the Lord that you may all of you take notice of it and not content your selues with imperfect Comma's of obedience to doe some part of that which God commandeth nor yet with imperfect Colons of obedience to doe the one halfe of that which God commandeth but that you may still endeuour to conclude all your actions with full Points of obedience to doe all which God commandeth not mans but the Lords voice cryeth this in your eares For the Lords voice cryeth vnto the Citie and the man of wisedome shall see thy name Heare ye the Rod and who hath happainted it Which Text of holy Scripture seemes to haue in it the composure of a Syllogisme The Maior Proposition in these words The Lords voice cryeth vnto the Citie The Minor in these words The man of wise dowe shall see thy name that is shall see and consider the glory of Gods name his Maiestie and his power and so with reuerence attend vnto his voice The illation or Conclusion by way of exhortation in these words Heare ye therefore the Rod He that is a man of wisedome amongst you let him lend his eares and heart to heare of a Rod which the voice denounceth vnlesse ye turne from the euill of your waies which God hath appointed most certainely to bring vpon you vnlesse you preuent his punishments with your penitence In the Maior consider we 1. Cuius hac vox whose voice this is it is the Lords voice 2. Qualis what manner of voice it is It is a crying voice The Lords voice cryeth 3. The vbi the place where it cryeth and that is the Citie The Lords voice cryeth vnto the Citie In the Minor consider we 1. Quibus to whom this voice is directed to men of wisedome The man of wisedome shall see thy name 2. The reason why the voice is directed onely vnto such and that is because they see Gods name they haue an awefull feare and reuerence of the great Maiestie of God which tunes their eares and hearts and makes them tuneable to this voice to attend with reuernce vnto the voice of so high a Maiestie In the Conclusion consider we Quid clamat What the voice cryeth It tels vs louingly of a Rod from God Heare yee the Rod and who hath appointed it These be the parts of this Text and you haue the Lords voice in the front of it and the Lords Rodde in the conclusion or shutting vp of it to shew how that they who will not heare the Lords Voice at the first shall be sure to feele his Rod at the last Let vs therefore in the first place attend vnto that which is first proposed which is Psal 29. Vox Iehouae the Lords voice The Lords voice saith the Prophet Dauid is a mighty voice it makes Heauen and earth to shake And so terrible is this voice to flesh and bloud that in the 20. of Exodus Verse 19 the children of Israel cry out vnto Moses Speake thou with vs and we will heare but let not God speake with vs lest we die Adam before his fall could well enough endure to heare the voice of God but no sooner had hee transgrest but as you reade Genesis 3. when hee heares the voice of God he is afraid Verse 10 I heard thy voice in the Garden and was afraid And this is the condition of vs all since the fall of our first Parents we are so afraid to heare the voice of God that we cry out with the Israelites Let man speake with vs and wee will heare but let not God speake with vs lest we die And therefore though in my Text mention be made of the Lords voice this voice it is not the Lords voice which ye are afraid to heare lest ye dye But the Lords Prophet is the Lords voice in this place which if ye heare not ye die this it is no new thing for the Lords Prophet to bee stiled the Lords voice For in the first Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospel there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice Christ he is the Word Saint Iohn the Baptist Christs Herauld hee is the voice to publish and proclaime this word So that Saint Iohn he was the Lords voice to proclaime vnto the Iewes verbū Dominum the Word which is God And our Prophet Micah in this place he is the Lords voice to publish vnto the Iewes verbum Domini the Word of God the Word of the Lord. Now it is not said to be the Prophets voice which publishes the message but the Lords voice because the people should attend with reuerence to the Prophets Gods Ministers voice euen as they would to the Lords owne voice sith Gods Messenger he is no other but vox Iehouae the Lords voice Man indeed is the voice because wee are confounded when God himselfe doth speake but not mans but the Lords is the voice because though man vtter them yet wee should take the words as spoken from God who else would speake the words vnto vs himselfe but that our infirmitie cannot away with the Maiesty of the Speaker who therefore makes man the voice because man may well away to heare what man doth speake and therefore though he make man the voice yet will not haue the voice acknowledged to bee mans voice but the Lords voice because wee should attend to what is spoken as spoken from God and not from man who is onely the Lords voice And thus now you see who is the Lords voice in this place See we withall what instructions we haue by this why first we haue Gods mercy commended to vs who vouchsafes to send a voice before a rodde a voice to premonish before a rod to punish Secondly wee haue Gods Ministers dutie set before vs in that he is vox in that he must be a voice Thirdly and lastly we see Gods Ministers dignitie in that hee is vox Iehouae the Lords voice For the first Gods mercy in that he sends a voice to premonish before a rodde to punish And this mercy of God it is euery where commended vnto vs in holy Writ from the Alpha to the Omega from the beginning to the end The first man Adam no sooner had hee lost himselfe straying in forbidden pathes from his Gods command but the voice of mercy seekes him out in the third of Genesis Vbies Adam where art thou Wicked Cain he murthers a righteous Abel and the voice of mercy straight vpon the murther cals vpon him to strike him with remorse for his sinne Vbi est VVhere is thy Brother Abel Alas Gen. 4. what hast thou done that thy Brothers bloud cryes in mine eares for vengeance The old world 1. Pet. 3.19 20. though now euen drowned with the ouerflowings of vngodlinesse yet it perished not by the floud but it had first a voice to admonish it righteous Noah was sent vnto it a preacher of righteousnes Nineueh that great Citie God he had purposed
LONDONS VVARNING BY JERVSALEM A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE ON MID-Lent Sunday last By Francis White Mr. of Arts and sometime of Magdalene Colledge in OXFORD Devt 32.29 Oh that they were wise then they would understand this they would consider their latter end LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Richard Flemming and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the three Flower-de-Lâ—â—â—s in Saint Pauls Alley neere Saint Gregories Church 1619. Vox index animi Vox index esto libelli Vox clamans titulum Signat amans animum TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND RELIGIOVS Lady MARY Lady HVNSDEN as also to her truely Noble and most vertuous Sonne Henry Lord Hunsden the blessing of Heauen and earth be multiplyed Right Honorable PResuming on your fauours I am emboldned to present you with the firstlings of my endeuours who may best chalenge them beeing the first who gaue life and breath in your incouragements to these my intendements For neuer had I engaged my selfe so farre in these more publique imployments but had contented my selfe in an obscure retire on my rurall Charge but that the experiments of your fauour did for a while dictate another course vnto me which since good considerations haue altered it being aswell your religious desire as my care to feede mine owne flocke at home though but a very little one beeing in a place altogether dispeopled rather then to intend anothers Charge abroad I had sometime thought the desolatenes of the place had been sufficient priuiledge for absence but I finde it otherwise many being ready to find fault as Eliab did with Dauid for leauing 1. Sam. 17.28 though but a few Sheepe in the Wildernesse And therefore to giue offence to none I will seeke no farther excuses for my absence but returne vnto mine owne and sith my absence can no longer suffer mee to performe that seruice to your Honors which I could wish I shall leaue this small Present with you as a pledge of that duty seruice which I owe making vp in my dayly prayers to God for your Honors what shal bee wanting in the performances of my seruice to you desiring the God of Heauen to blesse your Honors with the blessings of this life and blessednes of a better Your Honors most deuoted Chaplaine FRANCIS WHITE TO THE WORTHY SOCIETIES OF CITIZENS in this famous Citie of LONDON in especiall to his louing friends of the Parish of St. Sepulchres WHat was sometime preached to the eare is now presented to the eye and the rather this because the more may take notice of it if any thing there be which any wayes may concerne the Peace of our Hierusalem Nothing there is at all which may deserue the Printing but if any thing there be which any wayes may auaile the soules good the Lord Print that in the Heart which is all I ayme at or can desire I hope it will be offence to none but to such onely who put the gaine of Deceit into a broken Bagge for whom I passe not that our Prophets Inuectiue against the scant measure wicked Balances and the bagge of deceitfull weights is renued in these times and some of the Citie corners not exempted from it which Discipline in time no doubt will redresse and purge That glorious things may euer bee spoken of thee Psal 87. thou Citie of God and the Lord may still loue the habitations of Iacob where his Name is called vpon and his will obserued Thus seeke wee still the peace of our Hierusalem breaking off our sinnes by repentance being at peace with God that the God of peace and loue may establish for euer peace within our Walles and set plenty within our Palaces to his glory and the comfort of vs all in Christ Iesus Yours in all Christian Offices and seruices of loue FRANCIS WHITE LONDONS WARNING MICAH 6.9 The Lords voice cryeth vnto the Citie and the man of wisedome shall see thy name heare ye the rod and who hath appointed it MAiestie in this Chapter seemes to parly euen with misery God parlies with man and that the quarrell of a gracious God with an vnthankfull people may appeare most iust Heauen and earth the dumbe creatures of God which in the nineteeneth Psalme are stiled the silent Preachers of Gods glory mercy vnto man are heere cited to be eare-witnesses of mans vnthankfulnes vnto God For in the second verse Heare ye O Mountaines and yee mightie foundations of the earth the Lords quarrell against his people The witnesses thus produc't Rockes and Mountaines to conuince the hardnesse of mans heart and height of rebellion against his God God he begins his plea and shewes the ancient euidences of his loue Verse 5 O my people Verse 4 saith God what haue I done vnto thee or wherin haue I grieued thee testifie against me Is it because I brought thee out of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of seruants and led thee like a flocke Verse 5 by the hand of Moses and Aaron Is it because I turned Balaams curse into a blessing vnto you Is it because from Shittim vnto Gilgal nay from Egypt vnto Canaan I made knowne to you my mercy my power to your enemies Is it this that ye lift vp the heele against mee Is it this my kindnes which makes you thus vnkind vnto me Remember O my people these great mercies of your Sauiour and so acknowledge the righteousnes of the Lord. This is Gods gracious plea with his vnthankefull people which did so wound and abash their guiltie conscience that they cry out in the sixt verse Verse 7 In quo occurram wherewith shall I come before the Lord And now God he shall haue burnt offerings hee shall haue thousands of Rammes nay ten thousand Riuers of Oyle nay their first-borne child the fruit of their body for the sinne of their soule And all this now if the Lord he will be but pleased But this God well he knowes to be but crusted obedience much like vnto a wound which deceitfull skill gathers to a skin while within 't is putred and rankles to the bone For so this seeming obedience it doth often palliate the rancour and malice of an euill heart and therefore indicauit tibi O homo God he shews thee O man in the 8. Verse what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God which is the full summe of the Decalogue and the whole dutie of Man And all burnt-offerings thousands of Riuers of Oyle the fruit of the body for the sinne of the soule they are all but splendida peccata they are but glittering sinnes if this be wanting to doe iustly man with man which is the one halse dutie of man and to walke humbly with thy God which is the other This therefore being the very life and soule of our obedience without which our obedience like a dead carkase stinkes in the nostrils of
speake for mercy vnto God for man for in the second of Ioel the Priests these crying Voyces of the Lord Verse 17 they weepe betweene the porch and the Altar and cry to God Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine heritage ouer to reproch and God in the 18. and 19. verses to shew how much hee accepts the cry of his Voyces the cryes and prayers of his Ministers which they powre before him for his people himselfe vouchsafes a gracious reply and makes the answer how that at the cry of his Ministers he cannot but be iealous ouer his Land and spare his people and giue them their hearts desire corne wine and oyle and freedome from their enemies such is the force of prayer for the people in the Lords Ministers mouth if it be feruent from the heart Now then ye people of the Lord if ye haue any care or regard at all of your soules learne to distinguish betweene the cry of voyces that knowing which cry against your soules good and which cry for the good of your soules you may be able to discerne which you are to heare and obey which to shut your eares against and to auoyd You see heere there bee three crying voyces abroad in the world The first is the crying nay the roaring voyce of the Deuill and this voyce cries vnto you to breathe defiance against Heauen and to write your names in the earth with the red inke of bloud or the blacke inke of hellish villany This voyce cries vnto you with wicked Kain to murther a righteous Abel it cries vnto you to play the traitor with Iudas it cries vnto you to take away another mans possession with Ahab it cries vnto you to steale a wedge of gold with Achan it cries vnto you to play the drunken Sot with Nabal it cries vnto you to play the vncharitable Miser with Diues it cries vnto you to dye your soules of the Deuils hue in the blacke deeds of darknesse and of wickednesse Now the second crying voyce which is abroad in the world is the crying voyce of sinne and this cries to heauen for a punishment for sinners it cries vnto the clowds to deny the sinner raine it cries vnto the sunne to deny the sinner light it cries vnto the earth to deny the sinner food it cries to Mercy not to regard the sinner it cries to Iustice to renounce the sinner it cries to hell to receiue the sinner and it cries for tortures to torment the sinner this is the crying voyce of sinne which is neuer with vs but is still against vs. Now the third and last crying voyce which is Gods crying Voyce of Mercy this cries vnto you not to play Kains part and to kill but to loue thy brother as thy selfe not to play Iudas part and betray but to obey from the heart those which are set ouer you not to play Ahabs part and oppresse but to giue to euery man his owne not to play Achans part and to steale but to worke euery man with his own hands to eat his bread in the sweat of his browes not to play Nabals part and be drunke but to be sober to watch and to play not to play Diues part and to be miserable but to doe good to distribute to bee to all men charitable and then againe it cries vnto you as you would haue the clowds drop raine so let your eyes drop teares for your sinnes as you would haue the earth be fruitful so to be fruitfull in good works as you would haue the sunne giue light so to walke as children of light as you would haue heauen escape hell so to haue your conuersation in heauen while ye liue on earth This is the Voyce of mercy which is euer with vs and neuer is against vs. Now chuse you which of these three voyces will you heare the Deuils voyce you see how it comes vnto you with a word cloathed with death and playes the Orator for hell to gaine right to your soule through vnrighteous practices and will you heare this voyce to obey and follow it Why follow it you may but know where it leades it leads to the paths of death high-way to damnation The crying voyce of sinne this you heare how it cries to heauen against you and still in the end proues a backward friend to those her vassals who obey sinne in the lust thereof though at first the better to serue her turn she fawne vpon them and will you now bee wonne by the entising voyce of sinne to follow and obey it in the lust thereof why follow it you may but it threatens your destructiō for sinne will one day pay her seruants their wages home and will requite their euill life which was spent in her seruice with euerlasting death which is their wages for their seruice Rom. 6. for the wages of sinne is death and therefore as you tender your soules redeemed by Christs precious bloud from the power of sinne and Satan captiuate not your soules againe by listning to the entisements of sin and prouocations of the Deuill but lend your eares onely to the Lords crying Voyce of mercy attend only this blessed Voyce which cryes abroad in the world to bring sinners home againe to God by repentance and if you shut your eares the dores of your soule against all other entising voyces of sinne and Satan and open them onely to the Lords crying Voyce to prepare a way for the King of glory to enter in assure your selues such shall be the peace and ioy of your soules that you shall haue heauen in your soules in this life and your soules shall haue heauen in another life And so much for the first reason why the Voyce it is a crying Voyce Now secondly the Voyce it is a crying Voyce to rouze and awake the dead secure City dead asleepe in sin which no voyce but a crying Voyce could rouze and this collection fitly arises from some variety of interpretation of the word in the Originall which is here rendred a City for as Cal uin hath obserued it some read it Vox Iebouae ad ciuit atem some againe Ad exper gefaciendum clamat Some read it The Voyce of the Lord crieth to the City Some againe read it The Voyce of the Lord crieth to rouze to awake which implies the great deadness security of the Citie which could not be awaked without a crying Voyce for as our blessed Sauior being to raise dead Lazarus from death to life is said to cry with a loud voyce Clamauit voce magna saith the text he cryed with a loud voyce Iohn 11. Lazarus come forth so our blessed Sauior being to raise the dead sinner dead in sins trespasses as it is Ephes 2. he makes his Voyces crying Voyces vers 1 to cry vnto the sinner to come forth of the graue of sin Surge qui dormis Awake thou that sleepest Ephes 5.14 and stand vp
hast a visible word which though it preach not to thine eares yet doth it preach vnto thine eyes and makes thy two eyes the two witnesses of Gods glory and mercy towards thee For the Sunne which giues thee light the ayre thou breathest in the earth thou feedest on these be dumbe Preachers Rom. 1.19 and preach Gods mercy to thine eyes and no Nation is there in the world but it hath this kinde of preaching in it Psal 19.3 For there is no speech nor language saith the Prophet where the voice of these Preachers is not heard And therefore this is enough to euince the worlds vnthankefulnes vnto God for the riches of his mercies to leaue the world as the Apostle witnesseth without excuse Rom. 1.20 But yet God he farther takes excuse from man so loth hee is man should cast away his soule with excuses and he writes the Notions of his Law euen in the heart of euery man Rom. 2.14 15. making euery mans conscience to be his Accuser or excuser before God Nay more then this yet farther to take excuse from Man God hee not onely giues a visible word to preach vnto our eyes nor onely the Notions of his Law written in our hearts but he sends an audible Word amongst vs his Voices to cry and proclaime his Law in our eares and to reuiue it in our hearts so that wee can plead no excuse at all for our selues Our eyes are our witnesses which dayly behold Gods mercies our hearts are our witnesses Rom. 2.15 which shew the effect of the Law written in the heart and our eares are our witnesses which dayly heare Gods crying Voices and they cannot chuse but heare them because they be crying Voices still crying vnto vs This is the way walke in it O let not vs then sith God is so carefull to take excuse from vs make excuses to our selues to destroy our soules Let vs not shut our eyes from beholding Gods mercie let vs not shut our eares from listning to his iudgements and let vs not harden our hearts against his feare to disobey his Law and dishonour his Name but sith hee is so carefull to preach his Name to our eyes to our hearts and to our eares let vs obey these diuers cals of mercy that we may be saued otherwise if we doe no excuse you see will serue but we must vtterly perish Now if any Nation in the world be left inexcusable in these respects this little Goshen of ours this little Iland of ours is most without excuse which as speakes the Prophet Isaiah in his 11. Chapter is ful of the Knowledge of the Lord Verse 9 euen as the waters couer the Sea So that England is not so much enuironed with the waters of the Sea as it is full of the Knowledge of the Lord and of his Word euery nooke and angle of our Land hauing a plentifull increase of the Lords Voices in it to cry proclaime the Lords message in our eares This famous Citie more especially it is so full of the Lords crying Voices that some sticke not to complaine They haue too much knowledge now adayes but take they heed how they complaine they haue too much lest God for our vnthankefulnes punish vs as he doth many other Nations with little enough And let vs know thus much to make vs carefull to make good vse of our knowledge the more knowledge we haue the lesse excuse wee haue for our sinne And the more the Lords Voices cry amongst vs the more shall be our punishments if wee obey them not Luke 12. â—7 For the Seruant that knowes his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And therefore as you desire to secure the Citie from the Lords Rodde and your owne soules from his consuming wrath Sith God to leaue you without excuse sends crying Voices vnto you in mercy to forewarne you lend your eares and hearts to heare and obey that which the Lords Voice cryeth to your Citie For the Lords Voice cryeth to the Citie It is a great and publique taske for the Lords Voices to Cry vnto a Citie And therefore Ionah beeing sent to Nineueh that great Citie faine would he flie from the presence of the Lord fearing to be the Lords Cryer in so great a Citie till the Word of the Lord comes vnto him the second time Ion. 3.1 2. commanding him Arise and goe to Niniueh that great Citie and preach vnto it the preaching that I bid thee Now as it fared with Ionah so it fares with most of the Lords Voices but that the Lord is with them and they preach the preaching which hee commands them they would draw back as fearing to cry vnto a Citie And therefore when the Lords Voices out of this and such like publike places cry vnto your Citie blame not the Voices for the Voices they of themselues are slow enough to Cry vnto a Citie but that the Lord in mercy to a Citie compels them as hee did Ionah to arise and goe vnto the Citie and preach the preaching hee commands them which ye are the more willingly to heare because they preach no other but the preaching which God bids them preach And therefore blame me not though who am I the meanest of Gods Voices if I shew vnto you how the Lords quarrell with this Citie in my Text agrees in some sort to this famous Citie For let vs but paralell Gods benefits bestowed on both these Cities and then see whether both Cities haue beene so thankefull vnto God for these his benefits as they ought to be First for Ierusalem this Citie in my Text saith God to her in the fourth and fift verse of this present Chapter Remember my louing kindnesses of old how I brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and deliuered thee out of the house of Seruants nor onely so but gaue thee Moses Aaron and Miriam for thy guides And hath not God done this and much more for our Citie Let vs remember his louing kindnesses of old how God he hath deliuered vs from Egypt Romes tyrannie which in the 11. of the Reuelation is stiled to vs by the name of Egypt Verse 8 and hath freed vs from the house of Seruants from the slauish and Egyptian bondage of an vsurning Pharaoh the Pope who would still haue made both Prince and People Seruants and Vassals to his painted holinesse and who in one thing was more then a Pharaoh in that he sought to destroy by cruell death not onely all the Males but Females too of the Stock of Sem who profest themselues members of the true Church nor onely this hath God done for vs but hee hath also giuen vs a Moses a most gracious King As he also gaue vs a Miriam Queene Elzabeth a gracious Queene of happy memory deare Sister to our gracious Moses both a nursing Father and Mother to our Church and an Aaron a holy and a learned
Clergie to guide and gouerne vs euer since we set foote out of this blinde Egypt in the way of peace and truth Nor onely this did God for the people of the Iewes but in the fift Verse hee bids them remember how Balak King of Moab consulted their destruction and how Balaams Curse God he turned it into a blessing vnto them And hath not God done this much more for our Citie For let vs but remember what in Eightie eight was consulted against vs when Pope Balaam was sent for to blesse the Nauie and to curse Gods people How the Lord turned Pope Balaams Curse into a Blessing vnto vs let vs remember these old louing kindnesses of the Lord and so acknowledge the righteousnesse of the Lord his faithfulnesse and his mercy to vs these be the benefits which God hee would not haue his Citie Ierusalem to forget paralell to the benefits bestowed on vs which farre bee it this our Ierusalem this famous Citie of ours should once forget And thus we see God he is as kinde to vs as euer hee was to his Hierusalem but let vs see in the second place whether we be not as vnthankfull vnto God for these his benefits as euer Hierusalem was Hierusalem betrayed her vnthankfull heart to God two maner of wayes openly by her manie rebellions and secretly by her hypocrisie for her open rebellions they are set downe in the three next verses following my Text where you shal find treasures of wickednes in the house of the wicked scant measure wicked balances and a bag of deceitful weights violence oppression in the rich men a deceitfull tongue in the mouth of all Now God wondring at this to see for all the mercies which he shewed to them for all the crying preaching of his Voyces such grosse sinnes and enormities should raigne in such a City a City so beloued a City where his Word was so often preached his Voyces still crying to the City hee breakes forth in admiration of the thing Adhuc an sunt What for all my mercies to you What for all the crying of my Voices to you Adhuc an sunt Is it possible Are there yet the treasures of wickednes in the house of the wicked scant measure wicked balances a deceitfull weight And are yet the rich men full of violence and euery mans tongue deceitfull in his mouth why if it be so high time it is to punish and sith mercy will not winne you iudgement shall compell you Wherupon in the very next verses God he proceeds to iudgement Therefore I will make thee sicke in smiting thee c. Now look we to it whether this Cities rebellion be not the rebellion of our City whether Hierusalems transgression be not the sin of our Hierusalem for first are there not with vs the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked Why search the coffers of Extortioners and griping oppressours there shall you finde the treasures of iniquity search the coffers of corrupt Patrons there also shall you finde the treasures of iniquity search most mens coffers more or lesse you shall bee sure to find the treasures of iniquity so that we cannot deny it but with vs the treasures of wickednes do yet lodge in the house of the wicked Now in the second place to make a full purse do not some amongst vs make a scant measure is there not with vs a scant measure which is abominable wicked balances and a bag of deceitfull weights this must we needs confesse that it is so but it is the care of this Honorable City as much as may be to redresse it that it be not so might the delinquents in this kind smart for it who bring Gods curse vpō the City while they striue to get a pony by abomination by a scant measure which in the tenth verse God hath pronounc'd abominable The meaner sort of offendors in this kinde they are often met with Iustice ouertakes them but as Demetrius told Alexander when Alexander cald him in question for his pyracy I indeed saith he play the Pyrate in two small Erigots am cald in question for it but great Alexander he roames about with two great armies robs the whole world and no man dares to controll him for it So many a petty Demetrius who playes the false Marchant to get a penny or two by false balances and weights is often most deseruedly punished for it But there is a great Alexander a great man in the world who dealing in whole sale gets the gaine of whole pounds by false balances and weights and as a sip vnder his full saile cuts it away a maine so these in their whole sale carry smoothly away the gain of whole hundreths by false balances and weights and no man regards it but the God of heauen who heere inueighs against it by his Prophet and threatens a punishment to the City for it Now in the third place Hierusalems sinne was violence and oppression in her rich men her rich men were full of violence what is our Hierusalem free from this if the cry of the poore and the oppressed will free the City so much the happier is the City but it may be feared that as our Prophet complained of the rich inhabitants of Hierusalem in the seuenth Chapter of this his Prophesie Vers 4 how that the best of them was a brier and the most vpright sharper then a thorne-hedge So it may be feared there be with vs many such briers and thorne-hedges who if a poore sheep chance to fall into their hands wil like briers and thornes make him leaue some of his fleece behinde him and well it is many times if they leaue him a whole skinne to sleepe in but let these rich oppressours if any such harbour within the City of God hencesorward take notice of it that they are neither good friends to the City nor to their owne soules for these their vnlawfull practices bring a curse vpon the one and vpon the other Now in the fourth and last place Hierusalems sinne was a lying and deceitfull tongue for their tongue was deceitfull in their mouth In their mouth may some man say what needs this addition for how can the tongue be deceitfull but in the mouth but this it is most Emphaticall their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth that is they no sooner open their mouth but their tongue is ready to speake deceit so that deceit it not onely lurks in the closet of the heart for some assaies but it lies lurking vnder the tongue and is ready still in the porch of the mouth to vent it selfe vpon all assaies And this is it which the Prophet Ieremy speakes Ierem. 9.5 They haue taught their tongues to speak lies they need not study long for a deceitful answer as occasiō serues for they haue so well inured their tongues to a lye that they haue it still ready at their tongues end This lying and deceitfull
tongue it was Hierusalems sinne and so common amongst them that as the Prophet Ieremy speakes Ierem. 9.4 Euery one was to take heed of his neighbour and not to put trust in any brother for euery brother vsed deceit and euery friend dealt deceitfully And what is our Hierusalem free from this Plaine-dealing men who haue to deale with nimble trades-men will tell you no for alas how many trades-mens tongues with vs now-a-daies are deceitfull in their mouth who are as skilfull in the trade of lying as of selling hauing words at will to bring a poore simplician to their price And as they thus can teach their tongues to speake a lye racking both credit and their honesty for the aduantage of their wares vsing fawning termes which sound like musick in the buyers eares and like a Syrens song deceiue the simpler sort so doe they also teach their nimble hands to dance the measures encroching on aduantage in their measure to the defrauding of the buyers purse if his eye be not still their ouerseer so that now if euer the aduice holds good Caueat emptor let the buyer be wary and take heed for the world is full of nothing but deceit and to say truth most mens tongues are now-a-daies deceitfull in their mouth for it is a nimble and a complementing world and the world like Naphthali Gen. 49.21 giues goodly words but it is not like Dorcas full of good works Acts 9.36 for to speake in the Prophet Dauids phrase you shall haue words as soft as butter Psal 55.21 but this butter will not sticke vpon your bread for you shall haue words but no deeds So that we may cry to God with the Prophet Dauid in his 12. Psalm for want of faithful dealing men the Lord helpe vs for they speak euery one deceitfully with his neighbor flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart All this being so the rebellions of our Hierusalem being so nye of kinne to Hierusalems sinne may not God as iustly complaine of vs as of Hierusalem heere he doth and may not he truely say to vs as to Hierusalem What for all my mercies in that I deliuered you from Egypt from Romes tyranny and from the house of seruants the slauery bondage of an vsurping Pharaoh the Pope What for all this that I haue giuen you a Moses and a Miriam Kings and Queenes to be your nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers holy Aarons for your Pastors what for al this that I deliuerd you frō the euill in 88. was consulted against you when I turned Pope Balaams curse into a blessing vnto you what for al this that I daily send vnto you Voyces vpon Voyces to cry and proclaime vnto your City what is the Lords will and which is the way that ye should walke in it for all these mercies of mine for all this crying and preaching of my Voyces adhucan sunt What is it possible Are there yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked Are there yet scant measures false balances and a bagge of deceitfull weights in the shoppe of the wicked Is there yet Violence and Oppression in the heart of the wicked And is there yet a deceitfull tongue in the mouth of the wicked If thus it bee and you will not bee wonne by my mercies if thus it bee and you will not bee cured by my menaces thou City of God as to Hierusalem so must I say to thee though my beloued City Yet thou shalt be punished and I will make thee as Hierusalem sicke in smiting thee because of thy sinnes c. And therefore thou beloued Citie of God sith God hath so blessed thee with his mercies proue not thus vnkinde vnto thy God do not so requite thy God for his mercies as Hierusalem did but remoue with speedy hand these thy sinnes wherewith thou art charged from the Lord and repent thee of the euill of thy sinne that God may repent him of the euill of punishment intended against thee for thy sinne Did not thy God loue thee hee would not send thee Voyces vpon Voyces as he doth to cry this in thine eares that thou mayest preuent thy punishment by thy penitence and therefore if thou be wise bee thou warned by Hierusalem and auert Gods iudgements from thee by thy conuersion to thy God And in thy conuersiō as thou art to shake off Hierusalems sinne and manifest rebellions so haue not to doe with her saultring and secret hypocrisie in thy conuerérsion for Hierusalem as she had her open rebellions so had she also her lurking hypocrisie for doe but behold her and see her hypocrisie in the sixt verse of this chapter wheras if now she meant to make a mends for all her rebellions shee breakes forth in a straine pleasing enough in the eare of man but God who sees the heart knew it to be but glozing and hypocrisie Oh saith she in quo occurram wherewith shall I come before the Lord I will bring with mee my thousands of Rammes my tenne thousand riuers of oyle I will spare no cost to appease my God nay more then this I will giue the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule And what not all this yet as much as God requires No O man God he requires not so much of thee for in the eight verse this onely is the thing the Lord requires but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God And therfore thou City of God be thou farther instructed by Hierusalem and as thou art to leaue Hierusalems sinne that thou mayst escape Hierusalems punishment So in thy conuersion to thy God play thou not the Hypocrite as Hierusalem did Bring we not then our thousand Rams for an offering vnto God but offer wee vp our selues soule and body a liuing sacrifice vnto God Rom. 12.1 Bring we not our ten thousand riuers of oyle but bring we with vs penitent hearts and eyes like holy Dauids to gush out riuers of teares because we none of vs keepe Gods Law Bring we not the fruit of our body for the sinne of our soule but good workes the fruit of our faith for the sinne of our soule the fruit of infidelity and so doe wee that which God requires of vs to doe iustly to loue mercy and to walke humbly with our God for this is it which the Lords Voyce cryeth vnto the City and let vs now seeke a man a fit man a man of wisedome to heare what the Voyce cryeth For the man of wisedome shall see thy name It is easie to finde men but it is hard to finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man wee may goe vp and downe the City with Diogenes finde thousands of men but not a man among a thousand It is easie to find Adam a man of earth it is easie to finde Enosh a man of infirmity but to finde Ish a man of wisedome and courage this man is hard to
his creatures and his glory and power in their excellency we then beginne to stand astonied at the lustre of so high a Maiesty And this is it which holy Iob confesseth I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare Iob 42.5 6. but now mine eye seeth thee I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust ashes And therefore againe and againe let mee vrge it to you as you desire to approue your selues men of wisedome haue this property of a wise man in you to haue your eyes still in your head ready vpon all assaies to see Gods name And in your prosperity see Gods gracious name to praise him for his bounty in your aduersity see Gods powerfull name to call vpon him for his helpe and mercy see his name a tower to defend you in danger see his name a sweet oyntment to refresh you in sicknesse see his name a Sauiour to saue you frō your sins that ye despaire not of mercy and see his name a Iudge to question you for you sinnes that you presume not of mercy To be briefe set God alwaies before your eyes and in all your actions see Gods name in the beginning to begin in the feare of his name and see Gods name in the ending to conclude to the glory of his name that your actions being begun continued and ended in him they may be crowned and accepted of him Thus would we still but see Gods name for the direction of our actions wee should not neede to feare Gods rodde wherewith he punishes the obliquity of our actions but because wee often more for fashions sake then any true deuotion presse to this and such like places onely to heare Gods name and yet prooue little better because withall wee doe not propose vnto our selues to see Gods name to feare Gods name we who will not vse our eyes to see Gods name for this contempt are heere summoned by the Prophet to vse our eares and to heare Gods rod Heare ye the rod and who hath appointed it of which but in a word It is not beare ye the rodde but onely audite heare ye the rod so that if ye heare the rodde and preuent the stroke with penitence and teares with fastings and with prayers and all the true deuotions of an humbled soule it is in your owne choice whether or no ye feele the rod For Niniueh that great City when shee no sooner heard the rodde Yet forty daies and Niniueh shall be destroyed but from the highest to the lowest Ionah 3. they humbled themselues in sackcloth and in ashes This humiliation of theirs their fasting their sackcloth and their ashes were as so many Orators to pleade for mercy for them in the eares of God and God spared the City and heard their cry because they first heard the cry of his Voyce Yet forty daies and Niniuch shall be destroyed and straight vpon it humbled themselues in dust and ashes Now God he cries the same in the eares of this City as hee did to Niniueh audite heare ye the rod and if ye now heare the rod as Niniueh did humble your selues with fastings and with prayers nor onely so but which is most memorable in Niniuchs humiliation as it is recorded in the 3. of Ionah v. 8. If euery man turne from the euill of his way some from their swearing some from their carowsing some from their oppressing all from their euill dealing thou beloued City of God vpon this thy humiliation the rod shall much rather depart from thee then it did from Niniueh onely audite heare ye only ye men of Israel and wash thee O Ierusalem Ierem. 4. v. 14. from thy wickednesse that thou maist be saued Now as the comfort is the rod it comes not sodainly and vnawares vpon vs but with an audite first heare yee it which is as the word of peace offered to a Nation before the sword be once vnsheathed for the battell So the comfort also is that it is but virga it is but a rod it is not the axe in the 3. of Math. laid to the root of the tree quite to cut downe euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit It is not virga ferrea Gods iron rod in the 2. Psalm to crush and breake in pieces these bodies of earth like a Potters vessel but it is onely virga it is onely but a rod and as the comfort is that it is onely but a rod so the comfort also is that it is a Deo it is from God God hath appointed it who is our Father to be a gentle correction for his children But let not now these comforts make vs carelesse of the iudgement and because God is slow to anger and doth not straight punish but often first call vpon vs for repentance Heare ye the rod so amend Let vs not wilfully mistake Gods mercy and vpon this bee slow in our conuersion vnto God because the punishment when it comes it is but a rod let not vs slight the punishment and seem carelesse of the iudgement because the rod when it is vpon vs it is in a Fathers hand who is most tender in his punishments let not this encourage vs in our sins for though the rod be from God a Father yet is it also from God a most seuere Iudge though the rod come with an Audite Heare yee it and make delay Why the more delayes bee in the stroke the more heauy is the stroke and payes the homer when it comes though the rod when it comes be but a rod yet a rod it is and such a rod which makes the whole world our enemy for the whole world it is Gods rod wherwith he scourges the rebellious nation The fire it was Gods rod to consume the two Captaines of the King of Samaria and their followers who came violently to surprize the Lords Prophet 2. Reg. 1. The earth Numb 16. it was Gods rod to swallow vp Korah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion The water it was Gods rod to drowne the old world and to ouerthrow the host of Pharaoh And for a long while the infected aire hath beene a rod vnto this City Warre it is Gods rod to punish the vnthankfull abuse of peace Famin it is Gods rod to punish the vnthankfull abuse of his creatures Pestilence it is Gods rod wherewith for a long time God hath punished this City and now hee doth but strike a stroke or two with this rod take away some one or two with his heauy plague and that not often neither but now and then to see if this his gentle correction will make vs wise now at last men of wisdome to see his name heare his rod and feare his Maiesty that the euill come not vpon vs for our sinnes And thus now you see though it be but a rod which is heere menaced against vs yet in that it is a rod it is enough to set heauen and earth against vs and therefore sith it is so that euery creature of God at the great Makers command is a rod ready at hand to scourge the rebellious nation this should teach vs to liue in an awfull feare of this rod and when Satan tempts vs to sinne to looke about vs and thinke euery creature we see an enemy to vs if wee sinne for this will make vs enemies vnto sinne Haue we then if we be wise still an eye to this rod and so learne we to feare God in whose hand it is that while we liue in feare of God and of his rod God may not feare vs with his rod For as for vs Beloued wee feare what our sinnes deserue there is some rod some iudgement or other houering ouer our heads but let vs in time preuent the Iudgement and heare the Lords Voyce from Heauen Now hee doth premonish vs that hee may take his rod from vs and not punish vs let vs come before God with tears in our eies with Peccaui in our mouthes with deuotion in our hearts and with almes in our hands that God seeing our penitence may remoue his punishments It is an vsuall saying amongst vs Euery good childe he will go vnto his father and keep his Mid-lent with his father And let vs heerein approue our selues good children indeed of God our heauenly Father in going this day vnto him our Father euery one of vs who are so many Prodigals of Gods graces and mercies towards vs following the good resolution of the Prodigall Luke 15.18 goe we vnto our Father and say vnto Him Father wee haue sinned against Heauen and against Thee and are no more worthy to bee called thy sonnes Accept vs Holy Father we beseech thee and imbrace vs with the armes of thy mercy now we come vnto thee spare thy people who turne vnto thee with fastings and with prayers and all the true deuotions of an humbled and sanctified soule and take thy rod from vs for we will heare thy Voyce to obey it and see thy name to feare it and to praise it Onely open our eyes that we may see and our eares that wee may heare and withall Open thou our mouthes that our lips may speake thy praises and so will we daily confesse to the honour of thy Name vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloud and hath made vs Kings and Priests to God his Father euen to Iesus Christ Reuel 1. that faithfull Witnesse the first Begotten of the dead and prince of the Kings of the earth vnto Him and vnto Him alone for the riches of his mercy vnto vs be all glory and praise from this time forth and for euer Amen FINIS
is not for the Citie for this none could heare Nay an ordinarie speaking voice is not for the Citie for this few could heare And therefore the Voice being sent vnto the Citie it is a Crying Voice that all might heare it And thus doth God by sending a Crying Voice vnto them take away all colourable pretences and excuses from the City For had a still voice or an ordinarie speaking voice come vnto them their plea had been non audiuimus the Voice it was so still that what for the clamours of the Citie wee heard it not And therefore the Voice it is a Crying Voice that all might heare it and none might haue excuse wherewith to cloke his finne Now then the Voice it is a Crying Voice in three respects First it is a crying Voice to make an out-cry against crying sins Secondly it is a crying Voice to rouze and awake the Citie dead asleepe in sinne which no Voice but a crying Voice could rouze Thirdly it is a crying Voice to leaue the Citie without excuse to take away all excuse from the Citie For the first the Voice it is a crying Voice to make an out cry against crying sinnes Sinne it hath got a voice in the world yea and that a lowd crying Voice in the eares of GOD. Cains sinne of murther it had a crying Voice for Abels bloud in the fourth of Genesis cryes in Gods eares for vengeance The sinne of Sodome it had a crying Voice For in the 18. of Genesis the cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is said to be great in the eares of the Lord. And in these last and worse dayes of the world sinne hath more lift vp her voice then euer for sinne hath got a roring voice now sin which before did but cry to heauen for vengeance it now roares for vengeance Now that there be many roarers abroad in the world who because their father the Diuell is stiled by Saint Peter Verse 8 in the last Chapter of his first Epistle a roaring Lyon blush not to stile themselues his roaring Whelpes his roaring Boyes And these roaring Boyes send roaring out of their Pot-guns in their drunken fits nothing else but fearefull blasphemies against the God of Heauen Now then since sinne hath not onely got a crying but euen a roaring voice in the world high time it is God should haue at leastwise a crying Voice in the world to make an out-cry against these crying and these roaring sinnes and that for two respects The one in respect of God the other in respect of man First in respect of God it is most necessarie God should haue a crying Voice abroad in the world For should sinne still goe about in the world thus vncontrouled with a crying and a roaring voice it would carry the whole world to hell with most voices For the voice of blasphemie would quite drowne the voice of Pietie and the voice of Prayer it would bee turned into the voice of cursing and where no voice were heard but the crying voice of sinne all men would learne to speake no language but the language of the Diuell all men would bee of one tongue but that tongue dipt in boyling Brimstone to speake nothing but Blasphemie the language of the damned that tongue dipt in gall to speake of nothing but cursednesse and bitternesse that tongue dipt in bloud to speake of nothing but bloud and slaughter so aduancing it selfe euen to the Throne of God if it were possible to pull God out of his Throne one while crying out Vbi est Deus Where is God another while crying out Non respicit Deus God regardeth not yet another while flatly roaring out Non est Deus There is no GOD. This and farre more worse then this would bee the language of the world were there no voyce heard in the world but the crying voyce of sinne God therefore to stop the mouth of the Diuell who thus goes about to deface his glory scoming at his power with Vbi est Deus Where is God deriding his prouidence with Non respicit Deus God regardeth not Nay more then this seeking to pull God out of his Throne with Non est Deus There is no God God hee also sends a crying Voyce into the world to make an outcry against this Cry of sinne and to drowne and confound this cursed language of the world inuented in hell learned of the Deuil which being of a far higher reach then euer Babel could possibly haue been would towre vp higher then to Heauen euen to the Throne of God if it were possible to dethrone that great Monarch of the world with Non est Deus There is no God And now that Gods crying voyce is heard in the world the better part of the world hath learned the holy tongue and words of piety are now more often heard then words of blasphemy and the Voyce of prayer is now more frequent then the Voyce of cursing So that now no longer Where is God for Iehoua in coelis Our God he is in heauen no longer now God regardeth not for our God as he is in heauen so beholds hee all things that are done both in heauen and earth and his prouidence gouernes all things Wisd 14. No longer now Non est Deus There is no God for our God he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reu. 1.4 He who is who was and is to come our God hee is from all eternity Now as God thus sends a crying Voyce into the world to vindicate his glory from the vnrighteousnesse of men Rom. 1.18 who else would withhold the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse So doth hee also in great compassion vnto man send his crying Voyce into the world to outcry crying sinnes lest crying sinnes still crying in Gods eares for vengeance should pull downe the vials of Gods wrath to consume man from off the face of the earth for the crying voyce of sinne is still importuning the hand of Iustice with one plague or other to cut off the sinner And one while it cals for a second Deluge to drowne the world for the ouerflowings of vngodlinesse which are in the world yet another while it calls for a famine to punish the want and scarsity of good men yet another while it calls for pestilence and the sword to punish our abuse of health and happinesse And thus is the voyce of sinne still vrging the hand of Iustice to write bitter things against the sinner but the crying Voyce of mercy which God for the good of man sends into the world speakes better things both from God to man and for man to God And it first speakes from God to man that man would preuent punishment by penitence that man would preuent a second floud to drowne the world for sinne by first drowning his sinne in a floud of leares leauing his crying sinnes and falling a crying for his sins Now as this crying Voyce speaks mercy from God to man so doth it also