thing to the charge of Gods chosen my sinnes deserued my punishments had they beene greater and I pray with Saint Augustine Hic vre hic seca vt in aeternum parcas Domine id est Here burne mee here slay me to spare me hereafter q.d. Lord doe what thou wilt with my body so that thou wilt but saue my soule Nay further I pray with Saint Ierome Vtinam ob Domini mei nomen atque iustitiam cuncta gentilium turba me persequatur tribulet vtinam in opprobrium meum stolidus hic mundus exurgat tantum vt ego mercedem Iesu consequar id est I would to God that the whole nation of the Gentiles Pagans and Infidels would for the name of my God and for the glory of his Gospell persecute me and trouble me I would to God this mad and foolish world would rise vp against me for the profession of Gods blessed truth only that I may obtaine Christ Iesus for my reward For the loue I found generally amongst you all I haue nothing wherewith to requite it therefore I onely praise my God and heartily thanke you amongst which Louers I cannot chuse but particularize some of the best for where most kindnesse hath beene receiued most thankefulnesse should be returned and though I am not able worthily or sufficiently to returne thankes vnto you yet I hope you will accept of what I am able receiuing these few lines as a testimonie of further seruice First therefore I salute the worshipfull Mistris Moore with whom though my acquaintance be but small yet for the good I haue both heard and seene cannot chuse but mention as one of my friends if my iudgement faile not they are to be counted the best friends that prouoke a man to cleane closest to God Gen. 45.5 Iosephs brethren out of enuy sold him to bee a bond-slaue but God that sits aboue turned the wheele so about that enuy brought glory debasement aduancement for this the Lord suffered them to doe for his and their preseruation Mistake me not I doe not tax you with any iniury but thanke you for your courtesie for this be farre from me to grieue any of the Saints of which I am perswaded you are one for the world hath crowned you for religion piety and bounty for wisdome honesty and ciuility for kindnesse courtesie and modesty and which is most of all for a tender conscience ready to releeue the poore members of Christ Iesus affording succour to his Ministers which are destitute of outward comfort Helen Queene of Adiabene when shee left her owne Country and came to dwell at Hierusalem shee filled the bellies of the poore with the Cornes of Aegypt Eus lib. 2. cap. 12. Ioseph antiquet lib. 20. cap. 2. and the Fruits of Cyprus sparing for no cost to doe good to the Saints that were at Ierusalem by which your selfe hath gotten a very famous report and I hope the Lord will still make you a beneficiall instrument both to Church and Common-wealth The rarer this vertue is the more I reuerence it commending you and your houshold to God Act. 20.32 and to the word of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Master Freeman you I must not forget vnlesse I forget my selfe and though I should forget my selfe yet can I not chuse but remember you the affection of your heart I haue found by the act of your hand and your willingnesse to doe me good hath beene seene by your forwardnesse to speake and write in my behalfe vpon any occasion that hath beene offered vnto you a requitall I cannot make vnlesse it please you to accept of my heartiest prayers which I cease not to poure out at the throne of grace for you your wife and family and for my vnknowne friend who desiring them hath not forgotten me Master Goodwin my loue is great to your soule though my familiarity be small with your bodily presence and neighbourly association I wish if it might not be offensiue to liue to requite some part of your courtesies for beyond my desert I haue found you forward to subscribe to any good motion for my good for which I shall euer rest at your command for any seruice Mistris Glouer much wrong I should doe you if I neglect to number you amongst my friends you were the tree that yeelded me the first fruit in this City though it was but small yet it was comfortable by reason of my necessity since you haue watered my studies with your beneficence that euen my barrennesse hath through your drops yeelded some fruit I trust to the comfort of many your loue to Gods Saints and zeale to the Word doth crowne you for as women delight not onely to see faire Iewels and curious needle-workes but to take them out and we are them so I dare boldly say that your care is not onely to know but to expresse and weare the good things you know in your conuersation I beseech God to increase his fatherly blessings vpon you and vpon your sonne Master Richard Glouer and vpon all the rest of your children and family to his owne glorie and your endlesse comforts Master Alkin you are the fauour of my heart and the Father of my being in some kinde if euer I was obliged to any in a double and treble manner to you Your care both for me and ouer me hath beene more fatherlike then friendlike and not onely to me but to many more of my Brethren which if pride doe not too much puffe vp their minds cannot chuse but acknowledge forwith Lot in Sodome you haue receiued the Angels and Messengers of God Gen. 19.2 3. with Rebecca you haue courteously entertained the seruants of Abraham with beleeuing Rahab receiued the Spies nay Gen. 24.25 Iosh 2.1 with Publius in the I le of Malta you haue receiued Paul and with Martha and Marie you haue receiued if not Christ himselfe yet Christ in his members nay with Lydia Act. 28.7 Luke 10.38 you haue constrained the Apostles to staie in your house and with Tabitha you are full of good works and almes deeds Act. 16.15 according to your abilitie This I know therefore cannot chuse but speake not to the end you should bee puft vp with vaine glorie but to encourage you in this godly course that at the latter end of your daies you may with comfort say I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord c. I seale vp my loue with my heartiest praiers for you your Wife and all the rest of your Family euer resting your true friend Time calls away the euening requires haste I dare not call to any more friends lest darknesse ouertake me and preuent me of my hoped hauen Generally therefore I salute Mr. Camden Mr.
phrase of that diuine Apostle 2 Ep. Ioh. 3. v. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ Beloued I wish aboue all things that your soules may prosper as your bodies doe for I haue no greater ioy then to heare that my children walke in the truth as I haue laboured to doe you good 3 Ep. Ioh. 4. v. doe not you requite me with euill censure me not too rashly for this my forwardnesse to the Presse nor for my slender iudgement in prosecution of my matter I must confesse that in regard of the small number of my yeeres I may iustly incurre the censure of presumption in that I should bee so forward first to preach in such an honourable Assembly next to send my labours to the worlds view had I not to the former beene enioyned by authority and to the latter pressed by importunity the place of birth had beene the place of buriall and the memories of many the graues where I would haue left it but being so earnestly pressed thereunto with the perswading how much good might come thereby not onely to the City in generall but to euery mans house and family in particular at last condescended not for affection or ostentation but for the glory of my God and the good of Church and City It was plaine in preaching but more plaine in printing to the end it might not be obscure to any if any thing be amisse as sure it cannot be perfect let me request you to mend the fault with a good conceit and to cure my failing with my good meaning remember it is an easier thing to plucke downe a house then to build one If my stile be too homely then thinke wise men desire rather a carefull then an eloquent Physician if wee might not make bookes wherefore were letters first inuented shall the Epicure be tolerated to write dishonest things and shall not a Minister much more good and needfull things O yes accept therefore of this small mite which at this time I haue cast into Gods Treasury Scorne not to reade it because I am young for the least starre hath his light and influence and there may be some vse of Goats-haire to the finishing of the Tabernacle I haue many friends to remember in this my iourney but if I call at euery mans doore I shall be lated therefore I craue leaue to passe by most not for want of any affection for I loue you all in Iesus Christ but that in due time I may arriue at my hoped hauen entring my lodging at a lawfull houre The first friend which dwelleth in the way I trauell is the Minories which in times past vsed me very kindly for she entertained me when I was destitute of outward comfort affording both me and mine meat drinke and lodging almost two yeeres together and still would had not the principall corne beene blasted with the Easterly wind of vaine reports and the mil-dew of euill imaginations yet for the kindnesse once receiued I cannot forget them for hauing loued them I cannot chuse but still loue them Can the mother forget that Childe which indangered her life most if she could yet cannot I forget you I speake it not for any vaine glory but the more to stirre mee vp to returne praise to him to whom all praise belongeth that gaue me such an heart to seeke the good of your soules my God and you if you will but speake the truth can testifie with me how that I thought not my life deare for your sakes This is my comfort so long as I was with you I omitted no time wherein I might doe good to your soules but in season out of season morning euening publike priuate in Gods house in my house or in your houses was I neuer backward to afford you the milke of the word if I were desired thereunto when you were asleepe I was awake when you were a bed I was at study when you little thought of me many times was I praying for you that the Lord would make my Ministery the sauour of life vnto life and not the sauour of death vnto death to any one of you But alas my paines were not noted but my failings strictly obserued and pried into nay blazed abroad to the wounding of my soule It was not you but Satan who sought to sow tares where God sowed wheat and the Lord brought this thing to passe for my greater humiliation yea I know it shall worke for my good if the fault be not in my selfe but I cease desiring you to esteeme of me as I of you my hoped louing and faithfull friends saluting the worshipfull Master Mulis Master Tice Master Vphill Master Hauercampe with their wiues and families and all the rest of that parish wishing health and happinesse to attend you in this life and eternall glory to be conferd vpon you in the life to come Amen Before I had quite taken leaue of the Minories for I was preuented of that intended curtesie through the mercy of the Lord my God I met with another harbor namely Saint Margarets Fish-street where I was louingly receiued kindly entertained and friendly welcommed but a ruffe Sea of a raging discontented minde soone wrought my departure from my faithfull friends for such is the nature of enuy that both eies shall be ventured to extinguish one of the parties not beloued and Viper-like will not sticke to teare the belly where once it was cherished but I remember my promise was vtterly to forget and absolutely to forgiue in my farewell since my continuance was so short my discourse cannot bee long therefore I kindly take my leaue of all my louing friends there remaining euer resting your poore Orator at the throne of grace for your ioy in this life and euerlasting happinesse in the life to come At this time I was like the distressed traueller remaining in the wild fields in the midst of a tempestuous storme farre from company destitute of mony beaten with raine terrified with thunder stiffe with cold yet not brought to despaire for all these miseries but still trusted in God who was able to helpe me Neither was I deceiued in whom I relied for hee that is called faithfull shewed himselfe most mercifull turning his countenance angry to his wonted clemency giuing me entrance after seuen daies absence into his Sanctuary at Saint Margaret Pattens alias Rood-Church where receiuing a most free Election I comfortably spent my labours almost two yeeres reaping the profit of my studies with much ioy I hope the conuersion of many soules vnto God but Satan that subtill enemy of mankinde who euer sought my subuersion and ouerthrow would not suffer my foot long to rest in any place but by his malicious minde I was soone dispossessed of my harbour where had I not found one faithfull friend * Saint Butolphs my habitation had beene like Dauids in the Wildernesse farre be it from me I should lay any
8.21 9.1 therefore wished O that my head were a Well of water and my eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe night and day for the slaine of the Daughter of my people 2 Pet. 2.7 8. This did Lot for Sodom and Dauid was no whit behinde any when his eies powred out riuers of teares Psal 119. 130. because men would not keepe the law of his God Shall such affection be found in Gods ancient people and we to sauour neuer a whit thereof If our friends depart from vs or die with vs we can weep and mourne as fast as any but if we see a neighbour or a brother wedded to wickednesse and sunk almost past recouery into sinne we neuer mourne nor shew any dislike but salue it vp with humanum est Others sins not to be salued but sorrowed for so that for a young man to sinne is but a tricke of youth for an old man but an infirmitie of age and in none at any time as it should be lamented Children are suffered to be wanton because their yeares are tender youth is permitted to bee licentious because their age is lustie rich men are moued with vanitie because it is their portion poore men are customed with folly because they liue in want old men are drowned in superstition because they are neere their graues women are wanton because they be beautifull and all are sinfull yet by few or none lamented nay are they not reioyced at Sinnes now moue not mourning but mirch or mockings especially the failings of Gods children and in these times made the principall cause to moue laughter for if any man fall dangerously into sinne especially the childe of God either by infirmitie blindnesse or being ouertaken on a sudden by Satan the world then flings away jeering as hauing caught what of long time they watcht for then with a ioyfull countenance they vaunt abroad the whole nay more then the whole fall or sailing of this poore childe of God divulging to as many as they see or at leastwise know the time the place and the manner of that sinne which was committed by such a person 1 Sam. 17.52 for as the Israelites reioyced at the fall of Goliah so doth the world at the failings of the Saints of God Cato Cato that graue Senator of Rome was neuer seene to laugh but once and that was when he espied out of his window an Asse eating of Thistles wondring why that beast should take pleasure in pricks that should haue beene spurres to haue made him to take paines So wee when wee see our brethren eating vp sinnes like bread and drinking vp iniquitie like water Iob. 15.16 rather laugh with Democritus at their folly then with Heraclitus lament their faults I tell you brethren there is no greater signe of a reprobate then to laugh at sinne and Sinners for hee that can make wickednesse his chiefest pastime and the faults of others his greatest ioy is iust like to Satan our greatest enemy Satans greatest solace is to see men sinning who reioyceth at nothing more then when men commit sinne Therefore when thou seest sinne in any be it in thy wife children friends seruants or enemies take heed thou reioyce not at it but weepe and mourne for it present not Omnia bene all is well For any man being fallen into sinne Our hearts should smite vs when wee see another sinne Pia est illa trislitia alienis vitâ—js ingemiscere non adhaerere Contristari non implicari dolore contrahi non attrahi August Ber. homil de resurrectione Dom. is in a very miserable case till hee returne vnto the Lord by true repentance wherefore let thy heart smite thee when thou seest thy brother sleeping in the bed of sinne For This is a godly sorrow to pitie mens sinnes and not to be polluted by them to sorrow for them and not sinke into them to be drawne away in dolour and not drawne away with delight Saint Bernard makes mention in one of his Homilies of an old man who when hee saw any man sinne wept and lamented for him being asked why he so grieued for others answered Hodie ille cras ego hee fell to day I may fall to morrow If we could but remember this it would rather draw bloud from the heart then ioy when we see a man fallen into sinne therefore when thou seest a murdering Caine a theeuish Achan Gen. 4. Ios 7. 2 King 5. 2 Sam. 13. 1 Sam. 25. Numb 16. Gen. 19. 2 Sam. 15. 1 King 12.28 Exod. 9. 1 King 21. Esay 37. 2 Sam. 6. Luke 15. 2 Sam. 17. Acts 12. Luke 16. Luke 22.48 Matth. 23.25 Luke 7.37 a lying Gehezie an incestuous Amnon a churlish Nabal a resisting Cora a filthy Sodomite a murmuring Israelite a rebellious Absolom an idolatrous Ieroboam and an oppressing Pharao a painted Iesabel a blaspheming Sennacherib a railing Rabsachath a scoffing Michal a spending Prodigall a cursing Shemei a proud Herod a gluttonous Diues a traiterous Iudas an hypocriticall Pharisie a wanton Mary Magdalen an tyrannicall Nero a bloudy Bonner and an Apostate Iulian or any other sinner whatsoeuer Oh weepe and lament for them knowing not how soone God may with-draw his grace from thee and suffer thee to fall as foule as any of them into the like sinnes I conclude this point with that place of Ezechiel where the Lord commands a marke to be set vpon the foreheads of all those that mourne and cry for all the abominations done in the midst of Hierusalem for their preseruation Ezek. 9.4 5. But to take notice of all those which did not onely laugh at sinne but would not lament for sinne for their destruction O therefore let vs with our louing Sauiour sorrow and grieue for our sinfull brethren vsing all meanes to turne them from their wicked course of life imbracing the man but hating his manners rebuking him sharply for his great offence Prou. 27.5 for an open rebuke is better then a secret loue then it may be thou shalt pull his soule from Satan which if thou canst but so doe thou maiest sit downe with ioyfull Iacob when he heard of Iosephs life Gen. 45.25 I haue enough my sonne is liuing 2. Cause of Christs teares was Propter mala poenae the punishment to which they were subiect Our last point is the second cause of Christs teares which is Propter mala poenae the euill of punishment that was to be inflicted vpon them for as God he saw nay rather fore-saw from the Watch-tower of this Mount the future temptations and vtter desolations both of Church and people Cities and Citizens which whilest he beheld as God he lamented as Man Should I enter into their punishments I should diue into an Ocean without bottome and lose my selfe in a wildernesse of discourse therfore I refuse to tel you how the sword destroied twentie thousand in one day Iosephus and how the
roomes which now are emptie may be filled If you refuse this you refuse to wage war with sinne and to waken your Brother out of his wicked sleepe and if you refuse to wage warre with sinne you deny the colours of Christ your Captaine and reiect the Ensignes of God your Emperor If therefore you will haue God to blesse you Christ to saue you and the holy Trinitie to defend you keepe your oath with your Soueraigne bee faithfull to your Captaine and fight against sinne that you may win many soules to Christ If sleepe would kill your friend would you suffer him still to slumber and not awake him What care and respect Gouernors should haue ouer and towards those who are committed to their charge in the Testimony of the Heathens Xenophon in Cyro Surely no why then doe you suffer your Brethren and Sisters to sleepe in sinne and to snore and snort in the bed of wickednesse and neuer once awake them with a lash of Iustice The old Heathens to note vnto vs the great care that Magistrates should haue of the people ouer whom they were placed intituled them Fathers of the people because they must esteeme and imagine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Countrey to be his house his Citizens his fellowes his friends his children and his children his soule Hom. Illiad 10. Homer calleth Agamemnon to his great praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepherd of the people because his sleepe was seldome or neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet pleasant or quiet Plutarchus Such was Epaminondas of whom it is reported that when others feasted and slept hee did fast watch vse sobrietie view the Tents and walke the wals also the ancient Persian Kings when they should take their rest had a Chamberlaine who vsually came vnto them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Arise arise O King and looke about thy businesse Had the heathens this care ouer their charge and people who knew not Christ and will not you that know Christ and his will haue much more care then shall these people rise vp in iudgement against you Awake awake therefore you Magistrates I say awake both early and late and walke about the streets of this Citie that you may finde the Crimson coloured sinnes without any varnish then thrust them out of the gates and bring Christ into the Citie who hath stood this threescore and almost ten yeares waiting for an entrance for feare left he depart you neuer more enioy his presence God hath giuen you both gifts and places not for your selues alone but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the common good of Church and Citie Towne and Country which if you carefully and truly performe aiming more at the glory of God then your owne praise the peoples good then your owne ease thē will the Country be lesse miserable the citie lesse a louer of pleasure 2 Tim. 3.4 and both more louers of God the Country more plentifull the Citie more beautifull the Country flowing with goodnesse the Citie ouerflowing with happinesse In a word the Country shall flourish and reioyce the Citie with a loud sounding voice shall send forth your praise to the vttermost parts of the earth yea it shall be a crowne to your heads a recompence to our labours a sweet smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord the ioy of Angels the triumph of Saints a blessing to the Citie a sauing of soules and an euerlasting happinesse to your posteritie nay more then all this if you thus doe it will so please our Sauiour as that it will stop his teares reioyce his heart confound his foes win his fauour vnfold his mercy vnlocke his kingdome that our soules may haue free passage to enter first into grace in this life and hereafter into glory in the life to come Where God the Father shall take you by the right hand and lead you to the fountaines of water washing all your garments white in the bloud of the Lambe Christ Iesus shall imbrace you in the armes of his mercy crowne you with crownes of glory at whose Coronation all the Angels in heauen shall applaud your praise and God himselfe shall say Amen to your felicities Laus Deo