but even for them it had been well were he where he so much desired to be for then he might have been their intercessor with God and might have presented all their prayers unto him but he knew no such doctrine he hath taught us otherwise We read in Revel 8. 1. that there was silence in heaven for half an hour and what follows An Angel with a golden Censer stands at the Altar and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne Vers 3. I will not stand to open this whole prophesie unto you let this suffice The Incense that is offered with our prayers is Christs intercession which smels so sweetly in the nostrils of God that he is content silence should be in heaven for a little time where yet his praises are sung eternally untill those prayers of the Saints so perfumed be fully heard Remember then Christ sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. let all our prayers then be made in his Name and presented unto the Father by his hand Vse 5 Fiftly there is an use of consolation arising from this consideration touching the Object of our supplications Have we a God to call upon and doth he call upon us that we should do so and do it freely frequently and the more often the more welcome O blessed and thrice blessed be his Name that hath so graciously invited us He hath not put us over to any such as the Papists fancie to be Favourites or Masters of Requests in heaven God the great King of heaven and earth is not like these his Vice-royes who must have their other u Satrapas quosdam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatos Philost vit Apoll. Tyan lib. 1. cap. â—â— cap. 19. Eares and Eyes to see and heare their subjects in their suits Whereas he by himself alone seeth and heareth all things his eies and eares going at once through all the world He is that friend spoken of Luk. 11. who when his children were in bed x P. Chrysol serm in Luc. 11. his Saints and Angels asleep rose himselfe to lend bread unto his friend How ready was he to heare that placed his bed so neer the door that no sooner his friend knocks but he heares him Not like that idol Baal of whom Elias said unto his Priests when with much clamour they cried after him Cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is in a iourney or peradventure he is sleeping and must be awaked 1 Kin. 18. 27. Nor like the heathens Iupiter who when the Grecians and the Troians were together by the ears was gone to visite his old friends y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad 15. Oceanus and Tethys He is alwaies nigh at hand to all that cal upon him yea unto all that call upon him faithfully It is he that said Before they call I will answer and whilest they are yet speaking I will heare Isa 65. 24. And when they thus come unto him z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 C. Rhod. Perioch Hom 9. he turns about to meet them graciously He is that father of the prodigall who when his sonne was at last returning to him with an humble confession and a poore petition Make me as one of thy hired seavants Luk. 15. 19. When he was yet a farre off saw him and had compassion and ranne and fell on his necke and kissed him And when he had made his confession stop 's him there and before he utters his request in stead of a servants livery cals for the best robe to put upon him and puts a ring upon his finger and much more he doth as if nothing had been too good for him who was dead and is now alive againe who was lost and is now found Read the parable and be comforted Vse 6 But then give me leave I beseech you to adde one use more Let it not seeme a digression which truly I conceive a seasonable direction and that is Since prayer is so effectuall and consequently so usefull in these calamitous times let us from hence be all directed especially upon this day of solemn humiliation to make our humble confession unto God and here principally of such sinnes as may be thought to have the greatest hand in these great judgements that are upon our Land We finde this to have been the constant practise of the Saints of God Thus did good Nehemiah he wept and mourned fasted and prayed Nehem. 1. 4. and withall makes a large confession of great sins ver 6. 7. and more largely Chap. 9. 33 34 35. he confesseth the sinnes of their Kings and Princes of their Priests and of their Fathers and of all the people Thus also did Ezra as appeareth Ezr. 9. 5 6. Thus Daniel exceeding them both Dan. 9. 4 c. I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord the great and dreadfull God c. We have sinned and have committed iniquitie and have rebelled c. An example worthy to be imitated and therefore worthy to be read over and over againe and to be learned and put in practise by us all And for our help in this holy duty suffer me to present unto you some of those foule offences that have provoked God against us and which may be the present matter of our mourning and of our serious confession before God First I shall begin where I fear our miseries began Our prophets have prophecied lies and the priests have ruled by their means and the people love to have it so Ier. 5. 31. The dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompense are come Israel shall know it The prophet is a foole and the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquitie and the great hatred Hos 9. 7. Our Nadabs and Abihu's Aarons sonnes have offered incense with strange fire before the Lord and no marvell then if fire be gone forth from the Lord to devour them The story of those men Levit. 10. and of their fire is by divers Interpreters expounded and applied to such things as have been the great abuses of our times Procopius upon the place saith a Exemplum habemus clarissinum humana non admiscenda divinis We have here a cleare example that humane things are not to be mixed with divine And have not we mixed Apocryphall writings with the Canon of the word of God and which is more to be lamented have we not preferred them before the divine Scriptures b Calend and Order for reading c. Before the Common prayer Our directions for the publike service so punctually to be observed by the late commands upon us do in expresse termes tell us that certaine books and chapters of the Old Testament are left unread as least edifying and yet you shall find by perusing the
The world hates you saith our Saviour and again In the world you shall have trouble Iohn 15. 19. 16. 33. and he gives this reason because you are not of the world you are strangers here and every dogge will bark at Strangers But that 's not all God is not so regardlesse of his people not an hair fals from the head of one of them but by his providence and d Quid illi pereat cui capillus non c. what can he lose that cannot lose an hair c The word affords us many arguments some with reference to grace some to glory shewing the grounds of this Gods dispensation towards his own 1. From grace we have these reasons 1. There is something of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam's filth even in the purest which must be wash't out with these waters of Marah By this therefore shall the iniquitie of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne Isa 27. 9. In that mighty tempest Ionah 1. 4 7. the Mariners make enquiry after their way for whose cause this evill was upon them and when it shall be told as by the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 epist 11. 30. For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many fall asleep it will make men look about them and begin to think it's time to iudge themselves that they be not iudged Vers 31. to search into their wayes and to repent Secondly affliction sometime is intended for prevention of sinne e Laetus animus facile lapsum iâ—currit quod tristi afflicto difficile evenit Arnob. in loc Men are apt to offend in dayes of mirth who are soon checked in times of sorrow Iob feared his children that they might sinne in their dayes of feasting Chap. 1. 5. and David found by sad experience in himself Before I was afflicted I went wrong Paul was wrapt up into the third heavens but he must down again and then f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Alex. lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations a thorn in the flesh is given him the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2 Corinth 12. 17. that he may learn to glory in tribulations Rom. 5. 3. For as Clemangius saith though g Amara est amaritudo flagellorum quibus à Deo corripimur sed amarior est amaritudo peccatorum quibus à Deo sepáramur Clem. there be bitternesse in the rods by which we are corrected of God yet there is much more bitternesse in the sinnes by which we are separated from God And therefore when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Corinth 11. 32. Thirdly trouble and distresses h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyr. Alex. drive men to good force men to God sicknesse lamenesse blindnesse c. brought many unto Christ who otherwise had never sought him and these seeking cure for bodily infirmities found present remedy also for the maladies of the soul what else meant our Saviour by that speech Thy faith hath saved thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanum te fecit non salvum te fecit hath made thee whole no hath brought salvation to thee It 's said by Basil of Seleucia concerning the Centurion who came to Christ in the behalf of his servant whose sicknesse was his sorrow i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. in Centu. The sicknesse of the servant was the Masters health The servant was sicke in body and the Master sanctified in soul And that Nobleman or Courtier of whom we read Iohn 4. went to Christ for his son and the issue of that blessed journey was himselfe beleeved and his whole house vers 53. These and such souls afflicted might after truely say with Themistocles unto his children k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. in vita Themist O children we had been lost utterly had we not been lost Fourthly the Lord by these trieth the spirits of men God led his people in the wildernesse forty yeares to prove them Deut. 8. 2. Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience Rom. 4. 3 4. Courage l Marcet sine adversario virtus tunc apparet quanta sit cum quid possit patientia ostendit Sen. de provid decayeth saith Seneca without an adversary then it appears how great it is when patience sheweth what it can do The valour and prowesse of a souldier is seen in the battell it is not bigge looks or great words will do it but his grapling with an enemy If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small Prov. 24. 10. m Exhibetur in lectulo virtus Sen. Strength is tried in weaknesse when thou lyest upon thy bed when sicknesse is upon thee and when thou art put to the use of all thy graces as faith hope patience and the like Fiftly graces are much encreased by these trials such as those I named before n Solidissima pars est corporis quam frequens usus agitavit Sen. It proveth the most solid part of the body which is most used most in exercise It was not said amisse of one He o Qui nescit orare discat navigare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athen. Posid that knoweth not not how to pray let him go to sea especially if that be true which I finde in that Heathen Writer He that never sailed never saw ill They that go down to the Sea in ships that do businesse in great waters These see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy winds c. Then they crie unto the Lord in their trouble c. Vers 23 24 28. of this Psalme And as afflictions abound where grace is once begun there grace abounds Our calamities are very great in this our distressed distracted kingdome and when was there such a willing people to spend and to be spent in Gods cause when was there such a spirit of prayer O blessed fruits of our afflictions Secondly the Lord intends to work glory to himself and to his Redeemed Ones from these distresses Out of the eater came meat according to Samsons Riddle Iudg 14. 14. And for this cause these times are brought upon us 1. Glory to himselfe 1. For first he justifieth the power of his grace against our adversary the Devil as in the case of Iob most evidently There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them Iob 1. 6. Satan that accuser of the brethren who came no doubt upon some such errand at that time who when the Lord glorying in the integritie of that servant said That there was none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man Vers 8. replieth Doth Iob feare God for nought Vers 9. Hast thou not made an hedge about him Vers 10. Hast thou not been
word crying Sometimes he tels how he roared for the very disquietnesse of his heart as if he had said with Iob My sighing cometh before I eat and my roarings are powred out like waters Chap. 3. 24. Velut und◠impellitur undâ as one wave drives on another so one sigh forceth another and one roaring follows upon another Even the Sonne of God himselfe in the dayes of his flesh thus offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Heb. 5. 7. and at the raising of his friend Lazarus he groaned in himself Ioh. 11. 38. and vers 33. he groaned in the spirit and was troubled or as the words are after the Originall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that word in 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used of the Devils tormented in Tartarus or Hell is derived from hence He tormented himself By all which testimonies it is evident that prayer that expecteth audience must not be slight and perfunctory but active and earnest and the reasons are first because cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Secondly because the Spirit it self thus maketh intercession for us helping our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. And thirdly God loveth thus violently to be dealt withall thus importunately to be sought unto This our Saviour manifesteth in the Parable of the man that came unto his friend at midnight and desired earnestly to borrow a little bread of him and at length had his request not because he was his friend but because * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was so impudent so 't is in the words Luke 11. 8. and in that parable also which he spake that men ought to pray and not faint Luke 18. 1. where after much delay the unrighteous Iudge avengeth the poor widow lest she should weary him out with her importunities In both which parables God plainly delivereth his own minde that he will surely heare and avenge his elect who crie or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 roar after him day and night vers 7. 3. In the third place take notice of the Obiect that 's the Lord. The Lord alone is to be sought by our prayers who is a present help in trouble he calleth upon us to take this course Call upon me c. Psal 50. and complains of such as forsake the fountain of living waters and digge to themselves pits that can hold no water The Philosopher observes this difference between Arts and Vertues we account him the best Artist not that would but that can work best but we count him most vertuous i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist not that can and will not but that would do best although he cannot We need not say to God or the Lord Christ Master if thou canst do any thing nor on the other side If thou wilt thou cast we need make no doubt either of his power or will he is both able and willing to relieve all suiters and to supply in every case when they seek his face and wait upon him when they pray and crie unto him He is the God that heareth prayers and unto him shall all prayers come Read through all the records of the world and shew me if possibly you can where any Saint of God made supplications unto any but to God onely and search as you go along if you can finde that ever he said to any suiter as Philip of Macedon to that poor woman k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leisure or Go away and come to morrow if it were seasonable for him to enjoy his suite at present It was sweetly said of that gracious Emperour * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocr. who would deny no Petitioner * A vultu Imperatoris nominem oportet tristem discedere It is not meet that any man should goe out sadly from the presence of his King Who ever came to God and went out from him heavie or unsatisfied Though he seeth nothing in us why he should regard us yet he seeth something in himself why he should hear us when we crie unto him were it but this onely because he delighteth in mercy Mic. 7. 18. And ever may it be the delight of our hearts that God is pleased to make mercy his delight By this which hath been spoken touching these three particulars the act the manner and the obiect of prayer I conceive the generall doctrine fully cleared that Earnest prayer or crying unto God is an effectuall means of procuring help in trouble I come now to application Vse 1 1. Is salvation so nigh at hand and the means so ready as prayer should be then let us here in the first place examine our own hearts whether in these our great distresses we have found them ready to take hold of those meanes that so we might obtain salvation and deliverance Have ye not known some who in stead of quickening their hearts to prayer have found them dead like Nabals even as a stone within them 1 Sam. 25. 37. Are there not many such as Hannah speaks of in her song The wicked are silent in darknesse that is in the darknesse of affliction who finding their strength sailing for by strength no man shall prevail 1 Sam. 2. 9. lie l Murmura dum secum rabiosa silentia radant murmuring and repining And others with that wicked King crying out Behold this evill is of the Lord what should we wait for the Lord any longer 2 Kings 6. 33. Are there not some who like Asa seek not to the Lord but to the Physitians 2 Chron. 15. 12. Physitians * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of no value as Job styled his friends Iob 13. 4. the word there is the same with that which is given to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 26. 1. Idols so they seek unto their arm of flesh and make Idols of their Forces and vainly relie upon them which cannot help And lastly are not too many of us like unto Ahaz who in the time of this distresse do trespasse yet more against the Lord 2 Chron. 28. 22. If it be so as I fear it is then it is high time for us now at last to bestirre our selves and to learn to hold fast by God and to betake our selves to prayer our surest refuge in such a sad condition as we are in Vse 2 2. And therefore in the next place let us be exhorted to this necessary dutie let 's to our knees and fall low before our God if any way we obtaine it will be by prayer Ye have heard how that legion of Christians in the Army of Marcus Aurelius prevailed by prayer called therefore The * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thunder-darting Legion Ye have heard how much the Emperour Constantine hath in this kinde ascribed to prayer How often did the people of God prevaile against their enemies by this stratageme When Moses prayed when Joshua prayed when all the men of Israel
fasted and wept and prayed then victories were obtained It were infinite to recount what mightie things have beene accomplished m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de Orat. Hom. 1. by prayer things to mans judgement impossible What diseases seeming incurable have been healed by prayer what dead raised what devils cast out It 's worth the noting that Peter said to Simon Magus Pray to God if per haps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee Acts 8. 22. as if he had told him if it happen well to thee any way it will be by prayer Vpon this practice man may with humble reverence expostulate with God How long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth As Amalek was overcome while Moses held up his hands so n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 50. Obiect lift up the hands of thy soul to heaven and thou shalt close with God and then Satan and all his Forces shall fall under thy feet But some may here object We have prayed often and the Lord hath not beene pleased to heare us but rather appeared as rejecting all our suits Answ To which I answer with the Apostle Iames Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse Chap. 4. 3. Ye misse sometimes in the manner sometimes in the matter many times in the end so that he said not amisse that told thee o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de Orat hom 2. Audit ad alutem cum non ad voluntatem Thou hast received when thou hast not received God hearing many times to thy good when he hears not to thy desire and gives thee that which is much better for thee then what thy corrupt will or ignorance would obtain Vse 3 Again it may be he onely deferreth to give till thou be fitter to receive or p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he delighteth to hold thee longer with him Remember how often thou hast heard a Begger crie unto thee and thou hast refused to give him and this done of crueltie when God hath never refused but of mercy Nay let me adde Thou hast often heard God calling to thee and thou hast not regarded him therefore it is but just that he should render like for like unto thee 3. Thirdly let us from the second consideration be instructed to pray fervently and to pray incessantly Ye heard how the Saints yea how the Sonne of God expressed himself in his supplications Wrastle with God in prayer though thou venture a joynt as Iacob did The hollow of Iacob's thigh was out of ioynt as he wrastled with him And he said Let me go for the day breaketh and he said I will not let thee go unlesse thou blesse me Gen. 32 25 26. Moses also was wont to lay such strong hold on God that when he resolved to avenge himself upon the people for their sin he was fain to say unto him Now therfore let me alone Exod. 32. 10. as it were to prevent his violence as I may call it holy violence And in truth * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prayer of a righteous man hath great strength and is able to do much if it be acted or moved by the Spirit so I may interpret the words Iam. 5. 16. I remeÌ„ber the Cananaan woman how she cried after Christ Mat. 15. 23. and what snibs she poor soul suffered Send her away said the Disciples I am not sent to such as thou art said our Saviour and yet still she cries Lord help me and when he told her That it is not good to take the Childrens bread and cast it unto Whelps she rejoyns unto him as if she would have said I thank thee for that Lord and I le play the Dogges part be but thou the Master beat me out at one door I le come in at the other for the Whelpes eat of the crums that fall from their Masters tables and a crum of thy bread of thy mercy will serve my turn and then you know how highly Christ commended her and how liberally he grants unto her vers 28. Alas how different is our manner of praying justly may that be charged upon every one of us q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys de Orat. hom 2. Depreâ—or Deum ut mihi intendat ego autem nec mihi nec illi intendo Bern. Thou callest unto God to attend to thee when thou attendest not unto thy self Be we then instructed hence to pray with feeling to pray with fervour Vse 4 And when thou hast begun to call upon the Lord give him no rest r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cypr. Hieros 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor thy self neither day nor night untill thou hast obtain'd some return of favour from him well may you wait upon him for the Lord will wait that he may be gracious unto you c. Blessed are all they that wait for him Isa 30. 18. Give me leave to adde another short instruction unto this touching the Mediatour of our suits to God taken from the consideration of the Object of our prayers the Lord. 4. Must our supplications be all directed to the Lord then must they all be sent up to him by the hands of Christ and in his Name Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Iohn 16. 23. There is but one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. We have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Ioh. 2. 1. It hath of late years been s By R Montague late Bishop of Norwich in his Sermon upon Psa 50. 15. Call upon me c. enlarged after by him into a Treatise preached in the greatest audience that there is no impietie in making Angels Advocates and Mediatours of our prayers so they be but our Angel-guardians of which kinde our Preacher would have no man doubt and that a man may safely say Good Angel-guardian pray for me And the same Author in another Work of his though he speaks somthing more warily in this tels us t Mont. Antag pag. 200. Perhaps there is no such great impietie in saying Saint Laurence pray for me I will not urge those words in Iob Chap. 5. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn But when the Prophet Isaiah tels us that Abraham is ignorant of us and that Israel doth not acknowledge us Chap. 63. 16. I shall certainly beleeve that Laurence knowes not me I never read in all the Book of God of any so calling to a Saint in heaven but onely that one damned wretch in Hell whose prayer indeed was much like his Father Abraham have mercy on me Luk. 16. 24. If Paul had known that the Philippians could have made such use of him in heaven he had beene freed of that great strait he was in Phil. 1. 23. for then not onely for himself
Calendar how most of the Apocrypha are brought in stead of them as it seems thought the more edifying of the two Besides that other injunction of waving the ordinary lesson upon the Lords day in case a festivall of mans appointment with his proper lesson shall fall upon it doth both prefer the feast before the Sabbath such lessons being many of them taken out of Apocryphall books doth manifestly shew the precedence given to these humane things before those which are divine Strange fire indeed It is withall notoriously known what strange fire in stead of that which God himselfe hath kindled hath for some yeers past broke forth from Pulpits and Presses Arminian Socinian popish opinions of the deepest die have every where gain'd applause and the broachers and abettours of them justified nay preferr'd to the most eminent places the Church afforded And whereas Mr. Calvin upon the place and story before cited tels us that we are taught from hence not to c Ne dei cultum ullis extraneis commentis viticmus Calv. in Levit. corrupt Gods worship with any strange devises we know how much of this strange fire was kindled in our Churches not onely the erecting of altars and their superstitious ornaments prepared both for the altar and the Priest that was to wait thereat But bowings and religious worship hath been practised and by some enjoyned toward or before the altar pretending it to be Christs seat or throne as Shelford and our d Speech in the Starre-Chamber Arch prelate call it whereas those that are skilfull in the Originall shall finde by comparing e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 4. 9. with f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 4. 7. that the worship to or before an idol is all one in Scripture language and our Translatours rendring both places by the same expressions do shew that in their judgements they are the same A popish Doctor g Dr. Sheldon who had been a Romish fugitive sometime told me how Papists deride our Masters of these Ceremonies affirming that they in their worship towards Altars professe their adoration is to the Host or Wafer which consecrated is supposed by them to be Christs body really this being inclosed in a Pix hanging over the Altar or else if no Pix there then to some relique or the like Host hid in the sepulchre or hollow place made in their Altars for that purpose And whereas Ambrose saith h Ignis altâ—â—us est libi o. Ambr. Epist 3. ad Simplic that strange fire signifieth lust he means unclean lust and filthinesse Did not Hophni and Phinehas the sonnes of Eli runne into this slander causing men to abhorre the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 17. 22. I blush to uncover this shame full nakednesse of too many of our priests so they desire to be styled it 's done already by i Cont. 1. by that religions Gent and worthy Patriot M. I. White another Some of the Rabbins seem to excuse Aarons sons pretending that they were in drink and thereupon say they a law presently was made that the Priests shold neither drink wine nor strong drink when they were to go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. Levit. 10. 9. Though surely this would have aggravated rather then extenuated their offence And if you aske the worthy Authour before hinted you shall see though we be silent how much the Priests of England a sad thing being seriously considered have offended in this some which by an ancient Father is called a k Ebrietas in alto crimen in sacerdotesacrilegium P. Chrysol Serm. 26. crime in other then but in a Minister no lesse then sacriledge But I dare go no further we shall want tears to bewaile sufficiently these abominations Let the whole house of Israel be will the burning which the Lord hath kindled Levit. 10. 6. upon occasion of such strange fire as you have heard of Farre be it from any Christian to disport himselfe with these relations l Qui de lapsu alleno gaudet gaudet de diaboli victoria He that rejoyceth at anothers fall doth but triumph upon the Devils victorie and 't is little honour to any man to countenance such triumphs Ah! what pity it is to see that such as should have been starres in the firmament of Gods Church to give light unto his people and to have wrought upon them by their influence and motion and night have been great instruments for the conversion of others unto righteousnesse and m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musaeus so themselves have shined as starres in the firmament of heaven for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. that they should become Planets or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erring starres as it is Iude 13. vers erring and so causing others to erre with them Or that such should become stella cadentes falling starres a third part of which the Dragon with his taile should cast down to the earth Revel 12. 4. Oh that our soules could weepe for these things in secret and on this day of humiliation remember them with sorrow Secondly I shall now passe from the Courts of Gods House into the Courts of Iustice shall I say or injustice I confesse I have nothing to say of these from mine owne experience But as Plutarch writing of Vsury saith that he never had to doe with any of that craft n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de Vsur nor did they ever seize upon his oxe or horse so may I truly say and I blesse the Lord for it that I never yet was suiter in any of those Courts But I have heard and the whole Land hath heard the cries of many and I fear those cries are heard in heaven too who by wofull experience have complained that sometime o Cum more pecudis aut mancipii passim illic veneat Clemang de laps repar justit Cap. 13. Quid detestabilius c. quam praefecturas alia publica officia justitiae publicae venundart Ibid. justice hath been bought and sold even as cattle in the market And let no man wonder at it for if publick offices of publick justice have been set to sale surely there have beene Chapmen And must not he that buyes his place next sell his practise Nicolaus Clemangius a good man as good men went in his age seemes to speake very hardly touching the kingdome of France wherein he lived and he acknowledgeth in his Preface to his speech that his words may sound but harshly in the hearing He said p Dico plane mihi videri plus justitiae in inferno esse quam in regno isto c. Ibid. Cap. 10. Sinc causidicis satis olim foelices fuere futuraeque sunt urbes Colum. that there is more justice in hell then was in that kingdome And might we not have said the same of ours as truly take but his reason along with you In hell saith he there is no
just or innocent man opprest or wrong'd and againe in hell there is no unjust or wicked man escapes unpunished And no marveil for it is heavens justice that is executed in hell But alas what briberies and unjust extortions what corrupting of all law and equitie for rewards what oppressions and what cruelties hath our Land groaned under The Prophets often call such bloudy sinnes or shedding of bloud and truly what 's a mans livelyhood other then his life Ierusalem where the seats and thrones of judgement were was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this called a bloudy Citie And in that 22. of Ezek. vers 2. The citie sheddeth bloud saith the Lord and vers 7. In thee have they vexed the fatherlesse and the widow and ver 12. In thee have they taken gifts to shed bloud And then marke what followeth in the very next verse Behold therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gaine which thou hast made and at thy bloud which hath been in the midst of thee And he proceeds with terrible threats of vengeance which must needs follow upon bloudy sinnes And we have great cause to think that these bloudy judgements that are now upon us are justly inflicted amongst others for such crimson sinnes as these Let this then adde unto the matter of our lamentation and our humble confessions that we make to God And let all officers of Courts remember these expressions of the Prophet to despise the gain of oppressions and to shake their hands from holding of bribes Isa 33. 15. That is to shake off bribes as Paul shak'd off the viper from his hands They will prove more venemous then any serpent poysoning thy soule and bringing death eternall Thirdly I must not leave here till I have minded you of one or two sinnes more which as they are more common so are no lesse dreadfull then the former The sinne of pride in such dayes of wrath and such cause of humiliation must needs be acknowledged a sinne exceeding sinfull I look but on the outside Our hearts are onely subject to Gods knowledge And 't is a mercy to us that 't is so For so much pride and envie and deceit is harbour'd there that if we knew it we should never live in peace together I see your outward garbe and garments that * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian in Epictet lib. 3. cap 2. as if a saylour should set up his flagge when the ship is sinking even now when we should put on sackcloth and lye down in ashes people will trimme themselves pride will be tricking And when the penurie of the times cannot provide rich ornaments or garments yet in such things as are cheap pride will peep out Whence else are these bushes of haire those frizlings crispings curlings poudrings and I know not what What means your paintings patchings spottings of your faces and what are those toyes that you call Fancies Are they not such as an old Writer call'd Satana ingenia the Devils fancies I know pride came from him at the first and God cast it with him out of heaven and neither he nor it shall finde the way thither againe Read Ladies and Gentlewomen that third of Isa from v. 16. to the end of the Chapter See there your stately carriage and posture of your bodies your curious knacks and deckings even a faire Pedlars stall of toyes and braveries You will tell me that there are many things there you know not much lesse are guilty of the use of them And let me answer Even herein is no little part of the pride of these daies that you so alter fashions For surely they were sometimes reputed amongst gorgeous ornaments But I would have you read the place through and see what the Lord renders unto such as use these or the like vanities In stead of sweet smell there shall be stinke and in stead of a girdle arent and in stead of well-set hair baldnesse c. vers 24. There is nothing more foolish did we rightly consider it then to shew pride in garments which are indeed the ensignes of our shame as if the thiefe should be proud of his halter They are called by r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word in the Hebrew tongue which signifies persidiousnesse as being the tokens of our perfidious dealing with God when at first man was naked and without any shame at all They are but coverings of this vile body Phil. 3. 21. So our translation But in the Originall s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The body of our humiliation such as we cannot think of without humbling of our soules in regard of the inordinacie and uncleannesse of it And must our pride break forth in decking this The Apostle tels us in another place The body is dead because of sinne Rom. 8. 10. Me thinkes then a course hearse-cloth may become a dead corps best Take heed I beseech you of this heaven-provoking sinne it was the first that did contend with God and it is that which God resists for ever and if he should now fight against us in these times of warre we need no other enemie he can destroy at once God regards the lowly gives grace to the humble and with such God will dwell and where he dwels all will be in safetie Fourthly I have but one sinne more that I intend to name unto you but it is one for which the land mourneth as in the dayes of Ieremy the Land of Iudah did Ier. 23. 10. The sinne of swearing the common sinne of young and old children do learn it from their parents even as soon as they can call for meat or drink It had wont to be accounted the language onely of great persons t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De â—ut Graec. affect Serm. 5. who held it a matter of breeding as Theodoret saith and an ornament of their speech to sweare by Iove or by this light c. But now not gracelesse Gentlemen alone but every base fellow thinkes it is a gracefull kind of speaking to sweare and to blaspheme especially in such oathes as are in fashion at Court It is the grief of all that feare the Name of God that we have no law quick enough to meet with such a sinne Surely the Lord fore-saw it would be so when he addes to that Precept in his Law The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse c. As if he had said Whatsoever man doth God will not let the swearer go but he shall one day come to guilty and not guilty for it And give me leave I beseech you to tell you plainly that the Lord must needs be offended that a sinne so horrid and so frequently and universally committed should go unpunished amongst Christians that professe the Name of God and that you leave all upon him as if you desired to create work for him at his great Assises when both the swearers and * Qui non vetat peccare cum possit jubet