good for vs and necessarie for our saluation Let vs doe well then and the same shal returne to our selues for good if we doe euill it shall returne to our losse And this is that which God giueth for doctrine to Cain Gen. 4.7 If thou do well shalt thou not bee accepted and if thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore For it cannot be said that we can diminish any thing of God or that wee can rob him of any thing he hath Therefore a man by all the sinnes that hee committeth shall hurt none so much as himselfe and likewise the profit that commeth of righteousnesse returneth to his owne person Vse 1 The first vse serueth to set forth vnto vs the inestimable goodnesse and loue of our God towards vs who soliciteth vs daily that wee might doe our selues good For he commandeth vs diligently and declareth vnto vs how we should liue And all this hee doth that hee may procure our wealth here and saluation in heauen O consider deare brethren if any of you should so serue your neighbour without respect of your owne profit and bee so carefull of another mans benefit that you should goe and solicite him saying You must do this and that c. and so should continue euery day to stirre him forward and to set him in order vnto the businesse whereof no profit should redound vnto himselfe were not this a token of a rare and singular loue And euen so doth our God deale with vs hee calleth vs by his word wooeth vs by his Prophets draweth vs by his Spirit that he may pardon vs by his mercie and saue vs in his sonne according to his promises Vse 2 Wherefore deare Christians let vs not looke for the blessings of God in this life or for saluatiō after this life because by our life holy we haue done the things which the Lord hath commanded and theroby haue brought profit gaine honour or glorie to God for so to presume for Gods fauour is a presumption without cause for wee can doe God no good with all our holy life Neither let vs presume in respect of God for hee neuer hath done vs any euil Neither let vs presume in respect of our selues for there is nothing in vs to moue vs to presume of Gods mercie for in vs that is in our nature dwelleth no good for we cannot think a good thought as of our selues If we had done God any good or done more good thē by the law we are bound to doe or if God had done vs any euil then we might haue presumed by the law of right and reason and by the law written that God being bound to reward or recompence wee ought not to bee sent emptie away But being with vs now as it is there is not any thing in flesh and blood that may cause vs to presume Therefore let vs confirme our iudgements that in the day of our account before God we must flie from our owne merits and deseruings be our workes neuer so many or so glorious for we bring no gaine nor profit to God by our righteousnesse From whence me thinkes I heare some obiect and say If God doe not gaine by our righteousnesse then wee cannot hurt him nor diminish his Maiestie and glorie by our sinfulnes And then it is no matter how wee liue nor any reason or iustice that God should condemne and cast away the worke of his own hands for doing such things that neither do him good nor hurt The obiection standeth on three parts The first question is whether wee doe hurt God or diminish his glorie by our sinnes I answere that our sinnes cannot diminish the glorie of God For God knoweth how to bring light out of darknesse and to turne our sinnes to the glorie of his Maiestie Exo. 9.16 as he did the sin of Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 against the Israelites And to the second question which saith it is no matter how we liue if God be neither profited nor glorified by it I say wee doe much dishonour the sacred word of God which as it is holy so in euery page line and lease calleth vpon vs as for a matter of weight and of importance to be rich in good workes which though our holinesse profit not God yet neuerthelesse God declareth that hee accepteth our doings and maketh account of them as though they were of some value For which cause God likeneth himselfe to a husbandman that hath a vineyard who causeth it to bee dressed Mat. 21 33. and 13.4 and hath a field and reapeth corne of it In which similitudes God declareth Mar. 12 1. that hee doth account our workes Ioh. 15.1 as sweete and pleasant sacrifices in his sight And to encourage vs to the workes of charitie he saith that when we doe good to the poore Mat. 25.40 it is as if wee did it euen to him it is as if wee did it euen to him and he accepteth it as done vnto himselfe Thus you see that our God to encourage vs to doe well will accept things whereby he taketh no profit And therefore doth require it as though hee were the better by it and also promiseth that wee shall not leese our labour thereby neither that it shall bee a thing vnprofitable for vs. Therfore that wee leade a good and a godly life is a matter of great necessitie Concerning the third part of the obiection saying that it is against reason and iustice that God should condemne and cast away the worke of his owne hands for such things that neither doe him good nor hurt I answere that reason requireth sinne to bee punished and iustice commandeth that the euill be corrected and the righteous rewarded And the word of God soundeth in infinite places that Gods glorie cannot bee lessened Mat. 3.9 nor his royall seruice diminished by inflicting condigne punishment in the condemnation of the vngodly For God is able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham Wherefore let vs in the feare of God euery one endeuour to bee religious if it bee but to make the Common-wealth peaceable and the kingdome happie 1. Sam. 12.14.15 For the cause why Ahabs gouernment was not so good as Dauids nor Rehoboamt so peaceable as Salomons surely it was because the one was established in the law of God and the other was mingled with filthie Idolatrie The one was gouerned in wickednesse and the other in the feare of God For the Lord saith For the transgression of the land Pro. 28.2 there are many Princes but by a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a realme likewise endureth long Lastly it serueth to reproue Atheists carnall Gospellers and Protestants at large that thinke God is bound beholding vnto them if they doe but come to Church to grace the Ministerie with their presence But know for a certaine whatsoeuer he be that walketh after the lusts of his eyes and the wickednesse of his owne heart when others shall be preserued hee shall perish and when others shall bee saued he shall be damned For the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them 2. Thes 1.8 that doe not know God and which obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And this our example our Prophet and our text crieth loud in our eares O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou maiest be saued Euen so come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen FINIS
God of whom I haue receiued both my commission and lesson what and how to speake and how farre to proceed against you That you may the rather hearken and giue your attention vnto the words know the exceeding loue affection the Lord hath toward you hee is so farre from desâ—ring your destruction or delighting and pleasing himselfe in your ponishment as that hee be moneth your miserie and lamenteth your losse yea as a compassionate father hee pitieth you and hath compassion on all those of whose returne there is any hope And that you should beleeue it his will is that his messengers should haue the same tender affection and compassionate care ouer the Church that Iaphâ—â—â— may be allured to dwell in the â—ems of Sam. And that none may stand vp to excuse himselfe my words do not poynt to the Assyrions Idumeâ—ns nor Moâ—bites but they doe concerne thee O Ierusalem that take your selues to bee a purified people There be none so holy but need farther information and reformation and it is the Ministers duty to speak the word and rebuke sinne and exhort every kinde of profession vnto religion and that you the hearers might nor thinke it an Indifferent thing to heare or not to he are because men like your selues speake it It is not a counsell but a commandement enforcing the estimation of the authority of the Prophet no lesse the Gods own authority Wherefore in the Lords behalfe suruey your waits in your heâ—reâ— by the glasse of Gods law you that think your selues to bee a sanctified people shall behold great 〈◊〉 of washing not only the seet but the head also not the out side alone but the very insulâ— is defiled For I must tell you you are no better within then you bee without But albeit thou art commanded to sanctifie thy heart beware of assuming any power vnto your selues for as sanctification is an action not words so it is not mans but Gods worke yet so that God worketh not vpon man as vpon stocks but as vpon reasonable creatures who by Gods preuenting grace work together with him the works of God For in this action the hand is the whole Trinitie the water is the teares of repentance 1. Thes 5.23 the soape is the grace of God through Christ and the sunne that drieth vs maketh vs accepted is the applying and iustifying faith through Christ Iesus And in this worke be sure that thou thy selfe bee exercised therein for God will not be serued and worshipped by atturneyes and another for thee for thou must serue God for thy selfe because the iust man must liue by his own faith And heere O Ierusalem you must vnderstand although the Lord hath made you the Prince of the Prouinces seating you in the high places to cleanse and reforme others yet the Lord requireth that you first cleanse your selues and wash your owne hearts before you sit vpon others first sit vpon your selues And herein bee not hypocrites for outward holinesse without the heart goe with it is abominable before God but sanctifie the heart and all will be cleane Therefore let the obiect wherabout you must be busied be your sins wickednesse for the readiest way to bring you backe from prophanenesse is to conuince your selues of sinne And so doing the gaine is your owne for thereby you shall not profit the Lord with your righteousnesse but your selues For so shall you in this life bee preserued when others perish and in the life to come saued when other shall be damned The God of all grace so sanctifie vs in the vnderstanding hereof generally that wee so apply the doctrines particularly to our hearts that all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit may so bee cleansed that wee may grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God Concerning the fust point containing the Acclamation in the coÌ„mandement where I beseech you 1. consider the persons speaking namely God by Ieremie and the Prophet in the name of the Lord. 2. Chr. â—9 25 And this is of great force to enforce the commandement The world is become so captious that it is more ready to question by what authority the Preacher preacheth then with obedience to obey the preaching Therefore to remoue all lets that may hinder the acceptance of his doctrine he first of all pleadeth his commission Doct. 1 From whence wee may learne that none ought to speake teach in the Lords name that be not able to shew their authority and commission to bee set on worke both by God and his Church This the Prophet proueth speaking not in his owne but in the Lords name As if he should haue said I doe not of my selfe command you for theÌ„ you might think me too busie but I haue authority and commission diuine and am set a worke by the Lord whose will I must obey and therfore you ought to heare me with patience For I am none of those who run and God hath not sent my calling is from God And for this cause receiued I the anoynting 1. Ioh. 2.21 which is nothing else but the assignement vocation and ordination of any to â—n office in Church or Common-wealth with a promise of bestowing sit gifts for the discharge thereof To this end Kings Prophets Priests in the old Testament were â—nnointed signifying the spirituall oyle of Gods grace fitting vs to our calling this is that Chrysma that will teach vs all things Here I mind not with Ireâ—ans Lib. 3. cap. 3. to shew you that Alia vocatio est extraordinaria alia ordinaria that the one is without the suffrage of men by the onely voice of God as was Abraham Moses and the Prophets vnder the Law and as Iohn the Baptist and the Apostles in the time of the Gospell and that the other was by the suffrage of the Church Precibus impositione manuum as now in the time of the Gospell the Lord sendeth labourers into his vineyard But my purpose is briefly to shew you that none without a lawfull calling froÌ„ the Church by whose hands the Lord sendeth forth fit men into the Ministery ought to be heard of the Lords people If the Lord would not beare with any of what degree soeuer in the time of the Law but would punish euen Kings that would meddle with the Priests office that had no calling thereunto Then none without a lawful calling may take vpon them the ministerie not bee heard of the Lords people But the proposition is true Exod. 28.1 Numb 16.32.35 1. Sam. 13.9.10.11.13 2. Reg. 9.7.31 2. Sam. 6.6.7 2. Reg. 15.5 If no man may take this office but he that is called as Aaron was Then c. But Hebr. 5.4 If the Lord from heauen complaineth of such that runne before they be sent then such ought not to bee heard of the Lords people But the Lord complaineth let 23.21 saying I haue not sent these Prophets yet they runne I haue not spoken vnto them and yet
though pecoâ—tum were only sinne in the inferiour No no whatsoeuer is sinne in any one in omnibus est peccatum otherwise it worketh straightnesse to others libertie to our selues As it is in certaine that professe irregularitie and thinke it lawfull themselues to doe any thing and yet censure and find fault with other mens vertues theÌ„selues flowing full of all vice These be such that wheÌ„ they get between the pot and the wall despise gouernment and speake euill of those that bee in authoritie Some you shall see who being vnwilling to vse a Ceremonie themselues iudge straightly all others as hainous offenders that vse it and other that vse it themselues yet find fault with such that doe but so But touching these things indifferent Ro. 14.3.14 15.12 1. Cor. 8.8 and 9.10 10.23 I pray you learne not to iudge that in others which you refuse your selues for albeit our religion be but one yet our consciences through the ignorance that is in them may be diuers This being practised of vs will moue vs to cast the first stone at our selues Ioh. 8.7 Remember how that the Lord Iesus was angry with S. Peter Ioh. 21.22 for being a busie-bodie in Iohns matters Therefore plow vp your own fallow and sow your owne ground wash your owne hearts pull first the beames out of your own cies least the Lord reproue thee as he did Saint Peter with what is that to thee Lastly this doctrine speaketh to you my Lord and to your brethreÌ„ the Magistrates of this honourable Citie whom God hath made as an eye to see as the mouth to reproue and as the hands to correct sinne The Lord aboue requireth at your hands that especially you looke to your selues that you sin not especially in such sinnes you censure in others and that you beare with others in that wherein you are tempted your selues For the sinnes of the heads indanger all the members For what is more absurd theÌ„ if they I say that should cleanse and wash Ierusalem the Citie the Church and Common-wealth of blemishes and wickednesse should happen to be full of spots themselues Without the eye no other member can doe his office neither hand nor foote can doe his function without sight It hath been said of old that the religion and sanctitie of the people is in the religion of the Prince Wherefore reuerend Fathers and Iudges of others I humbly pray you for your owne sakes for the Churches sake for the CoÌ„mon-wealths sake for the Lords sake take knowledge of your owne hearts and know that when you haue moates in your eyes they breed beames in others And I beseech you look to it that they grow not to be beames For you fall not alone but your currant is as the maine Ocean that drowneth other in perdition But I haste to the substance The Prophet doth not here coÌ„mand Ierusalem to wash her feete only with the Disciples nor her hands with the double minded nor her head only with 8. Peter but her hears not the outside only but the inside also Doct. 2 From whence the holy Ghost commendeth this doctrine That outward holinesse without the heart goe with it is an abomination before God All religion as is only for fashion Ioh. 11. is like Mary without Martha like Lazarus without Christ For comming vnto the Sanctuary of the Lord praying and receiuing of Sacraments hearing of Sermons fetching many a fained sigh and speaking many an ignorant Amen the thinking that the sanctifying of the Sabbath lieth in the putting on of their best apparell and such like when as in the meane while with the Iewes Isai 57.8 it may be said behind the doores and posts thou hast set remembrances of deepe hypocrisie and open idolatrie If wee come with such hearts before the Lord the same reproofe is for vs that I say speaketh cap. 1.11 What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rammes and the fat of the beasts and I desire not the blood of bullocks nor of lambes nor of goates For the outward exercises of religion without the cleannes and sinceritie of the heart is abominable vnto the Lord. Ioh. 1.16 Therefore saith the Lord Wash you make you cleane c. And to this end our Sauiour giueth a caueat Take heed of the leuen of the Scribes and Pharisees Luk. 12 1. which is externall worship For the Lord is wearie of our knee-prayers our lip-labours without the heart Esay 29 13. our time-seruing hearers who draw neere the Lord with their mouth and honour him with their lippes but their heart is farre from him as he saith himselfe And yet not so farre Pro. 16.2 but the Lord seeth well enough where they be for he pondereth the spirits Oh consider this you that pray and preach and giue and forgiue to be seene of meÌ„ there be but too many that confesse their faults and weepe for their sins too and but for shew onely many come through Cathedrall Churches and kneele downe by a pillar as though they prayed but their hearts bee not cleane nor vpright with God This humor waiteth vpon vs all Roâ— 14.17 Luk. 17.20 happie is hee that entertaineth it not For it maketh all that we doe fruitlesse before God Therefore I beseech you in all the exercises of religion let vs pray with Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord Psalm 115.1 not vnto vs but to thy name giue the praise Vse 1 The vse is to reproue such as deceiue themselues with shewes and shadowes in stead of substance that take Christ in their mouthes religion in their eyes mortification in their for fasts their holinesse in keeping their canonicall houres and their deuotion only in holding vp their hands and crossing their fote-heads For in this seruice wee deceiue our brethren with shadowes offend our God with shewes and our selues with sinnes wee depriue our heares of knowledge our liues of holinâ—â— and our selues of saluation Galath 6.7 But God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also â—eape Vse 2 The second vse teacheth vs that there is no seruice acceptable to God except the whole heart goe with it As all the workes of Gods mercy to vs vnlesse God come with it is vaine so all our workes and words to God vnlesse the hâ—â—â— goe with it be likewise all in vainâ— It is not good wordes not holy Psalmes nor yet an outward good practise that the Lord regardeth 1. Cor. 14.15 Match 6.1 â— except the heart goe with it Take head sâ—ith Christ ye giue not your almâ—â— before men to be seem of them 1. Reg. 8.47 If they turne againd vnto their heart in the land to the which they be carried away a 〈◊〉 c. Let vs therefore deare brothren clense out hearts and in our externall workes of Gods worship send them vp together with the worke without
hypocrifie in the seruice of God For of all sicknesses the falling euill is the worst because it maketh one seeme with out life And of all euils hypocrifie is the worst for is maketh one seeme that he is not Some seeme to pray when they curse some to pretend friendship when with Iâ—das treason is in their heart some pretend discharge of office to pinch the poore and kisse their hand but let the sudden ends and fearfull deaths of Ananias and Saphira worke sincerity in our hearts and holinesse in our liues But yet I haue not done with the heart The Lord saith Ier. 17.9 that the heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it That which the Lord questioneth maketh any vnderstanding to faile and my tongue to cleaue to the roofe of my mouth rather then to shew you what is meant by the heart Neuerthelesse Gods word biddeth me to say that the heart is taken in the language of Canaan for the corrupted and depraued qualities of the heart and not for the lumpe of flesh and materiall heart in man which is the good creature of God and somtimes it is taken for the whole inward man 1. Pet. 3.4 Let the hid man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by And somtimes it is vnderstood for the thoughts and affections corrupted and so it is in this place The heart is the first liuer and the last dier let the heart be cleansed and sanctified and thou wilt begin well and end well liue well and die well Doct. 2 The doctrine is that â—ee cannot haue a sanctified life tiâ—â— we haue a cleane and sanctified heart Match 15.19 Therefore saith our Prophet O Ierusalem wash thy heart For out of the heart come euill thoughts murthers adulteries fornicatioÌ„s thefts false testimonies slanders Make the tree good Mat. 12.33 and his fruit will bee good For the heart is as a King fiâ—â— in capsula cordis his throne and state with his animales viâ—tâ—tutes his attendants vnderstanding reason memorie will and affections about him and all the other members of the body bow at his becke If hee be ioyfull all will reioyce with him if hee feare they all treable if the heart bee a sinfull and an vncleane heart all the members are vncleane For when within bee lodged in the breasts of Iesuites and Iesuited Papists mischieuous imaginations foule affections malice murther and what not then the eyes rowle to wantonnesse the tongue raueth in railing vpon Prince and people the care bearkeneth to rebellion and false tales to set whole Cities and Countries on fire with contention the hands embrew themselues in the blood of their betters Hence commeth the king-killing doctrine treasons and massacres abroad in the world and hence is it that subiects set against Magistrates people against Pastors children against their parents seruants against their masters home-bred people against the mother and nation that conceiued them brought them forth and nourished them The Antichrist of Rome And heere I dare boldly say of him that would be the soules Lord and the chiefest Bishop of the Churches compasse that his heart is not right with God nor cleansed from wickednesse so long as his hands bee died in the blood of the Saints But to returne to our selues cleere your fountaines before you sweepe your channelles search the bottome of your wounds before you plaister the sore cleanse your hearts and all shall bee well For if the â—â—rt be good the tongue will vtter forth good matter Psalm 45.1 and speakâ— for the King and not raile vpon Rulers nor speak euil of those that are in authority Vse 1 The summe of all this is to perswade vs to confirme our iudgements touching the cause of all sinfull actions that an vncleane and corrupt heart is the fountaine of all sinfull actions For an euill heart will schoole vs to all manner of sinne and bring vs to destruction albeit wee should neuer see pâ—â—tâ—rnes of impiety When the foole commeth to say in his bears Psalm 14.1 there is no God then hee corrupteth all his waies and doth abominable The common argument for excuse is to crie out vpon others as the cause of their wickednesse Adam laid the fault vpon his wife Eua vpon the Serpent the Serpent vpon God and to this day one man layeth the fault vpon another like the theeues at the gallowes that there exclaim against their parents and euill companions But if I may be thought worthie to giue aduise lay the blame where blame is worthie euen vpon thy vncleane and corrupted heart For not iniected sinnes by Satan and the wicked by temptation but ascondent sinnes arising from thy heart and from thine owne euill lusts hath schooled thee to wickednesse Therfore crie not out of others without thee woe worth such an one that brought me to this Psalm 55.11 But with Dauid crie out Woe worth my wicked and vncleane hart Surely surely such an one did not cause 〈◊〉 to doe this euill but it was thou O my vncleane heart euen my companion that I could not put away whom I made my guide and familiar Thus make thy selfe to know thy miserie And the God of heauen wash all our hearts from wickednesse Wherefore heale vs O Lord and we shall be whole saue vs O Lord and we shall be saued doe thou O King of heauen purge vs and we shall be cleane and doe thou O heauenly Father in the pretious blood of Christ Iesus wash vs and wee shall bee whiter then snow And so I haste 5. Circ because time hastes away vnto the last point in the first branch laying forth the obiect shewing from what the hart must be cleansed O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse or from euill as some translations haue it I will not stand here to define or distinguish sinne 1. Ioh. 3.4 What the tongue of Canaan calleth Auâ—n and Catthâ—â—h or Paschaah iniquitie and wickednesse that the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne and the holy Ghost saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the law Which way soeuer it bee vnderstood it conuinceth the people of Ierusalem of their sinnes against God Pointing forth vnto vs this truth That the best and readiest way Dost 1. to bring people from their prophannesse vnto repentance is first that the Minister do labour to conuince them of their sine they haue committed before either he exhort them to holy life or comfort them with the glad tidings of the Gospell This course is here takeÌ„ by our Prophet it is my text it is my example to follow Ezech. 16 2. 13 4.11.18 1 Reg. 18.18 Matth. 3.7 It was that which God incharged Exachael with this course did Elias take with Aliab and which Iohn the Baptist tooke with the rebellious Iewes Mâ—ny speake and preach placentia mercy and merrie 〈◊〉 some cry 〈◊〉
repent and amend other thunder forth like Boâ—â—arges the iudgements of God as the sons of thunder all which ought to bee done But first saith our Prophes shew them what they haue done and what is amisse or all is in vaine and done amisse that is done We liue in a captious age where if people be generally reproued for sinne Malac. 3.13 they will answere as the people in Malachy did What haue wee spoken against there But if wee say you are sinners shew you wherin you haue sinned theÌ„ we shall cause you to blush with shame and moue you with Dauid to say peecam For Cain must be told of his â—urther Gen. 4. 1. Sam 15. 2.12.7 Ioh. 4. Act. 9. Saul of his disobodience Dauid of his adultery the woman of Samaria of her vncloane lift and Paul must bee plainly told of his persecution or our heater will neuer returne vuto vs Ioh. 4.19 Syr I see that you are a Prophet For then may the Preacher hope to profit by his publike doctrine and the brother by his priuate counsell where first they shall proue to their consciences that of this and that sinne they are guiltle For if the doctrine be only generall men will mis-apply it and alwaies turne it vpon others soylog he touched such a man and such a mâ—n to day c. From this wisedome I mind not to speake of sinne in generalls the originall corruption and de fâ—rmeÌ„t of nature which is an Fuhiopâ—â—â— skinne that all the water of the ses cannot wash away But I desire to entreate particularly of wickednesse which is damnable to our selues and hurtfull to others And albeit here I might marshall vp innumerable troopes of transgressions I entreat your godly patience that I may touch the sores of our owne time In which if you will but a little open your eyes you shal see Qui impià agent neâ— intelligentâ— that will doe wickedly and will not vnderstand And although I cannot touch all the flying sinnes of Iudah which make too loud a cryin the cares of God yet some of them I purpose but to name I beseech you lend me your hearts to consider of them and teares of repentance to wash them away Heere I meane not to make rehearsall of the secret reuoltings from the truth of God nor the generall embracing in corners of the wilfull wil-worship in stead of the seruice of God nor the shamefull idolatrie in trucking to Masse in the corners of the streets by seditious Papists because they are yet vnknowne neither doe I minde to shew you how impudently the knowledge of Gods mercy and truth is abused wrested and trampled vnder feet to the neglect of the poore and ouerthrow of the helpelesse neither is it my purpose to remember you of the cruelty and couetousnes of the rich nor of the irrefragable incorrigibility of the poore nor of the incredulity and contempt of Gods word amongst all Because these be couertly carried in the middest of vs which with the blood of Abel crie to God as they appeare for vengeance to reforme and which the late inundations of water the strange sharpe winter with the drie and scorching summer causing the land to mourn and the hearbs of euery field to wither Ierem. 12.4 for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein not yet a yeere old may moue vs to repentance But my purpose is to bring into your presence such crying sinnes such a disorderly order of Roarers within this your City that partly the amendment and partly the reformation to you my Lord doth belong It hath pleased God to make you Magistrates and Fathers of this City not only rosee that common equitie and quietnes be keps among the people but also that God may haue his due honor and glory both from you and them Now among Superiours for you to amend the sinnes and wickednesses that the world taketh notice of are especially three And in these the Prophet crieth vpoÌ„ you whose scats be on high to wash your harts from wickednesse And here by name to shew you what sinnes they be The first is Carelesnesse Lenitie and neglect of Iustice The second is Couetousnesse and Briberie The third is Sacriledge the Church-piercing sinne Against these the Prophet cryeth O Ierusalem wash thy heart from these heauen-crying sinnes remoue these beames out of your owne eyes that you may see the clearer to correct and reforme others And here pardon me if I be bold with my betters For it is the Ministers dutie to discouer sinne and to conuince the conscience of this and that wickednes before he can profit them that he are him This is the counsell that Ieremy receiued from the Lord and deliuereth vnto vs O City wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saued I desire not here to sit in any mans conscience for I haue learned noâ— to iudge of any till I see what shall become of my selfe Yet as we may not reueale all sinnes and discouer our fathers nakednesse lest the vncircumcised reioyce so we may not couer some sinnes lest the vncircumcised encrease But if I may bee bold to shew you what the Lord saith concerning these sinnes then I beseech you to harken and it shall not bee long nor tedious to heare The euill of the sin of Carelesnesse too much Lenity and neglect of Iustice which bringeth in all manner of sinne not masked but with open face into the Church Common-wealth and the same to bee committed with a high hand For where haue you disobedience to Magistrates to Parents to Masters where haue you drunkennesse c. but where the Magistrate is carelesse of his office or too milde in his office When read you or heard you of the vnheard off sinne of deflouring of Virgins of killing of old men of braining of children and of forcing of women euen vnto death but when where there is no magistrate Iudg. 4.1 17.6 21.25 as the holy Ghost saith Iudg. 2.19 there was then no King in Israel When heare you superiours to bee punished for the sinnes of inferiours but when Superiours waxe carelesse of the execution of iustice For when magistrates wax carelesse of those that are committed to their charge and neglect iustice to punish offenders it is all one as if there were no law and no King in Israel For then men become beasts and like Daniels flying Eagles with the wings of wickednesse breaking into houses Dan 7. taking away lands oppressing with vsurie extortion crueltie deceit blood and blasphemie these and much more where iustice is not roare in the streetes there is no care of God nor feare of man no respect of law nor order nor regard of father or mother nor of Church or Common-wealth whether they stand or fall so they may liue as they lust Hence it is that so many orphants widowes and helplesse people crie out of the law where the law is good and vpright and
for sommer and warme for winter for you must know that gold is too heauie for any but for the beasts of the earth to carry Neuerthelesse in humilitie be it spoken sith Moses Aaron by Gods ordinance went hand in hand I see nothing from God to the contrarie but we ought to haue an honorable Ministerie as well as an honourable Magistracie and that a good Minister be as well allowed as a good Magistrate Look to it my beloued the contempt of Ministers and Preachers hath alreadie wrought bad effects amongst vs. Men brethren and fathers haue weeping eyes and a king hearts to see this in the florishing time of the Gospell lest the Lord punish the land for the contempt of his seruants For beleeue it this sinne maketh a way for Atheists and Papists and Vters and Newters for Solifidianâ— and Nullifidians and to make this good I might bring a cloud of Fathers to prouoke you to cleanse your harts from this wickednesse But I feare if these sins be not reformed God will enter into iudgment with theÌ„ that haue taken the Lords houses from him into their possessions And so much may suffice concerning Superiours to be amended in themselues Sins in Iuseriours Now that God may haue his due honour by your meanes from the people I should name to you the wickednesse that rote in our streets and call to you in the magistracy for reformation as to you the redresse thereof of right belongs The first is the Prophanâ—tion of the Sabbath The second is the taking of Gods name in vaine The third is Pride The fourth is Contention The fifth is Contempt of Gouernment These be the Roters that grudge if they be not satisfied they cause the land to mourne and the grasse of the earth to wither away they will hasten the Lords vengeance if speedily they be not reformed For the first touching the Sabbath the Lord God hath commanded and so doe the lawes of this Realme yea so did the late commendable Proclamation of this renouned Citie that the Sabbath day should be kept holy that the people should cease from sinne as well as from labour that they might serue God in trembling and feare not thinking their owne thoughts not speaking their owne words vpon the Lords holy day But neglect of zealous executioÌ„ of good lawes ill custome and toleration hath brought it to passe that the multitude doe most shamefully prophane the Sabbath Looke to it I beseech you and suffer not your hearts to bee defiled with this wickednes For not onely the Iewes and Turks crie shame of vs for this but the very Papists make more of the Satterday and Saints dayes then wee doe of the Lords solemne feasts The second euill among the people is the taking of Gods name in vaine Here I stand amazed to consider that the lawes of nations haue taken order for the vaine and idle taking of the names of Princes in mens mouthes so as none dare but such as are sold to treason speake of their Kings and States but reuerently with an vncouered head and yet no law made against vaine swearing and common blaspheming of the most sacred name of the King of Kings In mens ordinary talke lamentable it is to heare in euery house in euery shop yea in euery street how in ordinary talke euery one mingle words and fill vp their sentences with needlesse oathes as if that which is of al sins a most notorious dâ—shonor to God were but a small sinne but much more horrible and odious is that blasphemous and furious and outragious swearing of many men that if they be neuer so little offended and their mind displeased then they fall to disgorge their filthy stomacke vpon the glorious name of their Creator It is recorded by Herodot lib. 6. that Nicanus pitched a field on the Sabbath day against the Iewes but for his blasphemie lost both the battell and his life and his head his hands and blasphemous tongue was cut off and hanged on the pinnacles of the Temple at Ierusalem And well worthie of greatest shame because this vice of all other carrieth with it the most detestation for that it bringeth least delight of aâ—â— other sinnes For all other vices a man may wring out some excuse from nature to lessen the greatnesse but this admitteth no vaile at all Is it not a desperate case for a man in mirth to sweare by that blood the remembrance of which should strike sorrow to the most obdurate hearts that blood I say the losse of which gained redemption to the whole world Me thinkes relenting thoughts should wound the heart of a Christian to name the wounds of Christ But where reuerence is laid aside there deuotion is cold But to heate your zeale and to put an edge vpon your deuotion remember what God saith Mat. 23.23 I am bold to tell you in the Lords behalfe that our tithing of Minâ— and Commin and leauing the waightier parts of the Law vnlooked vnto is to bee feared will draw the Lords wrath downe vpon vs and bring into our Cities townes Zach. 5.4 and houses Zacharies flying booke to consume them with the timber and stones thereof For it is decreed in heauen that if thou wilt not keepe and do all the words of this Law that are written in this booke and feare this glorious and fearefull name Deut. 28.58 the Lord thy God theÌ„ the Lord will make thy playne wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore diseases and of long durance For if it be true that Hosea prophecieth Hosea 4.8 then long since because of swearing the Lord hath a controuersie with the land For who seeth not that for oathes the land mourneth Ierem. 23.10 and the inhabitants are smitten and they feele it not But the houre-glasse calleth mee to the pride of the Land The prophet Zephaniah 1.8 saith It shall bee in the daye of the Lords wrath that the Lord will visit all such as are clothed with strange apparell Pride hath so many feathers added to her wings that shee couereth all the earth with her shadow If we looke to men who should be both wisest strongest they are growne so effeminate and our women so manlike that if it might bee they would exchange kindes What modest eye can with patience behold the immodest gestures and attires of our time no sooner is infancie put of but impudencie is put on Many seemes to imitate Nero in prodigality of apparel Cap. 30 to verifie that in theÌ„selues which was said of him by Suetonius In Nerone nullam vesâ—â—us bis indust Many there be amongst vs that put not on one apparell nor one fashion twice till at length they come to haue no apparell to put on Many inuent fashions to please the world but the secret iudgement of God crosseth their desires for they displease more then they please but if their brauerie condemne them before men