THe Princely Prophet Da­vid the sweet singer of Is­rael in this whole Psalme celebrates Gods praises in respect of his mercies to­wards the godly, & judge­ments to the wicked, invi­ting others by his example to doe the like; and finally prayes for the prosperity of his servants, and subver­sion of his enemies. I intend no large paraphrase on the whole, selecting this bare proposition for the pre­sent occasion, which brancheth it selfe into these foure particulars. 1. The Person, the Lord. 2. the attribute, Iudgement. 3. the commendation, executes: 4. the end, that we might know, and acknowledge him. The Lord is knowne to execute judgement. The Person [Page 2] is of an high elevation, and in his visitation takes a full survey of whatsoeuer passeth betweene heaven and ea [...]th. Omnia aperta, all things are open to his view: Hebr. 4. The iudgement fearefull, for God is a consu­ming fire, and its a fearefull thing to fall into his hands. Heb. 10.31. The execution iust and free: for as he hath a vis [...]tation in grace and mercy, visitavit & red [...]m [...]t, he hath visited and redeemed his people: Luke. 1.68. and of pitty and compassion. Pure religi­on is to visit the fatherles and widdowes: Iam. 1.27. So is there a visitation with him in correction and se­ver [...]ty. I will visit their transgressions with the rod: Psal. 89.22. and of wrath and fury, shall not I visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soule be a­venged of such a nation? Ier. 5.29. Lastly, the end is for reformation of all such vnregenerate ones, who as yet remaine enemies to the crosse of Christ, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things: Phil. 3.18.19. The person, attribute execution, end, are by the gratious assistance of Gods Spirit, and your (right worshipfull, and the rest deere­ly beloued) much desired patience, at this time to be­come the subject of my ensuing meditations.

And first of the Person, with whom I beginning e­ven make an end, for I will not goe about to describe either That he is, or What he is; the one is needeles, the other impossible. How shall I describe him that dwells in a light that none attaines vnto? how shall I describe him that hath made darkenesse his pavilion, measured the waters in his fist, sits on the circle of the earth, in comparison of whom the inhabitants are but [Page 3] as grashoppers. Es. 40. How shall I describe him that cannot be circumscribed, who comprehends all things yet himselfe not comprehended; is in all things, him­selfe not included; moues all things, himselfe not mo­ued; changeth all things, himselfe vnchangeable. Fi­nally, how shall I describe him who is without quanti­ty great, without quality good, without measure wise, without time everlasting: in greatnes infinite, in vertue omnipotent, in wisedome profound, in coun­sell wounderfull, in judgement terrible, and in all ver­tues perfect and compleat. Search not then after the majesty, least thou be oppressed with the glory. There is, sayes a learned father a holy kinde of ignorance not to search after things vnrevealed, secret things belong to God, but revealed to vs: Deut. 29.29. As he is therefore in himselfe I meddle not with him heere, but rather as he manifests himselfe in his words and workes, in his mercy and iudgements, in his purity and power, these being the very hands with which he taketh hold of vs, and the armes he embraceth vs with, or stretcheth over vs. Bernard in his 8: ser. Cant. as­cribes these two hands to God, the one is latitudo quâ tribuit affluentèr, this is his bounty bestowing his largesse, giving gifts to men; the other is, fortitudo qua defendit potenter, the hand of his power stretch­ed ouer all his creatures, to protect and defend them, and not so onely, but to punish them, when they shall offend him; to which purpose, & Ierome de memb. Dei, saith, manus Dei flagellum, Gods hand is a scourge. With the one he seemes as standing on mount Gerasim: Deut. 11.29. to deale abroad his [Page 4] blessings, and like Homers Iupiter, out of one of those tunnes and great vessels which stands at the entrance of his pallace, sets abroach his favoures to men: with the other as on mount Eball, he scatters his cursings, & as out of the other tunne he drencheth men with affli­ction, giving them plenty of teares to drinke: Psal. 80.5.

What I now speake or might more enlarge herein reflects on vs (men, fathers, and brethren,) who re­present this great person to our people, and hence are truely tearmed Persons, embassadors for Christ. And secondly on you (deerely beloved) who are heere this day in the feare of God to present misdemea­nures. This supereminent goodnes in the person calls to vs for imitation, that we would set copies of goodnes and sanctity to our people, that our exam­ples may proue our best sermons. Vita exemplaris, (saith Gregory in his pastoralls) optima est concio, il­lud (que) cum imperio docetur, quod priùs agitur quàm do­cetur. A good life is the best sermon, and he preach­eth with authority, whose practise goes before his preaching. For indeede it is a kinde of vnhappines as of princes so of priests, that quicquid faciunt praci­cipere videntur. Neither can we be ignorant that eue­ry mole-hill in our misbehauiours is a mountaine, euery moate in our eyes a beame. Chrysologus his tax in one kinde, Serm. 26. passeth popularly currant for all sinnes. Ebrietas in alio crimen, in sacerdote sacrilegium; al­ter necat animam suam vino, alter spiritum sanctitatis extinguit, I spare the english. Herevpon so much cla­mouring hath beene about the cleargies exorbitancy. [Page 5] Our dayes are farre different from Constantines, who as Theodoret. 1. lib. of his story, cap. 3. reports, when a libell or booke was given vp to him concerning some Bishops misdemeanures, first tied a thred about it then sealed it with his ring, lastly cast it into the fire before all things were composed, professing himselfe would not reade a word in it, and saying if what was in it should be divulged, the common people would grow more brasen faced in sinning, gathering thereby a protection for their sinnes; nay againe in the same chapter, when even he tooke a Bishop committing any vncleane act, he would cast his cloake ouer him, to keepe such faults from the common eye. O the dispa­rity of times! But yet, I praise God, to his honour I may truely and boldly speake it. If other places be answea­rable to these parts about vs, in respect of notorious crimes in the cleargy, I am assured much time might haue beene spared for reformation. In the meane time Antichrist goes vp and downe the city, grinnes like a dog, and striues to seduce our professours with that groundlesse position or principle. That first we must looke to the Person teaching, before we looke to the thing taught; thereby to bring in a seeming for­mality to outface true doctrine. A position, I say a­gaine without all ground. For first Christ hath taught vs what persons soeuer they are that build vp his kingdome, they must goe on. Wherefore Iohn com­playning to him: Mark. 9.38 39. Master we saw one casting out devills in thy name, who followed not vs. Iesus faid, forbid him not, for whosoever is not against vs is on our part. Secondly in the new Testament none [Page 6] but enemies of the gospell looke to persons more then doctrine. The priests and elders said to Christ, by what authority doest thou these things: Mat. 21.23. And the Synod at Ierusalem asked Peter: by what power, and in what name haue yee done this: Act. 4.7. But of the true worshippers of God we heare no such thing. Which I speake not as if ordinarily we ought not to aske after mens authority, this were the next way to leape from the shop-board to the pulpit with Brownists, and other sectaries; but to shew, doctrine must be preferred before persons. Thirdly the Eunuch and Lydiae did not ill in hearing Phillip and Paul without enquiry after their persons, they knew that Christians should not giue an account at the last day of the persons they heard, but of their obedience or disobedience to their wholsome doctrine. Lastly most glorious persons may be full of deceit, they that come in sheepes cloathing, may be inwardly rauening wolues, yea watchmen may be blind, and dumbe dogs that cannot barke: Es. 56.10. and greedy dogges that can never haue enough: from the prophets to the priests they may all deale falsely: Ier: 6.13. there may be a conspiracy of them in the medst of the Church: Ezek. 22.25. As in the Trent Councell. Yet thus farre I will hold with them, that the person doth much com­mend the worke: the Apostle said not in vaine. Tim: 2.3.14. Continue in the things which thou hast learned knowing of whom thou hast learned them: that is, God, yea and it may be, Me, Gods minister who haue bene in thy soule by the spirit of power effectually concur­ring with my service. Againe, it puts you in mind, [Page 7] the Church-wardens here assembled who as the ho [...]se of Cloe., 1. Cor. 1.11. this day by solemne oath are to present that sinnes may haue their iust censures. Remē ­ber before whom you stand, whose oath you take, euen the oath of the Lord. Ex. 22.11. Non considerandum cui sed per quem iuras, saith Ierome. Take heede then on the one side of spleene that you doe nothing ma­litiously, so your accusation may be iust, your affection vniust, and in doeing that, ye shall sinne, which ye had sinned in not doeing. Ille dat poenam, tu amisisti laudem he may be punished, but thou shalt not be praised. On the other side of conniuence and partiality, for there is an Omnia benè, Latine too well knowne to the vnlear­nedst, that swallowes vp all vanities. Drunkenesse, vncleannesse, swearing, profanation of the sabbaoth, goe abroad all the yeare before, and when the visi­tation comes, either the presentment is packt vp with some recusants names, or otherwise with an omnia benè, as if there were no recusancy in good manners, this is not charity that couers sinne, but a miserable in­dulgence that cherisheth sinne. In the Creation there was an omnia benè, God reuiewed his workes, and they were exceeding good: Gen. 1. in our redemp­tion there was an omnia benè. He hath done all things well, he hath made the blinde to sea, the lame to goe: heere was an omnia benè indeed, but neuer any since. If any thing may vrge you to a sincere discharge here­of, me thinkes it should be the consideration of what followes in the next circumstance.

Iudgment.

The Lord is knowne to execute iudgment. Ver­bum [Page 8] hoc iudicij, vtinam nemo transiret sine iudicio: I will says one that no man would slight over this word Iudgment. In the Ciuill law the title de iudicio is a great title & much studied, but among Christians it were to be wished it were much more, that it ever resownded in our eares, arise ye dead and come into iudgment. In the scripture this name is diversly vsed. somtimes for wisdome to discusse and discerne things doubtfull. Giue thy iudgments to the king. Psal. 72.1. somtime for a moderation in punishing, Correct me O God yet in thy iudgment. Ier. 10. somtime it signifies the cause or controversy to be iudged, occasioning E­say to reproue the Elders of Israell because the wid­dowes cause came not before them, they promoted it not, but put it off from day to day to gratifie their op­pressours. Somtime the word of God it selfe is called Iudgment 119 Psal. either because God in his word as a iudge pronounceth what he would haue done, or for that it containes nothing but what is iust, or that ther­by we shalbe iudged, accquitted, condemned. Sōtime the office of iudgment, & publicke government. Deu. 1.16, Lastly the punishment itselfe, So shall thy iudgmēt be. 1. kings. 20.40. the daughters of Sion shall reioyce be­cause of thy iudgments. Psal: 48.10. take it in what sense you please either for wisdome to discerne, or modera­tion to punish, or the cause it selfe, or the square of iudgment, or the offices of iudging or punishmēt, still iudgment belongs to God; though I must confesse most properly and peculiarly in this place it implies Punishment the rather because of the next word, exe­cutes, hauing its due reference to iudgment. Many [Page 9] are the sinnes of a people, and therfore manifold are Gods punishments Ezek. in his 14. cap. from the 13. v. forward summes vp foure iudgments. Famine, Warre, Pestilence, Evill beasts. 1 Famine comes rid­ing on a pale horse killing with hunger and death, somtimes clad in a roabe of immoderate raine and showers drowning the worlds plentie and the earths provision, somtimes bearing on her shoulder heavens of brasse, and treading vnder her feete the earth of iron. Pale and leane she is more then the picture of death, mors in illa as well as mors in olla, nay more, genus miserabile Lethi. When God who giues to man the breath of life shall denie bread to maintaine life, when winter shalbe turned to summer, summer to winter, when a man shall rise early and eate the bread of carefullnesse and at night be to care for his bread, sow much, bring in litle, the haruest litle but the labourers many, when one plants another waters & God denies the increase, is not this a great iudgment? Yea and a threefold sin amongst many hastens it▪ first swearing and forswearing, that the very earth mournes because of Oathes. Ier: 23.10. there was a famine in the daies of David, what is the cause? and they did break their oath. 2 Sam. 21.1. Do not men now slight an oath? is it not as common as words? yea a common accuser says Austine is a common for­swearer. Secondly the neglect of gods worship wher­of the Iewes were so guiltie, and punishments brought on them for not repairing the temple. Now if the materiall temple and his ceremoniall service caused such displeasure to arise what will the con­tempt [Page 10] & carelessenesse of his reasonable service presse him to. The tribes went vp to the temple, it was Gods expresse commaund, the frequenting of the taber­nacle. Exod: 23.17. So that publique meetings for his worship are not as some would haue it a Iewish ce­remonie or ambulatory, to cease with the law and that temple, but omninò perpetuum, altogether per­manent in Christs Church; neither counts he himselfe as well serued by sitting in a chimney corner, though with devotion, as when we are praying and praysing his holy name in the place allotted for his worship. A third sinne is the wasting of Gods creatures, so that in respect of mens vnthankfullnes, and some lauishing of them, God takes them away. In quo quis peccat; Hee makes the punishment answerable to the offence. The drunkard shall be cloathed with ragges, Prov. 23.21. a louer of pastime shall be poore, 21.17. the whore shall he bring to a morsell of bread. Secondly, war rusheth forth, riding on a red horse vnbridled, carry­ing all things by force of armes, not lawes. A time wherein Pirrhus regards not the aged head of Pri­amus, nor yet the sacred altar whereto he flies; a time wherein old Iacobs head is sent with sorrow to the graue, wherein Rabell weepes for her children, and will not be comforted, because they are not; a time wherein either we must fight, and so run on a suddaine death; or flie, and so leade a tedious life. I haue taken away my peace from the people: Ier. 16.3. This our land hath often tasted of this misery being some times ouer-runne with forreine enemies, be­side that great distraction betweene the two houses [Page 11] of Yorke and Lancaster. In the compasse of which di­uision, Comines the French historian in that large di­gression touching the English warres Lib. 3. Cap. 4. tells vs that seauen or eight battells were fought where­in died of the bloud royall threescore, or fourescore Princes, & himselfe beheld a Duke of Exeter fallen in­to such misery as that the ran after the Duke of Burgun­dies coach barefoote & barelegged begging his bread for Gods sake. I heard of a kind of a restraint within these few yeares & yet scarcely know not the meaning, that preachers should not amaze the people with fearefull presages, of dangerous times to ensue, but O my soule, both secretly, and openly, pray thou that God in regard of the former sinnes, may be pleased to auert this judgment. In the third place the pestilence issues forth on a black horse, killing with sicknesse and death, whose terrible blow among other places, wee in this towne and the borderers on either hand haue the last yeare felt, wherein one cries, O my bro­ther come not nigh me, for I am infected, another barr'd in by command, shut vp by sicknesse, nay worse pend in by sorrow, cryes out of a window, O my father, O my brother either now breathing their last or by this time dead. O bellum Dei contra homines. O the ar­row of God that flies silently, swiftly, deadly: pernicis­simè volat, saies Musculus, exitialiter ferit. It spares none, neither the aged can be priviledged, though Pli­ny lib. 7. c. 50. auoucheth, Senes minimè sentire pesti­lentiam, that old men are neuer tainted with the plague; neither the coldest regions can stop the course of it. Possevinus de rebus Muscouit, fol. 11. tells vs at [Page 12] what time he was embassadour for the Pope in Musco­via, the plague which had scarce ever beene heard of before in that country ob intensissima frigora, by rea­son of the extreame cold, yet it then killed many thou­sands; hence is this arrow called also exterminium, a rooting out: The house may shield men and cattle from the haile, flight may saue from the sword, soiour­ning in another country preserue from famine, but in this contagion at home our houses stifle vs, abroad the ayre infects vs. The Prophet in the fourth place comes in with the violence of evill beasts. Indeed it is Gods goodnesse that those sauage creatures flie into the wil­dernesse from our company, whereas hee could send them into our peopled townes, and though in them­selues they are not so fruitfull, he permitting the milde to increase & multiply, yet can he make them to grow into heards and flocks. You knowe how the Lord sent Lions to teare the children of Bethel that mocked the Prophet. 2. Kings; and what fiery Serpents fell among the murmuring Israelites; and how grievously in the booke of Exodus the Egyptians with Pharaoh were op­pressed with Lice, Frogges, Caterpillers. Plead no im­munity from these two last iudgements. If we avoid not and repent of the forenamed sinnes, we shall all likewise perish. The Prophet hath here ended his num­ber, but I haue not mine. One iudgement more is worthie our more serious meditation and present oc­casion, which God knowes is too much sleighted a­mong men as if it meerely came from man. It is an Ec­clesiasticall iudgement, the fearefull sentence of Excom­munication. All the rest especially destroy the body, [Page 13] but this the soule. There are that draw this censure e­ven from Adam whom the Lord cast out of Eden, and set an Angell at the entrie of the garden, who by sha­king the blade of a glistering sword feared him from reentring, not suffering him to tast of that tree which was a Sacrament of life. The like doe the Hebrew in­terpreters obserue concerning Cain, whom the Lord cast out and banished from the face of God. For what else is his face but the place appointed for his worship, where he was wont to appeare to the fathers, & where Adam and his sonnes met together in sacrifice to him. Come vnto the times vnder the law, how was this judgement tipified by the vncleanes keeping from the tabernacle, not entring the temple, not partaking of the sacrifices, nor eating the passeouer. Numb. 19.13.20. and 9.13. Looke but into the new Testament, what meane the vse of the keyes to open and shut, and the words of binding and loosing? Moreouer by example Abraham is commanded to cast out the bond woman, with her sonne out of his family which was the Church Gen. 21.10. Himinaeus and Alexander concerning the faith made shipwrack, and are deliuered to Sathan that they may learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1.19.20. the Apostle commands the Corinthians to purge out the old leauen, that is, as is after expounded in plainer words, put away from yourseleues that wicked person 1. Cor. 5.7.13. al­luding to the passeouer which the Israelites were not to kill, till their houses were rid of leauened bread. Ob. But this punishment and authority seemes needlesse, for the ciuill magistrate is charged to punish such as liue dissolutely, he beares not the sword in vaine. It [Page 14] belongs to him to take away the life and limme ac­cording to the nature and quality of the offence, what place is there then for ecclesiasticall censures. Sol. I answere, indeed there was a time when the ecclesia­sticall authority tooke vp in a manner all, and lay hard not onely on ordinary civill courts, but on Davids house, and the throne of kings: But God euer from the dayes of Lucifer gaue pride a fall, and pride of all sinnes least be seemes the Church; the time is now come that civill courts are as much too strong (as in the beginning of this parliament, a reuerend Bishop preached) and if they goe a little farther, I see not to what end our visitations should be kept. But to the purpose, both courts may well stand toge­ther, the one hinders not the other. Christ hath set­led this as a perpetuall order in the church. Mat. 18.17. If he shall neglect to heare thee, tell it the Church, if he neglect to heare the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen and a publican. Where our Saviour alluding to the custome of the Iewish church, he shewes also that the Christian church can­not want this spirituall iurisdiction. We are not to thinke, as some fondly imagine, that Christ pointed out the civill magistrate, when he saith, tell the Church; nor that those words, (if he heare not the church, let him be to thee as a heathen or publican) intimate thus much, except he heare the magistrate of the same faith and religion with thee, thou maist goe to law with him, as if he were a heathen or publican, and haue him before a Roman magistrate, that is pro­phane. For Christ speakes not onely to the Iewes [Page 15] that then liued, but giues a remedy to be vsed at all times. The promise that followes, whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth, belongs not to one time, one place, one people, nor to the civill magistrate, nor wrongs civill, but to the conscience, and had beene impertinently added, if Christ had spoken of seeking civill remedy against civill wrongs, as may appeare by these reasons. First, the words concurring in the text touching binding and loosing, and else-where of opening and shutting, remitting and reteining sinnes were neuer understood but of spirituall power. Se­condly, the authority here spoken of, was such as the disciples present, should sometimes in person exer­cise, but these exercised no civill power. Thirdly Christs words are imperatiue, Tell it the Church; not permissiue, you may tell. And Christ commandeth no man to persecute his brother civilly, offending him before the civill magistrate; he commands to for­giue him, and to be ready to take another iniury, ra­ther then in law to pursue him: Mat. 4. Fourthly, the ground of this action is not ciuill, for then it should more fitly haue beene named [...], an iniu­ry, but here it hath the expresse name of [...] sinne. Likewise he teacheth a little before, of offences spiri­tuall, and the cure of them; then he sheweth our duty of seeking, and recouering euery brother going a­stray, by comparison of seeking and recouering of a lost sheepe. So that we may conclude, that to take the word Church, for a company of civill magi­strates, or a bench of Iustices hath no approbation of any author. But why doe I dispute so long, I rather [Page 16] com [...] [...]o mourne and lament our peoples obstinacie and improvidence, in sleighting this punishment. Do yee know in what state you are, while yee remaine excommunicated? I will tell you. Excommunication is a sentence of the Church, whereby a member there­of convicted, or to be convicted of some greivous crime, as yet continuing vnrepentant, is driven out of the church, and out off from the communion and fel­lowshippe of the faithfull, that thereby he might be driven to repentance. O what a heape of mischeifes rise here vp together. I'ts bellua multorum capitum. Doth this judgement passe on thee? art thou excom­municated? first thou endeavourest as much as in thee lieth to blot thee out of Gods booke, and to de­priue thy selfe of Gods protection. Secondly, know that the sentence pronounced by Gods faithfull mi­nister is ratified in heauen, Christ is the author of it. The Corinthians being charged to put out from a­mongst them him that had offended, they must do it in the name, that is by the command of Christ. 1. Cor. 5.4. Thirdly thou art barred from the word and sacra­ments and prayers of the Church. The word doth the noe good, the sacrament hurts, neither can we blesse thee in the name of god. Was not Nebuckud­nezars case most fearfull when he was turned to feede on grasse like an Oxe? but the excommunicates state is worse, he wants the food of eternall life. Fourthly thou art to be accounted as an heathen, now betwene the Iewes and heathens there was no commerce con­cerning gods worship. Fiftly thou being excommu­nicated out of one Church canst not be admitted in­to [Page 17] any other. Churches are sisters whom one receiues all receiue, whom one reiects all rerect. Were thou sure saith S^t. Austine Epist. 74. that thou leauing one service thou shouldest betakē into no other, thou wouldest be carefull how thou diddst forgoe it or off­end. Lastly adde hereunto the decrees of princes & and counsells, thou canst haue no benefit of the lawes, others may sue thee, but thou canst not sue others, others may make their last will and testament, but but thou maiest not set thy house thus in order, others may challenge christian buriall, but thou must be buried like an asse; as thou wast out of the church through thy obstinate life: so shalt thou not be brought neere it vpon thy death. As I would craue of you (right worshipfull) to be sparing in these e­missions making vp an extremum fulmen against im­penitents: so I cannot but iustifie your tendernesse herein vpon mine owne late experience you rather aiming at a substantiall reformation in the delinquents then any exactions. Howsoever the common con­ceit runnes riot as if all were for pay, I haue found the contrary from your vnderagents. Let that still re­maine as a tax in the Romish courts, which are more for payments then repentance, saying to their offen­ders, discharge the court and be gone; and not re­pent, reforme and be readmitted into the Church. I remember i'ts noted of Irenaus, he earnestly reproued Victor Bishop of Rome for excommunicating many churches in Asia, not for heresy and apostacy, but for that they would not consent with the Church of Rome in the celebration of Easter. I beseech you let [Page 18] not your excommunications passe for small occurren­ces tending still to reformation, and execution, which is my third circumstance.

To execute: God is knowne to execute. A com­mendation that brings with it Gods glory, a lands blessing, and each particular peccants wellfare. The Lord ex [...]cuteth iudgemēt to all th [...]se that are oppressed with wrong: Psal. 103.6. The Lord hath executed his iudgement vpon Angels, cities, the old world; the great Monarchies, and mighty kingdomes haue [...]a­sted of his iudgements, who as they spoyled others, so haue they beene spoyled themselues: As we may see in the subuersion of the Monarchies, spoken of by Dani­ell, the Assirians, Persians, Grecians, and lastly Romans. His executions haue lighted on wicked kings, Pha­raoh, Saul, Ieroboam, Ahab, Zedechiah, Herod; vpon wicked priests, as those of Baal, and Elyes sonnes, vpon wicked persons, Iudas, Achitophel, Absalon, Corah, Dath [...]n, and Abiram; in a word on wicked people that put the Sonne of God to death: Pilat that corrupt judge, who for f vour of the Iewes, and feare of Cae­sar, condemned our innocent Saviour, was shortly after put out of his office, and retur [...]ing to his house in a ma [...]e content, made away himselfe. Caiaphas was dep [...]sed, and Ionathan tooke his roome. Herod that despised Christ was condemned by Caligula, to perpetuall banishment, where he died miserably; and the other H [...]rod, who killed Iames, and imprisoned Peter, was eaten vp with wormes. As for the Iewes who cried, his blo [...]d be vpon vs and our children, they had their wish, n [...] any of th [...]se pl [...]gues Ezekiel [Page 19] formerly mentioned, but overtooke them especially want and famine. Through famine, as you largely heard from this place the last weeke, they were driuen to eate the leather of their shooes, girdles, bucklers, targets, the dung of their stables, and in fine their owne children. Wofull was this execution, as also that by warre, when the streetes of Ierusalem ran with bloud, when they were still taken and crucified on cros­ses and gibbets set vp before the walls, that they which were within, might see them, and giue over, but yet they would not; 500 a day were thus hanged vp, till there were neither trees to be gotten, whereon to make crosses, nor any more space lest to set them vp in. Fearefull was the execution, when certaine of them getting meate from the enemies campe for compas­sion sake were yet so pursued with Gods anger, that when they hoped their liues were in safety, suddaine­ly in the night, the bloody souldiers (imagining they had swallowed downe their gold and iewells for their owne vses) slew them, slitting their bowels & ra­king in for that which was not there, to the number of 2000 in one night. What should I speake of those cruell persecutors, Nero, Domitian, Decius, Dioclesi­an with others? or of our home-papists, who perish­ed at Endor, and became as the dung of the earth; e­ven so let thine enemies euer perish, O Lord, who for thy gospell and truthes sake, vnrepentantly haue evill will at this our Sion. Thus execution passeth for Gods glory, yea and for the good of a whole kingdome too. Iustice exalts a nation, saith the wise Salomon: Pro. [...]. [...]. For when sin is some-way punished, God [Page 20] is pacified. Wherevpon Moyses slew those idolaters: Ex. 32.29. and Phineas executed iudgement, so the plague ceased; and Achan once stoned, the Israelites prospered, and Ionas but cast into the sea, the waters calmed. Nay lastly this execution tends to the bene­fit of offenders themselues; better be here punished then fall into Gods hands. It had beene good for E­lyes children that their father had first corrected them, not God. And I doubt not but these kinde of meet­ings returne many a prodigall into their fathers home. I speake not this (right worshipfull) as doubting your vprightnesse, or to teach you that ye know not. For who knowes not that the law is the life of a kingdome, and execution the life of the law; when the sword of Goliah is not lapt in a cloath behind the Ephod. For it is one of Machianels rules, how a conquerour might weaken a subdued kingdome, euen to lay the raines on euery ones necke; and to allow the people to liue euery one as he list in a lawles fashion. Neither speake I this to exasperate your mind, aboue that, which nature & the qualitie of offenders, and offences doth require. There must be a Moses and Elias. Elias was a fiery spirited prophet inflamed with zeale, Moses of a meeke & milde spirit. Both these tempers are a happy composition in a Visiter, and make his breast like the sacred Arke, wherein lay both Aarons rod and the golden pot of Manna, the rod of correction, and the manna of consolation; the one a Corrasiue, the other a Cordiall. This spirituall Iurisdiction should haue both vbera and verbera, or be like the bees, hauing much hony, but not without a sting. On [...] [...] the [Page 21] sting be least in desire and intention, and the last in ex­ecution, like God himselfe, Qui habet in potestate vindictam, sed mavult in vsu misericordiam. The building of the church goeth slowly forward, though there be many labourers, yet there be more hinderers. God neuer had so many freinds as enemies. If the ouer­seers looke not well to the businesse, too many will make church worke of it, for such loytering is fallē into a proverbe. Men are fickle, as were the Galathians, and Churches of Asia, if they be not often visited, they will soone be corrupted. Luther sayd in Wittenberg that a few fanaticall spirits had puld downe more in a short time then all they could build againe in 20 yeares. Let but Moses turne his back, and ascend the mount to be Israels lieger with God, the people pre­sently speake of making a calfe; he is no sooner vanish­ed of out their sight, thē out of mind, & they fall to ido­latry. Our churches are not like Irish timber, if they be not continually swept there will be spiders & cobwebs. I cannot but name one amongst many; The desolati­on in our Churches vpon Saints dayes and holy­dayes, a very plague that infects these chiltren parts. For you shall haue more attending the Cart in the lanes or the plough in the field, then accompanying the Parson and his Clarke in the Church; we may iustly complaine, Religio peperit diuitias, filia devorauit matrem▪ we are all for wealth but little for devotion. Our forfathers and fathers in their godly discretion allotted Eeves as well as Sundayes and holy dayes for surceasing of worke, but now it is well if all the Sab­both may go free for spirituall imployment. Oh the [Page 22] greedinesse of our times; which formerly was vn­knowne. Beginne with the first time while Moyses liu­ed, and you shall find these festiuities whether maiores or minores, higher or lower yet they were vacativae ab opere. Buccinate, saith the Psalmist, 81, 3. Psal: blow vp the trumpett in the new moone, even in the time appointed, and vpon our solemne feast day. And it seemes these dayes were thus solemned, vsed as free from ordinary working in Elizeus time to whom 2. Kings 4. the Shunamite woman went for her dead son, thereby occasioning her husband to question her quam ob causam vadis ad eum hodie, non sunt Calendae, nec Sabbatha, why goest thou to him? this day is neither the Calends nor Sabboth, which argues they were freed from labour, because her husband insinuated she should goe vpon a day, when he might be at leasure from his businesse, making in that respect a similitude betweene the Calends and the Sabboth. Nay it was obserued til the time of S^t. Austin de decem cordis cap: 3. For he by way of reproofe of the Iewish women, for another extreme of their overmuch daliancing on those dayes, saith. Foeminae hebraeorum melius nerent, vel aliquid operis facerent, quàm in Neomenijs suis impudicè saltarent. The Hebrew women were bet­ter spinne or doe any worke, then immodestly dance in their new moones. O when my eyes behold on an Easter Tuesday, or the like Festiualls, as they did on the last within halfe a mile of this towne some plowing. How doe I mourne, and wish that our right reverend Diocoesans worthy sermon preached in Oxford No­uem: 5. 1602. were now againe in these parts preach­ed, [Page 23] who iustly gaue the reasons why our Churches should be frequented on such times. One was for that we haue exemplum legis M [...]saicae, the example of Moses law, which is alleaged by them that are learned for one re [...]son, why our Saviour Christ did inst [...]t [...]te none though after, the Apostles themselues in the o­pinion of Ambrose and Austine, were thought to be the choise institutors of most of them: then againe we haue rationem legis M [...]saicae, the reason of Mos [...]s law, to wit, a remembrance of Gods blessings. Thirdly the practise and authori [...]y of Christs Church, since his comming. Fourthly the promise of Christ, If two or three are gathe ed together in my name, I will be in the midst of them. Mat. 18.4. how much more if the whole congregation were assembled, which with an army of prayers should enforce his mercy. I be­seech you againe and againe take notice of this n [...]glect, [...]ay if it may be with your owne and your of­ficers eyes, no [...] referring this reformation to church-wardens, but that a more immediate execution, both vpon our gentry and inferiours, may bring God to be [...]e [...]y knowne, and knowne in his Saints; and so I come to my last part, and end of all these executions in iudgement, that God may be knowne and acknowle [...]g'd. God is knowne.) Austin reades the words thus; Notus est Dominus propter iudicium quod fecit: Ierome thus, Agnitus est Do­minus iudicium faciens: the vulgar thus, Cogn [...]scitur Dominus [...]ud c [...]af [...]ciens, and our last translation thus, N [...]tu [...] se facit Iehovah iudicio quod exercuit; but in­ten [...]ing one and the same thing, that the Lord God [Page 24] hath, is, and will be knowne by executing iudgement. Two words shall dispatch all, first a Quomodo, how; next a Quando, when. The Quomodo, how God is knowne, will appeare in the practise of a threefold du­ty. For as one well saith, Iudicia Dei sunt commendan­da, formidanda, meditanda: Gods judgements first are to be praised and admired. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his workes; they are to be praysed in respect of their greatnes, strangenes, goodnes. Abyssus abyssum inuocat. O the deepenesse of his wisedome & knowledge, how vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his waies past finding out: Rom. 11.33. We see the effect, not causes, the middle, not the end. David that numbred the people is spared, and the people numbred are destroied; the prophet seduced, is slaine by a lion, and the lying prophet that seduced him escaped; a theefe is saved at the last gaspe, and Iu­das an Apostle condemned; Caesar that hath the worst cause, s [...]cceedes best; Pompey that hath the best cause, yet speedes worst; Gods enemies flourish and are ex­alted, when his freinds mourne and weepe. One would thi [...]ke the word of God prevalent in beating downe enorm ties faster then Sathan could raise them, so that where the gospell abounded, sinne should not superabound; and yet this glorious sunne hath not dispelled all those foggs and mists, which haue surged from hell. But if the sun cause such a stinke, i'ts a signe some dung-hill is nigh, let it reflect on a bed of roses, there is all swee [...]nes. These presi­dents occasion some to despaire of, others to deny Gods providence, but let vs alwaies say. Righteous art [Page 25] thou, O Lord, and iust are thy iudgements. His iudgements are sometimes secret, sometimes mani­fest, alwaies just. One while he punisheth in this life, and in these like courts, least there should seeme to be no providence; others remaine vnpunished, least there should be thought to be no ensuing iudgement. Secondly, Gods iudgements are to be feared. If men listen not when he speakes by his word, ministers, mercies; certainely he will be knowne by his iudge­ments. Pharaoh first askes in a kinde of scorne, quis est Dominus, but after vpon sight of his judgements, then digitus Dei est hic, this is the very finger of God; and againe, The Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked: Ex: 9.27. The most wicked haue trembled at judgements. Baltashars countenance changed at the hand-writing in the wall, and Felix at Pauls preaching of righteousnes, temperance, iudgement to come. But if they quake not, imputing all to blind chance and fortune, it shewes they haue an atheisticall and irreligious heart, euen worse then the devills, who as St. Iames saith, beleeue and tremble. Whereas the truely sanctified with David, cry out one while, from my youth vp till now thy terrours haue I suffered with a troubled mind; another while as it is towards the end of the 119 Ps. O let my soule liue, and it shall praise thee, and thy iudgements shall teach me. Now last of all, Gods iudgements are to be pondered by frequent meditation, which in mid'st of tribulation, yet com­forts the deiected, strengthens their faith, encreaseth hope: I considered thine euerlasting iudgements, and received comforts, saith the Psalmist. But out alas how [Page 26] farre are we from this serious thought, how little vse returne we to our soules by these occurrences. We haue beene smitten indeede, and the hills haue trem­bled, and our carcases haue beene torne and throwne to in the streets; for all this Gods anger is not turned a­way, but his hand is stretched out still: Es. 5.25. Sure­ly the reason of all is our sleight passing by these iudge­ments, not so often seasoning our retired'st thoughts, as there is just cause. The wofull occurrences of times haue but the same working in men, which a stone hath when it falls into the waters. Falling in it maketh a great noise, and stirrer the wates very much, one waue begets another for a good pretty space, at last the mo­tion growes weaker and weaker, and the water re­turnes to his former smoothnes: so we heare of di­verse fearefull accidents, at the first comming we are much moued, it runnes from man to man with much swiftnes, but on a suddaine when this first addresse is past, the matter dyes; we are as we were, and the iudgement leaues no impression. God grant the last yeares plague for want of serious plunging our thoughts, hath not found vs this yeare, as proane to worke wickednes with greedines as before. And thus much of the Quomodo, how God is vsually knowne. The Quando remaines, the time when God thus manifests himselfe. Hugo the Cardinall on this Psalme, mentions a threefold day, Wherein God is knowne to man, the day of tribulation, of death, and the last iudgement. He is knowne to some for their salvation, wherevpon saith the wise man of the wise man, that he sees the plague and auoides it, facile la­queos [Page 27] euadit in terris qui habet oculos semper in coe­lis; saith the Glosse. But to others for their destruction, they fall as a bird in the snare, God then is knowne of his seruants here more priuately, but hereafter to the whole world more publiquely, Luther on this Ps. also writes how the Lord is knowne two wayes. First out­wardly, by punishing the vngodly, and preseruing the righteous. Secondly inwardly through the terrify­ing of conscience. Shall I abridge all into one s [...]mme? Iudges [...]e e haue their courts, and are knowne in them: so God hath three courts to be knowne by. 1. of session. 2. of conscience. 3. of the generall assize. This of session is for penalties on our bodies, goods, good name, either in our selues or others. Though I will confesse, the end of his punishments in this kind is not only for sinne, but as in the blindmans case that the glory of God also might be manifested. Ioh: 9. If here­in man chance to escape, and this court of outward penalties take such little or no hold on him, yet in the second place there will arise perplexities of conscience. God is the iudge in this court, the conscience the wit­nes, the Devill the accuser, the law the triall, the deede the euidence, the person the prisoner. Tell me not of peaceablenes of most mens consciences. They may be quiet, yet not good; as S^t. Bernard distinguisheth. And in this quietnes she may be first caeca blind, the blind man swallowes many a fly, and the ignorant many a sinne. Concupiscence the roote of euill, S^t. Paul thought to be no sinne, while the scales of ig­norance were vpon his eyes; and I am afraid too ma­ny dare not looke into the glasse of Gods holy word, [Page 28] least the number of their sinnes, and foulnesse of their soules should affright them. Secondly she may be se­cure, sleepy, that can, and will not see, with whom s [...]n & Sathan are in league for a time; sed ista tranquil­litas tempestas erit, this calme will proue a storme, as Ierome notes. The world, flesh, and devill hath so lulled thē asleepe that they neuer dreame of heaven, nor hell, dea [...]h, nor iudgement, the noise of carnall pleasures & the voice of worldly profits doth drowne the voice of conscience in them as the drummes in the sacrifice of Mol [...]ch did the cry of infants. O ye Polypragmaticall men th [...]t haue whole Mines and Mints of businesse in your p [...]tes, that you are not at leasure once in a weeke, in a moneth, in a yeare, nay scarce in your whole life to parlye with your poore conscience, think on this and remember that if once she awake, i [...]gulum pe­tet, like a wild beast robbed of her whelps, she will fly to the throate of thy roule, she will affright thee with terrible dreames, such as Polidore Virgill mentions that Richard the third had the night before Bosworthfield wherin he was slaine. He thought all the deuills in hell haled & pulled him in most hideous and vgly shapes. Id credo non fuit somnium sed conscientia scelerum. that was no fained dreame (saith he) but a true torture of his conscience presaging a bloody day to himselfe and his followers. Thirdly she may be obdurata caute­rized, hauing no sence and feeling of sin. Grauissime tunc aegrotat qui se non sentit aegrotare, that man is desperately sick that feeles not his sicknesse. But what of all this? what if through habit & custome of sinning, all shame of face and remorse of conscience be taken [Page 29] away? what if through all this the wicked hath no bands in his death? yet know the generall assize must be kept; and the day of retribution will come after all. For as God was omnipotent in creating the world, wise in preseruing the world, mercifull in redeeming the world, so will he be most iust at the latter day in iudging the world; to the vtter confusion of all derid­ers that say most foolishly, where is the promise of his coming? instead thereof then they shall say, verily there is a God that iudgeth the earth. He will thē scan and sift out all that is in man. He will then discover if our wisdome haue not bene craft, our seuerity rigour, our iustice cruelty, our gouerment tyranny: He will make it knowne whether our authority haue not bene oppression; our zeale contention; our humblenesse basenesse; our simplenesse folly; and our fervour in reli­gion formall hypocrisie. Christ who was once brought to the barre when Caiphas, Pon. Pilate and Herod sat vpon the bench, shall in that last and great assize sit on the bench and these miscreants shall be brought to the barre, the godly now are in want and woe while the wicked in this life take their ease, but then the wick­ed shall be tormented, and the godly rest in euerlasting ioy and honour. Let vs pray therfore that we may all of vs know God by his mercies not by his iudgments, as a father not as a iudg, by his iudgments vpon others not vpon our selues. And that at the last day when he shall gather all nations into the valley of iudgment, seperating betweene the good and the bad, as the good sheepheard doth betweene the sheepe and the goats, and saying vnto the wicked, goe ye cursed into [Page 30] hell fire &c. we may then be of that blessed number whom he will place at his right hand, to whom he will say, Come yee blessed: &c. To him be glory, and praise, and majestie, now and euermore ascribed: Amen.