if hee would doe his best many disorders might be repressed The unhappy Cynicke Diogenes when he saw the boy play the idle packe went and beat his master So when we see the forenamed sinnes fly about as fiery serpents we must blame the Magistrate and say with the Prophet Psal 58.1 Is it true do yee judge the thing that is right and execute with an upright hart Do not our lawes strike at many disorders that are common amōgst us Have we no law against rash swearing God bee thanked we have but wher 's the execution Have we no law against Sabbath breaking yes against that too Yet is it openly prophaned The reformation of these two to omit many others I would commend to this Honorable Bench but that mee thinkes I heare my friends telling me what Sadolet said to Erasmus Erasmus would proove that worshipping of images might well be abolished I grant quoth Sadolet thy opinion is good but this should not be handled because it will not bee granted Sir Francis Bacon Apotheg 29. When Lycurgus was to reforme and alter the state of Sparta in the consultation one advised that it should be reduced to an absolute popular equality But Lycurgus said to him Sir begin it in your owne house If the Magistrate would begin to reforme things amisse in his owne house there were hope of amendement It is not my practise to scan Magistrates nor to rake into their actions but this I have heard from some of your owne Bench that by reason of your solemne meetings and feastings this day at the house of the Magistrate the day is scarcely so well sanctified there as it ought to be I know not whether it be so or not let them looke to it whom it doth concerne Howsoever the counsell of a reverend Bishop of our Church Babington on exod c. 1◠in such a case is not to be misliked So ought we to dresse meate upon holy dayes that ever we have a care of the salvation of them that dresse it who being created and redeemed as we our selves be ought not so evermore to be kept at this service as that never they may heare the word receive the Sacrament and praise God in the cōgregation with his people For that should bee to eate the flesh of them and to drinke the blood of them most cruelly yea to bury them in our bellies 2 Sam. 23.16 and for our bodies to destroy their souls for ever Rather remember Davids refusall to drinke the water that was bought so deare and provide so that the one being done the other may not be left undone I know well that Magistrats are called Gods because they represent his Majesty and magnificence on earth in which respect much is to be granted them but yet by your leave such should remember that the neerer they are to heaven in greatnesse the neerer they should be unto it in goodnesse that as God hath honored them so they should honor him I take not upon me to prescribe in this case yet me thinkes some other day as well as this might serve the turne for solemne feasts if custome were not more prevalent than conscience * Magis nos docere debet judicium veritatis quā prae ◠iudicium consuetudinis Aug. in psal 105 Therefore among your manifold consultations I beseech you to thinke upon the redresse of this and withall of the publicque and grosse prophanation of this day But I must crave pardon for I feare that through prolixity I have transgressed whilst the zeale of Gods glory hath inlarged my discourse against the transgressions of the time Yet may I with leave straine my discourse one pegge higher and I will promise not to be over-bold with your patience There is a sinne too much practised in this City Deut. 25.15 Pro. 11.1 which the Scripture saith is an abomination to the Lord and it should be so to his Vicegerent the Magistrate I meane fraud in selling by false balance unjusts weights and measures and in cunning conveyances in weighing or meating such as cheat the buyer They say there are som who in stead of Troy weights use Venice weights which are very deceitful not warranted by law Silk-men they say that amongst * Grocers Bakers Colemeaters Victuallers and divers others there is much fraud used in this kind and to the great detriment of his majesties subjects I am not a shamed to name these things in this place when they require reformation There are laws no doubt enacted against this injustice but these laws without execution are but a dead letter It is in you Right Honorable to put life into these laws as Elisha did into the Shunamites sonne and to set them upon their feet it is in you to take away these exactions from Gods people and to maintaine the true weight and balance There is another disorder which had almost slipt my memory they say that the provision which the Country brings in to serve the City cannot be bought by housholders but at a deere rate and at the second hand the hands I meane of regrators and hucksters that forestall the market Shall these things passe uncontrolled unpunished unreformed God forbid The mentioning of these particulars some may thinke not so fit in a sermon But the care is taken let them thinke what they please I am sure this exaction and injustice doth displease God The poore people already smart for it and if it be not punished the whole land may smart for it No question you know many other particulars in this and other kinds which require speedy reformation therefore set your selves to the worke Let it be your care Right Honorable to punish these and all others sinnes doe something this yeere that may cause you to be had in remembrance hereafter Be not unmercifull to your Country whilst you are over-mercifull to offenders but punish offenders and strike at the root of sin for sinne striketh at the root shaketh the foundation of our land In briefe let inferiours as well as superiours every one in his severall place put his hand to this worke Every one that loves his nation that favours religion that wisheth the continuance of the Gospell desires speace and prosperity unto our kingdom let him cōsecrat his hāds to pull down the kingdome of sin Downe wih it downe with it even to the ground So long as sinne reigneth our kingdome cannot flourish but the sinewes of our state will shrinke our policy will be no better than lunacy and our glory bee turned into ignominy It is not our profession of the Gospel nor any other prerogative that can in this case defend us Did not God punish Shiloh his owne place and Israel his owne people Did hee not permit the Chaldeans to destroy the Temple built by Salomon the Romans to overthrow the second Temple the Turks to overthrow the Christian Churches in Asia and Europe Sir Walter Raleigh Hist of the world l. 2. c. 15 § 1. when the people became wicked The Trojans beleeved that while their Palladium or the Image of Minerva was kept in Troy the City should never bee overturned the Christians in the last fatall battell against Saladine did carry into the field as they were made beleeve the very crosse wheron Christ died and yet they lost the battell their bodies and the wood as the Israelites did the Arke when they fetched it into the camp from Shiloh Therfore trust not to the signe but to the substance of Gods worship it is not the professiō but the practise of religion Eccl. 7.10 that can gard us Look we therfore to that and this wee cannot doe except we abandon our sinnes Therefore abandon your sinnes cast away from you all your transgressions whereby yee have transgressed pull those Scorpions out of your bosomes weed these nettles out of the garden of your hearts spue out this gall of bitternesse break off these bonds of iniquity Say not thou if thou wouldest chop Logicke with God what is the cause that the former dayes were better than these Theophrastus makes it the character of a pratler * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophrast Charact. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to find fault with the present times and to say men are now worse than before We all cry out the dayes are evill while wee helpe to make them worse All complaine all censure none amend The Scribe points to the Publican the proud gallant points to the miserable churle the well conceited hypocrite blames the dissolute the dissolute layes the fault on the hypocrite that the dayes are evill But if every one would mend one the times would then be better Therefore let every one begin at home It was the proud Pharisee that broke his neighbours head the poore Publican smote his owne bosome Luk. 18.11 To conclude all God hath highly advanced us into his favour he hath honored this nation of ours above all the nations in the world for shame let not us out-sinne all the nations in the world for if we out-act them in sinne we must out-suffer them in punishment For our sins past let us seriously humble our selves and by faith lay hold on Christ that they may be pardoned and for time to come let vs implore the assistance of Gods Spirit that we may be able by his power to mortifie our sinnes So shall that cloud of judgement be dissolved which hangs over our heads so shall that fire of wrath bee quenched which is already kindled so shall that sword of vengeance be put againe into his sheath which is already drawne out but hath not striken home so shall Gods blessings fall downe upon us like gracious showers spirituall temporall eternall blessings personall and nationall blessings whole miriads of blessings Happy ô happy are the people that are in such a case blessed ò blessed is that people that have the Lord for their God This blessednesse we begge at thy hands ô blessed Father and that for the sake of our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ to whō with thine owne Majesty and blessed Spirit bee ascribed all honor and glory now and evermore FJNJS
the powers of darknesse into the kingdom of thy deare Sonne What shall wee doe that haue thus sinned against thee ô thou preseruer of men whither shall we goe from thy spirit or whither shall we sly from thy presence If we ascend up into heaven thou art there if we make our bed in the deepe thou art there if wee take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there shall thy hand finde us No darkenesse can cover us from thy all-seeing eye no place can shelter us from thy almighty hand thy judgements can follow us and thy vengeance take hold on us whithersoever we goe What then shall we doe in this perplexity In all humility wee cast downe our selves before the throne of thy mercy bewailing our misery with bleeding hearts and throbbing soules deploring our misery imploring thy mercy condemning our selues confessing our sins promising purposing and resoluing with all our hearts to forsake our sinnes Though we are out of measure sinfull yet thou art out of measure mercifull thou art infinite in mercy and with thee is plenteous redemption The greater our sins are the greater shall be the glory of thy mercy and of thy Sons merits in forgiving our sinnes which are so many and so great Pardon therefore we pray thee all our sins past wash us from them in the pure laver of thy Sons blood It is not the river Iordan nor all the rivers of Damascus that can cleanse us from our spirituall leprosie onely thy Son thine onely Sonne and that pure fountaine of thy Sonnes blood which thou hast opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannesse In that blood we beseech thee to wash us from our sins from the guilt of sin from the punishment of sin from the power of sin with that blood purge our consciences from dead workes and quicken us by thy Spirit unto a new life that we may serve thee the true and ever-living God zealously without feare universally without partiality sincerely without hypocrisie constantly without apostacy in all righteousnesse and true holinesse all the dayes of our liues that the end of our life may be the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules And although we are unworthy to pray for our selues yet in the name of thy Sonne we are bold to enlarge our prayers for thy whole Church howsoeuer distressed or whersoever dispersed throughout the parts of the whole earth Give thy Gospell a free passage repaire the ruines of Sion build up the broken walles of Ierusalem and with the breath of thy nostrills blow downe the walls of Iericho In thy due time put an end to the troubles of the Church abroad Why withdrawest thou thy hand even thy right hand and doest not plucke it out of thy bosome how long oh Lord how long wilt thou suffer the blood of thy seruants to be spilt upon the ground Thou that didst once heare and regard the blood of Abel one man crying for vengeance wilt thou not heare the blood of many thousands What advantage canst thou have in giving over thy owne children to the fury of their enemies shall thy enemies triumph and thy children perish shall thy enimies reioyce thy children mourne shall the light of thy Gospell be eclipsed the splendour of thy glory obscured thy temple defiled thy name dishonoured thy truth slandered Are they of Babilon better than they of Sion or is there any other people that knoweth thee besides Israel or what generation hath so beleeued thy couenant as Iacob Arise then oh Lord arise plead thy owne cause honour thy owne name defend thy owne altar fight thy owne battaile protect thy owne people behold the pride of the wicked and send thy wrath upon their heads throw downe the forces of all them that haue purposed cruel things against thy Sanctuary against the top of Sion thy hallowed house the place where thine honour dwelleth Make every nation to acknowledge that thou art the God of all power that there is none other that protects thy Church and truth but thou onely Protect thy Church and truth among us and all that thou hast placed in authority over us especially his sacred Maiesty Charles by thy gracious providence King of great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the true ancient Catholick Apostolick faith and in all causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiasticall as civill next under thee and thy Sonne Christ supreme governour Blesse we beseech thee his royall consort Queene Mary beseeching thee that with Mary shee may chuse the better thing that cannot be taken from her Blesse the present pledges of our succeeeding hopes Prince Charles with lady Mary his sister O Lord grant that as they grow in yeares so they may grow in grace and favour with thee and with men Blesse the rest of the Royall progenie beyond the scaes the Lady Elizabeth with her princely issue when thou seemest best settle them againe in their former inheritance that they may be nursing Fathers and mothers unto thy Church Blesse the Right Honorable the privie Councel the true hearted Nobility and Gentrie of our Land the Reverend Iudges all vnto whom thou hast committed the sword of iustice all Ministers vnto whom thou hast committed the sword of the spirit what names or titles soever distinguished whether Archbishops Bishops or inferiour Pastors And that there may be a continuall supply of able men to governe both in Church and common wealth blesse all nurseries of good learning especially the two famous Vniversities of this Land Cambridge and Oxford water the young plants that are in both of them with the dew of thy grace that they may grow vp as Cedars in Lebanon for the building of Sion And comfort all that are comfortlesse oh thou Father of comfort and God of all consolation visite the sicke strengthen the weake heale the wounded bind vp the broken hearted gather the dispersed redeeme them that are enthralled releeue them that are impoverished succour them that are tempted restore them that are fallen by infirmitie and establish them that stand by thy free spirit Finally giue a blessing we pray thee to this our meeting in this thy house vpon this thy day to speake and to heare thy holy word O Lord God I am a child and cannot speake I am of polluted lipes and slow of speech but thou art he that canst giue sight to the blind and speech to the dumbe therefore untie the strings of my stamering tongue and touch it with a coale from thine alter my doctrine shall drop as doth the raine and as the dew vpon the grasse And for this thy people touch their eares and their hearts with the finger of thy blessed spirit that they may heare thy word attentiuely conceiue it rightly beleeue it readily apply it wisely treasure it upon their memories faithfully practise it in their life and conversations conscionably so all our
be holinesse in the persons who inhabit that place 3. It is God who inflicts iudgement upon a place or people See saith he what I did 4. It is the wickednesse of a people which provokes him to judgement I did it saith he for the wickednesse of my people 5. The judgements of God inflicted upon others are to be observed by us especially if they be such as light upon his owne place and people And this is the maine point which the text drives at For to this end doth the Lord send them of Ierusalem to schoole as it were unto Shiloh Go ye now c. Observa 8.1 1. Where God doth set his name or place his worship and ordinances that 's the peculier place of God My place saith the Lord here and My house Ier. 11.15 thy house saith the Saints * Psal 84.5 42.4 his banqueting * Cant. 2.4 Psal 11.4 74.7 26.8 2 Chron. 6.41 house saith the Spouse his holy Temple saith * Cant. 2.4 Psal 11.4 74.7 26.8 2 Chron. 6.41 David the dwelling place of his name the place where his honour dwelleth Reason For God that is present in every place is more especially present in that place and God that doth protect us in every place doth more especially protect us in that place and God that gives blessings in every place gives a more especial blessing in that place First I say God who is present in every place is more especially present in that place where he doth set his name 2 Chron. 6 4 1. or settle his worship and ordinances that 's his dwelling place and his resting place He is in every place but doth not dwell or rest in every place The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords throne is in heaven Psal 11.4 Hee is so in his Temple as he is in heaven that which heauen is above is his Temple beneath in heauen so in his Temple he is present after a speciall manner in heauen is his glorious presence in his Temple on earth his gracious presence his * Psal 27.4 beauty and * Exod. 40.34 his glory too in some sort his face and countenance When shall I come appeare before God Psal 42.2 Hebr. Before the face of God for the face countenance and speciall presence of God is in his holy Temple When Caine departed from the family of Adam which was then the onely place where God was worshipped it is said he went out from the presence of the Lord. Gen. 4.16 because where he is worshipped ther 's his speciall presence where Christ promiseth in those words Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will bee there in the midst among them There how not onely so as I am every where but in a more singular manner I will be there by the presence of my grace and assistance of my spirit In the time of the Law God was worshiped before the Arke and the Ark was called by the name of the Lord 2 Sam. 6.2 and when the Arke removed they spake to it as to the Lord Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered Num 10.34 The reason was because the Arke was a signe to the people of Gods presence among them So now are our Churches wherein God is worshipped 2. As there is Gods gracious presence so there is his gracious Protection and therefore the place where he is worshipped is his peculiar place It is like those Cities of refuge which God appointed among the Israelites whither he that had offended might fly for safety The walls of Salomons Temple were carved round about with figures of Cherubims 1 King 6.29 and palme trees and open flowers within and without The palme trees and flowers did type out the Saints that grow up like palme-trees in the house of God together with the variety of their gifts the Cherubims signified the Angels by whose Ministery God protects his people and that in a speciall manner when they are in his house Psal 27.5 91.1 That is Gods pavilion wherin he hideth his children the secret place and the shadow of the Almighty that is the defense or as it is in the Greeke translation The protection of the Almighty when the incestuous person was cast out of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1 20. it is laid he was delivered up to Satan * Calvin P. Matyr in 1 Cor. 5.5 the like is spoken of Hymeneus and Alexander * Calvin P. Matyr in 1 Cor. 5.5 to Satan that is to the tyrannie of Satan * Calvin P. Matyr in 1 Cor. 5.5 to the power of the evill er of the evill Angells they wanted the protection of God and his good Angells and so doe all those that are excluded the Church The first Adam was placed in Paradise that hee might dresse and keepe it so saith Bernard * Bern. In dedicatione Eccles Ier. 6. is the second Adam in his Church which is a Paradise or garden of delight to defend and keepe it 3. Where God is worshipped ther 's his speciall blessing that attends his ordinances Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they goe from strength to strength So Psal 65.4 the Lord will give them grace and glory grace by the meanes of grace here and glory hereafter Psal 84.4 c. When God promiseth to give speciall blessings he promiseth to give them in his house and within his walls Isay 56.5 7. Contrariwise when God threatens to withdraw his blessings from a people he excludes them his house * Hos 9.4.15 Now if Gods speciall presence and speciall protection and speciall blessing be there where hee is worshipped then that must needes bee the peculiar place of God What terror should this strike to the hearts of those that offer any violence to this place Vse the peculiar place of God Will a Prince suffer his pallace to be demolished or battered no more will God suffer any without speciall punishment to wrong his Church which is his pallace his pavilion his dwelling place and his resting place If any man destroy the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3.17 But who are they that be culpable in this kind Not onely open enemies that by devastation lay it wast but also secret enemies that undermine it by Schismes and Sacriledge 1. Schismaticks Such as as make rents in the Church dividing themselues from the vnitie of it and scorning the authoritie of it doe offer great violence to the peculiar place of God Nam proditores quidem siunt quicunque in hoc Domini castrum inâ—micos eius introducere moliuntur quales sunt vtique detractores Deo odibiles qui discordias seminant nutriunt scandala inter fratres Sicut enim in pace factus est locus Domini sic in discordia locu diabolo fieri manifestum est c Bern. in de dicatione Eccles Ier. 3.