righteousnes Continuall custome in sinne hath conuerted nature into so obstinate an habite vt callos in anima contrax erint As the prouerbe is their very hearts are so hard as brawne altogether insensible in their wickednes That strong armed man which besiegeth the fort of their hearts diligently laboureth to stoppe euery passage that the light of Gods holy spirit cannot peirce into them The nature and might of that enemie is mistically shadowed out by God himselfe in the description of the monster Leuiathan his scales are like strong shieldes and are sure sealed one is set to an other that no winde may come betweene them Such as this olde Sepent is such are his children whom he possesseth he fortifieth the holde of their heart as it were with hard scales that no spiritual artillerie may penetrate the same lay before them Gods threatnings for sin the terrors of hell for the reprobate the ioyes of heauen for the penitent c. They are no more moued quam si parieti loqueris then if thou spakest to the Wall as if Hell and Death had alreadie laide holde and seazed vpon them The Booke of God assureth vs that the cause of their captiuitie heretofore was the contempt of Gods Worde and Prophets when all the people were miserablie caryed away into Babell But they mocked the Messengers of the Lorde and contemned his Words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lorde arose against his people and till there was no remedie And the Sonne of God saieth heere That the cause of their woefull and finall destruction whereof I haue spoken was also because they refused to know the time of their visitation and therefore persecuted his messengers And lastly the Sonne of God himselfe which he bewailed O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the prophets stonest them which are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thy childrē together as the Hen gathereth her brood vnder her wings ye would not But ô good God if we compare the sins of England at this day with the sinnes of the Iewes how can wee chuse but feare tremble Considering that not Ierusalem onely but also England is plunged in as deepe obliuion of the Time of her Visitation as euer that sinfull Citie was Surely Beloued griefe of heart willeth me to sit still in silence and wish with holie Ieremie that my Head were full of water and mine eyes a Fountaine of Teares that I might weepe Day and Night for the sinnes of this Land Yet sithe Zeale enforceth mee to speake I had rather vse the wordes of a zealous Preacher vttered before the greatest Auditorie in this Land to this purpose then insist vpon mine owne heerein The Word of God is a reproach vnto men they haue no delight in it And this want of delight in the Message maketh the Messengers to be despised Are not Gods Cryers reckoned but as Cassandraes prophesies His Ambassadors worse then Iustinians Orators Yea no better then the Filthe and Offscowring of all things vnto this Day Euery cursed Tobiah and Samballat is enuying at our Spirituall buildings Euery scoffing Michol maketh a jeast of our preaching Euery sacrilegious Ammonite is clipping of our garments Euery presumptuous Chorah and Abiram is carping at our preferment It is reported in Ecclesiasticall histories that at what time Constantine that worthie Patron of the Church had inuested the poore distressed Ministers with temporall patrimonies one was heard to say Hodie venenum cecidit in ecclesiam But now the Miscreants of this age haue found a remedie for that disease and haue giuen vs tryacle ynough to purge out all this poyson which hath neuer ceased vntill it hath extracted almost bowells and all What the Palmer-worme Papist with his Impropriations and after him the Grashopper Athiest with his prescriptions and after him the Cankerworme Patron with his reseruations And last of all the Caterpiller Cormorant with his illusions The Patrimonie of the Church like Pharaoes goodly kine hath bene deuoured by ill fauoured leane and hungrie Nunscions and made like the descēt of Nabuchadnezzars Image from golde to siluer from siluer to brasse from brasse to yron from yron to claye Hence it is that the word of God is no more regarded because the Messengers thereof are so much contemned and the cause of all this is our ingratitude because we will not knowe the time of our visitation If he smote with so dreadfull a iudgement Ananiah and Saphyrah his wife saith a worthie and a reuerend Father of our Church for withholding but part of the Church maintenāce which by themselues was giuen will he endure for euer them that take what they neuer gaue No no and that shall they knowe when peraduenture it will be too late to be sorrie for it Did these men see what my selfe haue seene and diuers yet liuing which can witnes the same as well as I what twitching torments of a wounded conscience what hellish gripes of dispairing feare neuer to see the face of God but to perish for euer with cast awaies some haue had for detaining but a small portion of such maintenance which now is thought the best cheat that can be caught happily it would nay surely it would except hell and death had alreadie taken possession abate the lust and asswage the longing that they haue to deuoure the incouragements of learning that yet remaine vnspoyled in this land But what they haue not seene in others they may feele in themselues too soone and sharpe if nothing will perswade them Thou art dead O Sunanite that intreatedst thy husbād to builde for the Prophet a chamber and to furnish it but thy memorie is blessed with God and man and a witnes shalt thou be in the day of iudgement against pullers downe of the houses built by men and women of deuotion and pietie for the Prophets children of the Prophets I speake nothing at this time for breuities sake of adulterie and whoredome swearing and forswearing drunkennes and riot oppression and crueltie fraude deceit in buying and selling which are so common in this land The Lord be mercifull vnto vs and giue vs grace betime by vnfained repentance to auert the heauie wrath of God hanging ouer our heads In that which I haue said brethren we may behold the fruite that springeth from this poysoned roote of sinne and what is the reward thereof how hatesome all wickednes is in the fight of God which caused him to plucke vp his people whom he had planted to cast euen downe to hell them whom he had aduanced aboue all other Nations and lifted vp to heauen This should worke in vs a detestation of sinne yea by all meanes to flie from sinne as from a Serpent which is the cause of all miserie in this life and of eternall torments in the life to come from sinne I say an euill so full of losse and dammage so full of
and all wretchednes But if thou hide thy face they are troubled saith the Prophet We ought therefore to pray vnto the Lord that he would vouchsafe to cast his mercifull eyes vpon vs and say with the Princely Prophet Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble He wept for it Here are laide open before vs these two attributes and perfections of God Mercie and Iustice which alwaies goe together coniunction and hand in hand in all his workes His Iustice appeared in that he tooke so district a reuenge vpon that nation for their grieuous sinnes against him It was his tender mercie in that he wept and bewailed a signe of his true humanitie their extreame miserie and finall desolation at hand for their wickednes the fire of Gods wrath alreadie kindled and the sword of his heauenly father readie drawne to strike them His mercie is ouer all his workes The experience hereof wee plainely see in this people How many blessings graces and benefits out of the inexhaust treasurie of his loue bestowed he on them he gaue them a lawe he miraculously protected them he raised vp Prophets Patriarks and Apostles among them the Messias was promised and sent vnto them they were his peculiar and chosen people of all nations in the world But see now brethren the seueritie of his iustice and with feeling hearts learne thereby the true feare of the Lord when they became vngratefull hard-hearted disobedient despised his word persecuted his Prophets polluted themselues with all wickednes God vtterly reiected them they finde now the heauens inclement towards them God to neglect them and whither soeuer they turne themselues they are exposed to the hissings reproaches and iniuries of all Nations Without faith without lawe without Religion without Prophet without Temple without God hauing not so much as a litle space of the earth alotted them to inhabite and fortifie themselues being destitute of all succour O the seueritie of Gods iudgement against sinne and why was all this Because they knewe not the time of their visitation As I shall God willing vnfold at large when I come to the handling of these words Whereby it plainely appeareth that the Lord did not so much bewaile the ruine of the strong walles the stately Towers the gorgeous buildings the rich ornaments and beautie of that goodly citie all which he foresawe should be vtterly ruinated for their sinnes their sinnes I say the cause of al misery which they made light of and least thought vpon did drawe these teares from the sacred eyes of our Sauiour We see sometimes a mad man the neerer he is to destruction the more he laugheth and sporteth but his deare friends knowing the danger he is in weepe and bewaile him the more This franticke citie when it was nearest to spoile vtter destruction most laughed and reioyced but Christ sheddeth compassionate teares for them which he would not haue done if they had lamented and mourned for their owne sinnes I here obserue if Christ the true estimator of things did bewaile the sinnes of others how much more ought euery true feeling Christian heart wish with holy Ieremie Oh that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the maimes and wounds that sinne hath made in my soule whereby I haue prouoked the wrath of my louing God and stand in daunger of eternall damnation If the Israelites in the captiuitie of Babell sate and wept by the riuers side when they remembred Sion their beloued countrey so that neither the pleasant riuers nor the melodious chirping birds or any other worldly delight might cheare vp their drooping spirits How much greater matter of sorrow is ministred vnto all impenitent sinners if they would but call to minde their infinite and grieuous sinnes wherby they haue kindled the fire of Gods wrath against them and are holden vnder the miserable captiuitie of Sathan Exiles Not from the Earthly Ierusalem but from the Heauenly not builded with insensible but with liuing stones by the hand of the omnipotent God This blessed Countrey of Gods elect from which though all Infidells Atheists and wicked liuers are banished yet can it suffer no detriment nor euer be destroyed against which neither Chaldean Babilonian nor Persian nor all the wicked rable are able to cast a darte or shoot an Arrow where is heard no sound of Hostilitie no crackling of Armour but the inhabitants shall reioyce in most secure peace and pleasure for euermore Shall the Sonne of God himselfe weepe foreseeing the extreame miserie that sinne bringeth vppon the wicked and shall the heart of Man whome this onely concerneth bee so hard and insensible as not to shead one teare of contrition for his sinnes Oh that wee would consider the grieuousnes of sinne and the plagues which God hath in store for the same we would then tremble and feare and seeke by repentance to be reconciled vnto God we would then chose rather to be an other Heraclitus in weeping and lamenting for our sinnes then Democritus in vaine laughter and reioycing in our sinnes Oh that men would remember and with a feeling heart consider the torments that God hath reserued for the wicked I then perswade my self that vaine delights would haue no place in your hearts Surely beloued when in the secrete silence of my soule I meditate hereupon I muse with my selfe and think it to be a wonder of all wonders to see an Adulterer Blasphemer c. to laugh sing and sporte being in that state wherein nothing but eternall damnation is to be expected without speedy repētance If Dionisius the Tyrant of Siracusa could take no delight in his glorie stately pallace purple Robes costly fare c because as hee shewed Damocles his flatterer he stood euer in feare of the Sword How is it possible that a wicked man or woman can carry a serene countenance or a light hart hauing so many swordes from Heauen drawne against them This may well bee called according to the Greek Adage Bardónios yélos the laughter of a mad man or Aiánteos yélos Aiax his deadly laughter But truely it is to be lamented yea with a Torrent of teares to be bewailed that the subiect of our sorrowe is commonly the losse of temporal things Many bewaile the losse of the Creature but fewe of the Creator of all One lamenteth the losse of his transitorie goods like prophane Esau for his birth-right Another sorroweth at the losse of his Honour Fame and worldly credit as Saul who mourned not so much for his transgression in disobeying the voyce of the Lord the cause of all his miseries as for the loue of his worldly honor and reputation and therefore saide to Samuell Honour me I pray thee before the Elders of my people and before Israel But all this sorrowe is vaine and vnprofitable For though wee powre
out teares in neuer so great abundance for the losse of Parents Children Friendes or Riches are they to any purpose at all But when through sinne wee haue lost God if we seeke him by the faithfull teares of Repentance we may finde him againe This is the onely ende to which all our sorrowe is to be directed Tell me if anie hauing sore Eyes should haue a precious and approoued water that would cure all diseases of the eies should neglecting his Eyes wash his Feete with the same were he not iustly to be reputed a mad-man So the teares of Repentance as an wholesome Medicine serue onely for the ruptures of sinne which being bestowed vpon any worldly thing are altogether vaine and of no effect Euen as the ashes of a burnt Viper are a present remedie against the venemous byting of a Viper So the sorrow that proceedeth of sinne is a remedy against the punishment of sinne past and a Cautele against iterating of sinne If wee highly esteeme of the Waters of Hearbs and Flowers which are approoued for the curing of diuers diseases wounds of the body why do we not more esteeme of the Teares of contrition more precious then any Balsamum for the curing of the Woundes and Vlcers of the soule Euen as when an house is on fire they that would quenche it haue their refuge vnto the waters So when the flames of wicked desires are kindled in the soule the teares of Repentance are a soueraigne water for the quenching of the same Euen as when a darke Clowd falleth downe into Raine the Skie becommeth cleare So a sinfull soule the clowde of sinne through Repentance being dissolued into Teares becommeth the more bright and cleere both to knowe God and it selfe This profitable sorrow vpon the considerations of their sinnes was well knowne to the Saints of God as it appeareth by the frequent vse thereof which in Dauid floâ—ed with so plentifull a streame that he saide I cause my Bed euery night to swimme water my Couche with my Teares Againe My Teares haue beene my meate Day and Night Oh that God would lighten our mindes with the beames of his holy spirite that we might see the filthines of sinne the danger of the sinner As a wayfaring man that in a darksome night resteth his weary limbs in a Caue full of Serpents and sweetely taketh his rest mistrusting no danger if one should come in with a Torche burning that hee might see the hideous filthie Serpents hissing and crawling about him he would presently start vp and take small delight to stay in that place So if God of his mercie would inlighten our hearts with the beames of his Grace that we might see the filthy and vgly face of sinne we would not endure the filthines thereof In that our Sauiour wepte in the midst of the Honours Ioy and applause of the multitude wherewith they receiued him into the Citie We are taught to contemne the vaine ioyes and pleasures of the world which are alwayes mixed with sorrowe and shall in short time bee turned into mourning Extrema gaudij Luctus occupat The ende of that mirth is heauinesse Miscentur tristia laetis For what else are the vaine pleasures honours and delights of the World but as one saieth Spuma Fumus Somnium A Froth Smoke a dreame A froth or fume Quia inflat because it puffeth vp a smoke Quia excaecat because it maketh blinde a dreame Quia euanescit because it quickly vanisheth away Here we haue in the Sonne of God himselfe both an example and an effectuall medicine against the loue of the world and the pompe and glorie thereof which our common aduersary laboureth by all meanes to incite and kindle in our harts For he knoweth wel that when we are once blinded with this loue there is nothing else to be required then is there a Doore opened for him to doe what he will And surely it is wonderfull to see the subtilty of this Iugling Impostor for though the glory of the World be most fraile fleeting and short deceitfull and momentany Yet this pernitious Painter so disguiseth it with delightsome and Artificiall colours that men doubt not to vndergoe all extreamities to leaue no sinne vnpractised that they may obtaine worldly glorie Here the Diuell seemeth to me to be like an Excellent Mathematician which through skill of his Arte Perspectiue draweth certaine lines in a Table with such proportion and cunning that it seemeth to be the trueth of the thing it selfe and if thou â—ooke through his Geometrical InstrumeÌ„t called Dioptra thou wilt suppose that there are most beautifull formes figures of the whole World wheÌ„ in very deede there â—s nothing else but simple and bare Lines Such is the crafte of this auncient Serpent For when the glorie of this World is a â—hing so vaine and vanishing he delineaâ—eth and painteth it with such disguises and shadowes vnto the Eyes of worldlings that â—t seemeth most amiable and pleasant vnto â—hem that being carried away with the desires thereof they should loose their owne soules and vilely esteeme of whatsoeuer GOD hath promised to his faithfull Seruants We need not search farre for examples behold the great honour the world here gaue to Christ and we shall see the fallacie â—hereof which S. Bernard well obserued haÌ„dling this place Quis sperare debeat in inâ—erto gloriae temporalis c. Who would now â—rust in the vncertaintie of worldly glorie when he seeth in him who neuer did sinne the Creator of Time the framer of the whole Fabricke of this World so great an Exaltation and yet to follow such an Humiliation For in the same Citie of the same people and at the same time Now to be honoured with such acclamations and diuine praises And a little while after to be laden with Reproches Torments and deputed among the wicked This is the end of transitory glorie So farre S. Bernard Oh how soone had they chaunged their voyces What a difference is there betwixt this Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest And this a fewe dayes after Away with him Crucifiâ— him Now the King of Israel And a little while after Wee haue no King but Caesar What a difference was there betweene the greene branches of the Palme and Oliue Trees and shortly after Thornes Scourges and the Crosse Whome now they honoured with their Garments spredde in the way A fewe dayes after they dispoyled him of his owne Garments To Day the Sonne of God To morrow A wicked man lesse worthy of life then Barabas a Theefe a Murtherer who would now trust this deceitfull world This is the loue and friendship of the world as one wisely meditateth The rich man hath many friends although in truth riches haue them and not the man As the asse that carried the Egiptian Goddesse had many bowed knees yet not to the beast