goods but themselves were spoiled by the enemy The Vulgar read it calumniam patiens Indeed what greater disgrace then that Ephraim Gods own people should be opprest by Heathen that were worse viler then themselves It is the heighth of reproach a father casts on his childe when he commands his slave to beat him Of all outward judgements this is the sorest to have strangers rule over us as being made up of shame and cruelty If once the Heathen come into Gods inheritance no wonder the Church complaineth her blood is shed round about Jerusalem and she becomes a reproach to her neighbours a shame and derision to all round about her It was not without just cause that David being put to his choise by God resolveth rather to fall into the hands of God then man Strange invaders can never finde in their hearts to say that to themselves which God did to his destroying Angel It is enough put up thy sword Yea even their tender mercies are cruell the greatest kindnesse they shew is but a lesser kinde of cruelty To close up this 1 What singular cause have we then to magnifie the goodnesse of our God who in the midst of our home insurrections preserved us from eternall invasions That when we were unnaturally tearing each other in peeces a third party came not to devoure us both what was it but his mercie How should we say in Davids words Blessed be the Lord that gave us not as a prey to the teeth of other Nations 2 What a prevailing motive ought this to be against all sin especially Idolatry When the people of Israel had made them gods to goe before them the Text sayth they were naked among their enemies wanting the protection of the Almighty which is the only garment of defence to any people When Phocas had built a strong wall in his palace hee heard in the night a voice thus saying O King though thou build as high as the clouds the City will easily be taken for the sin in the City will marre all Oh let us not flatter our selves in our strong Castles mighty bulwarks potent Navy Idolatry and prophanesse will weaken all Barbarus has seges Sin wil pluck up our hedges lay waste our fields for strangers like ravenous beasts to come and devoure all The ruined Monuments battered Walls of many depopulated Cities seem to tell the passengers Hic fuit hostilitas here hath been an oppressing enemy And do they not withall tell Hic fuit iniquitas here hath been ruining iniquity And while our Idolatries though not so much corporall as spirituall in worshipping not Images but Imaginations cry loud in Gods eares what can we expect but that God should lift up an ensigne to the Nations from far and hisse unto them from the end of the earth that they may come with speed to destroy us Let us therefoâ—e by timely repentance break off our sins that we be not broken in judgment let us suppresse our Prophanations that no Enemy may oppresse our Nation and let it be our earnest petition to the Almighty that however he deal with us hee would not sell us into the hands of barbarous Turks or Idolatrous Papists that he would be a wall of fire round about our Land a Wall to defend us and a fire to consume those that shall approach to hurt us In a word let us all on our bended knees with weeping eyes lift up our voices and cry From further civill dissentions at home and cruell invasion of enemies abroad if it be thy blessed will good Lord deliver us 3 Some referre it to God himself who by the unjust and tyrannicall judgements of men is oft times pleased to execute his own justice But what may some say is oppression no sin or can the pâ—re God be the author of sin I answer as God is holy and therefore cannot authorize sin so he is wise and therefore hath a hand in sin a hand not only in permitting sin to be acteâ— but ordering it for his own most sacred purposes yea â—ssisting to the action but not the evill and maligniâ—y of it Thus did God not only suffer the Assyrians to oppresse Ephraim but gave them that strength that did overcome appointed the time how long and the measure how great their oppression should be making all to serve for his own ends and the manifestation of the glory of his justice in correcting a rebellious people Besides this oppression though in regard of the enemies it was a sin and so to be imputed to their malice yet in regard of Ephraim it was a punishment and so to be ascribed to Gods justice Observe the story of Job You finde God Satan and wicked men concurring in his oppression Res una quam fecerunt Causa non una ob quam fecerunt they all concurred in one action the taking away Jobs goods yet upon a different ground The Devill instigates the Sabeans out of malice they surprised his possessions out of covetousnesse God permitted and ordered it in wisdom and justice so that neither did the enemies partake of Gods righteousnesse nor He of their cruelty The case is a like here Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement the judgement of his Princes through their covetous desires of his enemies through their inveterate hatred and of God through his just severity Indeed what more just then that God should make Princes as Devils to that people who set up their Princes as high as God that they who left him to serve strange gods should be forced to serve strangers and whilst they made a prey of Gods honour by their Idolatry God should give them as a prey to their enemies malignity Oh let us remember this in all oppressions wee meet with that they fall not upon us without divine providence What Eliphaz sayth of affliction in generall is true of oppression in particular it comes not forth of the dust neyther doth it spring out of the ground Joseph though sold by his envious brethren into Egypt sayth God hath sent me hither David being railed upon by Shimei said God had bid him curse Job being robbed by the Sabeans said God hath taken away And concerning the Israelites bondage under the Egyptians the Psalmist sayth He turned their heart to hate his people and deal subâ—â—lly with his servants Let us not therefore with the foolish Dog bark at the stone but rather look at the hand acknowledging GOD in all As for oppressing adversaries whether domestick or forreigne let them not account themselves safe because they execute Gods judgement since though they act his secret will they contradict his revealed will the only rule of our actions the truth is they perform his will against their will their ayme being to fulfill their own lusts not his pleasure So God himself sayth of the Assyrian He meaneth not so neither doth his heart thinke and therefore
to the Text or Time then that of Repentance Our sins have been a moth to the Land let Repentance be a moth to our sinnes every day gnawing our corruptions till they die Peccatum â—ristitiam peperit tristitia peccatum conteret Let our sins cause sorrows and godly sorrow will kill our sins This is the best daughter of the worst mother the sweet fruit of the root of bitternesse Oh remember for this end is God a moth in his judgements consuming slowly that we might repent speedily and therefore doth he retard his corrections that we might hasten our conversions Deus cùm beneficia infert supplicia offert while God holds his rod in the one hand hee offers mercie with the other desiring rather that we should return and live then go on and perish Oh let us not frustrate Gods expectation lest we more provoke his indignation Say then to thy selfe as Caesar did Méne servare ut sint qui me perdant Shall I hug a snake in my bosome to poyson me nourish Wolves young ones to teare me shall I imbrace that in my soule which will be a worm to gnaw my conscience and a moth to devoure my estate God forbid Oh let such meditations as these worke us to holy resolutions saying of our lusts as the Philosopher did of his gold Mergamte ne mergar à te wee will crucifie them that they may not damnifie us To end all I have read of the picture of a Goddâ—sse in a câ—rtain Temple so contrived that shee frowned on her worshippers as they came in and smiled on them as they went out Such I desire this Scripture may be that though it hath frowned upon you in its menaces yet it may end in smiling promises that it may be a plaister not only corrosive but incarnative that it may prove to you like Josephs coat to his father wherewith he was at once both grieved and comforted or like a cloud which seems to be composed both of envy and bounty envy in hiding the Suns golden beams from the earth bounty in dropping down golden showres to refresh it Know therefore that in the cragged shell of these threatnings are contained the pearls of prâ—cious Comforts Mutatus mutatum inveniet If we change our sinning into repenting God will change his thunderbolts of anger into shining beams of love Let our Priâ—ces establish Gods bound and he will maintain their honour Let the people prefer his precepts before mens inventions and hee will preserve their estates from mens oppressions In a word let both Prince and people by a penitent reformation be moths to their sins and worms to their corruptions and then He will not poure out his wrath but his mercy like water we shall no longer be opprest and broken in judgement but he will breake the yoke of our oppressors he will no more be a worme to consume but a Sun to revive the once flourishing tree of this Kingdom He will no longer be a moth to consume our garments but he will put upon us new garments of joy and praise When wee shall see Plenty triumphing over Famine in the Country Riches over Poverty in the City Justice over Tyrannie in our Courts Reformation over Toleration in the Kingdome Finally when we shall behold the King rejoycing over danger in the loyalty of his Subjects the People over fears in the fidelity of their Soveraign the Parliament over their troubles in the settlement of the Land the Church over her adversaries in the unity of her Government and which is above and beyond all CHRIST over Antichrist in the purity of his Gospel among us and our posterity for ever Which GOD of his mercie grant us c. LONDON Printed for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the signe of the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLVII Obiurgationi semper aliquid blandi commisce sacilius penetrant verba quae mollia vadunt quam quae aspera Sen. Isa. 40.1 Praedicator veritatis tacens confumitur flagellat con sâ—ientia usque ad consumptionem illum qui homines quando opus est vetatis verbere non flâ—gellat Lyr. Interveteres Philosophos verbum non vulgariter celebratum tres deformâ—s filias à tribus sormosis matribus oriri à pâ—ce otium familiaritatâ— contemptum à veritate odium Gal. 4.16 Haec est conditio veâ—itatis â—â— eam semper inimicitie consequuntur sicut per adulationem pernitiusâ—e amicitiâ—e conquiruntur lâ—bentâ—r quod dâ—â—ectâ—â— auditur offendit omnâ— quod nolumus Hier. Infoelix amicitia quae illum quem diligit ta cendo tradâ—t diabolo Carthus Magis amat obiurgator sanaâ—s quà m â—dulator dissimulans Aug. Zanchius Verbumautem meum erit quasi tinea c. Tharg Quid deest omnia possiâ—entibus illâ— qui verum dicat Sen. Quamvis sufficiat homini privato esse avarum non sufficit tamen principi autiudici sed oportet tam alienum esse ab avaritia ut oderit ipsam Cajet. Religio à religando Lex à ligando Inde datae leges ne sortior omnia posset Ovid Cives non minùs oportet pugnare pro legibus quam pro moenibus absque legibus nullo pacto possit esse civitas incolumis absque maenibus possit Heracl Zanch. Par. in loc. Psal. 82.6 Luke 14.23 Gerard Mars Ficin. Florent August â—ald A vera aâ—ita religione discâ—ssiâ—uem uotat Vir bonus est quiâ— Qui consulta patrum qui legâ—s iuraqâ—e servat Virg. 1 Tim. 6.20 Veritas nunquam senescit Rivet in loc. Plin. Paneg. Claud. Diod. Sic. Mr. Jos. Shute Vix satis possumus mirari quorundam hominum insaniam excaecatae mentis impietatem errandi libidâ—nem qui non contenti divinitùs tradita semel accepta fide indies nova ac nova quaerunt aliquid gestiunt Religioni addere mutare detrahere Vinc. Lyren Sanctitas fides pietas privata bona sunt quà lubet regeseant Sen Trag. Salvian King Jaemes to his son Salvian Nehem. 6.11 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Sept. post sordes Vulg. Levit. 26.1 1 Cor. 8.4 Ezek. 22.3 Per contemptum Iun. qui soetore suo Deum offendunt Iob 31.5 1 King 17.15 Deut. 8.19 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Isa 44.9 Ovid {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} semper habet post se verbum Praeoccupatter-giversationem populi Par. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} significatin requapiam acquiescere eamque totâ— voluntate amplecti Mas. in Iosh. 7. A tanto non à totâ— Exod. 17.1 Dan. 3.18 6.10 Acts 4.19.5.29 1 Severally Ira metalepticos provindicta abirato Deo inflicta {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} à {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} transire {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ab {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} impâ—tus Allusio ad crimen Guadulp in loc. Psal. 12.15 79 3. Psal 2.12 Dan. 2.4 Isa. 26.16 Psal. 62.8 Ovid Cass. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 70 2 Chron. 12.15 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Concussus Haec vox in usu apud Jureconsultos Est auâ—em concussionis crimâ—n cum quis ab co quem Magistratus terrore aâ—â—cit eius periculi devitandi causa pecuniam extorâ—uet Riv. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Significat opprimere verbis factis vi fraude Prov. 28.2 Psal. 47.9 Isa. 58.6 Fractis iudiciis nempehosâ—ium Par. Prophetico more participium praeteritum pro futuro ad rei certitudinem significandum Rivet Deut. 28.47 48. Iudg. 2.13 14. Chap. 6.1.10.8.13.1 Psal. 79.1.105 1 Sam. 24.14 Verse 16. Exod. 32.25 Cedren. hist. Ier. 5.26 Zech. 3.5 Judicio Dei iusto Zanch. Saepè peccatum est poena peccati Iob 5.6 Gen. 45.2 2 Sam. 16.10 Iob 1.21 Psal. 106.25 Isa. 10.7 Verse 12. 2 Ioyntly Fui Rivet Ero. Par. Intelligi debet metonymicè cum effectus nomen causae tribuitur Riv. Vide River in loc. Ios. 6. Luke 15.20 Gen. 3.8 Iob 9.4 Greg. Plin. Plato Prov. 30.9 Isa. 2.4 Mic. 4.4 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrysost.
Die Jovis 25 Febr. 1646. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament assembled that Mr. Hardy is hereby thanked for his great pains taken in his Sermon preached yester day before their Lordships in the Abbey-church Westminster it being the Monethly Fastday And hee is hereby desired to cause the same to be Printed and published and that no person whatsoever doe pâ—esume to print or reprint the same but by warrant under his own hand John Brown Cler. Parliament I do appoint Nathanael Webb and William Grantham to Print my Sermon Nath. Hardy THE ARRAIGNMENT OF LICENTIOVS LIBERTY AND OPPRESSING TYRANNY IN A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable HOUSE of PEERS in the Abbey-church at Westminster on the day of their solemn Monethly FAST Febr. 24. 1646. By NATHANAELL HARDY Mr. of Arts and Preacher to the Parish of Dionis-Back-church I will get me to the great men and will speak unto them for they have known the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 They chose new Gods then was war in the gates Iudg. 5.8 Pertinet ad innocentis Magistratus officium non solùm nemini malum inferre verùm etiam à peccato cohibere punire peccatum aut ut ipse qui plectitur corrigatur experimento aut alti terreantur exemplo Aug. Disciplina est magistra Religionis magistra verae pietatis quae non ideo increpat ut laedat nec ideo castigat ut noc eat Idem Remota justitia quid sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia quia ipsa latrocinia quid sunt nisi parva regna Idem LONDON Printed by R. L. for Nathanaell Webb and William Grantham at the signe of the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard 1647. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE The HOUSE of PEERS Assembled in PARLIAMENT Thrice Noble Worthies IF any thing were presented in this subsequent Sermon meriting your Honours acceptance it must be that despised Jewell of plain-dealing The truth is Considering on the one hand the Auditors dignity to whom I spake my desire was to avoid rudenesse of Expression Remembring on the other JEHOVAH'S Majesty in whose Name I spake my endevour was to use faithfulnesse in Admonition I well know Reprehension to Great men must be wrapped up as wee do Pils in Sugar that it may more easily be swallowed and work before they think on it We must come to your Lordships byssinis verbis with soft and silken Phrases as the Mother of Cyrus charged him who was to speak to the King But yet withall the Great GOD who hath advanced you to Nobility hath engaged us to Fidelity it is no time for Ministers to be cold or silent when sins are bold and sinners impudent That commission given to the Prophet Isaiah and in him to all Gods Messengers was never yet revoked Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet to tell Judah of her sins and Israel of her transgressions It is true Preachers by their faithfull boldnesse will find enemies as Moths to their persons and Worms to eat up their credits but by their treacherous silence they shall procure a worse Moth to their souls and Worm to gnaw their consciences Freenesse in speaking truth may occasion hatred from men without but it will certainly procure love from a gracious God above and peace from a serene breast within My Lords It was the unhappy lot of this Discourse when preached to meet with many Auditors whose eares were hedged about with thorns and tongues have since been sharp as swords These have branded both it and the Author probably in your Honours hearing with the scandalous reproach of Malignancy and what else might render the one fruitlesse and the other odious For what reason I know not except that for which St. Paul was accounted an enemy by the Galathians telling the truth As if flattery were the badge of amity and they who are faithfull to your Souls must therefore be reckoned as false to your Cause But sure I am in the end these seeming Friends will appear your worst Enemies who would tickle your Honours with flatteries to the death whilst your seeming reputed Enemies will approve themselves your best Friends who by gentle blows of Reproof on the eares endevour to rouse you out of the swound of Security For my own part I hope I shall ever abhorre as well verball as reall Symony and rather choose proveritate convitium quà m pro adulatione beneficium To expose my self to byting Detractors than incurre the just censure of a fawning Flatterer For these envious Whisperers I shall become an hearty petitioner in my Saviours words Father forgive them And if by my removall yea ruine though too unworthy any thing may be contributed to the setling of Sions bound I shall thank them for doing me such a favour against their wils and my hope is their wrathfull calumny poured out like mud to defile my Name shall prove like water to clense my ways the more For your HONOURS I blesse God that you were the Eare-witnesses and Judges of my doctrine neither doubt I but your Wisdoms will discern malice to be the spring of those slanders cast upon my self As for these Labours which if weighed in the ballance of a severe judgment I confess are too light it hath pleased your Lordships to allow them some grains of your charity in a favourable construction and find them weight to set the stamp of your Authority upon them and make them currant Coyn for the Presse Them together with my self I lay at your Honours feet and in submission to your command have committed to the Worlds eye Some illustrations of the Text which I then omitted lest I should tyre your patience I have now inserted lest I should injure the Sermon Give mee leave my honoured Lords to end with one request to You for GOD to GOD for You. To you That however I may deservedly be cast out of your memories yet the sacred Truths herein contained may be imprinted on your breasts For you That the LORD of Lords would strengthen your Honours hearts and hands to the preservation of Purity and restauration of Unity That so in your Noble Persons and Families you may be the happy Subjects to the Church and Kingdome honourable Instruments of many choice and precious Blessings To which he shall ever say Amen Who is Your HONOURS Vnworthy yet Faithfull Servant NATH. HARDY THE ARRAIGNMENT OF LICENTIOVS LIBERTY AND OPPRESSING TYRANNY HOSEA 5.10 11 12. The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will poure out my wrath upon them like water Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement because he willingly walked after the Commandement Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a Moth and to the house of Judah as rottennesse A Sharpe and harsh Scripture unsutable therefore may some perhaps say for a Noble Auditory Great mens delicate eares cannot endure scratching
the Magistrate by the Law You must not think loosnesse and licentiousnesse to be the proper fruits of Greatnesse to swallow up your sins in your wide Titles as though Authority did consist in nothing but giving men liberty to do what they list It was a prophane speech of him in the Tragedian That Holinesse Piety and Fidelity are for private men not Princes nay rather in maxima fortuna minima licentia the higher you are advanced the more you are obliged they had need goe more warily who ride upon the ridge of a hill than those that travell on foot below That which is a mote in other mens is a beam in your eyes Quò grandius nomen eò grandius scandalum I and eò gravius peccatum The eminency of your Honour aggravates others offences against You and yours against God As he said of ill Christians so may we say of bad Great ones Ideo deteriores estis quia meliores esse debetis they are by so much the worse by how much they ought to be better And the day is comming when every licentious Nobleman shall cry out as Leo the eleventh said to his Confessor Quam melius fuisset mihi si Monâ—stâ—rii quam Coeli claves tenuissem How much better had it been for me to have climbed the ropes then sate at the stern To have been confined to a cottage then inherited a palace O then though you are exalted above others be not carried beyond your selves consult not what may stand with the might of your greatnesse but the authority of your place Say to your selves O ye Princes of the earth with Nehemiah Shall such an oâ—e as I flie shall I whom God hath honoured so much dishonour him by oaths so greatly who am placed in an higher sphere then others be either a dim or a wandring star Shall I who am most obliged to God by the bonds of wealth and power exceed the bounds of truth and justice Whom he hath made a ruler of the people not rule my self and my own family God forbid 2 To the Land and Kingdome Improve your place and power my honoured Lords that the bound of Law between people and people may be mayntained without which a Common-wealth is but a wilde Forrest wherein like beasts one devoures another or a Pond wherein the greater fish swallow up the lesse non populus sed turba not a building but a heap of stones Endevour what lyeth in you that the limits between King and people may be preserved so as neither Royall Majesty may invade the Subjects liberty nor the Subjects liberty intrench too far on Royall Majesty But I will not looke into Whirl-pooles of State lest my head turn giddy Religion is my errand that the Bound thereof may be upheld against Errour and Prophanesse those Pyramides which are reared up in the ayre and support nothing are the vain testimonies of frivolous mens inventions but Pillars are raysed up to uphold somthing O! remember you are the Pillars of the earth and Religion can neyther be despised without danger nor supported without reward Right Honourable our Mother the Church is now in sore travell you are her Midwives the Childe shee brings forth will be eyther Ichabod or a Benoni if it prove the Ichabod of a Toleration the glory will depart from her but if the Benoni of Reformation the Father God will call it Benjamin the Son of his right hand Me thinks most Noble Patriots I see Religion like a forlorn Damosell in ragged attyre with her disheveled haire weeping eyes and bleeding wounds lye prostrate at your feet crying out like that woman of Tekoah help O ye Nobles to rescue me from those Wolves and Foxes Hereticks and Schismaticks that prey upon me Oh be pleased to take her by the hand rayse her up Set her upon her legs place a guard about her and drive away her enemies Farre be it from Christian Rulers so much as to think what Tiberius said Deorum injurias diis curae esse Let God revenge his own injuries nay rather doe you vindicate his truth that hee may your honour Remember I beseech you you are within the bounds of a Covenant for what a Toleration No an extirpation of all Heresies Schismes and prophanenesse what if while the Arke was floating on the waters of strife you were inforced to entertain Wolves and Lambs together yet now that the waters are abated and the Arke in some measure setled send out the Wolves from the fold Oh let your thankfulnesse to God for preserving the bounds of your possessions appeare by your mayntaining the bound of his worship suffer not your selves I beseech you by selfe-respects and politicke Principles to be withdrawne from this worke hee that pieceth Gods providence with carnall policy is like a greedy Gamester who having got all his game in his owne hand steals a needlesse card to assure himself of winning and thereby looseth all It is an hard question whether is greater Idolatry to preferre reasons of State before Principles of Piety or to worship a golden Calfe Oh let Policy ever give place to Piety your private affâ—ctions be swallowed up in the common cause as small Rivers lose their name in the Ocean That practice of Pompey deserveth your observation and imitation who when his souldiers would needs leave the Campe threw himself down at the narrow passage and bid them goe but they should first trample upon their Generall Oh let Hereticks tread down your Honours ere you permit them to throw down the bound of Gods worship it was the ennobling Epitaph of Rodolphus Ecclesiae cecidit may it be your glory in after ages that you were the Guard of good Laws Champions of Justice Promoters of Peace and Patrons of Religion For the better preserving of this Bound be pleased to 1 Incourage and enlarge the Disciplinary power of the Church let not her shepherds want sufficient means to keep out the ravening Wolves and fetch in the straying sheep 2 Effectually prohibit all from entring into the work of the Ministery but by the doore of Ordination let not those be admitted to sit in Moses chair who have not first sate at Gamaliels feet it is true the Vineyard of the Lord wants labourers But I hope now the Kingdome is in some measure established those may be re-admitted whom not scandall but conscience made uncapable for a time may it never be the reproach of this once famous Church of England that her Priests were made the lowest of the People and the lowest of the People made her Priests that her grave and learned Preachers were forced to turn Mechanicks and simple ignorant Mechanicks entertained to be her Preachers 3 Speedily appoint due penalties for those who wilfully remove the bound such as are odious Blasphemers obstinate Hereticks and notoriously prophane persons My Lords you have done worthily in appoynting a solemn Fast for that invasion which Heresies have made of late upon the bound
us speedily cast away the filth of our transgressions and he will soon stop the current of his indignation let us chearfully reforme and he will not willingly afflict let us having cast away our sinnes never more return to them and then though his anger have been poured out on us he will graciously return to us In a word repent we of our provocations and he will repent of this commination to poure out his wrath like water I have done with that and hasten to the second part of the doom uttered against The people of Ephraim Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement The Seventy read the words actively understanding it of Jeroboams wars with Rehoboam in which he oppressed him Idolatry and cruelty are two usuall companions it is no wonder that they who offer injury to God use violence to man Ieroboam walks after Idols and therefore oppresseth his neighbour King The Hebrew participles are of the passive voyce and so better rendred Ephraim is opprest c. According to which version they admit of a three-fold reference to their domestick governours forraign enemies and God himselfe 1 Ephraim was oppressed by his governours Oppresserunt â—um reges deceperunt so Aben Ezra their Kings by violence oppressed and fraud deceived them It is the Prophet Micahs complaint of the headâ— of the house of Iacob and the Princes of the house of Israel that they abhor judgement and pervert all equity chap. 3.9 In this sense the Chaldee reads the whole verse Inique premuntur virâ— Ephraim apprimuntur judiciis suis quiâ—â—e verterunt judices eorum ut errarent post mammona iniquitatis their Heads judging for hire injured the people being more pleased with receiving rewards then doing right It is the complaint of Israel in the 16 verse of the former chapter That her Rulers with shame doe love Give ye No marvell if bribes obstruct the course of justice and covetousnesse prove the mother of oppression A sore judgement upon any people when their Princes are not shepherds but wolves Rulers but ruiners Bucklers but butchers of the people when they who should support supplant underprop undermine dresse destroy the vines of the Commonwealth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Injustice is the root of all mischiefs The word which we translate broken notes a crime peculiar to inferior Officers who oft-times affright the people with the Magistrates power that they may extort money from them for their own profit The other word which we read oppressed notes a fault in superior Judges the signification of it is large referring both to words and actions to open and secret enterprises either for withholding from others what is due to them or withdrawing what they duly possesse such is the too usuall course of men in authoâ—iâ—y to maâ—e the inferiour slâ—ves to their covetous and malicious wils sometimes by stout words and violent practises somtimes by soft speeches and fraudulent pretences taking from those under them what they have or detaining what they ought to have All which the sinnes of a people oft times bring upon them Secundum merita Subdiâ—orum disponuntur acta Regentum saith Gregory Extorting Magistrates are used as whips to scourge the wickednesse of the multitude And as for the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof so those may become injurious and destructive to the Land How much England hath groaned under the burdens of oppressions by the violence of former Courts and still sighs under the irregular practises of present Committees your Honours cannot be ignorant The number of our Samuels is very small that can say to the people Behold here I am witnesse against me before the Lord and before the Parliament whose oxe have I taken or whose â—ssâ— have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I opprest or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith However I could wish they would take up the last clause and say I will restore I am affraid it hath been cause enough to bring many sheepe to the slaughter because they were fat yea some amongst us have been no better then bushes or brambles to teare off the fleece of innocent sheep who have come to them for shelter That complaint oâ— the Prophet Micah being too plainly verified The best of them is a briar and the most upright sharper then a thorn-hedge chap. 7.4 But let such oppresâ—ors know that as for the present they have been instruments so one day they shall be subjects of Gods wrath The same word in Hebrew signifies both a wedge of gold and a tongue and some say that the wedge of gold that Achan stole had the shape of a tongue Sure I am bags of gold unjustly gotten câ—y loud in Gods ears against those that hoard them up As for you my Noble Lords let your ears be open to the cries of the oppressed let your eyes be open to take notice of these oppressors Remember you are the shield of the earth to protect the people from injury and let Alfonsus his emblem be yours A Pelican feeding her young with her own bloud with this Motto Pro rege grege I say no more but know the acceptable Fast to God is to loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavie burthens and to let the oppressed goe free and that you breake every yoke 2 Others refer this oppression to a forreign enemy to wit the Assyrians by whom they were carryed captive used as slaves omne judicii levamentum periit and all the doors of justice were shut upon them This though it came not upon the Israelites till afterwards is according to the Propheticall manner set down in the present tense to note the certainty of the accomplishment Destruction is inseparably linked to corruption God is as true in his threatnings as he is faithfull in his promises Christ sayth of the unbeleever that he is condemned already to wit in Divine decree and the certainty of the execution And here the Prophet sayth that Ephraim is opprest so surely should it come to passe as if it had then been inflicted Captivity is the usuall wages of Idolatry it was so threatned by Moses that if Israel would not serve the Lord in abundance they should serve their enemies in cold hunger and nakednesse It was afterwards frequently verified upon them in the time of the Judges we find God selling them into the hands of spoilers even their enemies round about because they forsooke him to follow Idols The Midianites oppressed broke them seven yeers the Philistines and Ammonites vexed them 18 yeers and after that they were delivered into the hands of the Philistines 40 yeers in the time of their Kings when Ephraim walked after Idols God often sent the Assyrians to ride over them The word oppressed according to the Chaldee is read Praedae expositus Ephraim became a prey not only their
States as buildings say Politicians are crushed with their own weight Persons and Kingdomes are destroyed sayth the Divine through their own wickednesse so true is that of the Prophet Thy destruction is of thy self ô Israel Hos. 13.9 It is farther observed of the Worme that it is brâ—d of juciâ— trees especially when cut in the Full moon Judâ—hs outward felicity became the occasion of her misery Bees are many times drowned in honey ships cast away on the soft sands birds caught in twig-lime and people strangled by prosperity too many of the worlds darâ—â—â—gâ— maâ— cry out as the sick woman in the fable {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Woe to us the good things we enjoy wound â—s by their embraces It was Judahs prosperous state occasioned her forgetting God Agur seemeth in this respect to make riches worse then poverty since this causeth to steale from man but that to deny God And no wonder if her riches cause her to deny God God be provoked to forsake her and so all evill come upon her By all which resemblances we may pick out the Prophets meaning to be thus much That Ephraim being first in sinne should be first in punishment yet Judah being like to him in sinne should be like in suffering That both Judah and Ephraim notwithstanding their prosperity because of their iniquity shall by little and little be secretly and certainly ruined And now if any aske when or how this was verified I answer God was as a moth to Ephraim partly by those many intestine conspiracies among themselves and partly by the frequent invasions made upon them by the Assâ—rians till at the last Samaria was taken and the Israelites were carryed captive by Salmanasser God was rottennesse to the house of Judah in the assaults made upon them partly by their brethren the Israelites chiefly by the Kings of Assyria and Babylon till at length Jerusalem was besieged and taken the Temple burnt and the Jews captivated by Nebuchadnezzar the stories of both you may peruse Kings 2 from the 15th chap. to the end of the book To draw to a conclusion Give me leave to change the Scene from Ephraim to England and the two Tribes of Iudah to these two adjoyning famous Cities that we may see how farre this threatning is denounced against and inflicted on us That God is as a moth and rottennesse to us It is not long beloved since God was a Lyon when two Armies were roaring one against another in the noise of Cannons yee tearing each others bowels in pieces Oh how then did Gods wrath poure put our blood like water But is there not yet a secret veine inwardly bleeding and though the bloudy issue be stopt are we not still sick of a Consumption Consider I beseech you is not God as a moth to many Countries by the quartering of an Army who though friends yet are wasting is he not as a worme to the Kingdome in our renewed Taxations which though just yet are impoverishing I mention not these to blame the wisdome of that Authority which sees cause still to continue both Reasons of State are without my spheare only I am bold as a Divine to tell you that God is by them as a moth secretly and not altogether insensibly consuming us Again tell mee is not God a moth to the State in the generall decay of Trade especially that Staple-trade of the Kingdome by which so many Poore are mayntained and Merchants enriched Is hee not as a worme to the Church in the impayring and with-holding of our Ministers mayntenance It is hard to say whether was the worse Julians persecution who substracted fuell or Diocletians who threw on water The links of this chain are inseparable Religion upholds the Commonwealâ—h Ministers propagate Religion and Mayntenance incourageth Ministers guesse then your selves whether the substraction of this will not prove a worm to the Land Once more Who is there that with weeping eyes beholds ouâ— bleeding divisions in the body of the State by a too long and unhappy separation of Head from Members till the re-union of whom neyther can be happy In the wombe of the Church by the strugling of her untoward Chilâ—ren viper-like eating out her bowels And not say that God is a moth and rottennesse to us It is true there are some particular persons Privatins degeneres in publicâ—m exitiosi qui nihil spei nisi per discordias habent Who have weaved for themselves garments of fair estates and probably out of the threds that others have spun These no doubt like a Chyrurgeon more corrupt then the soare hee dresses would prolong the Kingdomes cure for their own gains But sure I am the garment of the Church and Land in generall is exceedingly moth-eaten and ready to fall in pieces Accept therefore of a word of exhortation 1 In speciall Let not my Noble Lords be angry and I will speak but this once more humbly to beseech that you would improve the utmost of that power God hath put into your hands for â—ebrushing away of these Moths and killing these Worms It is true these things befall us not without divine providence yet God expects our endeavour to remove them by humane prudence Be pleased then to consult in your wisdoms a safe and speedy way for easing the Countrey of Quarters and the Kingdom of Taxes that our Swords may be turned into Plough-shares and our Speares into Pruning-â—ooks and every man may sit under his own vine and under his fig-tree and none make them afraid Let not Industry be disheartned when the reward of that and Idlenesse through the weight of Taxations shall prove alike Beggery Be sensible of and apply all good meanes presented by Petitioners or invented by your Wisdoms to the cure of that wound which the decay of Clothing hath made Nor let the Church be altogether forgotten Suffer not any to cut off the Flesh of her honourable Maintenance pretending to cure her of a Timpanie of Superfluities What if some have turned the spur of Vertue into a Stâ—â—rop of Pridâ— yâ—t let not the Bees starve to punish the Drones Shall other Sciences have a portion and must Divinity be put off only with her beauty Nay rather if it seeme not good to allow her her Dowrie afford her a faire Jointure in lieu of it Above all let your plous thoughts best wishes and most serious endeavours bend themselves to an happy union of our Ecclesiastick an honourable Accommodation of our Civill dissentions so as the purity of Truth may be preserved and the prosperity of Peace resâ—ored Then shall Milo's loâ— whose hand which he thrust in a cleft Oake to make it bigger by the closing thereof was caught and himselfe devoured of wild beasts be the portion of all malignant Incendiaâ—iâ—s whilest the whole Kingdom shall build up altars to the Lord and call them Jehovah Shalom saying The Lord hath blest his people with Peace 2 In generall What counsell more sutable