receiued into the Church But if neyther the ioyes of a king can induce them in time to retire nor an Emperours sorrowes yet reduce them to come hume by weeping crosse 21 Sam 12 13 with open humble acknowledgement of their offence to returne with Dauid in time Mat. 27.4 lest Iudas Peccaui come too late Then let the Maiestrate by whose negligence this sect monstrously swelleth with daylye increase in diners parts of the land Haue an eye this waye lest foolish pittie spoyle a citie and pester a comon wealth with a people full of blasphemies against God and not all void of treasons against the King Dionisius the Bishop of Alexandria for bare not to tell Nouatus to his teeth that the sinne is greater to breake the vnitie and peare of the Church â—…seb in â—…ta Const than to commit Idolatrie And reasoning a paena in the example of Chore that quoth he was punished with the sworde but this with the yawning of the earth Et non dubitatur scaeleratius esse commissum quod grauius erat vindicatum That saith hee was more haynously committed which was more heauily punished And now to the thirde circumstance namely the manner of Gods comming in these wordes His glorie couereth the Heauens Which as you see are discerned from the former parte of the texte Psa 3.2.4.8 by this worde Selah full oft obserued in the booke of Psalmes Psa 4.2.4 and seruing in the old Church for the singers direction in the change of their voyce or tune Psa 9.16.20 But here Psa 31.4 as I take it Psa 49.15 standing as an important note to moue both attention and affection Psa 68.19 and no meruail for the matter in hand is weightie Men haue written much of Xerxes fourth comming with his Nauies Alexander with his Armies and Salomon in his royaltie their fame flewe farre and their puissance was renowmed yet were they but men whose breath was in their nostrels their power was limitted their arme was but flesh their pomp was but a flower soone changed into dust yea all was but vanitie and lighter then vanitie it self But when God commeth foorth the heauens melted and the earth shooke saith Dauid euen as Sinay also was moued at the presence of the God of Iacob Psa 68.8 For nowe the Heauens and firmament by violent fraction and rupture of the clowdes seemed to burst in sunder and the fearfull lightenings and roaring thunderclaps did rend the bending sides of the skie the darke wallowing clowdes skirmishing in the ayre did driue away with vehement course Psa 77.17 as shunning most fearfully the sight of this presence Yea the smothering mount in the rage of the tempest did cast foorth sparckling vapours and flashings of fire like another Aetna or an image of hell thus God commeth from Teman and thus came the holy one from mount Paran Againe the people stricken with astonishment stoode trembling about the hill not daring to aproch but quaking crye vnto Moses Obe thou our spokesman or else we dye The rattling sharme of the Trumpe calling on and summoning apparance seemed to resemble the daye of doome when the heauie sentence goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire shall be denounced against the wicked Yea Mat. 25.4 the Sunne was turned into bloud the foules forsooke the light the beasts of the field sought succour among the dennes of the Lyons and euery creature else that could crall away sought a place or corner where to hyde his head and thus God commeth from Teman and thus came the holie one from mount Paran Furthermore the Lawe it selfe by a Sub paena inforcing a strict and absolute obedience in worke worde and thought euen vnder paine of death â—eu 28.15 and eftsones bewraying the priuation of originall Iustice reuealing sinne discouering the impuritie of nature and displaying the verie frame of mans heart â—en 6.5 altogether out of course and out of measure wicked Nowe shee hurleth curses and nowe shee heapeth woes Nowe shee poureth out wrath and nowe shee plungeth sinners and consequently dendunceth the heauie sentence of condemnation against all flesh And thus God commeth from Teman and thus came the holy one from mount Paran The ende and vse of his thus comming was to strike the heartes of this people with a reuerend regarde and holye feare of his most glorious name and presence to shewe what in iustice hee might challenge at ours handes and the impossibilitie on our parte to perfourme it in the least part thus to bring all men to the knowledge of sinne and that thus the Lawe might scoole vs vnto Christ Gal. 3.24 where I praye doe not mistake mee to laye these imputations to the Lawe as properly the cause of sinne God forbid For as saith the Apostle the Lawe is pure Rom. 7.12 the Lawe is holye and the Lawe is good But in that shee increaseth sinne in that shee is the mynister of death c. it is per accidens and in our default For euen as men deformed in their bodies and blemished in their faces while they be compassed with darkenesse are not discerned from others but the light once appearing dooth by and by bewraye their ouglinesse and shewe them in their kinde and yet the cause not in the light but in them selues So the Lawe is our light and glasse poincting out our coruptions and deformities of nature and yet the cause not in the glasse but in the flesh not in the Lawe but in our nature And thus you haue heard how God commeth from Teman and the holie one from mount Paran Now where Moses calleth the Law Iugum ferreum a hard a heauie Iron yoke Deur 28. â— Christ calleth the Gospell Iugum suaue a sweete a light easie yoke Mat. 11.3 Wher Esaie calleth the Law Virgam exactoris The rod of the oppressour Esa 9.4 Michea calleth the Gospel Virgam pastoris Mich. 7.14 the rod of the Shepheard where vnder he guydeth his flock in the pastures of comfort and conducteth them to the waters of life Where Ieremie tearmeth the Lawe Mallens dissipans petram Ier. 23.29 The hammer that grindeth the rockes to powder Psa 45.6 Dauid calleth the Gospell Sceptrum Regni The Scepter of the kingdome wherewith Christ in all lenitie and mildnes gouerneth in his Church Esa 42.3 not once breaking the brused reed nor yet quenching the smoking flar Where S. Paul calleth the Lawe Ministram mortis The minister of death He saith 2. Cor. 3. â— the Gospell is Ministratio vitae The administration of life So that God is nowe come to vs not from Teman but from heauen not from mount Paran but from mount Sion not in the sharme of the trumpe denouncing death Heb. 12. but in the sound of the trumpe proclaiming life not in the shrill voice that cleaueth the mountaines 〈◊〉 Re. 19.11 but in the
still voyce that cheareth the conscience And thus are we come from Taeman vnto Canaan from Paran vnto Sion from a condemning law to a reconciling Gospell from a fearfull Iudge to a mercifull Sauiour and thus at last we are come home from the lande and people of Iudaea to the realme and people of England Mat. 11.31 And nowe will I deale with the last circumstance to wit the ende and vse of Gods comming in these wordes The earth is full of his praise Wherein I will be short and conclude with an application of the matter of this my tedious discourse to the time and state wherin we liue and so will I bequeath you to the Lorde Where first the point I touched in a worde at my entrance if ye remember to wit the excellencie of this worke and mercie of God towardes the Nation and people of the Iewes in gining them the Lawe commeth nowe to a further consideration and calleth vs except we will be like Horse and Moyle that haue no vnderstanding Psa 32.9 to a more deepe and serious meditation and examination of the inspeakable mercie of the Lord our God towardes our Nation and people of England in vouchsafing vs the Gospell and in continuing the same now full thirtie yeares expired with diligence preached in our coastes For this Gospels sake blessing vs still by all this space aboue other Nations with happie peace a blessed Queene a renowmed gouernement a reuerende mynisterie a godly maiestracie and what not besides to our good This Gospel hath beene the fame and renowme the defence and glorie 2. Re. 2.11 the chariots and horsemen of England to this present day hour This Gospell hath posted through citie countrie without ceasing to teach and to instruct to correct and to comfort 2. Ty. 3 1â— to call sinners vnto repentance to gather the dispersed to heale the broken hearted Esa 61.1.2 to preach the acceptable daye of the Lorde And all this my brethren hath beene the time yea the long and blessed time of our planting dressing and springing Esa 5.1 the Lorde hath long expected and euen to this houre looketh to gather and reap the grapes of our vine the fruites of our figg tree and the haruest of our so long and pleasant spring Luk. 13 6 The Lord looketh for the sheaues of our obedience Mat. â— 37 repentance faith mercie and the feare of his name with conscience to walke before him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life The end of all is Psa 76.1 that God might be well knowen in Iudaea and that his name might be great in Israel that his feare might dwell in our lande and saith my text that the earth may be full of his praise But alas and thrise alas therefore the Lord hath a quarrell yea a double quarrel against our lande the trespas yea trespas vpon trespas is committed in Citie and Countren and at the corners of each streete the Indictment is drawen against vs and the declaration put vpon the file by the Prophet Hoseah as the Lordes actuarie in this sort Ho. 4.12 There is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the lande The euidence followeth and is giuen by him that will be accuser witnesse and Iudge against vs and this it is Swearing and lying killing and stealing and whooring Inundauerunt haue broken all woonted boundes and ouerflowed the face of the earth and what more Sanguis sanguinem tetigit Bloud hath touched bloude One sinne ingendreth another The cruelties committed in the extreame partes of the lande from the East and from the West from the North and from the South haue met together mingled themselues in the bulke and middest of the lande and Sanguis sanguinem tetigit A gréenous accusation you will saye but not fit for this presence A fearfull controuersie of the Lordes but not well applyed to this people Well if you will pardon mee to saye as Ambrose did vnto Theodosius Amb. Epist â—9 li. 5 Neque Imperiale est dicendi libertateÌ„ negare Neque sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere Neither becommeth it the Emperour to forbidde free speach Nor beseemeth it the preacher to forbeare the presence I shall be content to ouerpasse the grosse enormities whereof the Holye Ghost doeth fare the multitude in the wordes of the Prophet Which palpable offences be daily whipped out of our streetes and commonly condemned at open Barre And I wil come to lurking and lurching sinnes euen to trespas of bloud not so easely discerned nor so seuerely punished and yet by your leaue more accustoniably committed and dailye perpetrated amongest vs. For howsoeuer men can washe with Pilate and ouerweene to haue cleane handes and cleare hearts from this accusation of bloud Mat. 27.24 yet must I laye it somewhet nearer the conscience For it is Gods cause and therefore to be handled indifferently without respect of honour or office degree or dignitie sith sinne is the same and sauoureth of the soile though enbalmed with perfumes though clad vpon with veluet or sattin or yet cloaked with scarlet or purple Then sith plaine dealing best pleaseth God and good men enter I pray into your selues common with your owne hearts and be still But tell me tell me can you be perswaded there be none among vs that kéepe iudgement from the poore Zeph. 33 make widdowes their praye Esai 10.2 and the fatherles their spoyle Exo. 22.22 Be there but a fewe trowe ye that by vsuries cruell trade deuour the needie Exo. 22.25 and féede vpon the flesh of those that fall into their nettes Deu. 23.19 Be there no oppressours of their brethren Pro. 28.8 that quenche their daily thirst with the teares of women and children Zach. 7.10 making breache of bands better than their landes and grinding the faces of such as are taken in their snares Be there no carrie tales that giue Ioabs stabbe with Iudas kisse Leu. 19.16 no byting slaunderers that make lying their custome Psal 15.3 and delight to dye their tongues in the bloud of their brethren as Chrisostome speaketh Pro. 26.20 Be there think you no secrete lurchers that store vp violence in the counting house Pro. 22.22 and robb the poore of their contributions for their owne aduantage Amos 8.4 I praye God the false witnes and the suborner Deu. 19.19 the corrupt questman and extorcioner bee not founde with the rest Mich. 3.11 in our Counties and at our Sessions in our Cities and euen at our sermons And if they be God geue them eares to heare and hearts to repent in time to iudge themselues lest they be condemned of the Lord for all these be bloudie sinnes and all such persons bloudsuckers indicted of the blond of Gods people Againe Exod. 22 26 27 the poore mans pledge wrongfully withholden the labourers hire kept backe till the morning the buildings enlarged
by Achabs crueltie Mat. 26.25 the coffers enriched by Iudas frecherie these be also bloudie sinnes and in euery of these is trespas of bloud The shops sorted with wares and the warehouse with store the tables with dainties the Cubbords with plate the Wardrobes with sutes and the granaries with corne Take héede my good brethren lest in these the bloud do also cleaue vnto your singers I graunt before men deuice may excuse it custome will smoth it and for the time silence can conceale it But when the Lorde shall visite Ierusalem with lanternes and search your corners with lights Zeph. 1.12 then bloud will burst foorth then bloud will appeare For there is nothing so secrete that shall not be disclosed Mat. 10.26 nor any thing hidden that shall not be knowen O take heed that many fare not hardly for thy superfluitie that many liue not in penurie for thy prodigalitie that many go not a begging for thy polling incroching and inclosing that many sit not mourning for thy mery making that manie go not full bare Iob. 35.9 for thy going so braue For thus and infinite wayes beside thou maist become guyltie of bloud Wo sayth Zephauie Zeph 3.1 and wo saith Nahum be to the bloudie and robbing citie Nah. 3.1 the one speaking of Ierusalem the other of Niniue and why bloudie I praye shee heard not the voice of the poore the prisoner perished in the dungeon the begger dyed at the gate for want of reliefe And therefore O bloudie Citie guiltie of their bloud and why a bloudie Citie shee receiued not correction faith Zephonie shee trusted not in the Lord shee drewe not neare vnto God therefore O bloudie Citie O bloudie countrey guiltie of thine owne bloud and therefore thine owne bloud be vpon thine owne head Draco his lawes were saide to be written with bloud they were so forced with cruelties heauie impositions Our lawes of England blessed be God are good and renowmed yet is it to be feared that for want of due execution they sometime become like Solons cobwebs and too often vnder pretext of iustice hard iniuries be vrged against the poore The Emperour Titus who deemed the day lost wherein he did not good desired and was inuested with the dignitie of Priesthood to the end to keepe him selfe from oppressions from cruelties and shedding of bloud A memorable and right honourable president for Iudges esperially and men of authoritie Yet is it to be feared wee haue fewe of Titus minde at this day in the laud. The Iewes made no conscience to shead innocent bloud they monyed Iudas to betray his master such was their crueltie But when with a wounded conscience he threw it backe vpon them their money might not come in their treasurie Mat. 27.8 no it was the price of bloud such was their hipocrisie therfore it came by no common consent to buy therewith the field for buriall but by speciall prouidence to discerne and name it the bloudie field or field of bloud euen to this daie Oh my beloued it is to be feared wee haue many such fieldes in England Bloudie fieldes bloudie vineyardes bloudie cities bloudie houses bloudie Maiestrates bloudie Ministers bloudie merchants bloudie Lawyers bloudie men and bloudie women bloudie handes and bloudie platters and the price of bloud within our walles â—ab 2.11 Lapis de pariete sayeth our owne Prophet a stone shall crye out of the wall and the Beame out of the timber shall make aunswere Woe be to him that buildeth a towne with bloud and his house with iniquitie And haue wee not iust cause Iudge I praye to feare that the lande full not of the praise of God but of cursing and bitternesse of crueltie and bloud shall taste of fearefull iudgementes for her contempt and to suspect that the sinnes of the lande Ier. 17.1 written with an Iron penne vppon the tables of our heart and grauen with a Dyamond poynt vppon the hornes Altar are growen to the qualitie and height of those crying sinnes which threaten vs with vtter destruction The Lorde of hoastes manaced of late to stretch the lyne of Samaria ouer the Realme of England and to sound our Cities and measure our families with the Plummet of the house of Ahab and not to leaue one to make water against a wall While the daunger was fresh wee were souddeinly daunted and began to curse the dayes spent in vanitie and wickednesse Iocl 1.15 which had brought the daye of destruction so neare vpon our heads Wherein our enemies came against vs as fierce as the Wolues in the euening or as the Eagles grée Zeph. 33 die of their praye with purpose had not the Lorde in mercie preuented them to haue taken awaye and trampled vnder féete the glorious Gospel of Christ and to haue erected superstition and idolatrie in all our land to haue bereft vs of our most lawfull and louing Soueraigne the Lordes annoynted Quéene and to haue turned our inheritance to heathenish strangers to haue inuaded our countrie with Edoms alarme and turned our flouds of peace into channels of bloud to haue murthered the honourable counsail our and graue Iudge the reuerend Bishop and venerable maiestrate Deur 32.25 the welthie Citizen and painfull craftsman the aged matrone and the chaste virgine the infant in the cradle and the crâ—ple at the gate without remorte or respect of sexe degree or age And for execution of these so heauie iudgementes the Lord threat eneth vs with a people and Nation Idolatrous and vncircumcised as the Philistins extremely cruell and tyrannous as the Scithians at chiuing their exploites not so much by martial prowesse as by dishonourable practise not so much by courage of their owne as by corruptng th' aduerse Captaines a thing whereof we haue had tod late experience of whome I trust I may speake a troth without scandale And as one said of the Macedonian king Phillips souldiers Proiustie iâ— rapinas caedes pro sobrie tarmebrie tatem colebant Theopompus Histor veritatem pactorum fidemsuperbe deridebant periuria imposturas ducebant laudes ingenii Euen so saye I of these the trouyes of Pupists souldiers the Popes vassales whether Spanish Frenth Italian or whencesoeuer if violation wilful conteÌ„pt of auncient lawes of Armes held so xsacted yet amoÌ„g the Heathens if breach of oathe and promise sealed vpon the conscience by Sacraments of holy Church if prophanation of leagues and truce taken still salued vpon their seared consciences with Fides non est seruanda cum Hereticis if weapons yet blundred and glutted in the bowels of Gods Saintes euen then when they déemed themselues most safe vnder the oath and warrant of a King in a worde if trecheries and treasons massacres murthers barbarous designemeÌ„ts and gréedie inquisitions for bloud be apparant testimonies of crueltie and infidelitie then Oh heauens where now the soules are most happie in the hand of the Lorde and Oh thou