs hearkē vnto those y ^t contēd & auouch y ^t euery man may be sa­ued in & by his own religiō. For in y ^e church onely saluation betideth vnto y ^e elect & cho­sen, who being called by y ^e gospel apprehēd & embrace Christ Iesus, Actes. 2. without whō there is no name, wherein men may be saued, To [Page 88]him therfore be giuen blessing, honour, glory and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.

Sermon. 12.

THe Prophet Ioel hath with many ar­gumentes and perswasions comfor­ted the people of his time against the terrours of the Assyrian warre, and amongest other thinges he enterlaced a prophesie of Christes kingdome, to the end they might vnderstand that God can by no meanes neglect that nation, of whom it behooued the promised redeemer of man­kinde to be borne, who shoulde spreade a­broade his kingdome through the whole world. And vpon that occasion he entreated of the most perillous estate of y ^e latter time, and withall instructed the godly with hole­some counsell, vnto whom hee promised a most sure hauen & refuge of saluatiō in the Church. But whilest he propounded these thinges, the faith of a number was not a lit­tle tempted, when they saw the power of y ^e Assyrians to be in a manner inuincible, & y ^t y ^e neere natiōs had either cōspired, or other­wise taken part with them. Wherefore by way of confirmation, he entreateth: nowe [Page 89]more largely of the punishmentes of their enemies, to the intent he might shew, that there shoulde nothing let, but that GOD woulde restore them into libertie. These thinges ought so to bee considered of vs, that wee may gather from hence a gene­rall doctrine and consolation against the attempts as well of our exterior as dome­sticall enemies. For God is euermore like vnto himselfe, and as hee in times past defended y ^e cause of his people & Church, so also will hee not neglect the same at this day, yea and they shall feele Christ to bee their iudge, that wil not acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour.

Hee denoun­ceth punishe­ments to the outward ene­mies of the Church.First hee dealeth with the outwarde enemies, such as at that time were the As­syrians: and the summe of the wordes is this: I will not onely deliuer you from the present danger of warre, but also I will render to the Assyrians, your ene­mies such punishments as their deedes haue deserued. And that the credite of the promise might be y ^e greater and more certaine, hee toucheth diligently all the circumstances of the whole businesse. For beginning with the time: In those dayes [Page](saieth hee) and in that time, when I shall bring againe the captiuitie of Iuda and Ierusalem, &c. The captiuitie hee cal­leth partly the said Assyrian warre, where­in they were shut vp as captiues and priso­ners, so as no hope of deliuerance appea­red: and partly that miserie, whiche they should at the length suffer in Babylō. And because it seemed scarce possible, y ^t any mā should bee deliuered frō the tyranny of so mightie & puissant enemies, he declareth y ^t at the selfesame time y ^e same also shall be crushed & subuerted, to y ^e intēt they might vnderstand, y ^t this should be no let, but that they should be deliuered. But let vs remē ­ber y ^t these things belong especially to the times of Christe, in whome is fulfilled indeede, whatsoeuer was shadowed long a­goe by the deliuerance from the tyranny of the Assyrians or Babyloniās. For we were all of vs captiues vnder the dominion of sinne and the Diuell. Therefore Christe came at the time appointed, and set vs at libertie. But forasmuche as no man can take away (as hee himselfe saith) the wea­pons of any strong man, Mat. 12. except hee first binde him and strippe him: Christe also, [Page 90]that he might become our permanent and perfect saluation, hath subdued all the po­wer of sinne and Satan, and likewise bro­ken in pieces all those forces, which the Diuell vsed to hinder and let the common saluation of mankinde: Of which sort at that time were especially the Iewes and Romane Emperours, and at this day are such, as persecute the preaching of the Go­spell with swoorde and fire. But seeing Christes time doeth still last and continue, and the same is to reigne in his Churche euen to the ende of the world, from hence also haue wee to fetche our comforte in these dayes. For as hee by the preaching of the Gospell bringeth againe dayly the captiuitie of his people: Psal. 2 [...] So wyll hee in all ages breake them in pieces with his yron Scepter, that refuse to obey and howe downe their neckes vnto him.

But the Lorde himselfe goeth on, and sheweth what hee will doe, God is the re­uenger of his people. when hee saith: I will gather all nations, and bryng them downe into the valley of Iehosophat, and there I will pleade with them. &c. In which wordes he protesteth, that he will be the deliuerer of his people▪ [Page]and they haue euery of them a certaine force or Emphasis. I will gather (sayth hee) all nations. As though hee shoulde say, They nowe conspire and flocke toge­ther against mee, and trusting to their owne multitude and power, thinke to bring euery thing to passe as they liste themselues. But I will gather them to­gether for an other ende and purpose, & will carry them euen against their willes whither they woulde not: namely into the valley of Iehosophat, and there will I reason the matter with them, there shall they render an account of their doinges, and suffer the punishmentes, which they haue deserued. And hee calleth the valley of Iehosophat appellatiuely the iudgement it selfe. For Iehosophat in Hebrwe is the same, that the Latines say, Dominus iudicat, and wee in Englishe, The Lorde iudgeth. But hee woulde vse this worde, as though hee had appoin­ted a place certaine, that so he might bring backe to remembrance the auncient histo­rie, and shewe, that it woulde bee a very easie matter for hun to bring to passe, that which heere hee promiseth. For at what [Page 91]time many nations had conspired against king Iehosophat, 2. Chro. 20. whose power seemed to bee vnuanquishable, it came to passe by the singular benefite of God, that they falling out among themselues were slaine and in­riched the Iewes with their spoyles. Hee woulde haue them therefore to be mindful of this example, and not to thinke that Gods power is nowe spent or exhausted, who in times past coulde without any la­bour destroy euen most cruell and fierce enemies. And verily wee haue also to obserue and marke, that Gods iudgement is by no meanes remoued or taken away, although hee now and then suffer his ene­mies to range beyond their compasse. For hee beholdeth their counsailes and enter­prises, and registreth in his booke of rec­koninges, whatsoeuer they doe and say. Againe, hee hath alreadie long since ap­pointed the time and place of reuenge­ment, neither can he want executioners of his iudgement, sith hee is the Lorde of hoastes, vnto whome all creatures obey. Examples in Histories are euery where met withall, which teache, howe vaine and friuolous all their indeuours are, that seek [Page]to escape the iudgement of God. And what shall wee say to this? 1. Cor. 5. Rom. 14. Dani▪ 7. &c. that in the last day all men muste bee summoned be­fore the tribunall seate of Christ, that they may there receiue rewardes according to their deedes? Let vs bee mindfull of these thinges, and giuing our selues to the studie of godlinesse, keepe and hold fast astedfast and vnshaken hope of saluation against the attempts of the wicked and vn­godly.

Further God expresseth the cause, for the which he will pleade, God acknow­ledgeth the Church for his people & inheritance. For my people, and for mine heritage Israel. For so he nameth y ^e Iewes by reason of the co­uenant, whereby he had consecrated them vnto him selfe, and withall admonisheth them by these titles, that howsoeuer they were priuie of their owne vnworthinesse, yet they should not despayre: but haue re­spect to the promises of God, who woulde neuer foresake his owne inheritance and peculiar people. But we ought to transfer these things vnto our selues also, to the in­tent we may learne from hence, what they do, whosoeuer they are that persecute the Church of Christ. They thinke they rage [Page 92]against men of no valure or estimation, & somuch the more cruelly doe they take on with vs, because they suppose wee are nei­ther regarded of God nor men. But in the meane season they inuade and make ha­uocke of Gods people, and of Gods inhe­ritance, then the which the whole vniuer­sall worlde hath nothing in [...]t [...]more excel­lent and glorious. For why? God maketh so great account of his elect and chosen, 1. Pet. 1. Act. 20. that hee woulde purchase them vnto him­selfe, with the blood of his onely begotten sonne, because there coulde no where bee founde any other price sufficient: and fur­ther hauing purchased them, Psal. 2. Ephes. 5. hee allotted them vnto his sonne for an inheritance, yea he would haue them to be his spouse, which he might make partaker of his heauenly kingdom & of euerlasting happines. They are iniurious therefore not against men but against God himselfe, as many as lay violent handes vpon his Church, and they shall vndoubtedly feele him to bee their iudge & reuēger. For y ^e threatning of God is wel knowen, speaking by Zachary. Zach. 1. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eyet & y ^e saying of Christ, Saule, Saul, [Page]why persecutest thou mee? Act. 9. Which as they strike a terrour vnto the wicked, so are they a comfort to the godly, when they vnderstand that God will bee a reuenger of their cause.

He declareth the causes of the punish­ments.But least God might seeme to haue taken any thing rashly in hande, hee re­hearseth in order, what they had done a­gainst his people, and against his inheri­tance. First, they haue scattered them among all nations. For they had both led away the people, and dispearsed them throughout their prouinces, and also had brought of their own nation into the land of Israel to inhabite, according as the sa­cred historie euidently testifieth of Salma­nazar: 2. King. 17. and that Sennacherib the tyrant attempted the like, it may appeare by the wordes of Rabsaketh, wherewith hee sol­licited them of Ierusalem to surrender their Citie. Esay. 36. And this doeth the Lorde obiect vnto them as a great and heynous crime, when yet notwithstanding Senna­cherib chiefly glorifieth heerein, Esa. 10. Act. 17. Deut. 32. that hee had remoued the boundes of kingdomes and nations. And because it is plaine that God hath appointed to euery people, [Page 93]their seuerall limites and borders, they sin in like maner, whosoeuer without great and vrgent cause inuade the countries and dominions of other. Albeit the Prophete doth not heere onely accuse this kinde of iniustice and crueltie, but also the vngodli­nes, wherby they both prophaned the peo­ple consecrated vnto God, and also the lande that was the seate of his worship. Which selfe same thing (in effect) doe the persecutors in these dayes, when as they compell the professours of Christe to deny the faith, & to set vp idolatrie in those pla­ces, where the Gospel was taught before. Moreouer, they haue cast lottes for my people. And so he betokeneth an extreeme contempt, and that they accounted them for most vile, whomsoeuer that tooke in that battaile. Hee addeth: And they haue giuen the childe for the harlot, and haue solde the damosell for wine. The former member may be taken two waies, that wee may vnderstande them either to haue abused the children to their abhomi­nable lust, or els to haue giuen them for gifces to their harlots. But in the latter member hee reprooueth their practise of [Page]gluttonie and drunkennesse: and withall putteth the Iewes in minde, howe iustly they had hitherto suffered extremities, that had so carelesly neglected Gods glory. For doubtlesse a fearefull thing it is, if we cōsider y ^t these things hapned to gods peo­ple and inheritance, and euen then happe­ned too, when God yet acknowledged thē for his owne people. But the like thinges intimes past the Christians also suffered, & at this day in some places they are faine to suffer the selfe same. Wee ought not therfore to bee offended, but rather to con­sider of the faultes and corruptions of the Church, which it behoueth by this meanes to bee corrected and resereined. In the meane time heere also are expressed the maners and practises of the enemies and persecutors of the Church. The maners and conditiōs of the enimies of the church. They will seeme, as though they handled gods cause, & were desirous to preserue & defend reli­gion: when commonly beeing giuen to most foule and filthie pleasures, they run headlong through a desperate and insati­able libertie into all kinde of lust and vil­lauie. Such wee reade were in times [Page 94]past the Herodes, the Neroes, the Domitians and many other. Such also in these dayes are seene to be the Romish Bishops togeather with their protectors and defen­ders, and the whole rabble in a maner of the anointed and shauen crewe, who when they burne with an vnquenchable practise of dice play, venerie, and gluttonie, and are not eshamed of any enormitie whatsoeuer: yet forsooth will bee counted the onely pa­trons and defenders of Gods glory and religion. But euen they also shall feele at the length, what it is to mocke God, and the Church of Christe. And these things bee spoken as touching the outwarde ene­mies.

He thretneth punishments to their do­mesticall and neighborlike enemies.He passeth now to the neighbour nati­ons of the Iewes, which in the time of the Assyrian warre, ioyned themselues with their enemies, whē before they were either their subiects, or els by leagues & lawes of friendship bound and vnited vnto them. For it is euident that the Philistines were subdued by Dauid, and that the Tyrians were confederate with Dauid and Sa­lomon. And they forsooth (namely the Philistines) thought they had nowe [Page]occasion giuen them, wherby they mought reuenge their olde wronges: but these o­ther (I meane the Tyrians) be wrayed the lightnesse and inconstancy of their minds, when as they became enimies vnto them in aduersitie, whose partes they had taken before in prosperitie. But they are an ex­ample or figure of the domestical & home­bredde enemies of the Church, who either against their willes, or allured by the suc­cesse of happy conclusions, doe for a time counterfet the loue of true religion, but at last assoone as occasion is giuen bewray the priuie poyson of their stomackes. Of which sort seeing there is nowe euery where a huge nūber, that ought diligent­ly to bee marked, that the Lorde denoun­ceth heere vnto these. Yea, and what haue you to doe with mee (saith hee) O Tyre & Sidon, and all the coastes of Palestina? As though hee shoulde say, Goe to, admit the Assyrians had some cause of warre a­gainst mee, or at least coulde pretende some excuse, that they beeing farre off from my lande, were also voide and de­stitute of the knowledge of my lawes & maner of my true worship. But tell me, [Page 95]what moued you, to ioyne your selues vnto these, and to bee drawen into the societie of the battaile? What, will yee render mee a recompence? that is to say, haue yee suffered any iniurie by me, that might deserue such a recompence? Cer­tainely you can alleddge no such matter, when rather yee owe thankes vnto mee, who woulde haue you to be my people, or my cōfederats or subjects, that by this occasiō ye might come to the knowledge of the true faith and saluation. But goe to, seeing it liketh you so well, it will bee a very easie matter for me, to recompēce you vpon your head, according as you haue deserued. The summe therefore and effect of the accusation is this, name­ly that they rashly and prouoked with no wrong or iniurie at all, had rysen and re­belled againste the people of GOD, &c.

The maners of the dome­stical enemies of the church.And by this example are expressed and laide open the maners of the Domesticall, or housholde enemies of the Church, who are for a time compelled to forsake their superstitions and most vile trades of li­uing, and to submit themselues to the discipline [Page]of the Gospel. They feigne a loue of the truth, as long as the truth hath the vp­per hand. But in the meane while, there remaineth deepe setled in their minde, a hatred of Christe and a loue of their Pope so kind: yea & they thinke themselues very heynously and intollerably dealt withall, and therefore vpon occasion giuen they rise vp, that they may followe and pursue the same their title and quarrell to the vt­termost. Examples of this sort we haue seene many in our time, which because they are well knowen vnto all, shall not neede to bee any longer stood vpon. Let vs consider, that God permitteth these thinges vnto the wicked for our sakes, who for the most part doe ouer mildely and gently handle such men, yea euen fil­thily flatter them, whilest either we seeke by carnall wisedome to winne them, or els in seeking againe by them, forget our du­ties vnto God, &c.

He laieth opē the sinnes of the saide par­ties.But hee recounteth also the sinnes of these men, and in two kindes comprehen­deth all, wherein they chiefly offen­ded: First, yee haue taken my siluer [Page 96]and my golde, &c. Hee accuseth them of Sacriledge, and howe they had wicked­ly taken away perforce the riches conse­crated vnto him, and had carried them in­to their temples or pallaces, where they abused them eyther to superstition, or to ri­ot and superfluitie as they sisted thēselues. Secondly, yee haue solde the children of Iuda and Ierusalem vnto the Grecians, or vnto forreigne nations, that beeing banished farre off from their countrie, they might be void of all hope of return. Both these sinnes reigne openly at this day. For after that the Romishe Bishops haue once vsurped to themselues the go­uermnent of the Church, by and by they conuert the goods of the Church, which a­foretime were consecrated vnto God and his seruice, partly into superstitiōs, & part­ly to the maintenance of their own pomp and prodigalitie. And albeit their sacri­legious holdnesse bee euery where repro­ued by the light of the Gospell, yet want there not false Gospellers, which catching the saide goods out of their clawes do not restore thē to y ^e Church, but either scrape thē together to y ^e common bancke, or els [Page]challenge them priuately to themselues, that they may the more inordinately reuel and make good cheere. Either of these fortes haue their colours, whereby they excuse their iniquitie, and the true children of Iuda, which accuse and finde fault with these thinges, they eyther cast into exile, or kill them with sworde and fire, that so they may cease to bee troublesome vnto them. But let these men remember, that this is Gods golde and siluer, who will not suffer their holdenesse to goe vnpunished, as shal appeare in the Sermon following. In y ^e meane time, let vs also bee mindfull of these thinges, and paciently take this vn­happie lot and condition of the Churche, trusting onely in Christe Iesu, who will neuer suffer his owne cause to quaile. To him bee giuen blessing, honour, glory and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.

Sermon. 13.

ALbeit God loueth deerly his church, & wil haue it to be perpetuall [...]re­serued, The argumēt & vse of this present place. yet suffereth he the same to be diuersely exercised and afflicted vnder wicked & vngodly enemies, so farre forth that the godlye sometimes thinke themselues to be forsaken of him, and the wicked promise to themselues perpetuall successe. Heere therefore we haue need as well of diligent doctrine as consolation, to the end we may perceiue these thinges to come to passe by the iust iudge­ment of God, who chastineth his that they may be saued, and finally rendreth to the wicked according to their deserts. Hither­to maketh the last part of Ioel. For hee so comforteth the people of his time against y ^e terrours of the Assyrian warre, that looke what he sayth vnto them ought to be applied vnto al ages. And of late forsooth be promised in generall, that God woulde take in hand the cause of his people against [Page 98]their enemies, whose crueltie and pride he declared at large. But now hee diligently describeth the iudgment of god which hāg­eth in like maner ouer the heads of al those that in these dayes imitate the sayd anciēt enemies of the church. Let vs therefore consider euery thing in order.

The enemies of the church are punished by the law of like for like.First, he threatneth vnto them Talions Law, that is, such payne, such punishment, or, so doe, so haue, and declareth that there shal nothing let, but that he wil deliuer his people. For he accused thē before that they had sold the children of Iuda to the Gre­cians, and to a people farre off. Therefore he inferreth: Beholde, I will rayse them out of the place, &c. As though he shoulde say, You in deede goe about to scatter my people, so as no hope of restitution should be left vnto them. But you shal ne­uer bring this to passe. For albeit it may seem a thing impossible, that they should euer returne to their owne country: yet will I rayse them vp, and gathering them together out of all places, bring them backe againe. And as for you I wil rewarde you according to your de­sertes, and that vpon your owne heade. [Page]For I wil sel your soones & your daugh­ters into the hand of the children of Iu­da, who shall also sell them to the Sabe­ans and to other nations a farre off. Hee a [...]th by way of confirmation: For the Lord himselfe hath spoken it. But yet we neuer reade, that the Tyrians and Sidoni­ans and other the enemies of the Iewes were sold by the Iewes themselues. Yet so the Lord speaketh, that these thinges should happen vnto thē, by reason of y ^e dis­luyaltie and crueltie, which they had vsed agaynst the Iewes. The execution therfore of Gods iudgement is attributed to the Iewes, for as much as God woulde sende it, to reuenge the iniuries offred vnto his people. But these thinges were fulfilled, when the selfsame Assyrians & Chaldeans, which had afflicted y ^e Iewes, did also within a while after subdue and ouerrunne these nations, togither with other the neare neighbours of the Iewes, Esa. 14. & 32 Iere. 47. Ezech. 29.27.28. Ioan. 11. as we may see in the sermons of Esay, Ieremie, and Ezechi­el. Neuerthelesse these things ought chief­ly to be referred to the times of Christ, who as he hath gathered together in one the children of God, which were before disper­sed [Page 99]and solde vnder sinne: so taketh hee most greeuous punishments vpon the wic­ked enemies of his church, whereof the Iewes first of all tasted. For when these had after a sort sold Christ, and shamefully denied him before Pilate, God solde them also into the handes of the Romanes, and scattered them throughout the whole worlde, so as the tokens of Gods wrath are euery where seene in them. The like happened not long after to the Romanes, whom God solde into the handes of the Gotthes, Vandalles, Herulians, and other most cruell nations, when they had once atmed thē selues against Christ, neither is it to be doubted, but that all they also are to tast of the selfe same cup in these dayes, that are false and iniurious against the church. And withall let thē also obserue this thing whosoeuer beside the cause of religion, liue by oppression of the poore, shedding of bloode, and by rauine and extertion: suche as are those, that addicting themselues vn­to mercenary warfare, seeke their chiefe prayse in this, if they may spoyle, kill, and destroy as manye as is possible. Well, God will one day punishe them wick euen [Page]dealing: neither will Christ bee founde false, Matt. 7. who sayde sometime. With what measure yee mete, with the selfesame shal others also mete vnto you. Apoc. 13. Agayne, Hee that leadeth into captiuitie, goeth into captiuitie. He that killeth with the sword; shall perish with the sword. These things are approued by the examples of all ages, so as wee haue by no meanes to doubt of the truth of them. &c.

The wicked and vngodly destroy them­selues with fi­ting one a­gainst ano­ther.But forsomuch as God punisheth the wickednes of the world with diuers and sundry penalties, he now expressely shew­eth, what punishment he would vse against them: namely warre, which in maner of an herrault, he deuounceth with many graue and weightie woordes, to the intent hee might both awaken the carelesse contem­ners of Gods iudgementes, and also mini­ster hope and comfort to the godly, who thought it would scarce euer come to passe, that these natiōs should be punished, which as they were most mighty and puissant, so also did they as stubbornely defend their su­perstitions against the church of God. Hee publikely therfore denounceth warre vnto them, & whilest he raiseth vp al nations, he [Page 90]sheweth it would come to passe, that al the whole worlde shoulde be troubled, and that they should fall by wounding one of ano­ther, that had now conspired to the destruc­tiō of Gods people. Publish (sayth he) this among the Gentiles. For god is the Lord of all nations, [...]nctifie & prepare warret by which speech he signifieth, y ^t this warre should be accomplished by the furtherance and assistance of God, albeit the prophane Gentiles vnderstood not so much: & with­al he cōmendeth vnto thē an earnest care & endeuour to go through with it. Wake vp also al the mightie & valiant men, & let as many as are furnished with any marti­all prowesse draw neere, & come vp. Yea breake your plough shares into swordes, & your siethes into speares. And thus he expresseth the incessāt practise of warring, which should bring with it a forgetfulnes of husbandry and of all other businesses, which are wonte to florishe in the time of peace. For Esay by diuerse speeches ex­presseth the exercise of peace, when pro­phesiyng of the kingdome of Christe hee sayeth: They shall breake [Page]their swordes into mattockes, and theyr speares into siethes, &c. Hereunto Ioel addeth: Esay. 2. Hee that is weake, let him say, I am a strong champion: & let him shew him­self couragious in executing Gods iudg­ment. What neede many wordes: Assem­ble your selues and come together all ye heathen rounde about. The cause: For the Lord shall there (namely in the sight of his Churche) cast downe all the mightie men of the earth, that haue hy­therto afflicted her. These things admo­nish vs how greatly. God careth for his Church. The Churche how much it is set by of God. For as hee made all thinges for this, and therefore prosecuteth all other creatures with his fauour, that they might doe seruice vnto her: So for the same his Churche hee meserueth kingdomes and common weales, to the end they might mi­nister thinges necessary thereunto, and a­gayne ouerthroweth those nations and kingdomes, which would haue his church banished and destroyed. For example the Sodomites whom God preserued a long time for Lots sake, and deliuered by Abra­ham from their enemies, but the same he [...] strake with fire from heauen: when Lot [Page 101]coulde no longer dwell amongest them in safetie. Likewise vpon Egpyt, God pow­red many benefites by Ioseph, when as hee had appointed it the resting place of his Church, but incontinently hee both most greeuously afflicted the land of the Egyp­tians, and also destroyed their king with his whole traine of horsemen, by a verye fearefull and terrible iudgement, what time they began to persecute his Church. In like maner dealt he with the Chana­nites, with the Moabites, with the Madi­anites, with the Palestines, Syrians, Idu­means, Babilonians, Medians, Persians, Grecians, and Romanes, as the histories, doe euery where tostifie. And at this daye wee see the wicked runne together by the eares one vpon another, and to turne the weapons to their owne destruction, which they had prouided to oppresse the Church: and so is it true in all ages, that the verye earth (that is to say, earthly minded men, and such as are giuen ouer to the worlde) drinke up the floodes of water, which that olde Oragon, the Diuell, Apoc. 12. vomitech out a­gainst the Church. Let these things serue for our comfort, least wee dispaire at any [Page]time of Gods help.

Vnder the fi­gure of Iudi­ciall processe he denoun­ceth punish­ment to the enemies.But the Lord goeth forward, and vnder y ^e figure of a iudicial processe threatneth y ^e selfe same thing, & withall teacheth, that he wil doe nothing cōtrary to right & equity. And hytherto maketh the very diligent re­hearsall of the circumstances. For first are summoned and ascited the guiltie, whom it behooueth to stand forth to iudgement. Secondly, the iudge also is described. Thē next he reciteth the sentēce, & at length de­clareth the horrible execution thereof. As touching the first. Let the heathen (sayth he) be wakened, I As guiltie hee cyteth all the heathen. and come vp to the val­ley of Iehosophat, that is, to the place of Gods iudgement, where they may be pu­nished for their wickednes. Where wee are taught, that the iudgments of God are extended to al nations, neither can they be auoyded by any shiftes or forcible at­temptes of men. For so great is the force of Gods summoning or citation, that the wicked doe euen willingly after a forte come forth when the time of vengeance is, and no man compelling thē stand forth before God to be punished. So Pharao willingly ran headlong into the bocome of [Page 102]the Sea: & in these dayes we see it no rare matter, that the wicked desperately pluck perils vpon their owne pates, wherin they miserably perish. Let no man therefore ei­ther be deceiued by his owne securitie, or dismaied by the successe and temerity of the vngodly.

Secōdly, God bewraieth also the iudge: to witee himselfe, 2 God is iudge. who elsewhere chalen­geth to himselfe all iudgement, and is said to be the iudge of the whole earth. Deut. 1. Psalm. 82. Genes. 18. For I (sayth he) will sitte to iudge all nations round about. As though hee shoulde saye, This wil I do, who hitherto might seeme as though I had neglected both mine owne cause, and the cause of my people. &c. This thing is well to bee obserued of the wicked, and euen of as many as are securely besotted in their sinnes. They for the most part thinke, that God regardeth not mortall mens matters, and with those fooles say, There is no God, Psal. 14.53. the Lorde seeth not, neither doth the God of Iacob vnderstand. &c. But would to god y ^e same woulde heare y ^e Prophet making answere vnto thē. Psal. 94. Vnderstand ye vnwise amōg the [Page]people, and O yee fooles when wil yee be wise: He that planted the eare shal he not heare: he that formed the eye, shal he not see: he that chastiseth the nations, & tea­cheth men wisedome, shall hee not re­proue you? The Lorde knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are but vaine &c. And that these thinges are most truly spoken of the Prophet, as well old, as new, and euen dayly examples doe so manifest­ly prooue, that they are wittinglie and wil­lingly beside themselues, that dare call the same into question.

3. The sentēce of the iudge is expressed by similitudes.Thirdly he declareth the sentence or verdict of the Iudge by similitudes draw­en from vintage and haruest, whereby hee both sheweth the cause of the punishment and also the vprightnes of the iudgement. For he compareth the wicked enemies of his kingdome to a fielde and vineyarde, wherein the fruites of all kinde of sinne, haue hither to growen: which God as yet indeede through his wonderfull long suf­ferance hath borne withal, but now he will reape & cut thē downe, because that beeing come vnto ripenes, they had filled vp the measure of their iniquitie. Therefore hee [Page 103]crieth. Thrust in your siethes, for the har­uest is ripe: come, gette you downe, for the wine presse is full, &c. And thus spea­keth he vnto those, whom he had now con­stituted executioners of his iudgement. Apoc. 14.

The selfesame parables Iohn heard alead­ged of the Angel, when he described y ^e pro­ceeding of the last iudgement. But for our partes, let us learne hereby, howe dange­rously they are deceiued, that by the long sufferance of God, promise to themselues an impunitie in sinning, and in the meane season, thinke not of Gods iustice, who di­stributeth vnto euery thing his proper time and season. The husbandman wayteth for the time of haruest and vintage, neither gathereth he his fruites before they be ripe: & shall we thinke that God will rashly and vnaduisedly hasten his iudgments: But al­though he sometimes deferre the punish­mentes, yet he forgetteth not the sinnes, which if together with a setled and incura­ble libertie of sinning & contempt of Gods worde they come vnto ripenes, then by and by he displayeth his iudgement; Wherby it commeth to passe, that such as seemed of long time to haue committed most hey­nous [Page]transgressions without check or con­trolement, at length by adding one sinne more, haue prouoked Gods wrath against thē. For as the haruest being already white one day or two bringeth it vnto ripenes, & as y ^e measure filled vp to y ^e brim one onely drop maketh it run ouer: euen so y ^e sinnes y ^t seeme to be smal, prouoke y ^e iudgemēt of God, if through an incurable malice & pro­phane contempt of y ^e word, they be added to y ^e former transgressions. Let euery one ob­serue & marke these things, neither let thē looke onely vpon y ^t which is presently cō ­mitted, but call to minde also their sinnes past, and examine their hearts, least y ^e wic­ked & carelesse contēpt of god, cause y ^t to be pernitious vnto thē, which vnto y ^e godly & to such as sinne of infirmitie is pardoned and forgiuen.

4 The horri­ble execution of the diuine sentence.But y ^e prophet persisting in y ^e parable describeth y ^e horrible execution of Gods iudgement, & as though being rapt out of himselfe hee saw al things done before his face, he exclauneth: O multitude multi­tude, cōe into the valley of threshing, &c. For this is peculiar to y ^e prophets, y ^t being rapt & rauished out of thēselues, they looke vpon things to come, as though they were [Page 104]present: which thing the Poet obseruing bringeth in Sibyll crying out.

And he calleth the place of Gods▪ iudgmēt the valley of threshing. As if he should say, They would not hitherto acknowledge the iudgmēt of God, & deuise how to es­cape it, but haue brought their sins vnto ripenes: therfore they shal come into the valley of threshing, and there be broken in pieces: & forthw ^t he addeth y ^e cause. For the day of the lord is nere in the valley of threshing. He calleth y ^e day of y ^e lord y ^e time of vēgeance, which he expressed before by y ^e nāes of haruest & vintage. And y ^t he might be token y ^e greeuousnes thereof, he sayth y ^t y ^e Sun & Moon w ^t the rest of y ^e starres shal forgo their brightnes, insomuch y ^t the tokēs of gods wrath shal appeare in thē: let these things serue for our cōfort against y ^e assault of y ^e wicked; who, howsoeuer they rage & take on for a time, yet shall they one day be broght before y ^e iudgmēt seat of Christ, & receuie rewards according to their deedes. And w ^tal being mindful of these things, let [Page]vs embrace the grace of God, which he of­fereth vnto vs in Christ Iesus, who at the length hauing remooued vs from all dan­gers, wil finally translate vs into y ^e felow­ship of his kingdome, to him be giuen bles­sing, honour, glory, and dominion for euer and euer. Amen.

Sermon. 14.

FOrasmuch as all the promises of God are founded in Christ Iesus, in whom alone the father is well pleased with vs: The argumēt & vse of this present place. Ioel (as also the rest of the Prophets) doth so intreate of the deliuerance of the Iewish people, that withall he cōprehendeth y ^e mi­steries of y ^e vnuiersal redēption, which we haue in Christ. These thinges therefore ought so to be considered of vs, as y ^t we in­search those points with a deeper and pro­founder sense, that are fulfilled & accom­plished in Christ. And of late he spake of the punishments of the enemies: whervn­to now he addeth those thinges, that make to the safetie and happines of the godly, as wel in this world as in the world to come. [Page]Whereof we ought to reape this vse, that reposing our trust in the aide and assistāce of God, wee may valiantly vanquishe and ouercome all that standeth against vs, and withall indeuour to be such, as God may acknowledge and defend as his owne.

How God will be affect­ed toward his people. I Hee fraieth the wicked.But Ioel beginneth with the person of God, and sheweth, how hee will bee affec­ted towarde his people. First, The Lord (saith he) will roare out of Zion, and vt­ter his voyce from Ierusalem. He com­pareth GOD to a Lion roaring after his pray, which hee will not suffer to bee ta­ken from him. And so hee teacheth, that God will bee a deliuerer and defender of his people, not onely faithfull and iust, but also strong and valiant, which will neuer permit them to bee purloyned from him. Therefore hee addeth: The heauen & the earth shall tremble. Amos 3. For if so be (as Amos saith) all men stande in feare of the Lion when hee roareth, who doubteth but that all creatures will tremble, if in case God vtter foorth the tokens and threatninges of his wrath? Howbeit, as wee admoni­shed in the beginning, these things belong [Page 106]especially vnto Christ, which is that strōg Lion of the tribe of Iuda, Apoc. [...]. who as hee hath deliuered his owne out of the tyrannie of y ^e Diuell, so will hee by no meanes suffer them to bee taken from him. Ioan. 10. My sheepe (saith hee) can no man take out of my hand, &c. Let these thinges comfore vs in our temptations. For if we abide in Zion, that is, in the fellowship and societie of the Church, no man can separate vs from the loue of God. Rom. 8. For why, hee that hath in­structed the Lions with terrible roaring, and hee that causeth the thunders to a­stonish mens mindes and to bellowe out of the heauens, the same by the secret power of his spirite can cast downe the courages of the wicked, so as will they nill they, they shall cease to hurte and endammage his people, &c.

2 He is the hope and strength of his people.But least any man shoulde thinke that God woulde also become fearefull to the godly, hee addeth: But the Lorde will be the hope of his people, and the strength of his people Israell. In that therefore hee sheweth himselfe terrible to the vn­godly, in that hee shaketh heauen and earth, all this hee doth to the benefice and [Page]welfare of his Church, that namely y ^e wic­ked may bee abashed, and the godly haue a stedfast and vntemoueable hope and confi­dence in him. And heere it appeareth how notable the fruite of faith and godlines is, whē as these alone cause god to be sweete and amiable vnto vs, whose Maiestie and power otherwise is intollerable. For as good and vertuous children are delighted with the port and magnificence of their fa­ther, which they know will be honourable and profitable vnto them also, but the vn­dutifull and rebellious are dismaide with the same, because they know well enough they haue deserued punishment: euen so the power and glory of God doth wonder­fully cheere and comfort the godly, when as they acknowledge him to bee their fa­ther and protector, the wicked and vngod­ly in the meane time miserably trembling at the mention of him. But wee haue to obserue, that he saith that God will not onely bee the hope, but also the strength of the godly. For as hee protecteth and de­fendeth his people, so also he furnisheth them with new force, that they may be able to abide and do all things. These thinges [Page 107]haue in like maner their accomplishment in Christ. Mat. 16. For hee is that inuincible rocke, against which euen the gates of hell shall not bee able to preuaile. The same com­maundeth vs to trust in him, Ioan. 16. and saith that hee hath ouercome the worlde & the prince thereof. The same encourageth the faith­full with his spirite, so farre forth that be­ing prepared vnto euery good work, they manfully subdue al aduersarie power, and euen glory and reioyce in their afflictions. Whereupon Paule saide: I am able to do all thinges in Christe that strengtheneth mee. See Rom. 5. Philip. 4.

3. He is a pre­sent helper & defender.He addeth heereunto in the third place And you shall knowe, that I am the Lord your GOD, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountaine. Hee opposeth this to the dan­gers, which they had hytherto susteyned, and by reason whereof they supposed that they had beene vtterly forsaken of God. The sense is this: I will shewe my selfe so fauorable vnto you, y ^t you shal feele by experience in deed, that I remembring wel my couenant doe dwell amongest you, neither will I euer depart away from you. 1. King. 8. But he doth not without cause make [Page]mention of his holy mountaine. For albe­it hee hath respect to the promises, where­with hee had adorned his temple, yet hee doth w ^tall admonish them of their dutie: y ^t wee might vnderstand, that God will then be present w ^t vs, if we cōsecrate our selues wholy vnto him, and studie to reteine that holinesse which hee giueth vnto vs. These thinges therefore belong nothing at all to the hogges and dogges, which by their vncleannesse and prophane contempt of God, doe vtterly bereaue themselues of the fruite of the heauenly promises, and e­uen of all good graces whatsoeuer: as shall abundantly appeare also in that which followeth.

The happie condition of the Church.For there followeth nowe a descripti­on of the most happy estate and condition, which the Church should haue and enioye vnder Gods protectiō, where in fiue mem­bers he comprehendeth, whatsoeuer make to the true happinesse heereof. The first is, Ierusalem shalbe holy, and there shall no strangers goe through it any more. In which wordes hee sayth two things at once, namely, that they should both be con­secrated wholy vnto God, and also that [Page 108]God woulde defende them from ass pro­phanation and defilement of enemies. Neither are these two thinges ioyned to­gether without great cause, considering it is impossible that the one should bee deui­ded from the other? For inasmuch as God hath cōsecrated vnto himself his Church, Ephes. 5. purged and purified in the blood of his sonne, he will by no meanes haue the same stayned with the difilements of sinne, nei­ther alloweth hee any place vnto suche as are vncleane in it. For these sayinges are well knowen: Bee yee holy, Leuit. 19. 20 Psal. 15. for I the Lorde your God am holy. Againe: Who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? Who shall rest in thy holy hill? Hee that walketh vp­rightly, and worketh righteousnesse, &c. And Christe also saide vnto Peter: If I washe thee not, Ioan. 13. thou shalt haue no parte with mee: and there he giueth in charge, y ^t such as are washed by him, should in like maner wash their feete. As long therfore as y ^e citizens of y ^e church do obserue & keep these things, God is not absent from his promises, neither suffereth hee them. to bee subiect to the lust of their enemies. And as ofte as that commeth to passe, [Page]it is certaine and sure that it happeneth by our default, as will easily appeare, if wee examine the Ecclesiasticall histories. For euen nowe from the beginning sinnes and enormities haue made way & passage vnto persecutions, which creepe also into the Churche it selfe, when as abounding in peace and idlenesse, it is occupied rather a­bout earthly thinges then heauenly. Euse­bius testifieth this thing in diuers and sun­dry places, but of all other most manifestly in the beginning of the eight booke, when as he taketh in hand to describe & set forth that horrible and cruel persecution, which vnder Diocletian afflicted the Church by the space of whole ten yeeres togeather. And if wee compare the persecutions of our time with the maners of those, that glory in the profession of the Gospell, wee shall soone see that we haue no cause at al, to complaine of any seueritie in GOD. Wherefore let vs endeuour to offer our selues pure and vndefiled vnto God, & then will hee not suffer vs to bee troden vnder foote of the wicked, neither to become a pray vnto them, &c.

2. Abundance of blessings.Secondly he promiseth the abundance of Gods blessing and all kind of benefits, saying: And in that day shall the moun­taines drop down new wine, & the hilles shall flow with milke, &c. These are hy­perbolicall or excessiue speeches, wherby is betokened the great and ouerflowing plentie of Gods gifts, which the Prophet opposeth against the famine and scarcitie, that went before. And albeit God graun­ted this plentie vnto them vnder Ezechias and after, Ephes. 1. yet are these things truly fulfil­led also in Christ, in whō wee are enriched withall spirituall blessing, Mat. 9. Luk. 5. as the Apostle witnesseth. For in his kingdome floweth that most sweete new wine of the Gospel, which being put into new vessels, cheereth and gladdeth the hearts of men. In y ^e same is offered the sincere milke & void of guilt (as Peter saith) which ministreth nourish­ment vnto the litle ones & weake in faith. 1. Pet. 2. The same watereth the whole field of his Church with riuers, that is to say, 1. Cor. 3.12. with di­uers and sundry gifts of his spirite. To be short, Ioan. 4. in the selfesame is opened that most holsome and health bringing fountaine y ^t washeth away sinnes, & quencheth y ^e thirst [Page]and boyling heat of cōsciences, and wate­reth the valley of Sittim. Num. 25 This was in y ^e borders of the Moabites, as appeareth by Moses, who writeth that in y ^e place the Is­raelites cōmitted whoredom w ^t the daugh­ters of y ^e Madianites & Moabites & were partakers of the Sacrifices of Baalpeor. Whilest therefore the Prophete maketh mention of this, hee teacheth y ^e the grace of God shall flow also euen vnto forreigne nations, and bee sufficient, to washe away euen most greeuous and heynous sinnes. These things as they bring comfort to af­flicted consciences, so doe they admonishe vs, that being contented with Christ alone wee auoyde the superstitious inuentions of men, which dare shew vs saluation any other where. For who so followe those, they leauing the fountaine of liuing wa­ter, digge vnto themselues pittes, Iere. 2. euen broken pittes, that can holde no water, yea and although they draw dayly and drinke thereof, yet doe they alwayes thirste, as Christe witnesseth in the Gospel.

Thirdly hee promiseth that they shalbe safe and free from the feare of enemies, 3 A sure safe­tie. [Page 110]when he saith: Egypt shall be wast, and Edom shall bee a desolate wilder­nesse, &c. These were the auncient ene­mies of the Iewishe nation, and the Idu­means forsooth being descended frō Esau, burned as it were with a natiue and here­ditarie hatred, and the Egyptians minde­full of the departure, which the Israelites had made from them, neuer ceased to per­secute them. But vnder these hee com­prehēdeth al other enemies, which he saith shall bee so farre off from hurting heereaf­ter, that rather they shall bee cut off, and together with their landes miserably pe­rish. The truth of this promise is auou­ched also in this worlde, Psal. 10 [...] ▪ when as Christe ruleth in the middest of his enemies, and defendeth his people amongest their day­ly and continuall afflictions, and sheweth foorth horrible examples vpon his ene­mies: but yet it shalbe fully accomplished in heauen, when as we beeing set free frō all gunshot, shall reigne euerlastingly with Christ.▪ But wee haue to obserue, why the Lorde threatneth destruction vn­to these. Namely, because of the in­iuries offered vnto the children of Israel, [Page]and for they haue shedde innocent blood in their land. Therfore the wicked are punished for their tyrannie, whereby they oppresse the godly: neither in deede will Christ suffer this to escape vnreuen­ged, who testifieth himselfe to bee afflicted in his members, as we said of late. From hence therfore let vs fetch comfort in per­secutiō, neither let vs be offended with the successe of the wicked, who shall one day (wee reigning in the heauens) bee cast in­to vtter darknesse and there tormented for euer.

4. A perpetui­tie.hee promiseth a perpetuitis, which thing, alone sufficiently teacheth, that this place, ought not to be vnderstood of the carnall Iuda, but of the spirituall or Church. For it is euident that the peo­ple of the Iewes were cast out of the lande of promise, and had lost all forme both of Church and Common weale. The Pro­phet therefore saith: But Iuda shall dwell for euer, and Ierusalem from generation to generation. Which may bee meant onely of the Church, vnto whome Christe being about to conueigh his body from the earth into heauen, Mat. 28. said: Behold I am with [Page 111]you euen vnto the ende of the worlde. And that the same shall neuer die, Math. 24. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes. 4. the pro­phesyinges of the same Christe, and Apo­stles as touching the last day, doe aboun­dantly teathe: when as they testifie that then there wil be some, who being caught vp in the ayre to meete Christ, shall enter into possession of the heauenly kingdome. Forasmuch therefore as the Churche shall bee vpon the earth euen vnto the end of the worlde, and the same then beeing transla­ted into heauen, shall bee indued also with the immortalitie of the body, it is plaine perdy (as the Prophet speaketh) that the same shall dwell for euer. Why there­fore doe wee feare the attempts of per­secutors: Why tremble wee at the dan­gers that hang on euery side ouer vs? In times past forsooth most mightie Kinges and Emperours haue assayed to subuert & ouerthrowe the Church, but they haue bin so farre off from atchieuing their purpose, that in so doing they haue gamed nothing but perpetuall shame and ignominie and an vurecouerable losse as well of their goods, as also of their bodies and soules. The like lot also shall light vpon those, [Page]that doe in these dayes followe their steppes.

5. A cleansing from sinnes.But forsomuche as the conscience of sinnes calleth into question all the promi­ses of God, in the fift place the Lorde ad­deth: And I will cleanse their blood, which I haue not cleansed, and the Lord wil dwel in Zion. By blood the scriptures vnderstand al greeuous and haynous sins. The meaning therefore is this: Whatso­euer filthinesse remaineth in them, which might seeme as yet not to be clen­sed and taken away, all that will I cleanse & purge. This was performed also in Christ, whose blood (as y ^e Apostle saith) cleanseth vs from all sin: and of whō the Baptist witnessed, Beholde the lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world. But especially this seemeth to bee referred to y ^e calling of the Gentiles, who, where before also they wanted the purifi­yngs of the lawe, & God had suffered them (as y ^e Apostle saith) to walk in their owne wayes, Act. 14. yet the same beeing brought to the knowledge of him, he deliuered & set free by the merit of Christ frō their sins & from condēnation. Our sinnes therefore beeing [Page 112]cleansed, & done away, which alone sepa­rated vs from God, it followeth necessari­ly, y ^t God will dwell in Zion, that is, the Church, & that he wil neuer leaue it desti­tute of his fouour and protection. Hitherto maketh the place of Paule, writing to the Romanes: Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue to­ward vs, seeing that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for vs. Much more then being now iustified by his blood, we shal bee saued from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were recon­ciled to God by the death of his sonne: much more being reconciled, we shalbe saued by his life, &c.

And thus doth the diuine Ioel conclude and shet vp his prophesie with a promise of the Gospell: nay if you consider more ad­uisedly of him throughout, yee shall finde him to bee an Euangelical Preacher. For hee beganne with the rehearsall of the pu­nishments, which hee sheweth they deser­ued by their sins. And immediately he ex­horted them to repentance, & gaue foorth the true fourme and maner thereof. Then heereunto he added promises touching the penalties of y ^e enemies, & perpetual happi­nesse [Page]of the godly. Let vs therfore trans­ferre these thinges to our times, and from hence take aduice as touching the auoy­ding of plagues and calamities: whereof the summe is this, that wee forsaking our sinnes and the cares of this wicked world, doe with our whole heart [...] turne & con­uert vnto God, through Christ Iesus, who as hee hath cleansed vs from our sinnes and reconciled vs to God his father, so doth hee protect and defende those that be­leeue in him amiddest the dangers of this life, and finally causing them to escape and surmount all calamities hee will translate them into his owne kingdome, [...] to the places of eternall happinesse. To him therefore with the father & the holy ghoste three persons and one eternall and e­uerliuing God, bee all blessing, honour, glory and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.