Church-men Who art thou that iudgest an other mans seruant And what wiseman careth to be iudged of the world Who knowes not that thousands haue bin condemned in the world for euill doers that are Angells in heauen and who knowes not that Traitors Emissaries and Assasinates of villanie haue beene canonized by the Popelings for Saints that haue beene on earth the organs of Sathan and firebrands of matchlesse mischiefe Neuer was any people more blessed then this our Nation with painefull maisters of the Assemblies preaching Prelates and carefull Church-men whose names are famous in transmarine parts yea thousands there are of Church-men of little account in England that are able God be blessed to cope and encounter with the proudest Cardinall in the Conclaue at Rome Yet I am perswaded and it is easie to demonstrate that the Seminaries of the Romish Church that are imprisoned in London and else-where liue in better content then some worthy conformable Church-men in England For what betweene the Seminaries and Iesuites without and those that are auerse to the present gouernment within together with the prophane on euery side griping Patrons peeuish Parishioners and the like the poore Conformalist so liues that hee may neuer feare a Purgatory heereafter he shall be throughly purged I warrant him before hee dies to cause his passage easie if need be Insomuch that in the day of Iudgement God may call out some of the heathen to condemne this generation which despiseth the Priesthood Out of the Graecians Alexander the Great who kneeled downe to Iaddo the High-priest Out of the Barbarians furious Attilas who was appeased with the Oration of Leo Bishop of Rome The ancient Persians condemne our neglect of Church-men who honoured their Magi. The olde Romans who dignified their Vestall Virgins the auncient Gaules who magnified their Druides and the Indies who deified their Gymnosophistes yea among Christians the ignorant Moscouites or Russites who trauelling vp to Mosco from Boristhenes and other remote places carrying thither their children to be baptized bring also with them their rich Felles and Furres to lay vnder the Priests feete in the extreamitie of colde that they may take no harme in the time they baptize their children and our ignorant fore-fathers will rise to condemne vs who pretend to haue all the knowledge for if they could haue got but a sottish Masse-priest in a corner Oh how would they crouch and cap yea kneele to him as if he had beene some deitie and we their posterity sleight the Euangelicall ministers of Iesus Christ But what thinke you hardens the hearts of prophane persons against Churchmen Surely this for that they see Gods owne deare Children as much punished yea often more then others The Arke of God is taken by the Philistimes and Israel flies good Iosiah is slaine by wicked Pharoh Neco in the field of Megiddo Turkes subdue Christians Dauid Gods darling doth but number the people and is plagued Augustus Caesar taxeth the whole World and is secure Therefore they resolue that surely it is better to serue Mammon then the Mediator But let all Worldlings take heed of such reasoning and let all despiser stand amazed and wonder For God is not slacke concerning his promise as some men account flacknesse but is long-suffering to vs-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance let them answere God in this Doest thou despise the riches of Gods goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance Saint Augustine will tell the worldlings that in the world to come so good things shall be giuen to the good that the wicked shall not so much as haue either a sight or taste of them and so euill things shall befall the cursed that the good shall not once touch them for if in this life all wickednesses and all euils were punished there would be nothing to be iudged in the other life and yet if nothing at all were here exemplarily punished by God the worldlings would take no notice of his prouidence In conclusion therefore Church-men must learne rather to reason with Saint Peter If God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and deliuered them into the chaines of darkenesse to be reserued vnto iudgement will he spare them that are either wandering starres or starres of worme-wood The big-bon'd Nimrods of the World that put far from them the euill day must lesson themselues from Saint Peter If the iust and righteous be scarcely saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare What then remaines but that earnest prayers be poured out for my selfe and my brethren the Ministers of Christ O Iehouah Eloim grant to our Prelates that whiles they are here the zeale of thy house may eaâ—e them vp that they may guide thy people with the sincerity of their hearts and with the discretion of their hands and when they are gone hence that they may shine with thee as the starres of Heauen in glory Grant to all Preachers that their hearts may be cloathed with thy righteousnesse their mindes rectified with thy sauing knowledge and their mouthes filled with thy most holy Word Grant Lord that both the life and learning of Prelates and Preachers both in saying well and doing well may be to thy people by the power of thy Word the Water of life the Bread of Heauen a Touchstone for discerning of heresies a Sword for decision of Controuersies the Keyes to open Heauen the Harpe of Dauid to comfort the distressed and that all thy people may esteeme of Churchâ—men as the coâ—uoyes of thy grace of thy most sacred treasure and of the most holy reliques of Iesus Christ. Grant Lord to Prince Priests and People such grace that they make vp their accounts with diligence against thy Iudgement and great audite day O let the faithfull witnesse in Heauen say hereunto Amen O ye House of Israel In a religious Common-wealth the common people are incompassed with blessings from God on euery side from the Church and from the Court both set vp by God for blessings to their soules bodies goods and good names THE Church-men hath beene summoned in the first place the Common-wealthes men follow in the second with these termes of Summons Hearken O ye House of Israel That they are an House is a speciall fauour but that they are an House of Israel is a supereminent blessing Whence I obserue that forasmuch as the people are ranged betweene the Priests and the Princes and tearmed The House of Israel it sheweth that In a religious Common-wealth the common people are encompassed with blessings from God on euery side from the Church and from the Court both set vp by God for blessings to their soules bodies goods and good names This appeares out of the very words of the Text For these people not long before were the House of bondage and slauery but now are setled in an
such holy viands bred with such dainty fare should be guilty of such grosse and so grieuous sinnes eating sacramentally of the holy Lambe of GOD should become Wolues and Tygers one to another For all in that great and populous City are not pure wheate some are tares all are not wise Virgines some are foolish sleepers all are not sheepe some are goates Discontent is the foode of the wretched to whom the present state is alwayes grieuous and imitation of strangers is a bane to others whereby diuers are alienated both from nature and Nation from Church and Common-wealth All which proceeds from the want of comparing the State of other Nations with their owne present blessed condition which causeth them not to see their owne felicity others misery O foolish people do you thus reward the Lord O England destruction is of thy self for thy vnthankfulnesse Wherefore let all the people in Church City and Common-wealth take hold of the Lord that their Houses may be as Sanctuaries which God doth blesse that they may be built vpon the Rocke Christ Iesus to abide the tempest that God may not be angry with them for their ingratitude and turne our House of England which is and hath beene for many yeeres an House of Israel preuailing with God for peace plenty and liberty into an House of warre bondage and infamy And see that you all looke to this before that God doth send you all to the House of death designed for all God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem. O House of the King No dignity of person no preheminence of place is exempted or excepted from Gods iustice but euen the mighty ones that offend are often more euidently more exemplarily and more seuerely punished then others of inferiour ranke and condition THE Court is summoned last in these words And giue eare O House of the King By which tearme of House of the King is not onely meant the King himselfe which was Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas the foundation of the House but also the Kings Children the sides of that House the Kings Counsell the Pillars the Nobles Peeres Dukes and Captaines the beames and rafters the Iudges and Fathers of the Law the Standards and the Courtiers Attendants and Officers the Hangings and Vtensils of that House In that the Prophet summoning the Court saith O House of the King it seemeth that the Kings Houshold and they that were about the King were not as they should be but were as much yea more in blame then the King himselfe For oftentimes it falles out that a sound Tenant dwelles in a rotten House and a godly soule in a lustfull body Nam ex quolibet ligno non fit Mercurius Euery man is not fit to be about a King Almighty God therefore cryeth by the Ministery of his Prophet O Ieroboam thou sonne of Ioas I haue loued the glory of thine House and the place where thine honour dwelleth How is it that thou doest not loue the glory of mine House and the place where mine honour dwelleth For thy Courtiers haue lost their hearts with wine and women thy Iudges loue bribes and say Bring bring thy Rulers oppresse and thine attendants flatter and suffer themselues to be flattered and therefore iudgement is toward thee and thine House Whereby we learne that No dignity of person nor preheminence of place is exempted or excepted from Gods iustice but euen the mighty ones that offend are often more euidently more exemplarily and more seuerely punished then other of inferiour ranke and condition The Worlds Monarches and their delegates may assuredly know this to be so from the Prophet Esay who saith that The Lord shall punish the Host of the high ones that are on high There is Gods supreamacie aboue all high ones He standeth in the assembly of Princes saith the Psalmist There is his prefidence and presence in their conueenings He shall binde the Kings in chaines and the Nobles with fetters of Iron as the same Psalmist saith in another place There is Gods restraint for extrauagant great ones Tophet is prepared for the King saith Esay There is Gods dungeon for the incorrigible refractary and impenitent great ones Furthermore the Psalmist will tell you in what order God doth this God will breake their teeth that is God will take away from them all meanes and occasions of doing euill any more He will make them passe away like water if they boast what and how great things they will doe He will cause them to vanish like a snayle and to be like the vntimely fruite of a woman if they shall perseuere in euill doing and if for all this they shall continue stubborne and rebellious He will wash his feete in their bloud yea all this shall be so euident and exemplary that the very common people shall see it and say Assuredly there is a God that ruleth in the World The dearest of his Children be they neuer so great God will not spare in this kinde King Iosias good King Iosias causelesly fighting with Pharoah Neco King of Aegypt in Charcamis and not consulting with the Lord was slaine in the field of Megiddo neere Euphrates King Dauid good King Dauid was exemplarily punished for numbring the people to the price of therefore and ten thousand subiects who died of the plague of pestilence Now what other thing meaneth this strict and seuere superintendency of God ouer the great ones but to visit the mighty that they grow not carelesse like Gallio the Proconsull of Achaia to watch ouer them that they become not irregular like Ananias to restraine them lest they grow exorbitant like Manasses and to shew his power in plaguing them if they be rebellious as he did shew it vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his seruants But stay is not Maiestie and Soueraigntie Gods peculiar Doubtlesse and he is accursed that doth not conceiue so Why then doth God deale so seuerely with them as oft-times so euidently and so exemplarily to punish them more then others for their offences There are important reasons for it First because great ones sinne with greater impunity and immunity then others If inferiours offend they are lyable to the censures of great ones but great ones may play the Pike in a Pond and who dares controule them I will vp therefore saith the Lord and reuenge Secondly great ones taxe others and none dare touch them Is not a Iohn Baptist a blacke Swan Who dares tell a great one Non licet tibi Is not an Elias as rare What is hee and who is hee that hath an heart to tell a Cassandrian great one what Elias told Ahab Therefore God will speake to them himselfe Thirdly none are more bitter then great ones to those that tell them their faults For a carelesse great one will scoffe and scorne at a sincere dealing Iohn Baptist. A wanton reputes admonition as an olde wiues tale albeit it come from graue Zacharias A
VOX clamantis MARK 1. 3. A STIL VOICE TO THE THREE Thrice-honourable Estates OF PARLIAMENT And in them to all the Soules of this our Nation of what state or condition soeuer they be By William Loe Doctor of Diuinitie and Chaplaine to the Kings most excellent Maiestie Printed by T. S. for Iohn Teage and are to be sold at the Signe of the Golden-Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1621. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GEORGE Marquesse of Buckingham Lord high Admirall Viscount Villiers Baron of Whaddon Maister of his MAIESTIES Horse Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter Gentleman of his Highnesse Bed-Chamber one of his most honourable Priuy-Councell a Patron of good Letters and a Patterne of true Nobility Grace and fauour be from Heauen by CHRIST MOST Noble and most worthily honoured LORD The true and hearty Zeale which I owe vnto my God King Church and Country hath moued and made me to prostrate before the Three thrice honourable Estates of PARLIAMENT assembled And in them to all the Cleriques Courtiers and Commons within our Nation euen from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer to the Lands end being ledde hereunto by the words of the Prophet prefixed the still passages of this small Voyce which hath laine suppressed some yeares by meanes of a certaine Great-one who not long sithence was great but now is not so mutable and nutable is the state of things on earth taking offence at some passages herein Whos 's ouer-weening greatnesse and wilfulnesse had then at the least shut me vp if not sent me as there was great cause to suspect and feare not the way of all flesh in respect of the manner but of mortalitie if some reuerend Fathers of the Church the blessed Beaue-Peeres of Diuinitie had not stayed that enraged fury against mee But not long after the hand of Almightie God surprized that greatnes clipped it restrained it that it might doe no more harme so it remaines to this day Happy had it beene for that man that hee had then hearkened to that Voyce from God deliuered by the weake ministry of him who neuer saw his face to this day that if it had pleased the Almightie his soule might thereby haue beene awakened out of that fearefull slumber wherein hee then lay bewitched with the Circean Cups of Ambition Wantonnesse and sensuall securitie Then had not his fingers nor the hands of others his Agents in euill dropped with the cruell bloud-guiltinesse neyther had their consciences beene tortured and tormented with the Hellish horrour of heart-bleeding wickednesse What I then spake in the accent and action of a liuing man to the greatest Auditorie of this Land I now present to publique view in the lesse effectual elements of a dead Letter To no other purpose God is my record but intending and endeuouring hereby the aduancement of Gods glory some good of his Church and in all Estates a remembrance vnto these present times a manifestation of our happinesse vnder so Christian a King whose heart detesteth all vniustice the maintenance of the truth then deliuered and that these palpable and pisculent imputations and aspersions of Faction and Sedition might in some sort be spunged out which it pleased that Great-one mentioned to cast vpon me at that time in an honourable Assembly and since that time some others strangely alienated both from our Church and State who haue endeuoured to be-sprinkle me with the like for that I vndertooke and did reconcile and compose by directions from his Maiesties owne mouth some differences in Ecclesiasticall discipline happened into a famous Fellowship to which I am much obliged resident in part beyond the Seas whither I was not long sithence sent by authority allowance and Recommendation of his sacred Maiesty and the most Reuerend Archbishop of Canterbury Which imployment and seruice albeit it hath in some part impayred yea almost impouerished mee in my poore personall eflate and lost me some friends whom I thought had beene better minded and may in Gods good time bethinke themselues better Yet were either the one abroad or this seruice at home to be done againe for the vnfained loue I beare vnto the free passage of Gods glorious Gospel and to the present setled subsistants of the discipline of our Church I would not onely as a Merchant Aduenturer hazard my weake body poore estate and liuelihood but also would willingly as a free Minister of the Gospell expose my selfe to all the Snibbes Quippes Taunts Reproaches Disgraces and Punishments that any wicked and vngodly Great-one little or not at all affected to God should preuaile against mee in that at the least I might herein manifest to the World my Willingnesse and Indeauour to maintaine and make good quantum in me the sacred freedome of the one and the Christian Discipline of the other both which our Nation most comfortably enioyeth vnder God by the blessing of so Christian a King as is our most gracious Soueraigne vnder Christ Iesus the breath of all our nosthrils my most dread Liege-Lord and Master Desiring all true honest English hearts which are not poysoned with preiudicate opinion of exotique niceties and imitation of strangers to iudge if there be any passage herein that deserueth either manicles or menaces or ought but what becommeth a sober and a true English-hearted Diuine But be this little Hin of mine either accepted or reiected by such as care not how the World goes so they may atchieue their owne ends I passe not so it may please your most noble Worth that it may shelter it selfe vnder your honourable protecting fauour When I went ouer to that seruice mentioned beyond the Seas I made bold to present his Highnesse with a Tract entitâ—led The Mystery of Mankind and vpon my returne I vowed This to your Honour It is the poore Mite of him that will euer remaine a Votary to God for you That the magnificence of Gods fauors and the munificence of his mercies may euer be multiplied vpon you and vpon all your godly endeuors That so both you and all you take in hand in discharge of your eminent places may be sanctified to the good of Gods Church his Maiâ—stie and the State to your owne soules safetie and that you may be great in the Kingdome of your heauenly Master through the sauing mercies and fauour of Iesus Christ. Your Lordships to be commanded in the seruice of IESVS CHRIST William Loe. To the well-disposed Readers IN the worlds birth God spake to our first Parents by a still voyce in the coole of the day in the worlds middle age to Elyah after the winde earthquake and fire in a still small voyce and in this last age of the world by a didirecting voyce from Heauen concerning Christ Iesus his Sonne our Lord saying Heare him In the beginning was the word yet that word was before all beginning but the world knew not that Word but by the voice of men and Angels And albeit the Word be in
sacramentally which if they receaue worthily they goe on in the world breathing out breath fearefull to the very Deuill himselfe and to all the powers of darknesse as golden-mouthed Chrisostome vsed to speake vnto his Antiochians yea wherewith wee goe confidently on in the spirit of Dauid that albeit we walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet feare wee none ill for euery Christian in that case is as it were another Christ. So doth Saint Ambrose reade that place in the Galathians In a word the people are blessed by the State Ecclesiasticall through the ministration of the Word by which God remoueth all impediments that hinder the course of their Saluation For Christ thereby powreth on them Ezechiels pure water to purge their impurities pruneth off the wilde branches cutteth off all superfluities at last vtterly abolisheth the houres and powers of darkenesse drowneth Pharaoh in the red Sea of his bloud and beateth downe Satan vnder their feete Thus are they blessed on euery side by Moses by Aaron by the Pillar of a cloud of witnesses in spirituall affaires by the Pillar of fire in secular negotiations by the Church by the Court in their all so that I may conclude with the Psalmist Saluation belongeth onely to the Lord and his blessing is vpon his people both from the State politique and from the State Ecclesiasticall The vse of this concernes both the Kingdome in generall the Chamber of the Kingdome in particular and euery mans conscience indiuidually Doth not the people of this Land the house of England see and consider how God hath made our State his owne deare darling which the Iesuites and other emissaries of Rome spite at Hath not God chosen it as his Lilly among the flowers of the field as the Doue among the Fowles of Heauen as the Cedar among the Trees of the Forrest as his Iudea among the Nations and as his Syon amongst the mountains Is not this our Iland the house of preuailing Israel a Sanctuary for his Elect an Oracle for his Word and an habitation for himselfe Is not our Republique to Rome as Aegina to Athens not onely an eye-sore but an heart-sore The State-politique whereof doth right euery man both in iudgement and iustice The principall agent of Iustice vnder the King is called in the abstract the Chiefe-Iustice The King himselfe is the fountaine of all Iustice and doth delegate his power of administration vnto seuerall Iustices Itinerant who in their set circuits for the benefit and ease of the subiect doe expedite the lesser causes Yea the whole Land being diuided into Shires or Shares Hundreds Wapentakes and Tithings that euery man to the number of tenne may answere for each other and may be liable to Law if they doe any harme and also may receiue right to that number in euery particular place and Parish The inferiour Courts are erected for the good of the subiect in smaller causes and the Parliament in supreame causes is conueened wherein the King himselfe albeit he hath royall assent in all yet by Law Reason and Religion he is legally limited and concluded So that vncontrolled no wicked Nimrod can offend by strong hunting no cursed Macheuillian by damnable Statizing nor any griping Zacheus by forged cauillations Our Christian King hath so prouided that this his house of England may be indeed the house of preuailing Israel That God may generally be honoured hee hath ordained as the King of Babel in his Prouinces that all his subiects within the foure seas may truly worship the God of Israel That God may be pleased with our prayers and fastings he hath ordained a Lent as the King of Niniue a fast That God may be glorified with a Festiuity hee hath consecrated the fift of Nouember to his diuine worship in thankes-giuing for the States wonderfull deliuerance from the hellish Gun-pouder Treason as Queene Hester ordained the Feast of Purim for the Iewes deliuerance from wicked Hamans cruelty Hee hath set an order to things indifferent as did good King Ioas that there may be no confusion no schisme in his Land He hath restrayned foolish vaine and idle questions both priuate and publique with all fruitlesse opposition lest that carpet-Preachers should through a singular spirit broach the Lees of Anabaptisme Brownisme Vorstianisme and other fanaticall delusions and lest they should sow schismes heresies and seditious murmurings amongst his Christian subiects In a word our King hath taken course that the hand of violence may in no wise touch the bodies of his subiects to which purpose Coroners are appointed in all shires and corporate Townes to enquire by secret inquest vpon such as come to violent or vntimely deaths that the Kings Delegates may be certified how his Subiects come to their ends He hath also most Christianly prouided that your goods may be kept from rapine fraud and cousenage To which purpose are ordained Clerkes of Markets to looke to weights and measures and Iudges and Iustices for theeues robbers and all other oppressors And also for your reputation and good name he hath ordained that no black-mouthed Curre with a tongue enflamed by hell fire shall besmut the same but he is lyable to censure Is not therefore the blessing of God vpon the people from the state Politique Neither are the people lesse blessed by the state Ecclesiasticall Neuer more preaching Prelates in our Israel neuer more able Ministers ouer the Land applying themselues in euery case of conscience as godly Casuists vnto all the distressed in minde To which purpose some haue Moses Rod for miracles Aarons Belles for comfort Dauids Harpe for the howlings of hell Salomons Sword for decision of controuersies others haue Ieremies Hammer to breake the hard-hearted Esayes Trumpet to awaken the drowsie Peters Keyes to open the ioyes of Heauen to such as are weary of this life becomming the sons of solace to the tender conscience and the sonnes of thunder to a boysterous and big-boned Nimrod In a word becomming all to all that they may winne some Say then if the blessing of God be not also on the people from the state Ecclesiastique Descend wee from the state of the Kingdome to the Chamber of the Kingdome the great City of London What blessings hath not that City from the state Politique in their bodies goods and good name which if any man impeach hee is lyable to Law How are the soules and consciences of the Citizens blessed by that sacred Company of many able Preachers to whom God hath giuen the Word Insomuch that I may truly say that no City in the World on which the Sunne shineth hath more cause to magnifie God and to multiply their thankefulnesse Oh how many and how manifold are Gods blessings vpon that City Oh how many are the wayes that God hath reuealed for the saluation of chose Citizens Insomuch that a man may take vp the words which Saint Chrisostome vsed to his Antiochians Is it possible that a people fed with
sterne great one will presently enioyne you silence as Amazia did Amos and an vnbeleeuer will neuer leaue till he haue quite banished you Fourthly there is no appeale from great ones as in the case of Naboth no Citizen of Samaria durst open his mouth for that poore Innocent and therefore God said I will arise and reuenge his wrong for it is high time that the Lord set to his hand when the great ones who haue the Law in their hands doe destroy it Fiftly God dealeth thus seuerely with great ones to appease the blasphemies of the enraged multitude For what will Atheists and wretches say when they see great ones outrageously offending What say they where is Gods prouidence What care hath hee of vs to set a woolfe to gouerne sheepe a tyrant to rule ouer innocents Is God silent Is he at leisure For these and the like blasphemies occasioned by the vniust dealings and wicked guidance of great ones God being iealous of his owne glory will rise vp and reuenge as it is most plaine in the message that God put into the mouth of Nathan to speake vnto King Dauid in the case of Vriaâ—s wrongs Great ones if they haue grace may make good vse of this First of Caution to beware how they abuse their greatnesse to ill example For superiors like starres are potent by their influence vpon inferior bodies If the head be crasie the whole body cannot be haile If the aire be infected with an Epidemical quality they that dwel therein cannot be very sound And if the Pilot be peeuish the passengers may be in great hazard Besides inferiours are mutable If the Abbot dance the Monke will shake his heeles and if Dyonisius study philosophy his Courtiers will philosophize if he but intermit his study they will altogether omit all studie Now the reason of this facile inclination which causeth inferiours to be like yron drawne with these Loadstones and to be like straw drawne with these jeats and ambers is because great ones haue eminencie of place therefore the poore inferiours conceiue as therein is nothing but greatnes so there is nothing but goodnesse Secondly because inferiours haue an opinion of infallibility like the Pythagorians and Papists that the great ones are too bigge to be deceiued Thirdly the very imitation of great ones hath hope of impunity For with what face can he that is in place of authority punish an inferiour when the great one is as grosely obnoxious and as peccant in the same sinne as the inferiour Fourthly inferiours haue a desire to please great ones insomuch that to creepe into the fauor of great ones some haue made no bones not onely to imitate their gestures and voyces but their vices also yea to stammer to lispe to limpe to weare long haire yellow bands and what not such Camelions Apes fawning Dogges and questing Puppies are the giddie multitude to please great ones As therefore great ones if they be good ones are as eminent and apparent Land-markes at Sea for safe direction into the hauen so in euill they are like Eurâ—clidons to hurry many vpon the Sands Shelfes and Rockes of ineuitable destruction In the second place great ones may learne to practise humilitie lest they should be proude and forget their God For it is neither Pharaohs greatnesse nor Nebuchadnezzars imperiousnesse nor Iehues furiousnes nor Herods craftinesse nor Saules goodlines nor Rehoboams lustinesse nor any thing else that can exempt them from the mighty hand of God if they grow exorbitant For if Zenacherib be extrauagant God hath a hooke to put into his nostrils and a bridle to put into his lippes If Baasha will become a Behemoth of the flesh of his progeny what the Dogges in the City leaue the fowles of the field shall eate vp If Zimri be treacherous fire shall deuoure him and the pallace ouer his head And if foolish Ahab become hellish and sell himselfe to doe euill an Arrow shall pierce through the riuets of his briggandine and strike him to the very heart yea for all great ones whosoeuer they be that abuse their potencie and opulencie God hath prepared instruments of his iudgements euen for all strong hunting Nimrods prophane Esaus threatning Rehoboams and Machauilian Achitophels albeit either to vphold or aduance their greatnesse they temper exotique poysons consult Wisards vse whores hire bauds and practise a thousand wickednesses yet Gods iudgements shall come like water into their bowells and like oyle into their bones and some man of God shall discouer the very secrets that such Arams do in their very bed-chamber be the Curtaines drawne neuer so close whisper they neuer so secretly And then shall they curse the day and the houre when the hand of the Lord is vpon them that euer they were borne or that they did enioy the light of the Sunne Then shall they know that the feare of the Lord in goodnesse is better then all the greatnesse in the world In the third place is practize of Obedience for the Subiects that they submit themselues to euerie ordinance of God whether it be to a Monarchie wherein is one Soueraigne as the head or vnto Aristochracie wherein is an assembly of the best or vnto Demochracie or Plebeian gouernement For there is no power but of God whether it be like the confederation of the Heluetian or the state of the Grisons Venetians Ragusa or other mixt gouernements or the Monarchies of England Spaine France and the like Let not a Iacobine or Rauillack be once named amongst vs but â—et a traitour and a rebell be accursed on all hands yea not onely the hand that commits the treason but the heart that consents thereunto and the head that conceiues it Let that hand dry vp as Ieroboams hand and that heart tremble as Balshazars and the head be like the heads of the Assiriâ—ns that heard the clamour and disconsolately fled Let the blacke Rauen of the Valley feed vpon the eyes of a Traytor for its cates Let his flesh be carnage to the Fowles of the ayre and his bowels be giuen ouer to the mercilesse hangman In the fourth place is practise of vision that great ones also may see that they dispise not little ones For what is more frequent in the Scripture then for euill great ones to be vanquished with little ones Ieroboam the Colonel of the horse vanquisheth his foolish Master Rehoboam the King Mordocheus the Kings Porter putteth downe Haman the fauorite by the meanes of Hester a poore captiue Hebrew Girle And the reason is because God doth not only work his will by weake and vile meanes as the world oft reputeth them to the end that no flesh should boast it selfe against God but also oft-times God armeth in his iudgement little wicked ones to subuert great wicked ones as it is most plaine in Baasha Zimri Omri Asa Ahab Iehu and others Boast not thou thy selfe therefore O great one that thou canst doe mischiefe for Gods
vpon all occasions In base couetousnesse becomming Apes Lyons fawning Dogges and Deuils and all for money in Malice becomming Romish Butchers neuer satisfied but with bloud making all their life a Corban of cousenage and a Mammon of wicked guiles and gaines as if these mammonists did purpose to make no other profession but like Montebankes that professe the frauds of Italy like the Scofiotti of Ferara that fasten vpon nothing but vpon gaines like the Banditi that are lawlesse and like the Free-booters of Germany imagining all to be Fish that commeth to their nets But there are some names in our Nation as in Sardis that are Gods who would not for all the World with the Echronits forsake God and goe to Beelzebub or with the Ammonites goe to Melchom or with Demas goe to Mammon knowing that it is impossible that the sonnes of men should wallow in such ill-got wealth and swim in such aboundance of cursed gaines but that the deceitfulnesse of the Flesh and of the World doth beare them vp by the arme-holes and the Deuill holds them vp by the chinne vntill they are plunged into the deepenesse of Sathan who teacheth them all these cunning sleights vntill hee hath brought them to the fearefull downefall of death and then when they expect comfort hee saith vnto them as the Priests said to Iudas See thou to it shift for your selues This is the fearefull fatall and finall doome this is all the comfort and consolation that the mightie hunting Nimrods of the World shall receiue as a guerdon for their misse-led and mis-perswaded wicked courses Pray we therefore the great Maiestie of heauen to inflame with zeale his Maiesties heart on earth as he hath begun euen so to continue vntill he hath vtterly purged both Court Church and Common-wealth of all such wicked miscreants cursed caytiffes who remaine incorrigible whatsoeuer either God or good men from God shall say or endeuour to reforme and rectifie them in And seeing the word of God which is the sword of the spirit doth not preuaile with them that the Sword of Magistracy may be vnsheathed against their faces that the secular power may put down punish all wicked practisers both in Church and Common-wealth and that such as the Church hath iustly cast out by excommunication may be deliuered to the secular power for Execution that so if it be possible they may be brought to Repentance and their soules saued in the day of the Lord. God effect this for his glory sake Iudgement is toward you God of his endlesse bounty and bottomelesse pitty com passion and mercy for Christ his sake doth fauourably and fatherly premonish before he punish IN the last place after the Declaration of the sinnes of that time is the Commination or Commonition of punishments due for the same and that towards all rankes and conditions indefinitely For as all the Estates were Paralels in their sinnes so are they all lyable to like punishments It seemes all Estates were become Nets and Snares to one another All therefore haue Iudgement awarded against them Iudgement in Scripture signifieth three things First euery action of God the cause whereof is to vs vnknowne This is that great deepe which Dauid could not sound It is that profundity which caused Paul to cry out O altitudo and taught Saint Ambrose to say Non est argumentum disputationis sed stuporis I am no Eagle to flie so high a pitch I desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified Secondly Iudgement signifieth discrimination or difference and that must be left vntill the generall audit I will not take vpon me to iudge before the time who are sheepe who are goates who are wheate who are the chaffe for God hath appointed a day wherein hee will iudge the men of the World by that God-man Iesus Christ. In a word vnderstand by Iudgement in this place that which Paul meaneth in his Epistle to the Romans Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill So then the Iudgement here meant is that Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish shall be poured out of the vyals of Gods wrath vpon all exorbitant Estates But behold the exuberant goodnesse of God which thus speaketh Iudgement is toward you Iudgement instant but not yet extant Iudgement toward you but not vpon you Whereby we learne that God of his endlesse boundlesse and bottomelesse pitty compassion and mercy for Christ his sake doth fauourably and fatherly pre-monish before hee punish The Psalmist tells vs so If a man will not returne God will whet his Sword bend his Bow and prepare the instruments of death Here is onely Preparation of Iudgement not Execution Ionas comes with an Adhuc yet forty dayes and Niniue shall be destroyed The Psalmist with a day To day if ye will heare his voyce The Diuine with a moment Christ stands at the doore and knockes This further appeareth in sundry Iudgements that God hath shewed in the World from the beginning God himselfe preacheth to the Protoplast before the fall If thou eate thereof thou shalt die the death Before the deluge Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse an hundred and twenty yeeres forewarned the olde World Before that sulphure showred downe vpon Sodome how often was righeous Lot vexed with their vncleannesse Moses and Aaron shew signes and wonders and bring plagues vpon Aegypt before Pharoah was drowned in the Red Sea How many times and manifo'd wayes did God speake to his owne people before they were carried into captiuity Seauen seuerall portentous progedies God shewed vnto the Cizens of Ierusalem before their vtter destruction by Vespatian The Iewes famous antiquary relates in his Booke of the warres of the lewes that before the vtter destruction of Ierusalem a fiery Sword was seene in the firmament ouer that City a light about the Temple and the Altar in the night season did affright them that waited a Cow led in for sacrifice brought forth a Lambe in the middest of the Temple the brasen gate of the Temple opened of its owne accord an hoast of Horsemen and Spearemen was seene ouer the City in the firmament a shrill voyce heard in the night season from vnder the Altar crying Get you hence get you hence and one Iesus the sonne of Ananus not long before the siege went vp downe the streetes and could not by any meanes be silenced but still hee lamented saying Woe to this place Temple and City and at the time of the siege he standing on the wall cryed Woe to my selfe at which words he was slaine with an engine by the enemy that beleagured the City I list not to wade into the shallow brookes of the Heathen yet if a man would but cast his eye into the tract of Suetonius concerning the liues of the twelue Caesars a man may see that God hath not left himselfe without witnesse in this kinde no not among those Paganish
Land Especially for the house of the King That the King as the foundation of his house may euer loue the glory of Gods house and the place where Gods honour dwelleth That the Prince and the rest of the Kings regall posterity may learne to execute true iudgement and iustice That his Counsell may be loyall and religious in the simplicity of their hearts and in the dexterity of their hands That the Peeers and Iudges may be as prudent Patrons Fathers guides to the whole State That vniust Monopolies which are but as the baites of these Nets vnnecessary taxations which are but the lead of these Nets to make them sinke and faire pretences which are but the corke to make them floate aloft may neuer be once named amongst the Courtiers of this kingdome Let vs euer pray that God would alwayes keepe three things in the Kings Court that were reserued in the Arke of the Couenant that is The Law of God and the lawes of our kingdome consonant thereunto whereby the policy of the State may be ordered both piousty and prudently The Manna which is the maintenance of the State may be aduanced And Aarons Rod the Ecclesiasticall Doctrine and Discipline which may bud and blossome and bring forth Almonds of Peace and Piety so long as the Sunne and Moone endure So shall the House of our King and Kingdome be an Administration of a most blessed Magistracy and a most sacred Ministery wherein shall dwest true Christian piety and policy vntill the second comming of Iesus Christ. I exhort you also that Prayers and Supplications be made for all the Prelates and Preachers of this house of England that the eminent in the Church vaunt not themselues in their Domination aboue their brethren for that is but the baite of these Nets nor that they exenterate their Clergy for that is but the lead of these Nets to make them vnseene in the great waters nor pretend their greatnesse and superintendency onely for that is but the Corke to make them floate aboue But let vs euer pray that those that doe rule in the Church may doe it with singlenesse of heart and those that are subordinate and are to be ruled may be obedient vnto them with all chearefulnesse that all as Gods good seruants may feare the Lord may goe when hee bids them goe and come when hee bids them come and neuer leaue off their Euangelicall negotiations but doe it with all diligence vntill Christ come So shall our Church-men be as precious Diamonds like Zorobabel the sonne of Shealtiel vpon Gods right hand they shall be the Iewells of the State and by their constant preaching shall saue themselues and others And I exhort you that Prayers and Supplications be made for the whole people of this Land that they may be obedient to their God in all goodnesse subiect and seruiceable to their King in body goods and life and ayding and assisting one to another in all Christian charity so shall all of euery order be a people of Gods owne acquisition election sanctification glorification and as Gods blessed Israel This God grant vnto the Court Church and Common-wealth for his vnspeakeable loues sake for his promise sake which hee hath ratified with the bloud of his Sonne and for the glory of his great Name For mine owne part I shall euer poure out my soule to God that he would for euer diuert from the house of the King the iudgement of Proscription that the King may euer be safe vnder Gods wings and secure vnder his feathers that no Iesuited Chastell Baltazar Gerard nor Iacobine Clement Rauilack nor Pouder-plotter nor any such wicked villaine be able once to looke vpon him with an eye heart or hand to hurt him That God would turne from our noble Peeres the iudgement of Desertion that their hopefull sonnes may grow vp as Plants and their noble daughters become as the polished angles of the temple That God would diuert from the Gentry the iudgement of fearefull slumber lest they forget their God that made them From the Iudges the iudgement of Reprobation but that they may put on Iustice as a Robe Honour as a Crowne and vnanimous consent for the good of the King and kingdome as the linkes of their collars of S S. From the Prelates and Preachers the iudgement of Dissention Faction and singular opinion lest the seamelesse coat of Iesus Christ be rent asunder Clothe O Lord all the hearts of our Church-men with thy righteousnesse their liues with thy grace and their learning with thy praise And turne O Lord from the whole people of this Nation the iudgement of Contempt of thy Word and Sacraments lest deuouring fire burne vp their houses to the ground lest the ayre infect their breaths with the plague of pestilence to the death lest the sword of the enemy be sheathed in their owne bowells and lest euery man become a Lion A Wolfe a Tigar and a Fox to hunt his brother with Nets Snares Yea I shall euer remaine during breath an humble Suppliant before the Throne of Almighty God that the house of the King may alwayes be as Gods Silo the Bishoprickes as Seats and Sees for the principall wel-deseruing masters of the Assemblies the Deanries as the Apostolicall Presbyteries the godly Magistracy of our Land as Mount Gerazim filled with blessings and the sacred Ministery as mount Tabor wherein the Church-men may continually conferre with the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles learnings Yea that the whole people may be Gods beloued Israel the cities as Bethel the Townes and Villages as Bethphage and Bethany and the citie of LONDON the chamber of the kingdome whither the prudent Tribes are now come vp to be Assessors and assistants in Parliament may be as a closet of all precious things Make Lord the Citizens Saints their houses Sanctuaries and the three Estates now assembled in PARLIAMENT the most pious and most prudent Sanedrim that euer the Sun shined on God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem And let the faithfull witnesse in Heauen say to all this Genesis 3. 1 Reg. 19. Matth. 17. Musc. Maldonat in Mat. 3 Iansen Conco 13. Diez con 1. Dom. 3. Aduen Aquin. Caten Matth. 3. Psal. 139. 21. Acts 8. Acts 13. Iren. lib. 6 cap. 3 Prouerbs 1. Psal. 29. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. Dauid George cald himselfe Gods Nephew and said he was sent to shew who were wheate who chaffâ— and for this phrensie was burnt at Basile Chap. 4. Chap. 6. Chap. 8. Chap. 4. Ibid. 8 7 Chap. 10. Ibid. Ibid. Chap. 5. Ibid. 14 Chap. 5. Ibid. 13 1. Position All Estates summoned 1 Sam. 14. 2 Sam. 15. 1 Reg. 12. 2 Sam. 16. Ioh. 7. Ioh. 11. Ier. 7. Luke 13. Gen. 3. Omnes apices â—uris excutiet Hilarius de Synodis acutâ— Eph. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hag. 1. 5. Si Deus homini non placurit Deus non erit Gal. 5. 1â— 2 Sam. 24. Nehem. 1. 1. Tim. 1. Acts 2. Bernard in Cant. Volo vultui irâ—e diuinae praesentari iudicatus non iudicandus 1 Cor. 11. 2. Position The Cleriques summoned Chap. 4. 6 8 1. Sam. 4. Leuit. 10. Leuit. 21. Apoc. 9. Apoc. â— Apoc. 6. Eus. li. 3. cap. 11. Bern. lib. 4. de Consid. Ezech. 33. 1. â— Corinth 5. Zephon 1. 12. Amos 1. 2. 2 Reg. 2. 2 Reg. 5. Iohn 9. Acts 5. Apoc. 1. Actus actiuoruÌ„ sunt in patientâ— disposito 2 Pet. 3. Rom. 2. 4. â— Pet. â— 1 Pet. 4. 1. Position The Laiques summoned Rom. 9. Rom. 13. Psalme 2â— Rom. 1. Qui sunt Christi in nominatiuâ— plurali Psalm 3. 4. Position The great ones summâ—ned Esay 4. 11. Psal. 82. 1. Psal. 149. 1. Esay 30. 33. Psal. 59. 2 Chron. 35. Psal. 21. Psal. 119. Ioh. 21. 2 Sam. 12. 2 Reg. 19. 1 Reg. 16. 1 Reg. 22. Psalme 52. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Position The charge to all Estates Luk. 8. Apoc. 2. 3. Luke 8. Matth. 18. 1 Reg. 19. Gen. 18. Ezech. 1. Inquirator pro Domino Iesu. 6. Position All Estates accused Matth. 17. 2 Tim. 2. Ibidem Apoc. 22. Apoc. 2. 2 Thes. 2. Ierem. 51. 9. Non minor est virtus quam quaereâ—a parta tueri Hab. 1. 16. Psalm 35. 7. Esay 33. 1. Ez. 12. 13. Hos. 7. 12. Psalm 11. 6. Luke 21. 35. Math. 13. 49. 7. Position All Estates menaced with Iudgement Psalme 7. 12. Ionas 3. Genesis 3. Iosâ—phus de bello Iudaico lib. 7. cap. 12. 1 Tim. 2.