in our hope to alter the gracious aspect of the heauens to stint the influence of Gods gracious fauour to procure our woe and to giue our whole State our whole Kingdome a blow that can neuer be healed Giue mee leaue therefore for closure of the point to exhort you Right Honorable and all the rest in the name of God now at last to bethinke your selues of some remedy God hath put a sword of authority in your hand for no other purpose but to strike at sinne if yet you suffer it to rust in the sheath I am not afraid to tell you that either you are afraid to quarrell with sinne or else you be are it some good will your selfe or else you haue but malt hearts and white liuers and cold constitutions ready to faint and shrinke in the Lords cause and so by your meanes sinne shall haue a continuall Spring no Autumn not one leafe of it fall but our Land shall feele a continuall Autumne and falling from its ancient glory but see no Spring and a continuall Winter vexed with the stormes and shewers of heauens displeasure but neuer see nor feele the warmenesse of Summer Strike then at the root of sin for sin striketh at the root and shaketh the foundation of our Land But if our reuerend Iudges suffer him that sitteth vpon the Bench to wrong him that standeth below the Barr waiting for iustice thē let him know that he maintaines a sin and then we all know that he doth his best to ruinate our Land If the Gentry grow rich and potent by turning Tenants out of dores by depopulation by clipping or selling the Leuites portion then let them know that they maintaine a sin and then wee all know they doe their best to ruinate this Land If Merchants and men of Trade grow rich and powerfull by fraud and cheating these also be vnderminers of our State they do their best to ruinate this Land Good Lord what will become of vs when foule sinnes in this Citie become rich professions and yet they are the Mothes that are eating they are the Cankers that are fretting they are the Vermine that are vndermining both our Church and Kingdome The summe of all is this if wee continue in our ancient course and trade of sin it is as sure as if God had sealed it we shall be either made a prey vnto our enemies or haue our flesh so full of Gods poysoned arrowes that it were better for vs to die then to liue Let it then bee our ioint and greatest care to empty our houses to cleanse our streets to weede the cockle and darnell out of this Land that God may bee pleased long and long to continue his true Religion our peerelesse King this little Kingdome in peace and happinesse Remember what I say and I say it againe Let it be your care Right Honorable to strike at the roote of sinne in the Citie Let our reuerend Iudges strike at the roote of sin in the Courts on their Benches in their Circuites Let my Brethren of the Ministerie strike at the root of sin in their charges Let euery man that cares for Sion that loues our Nation that fauours Religion that wisheth the glorie of our Lord to be immortall that hath a true English and a Christian heart fling one stone at the face make one wound in the fore-head of sin and I beseech God that the heauens may giue you good successe and that the Lord may be with you all you valiant men And so I should come somewhat to the particular crimes whereof Israel is accused All which sinnes are reduceable to two heads some are priuatiue in the first viz. Want of Mercy c. some positiue in the second verse viz Swearing c. But before I aduenture this maine Ocean obserue by the way Neglect of duties enioyned is no small sinne That the neglect of a duty commanded displeaseth God as well as the committing of sins prohibited seeing this controuersie betwixt God and Israel arose not onely from the positiue sins wherein they committed things forbidden but from the priuatiue also wherein they were carelesse of duties enioyned God cursed Meroz not for fighting against the people of God but because they did not assist them against the mighty Iudg. 5.23 Diues fryed in hell not for robbing but for not releeuing Lazarus Luke 16. The vnprofitable seruant was cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into vtter darknes not for spending but for not bestowing his Maisters talent The siue foolish Virgins were shut out of dores not for abuse in wasting but for wanting of Oile And the wicked shall bee condemned at the last day not for reauing the meate from the hungry but for not feeding them not onely for dislodging the stranger but for not entertaining him not onely for stripping the naked out of his clothes but for not clothing him not onely for wronging the sick comfortlesse but for not visiting and for not comforting of him Mat. 25. Vice Vertue are contraries which want a Medium therfore the absence of the one in subiect◠capaci argues the presence of the other so that if we be destitute of vertue then are wee attended with troopes of vices If our houses be cleane swept and empty of spirituall graces then they are conuenient lodgings for vncleane spirits If wee bee not graced with knowledge then are we mufled and blinded with ignorance If voide of faith wee are clothed with infidelity If once wee giue ouer doing good then we prostitute our selues to all ungodlinesse And therefore the neglect of a dutie which is enioyned being alwaies accompanied with some bolts and scarres of fouler sins is sufficient matter both of enditement and of iudgement whensoeuer the Lord shall summon vs to appeare before him A speciall caueat for vs Vse 1 not with simple Ideots to blesse our selues because we are harmlesse and doe no man wrong or because wee are not tainted with the continuall fluxe or bloudy issue of such sins as would make vs odious in the world or because wee breake not with violence into the outward act of such sins as are monstrous and deserue the cēsure of the Law For God hath not onely forbidden the euill but commanded the good What if thou steale not from thy brother yet if thou open not thy hand to succour him thou art a robber What if thou dost neither lienor sweare yet if thou make not thy mouth a glorious Organ thy tongue a golden Trumpet to Preach and proclaime his loue and mercy thou art a deepe and a round offender What if no man can condemne thee for any euill yet vnlesse God and thy own conscience shall commend thee for some good thou haste wrought I tremble to tell thee how far thou art from the Kingdome of God The Iudge may not blesse himselfe in this that hee neuer hindred the poore for if he haue not furthered thē nor in this that hee neuer kindled suites
a conscience to bait and to dog him If the wanton bee attended and cloathed with darkenesse and yet haue a God to see and reuenge him then where is his comfort or how is he safer for sinning in secret Remember this corrupt Gehazi that pocketest bribes in priuate Remember this great Plotter of the world that reachest at a hungry preferment with more haste then good speed by giuing and taking of pledges to binde and confirme vnlawfull promises that are made in secret and let vs all remember this that our hearts must needes bee shamelesly sinnefull and our cases vtterly desperate and our end vndoubtedly miserable if wee dare flie in the face of God and grieue his holy Spirit and rip our Sauiours wounds and stabbe his blessed sides because we haue the darknesse for a maske and the night for a couering and the wals for a defence and God hath none to beare him witnesse It was a good Position of Boetius Boaetius de consolatione Philosophie lib. 5. last prose de consolatione Philosophiae his fifth Booke and last Prose Magna est necessitas probitatis cum agitis ante oculos iudicis cuncta cernentis A man cannot chuse but bee good who remembers that hee stands alwaies in the sight of God And therefore Prudentius in one of his Hymnes giues this good memorandum Prudentius Himnorum l. 1. quicquid ages furtimuè palamuè memento inspectatorem semper adesse Deum And heere would I gladly make a stop and stint my meditations in this point but that I finde two of the best sorts of men that may iustly waite and expect some further vse The one would haue encouragement the other would haue comfort from my doctrine and I haue sufficient to content them both The one is hee that spendeth his breath and spirits in doing of good The other is hee that is breathelesse alreadie being almost disconsolate and out of heart by sustaining of euils each of them shall haue a taste lest if I send them emptie home the one should bee discouraged the other discontented in the way Giue mee a man that hath coped and buckled with the sinnes of the time An incouragement to doe good Giue mee a man that hath studied the aduancement of Religion Giue mee a man that hath pleaded the Lords cause against the fauourites of Baal as Elias did 1. Kings 18. That hath prouided for the Prophets as Elisha did 2. Kings 6. That shewes himselfe zealous for the Lord of Hosts as Phineas did Numbers 25. at the 11. That hath encouraged those that fight the battels of the Lord as Abigail did the first of Samuel the 25. That hath reformed the contempt of the Sabboath as Nehemiah did Nehem. the 13. the 22. and then tell mee what can be more auaileable to enflame his zeale to set edge vpon his affection to make him Christianly ambitious in striuing for heauen to make him out-vie and outstrip his brethren to make a man sweate and tugge with more eagernesse and feruencie of spirit in building of the house or prouoking the Gospell of Christ then this one that God sees him that the heauens applaude him that God and Angels are spectators God and Angels attendants to grace and honour him Was there euer spirit so degenerous and base that will not stirre and strike with violence when the eye of his Coronell is fixed full vpon him And is there not as good reason that the Christian warriour should march with a courage against sinne because his Maister and Captaine Iesus Christ neuer casts his eie of him If Elias bee pleading against Baal this should make him more hot and vehement If Elisha bee prouiding for the Prophets this should make him more carefull and sollicitous If Abigail bee encouraging and releeuing those that fight the battels of the Lord this should make her more cheerefull and magnificent If the Preacher bee hewing and slashing at sinne this should make him more industrious and resolute considering that there hath not beene so much as a good purpose in thy heart thou hast not once opened thy mouth in the Lords cause thou hast not gluen a droppe of water to one of his Disciples thou hast not releeued one of his members thou hast not preferred one of his Prophets thou hast not broken the heart nor wounded the head nor staunched the passage of any one sinne but God hath seene it and penned it downe and doth remember it and will reward it Goe on then in the name and blessing of God and if thou haue goods releeue Christ Iesus in his afflicted members with it If thou haue learning make the Church of GOD thine adopted heire and leaue some remembrance in it If thou haue authoritie shew it in cutting off sinne that endangers the Land in giuing of life to Religon which now lies in a swoone shew it in scourging and whipping of vice bring glorie to thy God comfort to thy soule honour and immortalitie to thy Countrie by it If thus thou haue behaued thy selfe then goe on and the Lord bee with thee And as thou goest thus cheere vp thy heart Great was the good I entended though I haue not performed it Laboured I haue though not much preuailed I haue coped with sinne though I could not discomfite it I haue snaped the growth of some vngodlinesse though I could not digge vp the rootes of it I haue done my best though that which is best I haue not done Shall I bee discouraged because I can but doe my best and not so much as I should Surely no. I will still bee doing some good and striuing to doe better if I mend and doe neuer so much I will striue to doe more If I preuaile God shall haue glorie if I preuaile not yet still I will striue because there is nothing that I doe or purpose but my God doth see it writes it in his booke doth remember it and will reward it Thus hee that doth good hath had his encouragement The next is hee that endureth afflictions If I may beg your attention till I haue reached him but a morsell of comfort I will presently proceede to that which followes Giue mee a man hath not liued so many minutes of time as hee hath reade and perused whole decads and volumes of woe or a man that hath not eaten so many morsels of bread as hee hath digested whole loades and burthens of griefe or a man that neuer tasted so many droppes of drinke as hee hath shedde streames and riuers of teares or a man that hath no follower but paine no retainer but discontent no companion but griefe of heart that pennes no songs but sad complaints and mournefull Elegies that endites no descants but sighes and groanes that sings no tunes but Lachrimae giue mee such a man as this and you shall see that this little sprigge of balme which I pluckt from my Text will make him whole and sonnd againe And this is it The Lord sees thee
Caesars glory to walk in the steps of Alexander Caesar Of Selymus the turkish Emperor to walk in the steps of Caesar And of the Arabians Selymus Turc imperat to imitate the life and profession of their fathers as Strabo in his sixteenth book Strabo l. 16 Sabel l. 6. Exemp c. 1. and out of him Sabellicus in his sixt book of Examples and first Chapter Which point should bee a good encouragement for all sorts of men Vse to make thēselues rich in the workes of mercy as their fore-fathers haue done an encouragement for Princes to follow the example of Phineas Numb 25. to be zealous for the Lords sake An encouragement for States and Potentates to follow the example of the good Centurion Luke 7.5 in shewing their loue vnto this Nation and building vp the Church of God An encouragement for Ladies and Matrons to follow the example of Abigail 1. Sam. 25. to encourage and relieue all such as fight the Lords battell An encouragement for reuerend Bishops to follow the example of good Elisha 2. Kings 6. in prouiding for the Prophets An encouragement for Iudges to follow the example of Othoniel Iudg. 3.9 in sauing and sheilding the poore impotent from the yoke and seruitude of greater personages An encouragement for Lawyers to follow the good example of Elias in standing vp to pleade the Lords cause against all the fauorites of Babylon 1. Kin. 18. an encouragement for rich and wealthy citizens to follow the example of Zacheus in opening the bowels of their compassion to the afflicted mēbers of Christ Iesus Luke 19.8 an encouragement for Courtiers to follow the exāple of Nehemiah in redressing their contempt of Gods sabboth Nehem. 13.22 an encouragement for all men of all men of all estates and conditions that if they haue fonnd and espied in their parents or other holy men or precedent ages any one vertue that was eminent any one gift that was commendable any part or qualitie that was admirable and excellent that they should affect imitate but alas it is now the open shame of our land and a scar in the face of our gentrie that they are becom such as Plutarch taxed in the life of Alexander readier to imitate his foule deformities then his valiant attēpts or Platoes crooked shoulders sooner then his diuine discourses or Aristotles stāmering speeches sooner then his profoundnes and depth of reason instead of imitating their anciēt vertues they imitate nothing but new quaint deuices They are full of strange children said Esay 2.6 which place if I might be bold to allegorize or follow our English marginall I would call their strange children their strange deuices their brainsicke imitation of the fantasticall outside and inward corruption of all nations Is it not a wonder to thinke that the world should be come to the age of almost sixe thousand yeares yet be stil in child-bed and euery moneth in trauel of new fashions new sins new vanities of all things new saue onely of the new man and the olde man is in such request with her that the world is ready to say with the yong man in the Gospell whom Christ would haue had to folow him that she will indeed follow him but first she must go bury her father she hath an old man at home that is not yet dead an olde man the olde Adam the man of sinne is yet aliue within her till he be dead there is no following of Christ O the shame of this world that men honorable and worshipfull by descent Christians by profession their fathers ioy and their countries hope should seruilely yeelde to follow the fashions of all countries in their follies thy attire in the beginning was giuen thee onely for a couer to hide thy shame and therefore when thou followest moe fashions then all other people thou proclaimest it to the world that thou hast more sin to hide more shame to couer then al the nations of the world besides In the Italian fashion thou hidest the Italians sin in the Turkish thou hidest the Turkish shame in the Spanish thou hidest the Spanish sin and in the French fashion thou hidest the French-mens shame for thy attire was giuen thee onely to couer thy shame but I haue small hope to preuaile the sin is so ancient I will therfore spare my further pains in this poynt and proceed from the summons and arraignment to the occasion thereof the deciding of a controuersie which one clause contaynes both the plaintife which is God and the defendant Israel what a controuersie with Israel the Vine which his owne right hand had planted with Israel the people which he honoured with Israel the sonne whom hee adopted and loued more tenderly then all the Nations of the earth besides and hath God a controuersie to decide with thee then this obseruation meetes me by the way That no city or people is so graced with priuileges No nation can stand vnder the burden of sinne so crowned with blessings so beloued of God but sinne will set GOD and them at variance make Heauen their aduersary and hazzard the racing and ruinating both of state and gouernement that common weales kingdoms haue a periode let Athens and Sparta and Babylon and Troy and Niniuie and Carthage be witnesses who haue at this day no other defence but paper walls to keepe their memories but what haue been the cause of these subuersions the most are ignorant The Epicure ascribes it vnto fortune the Stoicke to destinie Plato and Pythagoras and Bodin in the sixt of his Methods vnto number Plato Pythagoras Bodin in 6. meth Arist 5. Polit. 12. Copernicus Cardanus Aristotle in the fifth of his Politickes at the twelfth to an asymmetry and disproportion in the members Copernicus to the motion of the Center of his imaginarie excentricke circle Cardanus the most part of Astrologians to Stars Planets but all these haue onely groped in the darkenes being mis-led by an Ignis fatuus haue supposed with Ixion in the fable they had foūd the true Iuno the brightest and the clearest truth when it proued but a cloude of palpable darkenesse but if wee consult with the Oracles of God wee shall find that sinne is the onely cause why God falles out with his dearest children why hee turnes cities into ashes ruinates states and makes kingdoms but ludibria fortunae euerlasting monumēts of desolation the Scriptures are so pregnant in this argument that the shallowest nouice may runne and reade abundant testimonies aske of Ierusalem and she can witnesse that this Doctrine is too too true shee will not sticke to tell you what shee was whither she is fallen perhaps in these mourneful termes I was the Vine which GOD had planted with his hand and watered with the dew of heauen I was the City of the great King the Tabernacle of the most High I could once haue sayd with Niobe in the Poet
rooted her Churches must be sackt her ancient glorie must end in shame In stead of the sacred Bible she must roue at the way to Heauen in an vnhallowed and blasphemous Alcoran and in stead of skilfull Pilots and Christian guides she shall bee vtterly mis-led by an Ignis fatuus I meane Turkes and Infidels reade now vnto me what might be the cause of this Laodicea was much of Ephraims temper in the seuenth of Hosea like a cake vpon the hearth but halfe baked Laodicea was like the people of Meroz in the fifth of the Iudges nothing forward Laodicea was like those shrinkers in the ninth of Ieremy that had no courage for the truth shee wanted heate in her profession shee wanted life and spirite in Christs cause she most of all wanted that which hee most of all required and that was zeale nullum enim Deo gratius sacrificium quam zelus animarum saith Saint Gregorie in the twelfth homily vpon Ezechtel Which poynt will one day naile the heart and cut deep into the conscience of all those that haue so much to doe in the Lords cause but doe either little or nothing for it And shall I without offence make bolde to tell you that which I haue receiued from the Lord and doe the message for vvhich I came hither Then let me first begin with the fairest It is you right Honourable into whose hands the Lord hath put his Sword for no other purpose but to strike at the roote and to draw at the face and to ayme at the heart and strength of sinne if you suffer your Sword to rust in your sheathe and your Arrowes to rot in your quiuer if you haue a faire profession and yet we finde no good you haue done if you carry a Sword and yet we heare tell of no sinne you haue wounded be a souldier of Christ to quarrell vvith sinne and yet wee remember no field you haue pitched if God haue honoured you and you not honoured him by baiting and hazling of sinne by cooling the heate and breaking the heart taunching the violent issue of vngodlinesse Where then is your zeale If God be dishonored and you not reuenge it if vertue discouraged and you not defend it if religion be outfaced and our land endangered by the inroades and incursions of sinne and you shall not help it where then is your zeale If Sabboths bee broken and you haue authoritie and yet not suppresse it If swearing and drunkennesse be accounted but complement and you haue authoritie and shall not oppose it If sinne may sit in your shope and feed at your boordes and jette in your Markets and you haue a Sword and yet will not strike it If God say strike or else thou dishonorest mee strike or else I will take the sword from thee strike or else thou fighte against me strike or else I will strike at thee yet no punishment but you will reprieue it where then is your zeale Let me not offend I condemne you not Qui monet vt facias quod iam facis ipse monendo laudat I am only your remembrancer to put you in minde of whetting your sword for a sword without an edge may fright but woundeth not to put you in minde of heating and warming your profession For profession without zeale is but like the snuffe of a candle that smoketh and stinketh but neyther warmeth nor lighteth the house to put you in minde of that courage which you should beare and of that conscience which you should make of the curbing of sinne of the honouring of God of aduauncing Religion lest the sword which you beare prooue a naile vnto your heart and the honor which you beare a dishonour to your Maker to put you in minde that a Christian profession that a high and honourable calling should still bee beautified and graced with zeale and attended with christian resolution If then you be willing to fight for your Master if willing to honour and credit your maker if you would haue Religion thanke you and the world to thinke well of you good men to praise GOD for you Gods people to pray for you the heauens to blesse you and all mouthes to commend you all hearts to loue you then must you adde zeale to your profession then string vp your bowe make your arrowes swift and keene your sword sharpe and glistering and I beseech God to strengthen both your heart and hand to sharpen both your Arrowes and Sword to blesse you and your good endeuorus that you may bring much honorto his dreadful name many blessings to this famous Cittie much peace and comfort to your soules And seeing I am thus farre proceeded let me haue leaue to adde a word or two to the wise and reuerend Iudges of the Land you are they whose profession it is to free the weake impotent from the yoke and seruitude of greater personages who would swallow them vp to loppe and prune the corrupt and rotten branches that infect and pester the Land to cut off the trayterous heads of Priests and Iesuites that hinder the peace to whip and censure our besotted Recusants that repine at the growth of the Gospell yet if this godly profession want zeale in performing if our laws be soueraigne but want execution if you be good mē but want resolution if the poor client sollicite that his cause may be ended if the country beseech that offenders may bee punished if the Preachers entreate and beseech you for the glory of God for the honour of our Land for the peace of our Church for the safetie of his Maiesties royall person that you would weaken the forces and abate the pride and frustrate the counsell and eyther banish or binde to allegiance our hollow-hearted and popish fondlings and you shall not heare the suites nor satisfie the hopes of our Church and State that crie and call for the sweeping and purging of our land of all noysome and infestious weedes which the enuious man of Rome hath sowen and planted then you doe more dishonour God by want of zeale then euer you can honour him by your profession If therefore you desire to make your profession glorious your graces eminent if you desire to make Religion beholding to you good men to blesse God for you our Land to thanke and reward you the Church to pray for you all hearts to loue you all mouthes to commend you and Gods blessing vpon you then must you adde zeale to profession Bee zealous like Iehu for the glory of God 2. Kings 10. Bee zealous to breake the threed of contentions without demurres and delaies Bee zealous to ease the Church of those that contend and wrastle in her wombe to ease the Land from Dan to Beersheba from the one end to the other of all such spitefull miscreants as desire and long to see the Scepter remoued from Iuda that speake of vs as Scipio in Polibius did of Rome Polibius apu Curionem lib. 3. at