THREE CHRISTIAN SERMONS, made by Lodouike Lavateres, Minister of Zuricke in Helvetia, of Famine and Dearth of Victuals:  
And translated into English, as being very fit for this time of our Dearth:  
By W. Barlow bachelor in Divinity.  
Who can cause to cease the bottles of heaven? job. 38.37, even he that saith to the small rain, and to the showers of his power, Be upon the earth,  job. 37.6. 
He called for a Dearth upon the land, and broke the staff and provision of bread, Psal. 105.16. even for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.  Psal. 107.34. 
LONDON Printed by Thomas Creed. 1596.   

TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, MY LORD, THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury his Grace: Primate of all England, and Metropolitan: one of her majesties most honourable privy Counsel, my very good Lord and Patron.  
IT was thought good by your Grace, whose thoughts are ever good toward the Church of GOD, that these Sermons of Lavatere should be vulgarly translated, to the end that all sorts among us, might in this time of Dearth, be directed to know both the proper cause, and the right use of this judgement: because for the most part in such distresses, which is our corrupt nature, we are accustomed, saith Nazianzene, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, either to account of them lightly, or to lay them to Gods charge foolishly. 
job. 1.22.  Wherein, as your Grace doth show your faithful care, as of the High Steward over God his family, to see that the Household have their meat given them, 
Luc. 12.42  not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their just portion, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in due season, which is Saint Paul his rule, that the food ministered unto them, be both seasoned and seasonable, and a point of as much learning as discretion, 
Esa. 50.4.  in Esay his judgement, to have a word in time for him that is weary: these being the two principal effects desired from Pulpit Divinity, the one Ne scandalizemus, by our offences not to provoke God's judgements: the other, 
joh. 16.1.  Ne scandalizemur, not to be offended when God doth judge us: so withal, your Grace doth imitate the examples of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church, especially those which were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and popular, who taking Saint Paul's counsel in applying themselves to the Time, 
Rom. 12.11.  preached unto their auditories, 
For so I read it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not as some do, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  according to Chrysostom's advice, not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, points profitable to the persons present, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, things proper to the occasions offered, that so their Sermons might be, to use saint Austen his words, both Commodi and accommodi, as well fitting the Occurrents, as profiting the Hearers. In Nazianzene his time there was a Dearth, much like to ours at this instant, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, through the barrenness of the ground, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the destruction of the corn, the hope whereof, in the beginning of the year, through the goodly seed-time, and temperate Winter, made men's hearts to leap for joy, and the Barns, as it were, to enlarge themselves for the receipt of this promised plenty: but on the sudden, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that which the distilling dew of Heaven had comforted, and brought forth, the showers immoderate and continual utterly rotten and corrupted, whereof though the Sheaves filled the Mower's hand, and the Gleaners lap; yet did they not answer either the thresher's labour, or the owner's measure: upon which so unexpected calamity, old Gregory the father was amazedly silent, for deepest conceived griefs are not easily uttered: but Nazianzene his Son, in the zeal of God's glory, in care of the people thus distressed, and in discharge of his own function, in a solemn Sermon, appointed of purpose, inquired into the causes, which brought on, and showed the means how to turn away this judgement. The like did Basil in the like case of Dearth, but unlike to that and ours in respect of the second causes: this in his time coming of a long drought, ours of never ceasing rain: then the heaven being as he speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Caelum nudum sudum.  clear and cloudless: but the Sky over us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lowering and Sunlesse. Which though foreigners and travailers account no strange thing in our land, being an Island compassed with the Sea, and therefore Tacitus saith, we have always Triste caelum, and others in their jollity have reported, that they could never salute the Sun in England, (happily they stayed as little a while in the land, as he did in his office, Qui somnum non vidit in consulatu, or came at that time of the year when Vatinius was Consul in Rome, 
Macro. Sat. lib. 2. cap. 3.  when there was neither Winter, Summer, Spring, nor Autumn: or perhaps loved their beds as well as he, who never saw the Sun rising or setting.) Yet who so observed our heavy heavens this present year, the like not remembered by any man living, by any record remaining, if he savour of any religion, he cannot ascribe it either to the Climate, or inclination of our Sky, or to the Vicinity of the sea, but cry out as they did Exod. 8.19. This is the finger, if not the heavy hand of God. The practice of these Bishops, and perhaps their copies, did this learned man Lavatere follow, in framing of purpose three Sermons proportionable to the number of years wherein his country Switzerland was oppressed with Dearth: which, when to them nothing can be added, that may concern either christian policy to prevent, or spiritual comfort and instruction to endure, or turn off that Affliction, and for the proportion of time answering to our Dearth, the price of things, for these three years successive, expressly enhanced, I, by your Grace's authority and commandment, have divulgated to the benefit of our people. If any profit arise thereby, which was your Grace's intent, and my endeavour next unto God, let the thanks redound wholly to your Grace, being the first & only motion thereof. My desert is nothing, such a task as this requiring not much labour, nor any learning. 
Plat. M●●.  As Socrates once said, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, my guerdon is sufficient, if in a greater employment any labour of mine, within my ability and strength, may increase that your gracious favour, which hitherto your Grace hath undeservedly vouchsafed me. And so with my humble and hearty prayers to God for your Grace's health, I leave your Grace to him who never leaveth his.  
Lambeth. Novemb. 9 1596. Your Grace's Chaplain in all humble duty bound. W. Barlow.   

Words mistaken in the printing (gentle Reader) correct thus.  

In Page 54. line 7. for Psalm, read Verse.  
Ibidem, line 14. for Psalm, read Verse.  
In Page 56. line 1. for Psalm, read Verse.    

THE FIRST Sermon of Dearth and Famine.  2. Chron. Chap. 6. Verses: 
26 When heaven shallbe shut up, and there shall be no rain, because they have sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place, and confess thy Name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:  
27 Then hear thou in heaven, and pardon the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel (when thou hast taught them the good way wherein they may walk) and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.  
28 When there shall be famine in the land, when there shallbe pestilence, blasting, or mildeaw, when there shallbe grasshopper, or caterpillar, when their enemy shall besiege them in the cities of their land, or any plague or any sickness:  
29 Then what prayer and supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own plague, and his own disease, and shall stretch forth his hands toward this house:  
30 Hear thou then in heaven, thy dwelling place, and be merciful, and give every man according unto all his ways, as thou dost know his heart (for thou only knowest the heart's 〈◊〉 the children of men).  
31 That they may fear thee, and walk in thy ways as long as they live, in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.  
SAlomon a King both for wisdom & Religion most renowned, having built & finished the temple of jerusalem, consecrated it unto God with his devout and earnest prayers, in the presence of all the people. Wherein first he commendeth and setteth out God his Omnipotency, 
2. Parts of Prayers. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basil.  his truth and mercy: then he requesteth that God would make good unto him the promises made to his father David, and also make known his presence in that temple so holy, so glorious, and appointed for his worship, by hearing the devout prayers of the faithful, which in that place should call upon him. Particularly, he nameth six or seven kinds of Calamities, from which it might please the Almighty to deliver that people crying unto him in that place. Of these, the third is Drought, to jewry of all other Countries most pernicious, so that his request is, that if in this distress they desired Rain, it might be given them. The fourth is Famine, Dearth of Victuals, Pestilence, divers and uncouth diseases, spoil of Corn, siege of Cities, or any other like kind of distresses, in which he desireth both God his attention to their prayers, and delivery from those plagues. But leaving the particulars which are in this prayer to be observed, our purpose is, by God's assistance, to entreat more largely of Dearth & Famine, a plague, which for these many years not the wicked only for their punishment, but the godly also have for their trial felt, being alike grievous and burdensome to all sorts: and it is feared least in this so great scarcity of all things, in this age so given over both to covetousness and riot, that the price of victuals will yet arise and increase, unless our earnest repentance prevent God his wrath. Our heavenly Father vouchsafe to deal with us not after our deserts, but according to his unmeasurable mercy. But that ye may understand me in this whole discourse more fully and plainly,  

The Division.  1. I will show from whence cometh this plague of Dearth & Famine, namely from God his judgement.  
2 How dreadful a plague it is.  
3 Why God doth chastise the world with this scourge.  
4 How rich and poor should behave themselves in this time of Famine, both at home and abroad.  
Lastly, how God promiseth his chosen, not only to preserve them in it, but also to turn it from them.  
In the words of Dearth and Famine, 
How dearth and famine differ.  there is found but very small difference. Dearth is that, when all those things which belong to the life of man, for example, meat, drink, apparel, lodging, and other things, are rated at a high price. Famine is, when all these before named, are not to be got for money, though there be store of money.  
Indeed this distinction rich men find: but the poor and needy feel no difference between Dearth and Famine. For they in the greatest plenty of victuals wanting money, are forced to starve and to pine with hunger. There are two sorts of Famine or Dearth▪ 
The kinds hereof.  universal, when in all countries or most there is scarcity of corn: Particular, when as any one village, city, or country, is punished that way. Now as all other calamities are sent from God, so this of Dearth & Famin. For God in his law expressly threateneth his people with this plague, for disobedience to his word. Levit. 26. he speaketh in this sort, verse 14. If ye will not obey nor do my commandments but despise my laws: verse. 16. you shall sow your seed in vain. Verse. 19 I will make my heaven iron & your earth brass. Verse. 26. I will break the staff of your bread, them ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, & they shall deliver your bread again by weight, & ye shall not be satisfied. Deu. 28. He is more large in this kind: Verse. 15. If you will not hear the voice of the Lord your God to keep and do all his commandments, all these curses shall surprise and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the City, and cursed in the field: cursed shall thy barn be, and thy store: cursed shall be the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, verse. 33. The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a people which thou knowest not, eat: verse 38. Thou shalt carry out much seed into the field, and shalt gather but little in: for the Grasshoppers shall destroy it. Thou shalt plant a Vineyard, and dress it, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the Grapes, for the worms shall eat it. Who so readeth the writings of the Prophets, shall meet with many testimonies (some of them in their place we will repeat) whereby God threateneth his people, that unless they repent, he will withdraw their wine, oil, fruits of trees, fish, flesh, and other things which belong to the sustentation of man's life. Amos 4.6. Saith the Lord, I have given unto you cleanness of teeth in all your Cities, and scarcenesss of bread in all your places, yet have you not returned unto me, saith the Lord. I have smitten you with blasting, and mildew, & have caused it to rain upon one City, and not upon another, etc. Which scripture is an evident demonstration, that God sendeth the scarcity of all things necessary for man's life, and that he openeth and shutteth the clouds at his pleasure. And if God should not send it, his servants the Prophets could not by his instinct set down the time so exactly (as in both the Testaments they do) when it should come, how long it should last, when it should cease, and other things of less account than these, which the wisdom of man can of itself neither foresee, nor conceive. joseph. Gen. 41.25. by expounding Pharaos' dream of the seven fat and lean kine, and of the seven full and empty ears, foreshowed from God seven plentiful, and so many barren years. Elizeus prophesied of the like number years of famine. 2. Reg. 8..  
In the new Testament, Agabus the Prophet by the breath of God's spirit, foretold of an universal famine over the whole world. Acts. 11.28. which fell out true in the reign of Claudius Caesar. These things it pleased God to reveal to his faithful servants, that in due time they might provide for themselves, lest afterward to the disgrace of the name of Christians, they should be forced to seek for sustenance from the Paganish infidel. True it is that we read of some Astrologers, which have foretold both of plenty, and scarcity to come: among the rest Thales, as Diogenes Laettius recordeth, was accused that through giving himself wholly to the study of Philosophy, he neglected his family and private gain, whereupon having by natural causes foreseen that there should be the next year following a great scarcity of oil, he engrossed into his hands for that present year all the Olive Gardens, so that in the dearth he sold Oil at what price he list himself. Whereby he showed that Philosophy will serve for the enriching of a man, if he will so employ it. Notwithstanding this, and the like predictions of starre-gasing diviners, howsoever they argue a possibility, yet no necessity of truth, having oft times been taken tardy. For God is not bound to these second causes, but eftsoons bringeth to pass many things beside, and contrary to the course of nature, so that there is much difference between the foretellings of the holy Prophets, and the conjectures of these Welkin Wizards, 
Almanac makers.  whose Prognostications of every years wars, diseases, heat, cold, drought, moisture, grounded upon no certainty, prove either manifest untruths, or conjectural guesses, most uncertain conclusions, most certain collusions. (So that one of their own late Prophets, as being guilty of their mockeries, hath very fitly prefixed before his yearly false oracles, I would say Almanacs, that speech of David, for the front verse of his calculations: Let God be true, and every man a liar.) No doubt there is otherwise good use of the Ephemerideses or Almanacs, by them to know the motion of the Moon, with set feasts, and other things of like kind: as for the rest of the contents, they are like unto them that make them, always certain in their uncertainty. Husbandmen also have their kind of observations, foretelling of tempests, & winds through the whole year, the assurance whereof is (as we commonly speak) but Hit I miss I: sometimes true, very often false. For God being the Lord of nature, ruleth as himself pleaseth, without, yea, and against the rules of nature. To which power Solomon respecting, requesteth of God, that if in time of Famine, the people being assembled, should pray for plenty, it would please him so to cross or order those second causes, that the present plague might be removed. Which, if it should come rather by casual accidents, then by divine ordinance, should not need the use of prayers, were it never so extreme. And what else meant God himself, Levit. 23.10. commanding his people of Israel, that the day after the Inning of the corn, they should bring a shease for an offering to the Lord, and shake it before him, and after that, it was lawful for them to eat bread of new wheat? And again in the feast of Pentecost, two loaves of their new corn, for a first fruits unto the Lord. vers. 17. In the Autumn also, the like use in the feast of Tabernacles: verse 39 then by all these ceremonies to teach them, that plenty ariseth not by man's labour, sweat, or industry, but of God's blessing only, and therefore he alone to be thanked, both for Harvest, and Vintage, and alone to be prayed unto, to preserve the corn, both on the ground, and in the barn, and withal to know how to use those blissing to God's glory, and their own good. For this is the right use, saith Saint Paul, 1. Tim. 4.4. of God's creatures, to sanctify them by prayer and thanksgiving. From whence ariseth that Christian order of Grace before & after meals, 
Grace at meals.  [which custom not to use, I take it to be rather brutish, then heathenish; for even among the Heathen, as Quintilian witnesseth, it was duly and daily observed: and amongst us never so usually omitted, till that same Cupchallenging profession came into our land, wherein many, drinking to Health, drink themselves out of Health, and Reason, out of Wealth and Religion.] Furthermore, if God please to punish the world with famine and penury, it is not hard for him to do it, who hath them at his beck as we our servants and attendants. So in the 2. of Kings the 8. Psal. 105. and else where it is said, that he calleth for a famine, and it cometh, though there be great hope of plenty: again he calleth for corn, and it shall come. Eze. 36.29. though no expected help for provision. Hence is that of Saint Paul in the 4. to the Rom. he calleth things that are not, as though they were: such is the power of God. It hath been found by experience, that both Summer and Harvest have answered our desires, both through the plentiful increase upon the ground, and through the commodious housing into the barn, insomuch that there hath been great hope of abundance, as well of hay and corn, as other fruits, and so the price to be reasonable and low, and yet on the sudden beyond all expectation, the yield hath failed, and the price been enhanced, our sins provoking God to curse our plenty, as it fell out in the years 1525. 30.31. In Helvetia, and this year 1596. with us in England. Again, on the contrary, in the greatest fear of scarcity, it hath pleased him to turn it from us above all hope, to the effecting of both which, he hath many and diverse means. The earth of itself bringeth forth no fruit, except such as the curse forceth. 
divers means by which Famine cometh:  Gene. 3.18. yea though it be diligently tilled and manured, yet the blessing of GOD which only maketh it fruitful and profitable must be expected. For neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth, but God which giveth the increase. 1. Corin. 1.3. The land of Israel in old time a most fertile and lusty ground, in our age they which come from thence, report it to be very barren and wild almost. In many countries which are very fruitful, sometimes but few fields are tilled for fear of bordering enemies, oftimes no field nor vineyard at all husbanded or dressed: for in long continued wars husbandry is impeached, husbandmen either miserably slain, or carried captive into other Countries, vines, trees, corn, burnt and consumed, herds and flocks of cattle and sheep perish, or are driven away, and if peace ensue, yet these losses must needs leave behind them a great Dearth of victuals. If the Pestilence be rise, there must needs follow a Famine: for these two are such fellow like companions, that the Grecians distinguish them but by one letter, calling the Pestilence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and the Famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Albeit the Husbandman labour never so surely, yet is he often frustrate of his hope in corn, the frost may nip it, the heat may scorch it, great rains may drown it, the wind may lay it, many times the years prove unseasonable: in our time we may remember, that on Midsummer day we have been feign to use baths and stoves against the extremity of cold, and on new years day again, we have dined abroad in our Tarrises and open Galleries for the great heat: this is not man's but Gods doing, who hath the alteration of times in his own power: besides this, the climate of the Country may work much in the soil. jewry being a hot Region, a drought doth quickly burn the corn: In Helvetia or Switzerland, the hotter and drier the summer, the Country is the more fruitful, for it is hilly continually, having snow on the Alps, cooled with springs and rivers, so that the Region being most temperate, heat less hurteth it.  
In so much that it is said in that Country in a common Proverb, Their children are never Sunne-burnt, [of the like nature is England, though not of the like situation, for it hath been observed, and is still kept for a rule, that a Drought in England, never breedeth Dearth, for when the sand helpeth the clay, than England cries wealeaway. There are over and beside these, many other things which annoy both corn and trees, as mildeawes, blast, field-mices, Locusts, Palmer, and canker worms, Weasiles, and such like Vermin: the frost also burneth the knots and buds of Trees, for which it is compared in the Psal. 147.16: to burning ashes. The south-west and Northern winds, and also thick and duskish clouds, choke and kill the blossoms, and the unripe fruits of trees, and it falleth out oft, that in the prime of the year, the young leaves are eaten away, and the bough left as seared & bare as a dry broom, and if fruit decay, there must needs be a penury of bread: for in our Country, fruit is counted the best sustenance and the staff of bread. When our Infants cry for bread, we can easily please and satisfy them with an Apple or Pear: but when fruits fail us, than what remains? an Apple being sold as dear as the weight thereof in bread. Our ancestors were wont to say, that if the wood, that is, trees and vines, did underprop the corn, it was a sign of a plentiful year: for bread and fruit is our principal nourishment. But of all other, 
Locusts.  the greatest enemies to corn in many Countries are Locusts. And Grasshoppers, of which both Scriptures and profane stories maketh so often mention, sometime seen so thick in the air, that they have darkened the Sun, and lighting on the earth, they have covered at once many acres of ground, devouring all the fruit within that compass, upon which loss hath followed always extreme Famine, and oft times also a dreadful Pestilence: one example ye have in the tenth of Exodus, of the hurt they did in Egypt, Pliny writeth, that in the Country of Cyrene, open war was proclaimed against them, first to destroy their eggs, than their young ones, and then the Locusts themselves: Saint john in his Revelation, compareth the troop of Monks to the Locusts, not only for their huge number, but for their unsatiable ravening and devouring, what by encroaching and importunity they can get. joel. 2.25. calleth the Locusts Gods Great Army, for though they be but little in sight, yet no humane force can resist them, when God sendeth them: sooner an army of men may be discomfited, than they destroyed. With them was Helvetia plagued, in Anno. 1364. and Belgium, 1548. and in Polonia, 1335. In the reign of Cassimer the second, such an huge company of Locusts appeared so dense and thick, that the Sun could not be seen. And falling to the ground, they lay so thick, that they covered the horse footelockes as they were feeding: after which, followed a wonderful Dearth. And so again in Anno. 1542. they oppressed both Polonia and Silesia, in so great heaps, that the inhabitants, though in vain, went about to scare them away with the ringing of bells, sound of trumpets, and ringing of basins. As great hurt also hath been done to the fruits of the earth, 
hail.  both by hail, sometime falling from heaven as big as hens Eggs, killing under them both man and beast: examples are not scarce in that kind, lamentable and late experiences do confirm it: as also by storms, tempests, whirlwinds, and inundations, either rotting the seed, or pinching the blade, or shaking the ears of corn, and overturning sometimes whole trees. Causes no doubt both of private and public Famine.  
But here we meet with a question often discussed and much debated, both by learned men and Idiottes: Whether Sorcerer's or Witches, Fairies or Spirits, 
Whether Conjurers can raise storms?  (call them by what name you will) can raise any tempests, or bring down such Hail as we oft see?  
To which we answer with a distinction, that as they have some, so they have no absolute nor self sufficient power to hurt, for even Satan himself (whose power otherwise is great, whose bondslaves and vassals these wretched varlets are) cannot hurt either man or beast, either how or when him list, much less these accursed slaves of his, can have the air and winds at commandment, but GOD in his righteous judgement giving him leave, what may he not do? work wonders in the world, shake the heavens, trouble the air, frushe the earth, and turn all things topside totherway, a passing nimble spirit he is doubtless, and a most speedy workman, so that out of hand, even in the twinkling of an eye, he will use his leave granted, to some mischief. The Hogs without leave (of God the Father) Matthew the 8. Chapter, he could not possess, but no sooner had he obtained leave, but presently he tumbleth them headlong into the sea.  
The Egyptian Sorcerer's wrought incredible wonders, imitating Moses and Aaron, before Pharaoh. Known and memorable is that story of job to this purpose, to show that this Behemoth being kerbed, he is disabled, but if the reins be given him, there is no ho with him▪ and yet hath he his bounds set him, which he cannot pass in any wise. Whereupon Origen on that place breaketh out in this wise. How sweet is thy kindness O King of heaven, how mighty is thy power, how glorious thy majesty o eternal God? How greatly comfortest thou those which fly unto thee, that the Aduersay of Mankind hath no power over any creature, but that which is granted him by permission? Neither is he permitted but where GOD doth know it may make for the evidence of faith, for the trial of constancy, and for a pledge of a glorious reward: which we knowing, let us with care and fear fly unto God, and with instance of prayer, and sincerity of heart, cry unto him, to deliver us from the cruel assaults, and from the subtle snares of the wicked, and suffer us not to be tempted above our strength. Thus far Origen,  
Now to our purpose, these Sorcerers having covenanted with the Devil, he useth their malice to his purpose: he deviseth for them, and prescribeth to them Medicines, Drugs, Poisons, Exorcisms, wherewith they may hurt men, children and beasts, infect pastures, deceive the senses, juggle cunningly, work incredibly, but not without his assistance. Who though they be thus conjured together, yet holding Saint Paul's ground (If God be with us, who can be against us?) what need we fear? For this is sure, that though they have both ability, and will, yet have they no authority more than limited, especially against the faithful, which are ever under the shadow of the Almighty. But for the raising of storms, the congealing of hail, the whirling of winds, we utterly deny them any power that way, because holy writ attributeth the raising and ruling of these tempests to God alone. Why but themselves willingly without any torture, and boldly without fear, avow that they can trouble the air, and disturb the elements at their pleasure. But I say as boldly, that this (as many other their assertions) is but a Devilish illusion. For Satan by natural reason, and by his quick conceit, not only knoweth the causes, places, and effects of tempests, but also executeth partly with, and partly against his will, the just judgement of God's indignation: for he is (sayeth Origine) God's Executioner. Now he knoweth these circumstances, having his commission with his leave granted, presently goes to his complices, puts them in mind of their bargain, promiseth now to wreak their malice, as they desire, teacheth them the means how to effect it, and sometimes forceth them by violence unto it. And thus those malicious Miscreants go to their business, bring their purpose to pass, and rejoice in the fatal issues of their accursed Art: And now hath this old deceiver obtained that he would, not only in binding these Wretched Souls, as with a threefold Cord, unto his own will, but also in persuading others to ascribe any Calamity, Dearth, or Penury, not to God's judgement, but to the power and malice of these Accursed Caitiffs.  
So that much crying out there is to have them burnt & hanged, no word in the mean time of remorse for sins, much less of amendment of life. All which I speak not to excuse their fault, or to mitigate their punishment: but to deny them, and to prove that God only is the author of these plagues on earth. This conceit fitteth more properly the Paganism Romans, who were of opinion, that men's Corn and Fruit might be enchanted, and bewitched, to which purpose they made laws against such charms in their twelve tables. He that enchaunteth Corn, let him die the death. Again: Bewitch not by any Charm any other man's Crop. This is the devils juggling, to persuade men that these Varlets are able to do that in very deed, which they have no power to do, nor himself but by God's leave. And yet admit these old accursed Hags could move such hurly burly in the air, yet it must be by God's permission, in judgement for our sins, which we breaking off by repentance, the cause is removed, and so these wretches not to be feared.  
Oft times again it happeneth that the cause of Dearth may come by continual Rain, the seed perishing by too much wet: 
Raine.  [as it happened this year 1596. in England, wherein God having opened his bottles, as himself speaketh, job. 38.37. hath made the clouds which should drop fatness, Psalm. 65.12. to pour down the moisture of rottenness. joel. 1.17. so that sowing Wheat, we have reaped thorns, jere. 12.13.] It may hap also, that the Corn being ripe and forward unto Harvest, even ready for the sickle, may be either burnt up, or mowed down by the enemy, as was the Philistines by Samson, jud. 15. or being in the barn, yet it may not perhaps answer the hope of increase, either under the flail, or in the dough, or in the Oven: or else from Heaven or other mishap be set on fire, or which is another, and a greater mischief in the securest peace, in the greatest plenty of all things, yet are there Usurers, Monopolists, Engrossers, 
The vermin of a realm.  regrators, Forestallers, Transporters, buying and hoarding up all kind of Grain, that when the husbandman's store is spent, they may sell it out at what price they list, and so wax rich by other men's misery. Albeit sometimes GOD preventeth them either by bringing in of plenty, not expected, or by causing their Corn to become fusty, and fit for no other use but the Dunghill: yea, sometimes though there be no want of victuals, yet in the siege of Towns, and Cities, the inhabitants having their passages stopped by the enemy, are forced unless they will starve, to eat meats unclean and unsavoury, or else to yield to their foe's mercy. Railing Rabshakah threateneth, to drive the Citizens of Jerusalem to that strait, that they should be compelled to drink their own piss.  
wars also make a great scarcity, 
Wars.  both for the present, and afterward, all the Corn either being wasted with fire, or trampled down with Horses, or carried away by the Enemy, yea, if there be but a rumour of War, the greater Towns both keep in their own Corn, and lay up what they may get elsewhere, till the certainty of peace be concluded. Neither are Kings and Princes blameless in this case of Famine, who though their charge be to provide for the good of the people, yet they utterly neglect them, rather impoverishing their subjects, yea, even in the dearest years, burdening them with taxes and subsidies: the Court is costly, and will be gallant: horses, hounds, hawks, harlots, jesters, must be maintained, who wrings for it? the poor subject, who must rather be undone, than the Court should want: from whence followeth this inconvenience, that the people being thus exhausted, and drunk up by these sucking subsidies and exactions, many of them become desperate, and utterly neglect their family at home, and setting the Hare's head to the Goose gibblets, and all that they have at a mum chance, will rather loosely misspend it themselves, than thus to be made sponges, and that which they have to be squeezed from them by crushing Courtiers. But be it that these burdens and impositions be lessened, yet even where there is greatest liberty, and most ease from them, there is many times a Dearth. What is the reason? Riot, Surfeit, Pride, discontentment with their private state. Not noble and rich men only, but the poor artisans must forsooth be fed daintily, clad richly, furnished sumptuously, what exceeding cost, how exquisite dishes, what strange devices, what far fetched wines must now be in ordinary banquets. This was our ancestors praise, to keep great houses for entertainment of strangers, their neighbours and friends they invited rather to maintain amity, then to procure surfeits. Cards and Dice, the very bane of any family, hath brought many to penury. Drinking and Quaffing, the direct pathway to beggary: these cupshotten suertiships, and pot smitten bargains, have undone many men, though at other times being sober and wary enough. But of all other, the high rood way to Penury, is Venery: 
Venery.  these strumpets are so chargeable saith Solomon, Prou. 5.10, and insatiable, ever ask to have, never ceasing to crave. Plautus in his Comedy named Truculentus, compareth them very ellegantly to the sea, It swalloweth that you give, and never crieth enough, give what you will it is never seen again, either by the giver, or of the receiver. Daintily the whores must be fed, costly the bastards, though closely, be maintained, the Panders and Bawds must have their fees, and the neighbours mouths must be stopped, lest that which was seen through the chinks, be revealed in the streets: and yet which is strange, these so profuse and prodigal companions, that spare no cost abroad upon their Courtezants, at home with their Wife and Children far hardly, and seem great husbands. Herode at the first dash would part with half his kingdom to please his dancing damosel.  
True is that which Solomon speaketh, Prover. 29.3. He that feedeth harlots wasteth his substance. A fit text for this purpose and for these times, this sin being as our Lands Locust, a principal cause of our great want. Further, there may be a ready way to penury by ill housewifry, 
wives.  when wives being made for the comfort and company of their husbands, either by importunate brawling chide them out of doors, and so make them spend abroad lavishly, which they might save at home if they might do it quietly, or by their gallant bravery and furniture eat them out of house and home, or by their bad housewifery bring them to lay the key under the door, and to forsake their home: such quarreling and squandering Dames, Solomon Prou. 19 and 27: compareth fitly to a dropping house: and we in a common proverb say of them that have such wives, That a storm of Hail is fallen into their kitchen. [A man were better let his Pottage burn his lips, then to have such blasts to cool his broth. 
Children. ] Children also untoward & reckless, may work their friends want, by deceiving and purloining from them both money and grain, spending it lewdly, and running into debt purposely: laying the payment thereof upon their parent's bags, by which thievish riot, they bring both their parents and themselves unto Penilesse bench. But what is he that can reckon up all the causes and means of public and private Penury? If God happily send some plentiful years, yet many forgetting their last want, lay up nothing again a dear year, hoping that will never come, and so lash it out & lay it on, as though they were borne for nothing else but to eat bread and break orders: but when a scarcity cometh, having neither corn for market, nor store for household, they prove scarcely able to provide bread, and to pay their rent. The great increase of people, the abundance of all sorts of Artificers, the divers cosonages, and coney-catching deceits, may cause a scarcity. But now to these mischiefs, if either the corn be unwholesome, or yield not well, (which is God's curse) then may it prove a Famine, and very dangerous. God in his law threateneth that he will break the staff of bread, 
Staff of bread.  that is, bread shall not nourish them that eat it. For as old and diseased folk leaning upon staves to uphold them, if you take them away they must needs fall: so unless God do give the force of nourishment we cannot be satisfied: as on the contrary, if he bless our meats, a little shall suffice us, being able, if it please him, to do it without any outward means. Deut. 8. a place cited by our Saviour, in that his great temptation, Mat. 4. Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word which cometh out of the mouth of God. By which Word, some understand the ordinary meat which God hath appointed to feed us. Other expound it, the will and decree of God which he hath revealed, namely, that he will preserve the course of nature, and nourish his creatures: so that the sense may be double. First, that God which now giveth us bread for sustenance, may if it please him feed us otherwise. Secondly, not to attribute the virtue of nourishment to the creature of bread, but to his secret grace whereby he blesseth it to our strength. What the breaking of the staff of bread is, hath been observed in the time of Famine, when men eating much are nothing satisfied. Some lay the fault upon men's covetousness & overmuch sparing, they say, that in such times they which be masters of families, do too curiously note, & as it were reckon every bit they put in their mouths, and take for the time a more straight account of their expenses then ordinary. This I confess is some cause, for what will not pinch penny misers do? but if we search the cause more narrowly, we shall find it to be the curse of God which taketh away the strength from the bread: and so from drink too, which doth not always slake the thirst, as it falleth out in Agues & other hot diseases. Neither hath Apparel any long lasting power, but will be tottered presently (for even the durance of apparel is God's blessing, as by the example of the Israelites it may appear, whose shoes & attire was not worn bare, nor torn, for so long time in the wilderness). There are many which go all day long lined with furs, and in the night are happed with many coverings, & yet are little the warmer. These and the like plagues doth God by Aggi threaten to the wicked: & so in a plenty you see God can send a scarcity. Thus have I generally and largely run over these things, by which you see that God useth divers outward means to work a dearth & famine: causes natural & artificial, their malice & fraud, the covetousness and carelessness of men. He ruleth all things which are, at his command and beck. For as the common enemy cannot either invade a land, or destroy the corn, so neither can vermin, frost, hail, nor tempests, the fruits, unless God please. For confirmation whereof, read the Psalm. He commandeth the snow to come upon the ground, and the rain of the winter, even the showers of his strength: and Psal, 146. which covereth the heavens with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth, and bringeth forth grass upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men, &c: and Psal. 147. which feedeth thee with the flower of wheat, he sendeth forth his word upon earth, and his word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool, and scattereth the frost like ashes, and sendeth his Ice like morsels: who is able to abide his frost? he sendeth his word and melteth them, he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow: and Psal. 148. Fire, hail, Snow, Wind, Storm, fulfilling his word. Mountains and all his fruitful trees, and all Cedars. Beasts and all cattle, worms and feathered fowls: and jer. 14.22, Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles, that can give rain? or can the heavens give storms? is it not thou o Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things. Too many there are who think Famine and Dearth to come by chance, they say there hath always been an intercourse of things, War followeth peace, and Dearth plenty: and this interchaunge shall hold on to the world's end. But we out of the scriptures have learned, that nothing comes by chance, but even the least things are guided by God's providence. Indeed in respect of us, many things may be said to come by chance, but not in respect of God. Christ himself saith, that a Sparrow, for whose safety no statute provides, lying open to the net of any that will lay for her, cannot fall to the ground without his will, even the hairs of our head are numbered. Yea the Pagans and Gentiles, believed that God defended both cattle and corn, and guided the seasons, & ruled the storms, only herein they sinned, in attributing to other inferior and supposed Gods, this great power of the true God, in worshipping Ceres for corn, Bacchus for wine, Flora for flowers, Robigo against blasting & vermin, & Apollo Nomius, or Pastoral for their pasturs & meadows: to all which and more than these, they dedicated certain feasts, on which they made their prayers according to their several powers: they had also their sacrifices called Amber talia, as Festus derives the word, because they went in Procession about their arable grounds, called by the Latins, Arua. But we though we use in good policy, and in a godly acknowledgement from whom we receive these blessings, 
Perambulatians.  the like Perambulations, have learned out of holy scripture, & by that anniversary Christian practice do confess, that God alone both giveth and withdraweth fodder from cattle, how much more too & from man, for whom he hath made both beasts & other creatures. So that as long as men are persuaded, that plenty and want cometh not from God, they cannot either by repentance turn to him, thus chastening them, nor will they with patience abide his punishment: and therefore it concerns us greatly to know from whence both do come. And so much of the first part. It followeth in the second place, 
The second part.  to show how fearful & horrible a plague this is, which may be proved by many reasons and arguments, specially if it endure long. When God gave David his choice of three evils, Pestilence, Famine, the Sword, he chose the first as the easiest to be endured. For many which be infected with the plague, give up their souls to GOD, very speedily, and so are quickly rid from many cares and troubles of this life, and from the dreadful pangs of death. They that die in war are not long tormented: but they which are pinched with Famine, hoping every hour for succour, are ever pining away, till in the end they die a lingering and a miserable death. Very true is that speech of jeremy, It was better with them that they were slain with the sword, then with them that died for hunger, because these did starve being consumed by the barrenness of the earth. As hunger is named an Inventor of many Arts, (the poorer sort devising many ways to sustain their life honestly) so is it also said to be an ill Counsellor, egging men on to Larsonies, Thefts, Murders, Usuries, Deceits, and other horrible sins. Horace calleth Poverty, Impudent, because there is nothing which it dares not attempt. Therefore that prayer of the wise man was very good: Pro. 30.7. Two things have I required of thee deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity & lies. Give me not poverty nor riches: feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full & deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? or least I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. There have been many rich men, who though they have been hoven and lifted up with their heaps of riches, yet have not denied their God: notwithstanding such is the infirmity of man, that unless God by his word should restrain us, wealth would make us insolent: so there are many who endure their poverty patiently, abstain from stealth, resist all inordinate desires, yet such is the corruption of our nature, that when hunger gripeth us, we think any thing to be lawful for us, by theft, lying, or any Malengine to maintain this life, and make no excuse for any such sin, but our Bellies want. If any man should see tradesmen, husbandmen, labourers, some of them stout & strong, and able men to do good service, wandering in the streets, having no work to do, whereby to keep soul and body together: and should withal hear the scritches, outcries, & lamentations of women, children & men, for want of food, would it not make his heart to bleed, unless it were harder than iron or the Adamant? Much more would it grieve him to see his own family brought to that distress: & that which is here to be reproved, in this so great penury of all things, scarce will the rich set the poor on work, nor hire them to labour, although they ask but their meat & drink for their wages: so that many being ashamed of their extreme poverty, dissemble it as long as they can, dare not complain of it to their neighbours & friends, & in this distress like bees they feed upon their own good [or rather like Snails live upon the air, & their own moisture, and so consume away, as David speaketh, and in doing nothing, come to nothing, saith Austen] baking themselves bread of oats and bran (fit for horses and not men) borrowing money here & there, laying their garments & furniture to pledge, their houses and land to mortgage, and what will not poverty drive men to? they fall into the mouths & teeth of biting & devouring usurers, who under a show of licking them whole, such out even their heart blood, without all hope of any remedy. The Egyptians, as scripture records it. Goe 47.20. mortgaged their lands to Pharaoh, for the time of famine: and in the 5. of Nehe. they which returned from Babylon, complained that they were forced to sell their children for want. Famine also constraineth many good and godly men to leave their country, & to seek into strange places for sustenance. Abraham. Gen. 12. fled from Canaan into Egypt. Isaac. Gen. 26. from Gerar to Abimel. but the god in his dream warned him not to go into Egypt, but into the place that he should choose. So jacob with his son in his age, fled to his son joseph into Egypt for food & succour. Elimelech, Ruth 1. with his wife and children left Israel, and came to Moab. Elizeus 2. Reg. 8. wills the Sunnamitesse woman to go into an other country till the Famine there ceased, which should last seven years. Profane stories are herein plentiful, as also our modern & domestical Chronicles. It is not long, since many, and they good men, have wandered from one place to another to relieve their hunger: and as many being brought to extreme poverty, with their wives and children have been forced to beg from door to door, in Cities, Towns, and Villages, but especially in Country Towns, where commonly is most want, who having once followed this idle trade, can hardly be reclaimed to work, though there be many indeed that cannot for want of strength, do any kind of labouring work, their flesh scarce cleaving to their bones. Very pathetical and pitiful is the complaint of jeremy. Lam. 4.4. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, but no man breaketh it unto them. verse 7. Her Nazarites were purer than the snow, and whiter than the milk: they were more ruddy in body then the red precious stones, they were like polished Saphir. But now their visage is blacker than a coal: they can not know them in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones: it is withered like a stock. Take an example or two for perspecuitie. Anno. 1527. When the French made war for the recovery of Milan, within the territories thereof, so horrible was the spoil of corn through the continuance of war, that a dreadful Famine ensuing, the price of grain rose to an unreasonable rate. Convoy of victuals was sent from Strawsborow & Helvetia, to succour them, else had they all died generally, very many having been already famished to death, as that doleful spectacle in the streets argued, where you might see many fall down dead, some of them with herbs and grass in their mouths. At which sight, our men being sore astonished, left their camp, and returned home, some of them for ever forswearing wars, lest they should be forced to see the like spectacle. Ann. 157: and some years following, in Austria, and through Germany, many were starved, and so in Italy too, where many rather choosing any torment then that death, offered themselves to be galley slaves very willingly, submitting themselves to that torture which is laid upon none but Rascals and thieves, Anno 1572. in Occitana, and along the Sea Coasts, a grievous Famine arose, though the Region in it own nature be very fruitful, insomuch that every where you shall see starved Karcasses lie in the streets: and in these cases it falleth out oft, that Mice, Dogs, Horses, Asses, chaff, pels, hides, sawdust, are used for good sustenance, and at last man's flesh, yea, (which is not to be spoken without trembling) the mothers have eaten for very hunger their own children, as in the siege of Samaria, in the first siege of Jerusalem under Nabuchodonozer, and in the last, under Vespasian and Titus. How fearful this is, all mothers can easily conjecture, and he that will read josephus. lib. 6. cap. 11. de bello jud. and Eusebius which hath borrowed it from josephus, if his heart yarn not, it is brawny. Such was the Famine which the Inhabitants of Sancerra. 1573. endured, more grievous than that of Saguntum, which for the extremity thereof is come into a proverb. And such also was the Famine in France, Anno. 649, in the fourth year of Clodovey his reign, and in the year, 839: and in Germany, Anno. 808. a dreadful Famine possessed the whole country, at which time Hatto the Bishop of Moguntum, executed that villainy upon the poor country swanes, ask him bread. Vrspergensis writeth, that the great Famine which befell, Vnno. 898. made men to eat and devour one another: and so in Anno. 1010. a general Famine was over the whole world: and An. 1062: an earthquake, & huge hailstones fell: great dearth of victual, and a strange famine, was felt in our countries of Helvetia, which punishment of late God hath renewed, this superstitious (or rather this irreligious) world deserving to be visited by no plague more gentle. In the Holy war which the Christians had in Syria, in all places of the world there was a great Famine, especially in the Christian army, as in an example or two you shall see. When Antiochia was besieged by the Sarracenes, such an intolerable Famine followed their plenty, that hardly they abstained from man's flesh. Otho Frising. li. 7. ca 4 let them note this by the way, which think that the mean to avoid a dearth, is to press Soldiers out of the land. About prague in Bohemia. An. 284. many died through extreme hunger: and Anno. 1313. through Boheme and Polonia, as Vrspergensis out of the 4. Book of the Polonian Chronicles describeth, Cap. 8. A Famine more cruel than any war, raged in those two Countries, and daily increased, lasting three full years, absuming many men, parents slaying their children, and they their parents, to relieve their hunger: some did not stick to take the flesh of them that were executed on the gallows, to stay the rage thereof, Wolves set upon those they met, & devoured them, though they carried guns and Bows for their defence. Oftentimes it falleth out, that prisoners condemned to die, with Famine, have eaten of their own flesh so far as they could reach, before they could die: many also have had no other remedy to prevent it, but by slaying themselves. And lastly, that which maketh this plague more dreadful, it seldom or never cometh without a pestilence. And so much of the horror of this fearful punishment. Now why God doth punish men with this so terrible a judgement, we will show in the next Sermon. God of his mercy turn our hearts to him, that he may turn this plague from us. Amen.  
The end of the first Sermon.   

THE SECOND SERMON.  
IN any public calamity, whereto mankind is subject, two things are principally to be considered. First, from whom. Secondly, for what cause it comes, wherein the judgement of the world respecting the second causes, rather than the first and principal, is so foully corrupted, that men know not well, either where to ask counsel, or how to behave themselves being surprised with any misery. Among all other, Famine & Dearth of victuals is not the least, of which we now entreat, having in our first sermon proved both by testimonies & examples of scripture, the true, first, & efficient cause to be God. I am he, (saith God of himself) by Esay. 45.7. which make peace, and create evil, of punishment, not of sinning. Natural courses, and men's malice being no causes, but outward means which God useth, stirring up the wicked to chastise us (not by inspiring their malice into them, but using the malice which is in them for his judgement, and our chastisement.) Secondly, we have there described the miseries and mischiefs of that dreadful plague. Now in the third place it followeth, to inquire what should move so pitiful and merciful a God to afflict men, good and bad, old and young, Countries and Nations, with this tertible scourge. All men indeed feel this heavy hand of God's wrath, and the complaint is general and common: but wanting a right judgement being more blockish than the bruit beast, neither feel nor understand, either in the motives that provoke it, or the means how to be freed from it: taking the wrong cause for the right, and the second for the first. The common multitude with one consent lay all the fault upon the oppression of Landlords enhancing their rents, the malice of Farmer's grudging without cause, unmercifulness of Usurers grinding without pity, the intolerable licenses of Monopoles and Solesales, engrossing without measure, the covetousness of hoorders keeping up their grain without mercy: (all which no doubt, are principal outward means whereby God doth bring it to effect) but of corruption in manners, of vices and vileness of life, of the Immunity and Impunity of sinning, without shame, without restraint not one word. Therefore as the Physician hitting upon the right humour and cause of the disease, doth with better judgement and happier success, apply his physic: so we jumping upon the true causes of this so great a malady, shall more easily know both what to do in this extremity, and how to avoid it. First therefore let us lift up our eyes to God punishing, and then inquire what moves him to it, so shall we come to know ourselves the better. But here also we must take heed of judging amiss, entertaining false causes for the true. For in this and the like calamities, the whole fault for the most part is laid upon Religion. Certain Miscreants and Varlets, crying out of the Pulpit, in the open Market, at their public Feasts, that the new Religion (for so they entitle the preaching of the Gospel) is the only cause of this Dearth. Since there hath been a separation, and that the Saints departed, have not their Due honour, and the Old manner of worshipping God (for so they call their Romish superstition) is abandoned, the world hath been still in a Deluge of Calamity: from which, forsooth, we should be freed, if we had kept the profession of our forefathers. Thus they speak, to the end they may make the world to despise & despite us: but if they list, they may remember that it is not long since their Professors have tasted of this smart whip, as well as we: some examples you have in the former Sermon. Neither is this quarrel strange or fresh. For in the reign of Ahab, there was a long Famine in Israel, at which the King being moved, in his fury meeting Eliiah the Prophet, he told him that it was he which troubled Israel, meaning by his speech, that he caused the Dearth which so troubled the land (in which sense, jonathan said, his Father Saul troubled the people, when he willed them to abstain from meat) but Eliiah answered boldly, It is not I, but thou & thy father's house, because you have left the Commandment of the Lord, and have followed Baal. So afterward joram the King laid the cause of the Famine upon Elizeus, which was so great that mothers eat their own children, the King in a rage sent his servant to kill the Prophet, but being forewarned of God, he let him alone. The same was the usual objection wherewith the Christians were upbraided, as Tertullian, Cyprian, Arnobius, and other which wrote Apologies for the Christians witness. For as oft as God punished the world with Frost, hail, Famine, War, Pestilence, Inundations, or any other general and open calamity, presently they cried out, Away with these Christians from the earth, to the beasts with them, that they may be devoured, cast them to the Lions, these sacrilegious wretches, for they are not worthy to live. Euse. lib. 9 cap. 7. describeth the edict and proclamation, Maximinus set up against them, wherein he declareth, that all the miseries which the world hitherto had suffered, came upon the earth only for that pernicious and detestable error of these vile caitiffs, (so he called the Christians) and withal boasted, that therefore in his time there was neither Pestilence nor War, because he continued the worship of his Gods, and put the Christians to tortures and punishment. Albeit not long after, all those mischiefs at once overtook and overwhelmed him, quelling and confuting that his impudent and rebellious blasphemy against the eternal God. So that no man must marvel that profane & wicked helhounds which hate the truth and the light of the Gospel, should belch out such blasphemy, since that Christ himself foretold his Apostles of these things to come. The holy scripture doth in plain terms set down, that the Dearth of Victuals is the scourge of God, for the manifold and enormous sins, principally, Atheism and Idolatry. Some places we have cited before, let us add more to them. Levit. 26.14. If you will not obey me nor do my commandments, you shall sow your seed in vain. So doth God speak, Deut. 28. & cap. 11. Psal. 10. The land whither thou goest to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence you came, where thou sowest thy seed, and wateredst it with thy feet as a garden of herbs, but the land whither you go to possess it, is a land of mountains and valleys, drinking the water of the rain of heaven, etc. Psal. 16: but beware lest your heart deceive you, and lest your heart turn aside and serve other Gods, and worship them: and so the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain, and that your land yield not her fruits, and so you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord giveth you: and Deutero. 32.23. Among other plagues which he threateneth unto Idolatry, he saith: I will spend my plague upon them, I will bestow mine arrows upon them, they shall be burnt with hunger. The same doth the other Prophets also, Esd. 3.1: threateneth judah and jerusalem, to take from them the stay and staff of Bread and Water: that is, though they should have plenty of both, yet it should have no power either to slake their hunger, or quench their thirst. See more in him, Cap. 24. jeremy cap. 5.15, Lo I bring a Nation upon you from a far, which shall eat up your Harvest and your Bread, your Sons and your Daughters, your Sheep and Bullocks, your Vines and figtrees. The causes hereof, he particularly reciteth in the sixth Chapter, which I would wish you to read as very fitly appertaining to our time. In the 14. Chapter, which is his Sermon he made in that time of Famine, he setteth down the cause thereof briefly: Psalm. 7. Their sins, iniquities, and rebellions. The false prophets in the time of Famine, promiseth them fruitful and plentiful years, and when there was plenty, they bid them not to fear any Dearth in that so great abundance, and the jews believed them, for such is the nature of man quickly to hearken, and easily to believe them that promise prosperity. Whereupon the Prophet tells them that they shall be sure to perish both with Famine and Pestilence, say the other what they will, in these words: By Sword and Famine, shall those Prophets be consumed. And the people to whom these prophets do prophecy, shall be cast out in the streets of jerusalem, because of the Famine and the Sword. The very same doctrine did Ezechiel preach in Babylon, which jeremy did in judah and jerusalem, that for their Idolatry and grievous sins, many of them should be given over by God to the Plague and Famine, both they which were already, and they also which should return home afterward. In the 4. Chapt. he is more vehement and plain, where God willeth him to portray the City of jerusalem upon a brick, to besiege it, & the whole time of the siege to eat bread made of wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet & fetches, and that by weight, and drink water by measure, and instead of coals to bake his bread with, to take man's, or bullocks dung. By all which, as himself interprets it, Verse. 16, it was meant that the force of nourishing should be taken from the bread, and that their bread should be given them by weight, and their water by measure, and that they should want fuel necessary in jerusalem. For whiles Cities are besieged, and in defensed places by Garrisons kept, if Famine or Dearth be feared, all the corn is usually carried to the General and Captains, which serve it out to every man by weight and measure: and so water also in dry places, for in many uplands the soldiers have been constrained to fetch their water by force and arms, as in jerusalem: the cause of all this he yieldeth in the end of the Chapter, Bread and water shall fail them, and they shall consume away because of their iniquity. The same he repeateth almost word for word in the 12. Chapter, he said, Thus saith the Lord: Verse 7. Because you have not walked in my statutes, nor kept my judgements, Verse 10. The fathers shall eat their sons, and the sons shall eat their fathers, etc. This was a just judgement of God, they contrary to God his express commandment, sacrificed their sons to Moloch, (that is he whom the Gentiles call Saturnus) so that this was a punishment by Retaliation, a like plague, for the like offence. And a little after, ver. 16. I will send upon you the evil Arrows of Famine, which shall be for your destruction, and I will increase the Famine upon you, and will break the staff of bread. By the Arrows of Famine, he meaneth the Canker and Palmer worms, the grasshoppers & vermin, immoderate heat, unseasonable weather, and showers: as also those walking Vermin, & those Tempests of a common wealth, Monopolists, Engrossers, Cornhoorders, who had rather the corn should wax fusty in their garners, then to sell it out at a reasonable rate. And chap. 6. verse 11. Thus saith the Lord, smite the earth with thy hand, and stretch forth with thy foot and say, Alas, for all the wicked abominations of the house of Israel, for they shall fall by the sword, by the Famine, and by the pestilence. And in the 7. chap. he again foretelleth of a great affliction to ensue for the abominable wickedness of the land: Without the sword, & within plague & Famin. And a little after he speaketh unto Richmen, to whom also he threateneth the like punishment, who (like unto the wealthy Cormullions of our time) increase their wealth by others want, some of them abusing the barrenness of the earth, and the Dearth of grain, to their own gain: other feeding & faring most riotously, when as the poor did starve most ruefully: Their silver and their gold cannot deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord God, they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: for this ruin is for their iniquity. Rich men of all others, think themselves best armed against all dangers that may happen either to soul or body, Prover. 10.15. The rich man's goods are his strong city: that is, as soldiers trust to their munition, so do they to their wealth, which often fails them: for the time may come wherein they may feel the like want which the poor distressed do, whom they so little regard: for in the siege and expugnation of Cities, the Rich usually far worse than the poor, the common soldier forcing them by torture of pain, or terror of death, to confess where their wealth lieth. In the fourth Chapter, he threateneth to the hard hearted and impenitent sinners, sour plagues, Sword, Pestilence, Famine, noisome beasts. Of Famine thus he speaketh: vers. 13. Son of man, if the land sin against me by committing a trespass (the Hebrew word signifieth a lie) I will stretch out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send Famine upon it: and though these three men Noah, Daniel, job, were among them, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. The cause, why this Prophet Ezechiel urgeth the people with the threats of this plague, more vehemently and hotly then the other Prophets, is because the state of the jews was then most dangerous, no threatenings, no warnings would move them, rebellious they were always and stiff-necked, therefore he repeateth the oftener this Blow, to make it the more to enter into and pierce them: and in a few words he compriseth much matter. First that God is the efficient cause of Famine: the impulsive or forcing causes, their sins: the manner, The bread shall not nourish them: the effects, Man and beast, rich and poor, belly mely shall die. Now go we on to the smaller Prophet. Hos. cap. 4: makes a long catalogue or beadroule of sins, for which God chasteneth his people with this affliction. Thus he speaketh: The Lord hath a controversy with the Inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land, by swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, the fowls of the heaven, the beasts of the field, and the fishes of the sea shall be taken away. And in his ninth Chapter, verse 1. Rejoice not o Israel for joy, as other people, for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every corn floor. The floor, and the Winepress shall not feed them, and the new Wine shall fail in her, etc. Amos cap. 4, upbraideth the people, who for religions sake went on pilgrimage to Bethel, and yet defiled themselves with Idolatry & false whorsip, & telleth them that therefore he will give them cleanness of teeth: that is, they shall not need any Toothpikes to cleanse their teeth for any meat sticking in them, because hardly they should have brown bread to chew on. By all which places it sufficiently appears, that Famine & Dearth is sent for the punishment of sins, especially Atheism, and false worship. And so much generally, or as we say, in the whole lump of all the enormous sins which are causes of this judgement, now we will single some of them out, and examine them parcel meal: namely, how God hath punished even some special sins this way. For many think that because their sins are not notorious and written in their foreheads, not gross sins, as Idolatry, and such like, that therefore they deserve not to be in this kind afflicted: But they must know, that being subject naturally to sin, they must also lie open to the common punishment of sin. Let us see then some particulars, for which GOD expressly threateneth this plague by name. First, jere. cap. TWO: declareth how his country men in Anathoth, had forbidden him to preach upon pain of his life, 
Contempt of God's word.  this impudence of theirs, God threateneth to revenge by Famine: ver. 21.22. Of the men of Anathots that say, prophecy no more in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hands. Behold, saith the Lord, I will visit them, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine, etc. Surely, this is nothing else but justice, if men set light by the word of God, the precious food of their souls, that he should keep from them the necessary sustenance of their bodies. See Amos. cap. 8. And whereas many desire to hear the word, to confer with Preachers, and to read Scriptures, but will not obey what they hear, this contempt doth God this way punish. jere. 42. When the City was sacked by Nabuchodonozor, the remnant left behind came to jeremy, to ask of him whether they should go down into Egypt, or no? He denied it, persuading them the contrary, notwithstanding they would needs go: for this dissembling disspight he threateneth this plague of Famine to pursue them in Egypt. The like course do we take, daily hearing, but still refusing to obey, so that worthy are we when we call for our daily bread, not be heard by God in that petition.  

2 Private gain.  2 The desire of private gain provoketh God his wrath, when men prefer the increase of their own commodities before the glory of God, the propagation of his word, or the public benefit. The Israelites being reduced and brought back from Babel, to their own Country, having no regard at all to God's house, built, settled and furnished their own houses and mansions both stately and curiously, whereupon God threateneth them this plague by Agge. ver. 4. Is it time for you to dwell in your fieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Consider your own ways in your hearts. Ye have sown much, and bring in little, ye eat, but ye have not enough, ye drink but ye are not filled, etc. verse 9 You looked for much, and lo it came to little, and when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. And why saith the Lord of Hosts? because of mine house that is waste, and you run every man to his own house. Therefore the heaven over you stayed itself from dew, and the earth stayed her fruit, etc.  
3 Perjury and Oppression of the poor, 
3 Perjury and oppression.  is this way also visited, as that excellent example 2. Sam. 21. showeth. When the Famine had been in the land three years, David asketh of the Lord, where and what the cause was of this so heavy a judgement: answer was made, that it was for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites (contrary to the oath of josuah, and the Elders.) Doubtless, Saul had an excuse and defence for himself in this fact, which might carry a pretence before the people of Law and justice, yet God assureth David, till his cruelty were revenged, the Famine should not be removed. Therefore David asketh the Gibeonites how they would be satisfied, they requiring seven of Saul his sons, had them, hanged them up to the Lord, and so the Famine ceased.  

4 Covetousness.  4 This plague also followeth that inexpleble and devouring gulf of greedy desire. Esay. cap. 5. complaining that in the Lord's vineyard, wild Grapes only, and sour were found, among the rest, he saith, Woe unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place that ye may be placed by yourselves in the midst of the earth. This is in mine ears, saith the Lord of Hosts. Surely many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. For ten acres of Vines shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield one ephah. Now if there be but small yield, there must needs be great scarcity.  
5 In the 34. of jeremy, 
5 Cruelty  we read that the king and the people, as it were conspiring together, did, according to the Law, manumit or set free their men, & maid servants, but afterward revoking their former fact, they brought them back again to their old slavery: even for this cruelty the Lord threateneth this plague of Famine. Poor folks and servants are not to be entreated cruelly, because we must remember that they and we have one master in heaven, much less dealt withal falsely (which is a cruelty cloaked under the name of honest gain.) For thus saith the Lord, Mich. 6.10. Are yet the treatures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure which is abominable, etc. verse 14. Therefore thou shalt eat and not be satisfied: verse 15. Thou shalt sow but not reap, thou shalt tread thy Olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil: for the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the manner of the house of Ahab. etc.  

6 Pride.  6 Pride is also scourged by this distress as witnesseth 2. Sam. 24. where it is written, that David numbered the people, and gloried in the multitude of his Subjects, for which sin God appointed him the choice of Famine, Pestilence, or the sword of his enemies: because one of these should be the punishment of his vaunting and vainglory.  

7 Surfeits.  7 Drunkenness and Surfeiting are thus also chastised, by the testimony of joel, who in his first chapter, willeth the Drunkards to mourn, for there should an huge army come, that should make the Vineyards waste, and pluck the wine from their mouths, as if he should say, ye have so provoked God to anger with your Drunkenness, that hereafter ye shall be content to drink water, albeit in that Country they seldom have any good water to drink.  
8 Again, 
8 Neglect of tithe paying.  if Tithes or other Debts, whereby either God's worship should be maintained, or his power relieved be not justly paid, Dearth is the revenger of that sacrilege. As on the contrary, God by Malachy promiseth abundance, if these duties be faithfully discharged. If we read over all the Stories, from the times of the Prophets to our days, we shall find many strange examples of dreadful Famine, but withal, we shall read, that those times were most corrupt, either Prince or Subject failing in their several functions and places. In the Acts of the Apostles, mention is made of a great Famine, when Claudius was Emperor of the Romans, the same which Swetonius and Dion do both record: the cause why the world was so visited at that time was especially for that Claudius Tiberius, a man given over to all impiety, drunkenness and riot, did then reign, whom the soldiers by a Nickname called Biberim: He preferred a base fellow who stood for the Quaestunship, before the most worthy and noble men, for that like a good fellow he had pledged him at a banquet, a whole Terse of wine, containing nine gallons, at one draft: and they were usually the greatest men in his state, and the common wealth, that could drink and eat most at a meal. Now it often falls out, like Prince, like Courtier, like people. The Apostles in diverse places preached the Gospel, which many both of the jews and Gentiles withstood, and would not embrace it, and for this cause God afflicted them with Famine, and other calamities. Eusebius writeth, that in the time of Maximinus, the cruel sucker of Christians blood, there was such a Dearth, that even the wealthy of the land fell down dead in the streets for hunger, and were devoured by hungry Dogs. A just judgement of God, for not long before, he had cast many Christians to wild beasts to be devoured. It shall not be needful to single out every cause or time, why or when God plagueth, either particularly, or generally this way, the first Sermon hath many examples to that purpose. How of late years the price of things hath been enhanced, how scarce victuals hath been, and in the mean time what notable sins have and do still reign in the land, every man seethe: so that we cannot deny, but that God hath just cause to continue among us this his fearful and terrible judgement. If we shall shift and examine our manners, we shall find the very same grievous sins, for which God in scripture reproveth and thus visiteth his people, to be so rife or common among us, that there may be small hope that he will withdraw his judgement. The malady is passed all remedy, and as jeremy speaketh, the sore by custom being insensible, is become uncurable. What contempt of God his word? either not at all heard, or very little regarded: yet hath God stirred us up by wonders and signs in heaven and earth, but presently they are forgotten. Flashes of fire in the air, as though the heaven had been inflamed, Comets of diverse sorts, like rods, like sword. Many Inundations, incredible hails, unusual storms, rough and raging tempests of wind, of water, earthquakes strange and dreadful, with other wonders of like nature, but what one man almost is moved thereby. Some because they are oft seen, little regard them, & deny them to be the Signs of God's wrath, rather to be the Tokens of prosperity. The holy name of the mighty God, how often, how rashly is it profaned? some either of lightness, or ill custom, think there is no grace in their words, unless they imbosse them with oaths of this sacred name, & that without any cause or motive thereto. Horrible execrations, oaths, imprecations, and curses daily heard, yet no man trembleth, no man, according to his duty reproveth the offenders, whom our ancestors were wont to punish, by making them to kiss the ground groveling: but now no fear of an oath, all sorts of people swell with envy, hatred, malice. Murder is manhood. Bloodshed & ungodly wars, the means to increase wealth: so many dead pays beguiling the prince weakening the army, but enriching the captains. Strange and ranging lusts, whoredoms, incests, adulteries are turned off with a laughter, so far from being punished. In this case more profane than the profane Gentiles, who even abhorred these villainies. Excess in apparel, as it argueth the levity and wantonness of the mind, by daily changing of fashions, apishly imitating the French, Spanish, & Italian cut: so doth it transform us into their lewd manners: wherein not youths only, but old Dotards also (whom it as well beseemeth, as a Fiddle doth an Ass) do offend. Every man in his Velvet, Silks, Gold, Silver, Pearls, whereas in the mean time, the poor and needy in great numbers starve for cold & nakedness. Quaffing Drunkenness, which all men not long since abhorred, of late is made the only grace of a feast. As for Covetousness being the root of all evils, it hath brought forth fruit accordingly. For hence have sprung Usuries, Monopolies, strange arts (cozenage in deed) in counterfeit coining, in deceitful covenants, in false bargaining, far worse and more crafty than the very circumcised jews, yet these, though in a common proverb they be usually called jews for their cruelty and knavery, are notwithstanding advanced to highest places of dignity, or else are planted about the greatest men of the land. Such are the times, and so strange the manners of men. But I appeal to you that commit these sins, what will these ill gotten goods profit you, which by others men's undoing you have scraped and raked together? They never thrive to the third heirs, to whom you leave nothing else but stuff & fuel to inflame the heat of their impiety. What can you answer for yourselves to Christ coming in judgement, at that great account of your deeds and words? But little doth this move you or any almost in this so wicked an age, where sins are customably committed without shame, without fear, without punishment, so desperately, so openly, that now custom hath changed vice into virtue, at least covered most foul sins under the name of virtue. The Usurer is a good husband, the Drunkard a merry mate: the Dingthrif a great housekeeper. Shall these fig leaves keep God's judgement from you? Then have the Prophets prophesied in vain, and God himself hath threatened to no purpose: which for a Christian to conceive were horrible, especially since so strange a corruption hath infected all states of men, as but glancing at them, you may see: so that if God punish us more fiercely we cannot blame his rigour, nor accuse him of injustice. Ministers negligent in their charges and duties, dissolute in their life, light in behaviour, offensive to the world, either ambitiously compassing preferments, or covetously pinching their Tables and alms. Many Magistrates, rather desiring honours, than the due maintenance of good Laws, or reformation of manners, preferring their private good, before the weal public, remiss in punishing grievous offences, especially in the mitcher sort, whom they fear to offend. Man and wife agree like Dogs and Cats, continually jarring and snarling, 
Parents.  bestowing the blows upon each other which would do their children more good, whom, forsooth they so cocker that the wind must not blow upon them: and so mar them by their indulgence, or else by ill example, either of unseemly talk, or lose life. Artisans idle in their trade, all estates, ages, and degrees of men wholly depraved: so that it is marvel that God layeth not yet a sorer judgement upon us, thus deserving it. But you will say, if Dearth and Scrarcitie, be the punishment allotted for sin, wherefore then are the godly therewith plagued? as we see by the examples of Abraham, Isaac, jacob, and others of whom we spoke before. In the days of Ahab, many godly in Israel this way afflicted: God himself confessing that there were seven thousand which never bowed knee to Baal, 
Why the godly are thus distressed.  yet they thus distressed, and fed privily by Obadias in caves. Paul 1. Cor. 11. felt this scarcity. Many of the Saints killed with Famine: in the 11. to the Hebrews, wandering about in Deserts, in dens, in holes, on hills, where commonly is no great plenty? We answer, that even the most faithful are sinners, their corruption natural will stick by them to the death, although it broke not out into manifest blains and gross sins: and yet sometimes it doth, as when they are slack in punishing offenders, or backward in preferring men of good quality and desert: so that it is good for them that God punisheth them in their bodies, for if in his exact judgement he should deal with them, they should be in danger of eternal perdition. But this happily will not satisfy you, for if Idolatry and notorious crimes, are to be punished with Dearth and Famine, them should they be most subject to this plague, which are more wicked than any other. For though the godly have their slips and strains, yet it grieveth them that their standing is so slippery, and their knees so weak, they wish that they might shake off those occasions to sinning, but the Infidels and impudent sinners little regard any amendment, which think it not inogh to offend God themselves, but are ready to draw other into the same pitfalls, yea and are angry, as the Apostle speaketh, if others will not go on with them in that excess of riot: and yet these are no more, nay not so much punished as the other, having in such times of Famine their arts and shifts, by which they not only scape the brunt of this heavy judgement, but enrich themselves thereby. Rather had the godly starve for hunger, then to use these sleights to preserve their life, and yet is their condition no better than theirs. This tentation hath in all ages much distracted and troubled the minds of the very best men: & hath forced them to doubt of god's providence, as though he regarded not the actions of men, whether good or ill. Malachy in his third & fourth Chapter saith, that many have burst out into these blasphemies, It is in vain to serve the Lord, and it is all one to do well or ill, for neither is the just rewarded, nor the ill man punished. But we must know, there is a great difference between the wicked and godly in the like punishment: as also that (albeit sin is the principal and chief cause of all mischief) for other causes God doth afflict men with Famine, Sword, or Pestilence. The two thieves on the Cross died the like death, yet great was the difference between them, the one patiently taking his death, and acknowledging Christ to be the Messiah: the other storming at his punishment, and scorning our Saviour to his face. Many causes there are which move God to punish his children more than others, as we shall in brief see for our comfort.  
First God by Famine & such like plagues stirreth up his chosen to a more earnest repentance: for presently upon the infliction of any punishment, the godly search out the cause thereof. When David saw the dearth of victuals ceased not, he inquired of the Lord wherefore he was so angry with his people. Answer was made him as you heard before. Ofttimes the faithful fall into many errors and sins, neither can they be recalled into the right way, unless God by punishment do fetch them in. Amos cap. 1, God complaineth, that although he had punished his people with scarcity of bread and drink, yet they returned not unto him. Whereout we gather, that God therefore sendeth Famine upon the earth, that Men may be turned to him. As we pluck back and stay our horses if either they gallop too fast, or go any thing out of the way, so doth God reduce us into a right path with such chastisements. If a boy that is put to learning, either run away, or play the truant, presently we send for him to fetch him to school, perhaps with a rod at his back.  
Secondly, God by these trieth our faith in him, and our love towards our neighbours, as also our patience in ourselves. We many times persuade ourselves that we have a sound faith, yet if we be any long time pinched with any distress, than we feel how necessary it is to cry with the Apostle, Lord increase our faith. Peter walked upon the lake when Christ bid him, but feeling the wind so fierce, and his ground so slippery, in dismay of mind he began to sink, that by his masters hand he might be supported. Math. 14. God will try our behaviour toward our neighbours, either in the payment of our debts, or in lending to the needy, or giving freely, and such like: again how patiently we can endure the cross, whereof, we glory much before miseries come, but when they light upon us in some weight and number, than we grow discontented and impatient, feeling our own infirmities how weak and frail we are. The soldier which never saw a pight field, promiseth himself much courage, but when he seethe the armies join, hears the thundering of the Cannons, and spies a tempest of bullets whirling, beholds rivers of men's blood flowing, and heaps of his fellows lying some dead, some wounded, than he trembleth and quaketh, wishing himself at home. God knows our weakness before he chasten us, yet lest we should think better of ourselves than we ought, he will make us feel his hand, that we may confess it ourselves. Some will not stick to say, I will rather die then rob: (alas not knowing the gripes of hunger and Famine, which will, as we say, break through stone walls,) who afterward being in want, are driven to fall into such lewd practices, for life is sweet.  
Thirdly, he will in a manner prevent these afflictions, that is, keep us from falling into more grievous enormities, like a skilful Physician that giveth his patiented physic to prevent a disease to which he is inclining: so dealeth God with us, that we might say to ourselves as our Saviour to the woman. john 8, Go thy ways, sin no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee. The Germans have a proverb (which we in England use) The burnt child dreads the fire. So if any have been once distressed, he will beware lest he fall into the same or some greater danger.  
There is also another cause why god thus exerciseth his children, namely that they may pray earnestly, for such is our nature, that if he afflict us not, we are more slack in praying. For Plenty makes wantonness: and prosperity, dissolute. Which mischiefs Famine and calamities prevent, making us more instant in prayer. They that are full fed prove unthankful, who if they be but touched with want, then fly they unto him, whom before they forgot, and not for themselves only, but for others also that are in like sort distressed. And if it please God to deliver them for that once, they after prove more thankful to God, more careful in their duties, and more pitiful to the needy.  
Again, this and other such miseries humble us under the mighty hand of God. Our flesh swelleth, and like Sathyrions' pelles or skins (which as they writ, will not lie still in the bottom of a press or chest though kept down with clothes, but will swell and rise up) we are of unquiet & restless minds, hoven & lifted up, knowing neither ourselves, nor God. Wherefore he cuts our combs, and tames our flesh with these wants, teaching us what we lack, and how necessary his grace is for us. The whole race of mankind, if all their forces and wits were united, is not able to bring forth a stalk from out the earth, or to create a grape, and yet they bear them selves so loftily, as if they could live without god's blessing and help: who if he withdraw his hand, they are like those whom we teach first to go or swim, let go our hold, the one falls, the other sinks: all which in our fullness we consider not.  
Furthermore, God by these & such other, kindleth in the godly an earnest desire of the other life to come, with the contempt of this Discontenting world. For if we should here live at heart's ease without any crossing, we would love this life too well, and not regard that at all: yea much ado have we (even for all these sorts and varieties of plagues, injuries, malice & villainies of men) to wean ourselves from the love of this world: much more hardly would we be drawn from it, if none of these should happen to us. Still we hope that our state will be bettered, but all in vain, for experience shows, that it is like daily to be worse. They therefore who wish for a longer life in hope of a better state here, may as well think that a garment will be the better the longer and oftener it is worn. Our whole life, saith the proverb, is but a vale of misery. Art thou a single man? thou hast no care but for thyself: hast thou a wife? that is a double care: will she not be ruled by thee? that is a misery: an untamed wife? Is her alliance rich? they will disdain thy kindred: they will be thy masters. Are they poor? they will be thy borders, and lie upon thy charge: hast thou children? thy cares are the more, the elder they wax, the greater is thy trouble. But if thou wantest for thyself and them things necessary, now art thou weary of this life, and desirest to be dissolved and to be in heaven, where there is no want of food or raiment, but a life Angelical, without care or trouble, and the sooner the better thou thinkest, because there is a more speedy riddance from these calamities.  
Lastly, God by punishing his children, makes them an example of patience to all others. The godly seeing them in these afflictions so patiented, so constant, so faithful, so thankful, reap much comfort thereby, hoping for the like help from God, in their like distress: For thus they reason within themselves: God doth assist them by his holy spirit, to take all things patiently, so will he also be present with me, arming me with the same mind against all such calamities. And the wicked thereby may conclude, that if God thus punish his own children, they must look for a more grievous chastisement. If it far so with the green and fruitful tree, what shall become of the withered branch? In brief, all sorts may observe by this his correction of his own chosen, thus fearfully the heavy judgement, and direful wrath of the just God against men's sins, that sithence he chasteneth small sins in them, much more will he scourge them that sin with an high hand: and that offend with a presumptuous foot. But, to conclude: you having heard for the most part the causes and motives that provoke God to send this plague of Famine, with other public and private afflictions upon men, not sparing his own elect and faithful, let us desire of God patience in such distresses, and repentance from sin, the causes principal of such distresses. To him be glory and praise, etc.   

THE THIRD SERMON.  
AS an expert Physician first showeth the causes and danger of the disease, and after that, prescribeth to his patient both physic to cure him, and the order of his diet: the same course must a spiritual Physician take in any public plague of Famine and Dearth: namely, to make men both feel the grievousness of the calamity, & also to teach them their duty of demeanour in this public or private affliction. And this course have we hitherto observed in the two former Sermons, setting forth God to be the author of plenty and want, with the dreadfulness of Famine, and that our sins are the only motives which provoke God thereto: and lastly, the end why God doth punish in this sort, as well his chosen children, as the wicked Atheist. Now it remaineth that I prescribe the Diet, that is, the manner of our behaviour in such afflictions. And herein that we may more orderly proceed, we will first show what duerie belongeth to the Church of Christ in these cases, afterward what concerneth Magistrates, Preachers, Householders, rich & poor of all sorts to do herein: particularly adding this as the preparative to our diet, that we advertise the Faithful not so to despair in these punishments, as if God had reserved to them no hope of mercy and assistance, though their sins be great and many.  
Solomon in this his prayer, among other things, warneth the godly, that in the time of Dearth and Penury they do confess their sins, bewail them, and amend their lives, not only in ceasing to do ill, but in doing good. For by these miseries it pleaseth GOD to call us into the way of godliness. After, he willeth us to praise the name of God, by acknowledging both his judgement, and his mercy, that in punishing our sins thus, in that he utterly overthroweth us not. For it is his mercies that we are not all consumed. For if he should mark extremely what is done amiss and punish us accordingly, both in this life miserably, and in the other we should be eternally afflicted. It is the nature of man from Adam, saith job, to conceal his own fault and to lay it upon another: and so in the time of Famine, many cry out upon Cornhoorders, Usurers, Engrossers, Witches and Conjurers, as if they were the only procurers of Scarcity, (and sometimes perhaps not amiss) but this is the more Christian and nearest course to have recourse to ourselves, every man to say of himself herein, as David spoke in a like punishment, It is I that have sinned, and have brought on this judgement. Furthermore, he biddeth us desire God for Christ his sake to turn away these grievous storms, rains or tempests, as also unseasonable droughts, which are secondary causes of this plague. The temple of Solomon was a type & representation of Christ and his Church, so that he requesting the Almighty to hear his people praying in that Temple, it is all one as if he had desired the Father to hear them for, and in the name of his son Christ. From whence also it is evident, that, because God only knoweth the hearts of men, Solomon is of this mind, that God only is to be prayed unto. Oft-times we only pray in heart, seldom expressing our thoughts by word of mouth, and many times we are troubled in our prayers, so that we cannot utter what we conceive, especially our speech failing us, as at the instant of death. So that the prayers made to them which hear us not, are in vain, neither understanding our thoughts, nor knowing our wants, nor able to supply our necessities, nor to rid us from any trouble. Paul. Rom. 10. saith, that he only is to be prayed to in whom we believe, and we believe in none but in God. Again, in Scripture there is neither precept, nor example, nor promise made, to prayers and invocation of saints. That which they bring out of Ezechiell, is a very lame one, as after shall appear. The Popish sort in these times of Distress, fly to their Litanies and Processions, as to their sacred Anchor, which as they are used by them are mere forgeries of men, and derogation to God, Gregory the great, and Claudius Mamertin Bishop of Vienna, first inventing them: wherein God hath the least part, Angels, patriarchs, Martyrs, Confessors, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Virgins, Widows, filing up the row and room, whom they have canonised as their Turn-away Gods, to rid them from such plagues, which is in the only wisdom and power of God himself. But what are the things which we must desire of God? Surely that it would please him not to deal with us after our deserts, but to turn from us, or at least diminish the grievousness of this affliction, granting us patience and thankfulness, with amendment of life, and desire of doing well. Christ wills us to pray for our daily bread, that is, for the things which concern this and the other life: all which as we must earnestly entreat, so we must as constantly believe, that he is able and willing to perform that we desire: Using in the mean time these lawful and honest means, patiently enduring his heavy hand till it please him to ease us, and avoiding those things which may either hinder the fervency of our prayers, or provoke his displeasure further: having rather an especial regard to the ordering and bettering of our lives, which course the holy Scriptures commend and set out.  
The Israelites being slain by the Philistims, and the Ark of God taken: 1. Samuel. 1. Sam. 7.3. exhorts them to repent, 
1. Sam. 7.3.  and by forsaking the Heathenish Idols, hearty to turn to their God, who would deliver them if they did so: and the event proved this promise true. Which example though it concern War, yet may it as well serve for Famine and Dearth. The same order did Daniel observe. Dan. 9.5, 6. We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, yea, we have rebelled, and have departed from thy precepts, and from thy judgements. For we would not obey thy servants the Prophets, which spoke in thy name to our Kings, to our Princes, to our Fathers, and to all the people of the land. He confesseth that every one had sinned, excepting none: although some had offended more grievously, yet all were guilty of some sins. See Amos 4. and joel. 1. and 2. Chap. Thus have all the godly behaved themselves, not despairing of God's grace, nor denying the faith, nor flying to means unlawful and extraordinary in the Famine. The Prodigal Son, the lively remembrance of mankind, brought himself by his own folly into these straits, that for very hunger he was driven to be Swineherd, and full glad he was if he might be so happy but to feed so well as his hogs: but this Penury making him to remember himself, he returned to his Father's house, & spying his father, cried out unto him a far off, Father I have sinned against heaven, and against thee, neither am I worthy to be called thy son. A very good precedent for us when God visiteth with scarcity and want, to acknowledge our own faults, and fly to him for a supply thereof, who is as ready to receive us, as we are willing to return to him: which if we omit, either in neglecting him, and his word, or not regarding the amendment of our lives, or slack assiduity of our prayers, no marvel it is if God weigh us down with his heavy hand. 
jam. 4.2  jam. 4.2. Ye fight, and war and get nothing, because ye ask not: ye ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, that ye might consume it on your lusts. Ezechiel in his fourth Chapter telleth us, that even the prayers of the most godly men are not allowed of God, unless they for whom they pray do repent. Although Noah, Daniel, and job, these three men stand up, yet shall they only save their souls in their righteousness. So speaketh jeremy. 15. Chapter. If Moses and Samuel were before me, I would not yet regard this people: Cast them out of my sight, that they may go. And if they say whither? then say unto them, such as are appointed to the sword, to the sword: and such as are for the Famine, to the Famine. The jews relied much upon the prayers of the faithful: what need we fear, say they the Prophet's threats, sithence there are so many good men praying for us, whom GOD no doubt will hear. Well, sayeth the Prophet, be it that even these the most faithful servants of the Lord do pray for you, yet shall they not avail you. By which we learn that other men's prayers are nothing profitable to the unrepentant sinner. Therefore in the seventh of jeremy, God saith unto the Prohet: Pray not for this people, neither lift up thy voice for them. Thus was Samuel rejected when he prayed for Saul. Now than if the prayers of such faithful men will not prevail with God, much less the Orisons of Superstitious Hirelings, worse perhaps than they for whom they pray. Again, if the prayers of the godly alone here on earth profit nothing, can we think that they which are in heaven, and delivered from the sense of these calamities, can aid or rid us from them? So that to ground upon these places, the Invocation of Saints, is most ridiculous. For the Proposition is conditional, and as Zuinglius hath well observed upon that place of jeremy. The Prophet sayeth, If they should stand, not, they do stand and entreat. For it is a Proposition, or a supposition of persons, which were and are not: as if he should say, If job and Noah were now alive, and would request your deliverance and ease, I would not be entreated by them. Moreover, Daniel whom Ezechiell nameth, was then alive: so that to argue from this place for the Invocation of Saints departed, is as the Prophet Esay speaketh, from the living to the dead. It is rather an argument of the possibility of God his atonement, who so ever should pray unto him. And let the Papists answer me, Whether were the fathers before Christ in heaven or no? No: say they, but in Limbo Patrum: how could they then pray in heaven? Let us therefore make this our conclusion: with our hearty prayers to God alone, to join the amendment of our lives: he is ready, and this will move him to attention. In which case I must exhort every state and degree particularly. First, the godly Magistrate ought to put to his helping hand, by removing those causes which do draw upon the subject these great plagues: for the cause being removed, the effect ceaseth. David faithfully discharged his duty herein, enquiring into the cause of that Famine, as you have heard before, and knowing it, he removed it, and the Famine ceased. In this behalf many Princes are faulty, who live as they list, pampering themselves in their own pleasures, neither regarding the need of the distressed subject, nor searching into the cause of the judgement, nor seeking the means how to pacify God's wrath: whereas good Magistrates ought to suppress those vices, which are principally outward causes (much less to licence them) as Monopoles, Engrossing, Hoarding, dicing, Whoring: Excess in meat, drink, and apparel, especially in young men squandering their goods, whom it is good in time to keep short, lest they run riot. For it is too late, (as we in proverbs speak) When steed is stolen to make the stable hold. When flock is fled, to seek to pin the fold. Our ancestors were wont to have laws, which they called Leges sumptuariae, to restrain excessive expenses: which were not amiss in our time to be executed, as very necessary for the prevention of beggary: as also to bridle the unconscionable and lewd practices of those Wealth-devouring vermin before named, which enhance the price of things at their pleasures, and grind the faces of the poor, of which you have an excellent example in the fifth Chapter of Nehemiah. The Famine waxing very great among the people, the poorer sort complained grievously, that the mighty and wealthy men lent upon sore Usury, and took to pledge their sons and daughters, and that they were as sorely oppressed by their brethren, as if they were prisoners under an Heathen Tyrant: and if Nehemiah had not wisely prevented it, this clamour had soon bred to an uproar: for he in a zealous and loving regard of his Country men and Brethren, neither objected to himself the envy of the cause that he took in hand, nor yet the unlikelihoode to bring it to pass, neither the danger of his own safety, but boldly he rebuked the Ancient that they were no more forward in the redress of this fault. He summoned an assembly, where both Creditor and Debtor, both Lender and Borrower, should appear, and arguing in the presence of them all, by reasons Politic and Divine, that the rich were extremely too blame therein, first, sayeth he, we (meaning Ezra, Zerubbabel, and himself) have brought the people from bondage, and therefore it is not for you to lay new yokes and burdens upon your brethren. Secondly what would the Heathen say, and how would they rejoice to see this exaction? so that if you feared God, or regarded man, you would not do it. Lastly, he moveth them by his own example, to restore to them their pledges and mortgages of lands and houses, and their pawns of what kind soever: and thus in the end he brought his purpose to pass. Which example I wish the Princes, and Magistrates of our time, would in these hard years imitate and follow. The Romans and other Countries had their Garner-wardeins, who to prevent an imminent Dearth, or Famine, sent abroad their purveyors for corn, to buy it into the land: such had Solomon. 1. Reg. 4. Again it would be very profitable to a Commonwealth, if in plentiful years the Magistrates would lay up Corn in their Garners public, either to lend, or upon a reasonable price to sell to the Husbandmen Seede-corne, and to the poor Breadcorne. That was joseph's policy in Pharaohs land, which if he had not done, the Famine had proved far more dangerous. Eusebius Ecclesiast. Histor. Lib. 2. Cap. 12. writeth of Helena Queen of the Nation called Adiabeni, who in a Famine wherewith jewrie was afflicted, bought Corn of the Egyptians, and distributed it amongst the jews. Of which also josephus is witness. In that Famine which raged Anno. 649. whereof I spoke in the end of my first Sermon, Nauclerus maketh an honourable mention, of King Clodovey, he commanded a roof which was made of pure Silver, to be taken down and distributed piecemeal among the poor. Profane Stories of the Heathen commend this liberality to the poor in distress. Gilbias' Agrigentinus, as Val. Max. writeth of him, gave liberal and daily dole to the needy, and large dowries to poor Maidens, insomuch that the City of Agritentum, and all the neighbour Cities there about, were much relieved and comforted by his largesse. Our chronicles of Helvetia have a memorable example of liberality to the poor. There was one Nicholas a noble man of Kaezingen, a wretch wonderfully sordid, base and covetous, who after some years got to be Bishop of Constance, Anno. 1334. or there abouts, and not satisfied with this fat and rich Bishopric, nor his covetous raking & gathering goods for all this stinted: yet upon the sudden he was as strangely altered (as the Poet feigns Euclio that famous Cormullion) for in the years. 1343. and 1344. there fell a great Famine upon the whole upper Country of Germany, in both which years he so well used his gathered goods, that thrice in a week he fed and nourished some times three, and some times four thousand, with bread and broth, and oft times 4500. which came together in flocks from the neighbour and bordering Countries. He ending his life presently upon the ceasing of this Dearth, all the poor of the Country, in remembrance of their good Benefactor, followed his corpse from the House where he died (being a Castle belonging to the See) into the Mother City Constance, where he was interred. An example worthy the imitation of Prelates, and great men. Many perhaps in such extremities would relieve their poor, but it lies not in their power to do it, for not knowing what afterclaps may follow, they cannot safely distribute, and give out their corn as they would. Sometimes such an inconvenience, or rather mischief follows, that for want of grain, the Cities must be yielded up to thee enemy. We read of Phalaris the tyrant, that by this stratagem he gate to possess the most strongly defenced places of Sicily: for feigning the making of a league with the Inhabitants, he gave them Corn for store, but withal secretly took order that their Garners, and Loftes should be open to the rain, that so the weather beating in, the Corn would prove utterly unwholesome, and so unprofitable. They poor souls, trusting to his provision, either neglecting their tillage, or rioting out their own store, when he came upon them and besieged them at unwares, which was his custom, for want of sustenance they were forced to yield. There are men of that quality to set out all at a lump in one day, not forethinking of an ensuing want. Salo. Pro. 6. by the example of the Aunts, teacheth us how carefully and providently we should lay up against the time to come. The City of Zurick is herein much to be commended, 
Zurick.  in that not only they give things necessary both for back and belly to many poor daily, upon the City charge: but in time of Dearth they sell upon a reasonable rate all kind of grain, as well to the relief of their citizens distresses, as also the foreigners coming to their markets may store themselves at a less price. And the city of Strasborough, famous in itself, but more renowned, for that in the years of Dearth, the years 1517. and 1529. and other such times, they gave out of their public granaries, both to Citizens and strangers, corn at an easy reckoning, besides the relief which their poor citizens and others received from them in money and victuals. Besides this, it is the Magistrates duty to see that Alms be disposed to the right use. For some Cathedral and also parish Churches, have yearly revenues & stocks of money left unto them for the poors relief, which coming into Rich & sometimes into Church-mens hands, being called to no account nor reckoning, the poor are no whit the better for it. Of that nature is that Dole of Bread & Flesh upon set Days given to the poor, which the Germans call Spenda, either of the Dutch word which signifieth to expend or lay out, or of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, to sacrifice, being one of the most acceptable sacrifices to God. Hebr. 13. Moreover, it concerns the Magistrate to take order that the people be set on work, in any case let them not be idle, and for those lazy Lurdens, those valiant Rogues, and stout beggars, that like Locusts burden the land, and eat up the fruit thereof, whereby the poor labouring man and impotent person should be relieved, to banish them the Country: but whatsoever befalls, to see the poor which would and cannot work, relieved. Paul disdained not to bring the alms to the poor at jerusalem, which the faithful had given and gathered in Macedonia & Achaia. And to this purpose of provision for the poor, he is very careful in the rest of his Epistles. The Ministers of the word are also to teach the people out of the holy scripture, that plenty is God's blessing, and withal, that sin is the cause of scarcity: they must stir them up to repentance, comfort the distressed and poor, exhort the rich to enlarge their hands, and to open their hands more liberally and fully in this hard time, yea [and themselves not to sojourn (like our Gentlemen) out of their Country, but lie upon their benefices for the greater relief of the poor, and for the better example to all.] And also to join their prayers in earnest manner to Almighty God, that he would look down with his favourable countenance, and deal mercifully with his people: so did jeremy and Amos, cap. 7. and both were heard. james ca 5. saith, That the prayer of a just man prevaileth much. For example whereof, he bringeth in the story of Eliah, Opening and shutting the heavens with his prayers. So that in any case the Ministers, especially they which have the Poor men's stock committed to them, must not at such times fail. Householders, both man and woman, must instruct their children to know that they hold what ever they have in Franckalmoin, from God, and that their meat and drink it is. God's provision and blessing, for if he do but shut his hand, all things decay and are scant: and from their infancy to teach them, that at sitting down & rising from meat, they give him thanks from whom alone they receive it. Rich men above all, in the time of Famine, must have especial regard to the poor, for which cause, God hath endowed them with that great wealth. If thou have Farmers whose corn and increase yieldeth not proportionably to their labours nor their charge, urge them not too vehemently to the payment of their debts and rents. Vex not thy Tenants, nor raise their rents, conceiving this with thyself, how hard it is for them to get whereby they may maintain bread, cloth, and fuel. As for thy debtor which are burdened with many children (and be no wilful unthrifts) forbear them, and be not too haftie nor rigorous with them. Pay the Labourer his wages duly, and rather with the most, if thou see he want. Paul 1. Tim. 6. chargeth rich men to lay up for themselves treasure in heaven, by being liberal and beneficial to the poor: An alms, which no doubt, God will bless with increase. Not many years since, Idols of gold and silver were set up, and shrines erected for sacrifices and gifts to be offered there, as if hereby God had been well pleased: but this we know out of God's book, that if these lively Images of God, that is, the poor and needy be clothed, fed and relieved, it is a sacrifice more acceptable to him. But you will say, your charge is great, & so you cannot spare it them so well. Lessen therefore your own excess in meats, drink, apparel, household stuff set out rather for show, than necessity and use. Invite the poor as Christ willeth to thy feasts. Amos complains and inveighes against the rich of his time, that they lived at ease and fared delicately, never regarding the poverty of their neighbours, the affliction of joseph: such as was that gormandizing glutton, who spent so much upon his paunch daily, not vouchsafing poor Lazarus his crumbs. far better dealt Charles the great, who daily in his Court relieved in his presence a certain number of poor, thereby both to put himself in mind of Christ and his Disciples: and also to temper and moderate his great & high authority: but if thou wilt not bid them home (because cloth-laying is costly) yet send them some sustenance for themselves and their children. Strange it is to see, what a deal of wine is sumptuously quaffed and carowsed by common drunkards, how much swilled in by challenging Cupmates, the worth whereof, would very largely relieve a number of poor souls.  
A strange besotting sin, a custom barbarous, senseless, graceless. Thou wouldst think thou sinnedst grievously, if thou should cause one to beguile his brother of a farthing: but enforcing & provoking him to drink himself down, and under the board, fearest thou not God, and account it but a sport? But to return, let rich men principally be very careful not to take occasion by the Dearth of victuals to spoil the poor, whom they should rather relieve: for there are some of that nature, that in such hard times seek to enrich themselves, by undoing or oppressing the poor: and when they should be thinking of their sins which have caused these afflictions, then are they casting with themselves how to raise the price and to engross the commodities. But such are followed with a curse, saith Solomon, Prou. 11. He that withdraweth the corn, the people will curse him, but he that selleth it out, blessing shallbe upon his head. Some again are contriving, how in the times of want, they, having present money, may buy at an easy pennyworth, the lands, houses, & wood, of Bankrupts, and such as are in need: whereas in Charity they should secure them then most of all, lest they should be driven to sell all. Surely riches thus gotten will not be blessed, nor long continued. The wealth which is most justly gathered, ofttimes slips away, no man knows how: much greater uncertainty is there in the riches of deceit and oppression. The Auditor will one day come for an account thereof. Hear what God himself speaketh concerning this, Levit. 25.35, If thy brother be impoverished, and fallen in decay with thee, thou shall relieve him, as a stranger and a sojourner. Thou shalt take no usury of him, nor vantage, but thou shalt fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money to usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase, etc. Amos the Prophet, chapter 8. crieth out against those which abuse the want and scarcity of things, to the undoing of the poor, verse 4, Hear this, O ye that swallow up the poor, that ye may make the needy of the land to fail, saying, when will the new Moon be gone that we may sell corn? and the Sabaoth, that we may set forth wheat, and make the Epha small, and the shekle great, and falsify the weights by deceit. That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes: yea and sell the refuse of the wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of jacob, Surely I will never forget their works. Shall not the land tremble for this? and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up as a flood, and be drowned as by the flood of Egypt.  
That is, as Munster expoundeth it, as Nilus by his inundation casteth up all things which swim therein, upon the ground: so shall these devouring beasts be cast off from the earth that bears them. It were easy for me to rehearse many examples of merciless rich men, punished by GOD grievously. But letting all pass, let us hear rather the last sentence of Christ himself in that his great day, after his separation made of the sheep from the Goats: Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit you the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world, for I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I thirsted and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger, and ye lodged me: Naked, and ye clothed me: Sick, and ye visited me: in prison, and ye came unto me.  
What think you will then become of Usurers, Monopolists, Engrossers, and all that vile generation, which have not done the least work of mercy? who have been so far from feeding the hungry, that they have rather devoured them, by high prices, like hungry dogs: and so far from entertaining strangers and keeping hospitality, that they have rather forced their neighbour and fellow Citizens, to leave their Country, for extreme beggary, wrought by their cruelty. The naked they have not clad, but their poor debtor being not able to pay, have they stripped of house and home, and taken their pillows from under their heads. The sick they have not visited nor comforted, but by engrossing commodities into their hands, and selling them as they list, they have made many being not able to reach their price, to pine & starve for hunger. The prisoners have they not relieved, nor redeemed, rather cast in more unto than for no great weight: nor upon any great want. To you I speak, you unmerciful and cruel rich men of the world: ponder with yourselves thoroughly, and lay to your hearts this sentence of our Saviour, which you shall find true to your own destruction: and remember that which Solomon hath said, It is better to have a little with the fear of the Lord, then to have great treasures otherways. Achan his example josh. 7, is memorable, for the event of ill gotten goods: when the City of jericho was taken, he privily took a Babylonish garment, 2000 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, thinking that no body should have known thereof, that so himself and his children might thereby be enriched: but, as it is well known, it cost him the life of himself and all that belonged unto him. In which, there, by the way, ariseth a doubt, why God should punish the children being guiltless, for the father's fault? this may serve for a short solution. Ill gotten goods are a bane to the posterity, as well as to the parents. Many things there are which provoke a man to gather wealth by ill means, for some despairing of any good way to come by them, use all the bad shifts in the world to compass them. Others again not content with things necessary, must forsooth have wealth to spend riotously, and to maintain their wives and children excessively, how ever they compass it, whether by hook or crook, they regard not. It is good, doubtless, to be careful for them, so the care be moderate, neither distrustful in God, nor offensive to him. No doubt Achan had a respect that way, but the event proved it to be unlawful; and such will be the lot of those, which by ungodly means, as Thefts, Robberies, Pillage, raising of rents, engrossing wares, and such like ways endeavour to fill their coffers: the only means to make their children watch for their death, as the Eagles for a carcase, who having once got that which their parents have thus raked together, out it goes merrily till the bottom be bare, for it melts like snow before the Sun. Crates the Tbeban, wondered at this preposterous care of parents, regarding to leave their children rich, but neither wise nor honest: for what should he do with wealth that knows not how to use it? or what should a mad man do with a sword? Many bywords have been taken up against ill gotten goods, and the event hath made them as true as common. Among the rest, Ill gotten, Ill spent. And, The goods gotten by another's annoy, The third heir shall not enjoy. Mich. Cap. 6 compares the wealth that is compassed by guile and villainy, unto a fire that shall consume the owners thereof. Many sentences in salomon's proverbs, tending to this point: Better being a poor man with honesty, than a rich man by extremity. The best care for children, is, to bring them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and by good example to direct them: the only way to undo them, is to leave them the inheritance of such bad purchases. And so much for Rich men. The poor also which are pinched and distressed for want of victuals, with their wives and children, must know there is a duty for them to God and man. First therefore let them think, that this cross is laid upon them by God, and so with patience bear it. An easy matter to say so, you will answer, but not to do it. I do confess, that our flesh can hardly be brought to endure hunger, nor patiently brook in that time to be told of our duty. The belly, as Cato said, hath no ears. Rather give the hungry meat, then preach to them of patience: they wish more to see what to eat, then to hear what to do. Yet if they will but consider that this is sent unto them by God's will, not coming by chance or ill fortune, they will be more patiented. secondly, they must know, that God will hear their prayers if they call unto him faithfully. The Lions roaring after their prey, do seek their meat at God, and he gives it them: He feedeth the young Ravens that call upon him: much more men. He is our Father, as both in the lords Prayer, and in the Creed Apostolical, we daily confess, therefore persuade we ourselves that he chasteneth us for our amendment, not for our overthrow: but of this before. Again, let them remember, that they are not the first, nor shall be the last this way to be afflicted. Christ himself endured it for our sakes. Paul and other the Saints of God have felt this want: and in brief, GOD hath promised, that neither this, nor any other way he will tempt us above our strength. There is no father so hard hearted, that will lay any burden upon his child, more heavy than he can bear, or will suffer him to starve when he may secure him: much less God, who hath more than a fatherly care over us, will suffer us to perish, having all things at his command, and many ways to rid us from any misery, even in the midst of all calamities to assist us. So that let the poor sort in such distress demean themselves well and uprightly, both to GOD and men: to God, by carefully avoiding those things whereby his wrath is provoked, and by daily requesting his favourable aid and comfort: toward men, those especially which have relieved them, let them be thankful, and if they be not able to pay their debts, let them entreat their Creditors to be good unto them till God make them able: for there are verily many good men, which by lending, giving, suretyship, almsdeeds, forbearing and forgiving debts, have got themselves a good report, and have comforted the poor afflicted: marry if once thou promise at a day to return it, keep thy day: for herein many debtor are to blame, pretending charge of wife and children, and indeed spending that at drinking and gaming, which would both pay their debts, & maintain their family. Let them also use good and honest means to rid themselves from Famine, labouring with their hands for their living, and rather beg their bread from door to door, then by wicked shifts to prevent their poverty. For this is one of Satan his occasions which he takes to prick men forward to all kind lewdness. Uproars, Mutinies, Thefts, Bawdry, and other such filthy gaining occupations: all which the godlier sort will carefully eschew. An honest matron, if her modesty be tempted by shameless & impudent teachers, she casts them off, and defies them: so should we do with these sleights of the devil, following the example of Christ, who having fasted 40. days in the desert, and then being hungry, the devil tempted him, but he gave him the avaunt, with the sword of the spirit: and of Paul whom neither Famine nor death could separate from the love God in Christ. We should be more faithful than the Saguntines: they had rather die for hunger, than not to keep their promise with their Confederates the Romans. The patriarchs, as you heard, being vexed this way, chose rather to change their country, than their Religion. A good document for these times, wherein religion is charged, as a cause of dearth. But if one sort of poor be cruel to another, that is a mischief. Again, let the poor be provident in a plentiful harvest, to lay up against a dear year, not to be so wastefully given to spending, as before, but eke it out to the utmost. It is true which is common, Sparing is the best husbandry, but if it be at the bottom, that thrift is too late. Many deceive themselves by thus reasoning▪ there are Hospitals and Spitals built for the poor: thus to be relieved is a miserable comfort, which to want, would be more credit and hearts ease: and he that spends himself out of house and home, in hope of an Hospital, is more fit for a Prison then for a Spittle.  
By this which hath been spoken, we understand what every man in his several place and duty, and all sorts jointly, aught to do in any public or private Famine, or Dearth. If there be any godly men which hope of no amendment of men's lives, yet let not them be weary of well doing, following the example of the wicked. For if Noah, and Lot, and other just men had corrupted themselves with the world, they had also perished with the world. Now in the last place by the way of comfort, let us hear the most pleasant promises of God, wherein he offereth aid and assistance to his children in these afflictions: avouching, if we hear his word, and walk in his ways, that he will nourish us in the time of Famine: and as Deut. 28. to the despisers of his law and will, he threateneth hunger: so on the contrary, to the obedient and faithful, he promiseth to open the treasures of his goodness, to give rain and fair weather in due season, and to bless the labour of their hands. And Leuit. 26. that the earth shall bring forth increase, and they shall be satisfied with bread: and in this Chapter, God at the request of Solomon. promiseth to hear the prayers of the people thus afflicted, calling unto him in that holy Temple. Eliphas in the book of job. sayeth, That the Lord preserveth from death in Famine, and from the Sword in battle. Prou. 10.3. The Lord will not famish the soul of the righteous. A sentence of sweet comfort against this grievous temptation, than which scarce can be a greater. For we are ever in fear lest we pine for hunger, and the nearer we are to death, the more we do fear this want, and therefore a sentence to be fully weighed, and regarded.  
Now him doth Solomon call a Righteous man, which putteth his trust in the Lord, and followeth his vocation carefully, and honestly, still preferring the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. Psal. 37. The kingly prophet David saith. In the perilous time, they shall not be confounded, and in the days of dearth they shall have inogh. And presently after. I have been young, and now am old, yet never saw I the just man forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Although the just be merciful and dareth, yet his posterity shall not want. Again: Psalm. 33. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, to deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in the time of dearth. Again, Psalm 34. The Lion's lack and suffer hunger, but they that fear the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good.  
Many are the testimonies of the Prophets, wherein God showeth that if his people turn unto him with hearty repentance, he will give them plenty: As O see the second, joel the first and second, Amos the second. Zacharie the eight, Malachi the third. In which places God showeth that he will relieve us if we do repent. Zach. 10.1. Ask ye of the Lord rain, and it shall be given you. Matth. 6. Christ though he forbidden all anxiety and distrustful care for the things of this world, yet he promiseth all unto them that first seek his kingdom. Neither are they bare promises, but armed for our comfort with manifold examples, showing how God hath fed many, and freed more in the time of such distress. He preserved Moses in the Mount Sinai, without either meat or drink forty days together. He fed Eliah at the brook Cherith, in the Wilderness, and sent him food by Ravens, relieving an hungry man by the help of devouring fowls. So dealt he with the Widow of Sarept●●●, for giving the Prophet that one loaf of bread which she had left, albeit she looked for no other but death, when that was gone, neither the meal in her barrel, nor the oil in her cruse failing, till the Famine ceased. Which example for the excellency thereof our Saviour repeateth, Luke 4. And again, the same Prophet being persecuted by jezabel, was fed by an Angel in the desert, in the strength of which meat, he travailed forty days and 40. nights, to the Mount Horeb. God when he brought his people out of Egypt (that you may see more general examples of his providence) fed and preserved them in the wilderness strangely forty years together, insomuch that their Garments were not all that while worn; giving them Manna from Heaven, appointing them their daily stint and portion. When they wanted fresh water, he willed Moses to strike the Rock, so that the very Cattle drunk their fill, and being weary of Manna, and longing for flesh, he gave it them in abundance, and very plentifully. For the Scripture saith, There went a wind forth from the Lord, and brought Quails from the Sea, and let them fall upon the Camp, a days journey on this side, and a days journey on the other side, round about the host, and they lay the thickness of two cubits upon the earth, and the people gathered them night and day, and he that gathered least, gathered ten Homer's full. In the time of Elizeus he rid the Samaritans from an extreme Famine, against all hope: where you have an excellent example of a great Duke, that would not believe the Prophet, foretelling of this strange plenty, who for his distrust, saw it, as the Prophet had said, but enjoyed it not. 2. Reg. 7. How miraculously did Christ feed thousands with little five loaves, and two fishes. Mat. 14. seven loaves and a few fishes. Matth. 15. and yet baskets of fragments remaining: a miracle often repeated for the confirmation of our faith. But you will say, Christ now adays worketh no such wonders. He doth, but we careless of them, do not observe them. Cast an account of your daily expense for things necessary, & lay it to your come in, and see if God do not bless you much with a little. I am sure that many have wondered how they should be able to defray so many charges laid upon them, as now adays they are put to, having so small take, but by the blessing of God. It is recorded in the Chronicles of Austria, that Frederick the Emperor having surnmoned a Parliament at Collen, to which resorted an huge multitude of all sorts, he fearing that all the bread in the City would not suffice them, and so the Parliament to be broke of, willed that account should be taken of all the provision of bread, and compare the loaves with the men, and they found the number of loaves to be by many fewer than the persons: & yet the next day every man having eat his belly full, there was much bread still remaining. In the Annals of Stumpsius, there is a memorable example of God's present assistance in extreme Famine. In the year 849. in Germany, among the Citizens of Turing, one was purposed to fly with his wife and children, and to travail abroad for succour of himself and them: as he passed through a wood being even mad for hunger, he provides himself to kill and eat his son, and being now at his child's throat with his knife, on the sudden, as God would have it, he spies two wolves praying upon a Stag, presently he leaps to them, drives them away, & refresheth himself and his, with the new killed venison. Sigebertus records it too, only differing in one year. In Anno. 1570. In Bavaria it reigned corn, of which much bread was baked: A singular testimony of God's provident presence. The like was done in Naples, Anno. 722. And in Vasconia, anno. 828. But albeit these promises be true and just, yet are they not so to be understood, as though we should utterly be without the cross: since that even the Prophets and Apostles have felt the smart of hunger. For in these as in other things, God dealeth as he pleaseth. He maketh us hunger, that we may be the more fervent in prayer: and again, though he keep us short of these earthly things, yet he giveth us greater gifts, Faith, Hope, Patience: this being one of our comforts, which shall be the conclusion of this discourse, which was our Saviour his Prophecy, Math. 24. Luc. 21, that Famine is one of the forerunners to the last day of judgement, whereby we have good cause to lift up our heads and rejoice, because that day draweth near. Wherein being delivered from this and all other miseries and calamities whatsoever, we shall there be everlastingly crowned in his eternal kingdom. To which he bring us, who hath bought it dearly for us.  
FINIS.