will have it more particularly let the exiled Danmonii the people of Devon and Cornwall cry out and mourne for the contentious law-suits of Cornwall and for that cruell goodlucke I thinke they call it in which there was so much cruelty exercised upon poor ship-wrackt strangers such as our selves are now become in a strange City But chiefly let us weep blood if it were possible for the vaile of blindnesse errour and excaecation that lieth at present upon multitudes in that Countrie 2. Belgae of Somerset Next let us the exiled Belgae of Somerset sit downe and mourne particularly for the sins of the Bath and of the Bishopricke of that County First I say of the Bath for there the Lusts of those strangers that bathed did often times out-boyle with fire of Lust the scalding waters of the Bath And the Aire had in it a greater scum of oaths then was that other scum which was found upon the waters Oh the blasphemies and uncleannesses of thought word and action that were committed against God and man in that place at every spring and fall A Patient could hardly go thither for a cure of his Body but he came off with some disease or ulcer in his Soul and conscience Let us mourn therfore for the sins of the Bath and weep we also for the sins of that Bishopricke above many others for I doe not onely impute the totall demolishing of Lectures in that Countie to that present man of sin which is said to have given God thanks that he had now never a Lecture left in his Diocesse but even to that Chire it selfe doe I especially impute all those Wakes Revells May-poles c. that so much abounded in those parts Wilts As for the other Belgae those of Wilts that are rich in Corne let them search the Records of their hearts and memories whether that crying and cursing sinne of Corn-hoarding hath not been found amongst them seeing the great commodity of their Country did especially tempt them thereunto And where they find that great act of oppression let them lay to heart that terrible Proverb of the Wise-man Hee that is Every one Prov. 11.26 that withholdeth Corne that is to raise the Market the people shall curse him and that curse must needs fall heavie which cometh from a multitude by authority from the Lord. And so much for a hint to them 3. Durotriges Finally as for the Durotrîges the people of Dorset that abound with Flocks they may sit downe and make diligent search after the Sheep-Masters sinnes I have not art enough to particularize onely if any thing out of that Quaere that is put to pastorall Reuben or Issachar may doe them good let them heare and consider it Judg. 5.16 that is let them beware of abiding amongst the sheepfolds to heare the bleatings of the flocks now that there is so much blessing promised to such as doe offer themselves willingly and that such bitter curses are flying against those that come not up to the Lords help Thus have I shot mine arrowes every-way much at an adventure I confesse that by all meanes I might hit some These are Geographicall hints and helps to search after our ejecting sinnes And so much concerning such directions for humiliation as are taken from the Effect of sin 2. By the Proportions betwixt sinne and punishment in Mich. 6.9 Kind Secondly Wee may be directed in our sin-searching by observing the Proportions betwixt our sinnes and punishments Punishment is the fruit and issue of sinne and they are sometimes so well alike that you may know the mother by the daughter wee may see written upon the Rod both by whom and for what it is appointed Now this Proportion 'twixt sinnes and punishments is manifold There is sometimes a Proportion of Kind betwixt them the wages are paid in the very same metall that the worke is made of This Adonibezek though an Heathen could discerne when hee said Iudg. 1.7 Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and their great toes cut off gathered their meat under my table as I have done so God hath requited mee for the Israelites had cut off both his thumbs and his great toes Loe there was a double proportion betwixt his sinne and punishment First of Kind Cutting for Cutting according to that other Scripture All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Mat. 26.52 And next of Parts Thumb for Thumb and Toe for Toe Thus also King Davids sinnes were punished with the same Kind though in higher degrees his Adultery with Bathsheba by the Incest of Amon his Murther of Vriah with the Fratricide of Absalom 2. Time Num. 14 34 Sometimes there is a Proportion of Time betwixt the sin and punishment Thus murmuring Israels forty dayes search of the land of Cunaan was paid home with forty yeares wandring in the wildernesse from that time Place 3. Sometimes there is a Proportion of Place Thus King Jorams Carcasse must be cast into the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite 2 Kin. 9.35 36. and Jezabels bloud must bee licked by the dogs in the same field where they had licked Naboths before 4. Finally 1 Kin. 21.23 Measure Rev. 18.6 7. there is sometimes a Proportion of Measure and Degrees So in the punishment of Romish Babylon Reward her even as shee rewarded you and double unto her double according to her workes in the cup which shee hath filled fill to her double How much shee hath glorified herselfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her All these Proportions are so many hints to direct us in our search after the speciall provoking causes of our Countries miseries Shall I adventure upon an Application Application of those Proportions Suppose that the people of one City Corporation or Parish were too selfish and covetous and that it was their great worke and sinne to endeavour to build their nests so high that no hand should reach them or so closely that no eye should find their wealth and there they sate brooding suppose upon their bags till first their neighbours were lost and then themselves for want of money And now the Lord it may be hath proportionably set a needy greedy Horse-leach to raigne over them which cryes nothing but Give give and having met with the Booty vaunteth himselfe in the language of that Assyrian Rod Isai 10.14 My hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people and as one gathereth egges that are left have I gathered all the earth and there was none that moved the wing or opened the mouth or peeped That is hee had climbed the tree hee had opened the thicke bushes and so did search and find out the hidden nest of wealth and treasure plucking thence the beloved egges and feathered young ones as his prey and game whilest the quondam owner like the damme was faine to fly away or if hee stayed yet durst not so much
c Tho. Wise Esquire other might justly be called The prudent man though in yeares hee was not the ancient and both were taken away by a kind of d The small Pox. imperillous disease in our times of greatest need Next what thinke you of the losse of that e Sir Fran. Popham Knight greatest and most cordiall Knight of Somerset was not hee by an eminency the ancient and the honourable And to him adde f Sir Peter Wroth Knight another honest worthy Knight that served for the same County who was likewise called away in the midst of the worke These two were I take it the onely paire of right Parliamentary Knights of that County Also in Wilts wee may reckon g Sir Henry Ludlow Knight another precious and worthy Knight which the Lord hath snatched away from his Country Nay lastly even Cornwall it selfe may complaine that of her little handfull of good members which doe hold fast to this Cause shee hath lost a principall h Sir Rich. Buller Knt. finger All these were Parliamentary Supporters of the West And wee doe all know that when the owner of an house doth pull away the posts and pillars thereof it is a signe that hee doth intend either to build it better or to demolish it 2. In the Assembly But this is not all wee have had a deplorable losse in Prophets too Three of the five Westerne Counties had but five of their Ministers sitting in the Assembly of Divines and 〈◊〉 a Mr Henry Painter of Exon. Mr Peal of Dorset two of those five hath the Lord taken away from us in these parts even a paire of workemen that were some of the charets and horsemen of the West both of them were eminent for piety and abilities But give mee leave to mourne especially over that b Mr Painter B.D. eldest pillar of fire which did for so many years support and enlighten the true Religion in the West give mee leave to call him the mighty man and the Counsellor that is the Champion and the Oracle of persecuted Ministers and people in those parts yea the hammer of Schismaticks and the salt of the most Western City which did not onely preserve it in great part from the putrefaction of Prophanesse but from the rawnesse of Novelties In a word hee was so publike a good that for him that whole City hath cause to weare blacks Thus the Lord hath taken away from us the Prophets And now to fill up our sorrowes I could tell you finally of the losse of the man of warre and the Captaine of fifty that is of some considerable Martiall pillars 3. In the Armies Col. Wil. Gould Lievt Col. Martin I could instance upon knowledge in that precious piece of activity upon whose good name biting Envie may breake her teeth but shee shall never be able to devoure it And in that other pious Commander in the same Town who having defended his Charge to the utmost yet afterwards died with griefe because hee could doe no more But I forbeare to draw forth this threed any farther because the clue is growne so big already Thus have I done with the Causes for which wee ought really to pity our Western Brethren with all those excitations and incentives to compassion which that Generall did afford us Secondly Means and instructions to direct us in the duty of pitie viz. 1. In generall from the example of Iobs 3. friends In their visit note Secondly we come now to the meanes by which we may pitie the West to purpose And this Generall as I promised must yeeld us some instructions and directions in that brotherly Christian duty These instructions may be of two sorts 1. Some more generall and borrowed from the example of the friends of Iob mentioned in this historie 2. Others more particular and as it were independent taken onely from the subjects or instruments of our compassion First in generall as we have already found in this book of Iob a paterne and parallel of miserie so may wee fetch out from thence a Copie of compassion even from the pitie of Iobs three friends it is described Chap. 2. in three Verses viz. Verse 11 12 13. They doe containe the visit of Iobs friends in which we may observe 1. The occasion 2. The ground 3. The end and intendment of their coming The occasion of their visit 1. The occasion Verse 11. was the report of all the evill that was come upon Iob Now when Iobs three friends heard of all the evill that was come upon him then they came This may hint unto us the duty of enquiring and listning after our distressed friends and Country which shall be the first branch of reall pitie The ground of this visit was a mutuall agreement 2. The ground or a voluntarie compact made between them for they had made an appointment together to come c. This doth intimate unto us the duty of assembling and consulting together for the good of our afflicted brethren which will be the second branch of friendly pitie The end 3. The end hence and intendment of their visit is expressed to be twofold 1. To communicate with him in his sorrows to mourne with him 2. To communicate to him their comforts and to comfort him Then their solemne mourning is expressed through the next verse v. 12. and the cause thereof ult But these last two verses I shall not touch upon onely let us run thorow the former three branches of reall compassion The first branch of reall pity 1. Duty Enquiry c. Iob. 2.11 is to hearken out and make enquiry after our distressed brethren Thus Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar were induced to pitie Iob by the hearing of their eares When they heard of all this evill that was come upon him then they came every one from his owne place c. Marke the very hear-say or report of the afflictions of friends ought both to take our eares and to move our hearts But alas for the Adder-like deafenesse of multitudes now amongst us that will not heare in that eare as we say for feare lest their hearts and then their purses should be pickt open for they doe interpret every sad relation to be the preface to a petition Yea many men are like the people neer the falls of Nylus growne deafe by the continuall noise of dolefull reports Surely the Lord will boare such eares at last Others there are which doe account it a cheaper and a wiser way not to beleeve any sad reports at all but generally to cry them downe as false and uncertaine pamphlets rather then to be at the paine of letting them into their hearts and these are like churlish Nabal which did choose rather to call David a run-away and to suspect the truth of his messengers then to be at the charge of rewarding and relieving them The sword may one day find out these men also But chiefly wee must observe
Saviour Sir Iohn 5.7 I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool but while I am coming another steppeth down before me The text needeth no application this is the first Case But secondly in case of obtaining 2. Case and procuring the help which was petitioned for I meane when armies and treasures have been procured and sent for our reliefe yet even then the Lord hath especially blowne upon them and us sometimes by turning and over-turning our Counsels sometimes by frustrating our active endeavours I will instance but in one most remarkable disappointment You have not forgotten the time when his Excellencies army was sent for reliefe of the West we might have said of that army untill that time as much as David in his Funerall Elegy saith of valiant Saul and Ionathan 1 Sam. 1.22 From the bloud of the slains from the fat of the mighty the bow of Jonathan turned not backe and the sword of Saul returned not empty To this both Keinton and Newbury the first and second time and all other Easterne Northerne and Southerne fields can witness but when once this ever before-victorious army marched into the West then behold as if the fate of that unprosperous Country had wrought upon them the Scene is changed and we might also change our note Veâ—se â—7 as David doth afterward in that same Song How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of warre perished That Virgin Army as it was well called had never its nakednesse uncovered in any other Field or County but onely in the most Westerne Cornewall 3. Case This is the second Case But thirdly once more in case of accepting and for a time enjoying the help obtained and procured yet the West hath been the more unhappy My meaning in plaine English is this When some Armies Brigades and Parties have been sent down for our reliefe and restauration they have rather proved by accident and in event an occasion of our Countries greater miseries and bondage for upon their coming into those parts with help and promises of continuance the wel-affected have the more freely engaged themselves that is some men that had before walked so prudently yet honestly that the Enemy had no great advantage upon them did actively discover themselves others that had laine hid in woods and pits or were fled to the next Garisons came forth and brought out with them all their treasure and provision which they had hidden from the Midianites and all these you may suppose doe now take the Covenant doe draw in their friends to their Party and in a word doe imbarque both their persons and whole remainder in the present Bottome But loe upon a sudden to follow the Metaphor either the Vessell is split and so they are wrackt or the wind is turned and so the Barque drives away leaving them as that wandring Aeneas left his Dido to dispaire cry out and perish Even thus have many of our intended helpers proved unto the wel-affected of the West but as an Egyptian reed but as a piece of new cloth set upon an old garment whereby the rent hath been made worse or to speake but this once though I can hardly speake sufficiently in this point but as Gaal the sonne of Ebed proved unto the men of Shechem Let us looke sadly upon that Example It is said Judg. 9.26 27. And the men of Shechem put their confidence in him And they went out into the fields and gathered their vineyards and trode the grapes and made merry and cursed Abimelech Why what might be the cause of this great confidence and merriment Surely Gaals boasting and his promise of protection to them Vers 28 29 40 41 44 45. And Gaal the sonne of Ebed said Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that wee should serve him And would to God this people were under my hand then would I remove Abimelech But what is the event both of his big words and their great hopes It is this in short first Gaal is worsted and so leaveth them then cometh Abimelech with his Army and fights against the City and takes it and flayeth the people that were therein and beateth down the City and soweth it with salt c. Wee have divers such Shechems in the West as thou forward Barnestaple art one witnesse And though Taunton be lately relieved blessed bee God and all that had a hand in that worke yet even since that relieving my native Chard is another sad witnesse of this truth Object But some may object Such miseries as these are the inseparable unavoydable accidents of warre Answ Yet give mee leave even in those accidents that is acts of extraordinary providence still to observe how the Lords especiall hand doth touch the West And suffer mee to say with sorrow that few other parts of the land have had so great a share in this kind of unhappy accidents aâ— those five Counties towards the setting of the Sun The last additionall aggravation of especiall Western unhappinesses Losse of Pillars Isat 3.1 2 3. Before I conclude this sad Point concerning the singular unhappinesse of the Westerne parts give mee leave to mind you but of one aggravation more namely That the hand of God hath been very heavie upon many of our excellent Westerne Leaders Hee hath pluckt away divers of our Supporters from us and hath smitten some of our Shepherds Brethren you know that dreadfull commination against the Jewes wherein the Lord threatned to take away from Jerusalem the mighty man and the man of warre the Judge and the Prophet and the prudent and the ancient the Captain of fifty and the honourable man and the Counsellor and the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator I know not the losses of other parts of the Land sure I am that the West hath been a deep loser in all these kinds What City what Town nay what Parish almost of eminency is there in those parts in which there is not some one or more use full man dead Some such persons have been shine by the sword others have died of the diseases of the Armies and a third sort have had their hearts broken by the Oppressors Many other men are better acquainted with divers of the Westerne Townes than my selfe and yet even out of my little knowledge I could reckon up some very eminent ones which the Lord hath taken away from every of the five Western Counties but a Dorset Câ—neri gloria sera venu one since this Parliament did begin Why should wee deny honour to the dead Why should wee neglect a powerfull meanes of humbling our owne hearts First give mee leave to remember you of our losses of Parliamentary State-pillars 1. In Parliament What a precious paire to begin at home of excellent instruments hath Devon lost Surely the b Jo. Upton Esquire one of them was no lesse than the stay and the staffe of that County and the
laid against us Object 1 The Westerne folke will some say are an unworthie people Answ Beware of drawing sinfull inferences from sorrowfull premisses by concluding that such a man or people are wicked because they are wretched sinners because sufferers This was the false sophistry of Iobs three friends for which the Lord doth as it were enjoyne them penance Iob. 42.7 8. and amerceth them in the end of that book Nay this was the barbarous Malta-logick of those Islanders amongst whom St. Paul was cast ashoare at Mâ—lita And when the Barbarians saw the venemous beast hang on his hand Acts 28.4 they said among themselves No doubt this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengance suffereth not to live But when he shook off the beast into the fire Vers 5. they did as easily change their opinions to the other extreame and indeed none are more light and lavish in applauding then those which are most rash and severe in censuring But this fault I find may overtake the disciples themselves â—â—h 9. â— 2. When they saw a man that was blind from his birth they asked Iesus Master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind Christs answer telleth us that the Lord hath many other principall ends and causes for afflicting his people besides their sins as there his end was that the works of the Lord should be made manifest Vers 3. so in Iobs case he meant to set up a paterne of patience and of the reward thereof And in that of Paul he intended to honour the person and ministery of his servant in the eyes and hearts of the Barbarians Object 2 But the Objector chargeth againe telling us that Cowardise and Covetousnesse lost the West Answ I might first answer generally in the words of an * Iraset qâ—an donaâ—e vilius conslat Mart. acute Heathen that it is more cheape and easie to fall out with the distressed then to relieve their distresses But I will speake particularly to the severall charges of Cowardise and Covetousnes First to that of Cowardise I could returne many answers viz. 1. To the Charge of Cowardise 1. Who is he I pray you that is the God of the spirits of all flesh whose prerogative it is especially in war-like actions both to heighten the spirits of the faint and to flatten the courage of the mighty And when did the Lord so evidently and ordinarily exercise this his spirituall prerogative as in the present warres of his people in this Land Doubtlesse brethren it is not all Cowardise and treachery which we doe commonly call so in these times though I confesse there hath been too much of both sorts almost continually amongst us and I could wish that the extraordinary finger of God in this spirituall particular might be more observed and acknowledged 2. Secondly remember that those Westerne combustions did begin with the present generall and publike warres So that it was then the very Tyrocinium of all our Souldiery the first and suddaine shooting of Guns in earnest at which it is common even for valiant men a while to winke at the firing and to startle at the report of an Ordnance these and such-like allayes might be given But 3. Thirdly I doe answer by denying that charge of Cowardise upon that * At Minedip Hills in Sommerset about 30000. Commons appeared at once for the Parliament in the beginning against the Generallny of their Gentry In Devon at 2. several times at least 10000. each time all completely armed and paid by the same County And great forwardnes in the rest of the Counties Cornwall it selfe not excepted Country as unjust and for proof of that deniall could easily bring forth a whole cloud of publike and reall witnesses as the numerous frequent free appearances of great armies of common people upon slender summons or rather upon bare leave to appeare their willing tedious attendances at their own charges and begging permission to fall on c. And all this amidst often and heavy discouragements Some Counties going on against the streame of those which should have been their Leaders but did destroy the way of their Pathes Others had such Leaders as as would have caused them to erre Isai 9.16 yea as would have guided them as that Prophet led the blind-fold Syrians into Samaria instead of Dotham yet still the poore willing Commons leaving both the Kings high-way and their Malignant Gentry continued appearing waiting marching and fighting though in many places like sheep without a shepheard untill it hath pleased the Lord out of his secret Counsell and for our sins to give us up as a prey to the will of our enemies 2. To the Charge of Covetousnesse Secondly for answer to the charge of Covetousnesse aske of others and they shall tell you Aske the publike and private Treasurers for Ireland-subscriptions both gifts and adventures for the Parliament Propositions and for our own particular Westerne warres and fortifications all these will abundantly certifie you But as that proportionist did draw the whole stature of Hercules by the print of his foot so I could give you out of one of those five Shires best knowne to my selfe a guesse of the cordiall munificence of the whole 150000â— out of Devon Exon. Beside their sufferings If many scores of thousands have been laid out by one single County then admire the vast expences of all the five But it is still objected Object 3 Your enemies were few and contemptible at the first Alas Answ so were the enemies of the whole Kingdome at the beginning perchance fewer then ours remember the little cloud at Nottingham and by that you may see Secondly that the race is not to the swift Eccles 9.11 nor the battell to the strong but time and change happeneth to them all saith the wise Preacher especially thirdly when the Lord of Hosts createth trouble to a sinfull people and giveth commission to his revenging sword to passe through a Land beleeve it then they are not all your strength and counsell power and policy that can sheath up or keep off such an enemy But why did you lose so vast Object 4 so rich so populous a Country so easily Answ I answer First 1. doubtlesse the meritorious causes were our sins and the safest construction and best application that we Westerne exiles can make of our sufferings will be to take up that of lamenting Jeremiah Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain It is a mercy that we are men and not beasts that we are alive this day and not fallen among the slaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes that is the Lord hath done us no wrong we doe suffer justly yea mercifully for our trespasses Let us search and try our waies and turne again to the Lord That is selfe examination and selfe-reformation Verse 40. are our most proper and profitable
Thou hast beene made the Land of fire and smoke in divers places as the a The Subuâ—bs of Exon at every gate City the b Bemmister Axminster Market Towns c. Townes the c Ilford-Combe Stoke c. Parishes and divers stately and ancient d Eight or nine stately Mansions burnt and pulled downe within five or six miles together neare Lyme Mansions doe testifie some of them being cruelly turned to ashes by the Enemy others necessarily fired by our Friends to burne out the Hornets that were gotten into them and by this meanes hundreds of families have been turned out like herds of cattell into the open fields and woods leaving dung-hils and heaps of ashes in the places where their goods and dwellings did lately stand 4. But did Satan labour also by those extraordinary plagues the fire of God from Heaven and a great Wind from the Wildernesse 4. False charges to shake Jobs holy confidence and to make him question his owne integrity Did Satan intitle the Lord to those judgements as if God had been on his side against Job Oh this this hath been the great Engine and impudent designe of the Enemy and it hath been very closely followed by them in the West they have cunningly endeavoured by the sometimes prosperous outward successe of the wicked and the extraordinary heavy afflictions and defeats of the godly party in those Countries to entitle the Lord to their side and cause against his owne people and party But this stratagem is old as old as Rabshakeh's himselfe who it seems was their copy in like case For when Sâ—nnacherib coming up against reforming Hez kiah sent Rabshakeh 2 Kin. 18. in a reviling message to Ierusalem we find that he doth especially insist upon two common places which are the great engines of the Enemy now a daies and therfore they are well worthy our perusall viz. First he doth asperse charge Hezekiahs reformation with Sacriledge and Innovation But if he say unto me We trust in the Lord our God Verse 22. Is not that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away and hath said to Iudah and Ierusalem Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem As if he had said Good people looke about you I am come purposely to undecerve you This Hezekiah and his faction under the name of Reformation doe take away all the antiquity glory and beauty of your Religion You see how he hath removed the high places of Gods good service and divine worship those places that were so venerable for their antiquity that they have been continued through the raignes of twelve noble Kings before this time So honourable for their institution that they were erected by Solomon himselfe of most happy memory the wisest and most glorious King that ever swayed the Scepter of David and is Hezekiah now become wiser then Solomon Or can yee hope for more blessed dayes then his Who made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones 1 Kin. 10.27 and Cedars made he to be as Sycamore trees that are in the vale for abundance Or what had this young King at twenty five yeares old more understanding and devotion then all his grave and pious ancestors What then Solomon Rehoboam Abijah Asa Iehoshaphat Ioash and his Iehoiada Vzziah Jotham and Ahaz his owne Father that he makes such strange worke in the service of God Nay further yet good people besides your high places consider your high Altars are also taken away and yee are all confined to your unspeakeable charge trouble and travell to worship before this one Altar in Jerusalem Secondly he doth intitle the Lord unto his side against Hezekiah and the reformers Am I now come up without the Lord against this place 2 Kin. 18.25 to destroy it The Lord said to me Verse 20. Goe up against this place and destroy it As if he had said O ye Rebels for so he had called them before How durst yee to fight against your King the great King of Assyria and yet pretend that ye stand for God and for his Reformation Behold and see we have an expresse command a positive commission to fight against you and here Rabshakeh might have cited some Text out of the Prophets which doe seeme to licence and call in the Assyrians as the Lords rod against Israel for their sins as Isaiah Jeremiah Ezechiel Hosea and others You see then that it is no new thing for the most cruel enemies against reformation yea for Rabshakeh himselfe to pretend and plead loudly that the Lord is on their side against his owne holy people 'T is no new thing for the theeves themselves to cry Stop the theefe upon those that are their lawfull pursuers That is a fourth Parallel 5. Successions of Enemies 5. But farther yet Did Satan send enemies upon enemies and armies by severall parties upon Iobs goods Alas poor West in this thing also canst thou compare too well Have not the armies of thine enemies taken their successive turnes at thee When a well-affected Towne or Parish had first been plowed by their owne Malignant Gentry and neighbours as by the Sabeans with heavie fines and amercements then come other forces that were raised in Counties farther off and they doe harrow them by weekly taxes and free-quarter when these are called away then thirdly the French Irish and other Foreiners a people of a strange Language like the Caldeans are sent upon them and these by their cruell plundrings doe as it were breake the clods by parties and degrees as those Caldeans made out three bands The first drives away the husband-mans cattle which he may redeeme againe for a summe of money that is no sooner done but a second band cometh and driveth them againe requiring another ransome which the poor owner hath no sooner made up by borrowing pawning and begging but anon cometh the third band and they doe finally sweep away all this thrice purchased stock and stuffe there being no more ability left to buy them againe a fourth time And these severall bands of the enemie are like those three swords of Hazael Jehu and Elisha of which 't is said And it shall come to passe 1 King 19.17 that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael a stranger shall Iehu slay and him that escapeth the sword of Iehu their King shall Elisha their Prophet slay Thus the first parallels doe run too evenly which I called the undoing of Iob in his temporals by rapine and plundring I shall be shorter in the two following generalls Remember all this was but the fleecing of Iob but the plundring of his estate and skin for skin as Satan truly urged all that a man hath will he give for his life that is temporall afflictions are lighter then corporall Let us therefore consider Secondly the Smiting of Iob in his body with sores and ulcers 2. The smiting of Iob in his body the stripping him of all Naturall comforts
Tobiah sent letters to put me in feare Oh these entangling names and relations of son-in-law and father-in-law of brother-in-law and daughter-in-law It was son Tobiah and Father Shechaniah Son Iohanan and Father Meshullam So that searce a Malignant in all Tobiahs party but had some one or other to speak for him unto Nehemiah Remember therefore that this Civill selfe also hath been a great ejecting sin 3. Naturall selfe But Thirdly there is a Naturall selfe too the selfe of parts of minde and body every man loves the brats and issues of his owne brain as of his owne loynes his owne way projects and inventions in the carriage of the publike businesse Hushai and Achitophel had their severall projections and the clashing of those lost the cause of Absalom How many enterprises since the beginning of this warre would have been more succesfull if men had not loved their owne counsells too well Or if men of piety wisdome and valour amongst us had but learned that lesson of St. Phil. 2.3 Paul Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteeme others better then themselves Or that resolution of Luther Let the work be done by others yea by any so as it be done But I will contract 4. Sinfull selfe 1 Iohn 2.16 Fourthly and finally there is a meer Sinfull or Lustfull-selfe that is the selfe of sin and lust and this is threefold according to the three Cardinall lusts as they are reckoned up by St. Iohn The lust of the flesh this is pleasure The lust of the eyes that is profit and the pride of life this is pride it selfe Every of these hath caused the dwellings of many Nations and Persons to cast them out Take a short instance or two in each First in the Lusts of the flesh Thus that one foule act of uncleannesse committed and defended by the Gibeathites did almost utterly root out the tribe of Benjamin Iustin Hâ—st Homer Iliad And the effeminacie of one Sardanapalus and adultery of one Paris did put an end to the famous Assyrian Monarchy and to the Trojan kingdome Next in the Lusts of the eyes Thus the sacrilegious Covetousnes of one Achan did endanger the whole campe of Israel and the niggardlinesse of the besieged Citizens of Constantinople lost that Easterne City and Empire to that barbarous Turkish Sultan 2 Chron. 25.17 18 c Lastly in the Pride of life Thus finally King Amaziab by his pride lost both Ierusalem and himselfe and all the treasures of the Lords house and of his owne And arrogant Senacherib by his proud blasphemie lost one hundred eighty five thousand of his men in one night 4. Quaere Emulations c. Fourthly and finally Quaere Concerning an evill spirit of Emulation Distance and Jealousie I doe adde these in the last place as the immediate fruits of the former evill of Selfe-love Emulations sometimes there are betwixt Commander and Commander as that betwixt Ioab and Abner which in fine lost the house of Saul and did cost the lives of them both The method was this First Abner takes distaste against Ishbosbeth 2 Sam. 3.7 8 9. Verse 26 27. because he reproved him for his uncleannesse and souldier like he sweares to be revenged upon him which he doth by revolting to David Hereupon Ioab Davids Generall groweth jealous of Abners preferment and therefore stabs him 2 Sam. 20 4 9 10. 1 Kings 2.31 32 33 34. For this and another like act of Emulation against Amasa Ioab himselfe is at last cut off by the sword of Justice Sometimes evill Emulations are betwixt Commanders or Governours and the Common people Such was that evill spirit that was raised betwixt Abimelech and the men of Shechem Iudg 9.22 23. so that the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech and he cruelly with them And thus there came out a fire from each other which devoured them both for Verse 44 45 48 49 53. in conclusion the City was beaten downe and sowed with salt the Castle or Tower burnt with fire and a thousand in it men and women and afterward The brains of Abimelech himselfe were beaten out with a milstone from the hands of a woman Thus Abimelech lost his military Idol the Idol of honour and they their townish Idol the Idol of priviledges All this to shew us the mischiefes of Emulations and sinfull jealousies Nay let me adde this one word more I have some-where observed that even the Emulations of the wives of eminent and active persons have proved pernicious to the publike especially in the criticall and crasie times of reformation * Cambden in Apparat. ad Hister Elizabeth Thus in the Raigne of King Edward the sixth the womanish Emulation betwixt the Queene Dowager wife to the lord Admirall and the Dutchesse of Somerset wife to the lord Protector his brother they falling out about place and precedencie did occasion and cause the ruine of both their lords and husbands first the Admirall lost his head and then the Duke to the unspeakable detriment of the common Protestant cause then in England Beware therefore of party-makings in Armies in Committies in Counties for the carrying on of private interests and designes Thus I have hitherto endeavoured Theologically by way of Quaeries to direct and help you and my selfe in searching out our owne sins and the sins of the Countrie for which wee doe mourne this day There is another way that may help us in this worke Other helps for the finding out of the sins of the which I may call Geographicall that is by travelling mentally over and thorough those severall Shires and Counties and the principall parts and places of them there observing and surveying what things and places have had or given the greatest occasions of sin and provocation You know Brethren that every one of the five Westerne Counties have their especiall fruits and commodities which they send forth unto other parts as the Tinne of Cornwall the Clothing of Devon the Lead Coale and Cattle of Somerset the flocks of Dorset and the Corne of Wilts are knowen and famous So severall Counties have their speciall sins and occasions of sinning Tâ—t 1 1â— that are Epidemicall amongst them and peculiar to them as the Cretians had their speciall vices And thus the sins of the Mines and the sins of the Moores are very considerable and did run through diverse Counties in the West Alas those poore Creatures that laboured in the pits of Tinne Lead and Coale how were their souls made more black and rude with Ignorance and prophanenesse then their bodies with soot and oare And yet who did pitie their condition How few did looke after their salvation And therefore now you see those pits and places have been mines of men and store-houses of fuell bullets fire and souldiers for the black and prophane cause of the enemie All this is matter of Lamentation 1. Danmonii Or if you