haue abused life for sildome doth hee dye well that liueth euill O my soule come not in to their habitation woe be vnto them for they follow the way of Caine are cast away with the deceit of Balams wages And now I turne vnto you the seruants of the Lord that haue as great care to keepe sinne from their soules as sicknesse from your bodies I beseech you in the feare of God and in the waightie consideration of your own sinnes euen for the Lords sake for your poore soules sake and for Iesus Christes sake that was made sinne for vs 2 Cor. 5.20 hearken to the counsell of our Prophet crying aloud in the audience of you all O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse detest and abhorre thy former sinnes forsake thy old way walke in newnesse of life cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the Armour of light Rom. 13.12 Prou. 24.16 Hate all sin past care to preuent sinne to come and entertaine it not offering it selfe againe For the iust falleth and riseth againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe And this endeauouring the blessed spirit will helpe our infirmities and our heauenly Father make vs white in the blood of the Lambe Apoc. 7.14 For this is not the worke of flesh and blood although man bee spoken vnto as though he had power to doe it but it is the action and worke of the whole Trinitie and yet it is commanded as it were our worke Ephes 1.10 because God worketh in vs not as in stockes and stones but as in reasonable creatures for wee by the worke of his grace worke together with him yet still so as that sanctification is still wholly from God For first 1. Thes 5.23 â—â—t 3.5 Ephes 2.26 God the Father sanctifieth by giuing his Sonne God the Sonne sanctifieth by mortifying our sinnes by his blood and the holy Ghost sanctifieth by applying the vertue of Christs death and resurrection vnto vs. Ioh. 3.5 And we may be said to sanctifie our selues when we applie our will desire and endeauour in the vse of the meanes ordained of God And thus much bee said for the generall Now let vs in Gods feare fall vpon the particulars And first sanctification is an action teaching vs that true religion and vndefiled consisteth not in a speculatiue or contemplatiue profession but in an actiue and practiue conuersation in holinesse for knowledge without obedience encreaseth punishment Luk. 12 47. Mat. 7.22 24. Luk. 11.28 Iam. 1.23 25.27 For not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome but he that doth the will of the Father For pure religion and vndefiled before God the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie Mary and Martha will doe well so they be both in one house so will Christian profession and practise if they meet both in one soule Let a Christian take it a shame to bee like an Athenian that is to know what appertaineth vnto vertue but not to practise it And the God of heauen make vs all not only knowers speakers Preachers and professors of Gods word but doers thereof that we may be saued Doct. 2 Againe as it is a worke so it is a worke that may not be performed by an Atturney but by our selues in our owne persons for our selues must doe it for the commandement is Wash thy c. From whence the doctrine is that God requireth of euery Christian that hee performe the parts of Gods worship and the duties of charity actually himselfe vnto God and men before hee depart hence for himselfe and not by others for him Our learned aduersaries beare the world in hand that as we come to earthly Princes by mediators and solicitors so Christians ought to come to the Prince of Princes For they hold it presumption to prease into the presence of the King of heauen without the mediation of many If our God did feare the treasons of any or did not know or remember the wants of all his children himselfe or if hee could not heare all the sutes of all the world at one instant and if hee had not appointed his onely Sonne to be the onely meanes in whom wee haue promised accesse then their perswasion might haue passed for doctrine But the contrary on Gods part to vs is true Therefore let vs know that other mens good workes shall do no good for vs nor others prayers for vs without our owne workes and prayers for our selues For nothing more beloued brethren hath spoiled Church and Common-wealth then doing duties non per se sed per alium It hath brought ignorance into the Church and briberie into the Common-wealth which moued our renouned Soueralgue King Iames in his Basiliâ—on Doroâ— l. 2. p. 35. to giue this charge to the Prince his Sonne that be spare not any paines in his owne person to see iustice executed giuing for instance his most worthie Grand-father of famous memory whose honour was to bee stiled and called the poore mans King And in the 55. page his Maiesty counselleth the Prince once a yeere to visit the principall parts of the kingdome not referring to Vice-royes but to heare the complaints himselfe and to decide the principall matterâ— in his owne person And here you see the exercises of religion and parts of Gods worship must bee done actually personally of euery one of the Lords seruants for themselues This you call for at our hands the Preacher must be resident say you and must preach for himselfe and must not the hearer heare for himselfe also why say you one to another go you to day to Church and serue God for me and I will serue God for you to morrow This conceit moueth certaine to prepare Bead-men to pray while they theÌ„selues play But learne of our Prophet the parts of Gods worship must be performed of euery one of vs for our selues for anothers faith can not saue vs wee must pray for our selues for our requests are gâ—aâ—eed according to our owne faith Be is vnto thee as thou be leâ—â—â—st Therefore repent for thy selft confesse thine owne sinne rather then another shall declare it doe good workes for thy selfe for to giue blackes and large almes is good but one pennie with thine owne hand is a precious sacrifice in the eyes of God Remember the saying Galaâ—b 6.10 While we haue time â—â—e vs we our selues dâ—â— good vnto all men 1. The reason iâ— because the Prophet giueth it for doctrine Habac 2.4 For the iust shall liue by his owne faith marke the word his 2. Because wee may as well see by another mans eyes as goe to heauen by another mans workes 3. Because the question in the day of daies shall not be what other men haue done for vs but what wee haue done for our selues Mat. 35.42 that is whether with our owne hands wee haue giuen meate to the hungry drinke to the thirsty harbour to the stranger clothes to the
and repentance is an action pressed vpon vs and that from God For it is his coÌ„mandement we must wash therefore we are vncleance Doct. 1 From whence the instruction is that there is not any thing in al this world that doth defile the soule and body in the sight of God as sin doth Proued here That which is not defiled need not to be washed But here man is commaÌ„ded to wash himselfe therefore he is defiled Sinne is called rottennesse and corruption and is that which wee haue drawne either by propagation from our parents in originall sinne which hath defiled and corrupted the whole nature of man that he is blinded in vnderstanding froward in will and rebelling in all his actions against the will word of God or else it is the increase of this vncleannesse which wee haue greatly augmented by our owne euill practise and wicked conuersation and is that which the Apostle calleth old leauen to be purged 1. Cor. 5.7 that it may be a new lumpe This vncleannesse of sinne was prefigured in the ancient washings of Aaron and his sonnes with water at the doore of the Tabernacle Exodus 29.4 And in the typicall and signifying washings of the old Testament foreshewing the cleansing and purifying of our hearts in the Gospell Mat. 5.8 For Gods Altar and seruice must bee compassed with innocencie the Lord will be sanctified in those that come neere him Leu. 10 The purification of the soule and bodie is the fruite of sauing hope 1. Ioh. 3.3 For euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure This vncleannes is deciphered in Ezek. 16.6 for the Lord vnto whose eyes all things are naked Heb. 13 4. seeth euerie one polluted in his own blood Luk. 10.30 It is the spirituall pitch that who so toucheth is defiled therewith Sin doth mortifie vs and maketh vs dead to grace and goodnesse And in the old Testament he that touched a dead carkâ—se was vncleane and might not come into the Sanctuarie till he was cleansed Vse 1 The first vse is to teach vs to labour with our owne hearts to hate and abhorre sinne in all but specially in our selues and that with a perfect hatred euen more then the diuell of hell for he cannot hurt vs till sinne doe staine vs. Sinne is that which much delighted the diuell and therefore it is the Tempters office and continual endeuour to prouoke vs to sinne Therefore he is called an Enemie Apocal. 12.10 an Accuser a Compasser Iob. 1.7 a Sister Luk. 22.31 a Deceiuer GeÌ„ 3.13 Wherfore I beseech you trust him not for hee hath a minde to get all the members of thy body and all the affections of thy soule from out of Gods seruice into his slauerie and subiection Sinne greatly displeaseth God and therefore he hath euery where in his word threatned fearefull punishments against the transgressors of his law Leuit. 26.15 Deu. 28.15 And there hath been none so deare nor is any so beloued vnto God in heauen Paradise nor in the earth but for sin the Lord hath punished The Angels that kept not their first estate Iude epist they are reserued in chaines of darknesse for euer to be punished Adam for sinne throwne out of Paradise The Canaanites with their sixe bordering nations disinherited and cast forth of their countrie The first world drowned Sodome and Gomer burned Kings vnthroaned Iudges Magistrates strooke downe from the bench and the Mightie cast from their seates Yea the Lord forsooke his own inheritance euen mount Sion which hee loued because they sinned against him that so the saying of his Prophet might be true Psalme 5.4 Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euell dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie Isai 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your workes cease to doe euill learne to doe well and then come and let vs reason together For wee must wash our hands in innocencie before we may come to compasse the Lords Altar Vse 2 Here also it serueth to informe our iudgements concerning sin and wickednesse namely that euerie sinne defileth and subuerteth the worke of God it turneth good into euill faire into soule forme into deformitie and life into doâ—â—â— And this doth the holy Ghost teach vs Tit. 1.15 saying Vnto the cleanâ— are all things cleane but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Is nothing cleane but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Should not this deare Christians inforce vpon our consciences this doctrine of sanctification and cleansing of our flesh and spirits from wickednesse suh it defileth all things it commeth neere Let Gods word come to a sinful he are it is defiled as pure water in a foule vessell What is there in man or without man that sinne hath not defiled It hath made our tongues become Adders speares our lippes instruments of guile our hands to worke iniquitie and our feete to runne to euill and to shed blood But what speake I of the defilement of the members the Spirit saith sin defileth the very minds and consciences of men And how should it bee otherwise for if sin so abuse the naturall parts what will it doe with the minde It grieueth me to tell you but I will tell you that it may warne you It turneth prayers into cursing it vseth knowledge to beguile the Scriptures to couer prophanenesse it vseth their wittes to cauill which brings Lawyers much gold and siluer it vseth wealth to oppresse strength to steale to wine and to women It vseth naturall wisedome to maintaine vnnatural blasphemy It vseth hunger to gluttonie thirst to drunk â—â—ues garments to pride honour to disdome marriage to lust offices to briberie the Minssterie to contention saw to delay It vseth the day to open euill and the night to secret shame Shall I cease here I weepe to speake it It either despiseth or wresteth damnably the holy and sacred word of God and the ordinances of God it prophaneth wickedly For haue we not in this our age to fill vp the measure of vncleannesse haue we not Ribaldrie as in Playes and the like committed to the presse to be commended in print lest posteritie should want patternes of impietie Whoredome with some is good physicke honestie is but foolerie knauerie is commoditie dissembling is discretion and idlenesse is gentrie If this bee not cleansed with the winde of the law or cut downe by your sword of iustice or purged with the Lords fanne to what height of sinne shall we grow vnto But the thing which I admire is this that God Almightie for all this doth suffer vs stil to liue It may be hee doth it that his long patience might leade vs to repentance or that wee should fulfill the measure of sin in defying the grace of God as wee haue defiled the nature of man that so at last we may abuse death as we
repent and amend other thunder forth like Boâ—â—arges the iudgements of God as the sons of thunder all which ought to bee done But first saith our Prophes shew them what they haue done and what is amisse or all is in vaine and done amisse that is done We liue in a captious age where if people be generally reproued for sinne Malac. 3.13 they will answere as the people in Malachy did What haue wee spoken against there But if wee say you are sinners shew you wherin you haue sinned theÌ„ we shall cause you to blush with shame and moue you with Dauid to say peecam For Cain must be told of his â—urther Gen. 4. 1. Sam 15. 2.12.7 Ioh. 4. Act. 9. Saul of his disobodience Dauid of his adultery the woman of Samaria of her vncloane lift and Paul must bee plainly told of his persecution or our heater will neuer returne vuto vs Ioh. 4.19 Syr I see that you are a Prophet For then may the Preacher hope to profit by his publike doctrine and the brother by his priuate counsell where first they shall proue to their consciences that of this and that sinne they are guiltle For if the doctrine be only generall men will mis-apply it and alwaies turne it vpon others soylog he touched such a man and such a mâ—n to day c. From this wisedome I mind not to speake of sinne in generalls the originall corruption and de fâ—rmeÌ„t of nature which is an Fuhiopâ—â—â— skinne that all the water of the ses cannot wash away But I desire to entreate particularly of wickednesse which is damnable to our selues and hurtfull to others And albeit here I might marshall vp innumerable troopes of transgressions I entreat your godly patience that I may touch the sores of our owne time In which if you will but a little open your eyes you shal see Qui impià agent neâ— intelligentâ— that will doe wickedly and will not vnderstand And although I cannot touch all the flying sinnes of Iudah which make too loud a cryin the cares of God yet some of them I purpose but to name I beseech you lend me your hearts to consider of them and teares of repentance to wash them away Heere I meane not to make rehearsall of the secret reuoltings from the truth of God nor the generall embracing in corners of the wilfull wil-worship in stead of the seruice of God nor the shamefull idolatrie in trucking to Masse in the corners of the streets by seditious Papists because they are yet vnknowne neither doe I minde to shew you how impudently the knowledge of Gods mercy and truth is abused wrested and trampled vnder feet to the neglect of the poore and ouerthrow of the helpelesse neither is it my purpose to remember you of the cruelty and couetousnes of the rich nor of the irrefragable incorrigibility of the poore nor of the incredulity and contempt of Gods word amongst all Because these be couertly carried in the middest of vs which with the blood of Abel crie to God as they appeare for vengeance to reforme and which the late inundations of water the strange sharpe winter with the drie and scorching summer causing the land to mourn and the hearbs of euery field to wither Ierem. 12.4 for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein not yet a yeere old may moue vs to repentance But my purpose is to bring into your presence such crying sinnes such a disorderly order of Roarers within this your City that partly the amendment and partly the reformation to you my Lord doth belong It hath pleased God to make you Magistrates and Fathers of this City not only rosee that common equitie and quietnes be keps among the people but also that God may haue his due honor and glory both from you and them Now among Superiours for you to amend the sinnes and wickednesses that the world taketh notice of are especially three And in these the Prophet crieth vpoÌ„ you whose scats be on high to wash your harts from wickednesse And here by name to shew you what sinnes they be The first is Carelesnesse Lenitie and neglect of Iustice The second is Couetousnesse and Briberie The third is Sacriledge the Church-piercing sinne Against these the Prophet cryeth O Ierusalem wash thy heart from these heauen-crying sinnes remoue these beames out of your owne eyes that you may see the clearer to correct and reforme others And here pardon me if I be bold with my betters For it is the Ministers dutie to discouer sinne and to conuince the conscience of this and that wickednes before he can profit them that he are him This is the counsell that Ieremy receiued from the Lord and deliuereth vnto vs O City wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saued I desire not here to sit in any mans conscience for I haue learned noâ— to iudge of any till I see what shall become of my selfe Yet as we may not reueale all sinnes and discouer our fathers nakednesse lest the vncircumcised reioyce so we may not couer some sinnes lest the vncircumcised encrease But if I may bee bold to shew you what the Lord saith concerning these sinnes then I beseech you to harken and it shall not bee long nor tedious to heare The euill of the sin of Carelesnesse too much Lenity and neglect of Iustice which bringeth in all manner of sinne not masked but with open face into the Church Common-wealth and the same to bee committed with a high hand For where haue you disobedience to Magistrates to Parents to Masters where haue you drunkennesse c. but where the Magistrate is carelesse of his office or too milde in his office When read you or heard you of the vnheard off sinne of deflouring of Virgins of killing of old men of braining of children and of forcing of women euen vnto death but when where there is no magistrate Iudg. 4.1 17.6 21.25 as the holy Ghost saith Iudg. 2.19 there was then no King in Israel When heare you superiours to bee punished for the sinnes of inferiours but when Superiours waxe carelesse of the execution of iustice For when magistrates wax carelesse of those that are committed to their charge and neglect iustice to punish offenders it is all one as if there were no law and no King in Israel For then men become beasts and like Daniels flying Eagles with the wings of wickednesse breaking into houses Dan 7. taking away lands oppressing with vsurie extortion crueltie deceit blood and blasphemie these and much more where iustice is not roare in the streetes there is no care of God nor feare of man no respect of law nor order nor regard of father or mother nor of Church or Common-wealth whether they stand or fall so they may liue as they lust Hence it is that so many orphants widowes and helplesse people crie out of the law where the law is good and vpright and
in what case shall they stand before the Almighty Prou. 16.5 The Wise man saith All that are proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord. The Lord resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Worthy was the speech of a Reuerend Bishop of our time Doctor Babington that said If it be a shame to weare a paper on the hat at Westminster hal to declare what was done it is as reprochfull to weare a vaine garment on the back to pull all mens eyes vpon thee O that the God of heauen would moue you in the Magistracy to reuiue and put life into the many and good lawes concerning apparell that men and women in their distinct callings might bee knowne what manner of persons they bee that so honour as she is of her selfe bright and glorious might haue her like raiment to her splendor that so she might be discerned from the base vulgars I haue stayed you here too long but I leaue the mother and come to the daughter The euill of Contention crieth for the rod of your correction For this sinne is the daughter of Pride Onely through pride man causeth contention Prou. 13.10 and by contention the land is diuided O Lord heale the sores thereof for it shaketh But coÌ„tention is a coale too hot for my cooling I entreate you in the Magistracie that your fountaines of discipline may flow forth to wash away this sinne out of the Church and Common wealth For it we akeneth both Common-wealth Church of God yea it hindreth good proceedings it troubleth the best subiects that may be that Papists and Atheists in meane time may doe what they list The diuision betweene Protestant and Protestant the alienation of affection betweene Minister and Minister that will neither vouchsafe to seeme to consent not ioyne together against the common aduersarie giueth aduant age to the Papists But as the blessed Apostle saith to the Ephesians Ephes 4.4 so say I There is but one body one spirit one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and one Father of all If there be any consolation in Christ euen for his sake that made vs and for his blood that died for vs let all these Ones make vs one in the truth and while we liue to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The Last euill that waiteth for your check needeth iron hands to punish the wickednesse thereof is the contempt of you that sit in the high places For the contempt of gouernment Rom. 13.1 â— iâ— the contempt of God himselfe But the Papists will say they may in some things disobey Casar and make no breach of their alleagiance to Almighty Godâ— But they that so say 〈◊〉 Iob saith telleth a lie for the Almighty The contrary I doe protest that subiectâ—â— to Princes standeth with and is commanded in religion by God himselfe For that which is Casâ—â—â— ought to be giuen to Casar Matth. 22.21 if wee will keep our allegiance to God and the contempt of gouernment is a sin by Saint Iudâ— bound vp in the bundle of death Where you may reade that none but filthy persons that need to be washed cut and keâ—â—ned doe despise gouernment whom Saint Peter calleth bruit beasts lead by sensuâ—lltie which haue no ground but ignorance which if they pleade not you shall doe well to let them haue no mercie but iustice There be 2. poyson some wormes that gaster at the roote of gouernment and two beasts amongst vs with Ants bellies and Mâ—lâ—â—hes hands like the horseleach that will neuer be satisfied And if you would know them by name the one is hath wasted all the other longeth to waste all Hath wasted all are the male-contented prodigals that in euerie degree haue consumed their owne estates and now houer ouer other mens and their eye watcheth for the twy-light and of these some lie couchant and dormant Concerning would waste all or longeth to waste all who haue treasured vp wrath and reuenge in their mindes against Prince and people These forsooth crie out that euery man must not be subiect to all that bee in office or superioritie ouer him by that he is a Superiour and that onely in matters of peace and policie but not in matters of religion or regiment of soules Rhem. annot in Rom. 13. These be the counterfeit Catholikes that haue taken libertie to change their ciuill Superiour for a spirituall Father and religion for policie and policie for religion The Lord Almighty look down vpon them and in his wrath grant to as many among them as be impenitent the day that Zachariâ— prophecieth vnto them euen a day Zach. 14.12 that their eyes shall sinke in their holes and their tongue confume in their mouth and that their flesh may consume away though they stand vpon their feete because they fight against Ierusalem In meane time right Honourable it lieth vpon you for the safetie of the Kings person of the State and your selues to looke vnto them For the cause of the contempt of the Magistrate is the incorrigiblenes of the euill disposed Wherefore sith lawes be the sinewes of a Common-wealth Plato sith they be a diuine gift sith they bee the bands of Cities Demost Cicero Plutar. sith they are the very life of the Common-wealth and sith the Magistrate is the life of the law let me preuaile with you in the Lords behalfe to take the zeale of Phineas and the courage of Moses and Iosuh and goe through your Citie search and see and you shall behold sinne to be growne to a head and therfore high time that you make head against it You haue the sword of iustice you haue the law who doth warrant the sword of iustice but the law who defends the law but the sword of iustice Let the sword of iustice by the law be warranted and spare it not lest your selues bee neglected you are our Fathers we are your children spart your rod and spill vs. The first coÌ„mandement that was giuen to man after the creation was the Law and vpon breach of the Law was the sword giuen to reuenge iustice If you that be in authoritie suffer it rust in the sheath you will be contemned iustice despised the poore oppressed and the whole Common-wealth confounded I might here leade you to more abominations then these where in drunkennesse men become beasts and yet at this day hee is not counted a man that will not take away the image of man and defile himselfe therewith Oh the height of prophanenesse that man should offer more sacrifice to Bacchus then to Iehouah I might shew you the wickednesse of whoring euen in this citie where many men prostrate their bodies to vncleannes Let me perish if more soules of our youth perish any other way then this From hence it is right Honourable that the citie the towne and the countrie is filled with beggers and sturdie vngabonds that