Prouerbe Pater noster set vp Churches Our Father pulles them downe I will not fauour with a partiall conuiuence these Scorners though they nussell themselues in the Churches bosome nay I will speake most plainely these are the worst Edomites if not to them selues to vs. Let the Atheist deny the Epicure remoue the Libertine forget that there is any other Day of peace or sorrow besides or beyond the present what is this to beleeuers Wee are reedy to brand and howte at them as they did to the Lepers in Israel nay to raine them to death with a showre of Stones as they serued Idolaters and Blasphemers But be our owne handes vndefiled that take vp these weapons of Death against others as Christ charged the Iewes that charged the adulterous Woman If we be sicke our sicknesse is more dangerous then theirs The other Diseases are without the body but this comes neereâ— the heart of the Church we know what it is to haue a Sicknesse come neere the heart there is more griefe to the Mother of the Familie in the miscarying of one of the Children then of many Strangers Edomites vnbeleeuers or misbeleeuers these haue learned to speake the language to scorne the manners of Canaan for their liues testifie that they beleeue not our report We haue gone the better halfe of our Iourney let not your attentions fayle to the end Wee haue seene the nature of Edom and Mount Seir Atheisme Scorne Abhomination wee are now entring an other Mountaine the Hill of Syon the Citie of God The Question of the Edomite was not more peruerse then the Answere of the Watch-man is graue and sober The Answers of God are not doubtfull like the Heathen Oracles nor obscure and tetricall as Mahomets Riddles nor ambiguous like the mixt the motley epicaene equiuocating conclusions of Rome but plaine sweete profitable I call therefore the first part of it A Resolution They aske as if they despised to know hee resolues them iustly as if he would force them to know against their willes They aske him what is spiritually seene in the night of Vision He tels them what shall really come in the night of actuall Desolation The Morning commeth and also the Night Let your vnderstandinges keepe pace with me through these 4. Circumstances 1. The length of their Peace one whole day the space betwixt morning and euening a short time 2. The Certaintie of their Iudgement The night infallibly commeth 3. The qualitie of it when it is come Nox dicitur it is called a Night 4. The Inuersion of this to the Righteous 1. The Happinesse of Edom is but a Day The Morning comes and the Night followes It is but the distaunce of the Sun-rising from his setting There is to all thinges liuing such an alternation decreed a morne a noone a night a beginning a stronge age a declination or full poynt as the Historians write of certaine Flyes bred by the Riuer Hispanis that are generated in the morning at noone in full strength at night make their endes and are gone Paul sayes Our life is but a Tabernacle it is all if this standes a yeare Esay calles it Grasse which growes but a Summer Dauid a Flower that hath but his moneth heere it is called a Day that hath but the Sun-rising and setting Nay Iob compares it to a Shadow that hath neither Yeare nor Summer nor Moneth nor Day but an Hower Nay Moses to a Thought whereof there may be a hundred in an hower This is none of the shortest Comparisons Manè et vespèrè the measure of one day What then meane those Greedy Dogges in this Prophecie to barke so madly Bring more Wine for to morrow shall be as to day yea much more abundant Mee thinkes I heare the gallant Epicures the christned Atheistes of this Citie knocke thus in Tauerns for yet more Wine crowning the day with Riots and blessing the morrow with promised Surfets as if the Night should neuer come alas Nescis quid serus vesper ferat thou knowest not what sadde newes the Euening will bring thou braggest with Cesar the Day is come Wee tell thee as Cesars friend It is come indeed and begun it is not ended the Lease of Vanitie is but a Day it may be not a moment the tenure of this world is vncertaine Medio de fonte leporum surgit amari aliquid From out of the midst of the fount of Delicacies ariseth euer some Bitternesse when you haue spent your strengthes your estates bloodes soules vpon Vanitie all is but Vnius diej hilaris insanta the merry madnesse of a day which to buy with the eternitie of insufferable Torments is a deare purchase If they be not short of content and satisfaction I am sure they are of continuance They do not alwaies follow a man lyuing euer forsake him when he dyes 2 You haue measured the shortnesse of their day heare the certainetie of their night The morning comes and without preuention night followes You shall shake off the yoake of Israell but put on you the yoake of Persia The Edomites were long tributaries to Israell according to Ishae's prophecie and blessing of Esau. Thou shalt be thy Brothers Seruant but it shall come to passe when thou shalt get the masterie thou shalt breake his yoake from thy necke The Prophet heere assures them of this masterie Israell rebells against God therefore Edome against Israell Ishae as Gods Prophet subiects Edom to Canaan the seede of Esau to the seede of Iacob Intemperanti praefecit sobrium he sets the sober man ouer the intemperate and this seruice of the elder Brother to the younger lasted in the posterity 700 yeares Yet twice after they shooke off this seruitude the first in Iorams time which libertie they made a troublesome shift to hold till Hircanus who subdued them and made them be circumcised this slauery they ouercame againe and held it euen till Herod the sonne of Antipater an Idumaean borne obtayned to be King of the Iewes heere Edom got the full mastrie The first was this Morning the Prophet speakes of this Morning of freedome shall come but last for a Day and then be ouerclouded with a Night a worse Captiuitie because to a worse people Qui Deum et misericordiâ—m nesciunt that know neither God nor Mercie as those priuations are inseperable there is no Mercie where no Religion Edom is but a particular instance of a generall doome which all the Sonnes of Adam as the Daughters of Eâ—e I meane all the Glories of this World shall beare as sure as the Euening succeedes the Morning Death shall seaze on Life Iudgement on Sinne you haue the sappe of Health in your Bones the Riches of the world in your Coffers your Life is in the Noone of pride but we say prayse a faire day at Night Happy are they whose life is hid with Christ in God that this Night may not finde them out your
the Waues Windes and his Anger that mooues all was not appeased till the Shippe was disburthened of Ionas that had disburthened himselfe of the Message of God Let me speake it with griefe and feare We are the sonnes of those Prophets I meane their successors in Gods Ministeriall worke and the Word of the eternall God is no lighter a Burden to vs then it was to them nay let me adde that which is not to be thought of without trembling there is the Burden of a Curse threatned to them that neglect this Burden Cursed is hee that doth Gods businesse negligently Least I should seeme bitter in applying this too generally let me freely speake what Paul applyes to his owne person if he slighted this ponderous charge A necessitie which is no lesse then a Burden is layd vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospell I know that our Haruest aboundes with plentifull and painefull Labourers that beare the heat and burden of the day and according to their seuerall offices whether in Ouerseeing Planting or Watering with the sweate of their browes they labour in Gods Vineyard but to complaine oâ— the euill that is is no wrong to the good that is 〈◊〉 excellent thinges are spâ—ken of thee Oh thou Citie of God Oh thou Church of England Oh might it be no wrong to thy Perfections no staine to thy Beautie to condole some wantes in thy Sonnes It is sin to be silent where an impartiall speach may take good effect the sweete deawes of holy Admonitions may from this place as the Liuer spread into all the Vaines of the Land The Ministerie is a matter of both Honour and Burthen Are there none that catch at the Honour will not meddle with the Burden whose pined Flockes must either content themselues with a bare Pasture or else stray foorth into neighbouring Commons whiles they forget to breake their Maisters Bread yea perhaps to set the whole Loafe before his guestes Are there none that loade their mindes with the Burden of Cares too heauie for a Christian soule to beare the loade of Ambition the burden of Couetousnes so pressing them downe as if they were exonerated of the Burden of the Gospell But if any soule be sensible of this Burden as one into whose bowels God hath put the compassion of distressed soules for Zyons sake he will not hold his peace yea let me speake it of him that Iob of himselfe He is full of matter and the spirit within him compelleth him the word is in him like new Wine in Bottles which must be vented or will burst foorth And if we slippe our shoulders from vnder this Burden God can make the whole world too hotte for vs and at last impose a Burden of another nature on our then weaker and more vnable soules the Mountaines and Rockes if weighed in the ballance will be found lighter the Burden of all their sinnes whose soules haue bled to death by our negligence We may through our impatience and weakenesse with Ieremy curse the dayes of our Natiuitie and cry woe worth the time that euer we were borne to so troublesome an Office but a greater woe and curse attendes vs if we attende it not passiue Corruptions in our selues actiue Reproches Iniuries Oppositions of others impulsiue temptations of the Deuill may make vs wearie of our callinges but his Word is in our heartes as fire shut vp in our bones and we shall be weary of forbearing we cannot smother the flames of it but with tearmes of defiance to the stoutest that beare a forehead we must declare it God giues vs the prouision of this Burden before hand that we may stoope the shoulders of patience and zeale to it Thus to Ezekiell Sonne of man I send thee to Israel What are they I will not dissemble with thee They are a rebellious house contumelies against thy selfe blasphemies against thy maker the bitinges smitinges woundinges of tongues handes and swordes this is the Burden thou must beare if any lighter and better thinges come let them be praeter spem beyond thy expectation Thus is the Word a burden to the person that beares it 2. It is no lesse to them that must suffer it the Iudgementes of God are heauie on whomsoeuer they light a Milstone bound to the sinner throwne with him into the Sea will not sooner sinke him to the bottome then these bound to the soule will sinke it to the depth of dephtes therfore Christ sayes Bâ—tter a Milstone because lighter The wrath of the Lambe at the consummation of the world is acknowledged more heauie then Rocks and Mountaines and happy were it for those reprobates if such intollerable pressures could dissolue them into emptines These on the body are more sensible on the soule more miserable In the infancie of the world Gods blowes were most outward in this ripe or rather rotten age of it they are most inward spirituall We haue no Beares to deuoure the Mockers no fierie Serpents to strike the Murmurers Gods punishments reach most to the Conscience Tâ—â—â—plex circa praeâ—â—â—â—a ferrum a sensuall and senseles heart without apprehension of Gods incensed anger Cor nuliis violabile telis not made of penitrable stuffe if Gods finger touch the body we grone vnder the weight let his whole hand lie on the soule we feele nothing If this be not our Burden Miserie what is Like curious Visitors will ye not beleeue this age to labour of this Sicknesse vnles you behold some Symptomes Let your eyes take notice and that not without griefe of soule the deadnesse of heart among vs We ply the World hard dallie with Religion We serue God in iest our selues with all respect earnest Our Deuotions are like Winter frosty misty windy of many natures none other then cold Nothing armes charmes and confirmes our senses with attention spirits with intention actiue powers with contention but vanitie Are not the Benches in Tauernes and Theaters often wel replenished when these Seates are thinne and almost empty Are not the Allies in this Temple often fuller of Walkers then the Quire of Petitioners Conference with prophane ostentation of Cloathes perhappes plottes of mischiefe as frequent as sutes to God making it little lesse then a den of Theeues If men stumble into the Church as company custome recreation or perchance sleepe inuites many they feed their eyes with vanities if any drops he admitted into their eares they are entertayned vnder the nature of conceates Iudgements they thinke be none of their lessons they will not suffer their consciences to apply them Mercies they challenge and owne though they haue no right to them If this estate be not a misery iudgement burden there is none The fire of the Pestilence is well quenched the rumours and stormes of Warre are layde the younger brother of death Famine doth not tyrannize ouer vs But here it is our sinnes and Gods wrath for them meete and the heart
their wayes the same ayre is drawn by men of as contrary dispositions as is the opposition of the two Poles that I may say of the liues of this Citie as one doth of Origen's writinges Vbi bene nemo melius vbi male nemo peius Those that are good are exceeding good and those that are euill are vnmeasurable euill nothing was euer so vnlike it selfe You are as contrary as fire to water but al the water of the one's deuotion will not quench the Fire of the others wickednesse This latter is so monstrously growne on vs with the times that it is all if the Idolatrie of Rome or the Atheisme of Turkey can goe beyond it They are rare heartes that care not more to seeme then to be Holy if perhaps they will either seeme or bee Rare handes that are free and cleane from either blood or filthinesse rare Tongues that doe not vie Oathes with Words making scoffes scornes flatteries vaine speaches the greater part of their tongues exercise that if their Words could be weighed their Prayers of a yeare are not so substantiall and ponderous as their Oathes of one day It were no wonder to see these abominations in Dumah Egipt Babilon to find them in England is matter of amasement It was an admirable and astonishing speach the Prophet him selfe thought by his aduertisement prefixed The virgin Israel hath done filthily If Harlots and Brothels be vnchast they doe not degenerate from their kind in so pure a Virgin no imagination would haue dream't it It is no newes to find the Deuill in Hell to haue him thrust into Paradise tempting and preuayling with our first Parents is horrible Let Rome and Turkey swell with the poysons of Sathan till they burst who wonders to finde the sputteringes of his venime in the Church is grieuous If we be accused for accusing of sinnes let the Physition be blamed for discouering Diseases in the sicke bodie we must speake Oh yet Si nostra sperem prece posse mouerâ— that wee could hope with any sayinges to moue you If the worst come I can but speed as others before me Be there no Vsurers that say to the Gold in secret You are my Confidence Populus me sibilat at mihi plaudo ipse dâ—mi the world hisseth at me but I hug applaud my owne soule fat my spirits in the sight of my Bags Is there neuer a Broker to comfort this sinne of death in the distresse of his Conscience with Vsury is no sinne many learned men are of this opinion But I aske him if his Conscience can be so satisfied would he not willingly giue one hundred pound bagge to be secured in this poynt Sure it is at the least not safe wading farre in a questionable Water if it could be safe to some yet how many haue been drowned in this Whirlepoole I confesse that flesh and blood puts the Bladders of Wealth and Promotion vnder their Arme-holes and the Deuill holdes them vp by the Chinne till they come to the deepest and then as the Priestes serued Iudas they bid them shift for them selues and wanting the helpe of Repentance of swimme downe they sinke In profundum inferni to the bottomlesse bottom of Hell These two are not vnfitly compared to two Milstones the Vsurer is the nether Stone that lyes still he sittes at home in his warme Furres and spendes his time in a deuillish Arithmeticke in numeration of houres dayes and moneys in substraction from others estates and multiplication of his owne till they haue diuided the earth to themselues and themselues to Hell The Broker runnes round like the vpper Mill-stone and betwixt both these the poore is grinded to powder Vsury you say is exploded among Saintes I would you would deale no worse with couetousnesse But alasse this is too generall a fault to giue any hope of amendment He that railed on Beelsebub pulled al Ekrom about his eares He that sleighted Melchom prouoked the Ammonites But he that condemnes Mammon speakes against all the world This is the delight the loue the solace of many the God of some Pouertie sicknesse age are all the Deuils they tremble at and Beliall Melchom Mammon Pleasures Honours Riches all the Gods they worshippe These three vsurping Kings like the three seditious Captaines in Ierusalem or those three Romane Tyrants Casar Crassus and Pompey haue shared the world amongst them and left God least who owes all Lactantius speakes of one Tullus Hostilius that put Feare Palenes into the number of Gods It is pittie that euer his Gods should goe from him it is not pittie but iustice that these Gods and the true God too should forsake such reprobates that idolatrize the honour to Creatures wherewith they should worship the Creator But alas how is Pharaobs Dreame verified among vs The leane Kine eate vp the fatte Gods leane blessinges riches and pleasures deuowre his fatte ones Grace and Religion How it dishonours God disparageth our selues and our creation to put Lead in a Cabinet of gold base desires in a faire and precious soule We neuer yet attained the toppe of Mount Syon He that stands on the Towre of Diuine meditation will iudge those Pigmeys which below he thought Giants but we desire not Heauen because we know it not we neuer looke beyond our Horizon we liue in our contented slauery of Egipt and neuer dreame of the freedome of Canaan Vbi amor ibi oculus where the loue is there is the eye This S. Augustine shortly and soundly reproues Si sursum os cur deorsum cor hath Nature giuen vs an vpright â—ace and a groueling heart this is a preposterous dissimilitude of the minde and countenaunce doe but compare as lifting vp thy soule with thy eyes heauen with earth and thou wilt change thy opinion Through want of these meditations these earthly vanities carry away our inchaunted hearts to neglect those better things of our eternall peace and by the testimony of our Sauiour It is hard for a rich man to get into Heauen The Prouerbe sayth There is no earthly Gate but an Asse laden with Gold can enter and this onely loding hinders our entring the gates of Glory A wealthy and great man serued vp to Gods table in his kingdome is as rare as Venison at our Boardes on earth there are sometimes such seruices not often Is this all no Vidi Ebriosorum sitim vomentium famem I haue seene Drunkennesse reeling from Tauerne to Tauerne and not seldome from thence to his Stewes It was the sinne nay the shame of Beggars it is now the glory the pride of Gallants They should daily be transformed to the image of God they come neerer and neerer to beasts let me say to Diuells For Saint Bernard sayth Ebrietas est manifestissimus Daemon Drunkennesse is a most manifest Diuell They that are possessed with Satan or with drunkennesse fall alike into the fire into the water they gnash alike alike they foame