are next in order to expect the Sword Warre and the calamities thereof to descend vpon vs our Enemies to inuade and ouer-runne vs vnlesse GOD bee the more mercifull vnto vs. So the Lord here menaceth his owne chosen people deare Israel and we may apply it to our selues if we walke in their steps if they will not amend by his former punishments then he will stirre vp a forraigne foe to inuade them The Lord shall bring a Nation vpon thee from farre euen from the end of the World flying swift as an Eagle c. Which Text is a Proclamation of Warre or a Commination of a fearefull Inuasion wherein we may note First Who proclaimes this Warre It is Iehouah the Lord. Secondly Against whom he proclaimes it against his owne people his beloued Israell Yet if they offend him and sinne against him hee will raise vp Warre against them Vpon thee Thirdly Who hee imployes in the execution of his wrath to punish his disobedient seruants A strange Foe A strong Foe A sterne Foe 1 A strange or forraigne Foe A Nation from farre from the end of the World whose tongue thou vnderstandest not 2 A strong Foe compared in my Text to an Eagle to a flying Eagle because as an Eagle is the strongest of all Birds so this Nation secondly to a flying Eagle because as an Eagle being on her wings is able to ouer-top any other fowle so this Nation being in Armes is able to ouer-match any other Nation 3 A sterne Foe Which will shew no respect no mercy no fauour neither to olde nor young A Nation of a fierce or cruell or barbarous countenance which will not regard the person of the old nor haue compassion of the young Lastly the dreadfull desolation that shall follow this inuasion the calamity that shall befall the Inhabitants of that Land then Enemies shall leaue them nothing they shall take all that euer they haue from them their Goods their Cattell their Corne their Sheepe and shall put them either to cruell death or to such slauery and bondage that they shall haue no pleasure in their life but shall wish rather to dye then Isue as it is vers 66. 67. Thy life shall hang before thee and thou shalt feare both night and day and shalt haue no assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were euening and at euening thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart which thou shalt feare and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see First I begin with him who is α and ω the beginning and end or all our actions yea of all things and that is who proclaimes this Warre It is Iehouah the Lord. But this may seeme a strange Paradox to some that that God who is Deus pacis the God of peace should stirre vp Warre and diuision and set Nations together by the eares vpon the face of the earth that God who is not onely Bonus sed ipsa bonitas good but goodnesse it selfe should be Author mali the Author of euill the raiser of Warre which is omnium malorum pessimum of all euils the greatest To vnloose this knot the Schoole affords an olde distinction of malum culpae malum paenae or as Tertullian speakes lib. 2. cont Marcionem pag. 180. Malum delicti et malum supplicij or as Saint Augustine distinguiseth in other words but to the same effect Tomo sexto Contra Adimantum cap. 26. Malum quod facit homo et malum quod patitur homo Euill which man doth which is sinne and euill which man suffereth which is the punishment of sinne Concerning the former euill as it is sinne God is by no meanes the Author of it and therefore accursed for euer cursed to the pit of hell be that abominable doctrine which the Church of Rome doth slanderously and blasphemously cast vpon vs that wee make God the Author of sinne for wee defie and renounce it from the bottome of our hearts as a most sinfull Doctrine But concerning the latter euill which is the punishment of sinne God is the Author of that All afflictions calamities which are the rewards of sinne are sent vpon man by the mighty hand of God Famine a great euill yet the Prophet tells vs God sends that A fruitfull Land he maketh barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein The Pestilence a great euill yet God sends that we reade 2 Sam. 24. He sent a Plague in Israel whereof died more then threescore thousand in lesse then three dayes So digitus Dei the finger of God hath beene lately seene in our Land especially in this Citie scourging vs for our sinns This stroke came nor by chance It was the hand of heauen that smote vs and it is none but his omnipotent hand that hath healed vs Blessed be his great name for it Warre a great euill yet GOD sendeth that vpon a sinfull Nation as'tis hee alone that giues peace to his children and causeth Warres to cease in all the world So 't is he alone that raiseth Warre and bringeth a reuenging Sword vpon the sinfull sonnes of men This should teach to prepare and arme our selues with patience to endure it if it doe come because a Domino est it is from the Lord it is the Lords doing the wicked our Enemies are but his instruments the rod of his fury a sword of his to punish sinners he sets them on worke O Ashur the rod of my wrath I will send him to a dissembling Nation and I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoile and to take the prey and to tread them vnder feete like the mire in the streete Isa 10.5.6 And in my Text The Lord shall bring a Nation vpon thee What Vpon Israell His deare Israell his beloued Israell his chosen people his inheritance his sanctified ones his peculiars his fauorites those whom he pickt and cull'd out of all Nations Those on whom he bestowed more pretious tokens of his loue then on any other Will hee deale so hardly with them Will he reiect them Will he destroy them forsake them Yes if they forsake and reiect him he will God is not tyed to any Nation or to any people longer then they tye themselues to his obedience and to his seruice Dominus vociscum dum vos cum Domino The Lord is with you while yee are with him and if yee seeke him he will be found of you but if yee forsake him he will forsake you So good Azariah fore-warn'd them and as he fore-told so it came to passe this curse was executed to the full for when they forsooke the Lord and gaue themselues ouer to follow strange Gods the Lord forsooke them and giue them ouer into the hands of Strangers they which hated them were Lords ouer them their enemies oppressed them and had them in subiection hee brought vpon them A strange Foe a
A PROCLAMATION OF VVARRE FROM THE LORD OF HOSTS OR ENGLANDS warning by ISRAELS ruine Shewing the miseries like to ensue vpon vs by reason of Sinne and Securitie Deliuered in a Sermon at Pauls Crosse Iuly the 23. 16â—6 By WILLIAM HAMPTON Master of Arts and Preacher of Gods Word LVKE 13.3 Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perâ—sh Ier. 26.13 Therefore now amend your wayes and your workes and heare the voyce of the Lord your God that the Lord may repent him of the Plague that he hath pronounced against you LONDON Printed by Iohn Norton for Mathew Lawe and are to be sold at the signe of the Fox in Saint Paules Church-yeard neere Saint Austens Gate 1627. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable and most nobly descended CHARLES Lord HOVVARD Baron of Effingham Earle of Nottingham Lord Lieutenant for the County of Surrey grace be multiplied with encrease of honour in this world euerlasting glory in the future world Right Honourable WHen Socrates his Schollers brought euery one rich gifts to him in token of thankefulnes among the rest hee had one called Aeschines whose hearty affection was as great to him as any of the rest but hee wanted meanes to giue whereupon he spake thus I haue nothing O Socrates to giue vnto thee worthy thy selfe but that one thing which I haue in my possession I freely giue namely I giue my selfe vnto thee When I call to minde the many and noble fauours receiued from your honour I wish I could expresse my thankfulnes in a more reall manner then my ability will permit but hauing nothing worthy your selfe with Aeschines I giue my selfe to your Lordships seruice At this time I offer this poore mite of my weake endeauours to your honourable Patronage A worke not fit the Presse neither did I intend had I not bene encouraged to it by your honours approbation of it in hope it may redound to the publike good euer to haue published it Such as it is it proceeded ex mero motu out of a hearty desire of Gods glory and my Countries safety It meets with the security and iniquitie of the time and if it may rowze vs from the one or the other or both I shall thinke my time well bestowed A double respect makes it due vnto your Honour First the author of it my particular obligation because my labours in the Gospell being first countenanced and daily encouraged by your honour you may of right challenge this as the first fruits to bee offered vnto you Secondly the subiect of it because your Lordship as I attendant in your Honourable house can witnesse being daily acquainted with your wishes and praiers following the steps of your loyall and thrice renowned Father desire nothing more then the furtherance of Gods glory the safetie of his roiall Maiestie and wellfare of your Countrie all which and nothing else this aimeth at It is all my praier all my desire Thus ceasing further to trouble your Lordship at this time with my daily and heartie supplications to the Father of mercies for your selfe together with your second-selfe your religious Lady in whom you are happy beseeching him long to continue that blessed knot with asmuch happines as euer he bestowed on Abraham and Sarah or Isaac and Rebekah and to multiply all those blessings on you which Iacob wished to his deareling Ioseph heauenly blessings from aboue and earthly blessings from beneath blessings of the breasts and of the wombe I commit you to his mercifull and blessed protection Your Honours most obliged and obseruant Seruant and Chaplaine William Hampton A PROCLAMATION OF WARRE From the Lord of Hosts DEVT. 28. ver 49 50 51. 49 The Lord shall bring a Nation vpon thee from far euen from the ende of the World flying swift as an Eagle a Nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand 50 A Nation of a fierce countenance which will not regard the person of the olde nor haue compassion of the young 51 The same shall eate the fruit of thy Cattle and the fruit of thy Land vntill thou bee destroyed and hee shall leaue thee neither Wheate Wine nor Oyle neither the increase of thy Kine nor the stockes of thy Sheepe vntill he haue brought thee to nought IT was the opinion of Licurgus that wise Law-giuer of the Lecedemonians that there was no better way to keepe men in good order then to vse partly threats and partly promises partly rewards and partly punishments and in a well-gouerned Common-wealth he thought the one as needfull as the other GOD Almightie that great and wise Law-maker of heauen and earth hath appointed by these two meanes Praemiis Poenis by rewards and punishments to keepe the common-wealth of the whole world in good gouernment and to bring men to obedience to his holy commandements for after he had in the 20 of Exodus giuen his most sacred Precepts that he might the rather stirre men vp to keepe and obserue them in the 26. Chap. of Leuiticus and also in this Chapter hee propoundeth certaine blessings and cursings menaces and promises rewards and punishments as most forcible motiues to winne them to obedience From the third verse to the thirteenth blessings are promised to the obedient from the fifteenth to the ende of the Chapter cursings are denounced against the disobedient Wherein we may note what a gradation God doth keepe in inflicting punishments on stubborne sinners first he trieth by his lesser and lighter chastisments to make them turne vnto him and if they will doe no good then hee comes with the Sword to consume and cut them off from the face of the earth as the Prophet Dauid speakes if a a man will not turne God will whet his Sword Thus much we see in this Chapter but more plainly in the 26. of Leuiticus where first he threatens to chastice them with the Famine if that will not amend them he threatens to encrease their punishment and to send the Pestilence among them If that will not reforme them then in the last place he giues them ouer to the Sword as it is v. 25. of that Chap. If yee will not for these things be reformed by me meaning the Famine and Pestilence but walke stubburnly against me then will I also walke stubbornely in mine anger against you and I will chastise you seuen times more according to your sinnes and I will bring a Sword vpon you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant and ye shall be deliuered vp into the hands of your enemies Beloued God hath tryed by the two former punishments by the Famine and by the Pestilence to winne vs of this Land vnto his obedience we haue had of late many deare yeares wherein a number especially the poorer sort haue pinched for it wee haue had the last a dying yeare Annum mortalem wherein thousands and ten thousands haue fallen in our Streetes Now if these things reforme vs not as GOD knowes there is yet little reformation seene wee
case let vs all lay it to heart I haue heard of a Marques of Brandenburge who was wont to say he had in his Countrie three Monasteries which were three Monsters one of the Dominicans who had abundance of Corne and yet had no Land to sow another of the Franciscans who were full of Money and yet receiued no Rents the third of Saint Thomas order whose monkes had a great many Children yet had no wines Wee are like to be a Monster and wonder a Prouerbe and a common talke to all people as it is verse 37. For vnlesse our Soueraigne be supplied that some course may speedily be taken for our defence wee shall haue neither Lands nor Rents nor Money nor Corne nor Wiues nor Children nor any thing else in safety but all will fall into our enemies hands Lord open our eyes that we may see the danger we are in and in time prouide for it lest when it be too late wee wish wee had When you see this strange strong and sterne Foe at your gates your Countrey wasted your Houses fired your Citie besieged when you heare the clangor of the Trumpet the clamor of the wounded the clattering of the harnesse the beating of the Drumme the roaring of the Ordnance the thundring of the Cannon when you see your wiues rauished before your faces your friends slain your children murdered your Infants dashed against the stones or broached on the Pike and all the Land made nothing but the Shambles of Castillian and Ignatian Butchers then you will wish but alas too late would to GOD wee had in time beene warned would we had parted with halfe our estates rather then lose all and come to this lamentable slauery and misery God in mercy put it into all our hearts to consider seriously of it that euery man according to his ability may condescend vnto the necessitie of the time Now for a conclusion All that hath beene spoken may serue as a strong motiue to stirre vs vp with speed to turne vnto God that hee may turne vnto vs and turne from vs this fearefull calamitie Let vs repent heartily and cry vnto him mightily to spare vs to be mercifull vnto vs. Vncessant praiers repentant teares are most powerfull to procure Gods mercy to diuert his iudgement he is mercifull and will receiue our Prayers he is pittifull and will regard our teares His Sword was once drawn against Niniueh a fearefull doome pronounced Yet fourty dayes and Niniueh shall be destroyed The King and his Nobles and all the people fall to repentance they fast they pray they humble themselues to sackcloath and ashes their sinnes cry for iudgement their repentance for mercy there was a contention betweene them which should out-cry the other their wickednesse ascends vp on high knockes at heauen gate clamours lowd in the eares of God Iustice my Lord vengeance vengeance Their repentance ascends higher and cries lowder in the eares of God mercy good Lord mercy spare vs O spare vs we beseech thee Repentance gets the victory GOD is not so much enclined to iudgement as to mercy he regards not the cry of sinne if he once heare the cry of sinners he accepts their sorrow and humiliation he puts vp his sword hee holds his hand hee sees them turne from their wicked wayes and he turnes from his fierce wrath he sees them repent of their euill deedes and he also repents of the euill hee pronounced against them The sinnes of our Land like the sinns of Nintueh are ascended vp on high and cry alowde for reuenge to the GOD of heauen but our religious King hath proclaim'd a Fast hee and his Nobles haue led the way if we with him and them send vp repentance and prayers and teares to cry alowd in Gods eares they will dull the cry of our sinnes that he shall not heare it and dull the edge of his sword that it shall not wound vs. Wicked Ahab had grieuously sinned and a terrible sentence was past vpon him yet vpon his repentance though it were but superficiall in outward shew GOD was mercifull and spared him Seest thou not sayes God to Elijah how Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before mee I will not bring that euill in his dayes but in his sonnes dayes will I bring euill vpon is house If God were so mercifull to that wicked man vpon his false fained repentance how much more if we turne vnto him with true vnfained repentance will he be mercifull to vs not bring this euill in our daies A second meanes to diuert this iudgement is vncessant prayer wonderfull is the force of praier with the God of heauen when the Moabites and Ammonites and they of mount Seir came vp against Ierusalem with an huge Army the people were amazed not knowing what to doe for they were not able to stand before such a multitude in battell Iehosophat proclaimes a Fast the people all fall to their prayers desire GOD to ayde defend and deliuer them O Lord God of our Fathers art not thou in heauen and raignest not thou ouer all the Kingdomes of the Heathen and in thine hand is power and strength and none is able to withstand thee O our God wilt not thou iudge them for there is no strength in vs to withstand this great multitude neither doe wee know what to doe but our eyes are toward thee And such was the force of their prayers that GOD gaue them the victory without fighting any stroke the Lord himselfe became the Warriour and laid ambushments for their Enemies saith the Text and made them sheath their swords in one anothers bowels till they were all destroyed When Senecharib came into the land of Iudah with a mighty Host and tooke the strong and defenced Cities thereof Hezekiah and the people what did they In the first place they vsed the best meanes for their safety they stopped vp the fountaines of water that their Enemies might not bee refreshed therewith they built all the broken wall they raised vp the Towers they repaired Millo in the Citie of Dauid they made many Darts and Shields they mustered the people of the Land and set Captaines ouer them teaching vs what to do It is not enough to sit still and cry Lord haue mercy vpon vs without vsing meanes for our defence and safety for GOD workes by meanes be it small or great and therefore Hezekiah vseth the best meanes hee can to withstand and keepe out the Enemie and then he and his people pray vnto God for a good successe and rely on him as then surest stay for help and deliuerance Feare not neither bee afraid of the King of Ashur nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be more with vs then with him with him is an arme of flesh but with vs is the Lord our GOD for to helpe vs and to fight our battels And the Lord seeing their confidence and hearing their prayers gaue them
a meruailous deliuerance sent forth a Captaine out of his owne Host a holy Angell which in one night slew an hundred somescore and fiue thousand of their Enemies So through this strong and sterne foe should come against vs yet let vs not be dismayed if we repent heartily for our sinnes pray earnestly vnto God trust to him no doubt but hee will in mercy looke vpon vs and worke some meanes for their confusion as hee did in 88. beyond our expectation there bee more with vs then with them GOD is on our side it is his quarrell he will defend his Church if we continue constant in his seruice feruent in prayer One Moses by prayer saued a whole Nation from a fearefull destruction when the people forgetting Gods commandement made them a God of gold and worshipped it and so prouoked the holy one of Israell that hee was minded to make a cleane riddance and consume them vtterly for it Moses stepping into the gap and praying for them stayed his hand The people sinne God is angry drawes his sword lifts vp his hand to strike and Moses lifts vp his hands in prayer and so long as he prayes God cannot strike his hands were held by Moses prayers Let me alone Moses saith God let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot against them for I will consume them at once but I will make of thee a mighty people It seemes Moses by his prayers did hinder and hold God backe from destroying Israell prayer is like a chaine or manacle to tye the hands of an angry Lord Vincit inuincibilem It ouercomes him that ouercomes all things And therefore Moses he still prayes O Lord turne from thy fierce wrath and change thy minde from this euill toward thy people and such was the power of his prayer that GOD altered his sentence turned from his anger destroyed them not as he had intended Though Gods anger bee kindled against this Land for our sinnes yet if some Moses doe stand in the gap if some holy deuout and faithfull men doe intercede for it no doubt but God will bee mercifull And herein lyes our strongest consolation for as God would haue spared sinfull Sodome if there had bin but fifty but fiue and forty but forty but thirty but twenty nay but tenne righteous therein So vndoubtedly it is for some good peoples sake that GOD hath spared vs so long for though many are sinfull yet it is to be hoped there is here and there a Moses that holds vp his hands here and there a Lot that grieues for the sinnes of the time here and there an Abraham that makes request for Sodome for their sakes GOD spares the whole let them continue constant in Gods seruice zealous in prayer yea let vs all betake our selues to earnest and hearty prayer for now it is time and more then time so to doe Spare vs good Lord spare vs wee beseech thee O remember not our olde sinnes and offences but haue mercy vpon vs and that soone for else wee are like to come to great misery helpe vs O God of and saluation for the glory of thy name O deliuer vs and be mercifull vnto our sins for thy names sake Or as the Prophet Ioel exhorts Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord yea and all the people weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar in the Lords house and let them say Spare thy people O Lord spare thy people and giue not thine heritage into reproach that the Heathen should rule ouer them Let not this furious bloud-thirsty and cruell Nation worse then the Heathen euer set footing in this Kingdome or haue dominion ouer vs but let the Crowne flourish vpon his head on whom thou hast vouchsafed in mercy to place it the man of thy right hand whom thou hast made strong for thine owne selfe cloath his Enemies with shame and confusion be as a wall of fire to him and his Realmes Let those that rise vp against him be like Sisera and Iabin who perished at Endor and became as the dung of the earth make them and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb yea make all their Princes like as Zeba and Zalmana O my God make them like a wheele and as the stubble before the winde Let them fall vpon the edge of the sword that they may be a portion for Foxes so shall the King reioyce in thy strength exceeding glad shall he be of thy saluation For why he putteth his trust in thee and in thy mercy O thou most high let him not miscary So we that be thy people and Sheepe of thy Pasture shall giue thee thankers for euer and will be shewing forth thy praise from one generation to another So shall thy name be glorified thy Son magnified thy truth defended thy Gospell propagated thy poore Church comforted which we humbly beseech thee to graunt O Father of mercies and God of all consolation for our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit three glorious persons one eternall omnipotent God be giuen all honour glory praise and power now and euermore FINIS Sen. de ben lib. 1. cap. 8. Gen. 49. vers 25. Psal 71 12. Psal 107.34 1 Chron. 15.2 Ioseph de bell Iud. lib. 7. cap 3. Ezek. 16.48.51 Master Fox Acts and Monu pag. 126. Ier. 36.23.24 Cedren hist pag. 542. Alcoâ—a Azoar 2.3.6 Vid. Phil. Morn lib. de veritat relig Christ c. 33. p. 608. Crudelitat Hispan in Indies patrat Hispaenice conscript per episcop Bar thol Casaâ—Ì„ natione Hispanum latine excus Francosurti 1598. a Pag. 7. b Pag. â— c Pag. 6. d Pag. 25. e Pag. 96. f Pag. 4. g Pag. 82. h Pag. â—â— i Pag. 67. k Pag. 31. 78. l Pag. 20. m Pag. 8. Praefat. ad Anton. August praefix ante Oser de gest Eman. pag. 15. n Pag. 35. o Pag. 9. p Pag. 10. q Pag. 11. r Pag 99. 108. Å¿ Pag. 60. t Pag. 50. u Pag. 46. x Pag. 29. y Pag. 28. z Pag. 100. Benz. hist Ind. a Pag. 19. 101. 2 Reg. 24.13 M. Fox act mon. pâ— 155. 165. vlt. edit Hen. Hunting lib. 6. Ric. Knowlles his Turkish History in the life of Mahomet the great 1 King 21.19 2 Chro. 2â— 2 Chron. 32. Exod. 32.11
strong Foe and a sterne Foe first vpon Israel because they first fell from him then vpon Iudah euen the Babylonians who inâ—â—ded their Land wasted their Countrey ruinated their Citie burnt their Temple destroyed all their goodly Buildings slew their young men with the Sword euen in the middst of their Sanctuary and spared neither yong man nor virgin ancient nor aged led many thousands of them into most miserable slauery and captiuity tooke the King himselfe prisoner changed his chaines of gold into chaines of brasse and fetters of iron kill'd his Princes and all his Nobles slew his sonnes before his eyes put out his owne eyes kept him in most pittifull bondage all the dayes of his life as you may see more at large 2 Chron. and the last Chap. Ier. Chap. 52. And if you enquire after the cause of all this mischiefe you shall finde it to bee their sinnes their disobedience to Gods commaundements their contempt of Gods word their sleighting of Gods Messengers their abusing of his Prophets GOD whose mercies are more in number them all our sinnes out of his infinite compassion was loath to destroy them unwilling to see their subuersion and therefore he vsed all meanes for their conuersion hee sent vnto them by his messengers the Prophets rising early and sending saith the Text for he had compassion on his people and on his habitation but they mocked the messengers of God they despised his words they misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy 2 Chro. last Chap. ver 15.16 His long suffering waited for their conuersion so long as there was any hope as a Physitian seeing any hope of life in his 〈◊〉 Patient will not giue him ouer but finding him paâ—â—â—ecouery leaues him So God seeing no hope of reformation seeing there was no other remedy so seeke them giues them ouer to their owne â—â—st 〈…〉 bring vpon them a Nation from far a strong Nation â—â—eâ—ce and cruell the King of the Caldeans with all his armed troopes who brought vpon them all these calamities And after 70 yeares of captiuity being expired hee brought them into their owne Land againe and restored them to their former and flourishing state but because they continued not stedfast in his couenant but rebelled againg him reiected his word crucified the Lord of life refused his Gospell he brought vpon them an Enemy more cruell then the former euen the flying Eagle as it is in my Text the Romane Emperour who brought vpon them all the curses threatned in this Chapter Warre Famine in so much that the tender and dainty women were glad to eate their owne children as Iosephus relates as it was foretold vers 57. dispersion deuastation a finall desolation Thus is my Text fulfilled in your cares the curse is executed Canaan is inuaded Iudah is gone into captiuity Ierusalem is troden downe the pleasant Land lyes wast Quid hoc ad nos And what is this to vs will some say Yet it neerely concernes Vbi ingentia beneficia ingentia is peccata ibi ingentia supplicia If partaking with them in Gods benefits wee partake of their sinnes wee may iustly feare to partake of their punishments Let vs a little paralell our estate with theirs Gods mercies were great to them no lesse to vs. His louing kindnesse toward them appeared in foure things In freeing them from the bondage of the 1. soule 2. body In giuing them blessings for the 3. body 4. soule 1 He brought them out of the Land of Aegypt from the bondage of Pharaoh Aegypt was a Land full of Idolatry and superstition the people there worshipped Deuils they worshipped meÌ„ they worshipped beasts they worshipped plants insteed of God From this Idolatrous Land God freed them which was a great mercy but he hath done more for vs though he hath not brought vs out of an Idolatrous Land yet he hath taken Idolatry out of our Land he hath cleansed it and swept superstition from it 2 He deliuered them from the bondage of Pharaoh who did but tyrannize ouer the body onely but he hath released vs out of that cruell bondage of that proud Pharaoh of Rome who doth tyrannize both ouer the bodies and soules of men He shewed wonders for them in the deepe leading thorow on foote as through a wildernesse drowning and ouerwhelming their enemies in the middest of the Sea The like he did for vs in 88. confounding the inuincible Armado of Spaine which came with open mouth to make a prey of vs all neither did he only with Israel saue vs out of the water but also out of the fire when a tormenting Tophet was prepared with Gun-powder and much Wood to blowe vp and consume with one blast both our King and Kingdome and wanted but fewe howres for the execution of it then did he most mercifully discouer it and deliuer vs from that infernall and hellish plott so that we may say of this Land as the Prophet of Ierusalem Is not this a brand taken out of the fire Zach. 3.2 3 GOD seated them in a fruitfull Land a most pleasant and delightfull Land the Land of Canaan a Land flowing with milke and honey so hee hath planted vs in a most plentifull and fertile land the abundance and blessings whereof as one said who did for a while absent himselfe in forraigne parts are perceiued magis carendo quam fruendo rather by wanting then by enioying them no Nation vnder the cope of heauen hauing such plenty of all Gods blessings both for the preseruation and sustentation and delectation of mans life as our land affordeth therefore no meruaile if the Pope and his adhaerents compasse sea and land vse all the trickes and plots they can deuise by treason and treachery by open hostility and priuy conspiracie to gaine this Iland into their tyrannie out of which that triple crown'd Father suck'd so much sweetnesse for it is the eye of Europe and store-house of Christendome And as it was said that the Prouince of Purgatory did yeeld as much reuenue to the Popes treasury as heauen and hell both so it is thought that that man of sinne and his generation of Vipers Monkes and Friars Abbots and Priors in our fore-fathers time did sucke as much fatnesse out of this Kingdome as out of all Christendome no wonder then if they bestirre themselues for it 't is a sweet bit terra frugifera a fruitfull land fitly resembling the land of Canaan 4 But the head of all Gods mercies to theÌ„ consisted in beneficio animae in doing the soule a good turne in reuealing his will his word his truth his lawes and ordinances vnto them the Prophet reckons it an vnspeakable fauour He gaue his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israell hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation Psal 147.19 Such is Gods goodnesse vnto vs also hee hath made knowne his word his will his truth his Gospell to vs in most