or to this Balme fastning their eyes and hopes on that whereas Balme with the destitution of Gods blessing doth as much good as a branch of hearbe-Iohn in our Pottage Nature it selfe declines her ordinary working when Gods reuocation hath chidden it The word without Balme can cure not the best Balme without the word 2. So this naturall Balme when the blessing of the word is euen added to it can at vtmost but keepe the body liuing till the lifeâ— taper be burnt out or after death giue a short and insensible preseruation to it in the sarcophagall graue But this Balme giues life after death life against death life without death To whom shall we goe Lord thou hast the words of eternall life The Apostle doth so sound it the Saints in Heauen haue so found it and we if we beleeue it if we receiue it shall perceiue it to be the word of life And as Augustine of God Omne bonum nostrum vel ipse vel ab ipso All our good is either God or from God so all our ordinary meanes of good from God is vel verbum vel de verbo either the word or by the word The Prophet deriues the Balme from the Mount Gilead demaunding if Gilead be without Balme It seemes that Gilead was an aromaticall place and is reckoned by some among the Mountaines of spice It is called in some places of Scripture Galaad and by an easie varying of the points in the Hebrew writing Gilead This Mountaine was at first so called by Iacob by reason of that solemne Couenant which hee there made with his Father in law pursuing Laban Though it be called Mount Gilead before in the chapter ver 21.23.25 He set his face toward Mount Gilead c. Yet it is by anticipation spoken rather as the hill was called when the Historie was written by Moses then as it was saluted and ascended by Iacob who abode in it till Laban ouer-tooke him where the pacified Father and the departing Sonne made their Couenant Laban called it Iâ—gar-Sahadutha but Iacob called it Galeed It signifies a heape of witnesse a name imposed by occasion of the heape of stones pitched for the league betweene them Laâ—an said this heapâ— is a witnesse betweene mee and thee this day Therefore was the name of it called Galeed There was one Gilead sonne of Machir sonne of Manasseh of whom because it is said that Machir begat Gilead and of Gilead â—â—me the family of thâ— Gileadites some ascribe the attribution of this name to Mount Gilead But this Mount had the name long before the sonne of Machir was borne We read of it that it was 1. a great mountaine 2. fruitfull 3. full of Cities 4. abounding with Spices 1. It was a great Mountaine the greatest of all beyond Iordan in length fifty miles But as it ranne along by other Coasts it receiued diuers names From Arnon to the Citie Cedar it is called Gilead From thence to Bozra it is named Seir and after Hermon so reaching to Damascus it is ioyned to Libanus So Hierome conceiteth on those words of God vnto the Kings house of Iudah Thou art Gilead vnto me and the head of Lebanon that therefore Lebanon is the beginning of Gilead 2. Fruitfull abounding with great varietiâ— of necessarieâ— and delights yeelding both pleasure and profit This euery part and corner thereof afforded euen as farre as Mount Sâ—ir which the Edomites the generation of Esau chose for a voluptuous habitation This the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and halfe the Tribe of Manasseh when they saw the land of Gilead that the place was a place for catâ—ell desired of Moses and of the Princes of the Congregation that they might possesse it for it is a land for cattell and thy seruants haue cattell The condition that Moses required beâ—ng by them graunted that they should goe armed with their brethren till the expulsion of their enemies had giuen them a quiet seate in Canaan Thy seruanâ—s will doe as my Lord commandeth Onâ—ly our little ones our wiâ—es our flockes and all our cattell shall be in tho Cities of Gilead The fertillitie of Gilead contented them though with the separation of Iordan from their brethren Our Sauiour describing the beautie of his Spouse Behold thou art faire my Loue behold thou art faire inwardly faire with the gifts of his spirit and outwardly faire in her comely administration and gouernment Thou hast Doues eyes within thy lockes thy eyes of vnderstanding being full of puritie chastitie simplicitie hee addes withall that her haire her gracious profession and appendances of expedient ornaments are as comely to behold as a Flocke of well-fed Goates grasing and appearing on the fruitfull hills of Gilead Which made them so pregnant that like a Flocke of sheepe euery one brings out Twinnes and none is barren among them The same praâ—se is redoubled by Christ chap. 6. c. 3. It was full of Cities a place so fertile that it was full of Inhabitants â—lair the Gileaeditâ— who iudged Israel had thirty sonnes that rode on thirty Asse-Colts and they had thirty Cities which are called Hauâ—th-â—aiâ— vnto this day which are in the land of Gilead It was as populous as fructuous and at once blessed with pregnancie both of fruits for the people and of people for the fruits It was before Israel conquâ—red it in the dominion of the Amoritâ—s and more specially of Og king of Bashan that remained of the remnant of the Giants whose bedsted was a bedsted of yron nine cubites long and foure cubites broad after the cubite of a man It was not onely full of strength in it selfe but guarded with Cities in the plaine All the Cities of the plaine and all Gilead and all Bashan c. So the Inheritance of Gad is reckoned by Iosuah Their coast was lazer and all the Cities of Gilâ—ad It appeares then that Gilead was full of Cities So blessed as if the Heauens had made a Couenant of good vnto it as Iacob did erst with Laban vpon it A hill of witnesse indeede for it really testified Gods mercie to Israel God calls it his owne Gilead is mine Manasseh iâ— mine The principall or first name of Kingdome that vsurping Iâ—â—bosheth was by Abner crowned ouer was Gilead And hee made him King ouer Gilead and ouer the Ashurites c. 4. It was lastly a Mountaine of Spices and many Strangers resorted thither for that Merchandise Euen when the malicious brethren hauing throwne innocent Ioseph into the pit sate downe in a secure neglectfulnesse to eate bread Behold surely the Lord sent and directed a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their Camels bearing Spicery and Balme and Myrrhe By which it appeares to be mons aromatum a hill of Spâ—ces Therefore God here Is there no Balme at Gilead The Iewâ—s were neerâ— to Gilead it was but on
nor a Tap-house-Lecture oâ—â—ly as among Drunkards that fetch authoritie from the pot like Augustus Caesar to taxe all the world but a Citie-lecture such a one as Iesabell read to Iezreell a publike Preaching her Pulpit being excelsa ciuitatis top-gallant filling eminent places with emanant poisons 2. Solomons Pulpit is yet transcendent and aboue it for it is a â—hrone a Throne of Iuorie ouerlaid with gold such a Throne as no Kingdome could follow it The Preacher is a King the Pulpit a Throne nay an Oracle de Solio rex oracula fundit For God gaue him wisedome yea such a wisedome that no man but his Antitype God and man did euer excell him 5 Their Commissions 1. The Deuill gaue Sinne her â—rrand guilded her tongue and poâ—soned her heart put a cup of damnation into her hand and the Sugar of Temptation to sweeten it allowed her for his Citie-Recorder or his Towne-â—laâ—ke and sealed her a commission from Helâ— as Saul had from the High-Priest to binde with snares Filios Tâ—rrae the Sonnes of Men. 2. But God gaue Solomon a celestiall roule to eate as to Ezâ—kiel and touched his lips with a coâ—le from his owne Altar as to Esay putting into his mouth documenta vitae the ordinances of eternall life God hath set this day before you two diuers Pulpits aduerse Preachers dissonant Texts declares who speakes by his warrant who besides it against it Behold as Moses said I haue set life and death before you take your choyse The Dialogue of both the verses present vs with a Banket conuiuium or conuitium rather a Feast but a Fast were better a Banket worse then Iobs childrens or the Dagonals of the Philistins like the Bacchanals of the Moenades when for the shutting vp of their stomachs the house fell downe and broke their neckes You haue offered to your considerations verse 17. supplying but the immediatly precedent word Dixit 1. The Inviter 2. the Cheare Solomon comes after as with Salt and Vinegar and tels you 3. the Guests 4. and the Banketting-house verse 18. But the dead are there c. The Inviter It is a woman She saith to him but that name is too good for she hath recouered her credit a woman as she brought woe to man so she brought forth a weale for maâ— causa dâ—licti solatium relicti an instrumentall cause of transgression and no lesse of Saluation If you say she brought forth Sinne without man so she brought forth a Sauiour without man as the Diuell tempted her to the one so the Holy Ghost ouershadowed her to the other This not a woman then but a Harlot meretricia mulier a degenerate woman vnwomaned â—t pudore pudicitia of both modestie and chastitie The feast is like to be good when an Harlot is the Hostice And sure the Scriptures found some speciall parietie if not identâ—tie betweene these two not making their names conuertible which had beene much but expressing by one word both of them which is more as if it concluded their professions and conditions names and natures all one which is most of all Impleta in nostris haec est Scriptura diebus Experience hath iustified this circumstance A Harlot then bids and feasts and kils what other successe can be looked for If Dalilah inuite Sampson waâ—e his lockes shee will spoile the Nazarite of his hayres there are many Dalilahs in these dayes I haue read of many Inviters in the holy Writ some good many indifferent most euill this worst of all 1. Good Matth. 22. you haue the King of Heauen a Feast-maker Cant. 5. you haue the Kings sonne a Feast-maker Iesus Christ bids Eate oh friends drinke abundantly oh beloued Reuel 22. you haue the Spirit of glorie a Feast-maker and an Inviter too The Spirit and the Bride say Come To this Feast few come but those that doe come are welcome well come in regard of themselues for there is the best cheare Blessed are they that are called to the Mariage-Supper of the Lambe welcome in respect of God who doth not grudge his mercies 2. Many indifferent and inclining to good Abrahams feast at Isaac's weaning Sampsons at his marriage The Wedding-feast in Cana where the King of glory was a Ghest and honoured it with a Miracle with the first Miracle that euer hee wrought 3. Euill Nabals feast at his Sheepe-shearing a drunken feast Belshazzars feast to a thousand of his Lords surfetting with full carouses from the sacred Boles a sacrilegious Feast The Philistins feast to the honour of Dagon an Idolatrous feast Herods birth-day-feast when Iohn Baptists head was the last course of the seruice a bloody feast The rich Churles a quotidian feast a voluptuous surfet all bad 4. This yet worst of all the Harlots feast where the Ghests at once comedunt comeduntur their soules feast on euils and are a feast to Deuils for whiles men deuoure sins sins deuoure them as Actaeon was eaten vp of his owne dogs This is a bloody Banket where no ghest escapes without a wound if with life for if Sinne keepe the Reuels Lusts are the Iunkets Ebrietie drinkes the Wine Blasphemie sayes the Grace and Bloud is the conclusion But allegorically Sinne is heere shadowed by the Harlot Voluptuousnâ—sse meretricum meretrix the Harlot of Harlots whose Bawde is Beâ—lsebub and whose Bridewell is broad Hell Wickednesse foeminei generis dicitur is compared to a Woman and hath all her senses Lust is her eye to see Briberie her hands to feele Sensualitie her palate to taste Malice her eare to heare Petulancy her nose to smell and because shee is of the foeminine sexe we will allow her the sixtsense tittle-tattle is hâ—r tongue to talke This is the common Hostice of the world Satans house-keeper whose dores are neuer shut nocâ—es atque dies patet c. There is no man in the world keepes such hospitalitie for hee searcheth the ayre earth sea nay the Kitchen of Hell to fit euery palate Vitellius searched farre and wide for the rarities of nature Birdes Beasts Fishes of inestimable price which yet brought in the bodies are scorned and onely the eye of this Bird the tongue of that Fish is taken that the spoyles of many might bee sacrifices to one supper The Emperour of the low Countries Hell hath delicates of stranger varitie curiositie Doth Iudas stomach stand to treason there it is hee may feede liberally on that dish Doth Nero thirst for homicides the Deuill drinkes to him in â—oles of bloud is Ieroboam hungry of Idolatrie behold a couple of Calues are set before him hath Absolon the Court-appetite Ambition loe a whole Kingdome is presented him for a messe a shrewd baite Machiauâ—ls position faith-breach for Kingdomes is no sinne The Deuill thought this Dish would please CHRIST himselfe and therefore offered him many kingdomes for
banket haue this death in present the precedent and subsequent are both future the one naturally incurred by sinne the other iustly inflicted for vnrepented sinne For all shall dye the corporall death Hee that feareth an oath as well as hee that sweareth the â—eligious as the profane But this last which is Eternall death shall onely cease on them that haue before hand with a spirituall death slaine themselues This therefore is called the second death Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection which is the spirituall life by grace On such the second death hath no power Hee that is by Christ raised from the first death shall by Christ also scape the second But hee that is dead spiritually after hee hath died corporally shall also dye eternally This is that euerlasting seperation of body and soule from God and consequently from all comfort Feare him saith our Sauiour that is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and euerlasting contempt This is that death that God delights not in His goodnesse hath no pleasure in it though his iustice must inflict it Man by sinne hath offended God an infinite Maiestie and therefore deserues an infinite miserie Now because he is a nature finite hee cannot suffer a punishment infinite in greatnesse simul et semel together and at once hee must therefore endure it successiuè sine fine successiuely without end The punishment must be proportioned to the sinne because not in present greatnesse therefore in eternall continuance Christ for his elect suffered in short time sufficient punishment for their sinnes for it is all one for one that is eternall to dye and for one to dye eternally But he for whom Christ suffered not in that short time must suffer for himselfe beyond all times euen for euer This is the last Death a liuing death or a dying life what shall I tearme it If it be life how doth it kill If death how doth it liue There is neither life nor death but hath some good in it In life there is some ease in death an end But in this death neither ease nor end Prima â—ors animam dâ—lentem pellet de câ—rpore secunda mors animam nolentem tenet in corpore The first death driues the soule vnwillingly from the body the second death holdes the soule vnwillingly in the body In those dayes shall men seeke death and shall not finde it and shall desire to dye and death shall flye from them Their worme shall not dye Thus saith the Scripture morientur mortem they shall dye the death Yet their death hath much too much life in it For there is a perfection giuen to the body and soule after this life as in heauen to the stronger participation of comfort so in hel to the more sensible receiuing of torment The eye shall see more perspicuously and the eare heare more quickly and the sense feele more sharply though all the obiects of these be sorrow and anguish Vermis conscientiam corrodet ignis carnem comburet quia et corde et corpore deliquerunt The worme shall gnaw the conscience the fire burne the flesh because both fleâ—h and conscience haue offended This is the fearfull death which these guests incurre this is the Shoâ— at the Diuells Banket God in his Iustice suffers him to reward his guests as hee is rewarded himselfe and since they loued his worke to giue them the stipend due to his seruice These are the tempted guests dead The vlgar Latine translation I know not vpon what ground hath interpreted here for mortui Gigantes thus hee knoweth not that the Gyants are there Monstrous men that would dart thunder at God himselfe and raise vp mountaines of impietie against Heauen As if they were onely great men that feasted at Sathans Banket whose riches were able to minister matter to their pleasures And surely such are in these dayes of whose sinnes when we haue cast an inventory account we might thus with the Poet sum vp themselues Viâ— dicam quid sis magnus es Ardelio Thou hast great lands great power great sinnes and than Dâ—st aske me what thou art th' art a great man The Gyants in the Scripture were men of a huge stature of a fierce nature The Poets fained their Gyants to be begotten and bred of the Sunne and the Earth and to offer violence to the Gods some of them hauing an hundred hands as Briareiu was called centimanus meaning they were of great command as Helen wrot to Paris of her husband Menelaus An nescis longas regibus esse manus This word Gyants if the originall did afford it must be referred either to the guests signifiing that monstrous men resorted to the Harlots table that it was Gigantoum conviuium a tyrannous feast or else and that rather to the tormentors which are laid in ambush to surprise all the commers in and carry them as a pray to Hell But because the best translations giue no such word and it is farre fetched I let it fall as I tooke it vp The third person here inserted is the Attempted the new guest whom she striues to bring in to the rest He is discribed by his ignorance Nescit Hee knoweth not what company is in the house that the dead are there It is the Deuils pollicie when hee would ransacke and robbe the hoâ—se of our conscience like a theefe to put out the candle of our knowledge That wee might neither discerne his purposes nor decline his mischeefes Hee hath had his instruments in all ages to darken the light of knowledge Domitian turnes Philosophie into banishment Iulian shuts vp the Schoole-doores The barbarous souldiours vnder Clement the seauenth burned that excellent Vatican library Their reasons concurred with Iulians prohibition to the Christans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least they kill vs with our owne weapons For it is said euen of Gentile learning Hic est Goliae gladius quo ipse Goliah ingulandus est Hic Herculis claua qua rabidi inter Ethnicos canes percutiendi sunt This is that Goliahs sword whereby the Philistine himselfe is wounded This is that Hercules clubbe to smite the madde dogs amongst the heathen Habadallus Mahomets scholler that Syrian Tyrant forbad all Christian children in his dominions to goe to schoole that by ignorance hee might draw them to superstition For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be destitute of learning is to dance in the darke These were all Sathans instruments yet they come short of the Pope whose pollicie to aduance his Hierarchie is to oppresse mens consciences with ignorance teaching that the fulnesse of zeale doth arise from the emptinesse of knowledge euen as fast as fire flasheth out of a fish-pond There are degrees in sin so in ignorance It is a sin to be ignorant of that we
haue giuen his last sentence At that day when Quaesitor scelerum veniet vindexque reorum the searcher of all and punisher of wicked hearts shall giue his double voyce of dread and ioy when hauing spoken peace to his Saints hee shall thunder out condemnation to the wicked Goe ye into euerlasting fire dent ocyus omnes Quas meruere pati sic stat sententia poenas And if here on earth Seiudice nemo nocens absoluitur a mans owne conscience condemne him for his sinnes how much greater shall be the iust condemnation of God Then all murdering Cains scoffing Chams persecuting Sauls theeuish and sacrilegious Achans oppressing Ahabs couetous Nabals drunken Hâ—lofernesses cruell Herods blasphemous Rabshaceh's vniust Pilates shall reape the seed in their eternall deaths which they haue sowne in their temporall liues There shall be scorching heate and freezing cold Ex vehementissimo calore ad vehementissimum frigus Without either act of refreshing or hope of releasing Euery day hath beene their Holy-day on earth euery day shall be their workie-day in Hell The Poets fained three furies Scindet latus vna slagello Altera tartareis sectos dabit anguibus artus Tertia fumantes incoquet igne genas One brings a Scorpion which the Conscience eates Another with yron whips the blacke flesh beates Whiles the third boyles the soule in scalding heates Nemo ad id sero venit vnde nunquam cum semel venit poterit reuerti No man can come too late to those sufferings from whence being once come hee can neuer returne This is Hell where darknesse shall be their prison euerlastingnes their fetters flames their torments angry Angels their tormenters Vbi nec tortores deficiant nec torti miserimoriantur Where the scourgers shal neuer be weary of afflicting nor the scourged faile their suffering But there shall be alwayes torments for the body and a body for torments Fire shall be the consummation of their plagues not the consumption of their persons Vbi per millia millia annorum cruciandi nec in secula seculorum liberandi Myriades of yeeres shall not accomplish nor determine their punishments It shall be their miserie Semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nolle quod nunquam non erit to haue a will neuer satisfied a nill neuer gratified 3. Per profunditatem The depth of Hell The Scripture is frequent to testifie Hell a deepe place and beneath vs. Capernaum shall be cast downe to Hell Solomon so speakes The way of life is aboue to the wise that hee may depart from Hell beneath And of this Harlot Her house is the way to Hell going downe to the chambers of death Her feete goe downe to death her steps take hold on Hell Downe and beneath doe witnesse the depth of Hell There are three places Earth Heauen Hell Earth wee all enioy good and bad promiscuously Heauen is prepared for the good and it is vpwards If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things that are aboue Hell is ordained for the wicked and it is downeward called here profundum a depth To define the locall place of Hell it is too deepe for me I leaue it to deeper iudgements I doe not giue Dâ—monax answere being asked where Hell was Expecta simul ac illuc venero et tibi per literas significabo Tarry till I come thither and I will send thee word by letters No I onely say this There is one wee are sure of it let vs by a good life be as sure to scape it But to confine my speech to the bounds of my Text I take it that by Hell the depth of it here is ment the deepe bondage of the wicked soules that they are in the depth of the power of Hell Sathan hauing by sinne a full dominion ouer their consciences For Hell is often allegorically taken in the Scriptures So Ionas cryes vnto God out of the belly of Hell Dauid sung de profundis Out of the depth haue I cryed vnto thee oh Lord. So Christ speakes of the vnbeleeuer that hee is already damned And the reprobate are here affirmed in the depth of Hell This exposition I esteeme more naturall to the words For as the godly haue a Heauen so the wicked a Hell euen vpon Earth though both in a spirituall not a literall sence The reprobates Hell on earth is double or of two sorts 1. In that the power of Hell rules in his conscience Hee walkes according to the course of this world and according to the Prince of the power of the Ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Hee is taken and ledde captiue of the Deuilâ— as hereafter in the chaines of damnation so here in the bands of dominion which Solomon cals funes peccatorum as he hath drawne iniquitie with the cords of vanitie so hee shall be holden with the cords of his sinnes 2. There is a Hell in his conscience So Saint Augustine Sunt duo tortores anime Timor et Dolor The soule hath two tormentors euen in this life griefe for euill felt feare of euill to be felt Whereof the Poet. Sic mea perpetuos curarum pectora morsus fine quibus nullo consiciantur habent These are the fearefull terrours whereof the guilty heart cannot be quitted cannot be quieted though pleasure it selfe were his phisitian and the whole world his minstrell Domino priuante suo gaudio quid esse potest in gaudium when God withholds his musicke and peace what can make the heart merry Polidore Virgill thus writes of Richard the third's dreame the night before Bosworth-field That hee thought all the Deuils in Hell pulled and haled him in most hideous and vgly shapes And concludes of it at last Id credo non fuit somnium sed conscientia scelerum I doe not thinke it was so much his dreame as his wicked conscience that brought those terrours When this euill spirit comes on a wicked Saul let him goe to his merriest good fellowes beguile at once the time and himselfe with playes and sports feast away his cares at his owne table or burie them together with his wits at a Tauerne alas these are pitteous shifts weaker then wals of paper Sleepe cannot make his conscience sleepe perhaps the very dreames are fearefull It will not leaue thee till it hath shewed thee thy Hell no nor when it hath shewed thee it will it leaue thee quiet The more thou offerest to damme vp this current the more ragingly it swels and gusheth ouer the resisting banckes This wounded Conscience runnes like the stricken Deare with the arrow of death in the ribbes from thicket to thicket from shelter to shelter but cannot change her paine with her place The wound ranckles in the soule and the longer it goes on the worse still it festers Thus sinne that spake thee so faire at her inuiting to the Banket now presents to thy waked
and not pitie it is impossible for any but a Faulx but a Deuill 1. To make some further vse hereof to our selues Let vs auoyd sinne as much as we may And though we cannot stay our selues from going in let vs stay our selues from going on least our God complaine against vs. If we make him sorrowfull for a time hee can make vs sorrowfull for euer If wee anger him hee can anger all the veines of our hearts If in stead of seruing GOD by our obedience wee make him serue with our sinnes hee will make vs serue with his plagues If we driue God to call a Conuocation of heauen and earth Heare oh heauen harken oh earth I haue nourished children and they haue rebelled against me If he call on the mountaines to heare his controuersie he will make vs call on the mountaines to helpe and hide our miserie And they said to the mountaines and rockes Fall on vs c. If we put God to his querelam controuersie and make him a Plaintife to enter his sute against vs he will put vs to a complaint indeede Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall languish He will force vs to repent the time and deeds that euer made him to repent that hee made vs. Hee will strike vs with such a blow that there needeth no doubling of it He will make an vtter end destruction shall not rise vp the second time As Abishai would haue stricken Saul at once and I will not smite him the second time We cannot so wrong God that hee is depriued of power to right himselfe His first complaint is as I may say in teares his second in blood I haue read of Tamberlaine that the first day of his siege was honoured with his white Colours the second with fatall red but the third with finall blacke God is not so quicke speedy in punishment nor come his iudgements with such precipitation Niniueh after so manie forties of yeeres shall haue yet forty dayes Hee that at last came with his Fanne in his hand and fanned but eight graines of good corne out of a whole Barne-full of Chaffe a whole world of people gaue them the space of one hundred and twentie yeeres repentance If Ierusalem will not heare Christs words they shall feele his wounds They that are deafe to his voyce shall not be insensible to his hands He that may not be heard will be felt 2. If God complaines against sinne let vs not make our selues merry with it The madde humours idle speeches outragious oathes of drunken Athiests are but ill mirth for a Christian spirit Wickednesse in others abroad should not be our Tabret to play vpon at home It is a wretched thing to laugh at that which feasts Satan with mirth laughing both at our sinnes and at vs for our sinnes Rather lament Make little weeping for the dead for he is at rest but the life of the foole is worse then death Weepe for that When Israell now in Moses absence had turned beast and Calued an Idolatrous Image Moses did not dance after their Pipe and laugh at their superstitious merriment with Tabrets and Harpes but mourned to the Lord for them and pleaded as hard for their sparing as hee would haue done for himselfe nay more Spare thy owne people though thou race my name out of the Booke of Life They are onely marked for Gods with his owne priuy Seale that mourned for the abominations of Israell and their mournings were earnest as the waylings of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Where are you ye Sonnes of the Highest ye Magistrates put in power not onely to lament our sinnes but to take away the cause of our lamenting cease to beake your selues like Iehoiakim before the fire of ease and rest rend your cloathes with Iosiah and wrap your selues in sackcloath like Niniueh's King as a corps laid out for buriall Doe not Foelix-like grope for a bribe at criminall offences sell not your conniuence and withall your conscience where you should giue your punishment Let not gold weigh heauier then Naboths wrongs in the scoles of Iustice. Weepe ye Ministers betweene the Porch and the Altar Lament your owne sinnes ye Inhabitants of the world England be not behinde other Nations in mourning that art not short of them in offending Religion is made but Pollicies stirrop to get vp and ride on the backe of pleasure Nimrod and Achitophell lay their heads and hands together and whiles the one forrageth the Parke of the Church the other pleads it from his Booke with a Statutum est The Gibeonites are suffred in our Campe though we neuer clap'd them the hand of couenant and are not set to draw water and choppe wood doe vs any seruice except to cut our throates The Receate I â—ad almost said the Deceate of Custome sâ—ands open making the Lawes tolleration a warrant that many now sell their Lands and liue on the vse of their Monyes which none would doe if Vsurie was not an easier securer and more gainefull Trade How should this make vs mourne like Doues and groane like Turtles The wilde Swallowes our vnbridled Youngsters sing in the warme Chimneyes the lustfull Sparrowes noctiuagant Adulterers sit châ—rping about our houses the filching Iayes secret theeues rob our Orchards the Kite and the Cormorant deuoure and hoord our fruits and shall not among all these the voyce of the Turtle be heard in our Land mourning for these sinfull rapines Haue whoredome and wine so taken away our hearts and hidden them in a maze of vanities that repentance cannot finde them out Can these enormities passe without our teares Good men haue not spent all their time at home in mourning for their owne sinnes sometimes they haue iudged it their worke to lament what was others worke to doe That Kingly Prophet that wept so plentifully for his owne offences had yet floods of teares left to bewaile his peoples Ieremy did not onely weepe in secret for Israels pride but wrote a whole Booke of Lamentations and was not lesse exact in his methode of mourning then others haue beene in their Songs of ioy It was Gods behest to Ezekiell Sigh thou Sonne of man with the breaking of thy loynes and with bitternesse sigh before their eyes Hee mourned not alone at Israels wâ—e She had a solemne Funerall and euery Prophet sighed for her Looke away from me saith Esay I will weepe bitterly labour not to comfort me because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people I am payned at my very heart saith Ieremie because thou hast heard oh my soule the sound of the Trumpet the Alarme of warre Our sinnes are more why should our sorrowes be lesse Who sees not and sayes not that the dayes are euill There is one laying secret Mynes to blow vp another that himselfe may succeede there is another buying vncertaine