Patriae fines dulcia linquimâ—s arâ—â— Their natiue Country with all the pleasures thereof they forsake and are driuen to liue among strangers to seeke their bread in an vnknowne Land to conuerse with such people whose language is riddles vnto them yet there they crie vnto the Lord whose eares as his eyes goe through the world and hee heareth them and brings them home in safety The second are they that haue with Peter bin lockt vp in Prisons and with Ieremy throwne into the Dungeon and fettered not onely in chaines of Iron but which is worse in fetters of darknesse not hauing so much happinesse as to see themselues miserable yet thence from those disconsolate places they crying vnto the Lord he also heareth them and deliuereth them breakes those bonds in sunder and setâ— their 〈◊〉 in a larger râ—â—me The third being the Text which at this time I haue chosen to bee the subiect of my weake discourse are they that haue beene brought so lowe with the harbinger of death sicknesse that their soules abhorred all meat and all pleasure is as the gall of Aspes vnto them vnwelcome and vnsauorie yet they also with Hezekiah crying vnto the Lord their strength is renued and there are dayes and yeares added to their liues The fourth are they that goe downe to the sea in Ships and occupie their businesse in great waters Sea-faring men that are neither Inter viâ—â—s â—ec inter morâ—uos betweene the liuing nor the dead and are ready to offer vp their soules to euery flaw of winde and billow of water which assailes them yet these at last are ioyfully deliuered and safely brought to that hauen where they would bee The Aâ—â—aebeum or burden of each one is this Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men It was the saying of Salomon A word spoken in due time is like apples of gold with siluer pictures whose outside is faire but the inside glorious if euer text was seasonable this is now at this time being a liuely description to our eares of what our eyes haue beene wofull witnesses and spectators here is a reall narration and a true demonstration of our owne lamentable estate whether we consider our misery we haue beene plagued and afflicted or the cause of those sorrows our Transgressions and iniquity or the effect of those disasters our fasting and crying vnto the Lord or the happy euent of our humiliaâ—ion and contrition He heard vs in our distresses hee sent his Word and healed vs hee hath spoken and wee haue escaped from the noysome Pestilence Or lastly the good end and conclusion which we all should make our thankfulnesse Oh that men would c. Plus proficâ—tur cùm in rem presentem venitur when we see and feele the truth of what we heare the words cannot but moue and proue effâ—ctuall Illi â—â—bur oes triplex câ—ra pectus his sinewes are of Iâ—on and his soule of Marble who when he heares the sad relation of those miseries wherein himselfe and his brethren haue beene miserable sharers shall not haue his heart pricked as the Iewes had at Peters Sermon tâ—lling them their sin past and their iudgement to come so againe that heart is as 〈◊〉 as Brawne and himselfe not worthy the ayre hee breathes in that is not taken with this great deliuerance of our gratious God that hath not his soule rauisht with ioy and indeauours not to expresse the fruites of his gratitude in his life and conuersation in reall acts of charity and obedience For if euer Death triumphed 't was this yeare in the streets of our forsaken City and if euer Mercy againe victoriously ouercame it was now in this sudden and vnexpected declination from the deaths of so many thousands in one weeke to so few hundreds within a few weâ—kes after it was onely the Lords doing and it ought to bee meruailous in our eyes Wherefore as Tully spake of a booke which Cranâ—or wrote it was Paruus sed aureolus ad verbum ediscendus with better reason may I say of this Text of Scripture it deserues to bee engrauen vpon the palmes of our hands or rather on the tables of our hearts neuer to bee forgotten to be worne as a bracelet vpon our armes or rather as a â—ronâ—let betweene our eyes still to bee thought vpon and still to magnifie God for it But because Pleni sumus râ—marum as hee in the Comedie and the thought both of sorrow and deliuerance equally slips out of our memories with the sense of them giue me leaue to thrust my finger into an al-most-healed soare to drawe fresh blood from our late wounds to discourse a while of our afflictions that so our extremitie duly and often considered our owne escape and miraculous preseruation may bee more welcome to vs and we more thankfull for it And so I come to my Text. Fooles because of their Transgressions c. The subiect of Dauids song Mercy and Iudgement as of all holy Writ in generall so it is the chiefe matter of this Text in particular heere is Iudgement in the punishing and Mercy in deliuering againe from that Iudgement or rather here is Mercy then Iudgement then mercy againe for what was it that suffered these fooles so long to runne on in the wayes of their foolishnesse till they added Transgressions to their Fâ—lly and Iniquitie to their Transgressions till they heaped one sinne vpon another that their regions were forborne not onely till they were Albae ad messem but Siccae ad ignem white for haruest but drye for the fire till the measure fo their wickednesse was not onely full but heaped vp pressed downe and running ouer but those Viscera misericordiae as they are tearmed the bowels of his compassion his long suffering patience who wills not the destruction of any He could in the infancy of their sin â—aue throwne them not onely to the gates of Death but euen the belly of Hell but yet He stayed and stayed till there was no end of their rebellions so that laesâ— patientia fit furor patience too long too much abused becomes fury yet a little while and his bow will be bent and his arrowes drawne to the head and He is as it were compelled to strike And yet see and wonder at Mercy in the middest of Iudgement they are not swallowed vp quite of this deuourer they are but at the gates of death He hath chastened them sore but hee hath not giuen them ouer vnto death Hee plagues none ad destructionem sed ad correctionem to amend not to destroy vs loath to begin and yet in the proceeding procuring our good and aduantage O quam vellem nescire literas said Nero in the beginning of his raigne when he was to subscribe for the execution of a Malefactor ten thousand times more loth is our gouernour the Father
all of vs haue some way or other to bring vs to these gates of death here spoken of I am not able to call all the seuerall Arrowes of this quiuer by their proper names but surely the least and most gentle of them is sufficient to rob vs of the best of natures Iewels our life We haue all experience in this kinde of as much as I can relate wee see that all the Cities and Townes of the earth so farre as the line of them is stretched are but humanarum cladium misâ—randa consepta and though there is but 〈…〉 yet there are Iâ—numeri exitus but one way of comming into the world yet there are a world of wayes of going out and if any question the cause of these our maladies let him at his leisure but reade ouer the 28. of Dâ—ut and there hee shall see that the sinne of his soule is the onely cause of the suffering of the body It was the word of the Sonne of Syrach Let him that sinneth against his Maker fall into the hands of the Phisition And experience tells vs daily that there are some Diseases which grow vpon men meerely by their sinne and wickednesse Our Sauiour bids vs take heed that our stomacks be not ouer-charged with surfeiting and drunkennesse Plures gulâ quà m gladiâ— a true though as olde Prouerbe the Graue hath beene as much beholding to Intemperance as any other thing whatsoeuer Whence come our Agues and Feuers and that other which was once out-landish but may now be called our natiue disease not fit to bee named which breedes corruption in the bones and consumes the marrow in the loynes but by excesse and voluptuousnesse For this cause saith St. Paul speaking before of the neglect and abuse of the Sacrament many are weake and sicke among you and many are fallen asleepe For vaine Swearing the whole Land mournes and the Heathen did obserue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Israelites were discomfited for the offence of Achan But for this disease which thus long hath troubled vs and which if any is particularly meant in this place you shall obserue thaâ— that neuer came but for some great and grieuous precedent sinne in the 11. of Numbers and 16. there the people were so plagued the cause is set downe their murmuring and impatience one time against God a second time against Moses and Aaron So when Dauid lost 70000. of the same disease the Text saith for his sinne in numbring the people This is called the arrow of the Lord that flyes by day and when this once comes the Text hath it that Wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gone out from the Lord as Moses said to Aaron as if all other diseases were but whipping with Roddes light and slight afflictions this whipping with Scorpions the worst the terriblest the most seuere of all other It is not the Infection of the Ayre nor distemperature of the body nor the heape of Inhabitants nor the Influence of the Stars which Phisitions could or would euer apply this disease vnto but as the Aegyptians said of the Plague of Lice Digitus deiest hic and that for some great some grieuous offence Wherefore let vs all strike our selues with amazement vpon the thigh and say what haue wee done let vs resolue a Christian alteration and reformation otherwise though this bee remoued yet a worse thing will befall vs which surely must be in the other life for heere naught worse can come for see how it is described Their soule abhorreth all meate and they draw neere to the gates of death All pleasure all delights proue hatefull to them nay their necessary foode which should preserue their being keepe life and soule together is loathsome and then no meruaile though they bee neere death for can a fire continue without â—ewell and nature bee sustained without its appointed food But they whom God hath deliuered out of it can better expresse the nature of this disease then my selfe onely thus much it is in the most mortall in all fearefull and vncomfortable when a friend is barred from a friends visite when hee shall haue none to close vp his dying eyes nor to say to him leaue thy fatherlesse children to mee when hee not onely suffers himselfe but it any be so aduentrously kinde to come to see him he may bee a peâ—â—iduct and an occasion of the like misery to him But wee haue not changed the colour of our haire not added one inch to our statures since our wet eyes and heauy hearts were witnesses of more then what my tongue is able to relate when naught was heard but crying and complaining in our streetes no fights but some carrying others to their graues and not many dayes after others doing the like necessary office for them Gods arme is not yet shortned nor his strength so much weakened but that if wee still sinne hee will surely smite againe The onely way to make a perfect cure is to humble our selues vnder the hand of heauen who hath wounded vs and who can heale vs the Soare is but skinned not perfectly healed without that plaister be applyed this did these in my Text. Then they cryed vnto the Lord in their troubles A whippe for the Horse and a Bridle for the Asse and the Rod is for the backe of a Foole. They haue sinned and smarted and now they feele it and cry for helpe The wilde Asse vsed to the Wildernesse snuffeth vp winde at her pleasure who can turne her backe they that seeke after her will not weary themselues but they will finde her in her moneth Ier. 2. God sees and obserues at all times the vntamednesse of the wicked wearying themselues like an Asse in the by-paths of vngodlinesse but hee takes them in their Moneth and happy are they that are so taken As St. Austin of necessity so say I of miserie Foelix qua in meliora cogit happy misery that driues vs to eternall happinesse Aduersity makes them seeke to that God whom their prosperitie made them forget In the time of their trouble they will say Arise and saue vs saith God Ier. 2. 27. Binde Manasses with Chaines and load him with Irons bow downe his nceke and his backe with bonds and hee will soone know himselfe Pull the King of Babilon also from his Throne lay his honour and insolency in the dust banish him the company of men turne him to eate grasse with the Oxe in the field and he will at last learne to praise the King of Heauen Let Moab settle her selfe vpon her Lees and not be emptyed from vessell to vessell and her sent will remaine in her Ier. 48. doth the wilde Asse bray when hee hath grasse or the Oxe low when hee hath Fodder Iob 6. giue but any of the sonnes of men peace plenty and prosperity all things at his hearts desire let but the Sunne of happinesse still shine vpon him how like Waxe will he
another 3. So for the third How are our bodyes that should be vessells of honour Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in giuen ouer to all vncleannesse men neighing with the horse after his female and thinking no waters so pleasant nor any bread so sweet as what in that sort is purloyned 4. Those Pronounes Meum and Tuum are rased out of our Grammers many violently stealing but more fraudulently cozening their Neighbours of their estates It is naught saith the buyer and comming to sell it hee as much commends it and in both equally deceiptfull 5. How greedily doe our eares sucke in false Reports of our brethren and how are our mouthes with childe till againe they be deliuered of them to the detraction of their repuâ—es The Diuels name comes from such practice Diabolus is Divulgator a spreader abroad of euill reports so that they that report them haue the Diuell in their tongues and they that receiue and beleeue them the Diuell in their eares both in their hearts Nay are there not found among vs Sons of Belial such as Iesabell procured to sweare against Naboth who for a small salary will sweare downe Innocence it selfe and condemne it The Temple-walkes in the Tearme-time are seldome vnfurnisht of such necessary mischiefes 6. And whence come all these what is the ground of all these Iniquities but our owne concupiscence the sinne against the last Commandement which as St. Iohn diuides it is either carnis or occulorum with Achan wee see a Babilonish garment and a wedge of gold and so wee desire to be fine or rich or to enjoy such a beautie or to be reuenged in such a kinde for such an iniury and loe all these actuall Iniquities follow These are in grosse our grosse Transgressions and Iniquities against which being to declaime I could wish I had Stentors voyce and more sand to runne out but there are other things which call for my labour and your attention But yet ere I leaue this verse with the practice of which sinnes we so much please our selues giue me leaue to doe as the Finers of gold and siluer who non solùm aurimassas verum bracteolas parvus tollunt not onely make vse of the Wedge it selfe but euen of the smallest rayes or foyles which their mettall casteth so heere giue mee leaue to note out the first word of the verse the censure which the Wisdome of God giues vpon men when they are in their greatest Ruffe in the toppe of their Pride as Nebuchadnezzar in his Galleries and say with Pharaoh who is the Lord that I should obey him or with Rabsaketh to Hesekiah he shall not be able to deliuer thee out of my hands I say though they like the Dromedary weary themselues in the race of their abominations and yet triumph thinking that Wisedome shall onely liue and die with them Yet see what a blacke coale they are marked with by the finger of the Spirit the honourablest stile they can haue is but Fooles that 's the best and most charitable construction can be giuen of all their actions and the fayrest tytle they can deserue One builds and thinkes to get him a name that way another lades himselfe with thicke Clay to vse the phrase of the Prophet and hopes that way to get him a name another ventures his life to get him a name after his death and there are Catilanary dispositions who by mischiefe thinke to procure a name as those Inventors of the Powder-treason but see here what name they get this is the denomination which they haue in their liues and shall without repentance be written on their Tombes Foole and vnwise to heart and without vnderstanding shall each of them be called and so recorded to Posterity As Abigal spake of her Husband Nabal is his name and folly is with him so it is with vs all by nature we are all bound vp in a bundle of folly together were wee as wise as Achitophell whose counsell was thought as the Oracles of God or as Solomon who could dispute of euery thing from the Cedar to the shrubbe or as Adam who had the wisedome to impose names according to the seuerall natures of euery creature yet is all the wisdome in the world folly with God who sits in Heauen and sees the actions of men and laughs them to scorne and will at last openly discouer their nakednesse to themselues that they themselues shall bee enforced to acknowledge their folly and bee ashamed of it Though the sword of Gods vengeance long rests in the scabberd of â—his patience as it did to these men here in my Text yet at last it will bee drawne forth The Heathen shall know themselues to bee but men and these men to bee but Fooles the day of their pleasure is now past and the night of their Tribulation comes they were well and in health and merry but see now they are afflicted nay Tarditatem supplitij gravitate compensat for see the manner of it Their soule abhorreth all meate and they drawe neere to the gates of death and so the second part comes in the Disease The cause of our disasters you haue heard our Transgressions and our Iniquities hinc nostri fundi calamitas hence is the source of all our sorrowes the originall of all our afflictions Had our first Parents continued in that Innocency wherein they were created the name of affliction had beene a stranger vnto them they had neuer suffered had neuer dyed but they starting aside like a brokâ—n bow and falling from that Integrity haue not onely brought a death and that a double one vpon themselues and their issue Moriâ—ndâ— moriemini but also encumbred that short life which was alotted them with a world of sorrow and vexation Hence come that infinite number of diseases which begirt and enuiron this body of ours so that not one part from the sole of the foot to the top of the head may challenge any freedome and immunity some whereof ambitiously aspire to the seate of Maiesty the head and there despightfully triumph ouer vs while others more humble no lesse cruell content themselues with the Iniury they offer vs in our more inferiour members Others there are who as if they had receiued that commission of his to his Souldiers fight neither against small nor great saue the King onely so these bend all their forces against the onely fountaine of our life our heart where yet more kindely cruell they strike vs with present death while others to shew the virulency of their disposition are many yeeres in killing vs during all which time our whole life is but labour and sorrow and the graue is more desired then all the treasures of the world One hee complaines of his head as the Shuâ—aâ—itâ—s Son another of his belly as the Prophet another is â—icke in his legges as Asa another of a soare as Hezekiah
sends him for hee refresheth the soule of his Master saith Salomon Prou. 25. 13. Here is a faithfull Mercury a winged Messenger that in so short a space hath climbed vp into the highest Heauen and gotten Audience What manicles to the hands of Gods iustice are the cryes of poore afflicted penitent men that will not suffer him to proceed in his intended vengeance Nay rather then they shall faile God himselfe shall seeme to bee mutable who though he threatneth Niniueh without any hope of escape yet vpon those prayers is intreated to spare them Or rather how gratious is our God and willing to be thus intreated who vpon the first call answers and performes hee in the Gospell when his friend did but knock at an vnseasonable time answered the doores were lockt the children were in bed so did not satisfie his desire but for a loafe of bread But no such thing here no time in all our life is vnseasonable the first the second the third 〈◊〉 hee heares and opens Bis qui citò the beneâ—â—â— is double that is speedily performed The Priests of Baal prayed from morning till noone and could get no answer but the first word of Elias fetcht fire And indeed how should such suppliants praying to such deities be heard for what taste is there in the white of an Egge or how can Baal or any other liuing or dead creature heare or helpe when they cannot helpe themselues It is onely the infinite Maker and creator of the eare that can heare all men at all places at all times altogether No Saint no Angell no forged or feigned god-head can doe that but onely the God of all power and might the mightie God of Heauen and Earth Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit He that bruised can againe binde vp hee that made the wound can and onely did cure it now the means which he vsed was his Word Hee sent his Word and healed them c. This is that Delphian Sword or vniuersall Instrument which hee vsed in framing the World with all that therein is Hee said let there bee Light and there was light Let there be Firmament let the Waters be gathered into one place and let the drie Land appeare and all was fulfilled and Hee still vpholdeth all things by the Word of his power Heb. 1. What is his Word now but the reall and effectuall performance of what hee intends he but speakes and all things in Heauen and Earth and the great Deepes presently are obedient I see now as man liues not by bread alone but by euery word which proceedes out of the mouth of God so hee is not cured by Phisicke alone but by the onely blessing of the omnipotent Word of God No meanes can preuaile without that and that with without besides yea against all meanes can easily bee preualent No God can deliuer as the God of the three Children can as the King confessed whose Dicere is his Facere His onely Word is able to bring mighty things to passe Whatsoeuer seeme impossibilities to man are easily brought to passe by him that can doe all things The Sea will bee calme Diseases vanish all the Creatures are morigerous yea Diuels themselues are obedient to this Word onely Man dares to rebell against it but hee that will not bend at the Word of his command shall bee broken at the Word of his Power They that allegorise this part of Scripture as Hugo Cardinalis and Lorinus make this Disease a farther proceeding in the wayes of impiety a sitting downe in the chayre of vngodlinesse a deliuering vp from one sinne to another and are at last growne to that height that they care no more for their soule then if they had none the Word and Sacraments the onely food of their soules they neglect and despise it is as Wormewood to their taste or smoake to their eyes they so wholly deuote themselues to sensuality as it might seeme to grieue them non quadrupedes esse natos that they might freely take their pleasure and delight yet at last God hath a hooke to drawe these in a meanes to enlighten and preserue them Though they bee dead in sinnes and trespasses and with Lazarus buried in the graue yet if the Lord doe but say Exi foras come forth of that Mare mortuum wherein like Ionas in the belly of the Whale or rather of Hell as himselfe called it they are entombed their Fetters fall presently from them as they did from Peter in the Prison they come to acknowledge themselues Fooles wicked and rebellious to say with Pharaoh I haue sinned against the Lord. This is wrought by the power of his Word that cibus inconsumptibilis as Ciprian called it that immortall Word which St Iohn saith was in the beginning the onely begotten Sonne of God our blessed Sauiour Hee like the Brasen Serpent cures all foule-diseased that looke vp to him I vrge not this Interpretation to any I know one sinne is oftentimes the punishment of another as when Israel had prouoked God hee stirred vp Dauid to number the people and it is the fearefullest judgement that can bee to heape more coales vpon the head of the delinquent by giuing them ouer to their owne hearts lust I know also that there is a death of the soule as of the body Etiam viuens mortua est saith St. Paul of a woman liuing in pleasure there is a death spirituall as temporall out of which God is able to deliuer Nay his Word that is the second Person in Trinitie came for that end into the world was made flesh and tooke our nature vpon him not for the righteous but to call sinners to repentance yea though they were twice dead as hee was called twice a Murtherer Semel consilio iterum spectaculo Once in the act and a second time in the glorying in it Yet there is a blessing in this dead Elme though he be consumed as a Sheepe in the mouth of a Lyon to a legge or an eare or as a blocke in the fire to a stumpe yet the least breath of his mouth is able to reuiue him But the context me thinkes giues no great warrant for this exposition hauing both before and after spoken of temporall dangers and deliuerances from them I see no reason why it should be thought that herein onely he speakes of spirituall danger and a spirituall deliuerance I haue hitherto shewed you this disease with the cause and the effect of it The Phisition also I haue brought you acquainted with together with his Phisicke that if euer there bee the like need againe wee may with boldnesse approach the same throne of grace and obtaine the like mercy Probatum est may be subscribed to this Recipe so many sighes mingled with teares and a quantity of faith enfused taken in poculo charitatis and the blessing of our Doctor is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all diseases a â—ure Antidote
against all infection all amulets and preseruatiues compared to this are meere toyes of Mountebankes This neuer failes Many heere in this place haue experimentally tasted of the efficacy of this Medicine All of vs haue beene Testes occulati eye-witnesses of it some haue smarted and all I hope haue beene admonished The like cause breeds againe the like disease Relapses are most dangerous Wee haue sinned with Dauid wee with Dauid haue smarted with him wee haue sorrowed and with him wee haue beene deliuered Abyssus abyssum inuocat saith he the depth of our misery I hope caused the depth of our sorrow and I hope it was according to the occasion hearty and vnfeigned if like Ahabs it were but feigned and temporary and like the carelesse Boy wee forget the rodde with the smart and so returne to the vomite Woe woe to that man the latter end of that man will bee worse then the beginning None are now deliuered but either to their greater happinesse or greater miserie They who are now spared are either spared to redeeme the time that formerly they haue carelesly lost or till their sinnes are more ripe for a seuerer Iudgement The Israelites were kept out of the Land of Canaan so long till the sins of those Inhabitants were fulfilled Our Sauiour told the Iewes that they were not greater sinners vpon whom the Tower of Siloa fell then those that escaped but vnlesse they repented they should all likewise perish De mortuis nil nisi bonum saith the Canon Our Predecessors sinnes haue not beene more great against God but Gods mercy hath been more towards vs Many greene and fruitfull Trees haue beene cut vp when leauy and barren Trees are let alone Wee haue seene Death like an vnskilfull Archer shooting at Rouers hath hit our superiours aboue vs our inferiours beneath vs our friends on our right hand our foes on our left The Cedars haue beene pluckt vp and the shrubbes haue continued Nay to make the remembrance this fatall yeare for euer weare a sable liuery hee of whom wee may say as the Israelites did of Dauid hee is worth 10000. of vs our blessed Peace-maker vnder whose branches we haue 22. yeares sate shadowed from the scorching heate of Warre which hath parcht and withered most of our neighbourâ— Nations Yet now though not of this yet of another as violent a disease hath beene taken away and but that reliquisset nobis semen he hath left vs of his seed the flourishing estate of our Kingdome might haue dyed with him Wee haue also beene bereft within the space of two yeares of many of the principall Peeres and Pillers of the State two Dukes one Marquesse fiue or sixe Earles some Barons and most of them Priuie Counsellours all which were as if our armes had been cut from our bodyes or our eyes pluckt out of our heads And then so many thousands of inferior subiects as the memorie of man cannot equalise it And loe all we that are aliue this day are escaped as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler But let mee tell you we may be deliuered in sixe troubles and the seauenth may dispatch vs we may escape the pit and be taken in the snare as Ier. 48. 44. Wee may flee from a Lyon and a Beare shall ouertake vs or leane our hand vpon a Wall and a Serpent shall bite vs Amos 5. 19. Him that escapeth the Sword of Hasael shall Iehu slay and him that escapes the Sword of Iehu shall Elisha slay 1. Reg. 19. Though our Master hath thus long deferred his comming to vs yet at last the time of our Audit will come we must all Reddere rationem we must stand at the barre and answer to what shall be obiected To whom much is giuen of him much shall bee required The longer life afforded we must either performe more dutie or expect more paine our Lord will take an accompt of our Talents bee they more or lesse and in what kinde soeuer Wherefore seeing our sinnes are the cause of Gods anger and our sufferings and hauing had but the lappes of our garments in comparison cut off as Dauid did to Saul to shew what he might haue done As wee haue sorrowed outwardly so let vs shew the fruits of it It is not the wearing oâ— customary blackes the absteining from one meale in the weeke or the bowing of the head like a bulrush that God respects it is the absteyning from our Transgressions and Iniquities that he regards Oportet aliquid esse intus as he said of a dead body to make it stand So there must be a true sorrow attended with visible workes which argue sound repentance It is true we did fast and pray and mourne and cry while the rod was vpon vs and did not God regard vs he beyond expectation spake to the Destroying Angell to desist Now therefore as the effect of Iudgement was compunction and sorrow and wee did expresse that heartily and really in the liberall and freely relieuing the necessity of our brethren for which double honour shall euer attend this honourable City which may be a patterne and example to all the Kingdome of liberall and Charitable contribution So now after mercy receiued let us expresse the thankfulnesse of our hearts in vocall thanks-giuing and actuall obedience to his behests And so I come to the last part of all The Fee which the Preseruer of men as Iob called him our God respects from vs. Oh that men c. Wherein wee haue qui quem quid quarè the partyes Who Men the dutie what Praise the obiect whom The Lord the reason why for his goodnesse and wonderfull workes endeared vnto vs by the mention of the partyes to whom this goodnesse these wonderfull workes were extended The Children of Men. I shall racke your patience but a very little while to runne ouer these and I shall conclude 1. The first Who Men. They who erewhile when they thought themselues wise were called Fooles are now being humbled at the sight of their sinne and sense of their sorrow called Men. They haue lost nothing by losing all they had they haue gained now their true denomination The nature of Man in his fiâ—st Creation before that lumpe was soured with the leuin of sinne was full of glory and grace and as God said to Dauid I made thee King ouer Israel and if that had beene too little for thee I would haue done more So Man was made King and put in Lord-like dominion ouer all the earth not of some cantons or corners but ouer it all Nay the ayre and the Sea also were put vnder his dominion with all the creatures in them all all things were created for vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristo wee are in a manner the end of all things And if this be too little God hath yet done more for vs for our sakes were the Heauens created and for our sakes were the Heauens bowed and propter hominem