2.29 while you transgresse his covenant to gratifie and please them in their lusts and more deny the faith by your sinfull caring and carking for them then they that do not at all provide for their families whom notwithstanding the Apostle doth count worse then Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 Wherefore ye generally neither get riches as ye should nor use them as ye ought but get them either by violence or by deceit and when you have them consume them on your lusts so that ye are cursed both in the purchase and in the possession and your posterity for your sake to whom is entailed as well the curse as the reward of your unrighteousnesse because of their inseparable union To your corrupt waies of getting riches ye have added one above many as bad as these of spending what ye have gotten I mean your excesse of wine and of strong drink For there is hardly any bargain or contract now which is not begun and finished at the cup no meeting no fellowship in these times without this evill custome of drinking and swilling when nature as well as grace prescribes moderation and sobriety in the use of these creatures ordained for the necessary comfort of the body not for the superfluous appetite of the soul From whence it is that those Pestes reipublicae I mean your tipling house are encreased to so vast a number every where in the land and do yet encrease daily as so many snares spread in the way of those that passe by and are about their lawfull employments and the masters of them by their subtilty and base complyance with every mans humour that spends his money and time with them draw more expense from them and suck more of their labour and substance then many honest callings in the nation put together Neither is this all but they usually are the nurseries of idlenesse prosanenesse and all manner of vicious living and indeed what can we expect besides such fruits as these from that sin which is the mother of all uncleannesse and of whatsoever is displeasing unto God or hurtfull to man as the common and sad disasters occasioned hereby both to private persons and to whole samilies do more then sufficiently witnesse and though an instance of the profanenesse at such meetings may seem altogether unnecessary because nothing more usuall then this yet I cannot forbear to repeat a speech which I lately heard from the mouth of an ungodly companion drinking with his fellowes on the Ale-bench who said If all the Devils in hell stood round about me I would drink my cups Oh the sleepinesse and deadnesse of Magistrates the remisnesse of government the want of care and conscience in the inferiour Ministers of justice to execute their office and discharge their trust For otherwise how easily might many of these houses be suppressed that without license sell this abusive commodity how many more that sell it indeed with license but suffer all licentiousnesse to passe in the use thereof uncontroled through concealment at least if not encouragement of what is done in contempt both of divine and also of humane lawes by lewd persons who make these places their daily or continuall hunt And both in short time reduced to a much smaller and more necessary number Remeraber therefore oh ye Justices of the peace and you likewise who receive warrants from them how much it concerns the welfare of the nation and the quietnesse of your own conscience to enquire after and rectifie these disorders as speedily as you may let not an omne bene be brought in upon oath at your sessions in stead of an omne male as the custome hath a long time been and is still in use or if it be not finde so easie admission as as it hath heretofore done But what hope of reformation surely If a man walking in the spirit and falshoed doe lye saying Mic. 2.12 I will prophesie unto thee of wine and of strong drink he shall even be the Prophet of this people Now though that the Almighty hath for many years together admonished you of these and other your great and hainous sins by the messengers of his word and of late severely chastised many of you for them with his rod who is there among you that repenteth of the evill of his doings Jer. 8.6 7 8. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done every one turned to his course as the Horse rusheth into the battell Yea the Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. How do ye say we are wise and the Law of the Lord is with us Nay do ye not rather adde to the iniquity of your sins and are ye not become more vile and abominable in the Lords sight by your lewd practises then before For behold your injustice is more exorbitant every where now then in times past your covetousnesse more close and sharp of appetite your pride of apparell more gorgeous the Hinde now exceeding the Farmer that was heretofore in the trimnesse and cost of his habit the Farmer the Yeoman the Yeoman the Gentleman and the Tradesman all these in bravery every one mounting above his degree and going beyond his estate in this sumptuous vanity your hypocrisie more profound then ever your contempt of Gods worship never so open and apparent as now so that ye seem generalry to be incorrigible like those in the Prophet Jer. 5.3 For though God hath stricken you yet have ye not grieved he hath consumed you but ye have refused to receive correction ye have made your faces harder then a rock ye have refused to return As long indeed as the dissolute plundering party were abroad in the countrey and were a terrour and scourge unto you ye appeared as men mortified and weaned from the world but no sooner was the rod laid aside then ye returned every one to his former waies more strongly grasping and closely emoracing this world then before as it comes to passe between friends after a long or dangerous parting one from the other like the people of Israel of whom the Prophet witnesseth Psal 78.34 c. that when God slew them then they sought him and returned and enquired early after him and they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant So ye after the same manner did but dissemble in your hearts both with God and with man in the time of your distresse notwithstanding all the shew and profession you made of repentance and turning unto him who smote you for your transgressions And to say the truth your hypocrisie is not tranparent only
Officers mutually conspiring together in the same work to reform a city or town as they list and proportionably a whole nation under the chief Magistrate if he interpose not against it Therefore it is reported of Queen Elizabeth that in her progresse visiting the county of Suffolk and seeing every Justice of Peace with a Minister next to his body said she had oftentimes demanded of her Councell why her County of Suffolk was better governed then any other County but never understood the reason thereof till now It must needs be so said she where the Word and the Sword goe together But what may we expect when both these comply not or jarre one with another wherefore had this one course alone been taken for the suppressing of common and odious sins there needed not to have been so loud a cry for a reformation in the midst of thy people nor so much of thy childrens bloud shed like water round about thy cities and within the gates and also on the furrowes of the field in prosecution of this specious design which can hardly be compassed if at all in any wise by means so unproportionate as these to the end for which they are appointed by those who would be master builders in this work Lastly the great and common neglect of teaching the younger sort and educating them in a Catecheticall way of doctrine and instruction as it occasioned at first the blinde ignorance open profanenesse and meer formality in this Nation so it hath still continued and fomented the same unto this present day And from hence we shall draw another instance to shew the great force which enmity and opposition do gain in the mindes of men to hinder a mutuall consent and joynt concurrence together in those waies which tend to life and godlinesse For what could more conduce to the furtherance and encrease of sacred knowledge to the effectuall planting and growth of piety in the hearts of Christian youth then this necessary and profitable means of institution so much commended by the divine Spirit of God to our imitation and practise * see Gen. 18 19. Train up or chastise a childe in the way he should goe and when he is old he will not depart from it Pro. 22 6. Neither was there wanting the advice of a prudent and learned Prince for the setting on foot this practise with us by changing the afternoon Sermons into this more usefull exercise And yet the Ministers of the opposite party could never for ought as I can learn be induced to entertain a good opinion of it at least so far as cordially to embrace the counsell and submit to the judgement of their superiors therein notwithstanding the visible and apparent benefit thereof and nothing might be reasonably said against it And what was the cause of this Surely in all probability the ill affection and hatred which they bore against the Bishops who did also commend and preferre it to their inseriour brethren in the Ministery as more needfull and profitable for the people then their claborate and painfull preaching so much magnified by their Disciples above other Ordinances and who could not be pleased without a double portion thereof every Lords day although as some object against them with too great limitation and restraint but however better thus then not at all For as a chief Ruler well observed of thy children the omission of this sundamentall way of instruction and the custome of notionall teaching in which was more plenty of words then of matter have given occasion to the Apostasie or falling back of so many from thy Communion some to Popish superstition others to Monasterian confusion while after many years groundlesse and therefore unprofitable institution they were like rasae tabulae or unsealed wax apt to receive any impression or forme of doctrine whatsoever The truth whereof hath more then enough been confirmed by the experience of succeeding time in which we meet every where with aged Infants I mean such who when for the time ought to be teachers Heb. 5.12 have need that one teach them again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat who notwithstanding have been constant hearers of Sermons for divers years together some twenty others forty and some perchance more that we may justly admire and be even astonished at their dulnesse and stupidity in learning Doe we not consider how unsutable this kinde of teaching is with the mindes of the rude and unprincipled multitude to make them skilfull in the word of righteousnesse it being all one in effect as if a man should seek to raise a frame of building where no foundation is laid before or to nourish an infant with strong meat in stead of milk which is proper for him because unable to bear the other 1 Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.14 as belonging to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evill Wherefore in them also is fulfilled the Prophesie of Isaiah which saith By hearing ye shall hear Mat. 13.14 and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive For this cause so many of the Nation at present being children in understanding Eph. 4.14 are tossed to and fro and carryed about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive fixing on nothing long through the weaknesse of their judgement to discern what they hear and want of reason to maintain what they embrace as truth although upon tryall we have found some of their deceivers or false teachers like those 2 Pet. 2 Pet. 3.16 3.16 Vnlearned and unstable themselves while they boldly took upon them to instruct and guide others wresting the Scriptures both to the destruction of their Disciples and of themselves or like them of whom the Apostle S. Paul speaketh 1 Tim. 1.7 1 Tim. 1.7 Desiring to be teachers of the Gospell as they then did to be teachers of the Law and yet understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm But indeed their pretence of an immediate calling from God by the motion of his Spirit to the work of the Ministery and gathering of Churches here on earth like that in heaven glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish Eph 5.27 together with their strange outward considence and presumptuous ostentation of themselves in a businesse of this high nature far exceeding the measure of their inward parts or gifts of minde easily begat in the weaker sighted and unsetled brethren an answerable opinion or erroncous belief of them that they were such in truth as they were in shew or professed themselves to be who therefore received them as Angels of God Gal. 4.14 even as Christ Jesus When as they were indeed no
as being overswayed by them whose creatures you are who think it reasonable that as ye have served your selves of their power when time was so you should by way of compensation now serve their will and obey their commands and surely however the case standeth thus much they do expect and require at your hands as might appear by severall instances But enough of this I have but one word to say more and it is by way of admonition to the ingenuous and well minded among you who have been carryed away by errour of the times an errour discernible by the fewest of men that live in them unto those practises which they would loath and detest if they saw the true shape of them which is ugly and deformed and were not deluded by false glasses and counterfeit representations of them in the disguises of justice and honesty but as yet allow because they are not conscious to themselves of any malice or evill intention in what they do that they would devoutly implore the grace of the Almighty for illumination to see and direction to follow those things which make for their peace lest otherwise they live and die in their sin and what will be the sequell thereof they cannot be ignorant who know the truth and terrour of God In the mean time let them and all take heed how they manage their present fortune lest they also become a prey to others as others have been made a prey to them For it is to be seared that your gaudy prosperity is an eye-sore unto them who have power over your estates and lives and will finde matter enough of quarrell against you if there be not a change of manners and this wrought with discretion and speed Neither will this happily serve the turn to prevent those designes which as we hear are now on foot to alienate the Colledge-lands from publick use for the maintenance of learning to the propriety of private men the dangerous effects whereof both to Church and State not in this present age only but also in the generations to come I tremble to imagine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Judges Lawyers c. I Have but little to say to you being altogether unacquainted with your profession and your wayes For I never as yet sued any man at the Law and was never sued by any for trespasse or wrong done unto them wherefore experience cannot teach me what to speak of you Neverthelesse there hath been a generall complaint of the people in the land for some years past and as lowd as it durst break forth against the iniquity and oppression of your Courts of Judicature as if might or favour or money could more prevail in them then equity or law neither is it silent unto this day Whether your sin were according to the clamour of the people or no I cannot tell But of this I am assured that God will require much at your hands in the last and generall day of Judgment there being no men alive who have more frequent and signal remembrances of their duty or alarms of their account before the Almighty then you besides the speciall Obligations of solemn Oaths and common ties upon your conscience to doe the thing which is lawfull and right Happy is it for you now and for the State in which ye live and much more happy will it be for you hereafter if ye lay these things to heart and practise as you learn and know Judgement and Truth on which as on the the basis the Peace and safety of every Common-wealth doe rest and thrust aside war calamity and ruine doe ensue without remedy Your proceedings are many times intricate and dark not to be traced by popular and ordinary sent There be many windings and turnings in the Law which few can finde out mazes and almost inexplicable labyrinths to those who are not guided by your clew But still remember who standeth in the midst of you even a God that seeth in darknesse to whom the darknesse and light are both alike secret and hidden things are open and manifest Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom they have to doe Let therefore the eighty second Psalm be your mirror wherein to behold what you are what ye should be if amisse and not upright according to the minde and will of God And not hear only but obey also his commands in the Ministry of the Word A time there was when the sober admonition and milder reproof of the Preacher would not goe down with some of you but were distasted by your corrupt palates And therefore a Minister was warned of his Diocesan being then to preach before the Judges not to touch upon this string it liked them not forsooth to hear that which did pertain to their office and duty or rather did tacitly check their omission and transgression thereof so often repeated in their eares Who were most faulty in this particular the Judges that did refuse to be admonished the Bishop who advised the Minister to gratifie them in their desire or the Minister if he did obey the will of his superiour in this thing let God judge But I presume it was not after this manner every where nor with all persons neither did it as I suppose continue thus long And God forbid this usefull and necessary liberty should be diminished or restrained in any part thereof For can men too often hear of that which they are to doe at all times and which is of everlasting concernment to them Bee instructed therefore ye Judges of the earth Psal 2.10 11. serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Now these are the things that ye shall doe Zech. 8.16.17 speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgement of Truth and Peace in your gates And let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. To the City of London I Am to speak now to a very great body of people yea the greatest in this Nation considering the narrow compasse of your abode and would to God I were able to speak unto you all at once by the vocal sound of my mouth that I might the better testifie the inward affection of my minde towards you and not be constrained to bespeak you severally by the whispering language of my pen. But what voice can be sufficient for the audience of so vast a multitude wherefore accept my reproof and counsel as it is tendred unto thee Thou art the largest City in this Island for the extent of bounds the fairest for magnificence of structure more populous rich and mighty by far then any of thy other sisters But according to the usuall and unhappy sate of great Gities and famous Empories thou hast not more abounded with people then