He that might haue been both iudge and accuser wil haue vs both to iudge and accuse our selues that we may vnderstande how greatly we haue displeased him And if our conscience pronounce againste vs is not God greater then our conscience If our owne heart condemne vs is not God greater then our heart We are wont to be partiall in our owne causes because our senses are dull to perceiue our own iniquities and yet he committeth this to our selues to the ende to drawe vs to speedy repentance True it is that our partialities though we would flatter our selues could be so impudent to do it that cannot stain his iudgementes but euen as he tooke away the hedge of his vineyard shewing him selfe a iust iudge in being auenged vpon their vnthankfulnes so he will deale with vs. That which he hath builded amongst vs he wil ouerthrow againe That which he hath compassed about from forrein force from oppression of enemies to keepe out vncleane beastes that he might haue receiued a large croppe he will lay open and waste The wall and tower shall be ouertourned within beastes dogges and hogges without shall fall vpon it deuour and trample it vnder their feete One stone shall bruise another the cloudes shall not raine to make it fruitful but to make it ranck with thorns briers O England repent thou that hast tasted of so many blessinges and yet hast prouoked God with so many sinnes O London repent thou that haste sit as a Lady Queen ouer thy neighbour Cities to whom the Lord hath giuen besides temporall blessinges these precious iewels sending thee many messengers to warne thee to preach vnto thee and to comfort thee but thou hast not regarded the day of thy visitation If thy hedge be taken awaye if thou be laide open and waste for thy horrible sinnes If the Lord plant his vineyeard in an other place a more fruitful soyle what shall be come of thee Is God more bound vnto thee then he was vnto his owne people Hast thou any greater priuiledge then they who were once so precious in his sight And if he spared not them will he spare thee that doest passe them in all abhominations they regarded not the holy commandementes of God to keep them and obserue them no more doest thou They were Idolaters and followed the Gods of the Nations euery one rearing vp an Idoll in his owne heart and following his owne will and so doest thou thou art as far from the true spirituall worshippe of God belonging to suche a maiestie euen as they were His precious name is prophaned abused euery where in swearing forswearing and lying thinking speaking and practising superstitiously wickedly of it And as for the Lordes Sabboth as in times past they did defile it did not consecrat it to God to reste from sinne and to followe his will but gaue him onely a ceremonial outward seruice defiled with following their owne willes euen so dost thou This day is the sabboth of the Lorde thy God that is to say a daye consecrated to his glorye wherein all solemne assemblies of Gods sayntes shoulde bee occupied in hearing his worde in giuing themselues to prayer in receiuing his sacraments in meditating of his wonderfull workes and putting in practise of holy duties but we contrarywise euen from the highest to the lowest break this Sabboth of the Lord our God whither we come or do not come to the place appointed For if we come wee come with prophane minds deuided from God for custom and fashions sake without any preparation for so spirituall a seruice there hearing we heare not to make any conscience to learne our duties to grow in knowledge and carefully to practise holy doctrines wee come as they did in the Prophets times with lame sacrifices hauing serued first our selues as they did in their solemne fasts We bowe down our heads like Bull rushes and perhaps haue torn garmentes wee put on the countenance of sorrowe and our faces are not annointed but there is in vs no sorrow that leadeth to repentaunce nor hearty turning vnto our God Wee come to sit before the ministers as the people then did before the prophets to heare the word preached as some pleasaunt song but when they haue sayde they haue done we go our wayes and they passe through our iudgementes but the worde is passed as a dreame And if these sinns be found in al sorts of our commers what shall we think of them that come not at all who through couetousnes and prophanation dispise these holy assemblies eyther following their wordly chaffaire and busines or else thinking that the sabboth is well ynough kept if they giue God some little peece thereof othersome iâ— they bee idle following their pleasures and wicked pastimes with al gréedines O Lord what shall become of these loose and sinnful dais Howe manye prophane persons are there in this realme both in City and Country that hauing taken a muster of all the holidays in the yeare vrge the keeping of them and wil loose no iot of tune that they may follow their vayn delights and yet know not truly how to keepe one holy or Sabboth day to the prayse and honour of God Both in Sommer and Winter they can finde occasions to bereaue themselues of spirituall comfortes eyther to runne out into the countrie with their bagges and bottels or els beeing at home to follow wicked exercises Euery dore hath his stake and the streetes are full of blazers of iniquitie There is gadding to al kind of gaming and there is no Tauerne or Alehouse if the drinke be strong that lacketh anye company There is no dycing house bowling alley or Theater that can be found emptie Those flagges of defiaunce against God and trumpets that are blowne to gather such company will sooner preuaile to fill those places then the preaching of the holy worde of God the Catechizing and instructing of Children and Seruauntes canne be to fill Churches Nothing can stoppe them from the same neyther feare of daunger losse of tyme corruption of maners infection of diseases expence of money suspiâ—ion of honestie and suche like But to the other where to they should come with great ioye and cheerefully as to the house of the Lord nothing in a maner can allure or draw them neyther theire owne necessitie the sweetnes and comforte of true doctrine the reformation of maners the holynesse and obedience that by the grace of God is wrought in his Children by such exercises nor the hope and assuraunce it selfe of fayth and saluation Here three pence sixe pence a shilling or two a quarter is a great matter and a wonderfull burthen much humming and hawing about it but poundes and hundreds can be well ynough afforded in following these least plesures euery dore hath a payment and euery Gallerie maketh a yearely stipend Euery dog hath a coller euery Beare a prise Here is no feare of infection nor anie inconuenience
or discommoditie that can let them Is not this thinke you to keepe the Sabboth the lawes of the land haue Godly prouided that all the people of all sortes shall repayre to the publique places of Gods worship then to be taught and instructed in the wholesome word of saluation and there is a penaltie set vpon it but how this is looked vnto thorowout the lande I leaue it to them to consider that are wyse and in authoritie The Lorde blessed the sabboth daye and sanctified it because in it hee rested from all the workes of his hande that hereby we might learne to rest from sinne and iniquitie and consecrate our selues to his spiritual seruice And this he instituted for mans commoditie that al flesh might come to worshippe before his face He gaue them double food in respect of this that it might abide with them and that none might come out of their place but might rest in his prouision and prouidence So that it appeareth he woulde not haue them occupied in making prouision for the bellie to gather stickes to treade the presse or to carry burthens either vppon their owne shoulders or vppon their beastes The commaundement for the obseruing of it is so often set downe in the scripture as nothing more The seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God Thou shalt do no maner of worke in it neither thou nor thy Sonne or Daughter thy man seruannt or thy mayde thy Cattle and the straunger that is within thy gates Keepe my sabboth for it is holy vnto you He that shall defile it shall dye the death He that shall worke on that daye his soule shall be cut off from the middest of his people Nowe to worke is to doe thinges of our owne that are prophane or wicked And because the commaundementes of God are morall the equity of this commaundement belongeth vnto vs. In deed there was some thinge peculiar to the Iewes in respect of the ceremonie and the day But there is yet a day to be kept because intermissions from the trauailes of this life are necessarie both for the soule and bodye That both the one and the other may be prouided for the Soule to be fedde and the bodye to rest our selues and our Seruanntes yea our very cattle are to be fauoured in this behalfe because of this solemne consecration to God And therefore the king of Niniuie commaunded that that solemne Fast shoulde be extended euen to the Oxe within the staule and to the Horse in the stable and to euery beast of the field Blessed saith I say is the man that Isay 56. 2. doth this and the Sonne of that man that layeth hold of this taking heed that be defile not my Sabboth and keeping his Isay 58. 13. handes that they doe no euyll If thou shalt turne thy foote from my Sabboth doe not that thou delightest in on my holy day If thou shalt call it thy delight holy to Iehouah and honorable and shall honour it not in exercising thine owne wayes not in performing that which thou delyghtest in not in speaking a vayn word then I wyl aduaunce thee delighting in the Lord vppon the hygh places of the Earth and thou shalt enioy the possession of Iacob thy father because the mouth of the Lorde speaketh it So God speaketh by the Prophet Iere. 17. 21. Ieremy also Take beede vnto your selues and bear not burdens vppon the Sabboth day neyther bring those thinges into the Ezec. 20. 20. gates of Ierusalem c. The Prophets are very vehemente in this behalfe therefore our sinne standeth at the dore that haue made no regarde of these thinges For we do worse then beare burdens Not onely oure carriers Poste vppe and downe but men trauaile all moste with oute conscience in euerye quarter yea wee doe thinges that are naught and therefore the wrath of God must néedes be powred out against vs. And yet God hath shewed vs within these fewe yeeres many fearfull signes and tokens of his heauye anger and displeasure and one iudgemente dothe euen ouertake another and yet nothing can mooue vs. Hee hathe spoken to vs from Heauen by Comettes Ecclypses and fiery impressions he hath set Starres in vnwoonted places sent vpon the world strange tempests He hath rumbled in the howels of the earth farre and wyde and hath losed the depest and strongest foundations The earthe hath quaked at his presence and the very creature hath sled from before his face He hath opened the windowes of heauen and couered the earth with his displeasure He hath made bare the rootes of the corne and fedde the foules with our nourishment Hee hath sent out the pestilence and burning fire from before his feete that they might wast and deuoure the inhabitauntes of the earth Many men haue receiued short summons to appeare before him to render account of their doinges They haue perished as Iob saith by the blast of his mouth and by the breath of his Iob. 4. 9. 10. nostrils they are consumed By the roaring of the Lyon and by the voyce of the fierce Lyon and wâ—th the teeth of the Lyons whelpes they are ground to pouder And yet notwithstanding all these Iudgementes and manye more that I can not reckon vp who turneth to the Lord who leaueth his wickednes and forsaketh the companie of fooles Who is wise to vnderstand the plagues at home and the miseries that are abroade that he may be prepared to a better Kingdome Who looketh to the kéepinge of the Sabaoth and considereth this feareful example fallen out amongst vs But that it may be remembred the better to doo vs good that by the harmes of other we may make our profite I will set it downe as plainly as I can and as truely as can be gathered from the examination of those same common euidenses that haue fallen out waying some circumstances that shall teach thée that it was not the worke of any man but the finger euen of God himselfe to warne vs to turne and especially from these sinnes that we coÌ„mit in that behalfe for prophaning of the Sabaoth which are too horrible You shall vnderstande therefore deare Christians that vpon the laste Lordes day being the thirtéen day of the first moneth that cruell and lothsome exercise of bayting Beares being kept at Parrisgarden in the after none in the time of common prayers and when many other exercises of Religion both of Preaching and Catechizinge were had in sundrie places of the Cittie diuers Preachers hauing not longe before also cried out againste such prophanatious yet the more pittie there resorted thether a greate company of people of all sortes and conditiones that the like nomber in euery respecte as they say had not béene séene there a long time before Being thus vngodlilie assembled to so vnholy a spectacle and specially considering the time the yearde standinges and Galleries beinge full fraught being nowe amiddest their iolitie when the Dogs and Beare
were in their cheefest battell Loe the mightie hand of God vpoÌ„ them This Gallerie that was double and compassed the yarde round about was so shaken at the foundation that it fell flat to the ground without poste or peece that was left standing so high as the stake whereunto the Beare was tyed Although some will say it may be truly that it was very olde and rotten and that therefore a greater waight of people beinge planted vpon it then was wont that it was no maruell that it failed and woulde make it but a light matter Yet surelie if this be considered that no one péece of poste borde or stocke was left standinge though wee vrge it net as a miracle yet it must néeds be coÌ„sidered as an extraordinary iudgemeÌ„t of God both for the punishment of these present prophaners of the Lords day and also to in forme and warne others In the fall of it there weare slaine fiue men and two women that are come to knowledge who they were and where they dwelled to wit Adame Spencer a Felmonger in Southvvarke William Cockram a Baker dwellinge in Shordich Iohn Burton Clarck of S. Marie Wolmers in Lombard streate Mathevv Mason seruant with Maister Garlande dwellinge in Southvvarke Thomas Peace seruant with Robert Tashâ—r dwelling in Clerken vvell The Maidons names Elice White seruaunt to a Pursmaker withoute Cripplegate and Marie Harison daughter to Iohn Harison waterbearer dwelling in Lombard street Ther is to bée considered in the qualitie and condicion of these persons whoÌ„ God hath thus laid alonge amiddest their vanitie to be an example vnto vs how commonly these of such sorte are affected disposed For if these in the state of poore men had feared God and in the hearing of gods words had vppon such shorte summons bene called to appere before God yet had they lefte an vndoubted testimonie of their religion and pietie vnto others And therefore I doo exhorte all men to take héede of such follies Let them learne alwaies to be prepared for death seing that death is so certaine though no man know of the bower If God haue sette them in a meane state let them not followe rudenesse nor hunte after such vaine pleasures but séeke the best thinges and those that are most precious Let them heard the comfortable worde of saluation that shall comforte them against pouertie and other afflictions whereunto we are subiect in this life And for seruauntes let maisters see them better imployed vpoÌ„ these dayes that are consecreated to holy exercises that they may bee frée froÌ„ their bloode and lette seruauntes thinke it no bondage to be restrained from such vanities But alacke the worlde is nowe grown to that wickednesse that the maisters being prophane themselues the seruauntes are trained vp in all prophanation yea seruaunts will indent afore hand to haue their libertie vppon such dayes to goe to the Deuill fréelie thereof spring infinite corruptions and sinnes not to be named If these seruaunts had had maisters that would haue called them to a reckoning how they had spent that daye as good maisters oughte to haue done and haue had an accompt what they hadde learned they might haue had lesse cause to sorrow because they had performed good duties But O you seruantes that feare God returne from such filthines Liue to God faithfully in your vocation and thinke it a great mercy that in peace you may possesse such a bountie You se in these fallen before you an example to make you séeke better things that you may walke as in the sight of God faithfully to doo your duties you sée the vanitie of pleasures that our lyfe is but a puffe to the end you may learne alwaies to bee in a readinesse You haue hearde that the father bringing his chylde alyue thether caryed it home againe deade which came not to passe by chaunce but by Goddes prouidence Nowe beside these that were thus killed outright with the flat fal of the Galleries strangely wrunge in peces at it were by God himselfe it cold not be but in such confusion ther must néeds come greate hurt to many Howe many carried away death as it were in theyr bosomes that dyed the same night or some little tyme after the Lord knoweth But this is euydent that some are since dead and namely a Pewterers wyfe that dwelt in Limestréete who being therefore wounded is nowe dead and diuers others Of al the multitude there which muste néedes be farre aboue a thousande it is thought by the iudgement of most people that not the third personne escaped vnhurt and by some that haue made searche they esteme that there were sore hurt and maymed one hundred and fyftye persons some theyr legs and armes broken some theyr backes theyr bodies being sore brused so that euery waye into the cittie from that time till towardes nine of the clocke and past and specially ouer London bridge many were carried in Chayres and ledde betwixte theyr friendes and so brought home wyth sorrowfull and heauy hartes They say also that at the first when the Scaffolde cracked as it did once or twise there was a crye of fire fire which set them in such a maze as was wonderfull so that as destitute of theyr wits they stode styll and could make no shifte for them selues til the Scaffold was ouerturned But as in the execution of Gods iudgements we shall often marke the miraculous prouideÌ„ce mercy of God towardes many euen so fell it out with diuers of these that when as they had iustly deserued not onely to be hurt and wounded but euen to be killed yet God as a moste mercifull Corrector rather séemed to haue shaken a rodde towardes them then to haue touched them For amongst the rest it is credibly reported that thore was one Woman that being in the Gallery threwe downe her childe before her leaped after her selfe yet thankes be to God neyther of both had any maner of hurt so was it with diuers others But it should appeare that they were most hurte and in danger which stoode vnder the Galleries on the grounde vpon whom both the weâ—ghte of Tymbre and people fell And sure it was a miraculous worke of God that any one of those should haue escaped But here also God shewed his power for one maÌ„ falling downe into a hole it pleased God that it was the meane of his deliuerance so as al things that sel vpon him did not touch him and by that he was preserued whereas two of thother were slaine of ech side of him Nowe what wee haue to learne of these iudgemeÌ„ts sufficiently hath bene touched before and therefore for a conclusion A beséeche all Maiestrates by the mercies of God in Iesus Christ that by this occasion they take good héede to looke to the people committed to their charge that they take order especially on the Sabaoth dayes that no Citizin or Citizins seruantes haue liberty to repayre vnto any of those abused places that albeit the place be without the Citie by that meanes they haue not to deale with them yet that they keepe their Beares out and their straggling Wantons in that they may be better occupyed And as they haue with good commendation so far preuailed that vppon Sabaoth dayes these Heathnish Enterludes and Plaies are banished so it will please them to followe the matter still that they may be vtterlye rid and taken away For surely it is to be feared besides the distruction both of bodye and soule that many are brought vnto by frequenting the Theater the Curtin and such like the one day those places wyl likewise bée cast downe by God himselfe with theÌ„ a huge heape of such contempners prophane persons vtterly killed spoylod in their bodies God hath giuen them as I haue heard manye faire warnings already And as I praye Maiestrates so I béeséeche Ministers my faithfull brethren that they performe this faithfull woorke that God hath committed vnto them that they call vpon the people more earnestly to kéepe the Lords Sabaoth and that they employ themselues in teaching exhortation and doctrine in Catechizing and trayning vp their people and youth that they may know to detest such corruptions that being occupyed in such holy exercises they may be their crowne whom they shall winne to Christ and to this obedience And lastly I beséeche you my brethren all of what estate or condition so euer you be Faynt not in the happie course of the Gospell so freely and in so great mercye offered vnto you Loue the assemblies of Gods Saints that you may féele the hope and assuraunce of a better lyfe Be ashamed to followe vanities which when you haue fedde your selues with as full as you can can worke nothing in you but lothsomnes vexation and sorrow of spirite Pleasures are like vnto swéete poysons when the swéetenes is past they worke tortures tormeÌ„ts Kéepe the Lords Sabaothes If you be Maisters be patternes vnto your seruantes of diligence in hearing and of true godlines in putting holy doctrines in practise If you be seruauntes and youth learne in the dayes of your youth before age and death come vppon you that there is no felicitie but in the faith of Christ there is no fayth wythout the ministerye of the word there is no ministery of the worde vnlesse giftes be giuen vnto men of God and they be reared vp to teach you and to lead you in the wayes of God and lastlye when these ordinarie meanes are neglected dyspised and resisted then we can haue no certainty or comfort of our saluation Now the Lord Iesus who by his death and passion resurrection and asseâ—tion into heauen wrought full satisfactioÌ„ to his Father for our redemption and saluation gyue vs fayth and sanctifie vs throughout both bodies and soules that we seruing him in a spirituall seruice in both may féele it to be our greatest happinesse may dispise this vaine and totring world may detest all vanities and specially accurssed prophanations and hauing faith and a good conscience may walke on with good courage in the hope of that euerlasting inheritance which he hath sâ— dearely purchased for vs. Amen Ianuary 17. 1583. I F.
but the the more a man hath receiued of the graces and giftes of God the more is he bound by duty vnto his obedience And surely if this bee true of all as it is most certaine then of all others hath this little Ilande as a garden of the Lord beene decked and garnished with sundry most gracious and excellent gifts whether we respect those that are temporal or spirituall that the Lord might worke in vs both dutie and thankfulnesse For concerning both these wher should I first begin that I might reckon them all vp being so infinite both in the one in the other And first concerning temporall giftes what is it that in his rich mercy either for the sustentation maintenance of this life or for other earthly commodities and pleasures that he hath not bestowed vppon vs he hath set vs as it were in the paradise of the world where euen within our selues wee haue all good and necessary things he hath giuen vs the fat of the earth the dew of heauen he hath made the earth fruitfull vnder vs the heauens beneficial aboue vs we haue corne wooll flesh fish in great plenty the beasts of the earth the fouls of the aire are ours we haue gold siluer Copper Tinne Lead and Yron with other commodious mettals in al plentie Againe with these earthly commodities and al the rest he hath giuē vs publique peace protection quietnes Euery man enioyeth his wife Children goods Cattell and possessions Euery mā sitteth vnder his own Vine and heareth the voyce of his children in the streetes Our young men and our maidens reioice in publique places and the noyse of Musick is heard in our assemblies We drink in Bowles of golde and in cuppes of siluer our heads are annoynted with sweete ointmentes and our faces are cheereful because our harts are merry Our Princes sit in the gates and our Nobilitie ride in Charriots and Coches The voyce of mourning is not heard amongest vs neither hath terrour and fear amazed vs. Our weapons are turned into Plowe Shares and Lions and Lambs do play together without hurting one another As for spirituall thinges bestowed vpon vs they are infinite how should I giue but a shadowe of them God hath giuen himselfe vnto vs to be our God and hath chosen vs to be his people He hath giuen vnto vs his Sonne Iesus Christ and with him all other good things necessary for our saluation he hath giuen him to vs his enemies to take our nature vppon him to die for our sinnes to vndergo euerlasting damnation to the end he might acquite deliuer vs. For this he fulfilled the law wrastled hand to hand with his fathers iudgements was cast condemned and crucified as a man reiected of God and thrown down into the extreamest humiliation became the most forelorne of the worlde that he might recouer happinesse for vs. And therfore he aduanced his power and brake the chaynes of death and of hell ascended with glory making a shew of all his enemies and giuing giftes vnto men For all this hee wrought for vs and for our redemption that we might be a peculier people vnto himselfe vppon whome he would powre forth the whole riches of his mercy And in déede vppon his Church what is there that he might haue more done for her that hee hath not done Hee hath purged her by his own bloud out of her bloud and crowned her with his righteousnesse Hee hath giuen her a place in the highest heauens and strengthened her to triumph ouer all her enemies He hath forgiuen her her sinnes and decked her with speciall ioy and peace that passeth all vnderstanding he hath giuen her the gospell a tydings of comfort wherein the riches of his grace are fully displaied Can the heart of man conceiue the tong vtter or the pen set downe what God hath done for his people in all times and ages he did much for his people in Egypt land but hee hath done more for vs. He did much for thē being in wildernes but he hath done more for vs. He did much for them when hee made so many kings to fal before them when he brought thē to the land of promise but he hath done more for vs he hath euercome a mightier army and made greater Kings to bow vnder his scepter and brought vs to a larger inheritance which can neither wither nor perish He fed them with Manna that corrupted when they transgressed the commandment touching the sabboth but he hath fed vs with him self that our corruption might be put off and we might be clad with immortallity and euerlasting glorye The Iewes were his people by a conditionall couenant that stoode in their obedience they were the apple of his eye and signet of his scale to whome he gaue peculier blessinges and yet because they were vnthankful and knew not the day of their visitation they haue no part by reason of their vnbeliefe in the promises that were made to Abraham and the rest of the Patriarks to their séede and posteritie but wee are his people adopted assured in a new couenant sealed in the blood and obedience of Iesus Christe the end of all the promises whose saluation is nowe wrought and perfourmed if hee be in vs we in him if his glorious grace and mercy haue not appeared in vaine vnto vs. What could the Lord haue done more for his people then he did for them yet Isay the Prophet vpbraided them for their ingratitude so many excellent bene fits of God being bestowed vpon thē I wyl sing to my Isay 5. beloued a song of my beloued of his vyneyard My beloued had a vineyeard in a very fruitful hil he hedged it about and gathered out the stones of it he planted it with the best plants buylt a Tower in the mydest of it made a winepres in it He looked that it shold haue broght forth grapes but it brought forth wyld grapes O Inhabitants of Ierusalem men of Iudah Iudge therefore between me my vineyard What could I haue done more to my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Why haue I looked that it shuld bring forth grapes and it bryngeth forth wylde Grapes Now I wyll tell you what I wyll do to my Vyneyard I wyll take away the hedge therof it shal be eaten vp I wyll break downe the Wall and it shal be troden vnder foote And I wyll lay it waste it shall not be cut nor digged but Bryars and thornes shal grow vp I wyl also command the clouds that they rayne no rayne vppon it You see how the Prophet setteth forth the large liberalitie and goodnesse of God towards his people and againe their vnthankfulnes with those iudgments that it drewe vpon them The benefits no doubt that God had bestowed vppon them were excellent but their abuse was like wise intollerable and therefore for the one there is threatned the taking of them away and