Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
law_n sin_n sin_v transgression_n 4,837 5 10.4181 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A93348 Great Britains misery; with the causes and cure. Described first, as it is from the justice of God the authour, who is now in controversie with the inhabitants of the land for sin: especially for eight capitall crimes, all which are aggravated by sundry circumstances. Secondly, the injustice and malice of the instruments of this misery, Satan and his agents: their main aime, and particular ends, moving them therunto. Vindicating, plainly and fully, (by way of answer to severall objections) the lawfulnesse and necessity of raising arms by the Parliament, and kingdom; for the defence of the King, kingdom, religion, laws, and known rights of the subject: against that viperous generation of papists, atheists, delinquents, and licentious men, who have at once invaded all. ... / By G.S. Gent. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford. Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658. 1643 (1643) Wing S4037; Thomason E250_4; ESTC R212534 90,980 68

There are 6 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

be no Peace when God calleth for War nor shall there be any War when God calls for Peace When he gives quietnesse who can make trouble and when he hideth Job 43. 29. his face who can behold him whether it be done against a nation or against a man onely War and Peace are at Gods beck so is all other calamities If he call for Pestilence or Famine in a Kingdom City or Family it shall come and cannot be hindred He hath now called for War upon the inhabitants of Isa 25 19. Great Britain and hath begun to bring evil upon the Kingdoms and Cities tha● are called by his Name and who but he can call the Sword back from us If God wound who can make whole when he troubles a nation who can give quietnesse if he have purposed to destroy us the whole world cannot deliver us out of his hand Every War is in its own nature destructive but a sedicious unnaturall War such as God hath now called for upon us is most miserable and most destructive one of the forest of all Gods Judgements and yet may prove more miserable in respect of the effects if God should as we have just cause to fear call for Famine and for Pestilence both which are the usuall companions of such a War So it was in Jerusalem as their seditious War increased Famine and Pestilence the companions of Civill-War Ios J●ws wars 1● c 11. Ios Jews wars l. 7 c 8. Euseb Ecclesiast hist l. 7 c. 21. so the Famine raged as a double fire it waxed hot that as Josephus reports the rich by stealth exchanged all their wealth for a measure of wheat the poor all they had for a measure of barley The Seditious Robbed Racked and killed those that had any food and hid it from them the mothers snatched the meat from the Infants mou●hes yea did slay and eat their own children And Eusebius relates the misery of Civill-Wars in Alexandria accompanied by the Plague of Pestilence so miserable that all houses were annoyed by the dead bodies no house free raging and infecting one another And thus it was in Germany by their late and still continued War Yet this doth not alwayes fall out because sometimes God forbids these two latter Plagues to enter when his hand is seen and acknowledged in the first and that he finde the hearts of men to se●k out the true remedy of cure for God brings not the first but when he is provoked nor will call for the latter if his anger be appeased by removing the causes For God openeth the ear to Discipline and commandeth to return from iniquity and the● who can say it shall be when the Lord commandeth it not Job 36. 10. Lam 3. 37. Job 12. 23. He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them he enlargeth the nations and straitneth them again The mightiest Monarchs Kingdoms and Cities have their Ebbs and Flows and their ●e●iods too God hath appointed their times of change and of ruine Ninevie once at the Preaching of Jonah was spared but Ninevie whose walls were in compasse 60 miles in height 100 foot the breadth able to receive three carts one meeting the other having 150 Towers of great height and strength yet was destroyed by the Caldees And that famous Citie of Jerusalem whose walls was trebble and bulwarks invincible was made an heap of stones And the Kingdoms of Judea destroyed by the Romanes Proud Nebuchadnezzar when he had felt the all disposing hand of God confessed That God doth all things what soever he will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants Dan 4 35 of the earth n●ne can st●y his hand or say to him What doest thou Thus much of the efficien● Cause In the next place we are to consider of the meritorious cause of all misery The meritorious cause is sin Rom. 6. 23. and of the misery of Great Britain at this day The meritorious cause is sin The wages of sin is death There was no misery no affliction no sorrow till there was sin Where sin entred it made way to misery by Adams sin all men became sinfull and by sin all men became obnoxious to all misery Sin is no creature God made it not nor is God the authour of sin nor of any evil except the evil of punishment which is the reward of sin nor is God delighted to punish or make his creatures miserable In the midst of Judgements Psal 73. 38. Lam. 3. 23. God remembers Mercy He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men but is afflicted in all their afflictions But God who is essentially Isa 63. 9. and eternally just rendreth punishment as the wages and due reward for sin All sorrow sicknesse pains pestilence famine war c. are the effects and rewards of sin Sin makes a separation between God and a sinner Isa 59. 2. Psal 66 13. it causeth God to turn away his face from him that he will not hear his prayers though he make many prayers yea the prayers of such a man as Isa 1. 15. Pro. 28. 9. allows himself to live in sin is abomination to God Sin is that onely thing that God hates and why he is angry with his creatures Sin cast the Angels down from heaven to hell and Adam out of Paradise For sin the old world was destroyed by water Sodome and Gomorrah by fire The earth opened and swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram for sin And for sin Herod was Num. 16 32. eaten with Worms In a word By sin we war against God and for sin God maketh war against us Sin sets open a wide flood-gate for all judgements to enter and break in upon kingdoms and people Particular sins let in particular judgements Nationall sins nationall judgements Now if any ask What is sin The Apostle gives the answer Sin is the 1 Joh. 3. 4. The description of sin what it is transgression of the Law of God Whosoever leaves undone any thing that the Law of God commandeth or doth any thing that the Law forbiddeth he sinneth the sum of this Law is contained in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Gal 3 10. Book of the Law to do them This curse comprehendeth all misery in this life and in the life to come though but once committed The Angels sinned but once and that but in thought and were delivered to chains of darknesse to be 2 Pet. 2 4. Gen. 3 13. Levit. 10. 1 2. reserved unto further judgement Adam for our sin was punished in his own person and in all his posterity Nadab and Abiram consumed for once offering strange fire and the sword never departed from Davids house for one 2 Sam. 12 10. act of Adultery and Murder Now if any one sin but once committed deserve the whole wrath of God how much more when often itterated But there are some
sins that do provoke more wrath then others do whether against kingdoms or particular men Touching those sins that most provoke God to wrath and hasten judgements Among many I will name eight all which have long and do still Eight sins that hasten Judgements upon England rage in this Kingdom Idolatry Prophening the Lords Day Pride Oppression Murther Drunkennesse Whoredome Lukewarmnesse in Religion First for Idolatry This is a grievous sin immediately against the person The first is Idolary 1 Sam. 2. 25. of God If a man sin against God who shall intreat for him This sin is committed either when we worship a false God or the true God in a false manner and is a denying of God to be God Sets up something created in the room of the Creatour which is the greatest dishonour that can be to God being committed by any that have ever known God and God is most tender Isa 42 8. and jealous of his honour he will not give his glory to any other but will surely make that man or that nation miserable that thus dishonour him He commanded his people Israel If any man or woman did worship any Deut. 17 3 5. other God he should be stoned to death if a whole city it was to be destroyed And when the two Tribes and half beyond Jordan erected an Altar Deu 13 12 15 supposed by the other nine Tribes and half to be for Idolatry they all with Josh 22. one consent took arms to go against them but being assured by enquiry that no such thing was intended they desisted But when all Israel fell to Idelatry for it is a sin to which nature is very prone and began to chuse new Gods that is to mingle with the pure worship of God the superstitious Ceremonies of the heathens presently war was in their gates and God Judg 5. 8 Judg. 2. 14 gave them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them and into the hands of their enemies See the same sin in Solomon and the punishment of it in his 1 Kings 11 11. 1 Kings 12 25. 16. 2 Chron. 4 23 24. Ant. l. 9 c 2. 2 King 21 18. son Rehoboam Also in King Joash for this sin God gave him into the hands of the King of Assyria by a sinall and weak army So Joram who had married with Ahabs daughter who drew him as Josephm relates to execute divers mischiefs and amongst the rest to adore strange gods God punished him by the revolting of the Idumaans and smote him with a grievous disease of which he died and afterward was not suffered to be lamented nor buried in the sepulchre of the Kings The examples of Gods high displeasure against this sin are many both in Sacred and humane writings Secondly The prophaning of the Lords day This is also a sin immediately The second is Sabbath breaking l sa 58. 13. Lev 24 11. Jer. 17 25. Vers 27. against God and is committed either by the neglect of Spirituall Worship or by doing any bodily works of our callings Also by Sports Pastimes idle words or vain thoughts on that day The man that gathered sticks was by Gods command stoned to death Great blessings are promised to the keeping of that Day holy And great Judgements threatned if it be by any means prophaned God threatneth that he would kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem that should not be quenched And for this sin in the reign of Zedekia● ● Chro. 36. 21. Jerusalem was destroyed and the people carried captive into Babylon till the land for the space of threescore and ten yeers lay waste to keep her Subbaths for so long they were in captivity of which sin and punishment good Nehemiah puts the people in minde after their return when they began again to prophane the Sabbath day saying Did not our fathers thus And Did not our Neh. 13 18. God therefore bring all this evil upon us and upon this city Thirdly Pride This was one of the sins of wicked Sodome that cryed to heaven for judgement It is a sin very hatefull to God and not pleasing to men The third is pride In other sins men agree together in the sin but one proud man hates another that is as proud as he This sin ingageth God in war against men God resisteth the proud The Lord threatneth that he will destroy the house of the Jan. 6. 4. P. o. 15 26. proud Proud men are great enemies to a State If a people their affliction pray unto God and are not 〈◊〉 it is because of the pride of evil men Job 35. 12. God will marre the pride of Judeh and the great pride of Jerusalem The prophet tells us That because the daughters of Zion were haughty Walked With out-stretched necks Jer 13. 9. and wanton eyes mincing as they go c. The Lord will smite Isa 3 16 25. them and the men shall fall by the sword and in the war The pride of the women shall be punished by the death of their husbands Israel for her Pride Hos 6. 5. 2 Chro. 32. 25. shall fall and Judah shall fall with her And because Hezekiahs heart was lift up with pride therefore there was wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem Fourthly Oppression This is one of the crying sins that hasteneth Judgement against a nation or private men Ye shall not appresse one another but thou The fourth sin is Oppression Levit 25. 27. shalt fear thy God This fear of God and Oppression are contraries Where the fear of God is there is no oppression and where dppression is there is no fear of God These cannot dwell together in one heart nor in one kingdom This is a sin contrary to the nature of God who is Mercy it self Therefore he heareth the cry of Labourers servants and strangers when their hire is kept back and it entreth into the ears of the Lord If the cry of the lesse be so displeasing Deur 24 15. Jam. 54. much more of the greater When the whole kingdom crieth as the cry of the Israelites in Egypt A people oppressed by authority cries loud Exod. 2 23. This was in the dayes of Solomon as well as Idolatry and was as sevearly punished in his son Rehoboam This is a sin as well against the Gospel as the Law condemned by both The Law commands to shew mercy and compassion Oppresse none But saith the Prophet They the Kings Princes and People Zech. 79 10 11. hearkned not they stopped their ears that they should not hear this command but made their hearts as an Ademant stone c. Therefore came great wrath from the Lord of hosts and afterward when misery was an them they cried but God would not bear because they would not hear when the Prophet of God cried to them in his Name but they were scattered with a whirlwinde among all nations The Scripture sets forth oppressours by the names and nature of
cruell beasts Bulls Bears Wolves Dogs Kine of Bashan c. And the Prophet Amos tells them That the Lordhath sworn by his Ames 2. 4. holinesse that he will take them away with hooks and their posterity with 〈◊〉 as such devouring beasts and fishes are taken that bite and devour one another The stronger devour the weaker and greater eat up the lesser So the Prophet J●remiah complained That among the people there were wicked appressing Jer. 5 26. men who set traps to catch men Deceit was in their houses by it they became great and were waxen rich Therefore the Lord will be avenged on such Vers 28. 29. a nation as this Fifthly Murther This is another crying sin And this is committed either The fifth sin Murder by shedding innocent blood or by withholding judgement from the shedders of blood The blood that is shed cryeth loud against both these and ascends into the ears of God It is a sin against nature forbidden long before the Law was given by Moses and it was punished in the first age of the world The Gen. 9. 5. 6. voice of Abels blood cryed upto God from the earth It is expresly commanded Gen 4 11. That the blood shedder shal be delivered to the hands of the avenger of blood the reason is given in Verse 10. That the guilt of innocnet blood lie not upon Deut. 19. 12. the Land If blood lie upon a nation it leaves a stain that cannot be put out except Judgement be executed The guilt of blood may die long upon a nation till men seem to forget it but the Lord will not let it escape punishment If the Magistrates of the Nation do not punish it God will punish the Magistrate and the Nation too Saul slew divers of the Gibeonites causlesly contrary to Josh 9. 15. the Covenant and Oath which Joshua and the Princes of Israel made with them And long after in the dayes of David God sent a famine in the Land 〈◊〉 Sam. 21. 1. three yeers for that sin Till David executed Justice upon the sons of Saul the Gibeonites were but slaves to Saul and all Israel Yet see Gods Justice Sauls sons though of the Royall blood they must die for it God is no respecter of persons Where Judgement is not duely executed by man God will do it with his own hand some other way on whomsoever are guilty Now if Great Britain be guilty of such blood as surely it is then no marvell that God hath whet his glittering sword against us and made his arrows drunk with Deut. 32 41. blood to avenge the bloods of the innocnet and to destroy the withholders of Justice for he will avenge the blood of his servants and render vengeance Verse 43. 2 Kings 24. 4. to his adversaries The Lord sent the Caldecs Syrians Moabites and the children of Ammon against Jehoiakim to avenge the blood that Manasseh had shed in his dayes Though God be patient yet he is just God in Scripture is Psal 9 12. said to make inquisition after blood we see he did for the blood of Naboth which Ahab by Jezebel had shed and made the Dogs to lick the blood of Ahab ● Kings 21. 19. 2 Kings 9. 7. in the same place where they had licked the blood of Naboth and of Jezebelt by the wall of Jezreel and cut off the bloody house of Ahab by the bloody sword of Justice Sixthly Drunkennesse This sin is of a double provocation First it provokes The sixth sin is Drunkennesse Isa 5. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 10. God to wrath as it is a transgression of his law and is by the Apostle excluded from the kingdom of heaven Secondly it provokes men to the breach of every Commandment of God either to the act or guilt of all grosse sins as Murther Whoredom Stealing Lying and Swearing a sin under which the Land mourneth it takes a way the heart from God and inclines it to all wickednesse Wo is the portion of them that follow after strong drink Hos 4. 11. Prov. 23. 29. Isa 5. 11. Verse 22. Joel 15. Deu 29. 19. 20 and to them that are strong to drink strong drink The Prophet Joel awakes the drousie Drunkards and bids them weep and howl But the Drunkard is of all men most fearlesle till the Judgement be upon his head The Drunkard blesseth himself in his sin and sayes he shall have peace though he adde Drunkennesse to thirst Therefore the Lord will not spare us but his Wrath and Jealousie doth sinoak against us at this day God commanded that the father Deut 2● 20. of a Drunkard should bring his son to the Elders and stone him to death The whole nation of the Jews for this sin was carried into captivity and the Prophet Isa 5. 13 14. Neh. 1. 10. speaking of the destruction of Nineve saith While they were drinking as Drunkards they shall be d●●oured as stubble fully dry Belsbazzars kingdom Dan. 5. ● Kings 20. 16 was given from him while he was Drinking and Carousing before a thousand of his Lords Benhadad and thirty two other kings his consederates were all put to flight while they were drinking drunk in their Pavilions Seventhly Whoredom This is a very grievous and an unnaturall sin for The seventh sin is Whoredom 1 Cor. 6. 18. Heb. 13. 4. by it a man sinneth against his own body In all other sins of the second Table a man sins against another but by this a man sins against himself and others too This is a double sin not actually committed but by two as Zimri and Cozby The whoremonger destroyeth two bodies and two souls at once Whoredom Prov. 6. 32. is of two sorts Adultery and Fornication Both are hatefull to God and God hath excluded both from him in heaven and excludeth himself from them upon the earth by separating his servants from them as the Prophet witnesseth O faith he that I had a lodging place in the wildernesse that I might leave Jer. 9 2. my people and go from them for they be all adulterers c. God is far from them as a protectour he will come neer to them in judgement as he threatneth by Mat. 3. 5. the Prophet Josephus saith There is no greater filthinesse then the unlawfull mixture of our bodies The adulterer and the adulteresse were both to be put to Deut 22 22. death by Gods command but this sin reigns by custome and is practised by authority in England as was described by Seneca What woman saith he so Sentc benif l. 3. c. 16. miserable or loathsome that will content herself with one pair of adulterers they are carried to one friend and they dine with another for every day they have one and count the keeping of one Lemman good Wedlock We read that the least punishment that the Egyptians inflicted upon adulterers was to cut off the nose of the woman and the privy parts
to good life To teach by Precept saith Seneca is long and tedious but examples are short and effectuall to teach evill Therefore the sins of such men are more displeasing to God and provoke him more to wrath then then the whole world who lie in wickednesse First Because all such men sin against greater means greater mercies more 1 Joh 5. 19. Sins of the godly provoke more wrath then others Luk. 12. 48. Verse 47. Ez●k 9 6. 1 Pet. 4 17. light more knowledge c. Where much is given much is required To whom a man committeth much of him he will ask more He that knows his masters will and prepares not to do it shall be beat●n with many stripes Their sins hasten Judgements as their prayers prevent Judgements Therefore when Judgements come upon a Nation it beginneth with them Begin saith the Lord at my Sanctuary Judgement must begin at the House of God Secondly The sins of the godly do most dishonour God cause the Name of God to be blasphemed and the way of godlinesse to be evill spoken of The Name Esay 42. 5. Ezek. 36. 20. Rom. 2. 24. of God saith the Apostle is blasbhem'd among the Gentil●s through you Hence it was that Gods anger was great at Davids sin thou hast given great occasion 1 Sam 12 14. to the enemies of God to blaspheme Thirdly by their sins the Spirit of God is g●ieved the hearts of the godly Ephes 4. 30. Psal 119 158. Jer. 23. 14. are made sorrowfull and the hands of the wicked are strengthned I have seen in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they strengthen the hands of evill doers that none return from his wickednesse Fourthly The godly are of Gods own family he hath continuall eye upon them and therefore chastiseth them first of all other you have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities he Amos. 4 2. doth chastise them here but usually deferreth the judgements of the wicked reserving them to the great day of wrath Yet alwayts when by the sins of 1 Pet. 4. 18. Esal 51 17. Jer. 15. 28 29. the godly he is provoked to bring a generall calamity upon a Kingdom and makes the wicked his instruments as usually even then in the end the wicked shall bear the greatnesse of his wrath God wil deliver his own in his own Psal 34 17. Rom. 8 18. Psal 11 6. Psal 75 8. Circumstances aggravate sin provoke more wrath time out of all their misery and will reward their short affliction with everlasting felicity leaving the wicked to utter destruction thus much of the persons As by persons so by circumstances sin is aggravated as when sin is committed openly with contempt of God and Law and not punished this was El●●s sons sin their open contempt made the people a●ho● the Offerings of the Lord therefore the Text saith Their sin was very great before the Lord. So to sin with deliberation in cold blood as we use to say against checks of 1 Sam. 2. 17. consequence not by sudden passion of violent temptations In this the sin of 1 Sam. 11. 12. 13. David was aggravated in the case of Vriah So to yeeld to sin upon every small temptation to sin for a trifle Shall a man transgresse for a piece of bread Or to sin presumptuously in abuse of mercy to●● liberty to sin because God Prov 26. 21. Rom. 6. 1. is mercifull Or to make Religion a close to cover sin to seem religious to deceive and co●●● it makes the sin greater then to prosesse to be such a man Psal 10 16. and to own the sin So to betray men or Towns under pretence of friendship as Joab slew Abner and shed blood in a time of peace and under pretence 2 Sam. 3. 27. 1 Kings 2. 5. of love In a word when men will offer injury to a good man for goodnesse sake as Cain and Judas in despight of holinesse And truely these circumstances aggravate the sins of this very time and will be a means to hasten destruction upon such wicked men and to bring deliverance to them that fear God those that strongly oppose the Parliament and hate Reformation notwithstanding Prov. 29. 1. they have had many exhortations and sharp reproofs And so the time when sin is committed is an aggravation of wrath As to be drunk on the Lords Day a Fast day c. is more sinfull then upon another day and to sin at such a time when Gods Judgements are upon us while God is whipping us for sin then to sin makes the same out of measure sinfull and 1 Thes 2 16. Deut 28. 20. 2 Cor. 36. 16. provokes to wrath till there be no remedy Now seeing all afflictions are from God for sin and that some sins provoke more then other and those sins are aggravated by the persons and circumstances and that those sins most provoking are the common raging sins of Great Britain aggravated by persons and circumstances Let us consider in the next place whether God have not justly suited his Judgements answerable to Rom. 2 6. Rev 2. 23. Wisd 11 16. Judg. 1. 7. our sins wherewith a man sinneth therewith he shall be punished Adonibez●k when his thumbs and great toes were cut off confessed God has justly requited him as he had done to others God usually fits his Judgements answerable to sin whether private men or Kingdoms Elyes sons sinned by riot and profaned the Priesthood they were sons of Belial and for the abusing the Priests Office they were for ever cast off from the Priesthood for their riot and excesse punished by want shall crouch to one of the Priests for a piece of silver 2 Sam. 2. 36. and a morsell of bread Davids sin of adultery and murder was punished in the same kinde The Levites Concub●ne lived in adultery and died by adultery 2 Sam. 12. 10 21. Judg. 13 25. Psal 109. 17. The Prophet David prophetically saith of Judas and so of all other as he loved cursing so let it come unto him and as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him And thus do our present miseries justly answer to our sins First To Our present miseries are answerable to our sins instance in Idolatry our great sin consider while it was but a little winked at and Idolatrous Papists suffered amongst us God made them to be thorns in our eyes and goads in our sides ever plotting treasons against us yet we have harboured them and hankered after their Idolatry therefore just that God should make them the instruments and actors of our misery and were but just to deliver us up into their hands that as we have by them dishonoured God we might serve them and be dishonoured by Jer. 8. 19. Jer. 5. 19. them God gave them into our hands in the yeer 1605. as a people appointed to
slaughter or banishment not onely for their Idolatry but for their bloodie Treason But contrary we have cherished them made Leagues and Matches with them and mixed more of their Idolatry with the pure worship of God then ever before to the dishonour of God therefore they dishonour and ruine us When Ahab spared a people appointed to slaughter God told him His life and the lives of his people should go for theirs and it was so And is in part already made good upon us and is but the same that is threatned That if the people make graven Images and do evil in Gods sight he would soatter them among D●●● 6. 25 2● the ●●●ions When Israel served other gods of the nations God made the people of the nations rule over them Secondly for prophaning the Lords Day God hath shewed his displeasure Prophaning the Lords day continually by many particular Judgements as some writers observe the fall upon the Beargarden on that day is remarkable January 13. 1683. where See Stubb in Annatomy of abuse were slain and hurt many prophane Sporters Wee have had many warning Pieces of Gods displeasure now we have Volies of Musket and murdering Canon the execution of Gods wrath As we have sli●hted holy Ministers so are they justly driven from us into corners we have gadded from place to place after vaine sports and recreations on that day to Court Maskes and Playes all inventions either of profits or pleasure to Gods dishonor in prophaning the day of holy rest therefore it is just that the Land be layd wast left without men or cattle to till it That whiles it keepes such unhappy rest the people are driven to as unhappy wandring and heare no word behind them to tell them the Esay 30. 21. way That blessed day of Peace is become a bloudy day of Battle and Slaughter our Churches for holy Assemblies are become either recectacles of wicked seditious men or prisons of durance and misery to the godly and most justly for the irreverent contempt of the use of Churches by erronious Anabaptists suffered amongst us who esteem Churches no more necessary for prayer Vid. D. Wil●●● in Levit. 26 Conf. 3. then a Hogsty and say Christ may be better worshiped in Woods then in Churches Thus as we have all wandred from duty by disorder and sin God will drive us into order by punishments As we have erred from the way of mercy God will reduce us by way of Justice as is threatned I will do to them Ezek. 7. 27. after their wayes and according to their desires I will Judge them Pride is justly punished Thirdly for our pride rais'd up to the height of swelling ambition and disdainfull carriage in all apish behaviour imitating all Nations in fashions and sins God is now by the sword justly pulling it us down to the lowest humiliation or misery Gods blessings in plenty and peace made us fatt and wanton and we have like Jesurum kicked against God glorying in our abundance in all profussenesse Deut. 32. 15. and expence upon vanity in Buildings Furniture Ornaments Plate Jewels Apparrell Feastings c. every one above his degree to the dishonour of God Now God by answerable judgements afflicts the Nation and meets with this very sin in every one of us to punish us and spoyle our pride Our eyes see our stately buildings demollished the Monuments of our Ancestours in which we gloryed are spoyled before our faces our Plate Jewells Money costly Furniture and apparrell taken away by force God hath stirr'd malignity from the pride of our spirits to kindle a fire of contention to consume and destroy one another like those bloudy seditious Jewes who would See Jos●p in war Jews lib. 3. Chap. 14. have killed their Captain because they might not kill one another He that destroyes to day is himselfe destroyed to morrow pride and excesse saith Plato is the destruction of Kingdomes Pride is like a wild man whose hand is against every man and every mans hand against him It is the son of the Gen. 16. 12. Bond-woman envious at his brother and by it we find as judit●ous Seneca saith there is but a moment of time between Royalty and Captivity take notice Sencca in Tranq cap. 11 of it for God justly meets with this sin and makes pride the punishment of pride we have by pride fought against God and God by proud men fighteth against us and will assuredly before he sheath his sword destroy our pride or us As God made the rich and the poore of one mould So he is by these judgements bringing them into one condition as is threatned I Will marre the pride of Israel and the great pride of Jerusalem ●●r 13. 9. Fourthly Oppression we know this sin hath cryed long for judgement the cry hath been loud against this Nation and is now answered As the sinne Oppression justly punish'd hath been generall so the punishment is generall all feel it from the King to the Plough-man Naboths Vineyard hath been taken by force and fraud by the one the covering of the poor by the other and the Law that should relieve the oppressed was tyed up by money Law it selfe was but a Cypher and so nothing if more it was but a figure and so any thing our Judges were made on purpose to do injustly and unmade for doing justice They as all Officers of Judicatory bought their places deer and sold their attendance deerer They bought oppression by grosse sold it out by retail as their brethren the Patentees and so grownd the face of the very poor Now God by his judgements payeth us in our own coyn observe how the monyes received by oppression are spent in oppression and by that which men payed against Law they are oppressed to destroy Law those that gave monies to oppresse are themselves oppressed the Oppressor is oppressed the Spoyler is by spoyling spoyled The just oppressing sword of Gods wrath for unjust oppression is now in the Land and oppresseth all They that made the Law uselesse that they might destroy others have no Law to secure themselves from ruine We must needs acknowledge that the Lord is righteous in all his Wayes and holy in all his workes and I will with confidence beleeve that when God will in pitty sheath his sword that law which wicked men seek to destroy shal by the ministration Psal 145. 17. of Justice cut them off for their oppression and murder God will plead his peoples Cause and will spoyle the soule of the Spoyler And Prov. 22. 23. Ier. 51 48. Esay 14. 2. in the end make his restored people to rule over their Oppressors as hee hath promised Fiftly the Sin of Murder we know is the sin of Brittain The bloud unrevenged Murder is justly punished hath cryed to Heaven a long time and now God sheddeth the Kingdoms bloud by cruell murtherers because by foolish pitty the bloud
of them that wickedly shed bloud was not shed God punisheth the impunity of murder by murder As Jacobs sons stain'd the coate of their brother Joseph with the bloud of Kids so Brittains sonnes unnaturall brethren stain the garment of the earth with the bloud of men in every place God is provoked to use the sword of wicked men to punish these guilty Kingdomes The sin is made the punishment of the sin and the punishment will turne to sin upon the heads of the Punishers Absoloms sinne of Rebellion and defiling his fathers bed was the punishment of Davids sin yet it was not lesse then sinne in him The The blood of Queen Maryes dayes cry bloud of Queen Maryes dayes is now required which we have not lamented and therefore hath since then cryed against us The bloud of Queen Elizabeths time is not forgiven though some of those bloud-shedders were by Gods hand cut off shortly after who were guilty for the bloud of guiltlesse Essex and at their end some of them acknowledged Gods hand justly was upon them Other blouds of latter times are fallen in with the complaint of the Marian bloud and now must be avenged together The bloud of Germany puts in an Indictment against us for our neutrality the bloud of France pleads accusations The blood of latter times in the three kingdomes cry of treachery the bloud of all the three Kingdoms joyn in one complaint for impunity and treachery Some spilt in wrath others by conspiracy and false accusations some by poyson and other secret plots and some by causelesse Imprisonment c. The blouds of all thus shed complain with one voice that Justice hath been stopped corrupted and prevented The Avengers of bloud roughly dealt with beaten accused and wholly suppressed false evidences hath been admitted and true Testimony cast out The bloud of the poore is heard cry in Gods eares as well as the bloud of the rich the bloud of Princes and people cry and God is come down to see if it be according to the cry and will not respect the persons of men He is come to judge the earth and will do right to all men And now the bloody and deceitfull men shall not live Psa 58. 11. Gen. 18. 25. out their dayes This is the day of the God of Hoasts the day of vengeance in which he will be avenged on all his enemies He now makes inquisition for bloud Psal 55. 23. Ier. 26. 10. Eccle. 8 12. and will spare none when he hath used the rod to correct his people he will cast it into the fire to be burnt Sixtly Drunkennesse the English mother sin and master destroyer of souls The cause of Gods displeasure upon particular men and the whole Kingdom Drunkennes is justly punished and ye● more is threatned as have formerly been observed by many among other judgements upon the grain Barly severall times smitten by drought and wet lesser judgements are warnings and threaten greater if the cause remain but the sin remaines and still raigns and is at this day threatned with greater judgements just answering to the sin Famine is the companion of War and is now entring into the Land hasted forward by an Army of Spoylers worse then the Locusts of Egypt to devour and eat up the fruits of the Land as is threatned for this sinne Weepe and houle ye drinkers of wine the field is wasted the Land Exod. 10. 12. Ioel. 1. 5. 10. mourneth for the Corne is dryed up the abuse of Pl●nty must be punished with want Seventhly Whoredom a common sin of these Kingdomes secretly committed and openly known but not punished if punished it is the poverty of Whoordom is most justly punished the whoremonger not the sin The Noble so by Title have a tolleration by their greatnesse the rest by their money a sin punishable by Gods Law with death yet suffered by men to escape without correction It hath contracted a double guilt upon the Land the guilt of the sinne and the guilt of Impunity God sent the plague of pestilence among the people of Israell for this sinne and 1. Cor. 10. 8 for it he hath sent severall plagues amongst us and smitten many thousands by death but no Phinehas hath stood up to execute judgement Adulterous marriage have been suffered and connived at and strange marriages with strange Numb 25. 7. Nations and strange religions and strange rebellious broods have followed and likely are crept into some of our greatest Families who usurp the names Strange and Adulterous Marriages are like to be some cause of our presens milery and inherit the Lands of those that never got them The old world was condemned for this the sonnes of God took them wives of the daughters of men of all that they would choose and there were Giants in the earth They made strange marriages such as we in England as that between Lord Mount-Joy and Lady Rich that between Lord Car and Countesse of Essex also secret whisperings of unnaturall Sodamy never questioned The sins conniv'd at in this Nation are such as Abimclech durst not commit nor suffer although he Gen. 20. 7. were a man subject to behold beauty with desire What absurdity were it to believe that the Off-springs of such kind of Matches and Broods have produced a generation to punish the Kingdom for this sin of Whoordom and that God should make them Instruments and Actors to aggrivate our misery at this day who set themselves to do mischief and are mocking Ismaels haters of the children of promise as unnaturall as Absolon who abused his fathers bed and Gen. 21. 9. 2. Sam. 16. 22 3. Sam. 13. 14. as Ammon who d filed his halfe Sister We see in nature that the creatures that generate by couples are tender of the good and preservation one of the other the young own the Male and the Male take care of them whereas among those that generate promiscuously the Male never ●●reth for the young or the yong never own him But we worse and more unnaturall then the bruit beast seek to ruine one another the father the son the son the father c. Surely Gods hand is plainly seens in the miseries now upon us answerable to this sin of Whoordom besides the former warnings we have had by lesser judgements That is ●ot he least that God hath a long time been silent which presaged great wrath as he said of Israel I will not visit your daughters when they commit Whoordom nor your Spouses when they commit adultery Impunity betokeneth Hosea 4. 14. destruction and now the dayes of visitation are come these are the dayes of rec●m●ence and England will know it and acknowledge it is justly punished Hosca 9. 7 Fightly Lukewarmnesse in Religion England above all Nations is guilty of this sin never people enjoyed so glorious means of knowledge nor never Lukewarme a great sinne and justly punish'd had any people more