TWice I finde this Text in Scrip­ture, and in the same words almost; here and in the Prophet Amos, chap. 4. vers. 9.Amos 4.9. Here they mention a correction vpon the Iewes after their returne from Captiuitie; there, a iudgement vpon the reuolted Israelites, or the [Page 2] ten Tribes. Here the Iewes were thus afflicted for not building Gods house; there the Israelites for schismatically leauing the worship of God house.

Hence thus inferre by the way, if you please: It can be no lesse fault to abandon the Church than not to build it: Nor deserues it a less [...] affliction, not to repaire to the Temple, than not to repaire it. Vnderstand it thus: He that obstinately refuseth to come to the Church (be he a recusant Papist, or Schismaticke) offends no lesse, if not more, than the churle or mi­ser that holds his hand from contributing to it when there is need. For the buildings and materials of the Temple are but the body of it, but the soule of the Temple is Gods seruice in i [...]. And surely were not the couetous man an Idolater, as well as the Recusant, I should less [...] blame him for shutting vp his purse, than other [...] for cutting off their persons, from the Tem­ple. But it is hard to say whether is the worse; [...]. Both so bad, that there is no great choise.

Yet the Iewes here in my text, though beaten with the same rods of Blasting and Mildew, wherewith the Israelites were smitten in Amos, [Page 3] sinned not after the like manner. The Temple was yet standing, when Amos prophesied to the Israelites: which happened in the daies of Ieroboam the latter,Amos 1.1. the sonne of Ioash the thir­teenth King of Israel, two hundred forty six yeeres before the desolation of it by the Assyrians, or thereabout. So the Israelites forsooke not the Temple for the ruines of it, but for the rent which Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat had made from the house of Dauid; from which time they were turned Idolaters, and turned the glory of God into the similitude of a calfe that eateth haye. Accesse was not denied them, either to Dauids throne for iustice, or to the Temple for deuotion; but because they had broken from the house of Da­uid, Deut. 12.6. Iohn 4.20. they would breake from Gods house too. And whereas the Lord had commanded them for publique worship to resort to the Temple, they left the place which he had chosen, and follow­ing their master Pilot, Ieroboam, (whose policy steered all their piety towards the landing of himselfe at a kingdome) carried all their sacri­fices to Dan and Bethel; and so became more brutish in their seruice, than the Idoll-calues which they serued. But for the Iewes now re­turned from captiuity, let them be thus farre ex­cused; [Page 4] If they frequented not the Temple, they could not, it being not yet reedified: If they builded it not againe, they had this to say [...]or themselues, that they had begunne to doe [...]t, but were restrained by the letters of Arta­xerxes, procured by the malicious suggestion, & [...]t the instigation of their bad neighbours; and so were forced to desist from the worke till the second yeere of Darius king of Persia, Ezra 4.24. Ezra. 4. vers. 24. Yet though thus wee might plead for them, or they for themselues, all this will not proue them blamelesse: Excuse them it may à tanto, non à toto; It is too narrow a cloake to couer all their nakednesse, for herein it leaues them bare, and open to Gods smitings: for being once enioyned this taske by God himselfe, and hauing put their hands vnto it, they should not haue giuen it ouer for any dread of man. Now, that they were set about this worke by the Lord himselfe,Ezra 1.5. is plaine, Ezra. 1.5. Where it is said, that he raised vp their spirits to build the Temple: to wit, he stirred vp theirs, by his spirit, the moti­on whereof they should haue held as a mandat, or equiualent to an expresse command. Whence these conclusions result, which we will but a little more than mention.

[Page 5]1. That the sacred suggestions of Gods spirit in stirring vp our spirits to doe his will, would be hearkned vnto, and obeyed with constancie. For being diuine dictates, though secretly inspi­red, they haue an equipollency or equall weight with the plainest precepts. But how these are distinguishable from diabolicall delusions, or concupiscentiall phantasies of men, I haue shewed more largely at another time: onely now receiue this short direction; Whatsoeuer motion would transport thee beyond thy cal­ling, or lift vp thy thoughts aboue the pitch and measure of thy gifts, obserue it with a iealous eie: further if it be an incentiue vnto euill, it is not a coale from the altar, but some wild fire cast into thine heart, by Satan that old boutefeau. And if it speake not according to the Law and the Te­stimonie, there is deceit or vanity, falshood or lightnesse, but no light,Esay 8.20. no weight of truth in it

Againe from the former discourse might arise another inference, as thus: That not euen the terrors and counter-commands of the greatest, should so interrupt vs in workes enioyned by God, as to make vs to desist from them. For, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey men ra­ther than God, iudge yee, Acts 4.19.

[Page 6]But the maine point, issuing from the refe­rence of this text as of a parallel to that in Amos mentioned before, might be this: That like af­flictions in this world oftentimes befall the good and the bad; yea that lesser offenders are sometimes chastened as more grieuous sinners, and with the same rods: Gods people corre­cted as forreiners, true worshippers as hated ido­laters; sincere professors as back-sliding reuol­ters; Iuda here, as Israel in Amos there; and it may be euen now the true and cheerefull payer of his tithes to God, as the fraudulent and sacrilegious man, and both with Blasting and Mildew.

This doctrine is a milke of Gods word to nou­rish vs with comfort in all our troubles, & sucke it we may from the two breasts of the Scriptures, the Old and New Testament: though wicked men by wresting it wring out bloud, conclu­ding thence as those vngodly persons in Malachi, and saying,Malac. 3.14. It is in vaine then to serue God, and what profit is it to keepe his commandements? But we haue I trust better learned Christ, than to esteeme gaine to be godlinesse,1 Tim. 6.6. which of it selfe is the greatest profit; and wee haue better learned his Crosse, than to confound oyle with the lees, though both bee pressed out with the same [Page 7] weight, and tumbled vp and downe in the same barrell; than not to put a difference (I meane) betweene the religious and the prophane, be­cause both are vnder the same pressure. Wheat is wheat, and chaffe is but chaffe, though both be beaten out with the same flaile. Stay we but a little Gods leisure, till at his great comming hee purge his floore,Mal. 3.18. and wee shall discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked, betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not. Psal. 58. vlt. For verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth.

But now hauing thus compared this Text with that in Amos, let vs consider it in it selfe, as it offereth these two things to our meditation: First, Gods mercy in correcting this people, I smote you with blasting, and mildew, and haile, in all the workes of your hands. Then, their obstinacie in not repenting, Yet yee haue not turned vnto mee, saith the Lord. I call this correction a worke of mercy; for besides that all his chastenings are but hastenings of his people to repentance, and that he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth; first,Heb. 12.6. here I see the rod in his owne hand; and it was Dauids choise ye know,2 Sam 24.14. Let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord, (for his mercies are great) and let [Page 8] vs not fall into the hand of man. If I must be cor­rected, let my father himselfe, and not his vassall chasten me: his hand will not be too heauie on mee, whose heart cannot but be heauie for mee. In all my troubles the Lord himselfe is troubled; Esay 63.9. Atque dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox. How should it be otherwise?Ecclus. 2.18. for as his maiestie, such is his mercie; both are infinite, and euerlasting. This I in my Text then hath mercy in it; and the next word though it speake of smiting, yet but of smiting. It is the Lords mercy, that when we are smitten of him,Lam. 3.22. wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not; I smote you. You: and it was but the earth which he smote, as parents stampe vpon the ground to fright their wayward children You: not their persons, but the fruits and profits of their fields and vineyards. You: not the men by destroying them, but their corne, and wine, and oile, that by diminishing these things, they might haue recourse vnto their heauenly Fa­ther, and seeke their meat at God. So mothers deale with their little wantons, by taking the bread from them which they tread vnder foot: so nurses with their babes, that first shew the brest, and then put it vp againe, to make them search the bosome, and cry for that food which [Page 9] formerly they abused.Esa. 32.12. He shewed them the brests of the earth, that should haue nourisht them, fields standing thicke with corne, oliues laden with their berries, and vines clogged with their grapes, and did but shew them, for he smote them with blasting, and mildew, and haile. Nor was it want of mercy, by want to teach them the true worth and sober vse of these things. Nay he might haue smitten them with the sword of the wic­ked, whose mercies are crueltie; he might haue trodden their carcases as dung on the earth; or sparing their liues, he might haue seized on their lands and vineyards, with fire from heauen, or flouds of water, (elements that haue no mercy) which might haue made a cleane riddance of all their food; but it was only with blasting, and mildew, Pro. 28.3. and haile, which are wont but to diminish, not vt­terly to perish the good things of the land. Fur­ther he might haue smitten them in the pleasure of their eies, and the fruits of their loynes,Ezek. 24.16. I meane in their wiues and children; Yet it was but in the workes of their hands, in their fields which they had sowne, in their Vineyards and Or­chards which they had planted, and the like. So whether we consider, First the Author, Se­condly the Act, Thirdly the Obiect, Fourthly [Page 10] the Instruments, or Fiftly, the manner of this correction, there is mercy in all. Mercy in the Author (I) a compassionate father. Mercy in the Act (I smote) not, I consumed, Mercy in the Ob­iect (You) and not immediatly you, but yours, onely your corne, and wine, and oyle, &c. Mer­cy in the Instruments or rods (With Blasting, and Mildew, and Haile,) not with sword, or floud, or fire. Lastly, Mercy in the manner (in the labours of your hands) not in the friends of their bosomes, or the fruits of their loynes, but onely in the fruits of their lands, and orchards, and gardens, which their hands had dressed and planted. So this part of my Text speakes of compassion and correction, like Dauids Psalme, that sings of Mercy and Iudgement, Psal 101.1. or of a mercifull chastise­ment; of rods steept not in brine, but in the oyle of loue. Yet (alas for their hardnesse) all this oyle softned not, nor could these rods beat them home to him that smote them, or bring them to a serious consideration of the cause why they were thus afflicted: Yet yee returned not vnto me, saith the Lord.

So then wee haue a generall draught of my Text; wherein wee see all the parts and li­neaments of it. Now marke wee what mat­ter [Page 11] of further obseruation these in their order will afford.

And first for the Author, I smote you, 1. Author. saith the Lord. Blasting, and Mildew, and Haile, were but mine instruments, I was the mouer, I strooke you with these. The conclusion naturally issu­ing hence is this:

Whatsoeuer bee the rods wherewith at any time we are chastened, for certaine the hand is Gods that correcteth vs. Be it dearth,Leuit. 26.26. it is he that breakes the staffe of bread: or drought,Deut. 11.17. it is he that shuts the heauens: or deluge,Gen. 7.11. it is he that breakes vp all the fountaines of the deepe, and sets open the cata­racts or windowes of heauen. Be it fire, it is he that raines it: or stormie winde, it is he that sends it. Gen. 19.24. Iona. 1.4. Psalme 68.8. Be it earthquake, it is his presence that moues it: or dis­astrous aspects of starres and planets, it is hee that holds them all in his hands, Iob 38.31. that calls them by their names, that restraineth the sweet influences of the Plei­ades, and looseth the bands of Orion. Psal. 91.5. Be it plague or pestilence, they are his arrowes; or war,Esay 9.21. it is his arme; or enemies, they are his armies; Esay 9.11. for he is the Lord of Hosts, and the shields of the world are his. Psal. 47.9. Briefly, there is no publique calamitie inflicted on man, or other creatures, of which wee may not say as the Prophet of the Assyrian tyrant,Esay 10.5. that [Page 12] it is the rod of Gods anger; though therewith hee strike his children in loue: and a rod (ye know) cannot smite of it selfe, vnlesse there be an hand to vse it. Nor may all the hands in the world moue one of these rods, if God stretch not out his arme to stirre them. And as it is the Lord that sends corrections in all common troubles, so is there no priuate affliction that betideth any without his prouidence, or without his hand, that smiteth by it. Therefore Dauid acknow­ledged thus in his sicknesse;Psalme 32.4. Thine hand is heauy vpon me: Psalme 38.3. And againe, There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure. Esay 38.2. Therefore Ezekiah in his disease had recourse to God by prayer: and holy Iob bereft of all worldly comforts, thus possest his soule by patience:Iob 1. The Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Hee complaines not of the violence of the Shabeans, that droue away his oxen, nor of the iniustice of the Caldeans, that stole away his Camels, or of the cruelty of both, that slew his seruants: Nor doth he either execrate the fury of the fire, that burnt vp his sheepe and shepherds; or curse the boisterousnesse of the winde, that blew downe the house, and there at once both killed and bu­ried all his children: But thus he turned to him [Page 13] that smote him; The Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath taken away, &c. The Prophet Ionas, though a very passionate man, (as appeareth by the conclusi­on of his prophesie) yet patiently tooke his de­serued affliction. And whereas the hands of the Mariners had heau'd him ouer shipboord, he saies it was the Lord that did cast him into the bottome in the midst of the sea. Iona. 2.3. Reuiling Shimei that threw stones at Dauid, with bitter obloquies (harder to be endured than stones themselues) was yet himselfe but as a stone throwne at Dauid by God, and therefore the holy man snarled not at that stone, but heeded the hand that cast it;2 Sam. 16.10. hee curseth, saith he, because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid: Who then dare say, wherefore hast thou done so.

How then may not this iustly reproue im­patient spirits that spend themselues in fretting at the meanes, or men by which the Lord doth chasten them: like curst Mastiues that breake their teeth in gnawing those iron chaines wherewith their masters tie them, and in bi­ting the staffe wherewith he beats them. Doe but heare one complaine of his incurable dis­ease contracted (it may be) or inflicted vpon him for his intemperancie; and yet though [Page 14] (according to the French prouerbe) he dig vp his owne graue with his teeth, he will both defame the noble Art of Physicke, and blame the Physiti­an which should be honoured; not his owne bad diet, not his riot that caused the hand of God to smite him. Doe but obserue another whom the heauy hand of oppression (as he saith) hath brought low, and heare how hee breakes forth into dismall cursings, and deepest execrations, fetched from the nethermost pit; as if hee would let loose the Prince of darknesse, and all infernall powers against those that wrong him: yet it may be, by idlenesse and vnfaithfulnesse in his calling, he hath suffered his estate to come to ruine, or hath let out his substance by pro­digalitie, or whoredome: notwithstanding all his talke is against the iniquitie of men, or the hardnesse of the times: not willing in the meane time either to remember his owne sins or what the Scripture hath said,1 Sam. 2.7. The Lord maketh poore.

At this time the Lord hath smitten vs in ma­ny parts of the land with Blasting and Mildew. The fulnesse of our sinnes, and the empty eares of corne, doe fearefully prognosticate (ô let my feare proue false) a hungrie yeare.

But if when one shall come to a mow or an heape of [Page 15] twenty measures, he shall happen to finde but ten, let not the rich then complaine of Blasting, or Mildew; nor let the poore cry out vpon cormorants, but let vs all remember what God saies heere in our Prophet, I smote you; the rich not vndeser­uedly, and the poore as worthily; the rich for re­pining at the former price, and the poore for de­spising the former plenty.

To shut vp this point: Seeing it is our hea­uenly Father that striketh, whatsoeuer be his scourge, with him let vs make our peace, to him our repeare. If to the creatures we crie for com­fort, all may answer vs, as the King of Israel to the distressed woman in a time of famine;2 Kings 6.27. Seeing the Lord doth not succour you, how shall wee helpe you with the barne or with the wine-presse? 2 Chro. 16.12. If in our dis­eases with Asa we seeke first to the Physitian, 2 Kings 1.2. or goe at all to the god of Ekron with Ahaziah, how iustly may the Lord make our maladies to be mortall, as were theirs? If in other distresses with Saul we haue recourse to the Witch at Endor, 1 Sam. 28 11. to Coniurers, or Wise men (falsly so called) we deserue with him to be depriued both of life and grace, for seeking so to recouer losses. As therefore Dauid enquired of the woman of Te­koah, 2 Sam. 14.19. if the hand of Ioab was not with her in that close [Page 16] plea, and artificiall atonement which she made for Absolon; in all our troubles let vs enquire if there be not the hand of God in them; and sear­ching we shall finde it is so: Which when wee haue found, let vs with patience resigne vp our selues into his hands,2 Sam. 3.18. saying (as old Eli) It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good. For what­soeuer be the rod, Micah 6.9. we haue heard now who appoin­teth it; I smote you, saith the Lord.

2. The Act. I smote] Non nisi coactus percutit; Hee smites not till sinners vrge him: and when he is com­pelled, he doth but smite. Yet if he should but smite vs according to his strength, who could abide it, or endure his strokes? He considers our weaknesse, and the matter whereof we are made; else we being but as stubble, and he as a consuming fire, how could we at all stand before him,Psalme 141.5. and not finally perish? Therefore he smites vs in mercy, and not in furie. As a tender hear­ted Surgeon being to launce his childe, softly handleth the sore (saith Gregorie) before he strikes, and then cutteth and weepeth, and weepeth and cutteth againe, Nec parcit vt parcat, nec miseretur vt magis misereatur, as S. Ierome speaketh, (for otherwise sparing would be spilling:) so deales this great Physitian of our soules; he smites but [Page 17] to heale vs, and neuer strikes vs but with com­passion, mixing intreaties with his threatnings, O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee? Hos. 6.4. O Iudah how shall I entreat thee? and euer mingling teares with his strokes which he must giue vs,Luke 19.41. as hee wept ouer Ierusalem, which Titus that scourge of the Iewes, was afterwards to whip and weepe for. The latter Rabbines tell vs a story, or a fiction ra­ther (and you will not beleeue it if I tell you, nor will I tell it to that end) that God hath a secret retiring place, to which at certaine times, he vseth to withdraw himselfe euery day, where bewailing the desolation of Israel, and the mise­rable dispersion of the Iewes with many teares, he doth beshrew himselfe that in his anger hee subuerted the Temple and holy citie. This do­tage of theirs (if you take it in the literall sense as they seeme to doe) is little better than a blas­phemy. But vnderstand it spiritually, and the meaning may be that of the Prophet Ieremie, Ier. 8.21. I am sore vexed for the hurt of the daughter of my peo­ple: or that of Esay, Esay 54.8. For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee: or that in the Prophet Ionas, Iona. 3.10. The Lord repented him of the euill that he had said. Which must not be so vnderstood as if God were sub­iect to repentance or to passions; but because [Page 18] hee, who is immutability in the highest degree, doth speake with those that are mutable after the manner of them with whom hee speaketh, saith Gregorie. And therefore lift vp that grosse relation of the Rabbines from an earthly to an heauenly acception; and it is true, that God takes so little pleasure in punishing of his people, that (were it possible for the thrice sacred and all place filling Deity, to immure it selfe into a me­lancholicke cell, and there to bee dissolued into teares) he would euer weepe and grieue for them. As then Dauid speaketh of a good man,Psalme 141.5. let vs say of God, O let the righteous, my righteous and mercifull father, smite me, for that is a benefit: If we must be chastened, happy are we that we smart by his smitings: Let him reproue vs and it shall be a precious oyle: For this wee may bee sure of, that when his correction comes, Nec venit sine meri­to quia Deus est justus, nec erit sine commodo quia Deus est bonus; It neither comes without our merit that haue deserued it, for God is iust, nor shall it be but to our profit, because he is good and gra­cious.

Further in this act of their correction hee speakes, you see, of that which was past and done; I smote] which againe implieth another [Page 19] note of Gods mercy: for in that he saith, I smote, he saies in effect, and by consequent, that for the present he had laid aside his rod, and now had ceased from smiting, though as yet they had neg­lected to build againe the Temple, for which neglect hee had thus corrected them. Surely should not he giue ouer punishing, till we giue ouer altogether sinning, he should neuer make an end till there were an end of vs; for we are but as lead to the fire of trouble: should he ne­uer cease from refining of vs in that fire, till all our drosse were purged, he might consume our very substance, and leaue vs nothing.2 Sam. 14.14. Yet he hath deuised a meanes not to cast out his banished: and hath promised to purifie and refine vs as gold and siluer, Malach. 3.3. Esay 1.25. to burne out all our drosse, and to take away all our tinne, but it must be then (as the Prophets meant it) by another fire than affliction, euen the power of Gods word, from the vertue of his spirit, of which the Baptist thus;Matth. 3.11. He shall baptized you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Therefore the Lord to magnifie his powerfull mercy hauing smit­ten this people (I smote you, saith hee) comes to trie as it were another course with them: and sends them a Prophet who by three weekes prea­ching and a little more,Hag. 1.1. (for the word came to Hag­gai [Page 20] the first day of the sixth moneth, Id. 2. cap. 1. and the twenty fourth day of the same moneth they began to build) ob­tained that of them which forty yeeres correcti­on could not extort.Hag. 1.15. So powerfull is the word of God: so true that which he saith by his Pro­phets,Esay 55.11. The word which goeth out of my mouth shall not returne vnto me void, it shall accomplish that which I will, and prosper in the thing to which I send it. And thus as the Lord will not be euer chiding, so not al­waies correcting; and oftentimes hee doth that by the word of his mouth, which many stripes could not effect: For hee is not as Moses, which could doe no great worke without the rod in his hand; but laying aside his scourges he doth eftsoones by the powerfull operation of his ho­ly spirit, worke the conuersion of his people: for so he speakes in Hosea, Hosea 2.14. Behold I will allure them and speake friendly vnto them; hee had said before that he would take away from them his corne in the time thereof, and his wine in the season thereof, that he would recouer from them the wooll, Verse 9. and the flax, which he had lent to couer their shame; that he would destroy their vines and figtrees; Verse 12. that he would make them as a forrest, and that the wilde beasts should eat them, &c. But then remembring his mercy, he makes this promise; Behold I will allure, behold I will speake friend­ly. [Page 21] O the neuer too much admired goodnesse of the Lord, that leaues no meanes vnattempted to procure our good! As here when smiting could not preuaile, hee sends a Prophet to perswade; who yet must tell them that the Lord had smit­ten them. That they may remember their affli­ction wherewith the Lord hath chastened them and their fathers for the space now of forty yeeres, they must heare of it, though it bee past and done.

And this in the next place importeth our dutie, as before it implied a note of Gods mercy. Conceiue it thus: When troubles haue done with vs, we must not so haue done with them: former afflictions, though past and gone, would yet not be forgotten: therefore the Lord here puts them in minde what he hath done, what they and their fathers haue suffered; I smote you. And this very thing he wisheth them in this chapter, once and againe, and the third time, to consider of. Wee like it well that our children should not forget when and for what wee haue corrected them: but him that remembers the rod no longer than he smarts by it, wee hold a carelesse sonne. It is an argument of a disposi­tion almost incorrigible, so to despise Gods smi­tings, [Page 22] as to be no longer mindfull than wee are sensible of them, or no longer to sorrow for sinne than we suffer for it. Yet all of vs are too too like Ioab, 2 Sam. 14.31. that would not goe to Absolon till he had set his corne on fire: and I wish a many of vs were not worse; for the Lord hath sent a blasting or (as the word here signifies) a bur­ning winde into our fields, and yet how few (as it may be iustly feared) haue recourse to God that smites them? Though that neither be suf­ficient, I meane only to visit him in our troubles, then and neuer else to poure out a praier but when his chastening is vpon vs. Esa. 26.16. We hold him scarce a friend that neuer comes to see vs but when some exi­gencie driues him; and it is but forced homage which we doe to our heauenly King, when by praier and repentance we repeare not to him, vnlesse he send a Purseuant of affliction for vs. Our greatest motiues to turne vnto him should be his mercies; but if wee will not stirre but when the spurre is in our sides, there is but a lit­tle good metall in vs. If we be generous Chri­stians, such as so runne that we may obtaine, not miseries only present, but their very memorie will hasten vs. As then it is good for vs to haue beene in trouble, so euer to remember it. And here [Page 23] in few words let me heape vp many reasons.

First, it is an excellent meanes to keepe the heart lowly, still to haue in minde what wee or ours haue beene, or haue suffered. He that of a Potters son became afterwards a Sicilian Prince, is renowned for it, that he would be serued at his Table partly in earthen vessels, to remember him daily of his former meane condition or pa­rentage; and partly in vessels of gold and siluer, that he might not forget himselfe to be a King. Surely as our aduancement to the state of grace should put vs in minde to walke worthy of our calling, so the remembrance of our creation and mould of our corruption also and former cros­ses for them should quell our swelling, and keepe vs lowly. When the Prophet would take downe the pride and boasting of Ephraim, he puts them in remembrance of the afflictions of their fa­ther from whom they were descended:Hosea 12.12. Iaakob (saith he) fled into the countrey of Aram, and Israel serued for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheepe. As if he had said; If you boast of your riches and nobilitie, you seeme to reproach your father, who was a poore, but an honest fugitiue, and a seruant. And thus the greatest houses, would they but respect the rock from which they were [Page 24] digged out, may finde beggerie or pouertie in their first foundations; for there is no nobilitie whose base on which it stood, was not some­times basenesse, and which God cannot againe resolue into its former principles of meannesse and obscuritie.

Againe, the memorie of former troubles keepes the minde watchfull, and makes a man more warie, for what hath beene may be againe, and there is nothing new vnder the Sunne. Eccles. 1.9. He that hath once surfetted by feeding on some dish, doth vsually for euer after loath it: but if he will to it againe, in his sicknesse let him blame himselfe. Improbè Neptunum accusat, qui iterum naufragium fa­cit; He that will needs to the sea, hauing once made shipwracke, if he fall foule the second time, may thanke himselfe. If then by thy for­mer enormities thou hast sometimes gotten a weaknesse to thy body, or a wound to thy con­science, a blot to thy name, or a disparagement to thy calling; if for thine iniquities thou hast beene corrected in thy goods or friends, in thine oliue or her branches, thy wife or children, or howsoeuer else, forget not these former crosses, the remembrances whereof may be soueraigne preseruatiues against future sinnes.

[Page 25]Thirdly, as conquests in former battels adde hope and confirmation to valour in succeeding wars, so the memorie of former difficulties which by grace we haue once ouercome, giues strength to faith, and hope to patience, and comfort by them both, when wee shall bee brought to combat with new assaults. So the Lion and the Beare which Dauid could remem­ber he had slaine,1 Sam. 17.35, 36. encouraged him to grapple with the Giant.

Fourthly, to be much and frequent in this meditation, sets a greater price vpon Gods bles­sings while we haue them, the worth whereof wee better vnderstand by calling to minde our former wants of them. And therefore Moses more seriously to affect the people with a true sense of their libertie and deliuerance, so often puts them in minde of the Egyptian bondage.

Fiftly, it teacheth compassion towards others in the like afflictions. If there bee ought (I say not of grace, but) of good nature in vs, we can­not but commiserate others in their troubles, when we call to memorie our owne. Thus to moue the Israelites to tender heartednesse to­wards strangers and seruants, that man of God tels them againe,Deut. 16.12. that they were seruants in the land of [Page 26] Egypt. And should not this argument preuaile with Christian masters as much, if not more than with Iewes; seeing Christ of Satans vassals hath made them free denisons aboue?

Briefly it stirres vp the heart to continuall thankfulnesse, when together with the remem­brance of our former troubles, wee cannot but be mindfull of Gods mercies that either ceased or eased, or so seasoned those troubles, that with patience we bore them, and that the nets being broken, our soules at length escaped and were set free. The Church stories report, that the woman cured by our Sauiour of her issue of bloud,Luke 8.44. onely by touching the hemme of his garment, returning to her house at Philippi, caused two Statues to bee set before her doores, one re­sembling her selfe an humble suppliant on her knees with her hands lifted vp; another resembling our Sauiour, stretching forth his hands vnto her: at the feet of which picture (couered as it were with a robe) there did grow vp so high as the hemme of it, an herbe called Panace, which that age (as Plinie also more than two hundred yeeres before Euse­bius) seemed to haue held soueraigne against all diseases. These trophees which shee had [Page 27] set vp in the honour of Christ, were to be seene (saith the same Eusebius) in his time, that is, at least three hundred yeeres after Christ. Well, to what purpose serues this historie? Thus: All are not able with this woman to erect before our houses in the honour of our great Physiti­an, such monuments as may remember vs of his mercy so often as wee goe in or out by our doores: but all may and should daily set vp before the eyes of their minde a two-fold Memento; one of their former calamities which they haue felt, by suffering; another of Gods fauours which they haue proued by his deliue­ring. Which would we doe, hence would grow a wonderfull measure of thankfulnesse, a grace most acceptable to God for former blessings, and of a catholike medicinall vertue against all times of future euils: for not Crucifixes worne in our bosomes or about vs, but former crosses together with Gods ancient mercies borne in faithfull memorie, are powerfull amulets to saue vs from the euill of ensuing dangers. If then the Lord hath smitten vs, know it is our dutie with Ephraim to smite our selues vpon the thigh, and to remember the corrections of old.Ier. 31.19. Could the Iron be pliable and fashionable to the [Page 28] minde of the Smith after a few strokes, nor could he but willingly spare his armes, nor should it need more often heating or beating afterwards. Would our stifnesse relent with the first crosse, and be conformable to God that frames vs to his will, we should saue God a la­bour, and our selues a second trouble. I smote you (saith he) remember it, that I may smite you no more.

And thus farre touching the Author and the Act of this correction: now see the Obiect; You.

I smote you] not their persons (as I said before) but their fields and vineyards, or in these, their corne and grapes, and the like. Yet in that hee blest not these, it was as if he had blasted them. For though such things be not our life, yet they are our liuelihood; though not the flame, yet the oyle that feeds it. And therefore to affect them more feelingly with these afflictions, hee tels them, that whiles but these things were strucken, themselues were smitten; I smote you.

Take out this lesson then: We should be sen­sible of the calamities that befall the creatures, for we are crossed if they be cursed for our sakes. [Page 29] If the Lord at this time, partly by Blasting and Mildew, partly by vnseasonable weather, haue weakened our staffe of bread; weakned, I say; (for blessed be his mercy that he hath not yet al­together broken it) Iudge we our selues,Hab. 3.8. to bee deseruedly smitten: For, Behold we haue sinned, 2 Sam. 24. we haue done wickedly, but the corne and other fruits of the earth, what haue they done? Nay, the pro­fane gluttonie of the times, that men feede themselues without feare; The loathsome drun­kennesse of the times, that men drinke by mea­sures, and yet without measure; The wanton­nesse of the times, that men like fed horses neigh after vnlawfull lusts, are sinnes that haue made the whole body of our nation foule and very filthy. No maruell then if to purge such foule­nesse, such filthinesse, God doe euen now threa­ten vs with a famine and cleanenesse of teeth. The father of Physitians tells vs, that a foule bo­dy the more it is nourished, the more it is peri­shed: and that a plethorique body would re­quire a present euacuation. And is it not in spi­rituall matters as in corporall things? We are all Gods patients, and he our great Physitian. Now the body of our sins (which the Apostle calleth a body of death) is growne so full, so foule,Rom. 7.24. that [Page 30] without purging there can bee no hope of the life of grace. It therefore it shall please him ei­ther to take away his corne or the vertue of it, and to send leanenesse into our soules (as Dauid phra­seth the worst of famines,Psalm. 106.15. when men eat and are not satisfied) he doth it in wisdome to procure cleanenesse of soule. For certaine if our ouer­growne sinnes did not require a slender diet, we should not need to feare a dearth,Reu. 6. that Blacke horse, as the Scripture calls it, after which two vsually followeth the pale horse whose rider is death. But now that I am about for this time to con­clude my labour, and that I would not that it should set in so blacke a cloud as is a threatning, heare I pray you the wholesome words of instru­ction; Let vs cease to doe euill, and learne to doe well, and he will nourish vs, for hee hath promised to feed such, euen in the time of dearth. Surely, if we will heare and obey, Esay 1. we shall eat the good things of the land; our store shall be plenteous, and our porti­on fat:Ioel. 2.25. he will render vnto vs the yeares which the Grashopper hath eaten: I meane, he will turne Bla­sting into a blessing, Mildew and Haile, into a gracious raine vpon his inheritance, and the fields shall stand so thicke with corne, that they shall laugh and sing.

[Page 31]But in the meane time, let vs more desire that precious food of our soules, the word of God which endureth for euer, than the things of this life which must certainly perish. And thus far touching, first, the Author: secondly, the Act; thirdly the Obiect of this correction; in these words, I smote you. The rem­nant you must expect at ano­ther time. Till then and euer the Lord giue a blessing to that which hath beene said.

MY Text heere parted it selfe into two streames, like that riuer Hi­mera in Sicilie (as it is reported) the one somewhat salt, rather well seasoned, which I called Gods mercifull corre­ction of this people, I smote you with Blasting, and Mildew, and Haile, in all the labours of your hands: the other fresh and vnsauory, hauing no salt teares of true repentance in it; Yet yee turned not vnto me, saith the Lord. In the former I noted, first, [Page 34] the Author, (I) secondly, the Act, (smote) thirdly, the Obiect, (You) (points already hand­led with their seuerall obseruations) fourthly, the rods or instruments with which hee smote them, Blasting, Mildew, Haile; fiftly, the manner of this correction, or the things wherein hee smote them, In all the labours of your hands: which two last particulars (the remanents of the first part) must now be set before you, and after that I shall present you with the second generall, and all at this time, as God shall giue abilitie.

4. The rods. With Blasting, and with Mildew, and with Haile] These are the rods wherewith the Lord smote them, which though they seeme to be bound vp in one bundle, and to make but one clause in my text, are yet seuerall corrections and distinguish­able in themselues. The last of them, which is Haile, none but knowes both that it is a diffe­rent thing from the other two, and how it hur­teth the fruits of the earth, sometimes in the bud, sometimes in the blossome, sometimes inter­rupting their growth, sometimes dashing both them and our hopes when they are come to their ripenes & maturity. But for the two former, nei­ther is their difference so plaine, nor their opera­tion in annoying the profits of the ground so [Page 35] apparant to sense, till they haue done the hurt. And yet if we marke it well, the Scripture doth distinguish them both heere and wheresoeuer else they are mentioned, though generally it bring them in thus yoaked together,Deut. 28.22. 1 Kings 8.37. Blasting and Mildew; for first if the originall here bee consul­ted, the words run thus, With Blasting, Amos 4.9. Hag. 2.17. and with Mildew, and with Haile; not thus, with Bla­sting or Mildew. Secondly, the Scripture ne­uer speakes of these two, but it doth expresse them by words that cannot bee confounded, tearmes I meane so different in signification that they cannot be wrought to note the same thing; for that which we call Blasting, the Hebrew na­meth Shidaphon; which some translate [...], that is, a corruption of, or by the winde; the Septuagint [...], a combustion or adustion: others vredinem; others ventum vrentem, a bur­ning winde; others ventum orientalem, a scorching East winde. And that which we call Mildew, the Hebrew termeth Ierakon, which comes of the root Iarak that signifies to spit, as if Mildew were Saliua siderum, saith one, an excrementitious humor, which the starres spit downe vpon the fruits of the earth, and which makes them to become abortiue, as Plinie speaketh. And there­fore [Page 36] though he seeme to confound these two Blasting & Mildew, yet the Maker of Nature, God himselfe, who knew more than Plinie a searcher of it, hath in his neuer-deceiuing word (as it seemes to mee) put a plaine difference betweene these two. Which Vatablus obseruing, sets this note vpon my text, Haec sunt duo vitia segetum, quorum vnum nimia siccitate & aestu prouenit, alterum nimia humiditate: These are two calamities in­cident to corne, whereof the one proceedeth of too much drought, the other of too much moi­sture. And here I doe not finde any Expositor to speake so fully of this point, as my text seemes to require, and I could wish; and therefore might I but a little with your patience speake as a Philosopher in differencing these two (I meane as a Philosopher no waies repugning the sacred truth of Diuinitie) I should thinke Blasting, to be referred to an hurtfull winde; and Mildew, to an vnkindly moisture. And first for Blasting, the very word implies a winde: and winde of it selfe is by nature hot and dry, as is the exhala­tion which is the matter of it. But as the sonne of Syrach speakes of spirits,Ecclus. 39.28. may I say, There bee windes which are created for vengeance: so there are hurtfull windes, as there are hurtfull spirits, [Page 37] and blasting I take to be the effect of such. This once, Philosophie and our owne experience teacheth, that winde is of a piercing nature by reason of the subtlenesse of it, which openeth and entereth the pores or secret passages, in all bodies penetrable. So that whether it be ioyned with frost, it lets in the cold into tender blos­somes of trees, and into other fruits of the earth in their Milke or infancie, and so kils them in the Wombe, as it were, and causeth the earth or trees to miscarry their fruits by vntimely blighting: or whether it be accompanied with some extra­ordinarie heat of the Sunne, especially in the morning, after cold and frostie nights; it par­cheth and drieth more vehemently. For as winde and heat by nature, so frost is also a drier by a certaine antiperistasis, (as they call it) when one qualitie encompassed with another that is contrary, is intended or made more vehement; like greatest spirits that neuer expresse more va­lour, than when they are most narrowed and enclosed in the greatest straits. Now as all windes are of themselues hot and drie, so the Eastwinde especially, and therefore in the Scrip­ture we finde, that to dry vp fountaines, Hos. 13.15. and to dry vp the fruits of the ground, Ezek. 19.12. is ascribed to the Easterne [Page 38] winde. Yea let the dreame of Pharaoh confirme what I say:Gen. 41.6. for the seuen thinne eares of corne there mentioned, are said to be burned or blasted, and that with an Eastlie winde. So then it is the winde that doth blast, especially the East winde in those places; yet not euery East winde, but onely such as by a faintie or sultrie blowing openeth the pores, and prouoketh sweat; as that which caused Ionas to faint,Iona. 4.8. and which Iunius and Tremellius doe translate Eurum silentem, a calme East winde, to distinguish it from the com­mon ruffling East winde that breakes the ships of Tharshish. Psalme 48.7. This I take to be blasting. That there is a blighting sometimes in thunder by light­ning I grant: but that which the Scripture speakes of here, and in other places, is vsually by a feruent (not a boisterous) but a burning East winde, as sundry Translators giue it. Be­sides, those hot exhalations which cause thun­der and lightning, are also the matter of the winde, as naturall Philosophie teacheth. Now for Mildew, whether it be so called because it is a mild-dew, or a milb-tewe (as some thinke) of the German word milben, that signifies a worme or moth that consumeth garments, because it is as a moth or consumption to some fruits of the [Page 39] earth, and in some breedeth a kinde of worme that eats them; or whether it be so termed, be­cause it is a mal-dew, that is, an hurtfull dew, or because it is a mel-dew, that is, a honey dew which doth this harme, is not much materiall to know, nor can I determine. But either wee may conceiue it to be a rotten dew, (as Philo­sophers call it) which by a hurtfull touch stop­peth the growth of some fruits of the earth that are obnoxious to it, as on the contrary whole­some dew doth nourish them: or some putri­fying mist which makes them to rust, eating out their state and substance, as canker fretteth iron; and this the Latine word rubigo (which signifi­eth mildew as well as rust) seemes to import: For as there are winds that doe blast, as well as winds that blow vitally and refreshingly, cau­sing the earth to fructifie, which are therefore called Zephyrus and Venti Fauonij, because they quicken and foster the increase of the earth; so we may conceiue that there are some dewes and mists which doe hurt, as well as others that doe helpe the growth of fruits. Or lastly, might I here interpose what I thinke, I should say that shrinking of corne by Mildew might be thus: Namely, That in fields lesse peruious and open [Page 40] to cleere & strong winds, (as in lower grounds, or other places betweene woods and hils) there fall oftentimes sultrie and foggie mists; and these couering and keeping too close the fruits of the ground vnder them, as vnder thicke man­tles, doe cast that corne or kind of graine which is subiect to this maladie, as it were, into an vn­kindly sweat, at such time as the eares thereof are not yet sufficiently filled from the root. By which faint sweat is vented that sweetnesse which should feed the eare. Now this sweetnesse once exhausted or drawne out at the stalke or straw, sticks close vnto it being burnt or made adust, by some extraordinary heat of the Sunne, as it happeneth, especially in the Canicula [...] dayes, which (as it may seeme) made the Romans to sacrifice a dogge to Mildew, as Ouid tels vs. So that in corne thus smitten we may behold the straw speckled with blacke spots as it were of soot, which I take to be nothing else but the sweet moisture of the reede exhaled in a faint sweat through a foggie mist or Mildew, and then afterwards by some extraordinary heat turned into a burnt and blacke matter. But be it what it is: he that sends it, knowes it; And therefore leauing this speculation, seeing the Lord hath [Page 41] but of late smitten vs in our grounds with a burning wind, and with Mildew, know it is our duty not so much to dispute or enquire what they are, and whence they come, as to seeke how by teares of repentance to quench that fire of his anger that sent this burning into our fields. So by maturely conuerting now vnto him, wee shall preuent the next yeeres like affliction, haue this sanctified vnto vs, and bee freed for euer from the terrors of that neuer dying fire.

Yet I haue not done with this clause, till hence I haue gathered some obseruations.

With Blasting, and Mildew, and Haile] With these he smote them. These then are but rods, they are not gods or goddesses, as the heathen thought them. The Thurij in Aelian made a Deitie of the winde, and the Romanes set vp Mildew for a goddesse, as Saint Austine tels vs. And both (ô ri­diculously absurd idolatry!) offered sacrifice to them. But I will not be so vnthrifty as to spend one word in refelling so grosse a superstition. A bare narration, is confutation enough for so childish a folly. Nor had I vouchsafed so much as once to mention it, but to reproue some Chri­stians that laugh at these Idols, and yet set vp others in their stead. Outward prosperity who [Page 42] desires not? yet to dote vpon it so much, as to haue our affections clung to it, and set altoge­ther vpon the things below, what is it but to adore an idoll? And yet how many bee there that euen prostitute their soules before it, and sticke not to sacrifice both a good name and a good conscience to demerit it? And what is worldly prosperity (to speake in a worldlings language) but Fortunes sultry winde? indeed a spirituall blasting that shrinkes and blighteth vertue in her growth? For as the riuer Nilus, when it ri­seth too high, and waters Aegypt ouer-much, makes the land barren, which otherwise by a meane flowing would cause it to fructifie: so the world when it comes too fast vpon vs with an ouer-swelling redundancie, choakes the seed of Gods graces in vs, and makes the soule fruit­lesse, as that riuer doth the soile. It is an aphorisme in Physicke, that fulnesse in the extreme is an e­nemie vnto health: And tis an axiome in Diui­nity, that excessiue plentie is no friend to grace. For as misfortunes slay the wicked, Psal. 34.20. so the prosperity of fooles destroyeth them. Prou. 1.32. Therefore Agur praied thus, Giue me not pouerty nor riches, but feed mee with food conuenient for me, Prou. 30.8.9. lest I be full and deny thee, or lest I be poore and steale. Yea of the two, aduersity [Page 43] it selfe is lesse aduerse to goodnesse than carnall ease and abundance: as it is not the boystrous winde that hurteth the fruit of the earth, so much as a faint and sultry blowing. It was not the ruffling winde, but the scorching beames of the Sunne, that made the man lay aside his cloke, as Plutarch hath it in a parable.

Worldly prosperity causeth many to put off the garment of holinesse and innocencie, which they buckled fast vnto them, whiles they were exercised with stormes of troubles. The zeale of Christians is like that ignis Graecus, which (as a Philosopher speaketh) is enflamed by powring cold water vpon it; or like our English Ieat, that is fired in water and quenched with oyle, (as a learned country man of our owne obser­ueth) for it hath euer growne more feruent by affliction, and prospered lesse in times of prospe­rity. Thus the Halcyon daies of the Church ha­uing but breathed a little betweene the ninth & tenth persecution, brought forth contentions amongst the learned, and much hypocrisie in all sorts, which prouoked Gods iudgements, as Eu­sebius noteth. It is the warmth of Goats bloud (saith Solinus) that dissolues the Adamant, when neither hammer nor other massie engines of vi­olence [Page 44] can breake it. And it is the heat of pro­sperity, which weakens vertue more than many heauy troubles. Therefore to be too far in loue with worldly felicity, that so blighteth good­nesse and pietie, what is it but with the Thurij to make an idoll of the winde, and to be in loue with blasting? Againe, giue another instance; some are so far in loue with their sinnes, as that they hate a reprouer, and doe loue nothing more than flatttery that stroketh them: and what is this but with the Romans to sacrifice to Mildew? for hony tongues of parasites, doe more hurt than hony-dewes: these marre but that which should be our meat, but those corrupt the man himselfe, who (it may be) would disrellish his faults, and abhor them, did not pleasing adula­tion wrap them vp in sugred speeches, and cause him to swallow them downe without sense or conscience. For other mens sinnes are direct ob­iects to our eies, but our owne sinnes, like our owne eies, we see not but by reflexion either of conscience within, or of others information without vs. Which if they bee false and flatter vs, how easily doe we yeeld our selues to be de­ceiued with such sophistrie. The chiefe reason whereof is the selfe-loue of our owne deceitfull [Page 45] hearts, which exposeth vs ouer-credulous to o­thers deceitfull tongues, & willingly lookes not on ought that is euill in vs: As the mother of the Minotaure in her naturall affection to that mon­ster could neuer endure to looke vpon the beast­ly part of it; some loue their sinnes as their owne sonnes, vnwilling to reflect their eies vp­on that monstrous foulenesse that is in them, therefore they hate the very glasse of true dea­ling, that would represent vnto them such fil­thinesse: Whereas the deceitfull spectacles of false flatterie, which shewes their good parts (if they haue any) greater and better than they are indeed, they put in their bosomes, and hold such for dearest and most intimate friends, as haue learned the flattering stile. Yet the Greeke Oratour Demosthenes thought it better to fall amongst rauens than parasites, for those feede vpon the dead, these eat vp the liuing. But I haue held you too long in a figure: for worldly pro­sperity is a Blasting, and flattery is a Mildew, but both in the Metaphor. Come wee now to the letter, and there obserue how these three rods come in bound vp together with a coniunctiue, With; With Blasting, saith the Prophets, With Mildew, and with Haile. For the two former I finde [Page 46] in Scripture that if one be spoken of,Deut. 28.22. 1 King. 8.37. Amos 4.9. Hag. 2.17. the other is mentioned also, and saue one place that is the 41. of Genesis, I finde not any place wherein they are not brought in, coupled thus, with Blasting and Mildew. Nor is it a wonder that Gods corre­ctions should come by couples at least, or by leashes as heere, Blasting, Mildew, Haile, when mens corruptions goe not only by cou­ples,Rom. 13.13. Gluttonie and drunkennesse, chambering and wan­tonnesse, strife and enuying; but thus in troupes; There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stea­ling, Hose. 4.12. and whoring, men breake out, and bloud toucheth bloud. For should not full viols of wrath be pow­red downe on men full of all vnrighteousnesse, and those other sinnes named by the Apostle, which are so monstrous,Rom. 1.29, 30. that but to remember them is an horrour; and so many, that but to repeat them might put a man out of breath. Yet nei­ther are they so monstrous, nor so many, but that (without slandering our times and Nation) we may affirme, that too many Christians (as they would be reputed) succeed the Gentiles in those foule euils there mentioned by the Apo­stle, if not exceed them also. Notwithstanding, see the gracious lenitie and mercie of our God in [Page 47] correcting vs and our Land only with some bla­sting and mildew, and some vnseasonable wea­ther in this our last haruest: Whereas he might haue giuen vs ouer, as our neighbour countries, to consume one another by intestine broiles and ciuill warres, or to haue beene deuoured and euen laid waste by the sword of a forreiner. Therefore as the Prophet speakes to Niniueh, Art thou better than No, meaning Alexandria, which was full of people, that lay in the riuers, Nahum 3.8. and had the waters round about it, whose ditch was the Sea, and her wall from the Sea: let me speake to Great Britaine; Art thou better (I say not, fenced or enuironed, but, to Godward better affected) than Bohemia? or art thou lesse sinfull than France, or the Palati­nate? or some other places also, in which haue beene acted so many wofull Tragedies of late, whiles thou neither fearing nor feeling the mise­ries of those ruefull inhabitants, satest as a spe­ctator, or a looker on? Are we better, I say? No; but God hath beene better vnto vs, if so be we are bettered by it, and at length haue learned by seeing our brethren beaten before vs, to feare our common Father, though we feele not his stripes: for blessed be the mightie God of our Iaakob, our Land stands yet vnshaken in all these [Page 48] stormes, as a rocke in the midst of the sea, whiles the waters roare with tempests round about it. Indeed he hath of late smitten vs in some places, but (magnified be his mercy for euer) only with rods of men,Psal. 89.32. not with men-rods, only with blasting and mildew. And in stead of the noise of drums, and the clangour of the trumpets, and clattering of armour, and the fierce neighing of horses, and the sense-amazing terrour of the Cannon, we haue heard the sound of bels cal­ling vs to Praier and Sermon. In other places they heare the shrikings of infants, their Rabels mourning for their children, and will not be comforted because they are not: ours laugh and play in the streets. For balls of wilde fire that burne vp others with their houses, we haue felt but blast­ing winds in our fields: and for streames of bloud which fat other lands with the gore of the inhabitants, we haue suffered but mists and mil­dewes, that haue somewhat shrunke the fruits of our Land. O that we would be thankfull, he hath smitten vs only with blasting and mildew. Yet neither had he thus corrected vs or this people in my text, if he had not beene prouoked by vs. But such is the nature of sinne, it angers the God of Nature.

[Page 49]No wonder then (and let it be our next obser­uation) if it trouble and peruert the course of nature, by causing the Maker to turne kindly winds into blasting, the mornings wholesome moisture into mildewes, and soft drops of raine into stones. God had no sooner framed this world aboue and below as an excellent instru­ment or paire of Organs to set forth his praise, and therein appointed man as the life and breath to sound out his wisdome and goodnesse in and by all the creatures, but sinne came in, and by the Serpents hissing marrd the musicke: Then the heauens aboue began to looke disa­strously on the world below: Then the ele­ments below perniciously to mutinie among themselues, and all to conspire mans dissolution, whose matter was compounded of them. Then began the creatures some to rebell against him that reuolted from his Maker, and the rest to doe him homage but with sighes and groanes. Rom. 8.22. Then the earth by enforcement of labour to yeeld her fruits to nourish him; but without labour, thou­sands of minerals, and herbes, and plants to poison him. Then his owne passions and affe­ctions to fight against his reason, which should haue beene regent ouer them. Then his owne [Page 50] humours to be at a perpetuall discord in him, till they had wrought his death. Then the father slew his posteritie which were not yet borne. Then the brother imbrued his sauage hands in the bloud of his brother. Then Nature turned vnnaturall; nor euer doe we heare of crosses in and by the creature, till sinne brought curses in­to the world. This is it then that troubled Na­ture; this is it which yet like Ahab troubles Israel.

It were our wisdome then, to trouble it; if we loue our owne peace, not to be at peace with it, but continually to fight against it by true repen­tance. So should the earth yeeld her kindly encrease, nor should we need hereafter to feare or burning of her fruits by winds, or shrinking of them by vnwholesome dewes. Would wee powre downe showres of teares, how easily might we procure showres of raine to quell such windes, and to wash away such Mildewes, when they fall? But to complaine of our smart­ing by these rods, or to bee querulous against these second causes, and not to heed the hand of the chiefe mouer, what is it, but with those foo­lish people in Aul [...]s Gellius, to fight with the winde that dried vp their waters? or with vaine Xerxes in Herodotus to beat the Hellespont that [Page 51] broke downe his bridge. As in all other affli­ctions, so in these we must obserue the supreme agent, God himselfe, that sends them for our good to profit by them: For at his command the windes blow and againe are husht, the aire powres out raine or sends downe Mildews vp­on the earth: and it rests in his power to make our land yet more barren, if wee continue diso­bedient; or to fructifie, if we repent. It is reported, that the riuer Nilus makes the land barraine if in ordinary places it either flow vnder fifteene cubits, or aboue seuenteene: and therefore that Prester Iohn (through whose country it runneth, and in which it ariseth from the hils called the Mountaines of the Moone) can at his pleasure drowne a great part of Aegypt by letting out into the riuer certaine vast ponds and sluces, the re­ceptacles of the melted snow from the moun­taines. Which that he may not doe, the Turkes who are now the Lords of Aegypt, pay a great tribute vnto him, as the Princes of that land haue done time out of minde: which tribute when the great Turke not long since denied to pay, till by experience he found this to be true, he was afterwards forced with a greater summe of money to renue his peace with that Gouer­nour [Page 52] of the Abissines, and to continue his an­cient pay. The truth of this relation I questi­on not: mine author is both of worth and credit eminent, and the thing it selfe credible. But this we all beleeue, that the great Emperour of heauen and earth, who sits aboue vs, can at his pleasure make our land and all the regions of the earth, fruitfull or barraine, by restraining or letting loose the influences of his blessings from aboue. In respect whereof, besides many other farre greater bonds of duty, we owe and should pay vnto him a continuall tribute of thankfull obedience. This if we will not acknowledge and tender, he can force vs; for hee hath dams and ponds rather, an whole Ocean of iudge­ments in store, which he can (when it seemes him good) let downe vpon vs to make both the land fruitlesse, and the soule it selfe accursed that rebelleth. Not Blasting onely, or Mildew, or fire, or haile, or lightning, or thunder, or vapours, or snow, or stormy windes, but euen whole vol­lies and vollumes of curses moe than can bee numbred, are prest to doe his will, to afflict and vexe them that grieue his good spirit by their sins and reuoltings especially from the truth. Why then doe we taint the aire with rotten spee­ches? [Page 53] Why doe we with oathes and blasphemies euen blast his heauens that can blast our earth? Why send we vp daily so many noysome va­pours of our sinnes, against him that can send to vs so many wrathfull messengers of his dis­pleasure? They of Tyre and Sydon shall rise vp in iudgement against vs, to condemne vs of folly. They would not warre with Herod, Act. 12.20. because their countrey was nourished by the Kings land: And shall wee by continuance in these and other sinnes, dare the all-commanding Maiestie that is aboue, by whose blessings the earth, heere below,Esay 55.10. mini­streth seed to the sower, and bread to him that eateth? Doe we so reward the Lord, ô foolish people and vnwise? Deut. 32.6. What are we stronger than he? or haue wee not read it, that none can deliuer out of his hands? For how shall any hand warre against him and preuaile, with­out whom no hand can worke and prosper, as it followeth in the next circumstance?

In all the labours of your hands] In all: 5. The Manner. It is an vniuersall note, how shall wee take it? In the largest sense; then it would include within the curse, all their labours, whether of tillage or of trading, whether in their ships or shops, at home or abroad, in their houses, or in their fields and vineyards. If all their labours of what [Page 54] kinde soeuer, none excepted, were vnderstood, then their seeled houses which they built, Hag. 1.3. and all the workes of their mechanicall trades, should haue beene subiect to Blasting and Mildew, which were childish to thinke. Therefore not to extend this vniuersall note any further than the Prophet heere reacheth it: this (All) hath a speciall refe­rence to their workes of husbandry and tillage, in which a great part of this people had beene and were now conuersant: for it is reported of Nebuzaradan, the king of Babels Steward, after the sacking of Ierusalem, that hee left of the poorer sort of the people to dresse Vineyards, 2 King. 25.12. and to till the land. But what then? did the Lord onely correct Husbandmen? were not all the rest of that peo­ple, though no tillers of ground, as much if not more to be blamed, for not building the Tem­ple? for this was the principall cause why thus the Lord smote them: Yes, I smote you (saith he) in all the labours of your hands; hee meanes the whole people of the Iewes, for in that he cursed the labours of the plough, the curse redounded to others of their workes also. If those prospe­red not, all other labours and Labourers fared the worse for it.

Whence first obserue how much the happi­nesse [Page 55] or miserie of a people dependeth vpon the good or ill successe of the ploughmans labours and other parts of husbandrie: for if God blesse not these, it is a correction vpon the whole Land and Countrey. Surely the noble hand of tillage is that which feeds the world, the King also (and he was the wisest and greatest King that said it) consisteth by the field that is tilled. Eccles. 5.8. Now if this hand that by Gods appointment reacheth meat to all mouthes, be discouraged, despised, and weakned, all other hands and hearts too must needs grow the fainter; for all are made of clay, and as their substance came from the earth, so must their sustenance be taken thence, and how is that but specially by tillage? Some wretched courses of life, as the Vsurers, the Brokers, the Proiectors, the Monopolists,Iosua 6.9. Num. 11.25. and the like gathe­ring host of Dan, are as the spleene, the fuller and bigger their bags are, the leaner and lanker goes it with the Common-wealth: and on the con­trary, the lesse such fill and thriue, the fatter growes the body of the State. But the calling of the Husbandman is as the liuer; if it prosper, all fare the better for it; if it waste, it proues Macies in corpore toto, a consumption to the whole. There­fore to stop the plough, is in Gods account to [Page 56] starue at least the poore. Such then as decay both houses and husbandrie, by ioyning house to house, and field to field, till there be no place for the poore, that so they may be placed by themselues in the midst of the earth, Esay 5.8. are neither Caesars friends, nor the Com­mon-wealths, no nor their owne: for this is in mine eares, saith the Lord of hosts; this sinne cries so high, that he doth not only heare it, but it is a continuall vexation vnto him, (as if it were some ringing in his eares that he would be rid of) or an incessant clamour that night and day impor­tunately sollicited iustice and called for ven­geance:Esay 5.9. For this, saith he, shall their owne houses one day be desolate. Yea to such (saith that Prophet) pertaines a Woe, and he cries it so loud, that ano­ther after him answers like an Eccho, Woe, for they couet an euill couetousnesse, Hab. 2.10. and consult shame to their owne houses, whiles by destroying many people they make their possessions fields of bloud, purchased in ef­fect with the hazard of the liues of Gods inheri­tance for want of food: for how can they be but enemies to the liues of many, that hinder those labours which should feed all? and which when God smiteth, he would haue it noted as a corre­ction on the whole Nation, though the curse fall immediatly but vpon the works of the Hus­bandman, [Page 57] as here, I smote you in all the labours of your hands, and yet all these labours (to speake properly) were but the labours of the Husband­man. Which againe thus offereth another lesson to vs:

That the sinnes of a whole Land or people are sometimes corrected but in some one or another calling or trade of life, by not blessing which the Lord yet would chasten all. The neg­lect of building the Temple was generally the fault of all, of the Priest as of the people, of the Gouernours as of the common sort, of Trades­men as of Ploughmen; yet as if the Husband­man had beene more negligent than all the rest, (which is more than can be proued) his labours are smitten for all the rest, and in them all are smitten. As when the whole body is sicke, the Surgeon labours to cure it, by opening a veine in some one part or other, by which hee doth abate the rankenesse of the humours in all the rest: so to medicine a sinfull state or people, sometimes the Lord smites them in the hand of husbandry,Hag. 1.6. When it sowes much and brings but in a little: sometimes he lets them bloud in the arme of the souldiery,Psal. 89.43. When he goes not forth with their Ar­mies to battell, but takes away the edge of their sword: [Page 58] sometimes in one calling, sometimes in ano­ther, sometimes at once in a many: yet all is but as phlebotomie, or letting of bloud in some parts, to ease the whole of that superfluity of vices that would destroy it.

If then the Lord at this time hath made, not our Vine dressers to howle, for wee may say of our land, as the Poet doth of Aegypt, Terrasuis conten­ta bonis, and it hath no such neede of these: but if he hath made our Husbandmen ashamed because of the haruest; Ioel 1.11. if our Clothiers to mourne be­cause of the wooll and the flaxe; if the poore to crie (murmure they should not) that haue mouthes and no meat, hands and no worke, which (God bee mercifull to our nation) is a double miserie; thinke thus with our selues, all sorts haue sinned as well as these: For wee fall away more and more. The whole body is sicke, though the physicke be applied to some parts. Yet nei­ther is this but an argument of Gods mercy, who as a shepherd, sends his barking dogs of dearth and pouerty after vs his wandring sheepe, not to deuoure vs, but to reduce vs to his fold, and to keepe vs within the compasse of obedience to his lawes. Surely hee meanes our good in all this: for as a man suffereth those [Page 59] beasts which he appointeth shortly to be slaine, to goe in his deepest pastures and to breake his hedges without restraint, to the end they may be sooner fatted for the shambles, but keepes shor­ter such as he purposeth to keepe aliue; so dea­leth the Lord with vs: in that by these correcti­ons he now abridgeth our land of that fulnesse which we our selues desire, and suffers vs not to transgresse his statutes without controlement, it is to preserue vs: did either hee intend our slaughter, we should (it may be) not want a richer feeding: or would wee amend our liues, we should not lacke it, might it be good for vs. But hee knowes that fulnesse of bread, Ezek. 16.49. through mans corruption causeth much filthinesse. This if our former plenty haue brought forth, hee purposeth in mercy to purge vs, and to make vs fit for better blessings; of which we cannot be capable till he hath emptied our soules of their naturall defilednesse, and cleansed them by tossing vs vp and downe in some waters of af­fliction. Your selues will haue your cups and glasses scowred sometimes in salt, into which you powre your wine or oyle, but care not to haue the troughs washed, in which are serued your dogs or swine. Touching such as with the [Page 60] dog returne to his vomit, 2 Pet. 2.22. and with the swine that was washed to her wallowing in the mire, Reu. 22.11. is that said, Hee that is filthy let him be filthy; but thus he speaketh to them whom he hath appointed to be vessels of glory;Esay 1. Be ye holy, for I am holy. And againe, Wash ye, make ye cleane; and if at his perswasion they will not wash themselues by repentance in teares, he will make them doe it by troubles; for it is a worke which hee will haue done, to which while his people doe not cheerefully con­secrate their hands, he can curse them in other labours of their hands, as here, I smote you in all the labours of your hands.

In all] These all, are properly but all the la­bours of the Husbandman (as hath beene said) yet because all smarted whiles but these were smitten, he speakes it indefinitely to all, not ex­cluding any, I smote you in all the labours of your hands.

Which in the third place lights another can­dle to let vs see how we ought to sympathise one with another, in those seuerall afflictions that befall vs. I would vtter it in this proposition: The crosses that befall others in their lawfull callings, doing their honest endeuours, wee should esteeme partly our owne, according to [Page 61] that rule of the Apostle;Gal. 6.2. Beare yee one anothers burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ. So he speakes, as if compassion were the fulnesse and comple­ment of the law: and indeed so it is,Rom. 13.8. Gal. 5.14. For loue is the fulfilling of the law. These places are Scripture enough for proofe: may it please you to con­ceiue the reason of the duty thus; A Common­wealth is called a body, sundry callings and con­ditions of men therein, are as parts organicall, or members of the same: There is an head of gouernment that rules all; an eie of counsell that sees for all; a tongue of vtterance that speakes for all; armes of valour that fight for all; hands of labour that worke for all. Some callings are the leggs which support the rest; as the Clothi­ers and others which are conuersant about the staple commodities of the land; others as feet of traffique for commutation to transport the rest. Now all these as fellow members should worke for the good of all, and should be so combined in affection, that the hurting or weakening of any one, should make the rest sensible of hurt done to them. For instance; If but the labours oft he Husbandman be blasted, all should feele it, as if themselues were smitten. If Merchandise and Merchants Ships that plough the sea for vs [Page 62] to bring in riches, and are the walls of an Iland, be discouraged by Pyrats, and tempests, or any other sad disasters at Sea or Land: If Clothiers and clothing, the ancient honour and rich com­modity of our Nation goe downe, all other Trades and men of other callings should haue a fellow feeling of those miseries: yea all should pittie, all should endeuour a redresse, or pray for it; the Prince as the Pesant, the Iudge on the Bench, as the Prisoner at the Barre; he that hol­deth the Pike, as hee that handleth the Pen; the night-student, as the day-labourer; for the whole body cannot be perfectly whole, if any part be wounded. And therefore, if one member suffer, all should suffer with it. But if in stead of commiseration and compassion one towards another in our seuerall callings, there be nothing but repining against, and vndermining of one another: If the Tenant enuy his Landlord, and the Landlord set such rents on his grounds, that the Tenant cannot liue with comfort: If the Leuite fret at the Lawyers fulnesse, and the Law­yer grudge at the Leuites portion, which is Gods by his owne claime: If most maligne the Cour­tier, and the begging Courtier would squise all as spunges: If most abhor the Souldier, and [Page 63] the bloudy Souldier desire to prey vpon all as a Vultur on dead carkasses: If some would haue peace, to oppresse the poore, and others would haue war, to rob the rich: If some would haue the seas open to returne vs forraine vanities, for the necessaries of the land; and others pray for times of reprisall, againe to be fishing in trou­bled waters, (though goods so gotten at sea, and God knowes how, haue strangely melted in the hands of many since they landed) If thus one sort bite and deuoure another, let vs take heed (saith the Apostle) lest we be deuoured one of ano­ther. Fourthly, take notice hence of this in­struction;

That when God blesseth not, no labour pro­spereth, how honest or commodious soeuer the calling be wherein we labour. A more lawfull calling than that of tillage can be none: It had God for the first Author,Gen. 3.19. Gen. 3.23. Gen. 9.20. and Adam the sole heire of the world for the first Practitioner. Noah the Patriarch that suruiued the old world, liued to till the new also;Gen. 26.12. and Isaack a type of Christ tur­ned Husbandman. Elisha the Prophet was a Ploughman,1 Kings 19.19. and the greatest Kings haue de­lighted both in the praise of it, as Solomon; Eccles. 5.8. and in the practise of it, as Vzziah. 2 Chr. 26.10. And that the grea­test [Page 64] should not be ashamed to learne the myste­rie of it, the Lord (who is greater than all) is said to teach it, for thus the Prophet of the Husband­man,Esay. 28.26. His God instructeth him. Christ yet the more to grace it,Iohn 15.1: hath called his Father an Husbandman, his Church a field, his Ministers labourers in it; mans heart reformed, Gods husbandrie; his owne word, the seed; good works, the fruits, Angels the reapers, and the generall iudgement the Lords great haruest. Nor is it more honest than vsefull, for the abundance of the earth is ouer all, Eccles. 5.8. that is, there is no worldly thing comparable to the reuenues of the earth, whether we respect the vniuersalitie of their vse, in that all euen from the King to the kitchin boy are fed by them; or the excellencie thereof, in that they nourish life, which gold and siluer cannot doe. The earth as an Oliue berrie hath our food without, not within; her mines and metals are too hard for our digestion, nor need we to digge into her wombe for meat; if we doe but search her out-sides, or draw fur­rowes in her surface, we shall finde store of most precious and vsefull riches. This, Aesope, or who­soeuer else he was, sweetly conueyed to our vn­derstanding in that parable of the Husband­man, who when he died, told his sonnes that he [Page 65] had left vnto them gold, buried but a little vn­der ground in his vineyard: which they digged all ouer after his death, but gold they found none; yet by stirring the mould about the roots of their Vines, the next yeeres vintage proued so plentifull, as made good the old mans promise in effect, according to the sense, not the sound of his words. So that whether wee consider the honesty or the vse of it, this calling for worldly things hath no fellow: Yet as honest, as vsefull as it is, when God is not pleased to blesse the endeuours of it, they cannot prosper. To build an house, or to watch a citie, are both lawfull enough; and to be sedulous and vigilant in these workes, is euen laudable: yet if Gods fauour be not present to worke in the one, and to watch for the other, the Psalmist saith,Psal. 127.2. that both these are in vaine. It is not earely rising, or going late to bed, Prou. 10.22. but the blessing of God that maketh rich: And this hath quandam vniuersalem influentiam in omnia opera bona, an vniuersall influence into all good endeuours, which when God will restraine, in vaine man wearieth himselfe.

Be this then euer in our memorie, in all our workes, begunne, continued, and ended in him, still to depend on his goodnesse, and so to glo­rifie [Page 66] his name: For as without the influence of his blessing, no labour of ours can make vs thriue; so with it and by it all our lawfull works shall prosper, though the world and malice it selfe should be set to crosse vs. When an Alder­man of London was giuen to vnderstand by a Courtier, that Queene Mary in her displeasure against the city, threatned thence to diuert both Terme and Parliament to Oxford; hee asked of him the question, whether she would turne thither the Channell of the Thames or no; if not, said he, by the grace of God we shall doe well enough. When either enuy of meaner men repineth, or the anger of greater persons rageth against our thriuing, wee shall doe well to re­member that there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the city of God: Psal. 46.4. a current (I meane) of Gods blessings, which while he vouchsafeth to our honest labours and lawfull callings, no ma­lice of man or deuill shall euer be able to stop or auert. So whiles this riuer of God keepes its course, we shall doe well enough: but if his hand for our sinnes turne it aside (as it were) in­to another channell, no wonder then if wee prosper not in all the labours of our hands.

Lastly, hence obserue, that it is a iust thing [Page 67] with God not to blesse them in their workes, that neglect his worke. The point riseth thus: The building of the Temple was Gods worke (for this he had enioyned them) but the tilling of their grounds, and dressing of their Vine­yards were their workes: They were negligent to doe the former, therefore God curst them in the latter: I smote you, saith he, in all the labours of your hands.

To omit other proofe of a doctrine so plaine, euen that of the Prophet shall now serue the turne,Ier. 48.10. Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently. Hence inferre this conclusion; If the not builders of the Temple bee accursed, how shall the pullers of it downe looke for a blessing?

But what is this to vs? we pull it not downe. True: yet if we be not builders of it, we are as culpable as these Iewes. Yea but wee haue no Churches to build: be it so; yet the Lord hath a worke for euery one of vs; yea, a Temple which yet must be built by vs, or wee are accur­sed. What is that? S. Ierome vpon this place in­formes vs;1 Cor. 3.11. It is to build vp our selues a Temple vnto God, 1 Pet. 2. vpon Christ Iesus the foundation and the Corner Stone; according to that of the Apostle,Iude 20.v. Edifie [Page 68] your selues in your most holy faith. Yea the Prophet Ieremy tels vs what this Temple is,Ierem. 7.4, 5. Trust not in lying words, saying the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: The Temple of the Lord (saith he) are these (as it is in the last translation:) what are those? It followeth in the fift verse, To redresse our waies and our workes, to execute iudgement betweene man and man; not to oppresse the stranger, or the fatherlesse, or the wi­dow; to shed no innocent bloud, nor to walke after other Gods, &c. For this is the will, yea and the worke of God too,1 Thess. 4.3. Euen our sanctification, 1 Thess. 4.3.

1 Cor. 3.17.Againe, Saint Paul tells vs what it is; The Tem­ple of God is holy, which ye are, 1 Cor. 3.17. So then we our selues are this Temple, which must bee built in faith, Iude verse 20. and renewed in knowledge, Col. 3.10. and reedified by loue, 1 Cor. 8.1. and repai­red by repentance: for thus saith the Lord; The heauen is my Throne, and the earth is my footstoole, where is that house that ye will build vnto me, and where is that place of my rest, Esay 66.1. He answers in the next verse, To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my words. This then is the spirituall Temple of the Lord, the new man is the new Temple;Psal. 132.14. This is his rest for euer, heere will he dwell, for hee hath a delight therein. The Babylonians defaced the first materiall Tem­ple, [Page 69] and the Iewes were charged to build it againe, which while they neglected to doe, God smote them in all their labours. The ghostly enemie of our soules, through enuie and malice hath razed and demolisht in vs that goodly frame of inno­cency, in which we were created at first, after Gods owne image, in righteousnesse and true holinesse. Now this the mercifull God would, should be built againe, and thus calls vpon vs to doe it: Be renewed in the spirit of your minde, Ephes. 4.23. and Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of him that created him, Col. 3.10. This is his worke, and if we make it not ours also, that is,Phil. 2.12. By working out our owne saluation with feare and trembling, how iustly may the Lord curse vs in all our labours, as he did this people? Either then let vs attend Gods husbandrie, Gods building, 1 Cor. 3.9. that is, the reformation of our selues and others, or looke not that hee should prosper our Hus­bandry, or whatsoeuer labour else is ours. In vaine shall we purpose to preuent Blasting and Mildew by early sowing, if we repent too late. If we will not plough vp our hearts with a godly sorrow, that the seed of his word may take root; Ier. 4.4. and bring forth fruit, he can make our seed-to rot vnder the clods, or by corrections moe than [Page 70] we can imagine, smite it in its growth, and euen frustrate our fairest hopes, be we neuer so skilfull in chusing of the soile to sowe in, or in obseruing of the season. If we would that our earthly affaires should proue succesfull, our greatest care should be, first, to seeke the kingdome of God, and to recouer that by Christ which we lost in Adam. A Persian King (were it Darius Hy­staspis, or Xerxes, it is not certaine) when the Grecians had taken from him Sardi a famous ci­tie in Asia the lesse, in Saint Iohns time one of the seuen Churches, charged that euery day at din­ner, one speaking aloud should remember him, that the Grecians had taken the citie Sardi from him. Beloued, wee haue lost more than a citie: we haue lost our soules, which are of more worth than all the world besides, if Christ doe not rescue them from the hands of Satan. O then that we would giue our Redeemer no rest by incessant praiers, till he deliuer vs, and repaire our ruines. O that still we would bee calling vpon him to remember his losse and ours, (for ours is his) till we haue regained by him, that which at first was taken from vs by the enemie, euen the Image of our God after which wee were created. This is the Temple of the Lord, [Page 71] and how should we mourne in our soules, and giue the temples of our head no rest, Psal. 132.5. till we haue found out in our selues a place for this Temple of the Lord, that we may be a spirituall habitation for the mighty God of Iaakob? Yea this should bee our care still, by repentance to reedifie the ruines of our soules; in which worke alone to thriue were euen felicitie enough, though we did not prosper in any worldly labour. But alas, too many of vs haue too great a part in the second generall part of my text, which may speake to vs as to this people;2 Generall Part. Yet yee haue not returned to me, saith the Lord. Lose not the fruit of your patience (I beseech you) in the last act: and touching this I shall haue done in a word; for heere I shall but point at some few such things as might hence be noted, and leaue them to be enlarged and applied by your owne me­ditations.

As first, the goodnesse of God in his correcti­ons of vs, that he intends them to be but dire­ctions and instructions, to teach vs how to re­turne vnto him, for that was the end here where­fore he smote this people, that they should re­turne; and it is his aime in all those afflictions which he sends and we suffer, for all such [...] [Page 72] are [...], such nocuments are documents to them whom he chastens in loue.

Secondly, the ilnesse of man in his corrupti­ons, that he is a runnagate from his God, and euen then vnwilling to be reuoked from his wanderings, when God yet layes such crosses in his way, that if he returne not, he cannot pro­sper.

Thirdly, the inefficacie or insufficiencie of afflictions, which of themselues are neuer able to reduce vs to our Fathers home, if they be not sanctified to vs, or we rather vnto them. Thus wee finde it in the parable of the Prodigall, that it was not so much the sense of his owne mise­rie, as the confidence he had in his fathers mer­cie, which made him returne with this resolu­tion, I will goe to my father. If as he had spent his portion, he had also lost the comfortable assu­rance of his fathers loue and relenting good­nesse to re-accept him, he had still wallowed in his sins, and staied by the trough with his vn­cleane fellow-feeders: for afflictions of them­selues are of a destroying nature; as corasiues they eat, but they cure not; and therefore corre­ctions if they be ministred vnto vs not corre­cted, not sanctified to vs by grace, of themselues [Page 73] (as poisons) may doe hurt, but can profit vs no­thing to conuersion. O Lord, thou hast smitten them (saith the Prophet) but they haue not returned vnto thee. In all our afflictions then, let this euermore be our praier, that we may profit by them, lest it may be said to vs, as S. Austine speakes of the Romans, who were not bettered by their trou­bles; Perdidistis vtilitatem calamitatis, & miserrimi facti estis, & pessimi permansistis: Calamities haue done you no good; ye haue beene afflicted, and yet are as ill affected as euer. When physicke works not with the Patient, what comfort? When crosses teach not, what hope? And there­fore (good Lord) mingle thy grace with thy rods, that they may driue vs home to thee, whose armes of mercy are euer open to receiue the pe­nitent; That so suffering with our Sauiour, we may reigne with him, and come at length to that kingdome of rest, where thou wilt wipe away all teares and feares from our eyes.