their dealings There is nothing prouoketh god more thā when with a cloke or colour of religiō his people shall wallow in sin or superstitiō Read the 50. Psal. Unto the vngodly man sayde God why doest thou preach my lawes takest my couenant in thy mouth wheras thou hatest to be reformed hast cast my wordes behind thée So be you well assured that it is not inough to haue a gospel in our mouths but we must expresse the truth therof in our liues it is not inough to haue a name of a Christian but to be founde a Christiā in déede Many haue a shew of godlinesse saith S. Paul but they haue denied the power thereof If nature helped not Abrahams owne children but bycause they lacked Abrahās workes they are called Deuils sonnes Iohn 8. alas what shall a naked name without vertue a bare tytle without veritie profite vs at all Doth not Christe foretell of such in the day of iudgemēt who haue done manye thinges in his name and yet when all is done he knoweth them not Math. 7. Surely the blinde charitie of Papistes dothe laye sore to the lame and halting faythe of Christians Our knowledge shall but helpe vs to Hell if we do not that wée know for the seruaunte that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not must looke for many stripes and to whome more is giuen more is to be required We haue receyued plentifully but if we yéelde barrenly Christe cursed a figtrée surely he will not spare thée The Author to the Heb. 6. sheweth that the grounde that drinketh in the deaw or receyueth the rayne falling oft vpon it and yéeldeth fruite is blessed but the barraine and vnfruitefull is to be cursed and burned The Are is at the roote of euerye trée and iudgement is not farre by his fruit shall euery mā be knowen no fruite aswell as naughty fruite is both for the flame It was abhominable before God for Israel to sweare the Lord liueth yet to deceyue Ier. 5. to fast and yet to do no lesse violence to wash and yet to be vncleane to sacrifice and yet to sinne to kéepe Sabbothes yet to tumble in al sensualitie For swearing it was neuer so cōmon custome maketh it nothing in these dayes in euery place in euerye person the magnificēt name of God who is glorious great fearefull is tossed to fro as a tennis ball that for very trifles The Iewes yet whē they heard blasphemy woulde rend theyr clothes It woulde gréeue a Christian hart to heare at euery word an othe at euerye lye an oth bying selling is not without lying and swearing but if the mouth that lieth slayeth the soule Wisd. 1. what déepe damnatiō euen in the nethermost hel remaines for the periured person There would be some exquisit punishment for such helhoundes séeing God wil not hold them giltlesse lette al Magistrates that feare God condemne thē to some paine for they are past shame And bycause I spake of Sabbothes knowe you that euery day is a Christian Sabboth yet one amōgst the rest was specially cōmanded to the Iewes and commended vnto vs both to reste oure bodyes our beasts but the chiefe end was for Israel to go to the Sanctuarie for vs to come to the house of prayer The ceremonie of the seuenth day is not muche amisse and that the number of .7 signifieth perfectiō you may oftē reade in scriptures especially in the Reuelatiō Of churches stars spirits trūpets seales Angels and al appeared by seauen as a most absolute perfect nūber multiplyed in it self albeit this is somwhat mistical yet no harme followeth if we say God rested the vij day to shew vnto vs the perfectiō of his workes laboured .vi. days to giue vs an exāple of vocation It may be not one of the least causes that God ceassed the seauenth day to beholde the excellencye of his creatures and though he séeth them alwayes from whose eyes nothing can be hidde yet to take delight in their assemblings singing of hymnes in their praying vnto hym and praysing hys name in their reading and hearing his word And if he looke downe on oure Sabbothes what shall he finde I pray you euery daye euill and the Sabboth worst Redéeme the time for the dayes are euill If the Apostle saide so then what woulde he say if he liued nowe when the Lord can not haue a péece of a daye no scarce of the Sabboth day which he hathe so charged to be kepte and straightly commaunded to be obserued But it was to the Iewes you will say it is true indéede for those solemne and ceremoniall assemblies sacrifices and feasts but otherwise there hath bin euer in the primatiue Church and from the Apostles some obseruation of one day among the rest and for speciall consideration albeit the whole life of Gods chosen is a perpetuall sabboth and euery day sanctifyed and euerye houre holy vnto them Assuredly we come nothing néere the Iewes in this pointe for on oure Sabbothes all manner of games and playes bankettings and surfettings are very rife If anye manne haue anye businesse in the world Sonday is counted an idle daye If he haue none then it is bestowed in other pleasure Trahit sua quenque voluptas Euery man followeth his owne fansie And the wealthyest Citizens haue houses for the nonce they that haue none make shift with Alehouses Tauernes and Innes some rowyng on the water some rouing in the field some idle at home some worse occupyed thus what you gette euelly all the wéeke is worst spente on the Sabboth day according to the Prouerbe Il gotten ill spent blame not your seruantes if they follow your example for youre prodigalitie makes them vnthriftie But what accompt how answer you is this the Lordes daye or no if it be howe intollerable nay howe accursed moste condemnable are these outragious Bachanalia Lupanaria I can not tell what to call them such as Heathē menne were euer ashamed of I am sure and therfore practised better maters although prophane exercises but ours sauors so of Venus Court and Bacchus kitchin that it may rightly be entituled an abhominable and filthy Citie and withoute doubte London shall iustifie hir elder sister Hierusalem if in time she turne not to the Lorde I saye nothing of diuers other abuses whych do carrie away thousands and drowne them in the pernicious vanities of the worlde Looke but vppon the common playes in London and sée the multitude that flocketh to them and followeth them beholde the sumptuous Theatre housee a continuall monument of Lōdons prodigalitie and folly But I vnderstande they are nowe forbidden bycause of the plague I like the pollicye well if it holde still for a disease is but bodged or patched vp that is not cured in the cause and the cause of plagues is sinne if you looke to it well and the cause of sinne are playes
Agayne there are a sorte that goe downe into Egypte whome Esay curseth whyche séeke wyse women olde beldames for yong women wyth childe Witches and cunnyng menne for thynges loft It was a greate faulte in this people Manasses the Idolater was sorely gyuen to it to obserue dreames singyng of byrdes and the lyke paltrie as manye doe nowe the howlyng of Dogges the gnawyng of Rottes the spottes in the hande the crying of Rauens the flying of Owles a sorte of fonde obseruations and dreames olde wyues fables whereby the Diuell deludeth manye and weakeneth theyr faythe Saule woulde néedes consulte wyth a Witche thoughe hée hymselfe hadde putte them downe yet when Samuell the Prophete was deade so bewitched was Kyng Saule but shortlye after if not the nexte daye hee ranne on hys owne Sworde There is a Plague in store for all forsakers of GOD and séekers to the Diuell hée dothe abhorre it and precisely forbydde it in the eyghtenth Chapter of Deuteronomie Nowe for them whyche flye the Plague whether they trust in the Lorde or no héere are manye would fayne knowe and I wyll bée as willyng to declare my opinion therein I can not defyne it absolutely or fynallye determine the case but I leaue it to my betters and it is conscience in déede that strykes the stroke of trust or mistrust and therein euerye manne canne best tell hymselfe for as thy lyfe dothe declare thée to manne so thy faithe dothe shewe thée vnto GOD and Tenera res conscientia est quae nec tangi nec angi debet Conscience is a tender thyng and maye not bée touched nor troubled I maye tearme it a signe of weakenesse but not flatte infidelitie for thou mayest both tarrie and flée an Infidell And there is a desperate kynde of tarrying with preposterous wordes whyche I vtterlye mislike and that same harde opinion flatte agaynste all Phisicke that the Plague is not infectious I canne not allowe they haue no reason to make it good that so saye but they bryng particulare experience whych is no proofe at all as though God coulde not be god and the Plague infectious Let him that hath a gift to tarry praise God for it and let him not triumph ouer him that hathe it not and yet I woulde euerye man were as he But mans nature is verye frayle and hys fleshe soone afrayde and euerye bodye hathe not the like measure of perfection and strength Agayne some are more bounde to tarry than other some as publike persons the Magistrate the Minister the maister of householdes that haue any publike office charge or function let them looke vnto it and for the rest that flye away if they doe prouide that their neyghbours doe not lacke that conueniente comforte and sufficiente succoure whyche their presence myghte yéelde I say it is the safer But to aunswere rash concluders whiche are hastie to giue sentence and do condemne their brethrens conscience whiche say absolutely it is lacke of faith and altogither vnlawfull it is to flye from God c. As though God were the plague I say if you wil néeds proue your fayth for your tarying and playing the men then must you find a promise for your fayth or els it is no faith For eternal life we haue a promise and therfore a faith wher in al the Scriptures haue you anye promise that God wil spare him or hir that vpoÌ„ their trust remaine tarie by it whereas as godly and as faithfull are takeÌ„ away as Infidels and wicked nay I think rather the worst are left behinde to amende and it will be or to féele a sorer plague For as Augustine sayth it is a temptation not to be tempted so surely may it be a horrible plague not to be plagued as I haue proued before Away with that Heathen prouerb which is too common among Christians He that dieth this yere is scused for the next Nay he that dieth this yéere not in the Lorde is excused neuer but dieth for euer Let vs rather pray the Lorde to enable vs to doe our dutie in all spiritual strength and to comfort one another in sicknesse and in health and let vs beséech the lord to remoue this plague far froÌ„ vs séeing we can not remoue our selues from the plague the wings of the morning caÌ„not do it for he is euery where Haue mercy vpon vs therfore O Lord according to thy wonted mercy like as when thou commaundedst thy Angel to cease from slaughter in the time of king Dauid so if it be thy blessed will take froÌ„ vs nowe this pestilence of mortalitie and shewe thy louing countenaunce once agayne and be not angry with vs for euer She drew not neare to hir God. This is the fourth and last cause As a wilde Asse in the mountayne coÌ„mes not neare his catcher so Israel withdraweth hir self froÌ„ god hir kéeper Christes crying Come vnto me c. Mat. 11. dothe tell vs that he can not abide that we should wander stray to any other To come néere is not thy bodily going to the church or Pharisaical pressing to the high Aulter but it is a spiritual approching euen as God is a spirit Iohn 4. Which words S. Iames vseth too expresseth what it is to draw neaâ—â— vnto god it is to clense our hands to purifie our hartes It cannot be but a great comfort to vs that God is euery where religion doth nothing els but ioyne vs vnto him as superstitioÌ„ doth separate vs froÌ„ him and therfore it is called fornication Also prayer is a speciall of this generall wherby we talke with God come before his presence as Abraham talked with God for Sodome euery faithful child of God for himselfe But they that séeke other shifts neuer aske of god as king Asa sick of the gout sought PhisitioÌ„s and neuer sought the Lord they are runagates froÌ„ god they shal dye as the king did without help for the Lord is soueraigne ruleth al things by himself and though he lend vs ordinary meanes yet he leaues vs not to theÌ„ alone but would haue vs séeke all things of him who is the fountayne of al good things Hir Rulers are as roaring Lions Least the Prophet should séeme to saye any thing that â—e could not proue and so slaunder the state of Ierusalem therfore as he named the faults before so he commes nowe to the persons also and that the very chéefe Note héere howe necessarie it is to come to particulars and to poynt at and paint out sinne in whom soeuer it is He that speakes generally speakes to no man now a days for euery body can post it off or sport it out so pretily As the woman of Samaria by the well of Sichar was verye pleasaunt with Christ vntil he tooke hir vp for hir adulterie So euery man had bin faultlesse héere and the Prophet had not bin very playne they woulde haue set as good a face on
more except you would haue vs sée all and say nothing And though héere I shall say nothyng but that that hath bin sayd yet that is no shame to me But I woulde fayne knowe of all that hath bin sayde what hathe bin done whiche is or may bée a great shame for you Desperate were the dayes of Ieremye wherein superstition and sinne as two scorpions were growen so ranke that high time it was for the very safegard of Gods remnant that the sounde of vengeance the exclamations of wee and terrible threatnings of God shuld be giuen out to terrifye and staye aâ— many as he had appointed to repente And oure age being in no better case but well worse hath extreame néede of eiulation and exclamation of the like woes and curses to stoppe and it maye be the intollerable abuses of our time to turne and it be possible our stubborne and stony hartes at length vnto the Lord. It is lamentable my brethren that the husbandmans corne can fynde no good ground but the enimies tares not sowne but shed and scattered doe yet take roote prosper and preuayle to the vtter choking and smothering of the Lords haruest But as where the word is not preached there the people perish So where it is plentifully deliuered and the people wilfully negligeÌ„t there is déepe damnation and vtter distruction shortly to be loked for Our Sauiour truly sayd the Haruest is greate and the labourers are fewe let vs follow his couÌ„sel therfore pray the Lorde of the haruest to sende in more paynefull and faithfull labourers leaste the Bore of the woodde doe roote vppe the vyne leaste the cockle doe ouergrowe the corne leaste the Diuell make hauocke of altogither And in this prayer let vs commende vnto him his vniuersall Church and specially England and Irelande and herein particularlye our most gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and all hir moste honourable Counsellers the whole ministerie and euerye priuate member of his body praying for the reste that in his good time they may be plaÌ„ted in or else supplanted out that if they wil neuer bee good that they may yet neuer do harme vnto Israel which is of god Amen Wo to that abhominable filthie and cruell Citie she heard not the voice she receiued not correction shee trusted not in the Lord she drew not neere vnto hir God hir Rulers within hir are as Roring Lions hir Iudges are as Wolues in the euening c. THis Texte maye well be deuided into foure partes as it lyeth and séeing the words themselues doe leade me to so good an order I will contente my selfe and not séeke to be wyser than the holy Ghost The firste and principall parte is a gréeuous accusation of the whole state of Ierusalem both for life and religion Secondlye an enumeration of the particular causes thereof Thirdly a reprehension of the persons but especially of Magistrates and Ministers And fourthly a denouncing of woes and plagues against theÌ„ For the firste it is wonderfull to sée that nothing will doe the wicked anye good And agayne there is nothing can doe the godly any harme All the woes in the world will not make the wilfull once to beware but to the faithfull seruaunte of God one worde is ynough When the Lyon roreth who quaketh not and when God threatneth who is not afrayde Wide open were all the Prophets mouthes and euery one cryed woe but words are but winde and will not preuayle with the wicked who are sworne to sinne and solde ouer to worke wickednesse without measure And Gods owne children sometymes are taken tardy too and threatninges are in vayne euen to theÌ„ But as where wordes will take no place there blowes must be put in proof So where one nor other can doe anye good at all there remaynes nothing but a horrible expectation of destruction Neuerthelesse the verye reprobate and cursed wretch should quake at Gods checke who though he haue no holde nor hope of Eternall life for lacke of faith yet to auoyde the verye bodily plagues and miseries of this mortall life shoulde tremble and shake at his irefull and fearefull Iudgements Gods threatnings haue a twâ—folde operation and effect the one in the chosen and it toucheth them verye néere and turneth their hearts and humbleth them in all their soule as Niniuie may be a liuely example the other in the wicked and they are made more obstinate froward and hard at the hearte and thereby more inexcusable as the example of Pharao in Egipt doth testifie It is and hathe bin euer a mercifull manner of our God to speake before he strike and he is not by by at a worde and a blowe neither but giueth time and space for repentance but and hys patience be wounded once then hys wrath kindleth as the coale and flameth as the fire and no man is able to abide the rage therof Flintie and peruerse were this people and this Prophet preuayled not amongst them hée was one of the last that preached to them before their captiuitie into Babylon Yet I trust better of you and pray better for you and am perswaded that you will doe those things that wée warne you of though we thus speake as Saint Paule saide of the ThessaloniaÌ„s 2. Eph. 13. Cap. Let this driue you somewhat more néere your selfe that God will not be mocked and when hée accuseth it is but lost labour to excuse and as his word endureth for euer and euerye iotte thereof is perfecte to bée performed so these woes being a parte of his word can not returne in vayne thy Prophete yet be perused and read Ieremies bookes as it seemeth and fouÌ„d out the Prophecie of the peoples captiuitie .70 years which he calles wâ—â—â—s that so long Iuda shoulde lye by it and that for theyr transgression And the Angell Gabriel reuealed to him afterward that the Lord in mercy would yet restore them seuen fold again that is .70 times seuen which amouÌ„teth or multiplieth in accoumpt to 490. yeres and then this Messias should come Ieremy here speaketh indefinitelye and sayth the time commeth where the present tyme is put for the future as I take it not to expresse the shortnesse but the assuraunce of the tyme when Christe shoulde come The Wyse man sayth all thinges haue a time and it is a high poynt of wisdome to knowe the tyme of all thinges but to knowe this tyme of all tymes is wisdome of all wisdomes The Prophetes foreshewed it to the Iewes but yet he was chieflie receyued of the Gentiles for he came to his owne his owne knew him not I pray God for the second triumphant kingly coÌ„ming it fall not out so that to whoÌ„ he is most preached they be least prepared How long was it I pray you that Israel longed to come out of Egipts bondage and how loÌ„g loked Iuda to be deliuered froÌ„ Babilons captiuity But for the great fréedom indéed from the perpetual euerlasting
descended and were his sonnes after the flesh I aunswere though I say he was not begotten of any man yet I do not say that he came not of that stocke therefore for Ihesse Dauids father was the roote Dauid as the braunch Marie the Uirgin was the flower of Dauides braunche and Christ our Sauiour was the fruite of Maries blossome Therefore is he called the sonne of Dauid in the Genealogie by Math. 1. and often in the new TestameÌ„t comming in deede of that Trybe kyndred or stocke He is called therefore the righteous braunch for thrée respectes First bicause he came of the same kyndred by his mother Secondlie bicause of those degenerating bastardes Roboham Manasses and the like wicked Princes who notwithstanding were of his lyne yet followed not a foote of Dauids wayes but defiled his seate and prophaned the Sanctuarie and turned his Scepter another waye And as he is not a Iewe which is a Iewe borne nor he a true Israelite which is so called nor all are not Abrahams sonnes that are after the flesh Roma 9. No more maye they be called ryght braunches of good Princes which beare no lyke fruite although that otherwise they be their owne sonnes Thyrdlie he is called the ryghteous braunche in respecte of the good Kinges also Salomon Iosias Ezechias and those fewe more which not onelye were of Dauids loynes but also dyd treade in hys steppes and walked in the waye of Dauid theyr Father in obedience to the commaundement of the Lorde in setting foorth the true seruice of the GOD of Israell in fyring the supersticious Idolles cutting downe theyr groues and wooddes to the ruine and spoyle of their Idoll aultares which farre better deserued the tytle of Dauids righteous braunche than anye of the wicked Kinges forespoken of And yet they are not this braunche neyther but onely and trulie and properlie it is Iesus the Messias You wyll thinke then that I do to much wrong to them which were lawfullie begotten Sonnes and laudablie raygned Kinges whiche came of his séede aryght and raigned righteouslie in the seate to and yet not the true braunch I shall satisfie you if you marke and that in a worde I do not denye them to be the right braunch according to the flesh and so is Christ to but I deny them to be the ryght and righteous braunche for so is Christe alone for such a sprygge or stemme neuer sprouted out neyther of Abraham whose Isaack was so increased nor out of Dauid whose kinges so succeded nor out of all generations againe for the fountaine is too fowle our petigrue must be fetcht froÌ„ Adam which is earth and this seconde Adam is the Lord from heaueÌ„ 1. Cor. 15. And the reason is that those excellent vertues and Princely qualities of wisdome iustice Religion in any of those good kinges the sonnes of Dauid or in all it was in them but as shadowes and vnperfect figures of him in whome dwelleth the fulnesse of all goodnesse So that he onely and alone is this ryghteous braunche Here we maye sée the infinite loue of God towardes his Church neuer forsaking hir but in hir first fall renuing of hir with promises in hir forgetfulnesse reuiuing of hir with prophecies that shée myght styll hope anâ— not be confounded for euer And if the Patriarkes and men of God in elder tymes receyued such plentyfulnesse of ioy and gladnesse in the onely promyse of the Messias whereby their faith was full What flowing and ouerstreaming vnmeasurable coÌ„fort should we reape to whome those prophecies do mynister more than to the Prophetes them selues 1. Peter 1. For kinges and Prophets haue desired to sée what we haue séene and yet sawe it not but in the promise only Luke 10. They lyued in the tyme of the promise of this branch and the Apostles lyued as it were vnder the shadowe of his leaues but we lyue as vnder the fruite it selfe For the tyme of Grace the longer and the later it is the more mercifull it is to them that shall be saued And howe graciouslie he hath dealte with vs of Englande besides maye not passe vnspoken of in planting a ryght braunch to raygne ouer vs not a bastarde bramble as Abimeleche was the sonne of a bonde woman as ye maye reade Iudges 9. The Uine the Oliue the Palme the Figge tree and the rest chose a Bramble to be their king Who beganne with murther raigned in crueltie and dyed in bloud But ouer vs hee hath planted a peaceable Prince the ryght braunche of hir royall Father and moste worthye King Henrie the eyght kéeping all good steppes of hir prodecessors going farther in Religion than many of theÌ„ if not than any of them The Lorde leade hir farther styrre vp hir counsell to comforte hir strengthen hir kingdome to kéepe hir lengthen hir lyfe longe to raygne ouer vs And though I maye not saye as the Olyue trée to beare fruite yet to florishe as the Palme to be freshe as the Lawrell to be stronge as the Oake to spreade abroade as the Ceader and to be an olde Tree of continuaunce as the Cypre and though she be fruitlesse one waye yet fructifie hir O Lorde many wayes with gâ—â—d and faythfull subiectes that shâ—e and wée as well graffed braunches maye abyde styll in the stocke and tarye in the Uine and fructifie by the operation of Gods holye spyrite vnto eternall lyfe in Iesus Christ. Amen VVhich King shall beare rule Here he is proclaymed Kynge by the Prophete heade of his Church and Prince of his people Trayterous are all other heades then monstrous and rebellious of King or Caesar or Turke or Pope or Deuyll lyfting them selues aboue this King which must beare all the rule He is sayde to be our Prophete our Prieste and our King a Prophete being a fulfyller of all that they spake and the ende of them a Priest to fynishe all the Sacrifices of the olde Lawe by one suffycient and most blessed oblation of his owne body vpon the Crosse a King by rulyng and gouerning his Church hauyng full aucthoritie alone ouer the same being annointed not with the confections of balmes or spices of swéete odors but with the holy Oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes But what rule bare he some wyll say could he come simplier than borne in a Manger despised of the Doctors had in derision of the multitude spytted on and most spitefully dealt withall alas what crowne ware he but a crowne of thornes or what King was he being so poore so persecuted that it was not possible it shoulde be he that is here prophecied Thus they looking for a Princely appearing in power aucthoritie and wealth and to haue an earthly kingdome restored as they dreamed receyued not the King of Kings and therfore though they aske for the daye of the Lorde the daye of the Lorde yet haue they nothing to doe with it when it commes for it is darknesse and no lyght vnto them
through the eye of a nedell than for suche ryche menne to enter the Kyngdome of God or to the foule carrion Rauen whyche flewe out of Noahs Arke and returned not agayne béeyng deteyned or holden backe wyth the fylthye styncke of carrion dead bodyes that were drowned euerye garbage or baggage is good ynough for them Duleu odor lucri ex re qualibet The sauor of gayne is swéete out of the vylest thyng Or to foolishe Esau whyche for a messe of pottage dyd make awaye hys inheritaunce They maye saye they are Abrahams Chyldren long ynoughe but Abraham hadde two Sonnes the one of a bondewomanne whyche was Ismaell So Hagar is youre mother and you resemble muche the enuious children of couetous Laban an Idolater who mighte well be youre father for couetousnesse is Idolatrie Achabs example dothe declare youre faulte and dothe it not threaten your punishment I am wearie to enter the common beaten discourse of thys byting and dogged sinne nay deuouring and diuelishe sinne Usury But for shorte and long this you haue to trust vnto that if Syon bée buylt wyth bloud and Hierusalem with iniquitie Syon shall bée ploughed vp and Hierusalem made an heape of stones London builds apace beware of bloud and iniquitie for it is not Tyre nor it is not Sydon it is not Gomorrah nor it is not Sodom it is not Iherusalem it is not Syon it is not London nor it is not Englande that shall so escape scotfrée and swéepe stakes wythout all measure but GOD shall recken wyth you in his rage giue you a tast of his anger as an earnest penny in this life of euerlasting paines in the life to come if ther be no ho. And if you bréede Cockatrice egges of whiche whosoeuer eateth he dieth and he that treadeth on them Serpentes come vppe if you weaue the Spyders webbe whiche makes no clothe if the déedes of wickednesse and the workes of robbery be in your hands well you may looke for health but it is farre from you Of the seuerall sortes of wicked braunches all sprouting out of this poysoned body vsury couetousnesse beyng the roote of all I leaue to speake at large as of Masters detayning seruaunts wages it is a crueltie and cōmes of couetousnesse a roring sinne whiche shall make the wringers houle for it if they repent not in tyme remember you haue a Master in heauē and let not the hyrelings wages tarry with thée al night as many make them reape their labour for theyr paynes such grubbers there bée whiche grynde the faces of the poore and lurche them as they list vsing them worsse than many a man woulde vse a beast they coste more and are as déere in Christes eyes as thou and more precious too and thou kéepe that way for the ende thereof is destruction this is a great faulte of Gentlemen in the Countrie and of some in the Citie too as harde harted and mercylesse as the beste take héede least in the bitternesse of theyr griefe they curse thée and their crie come vp vnto the Lorde I say nothing of exequutors which may wel be called executors for spoylyng of Orphanes infantes and widdowes which are theyr owne caruers and begger and beguile them to whom the right belongs And here my thinkes I sée the secrete iudgements of God on goods ill gotten as Dauid sayeth thou scrapest and canst not tell for whome thou rakest into thy clouches and knowest not who shall possesse thē perhaps thy exequutor perhaps a straunger sometimes thy enimy and sometimes thy owne sonne and none soner shal consume and scatter abroade what thou with toyle and turmoile with vexing of thy body and ventryng of thy soule hast miserably scratched togither in all the dayes of thy life it is flushe in a yéere nay sometymes in an houre if they fall kyndly too it as many yong maysters doe suche prodigall prancks haue made a cleane riddaunce of fayre possessions in a shorte tyme and theyr punishment is righte for it that seyng they are so forwarde too beginne where theyr parents lefte they muste be fayne to make an ende where theyr fathers beganne thus misery méetes with prodigalitie and prodigalitie endes in misery as it is méete and I would bothe olde and yong would marke this lessen well learne to do wel with Mammon whilest they haue it for either the man or Mammon or bothe will away at length and cannot tarrie still It is an olde verse and forgotten of all Da tua dum tua sunt post mortē non tua sunt Giue thine whyle they are thine for after death they are none of thine I am led by occasion of these words to another kinde of crueltie and it is very néedefull now to be hearde in good time be it spoken therfore I pray God and this growes out of the bowels of couetousnesse too and beareth hardnesse of harte and as Christ foretolde so is it come to passe the charitie is waxed cold But as it is an argument of the whole worldes ouerthrowe when vniuersally winter shall come ouer charitie so is it strōg as a conclusiō of the cōfusion of the citie that hath lost the heate of christiā loue and pittie if thy enimy hunger féede him but we are so farre out of charitie that wée woulde féede on him rather though Salomon himself counsell vs or a greater than Salomon euē our Sauiour commaunde vs the contrary and herein he goeth so farre that many are content to let him goe alone When he bids vs loue our enimies once that goeth harde and it is agaynst Adams adamant harte yet muste wée so be perfect as our father is perfect But wée are so far out of square that we scarce loue our fréendes euery man is so in loue with himselfe and Christes newe commaundement is made no commaūdement loue you one another I cannot denie but that there is a generall prouision for the poore in this Cittie and your Hospitals finde good reliefe God be thanked for it for he doth it but euery priuate mans deuotion is very smal I shreudly suspect that priuy almes come shorte your shoppes haue so shaped you after this worlde The Pharisées were prodigall for prayse I would Christians would learne to be liberall for very shame It were well and some would not take away that the pore haue such clinchers there are but as he that giues vnto the poore lendeth to the Lorde so he that taketh or stoppeth away from the poore taketh from the Lord or else how should that be true I was hungry you gaue me no meate I was thirstie you gaue me no drinke c. Shall our mayster commaunde vs to sell and gyue and shal we gayne and yet giue nothing whose seruaunts are you iudge your selues that you be not iudged of the Lorde surely his whom you obey Rom. 6. Well what say you and the poore lye vnder euery wall and crie vnder euery
So playes the Pope he wil not be tried by the worde but he shall whether he will or no in the day of iudgement lette him ryde on cocke horse nay on mens backes treade on Emperours neckes and kéepe a coyle like the Diuell in euery kingdome of this worlde hys exaltyng vp to heauen shall but déeper plunge hym into Hell for not hearyng the voyce Obedience is better than sacrifice and the holy Ghost alwayes wiser than menne God is true and all men are liers the golde that is purified seuentimes is not so perfect as his worde wherefore all adders too or takers fro are accursed Heare O heauen and harken O earth sayde Esay Esai 1. in his tyme and what may wée say in our tyme it would grieue your harte to tell a tale to a poste and it woulde encourage vs well to speake to willyng menne I will hyde nothing from Abraham sayde God for hée will shewe it hys chyldren and teache it his posteritie Would GOD that as you are not alwayes chyldren but somtimes fathers so you were not alwaies learners but sometimes teachers I woulde you were all preachers Numeri 1â— verse 29. She receyued not correction This is a secoÌ„d cause that the prophets warnyngs were but winde but this worde shal burne as fire and make the people smoke for it As doctrine is cold without repreheÌ„sioÌ„ so are threatnings in vaine without correction This made Ionas so angry with himselfe that he wished death again bicause he thought it a discredite that God had not so dealt with Nyniuie as hée had pronounced But the anger of manne dothe not accomplishe the iudgements of God and he is mercyfull to spare rightuous to reward when whom he wil. I would to God the case were so with this Cittie nowe as it was with Niniuie then The incurable malice of Israell euen of Gods owne people is here displayed and expressed that neyther wordes nor blowes neyther speakyng nor striking neither geÌ„tle promises nor sharp repreheÌ„sions neither faire meanes nor foule coulde do theÌ„ any good at all for if prophecying wold haue serued the turne why early and late she lacked none or if punishment could haue wrought the feate for dearth sworde captiuitie plague c. shée wanted not warning by wordes dothe worke with many of Gods chyldren but correction winnes them all and nothyng will doe with the wicked till condemnation come Hée is sayde to receyue correction that is bettered by it as Ezechias the King Dauid the Prophete Ioseph the Patriarch Iob the holy man It was good for all these that GOD had humbled them but where there is no fruyte there all is loste and that correction is not receyued As a potion taken for health if it worke not there muste bée a quicker or else the disease remayneth still euen so if one punishmente will not doe a kynder muste bée putte in proofe and as where the Physition ceasseth of the seconde attempt hée seeth small signe of recouery and that mans state is daungerous euen so where GOD giues ouer and lettes alone there is no hope of remedie and that mans case is desperate for whome hee loueth he chastiseth and scourgeth euery sonne that hée receyueth and if you be not vnder chastisemente that is if you receyue not correction whereof all his chyldren are pertakers then are you bastardes and not sonnes Heb. 12. but it was farre otherwise with this people they were as Horse Mule in whome there is no vnderstandyng nay the Oxe dothe knowe hys owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israell will not be made to knowe hir God it is a stiffenecked people she wyll receyue no correction she hathe cast the yoke of obedience ouer hir shoulders why shoulde yée be stricken anye more sayeth Esay séeyng that you are euer falling away Lette vs nowe sée this in our seâ—ues whether wée haue anye correction or no and if we haue whether we receyue it as we ought to do God hathe played the fathers parte in sparing vs from Famine from Battell from the Sworde and from Captiuitie and bondage the common euentes of Warres and hée hathe visited vs wyth a gentle plague the disease that Dauid chose And what hathe it done it hathe mended as manye as it hathe ended not one that hath not bin sicke is the better where as the good chylde is in awe and dothe as muche at the shakyng as at the strykyng wyth the rodde nay I maye saye to you manye haue bin visited and are recouered but for theyr lyfe and conuersation they are the worse and doe they receyue correction then excepte hée shoulde rente asunder the verye Heauens and breake the Cloudes and come downe hymselfe to visit I thinke wée are at a poynte for all other visitations I remember what the wicked man sayeth in hys hearte There is no GOD but lette vs not egge hym too farre God is prouoked euerye daye but if a manne wyll not turne hée hathe whette hys Sworde hée hathe bente hys bowe and made it readye hée hathe prepared for hym the instrumentes of deathe It is not ynough to saye GOD SAVE THE QVEENE yet by our disobedieÌ„ce cause hym to take hyr awaye Oure Sauioure wepte ouer Hierusalem for that shée knewe not those thynges whyche belonged to hyr peace Englande hathe peace the Lorde long continue it and open oure eyes to sée the thynges that belong vnto it as well in pietie and religion as in policie and reason Happye are they whome other mennes harmes can make to beware If Fraunce Flaunders Spayne and all the whole Worlde besydes can not bée a fayre and sufficient warning to vs lette vs take héede we be not made an example to all the world Shee trusted not in the Lorde This is the thirde cause and it is the fountayne of all vnhappinesse not to depeÌ„d of Gods prouidence This made Israell hunt after Idols so and putte hir trust in Horses and strength of meÌ„ to bée so cruell in dealing with deceyt And what shall I saye of oure engrocers forestallers forfet takers Usurers oppressing Landlordes of murmuring rich men that euer are afraid and neuer haue ynough that you trust in the Lorde I will not disproue youre faith but if you do those things which denye and defye the faithe which fight agaynste faithe if you iustifye them of little faythe that cared but for to morrowe and youre carke be for a hundred yeares though your carcases can not tarrye so long You maye talke of Gods Prouidence as long as you wyll and beléeue you he that list Youre trust is not rightely in the Lorde and if you mistrust hys prouidence by my counsayle you shall mystrust youre owne prouision and good reason to for hée will take whether hée wyll at hys pleasure Thou feele thys nyghte shall I take awaye thy soule and whose shall these thynges bée then whyche then haste prouided
slippe his necke oute of the haulter In Platoes common welth he that killed one was thought worthy death twice firste for natures duetye secondlye for the life he toke away shal a Ruffyan kil twice in a Christian estate before he can be met with once And here I haue a sute to your honours I wyll not spare to speake howsoeuer I speede I shall discharge my conscience yet and the burden shal be yours it is to renewe my petition whiche once I made to your predicessor for poore condemned prisoners make no such poste hast I beséech you that you daÌ„ger their soules with their bodies They are cut off to saue their soule but you make no care of that take héede that you haue not as short a warning and a more sodayne departing your selues God hath giuen you faire warning by many late and lamentable examples euen of your own Cloke I discommend not due execution of Iustice it is no piece of my meaning but mercy is alwayes better than Sacrifice Wherefore let it euer ioyne with your iustice or else there is no difference betwéene damning condemning on your part the olde Poetes had a blind saying Dimittamte orco I le sende thée to hel when anye man was don to death but ChristiaÌ„s haue a better phrase I trow I truste they go to heaueÌ„ Wel to draw toward a conclusion with you which are our honorable gouernour and Maior of this Citie you must remember that you are chosen in the time of a plague and therfore in the time of sinne you are come to a sicke a sore citie you must therfore play both the Phisition and Surgeon you muste awake out of Endimions sleepe and thrust dilligently your sword of iustice in to launce out all corruption and bagage which is gathered in the bowels we stoppe not our nose so at the plague as the Lord doth stoppe hys nose at our sinne the stincke of London is come vp before hym God hath a worke to doe by you do not the Lordes worke negligently for feare of a curse Tully truely sayde Magistratus virumindicat autoritie doth declare a man whether he Loue superstition or religion whether he loue Iustice or brybes whether he be inclined to mercy or to crueltie whether he be couetous or liberal and if hee be a LioÌ„ his pawes or if he be a Wolf his iawes wil soone bewray him the cry of the Orphane oppressed wil Hunte him and finde him out It coÌ„mes to my minde those three ships seÌ„t to Mar. Aurelius Emperor of Rome out of Spain as I remeÌ„ber full fraught with vagaboÌ„ds loiterers théeues Iuglers Iesters in a letter he wrote that these were but the maisters of this misrule and the captain Roges but for the scholers themselues three hundered ships would not suffise To thys end I tell you thys bycause wee haue more than thrée shippes ful by oddes I wyl not saye the Cittie is ful but sure adulterers and Harlottes théeues and Uacaboundes do swarme in most places of the same and no marueyle for Dicing houses Daunsing schooles bowling-aleyes Alehouses are almoste lawlesse in euery place me thinkes the policye were as good to note on those places LORD HAVE MERCIE VPON VS as on infected houses more néede to euen at this time if there were due searche you shoulde finde my words true Seruice or Sermon all is one to them I leaue to tell the ribaldrie contempte of God and of good order blasphemy and vilanous spéeches amongst them that a maÌ„ would take theÌ„ to bee rather Diuels than Christians You cannot haue all of me nowe giue eare to other when they come I beséeche you and in anye case despise not the leaste that the Lorde doeth sende so shall you shewe in youre yeares account that you haue kepte your conscience vnwounded vnburdened as Samuels was before the Lorde you may chaunce els to get such spottes and scarres in this yéere as will not out agayne before the Iudgement daye the which the Lorde God forbid Amen And as for thée London I must néeds say thou art déepe in debte double and treble daunger doth enuiron thée round about and compasse thée in on euery side for thou dost ouerflowe with sinne Euen as a Cunditâ— sprouteth out water and as the Sea fometh with myre and grauell So thou doste discouer thine owne shame Prodigalitie pride deceite and fraud and all the rest it was first began in thée Thou hast infected both Court and Countrey and theyr bloude will be required at thy hands Greate néede haue we therefore my brethren by our tymely repentaunce to turne vnto the Lorde that as by our example we haue fetcht them in so by our generall lamentation mourning we may bring them out again Who caÌ„ tell whether the Lord will yet haue coÌ„passion vpon vs or no and staye the thing that is concluded agaynst vs It was one of the last offers that god made to Israell when he sayd Amende or I will withdraw my hart from thée Now if in his rage he shall sweare that we shall not enter into his rest and in his anger he shall withdrawe his countenaunce which hath béene our continuaunce then soone shall fearefulnesse the pitte and the snare come vpon vs and all them that dwell in the worlde The Lord turne our harts rather vnto him worke in vs timely repentance before it be too late make vs more obedient to his holy worde that we maye serue him more truely in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life that this miserable and paynefull life béeing passed ouer ended once we may receiue an eternall and euerlasting lyfe which is the onely purchase of Iesus Christ our onely redeemer and sauiour to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al glorie prayse and power for nowe and euermore Amen Gal. 4. Math. 6. Acts. 4. Math. 10. For it vvâ—â— extraordinarye Peter is not chiefe Apostle then in respect of his Apostleship Luke 10. Verse 16 Mat. 9. Verse 37. Text. Zophony â— Amos. 3. verse 8. Ionas 3. verse 5. Exodus 9.10 Chap. Ioel. 2. verse 13. VVhatsoeuer a man sovveth that shall he reape Galath 6. verse 7. As Adam and Cayne did Eccle. 3. verse 1. Iohn 1. Where the Philosopher endes the Phisition begyns and after the Phisition commes the Diuine when senses and all are gone Heb. 6. verse 18. Psal. 33 Daniel 3 verse 25 Psal. 14. Daniel 6 Math. 13 Luk. 16. verse 16. Obiection Solut. 1. Esdr. 9 Iohn 3 verse 4 1 Cor. 1 vâ—rse 14 â—sal 51 Obiection Solut. Math. 1 Thre causeâ— why Christ is called the rightuous braunch of Dauâ—d Englands happinesse Psal. 45. Obiection Amos. 5. Couetous Atheists but if of any side of Papists for it is moste gainefull For his ovvne coÌ„science is against him Iames. 4. verse 17. So playde Peter vvheÌ„ he sayde he vvould die before deny christ Math. 26. verse 35. That is svvallovv any iote of hir pestileÌ„t doctrine Papistes proue traytors apace Math. 10. verse 33. Iohn 4. verse 24. Psalm 16. Gods seruice requireth a vvhole and perfect maÌ„ And yet he coÌ„maunded them Psalm 50. verse 16. 2. Timot. 3. Math. 7. verse 22. Hebr. 6. verse 7. Vnfruiâ—tfull earth vvithout vvater so vnfruictfull man vvithout the vvorde Esa. 58. verse 4. And therefore not vvithout stealing Ievves Sabboth Saterday Christians Sonday Ephes. 5. An olde reason Luke 18. verse 8. Psalme 62. verse 10. Let him that stole steale no more Ephes. 4. verse 38. 1. Tim. 6. verse 10. Ieremy 5. 1. Peter 1. verse 18. Prouerbs 4. verâ—â— 2â— Rom 6. Gen. 6. Math. 10. verse 24. Gen. 7. Gen. 21. â— Kings 21. verse 19. Miche 3. verse 10. Esay 59. verse 5. Collos. 4. verse 1. Esay 3. verse 15. Math. 24. verse 12. Prouer. 25. verse 20. Math. 9. verse 44. Iohn 15. verse 12. Math. 25. verse 35. Marc. 10. verse 21. Iames. 5. Obiect Solut. Amos. 9. verse 4. Amos. 6. verse 6. Luke 16. verse 19. Math. 26. verse 11. The poore shall you haue alvvay vvith you but not mee Ierem. 2. verse â— Luke 11. verse 28. Math. 8. verse 22. Psalm 119. Psalm 10. Reu. 22. Esay 1. verse 2. Gen. 18. verse 19. Ionas 4 Bycause they are reprobate Reu. 3. verse 19. Heb. 12. verse 6.7.8 Esay 1. verse 3. Verse 5. 1. Chron. 21. Verse 13. Psalme 14. Psalme 7. Luke 10. verse 41. God forbidde Math. 6. A long liuing and a short life Though our Landlord be on earth yet our lyfe Lord is in Heauen Lâ—ke 22. verse 20. Esa. 31. Popery ioyneth vvith Sorcery 1. Sam. 2â— Deut. 18. verse 10. A prayer Iere. 11. â— Vers. 28. Iames. 4â— vers 8. Iohn 4. Vâ—â—se 16 Prou. 28 vers 15. Prou. 22. Verse 13. God is our keeper For both hir Magistrates and Ministers vvere corrupt Iere. 6. vers 13. 2. Cro 1â— Ecclesi 4. Verse 6. VVisd 6. Verse 9. Deâ—tr 16. and. 19. Exo. 18. Verse 21. Mark these three notes you that are Magiâ—â—rates Gene. 4. Verse 15. For as the body is more vvorth than raiment so the life is more precious thâ—â— liuing Iere. 6. Verse 7. Iere. 6. vers â— Esai 24. IMPRINTED AT London by Frauncis Coldocke Anno Dom. 1578. Februarij 10.