THere is no Story more noble, nor of note for Fame better knowne, nor for Grace more honorable, then the Story of the Iewes and State of Israel, if [Page]ye consider the vocation speciall of Abra­ham and his familie, or the redemption of his posteritie, from the yron and Aegiptian bondage, elutulentis manuum operibus, saith Saint Augustine. Though the seruice was base, Aug. in Psal. Esa. 48.17. Psal. 130.7. yet was the redeemer Noble, and the re­demption copiosa nimis, as the good King said; or if ye consider the great benefites wherewith they were inriched, beneficia priuatiua & positiua, as the schoolemen call them. First, benefites conferred, or euills remooued; in one word to say as much as may be said to ties liber, tot malis tot bonis toties auctus, Psal. 116.12. might make them cast in their mind with that holy king and Prophet Quid retribuam? What shall J render to the Lord for all his benefites? So that when God giues, he doth not as many doe, which giue to Ruffians liberally, that which they spend loosely;Deut. 4.40. but as in Deuteronomie, vt bene sit tibi, that it may goe well with thee, ten times repeated in that booke; for to that end God giues, that his gifts may be bles­sings: and, that you may see gods bounty too, he cals them omnia beneficia all, be­cause [Page]hee with-holds nothing: Nothing that is good from them that leadea godly life: and then King Dauid cals them,Psal. 84. be­neficiadej, from the person to shew their excellencie, and to the persons to shew their dignitie, that is, excellent gifts from an excellent giuer, giuen to men to make them excellent, that as the Hebrew word, [...] spoken of troubles, signifies, num­ber and quantity, many and great: so of benefits theirs were, multa & magna, and all to make the threefold cord of duty strong, whereby they might be bound to God.

But with ill natures thus it happeneth, that fulnesse is the mother of forgetful­nes, and we alth and prosperitie Nurses of wantonnesse, in Deuteronomie God there­fore complaines thus, Dilectus meus impin­guatus, dilatatus, incrassatus, recalcitrauit, Deut. 32.15. the people fed, fatled, inlarged, spurnedwith their heele, that is, were vnthankefull and vn­kind; and the Prophet Hoje. saith,Oz. 13.6. They were filled, their heart was exalted and they haue forgotten mee; They forsooke their God, and iustly he cast them off, and cast [Page]them into the hands of Philistines,Iud. 4. Ion. 1.15. Cana­nites, Moabites, Ammonites. &c. So that their sinne became to them like Jonas to the Mariners, against whom windes and waues and all conspired to cast the fugi­tiue ouer-boord; yet was hee neere and deare vnto God; whom heauenly proui­dence would not suffer to perish, but hed­ged his way with thornes, that he should not runne away to his vtter ruine. And God thus tempered this peoples posteritie with inuasion of enemies, assault of neigh­bour euils, scorne of wicked men, with troubled state, with bad gouernours, with continuall warres; and warres in­iustice and misgouernment, are like a three stringed whip for punishment, afterwards their kingdome was deuided, and at last they came to their worst state; captiuitie vnder the Chaldees for 70. yeeres together, who ouerturned the Temple, the glory of that kingdome, rooted out that Nati­on almost vtterly, rased downe their walls, burnt their Citie, and miserably and vn­mercifully slew their people, bringing in [Page]the lamentable times of famine, fire, and sword, times saith Lactant. In quibus non e­rat iucundum viuere, euery where being o­uertaken with trembling and horrour; their daies now likened by this Prophet in this Chapter to the dayes of Child-bea­ring, wherin their men like women in trauell, put their hands vpon their loynes and all their faces were turned into pale­nes, which made the Prophet cry out, Vae, quia, &c. Alas, for this day is great, none hath beene like it, it is the time of Iacobs trouble, yet shall he be deliuered from it.

In which words are two generall points contayned, viz. First the Sorrowfull di­stresse of Iacob. Secondly the Consola­tion which followed.

In the first I obserue foure things.

First, A vehement exclamation, a very Vae, Alas, more then a sadde and heauie groane; sorrow of a deepe impression, from the very hearts roote, sighing, cry­ing,

Secondly, A confirmation of it with a reason, to shew he cries not without cause, [Page] Alas, for this day is great, in which, are two words, dies, & magnus, there is breuitas and grauitas, not short and sweet, but like to anger, si breuis grauis. viz. If it bee short, it is sharpe.

Thirdly, A reason vpon reason, it is a great day, why so? for none hath beene like it, and this is an [...] very forcible, such a day as neuer was the like; a strong & a strange amplification of sorrow.

The fourth part speakes out; for in the other three, sorrow spake in her owne lan­guage, that is, scarce could speake at all, but chatter like a Crane or like a Swallow, as Hezechias did; this fourth declares all: Where the first is an exclamation, these­cond a confirmation, the third an admi­ration none like it; the fourth is an expla­nation, and telles what all this sorrow meanes, It is the time of Iacobs trouble.

The second part is sacobs consolation, and in it are three things.

First, the promise he shalbe deliuered, a word of a future time, not he hath been, not now, no nor yet; but he shall be, and [Page]this noteth three other matters.

• 1 Iacob must haue patience and tarry Gods leysure.
• 2 That he must hope then most, where reason is least;
• 3 He must not be weake-handed, nor faint-harted, least he droupe ere the pro­mise be fulfilled.

Secondly, heere is an vnion of the peo­ple with their head Iacob, and all Iacob; rex & populus, Iacob and euery Iacob, that is, euery holy man shall suffer tribulation, but he shall ouercome it, and rise like Isra­el out of the Sea.

The third is in the words Sed tamen, which implies a mighty defence of God on Iacobs side, as if he should say although they should conspire by fraud or force to put Iacob downe, and as the prouerb is pes pede densusqueviro vir, band themselues, and hand in hand with weapons in their hand, endeuour to take Iacobs life away; yet let him beare his trouble, it is but for a time, Sed tamen, that is, I the God of Iacob, in spight of them all, I will deliuer him: and this [Page]is the summe of this verse, and as I take it the fittest text that could bee chosen for the time.

This verse begins like the life of man, with a mournfull ditty, Alas, a note of sorrow, and,Aug. Puer qui nascitur a ploratu incipit begins with crying; nesciens prophetizat quid malo­rum passurus sit, and is at first a prophet of his owne aduersityes; and all experience tels vs it is true, and neuer any heard of but Zoroastes, the great Magician, who is said to haue laughed when he was borne. These words are Speculum humanae vitae the very glasse of life, representing to all men alike their common lot in their seue­rall forheades and beginnings. So that if we consider nature only, it is true that one obserued, mans life for his entrance is blindnesse, his birth a crying, his progresse labour, and his end dolour, euery where error: and now a sorrowfull Alas salutes me at the threshold, like a churlish porter to shut the doore where ioy would enter; so that me thinks, I doe not speake but groane, and rather weepe then perswade.

The Poets faine that Iupiter hath two great tunnes or vessels, of which euery man at his birth must take his draught; the one is prosperity; the other is aduersity; of the first he may but sip, of the last he shall haue store Yf you marke the ouerthwar­ting; of life and the crosses of all mens states,Iob. 23.4. Seneca said true Lacrimae potius deerunt quam causae dolendi, yea Saints and holy men when they doe plead with God as Iob cals it, cannot, nor dare not fill their mouthes with arguments, but lay their hand vpon their mouthes and so make supplication to their iudge, plus gemitibus quam ser moni­bus, with sighes, rather then sayings, saith Saint Ierome; and treat with him, affectu po­tius quam affatu, saith Saint Ambrose. First with remorce rather then discourse. The holiest King in his 88. Psalme saith,Psal. 88.15. Thren. 3. from my youth vp thy terrors haue I suffered and he said not dolores, but terrores, well, that was in youth; and it is good (saith Jeremie) for a man to beare the yoake in his youth; but should not his age be better comforted? no. But as Martyr saith, though God forgaue his [Page]sinne and gaue him fauour, yet he so li­ued, as if God had reserued him ad vitam plenam crucibus. viz. To liue and die an af­flicted man. The wisest King in his prea­ching booke against vanity, hath this graue sentence;Eccle. 7. it is better to goe to the house of mourning then of feasting: wise men are mourners for the most part, and it is better to goe from teares to ioy 'then from your ioy to weeping; labour and sorrowe are the twinnes of sinne, borne at a birth, and our life is an Hermaphrodite consisting of both sexes, pertaking of both. For to Adam God said, in sudore uultus tui; and addes, manduca­bis in labore; Gen. 3.19. & 3.16. there is sweat and toyle and la­bour for the man: and to the woman he said, paries in labore, and there is sorrowe for the woman; sorrow is her portion; one of these for them both, if not both these for either one. But if you come to Prophets and there happen to find Daniell to be vir desideriorum, as the old translator reades, you shall find that Ieremie is vir dolorum, Dan. 10.11. Ior. 10.19. a man of sorrowe, and crying out vae mihi propter rupturam; Alas and woe is me for [Page]my breach, plag mea dolorifica, my plague is sorrowfull; the old translator saith, it is plaga pessima, a superlatiue plague; but yet Ieremie is couragious, and struggles not impatiently, but resoluedly layer hit to his shoulder saying, this is dolor meus, my sor­rowe and I will beare it. And without doubt this Alas is great, for the day is great, and none hath bene like it, and a day and a sorrowe that made a sorrowfull day, and a day of such a sorrowe as made him say non fuit similis illi, and, non estdolor sicut dolor meus; that first is in my text,Thren. 1.12. and this other fitly placed in the Lamentations, spo­ken also properly of Ierusalems misery, and by the auncient fathers referred vnto Christ. Let this Alas stand for a great sor­rowe; yet whether sorrowe will or no, sor­rowe hath this comfort in it, nemo potest valde dolere at que diu, no man can sorrowe much and sorrowe long; for nature (saith the Philosopher) we say (God) hath made euery sorrowe, si non breuem, at certe tolera­bilem, that is, either a man shall quickly weare it out, or beare it out.

Let therefore no man wonder, for hea­uie things are mixed with ioyfull, in medi­cinam saith Saint Augustine for phisicke to the soule; and Saint Gregory saith that ex­leni [...]ate & seueritate God doth temper salu­tare poculum the health-bringing cup. For as before is said, the wisest men are mour­ners, so euery good man is vir lachrimabilis [...], good men are wee­ping men and compose mentem ad lamen­tum, they order their minds to mourning vpon the worlds ruthfull accidents. And it is true that Seneca said, ni ratio finem fecerit fortuna non faciet. Well, if sound eyes can­not looke on sore eyes, but will shedde teares, and be like affected; what heart can ioy in such a day, such a time, in such a word of sorrow? Barbarians haue iudged it shamefull and a fault not then to sor­row, when if not all, yet best men sorrow, Alas, to sing songs to a heauie heart, is Ne­ro-like, that plaide on his harpe while the Citie was burning: the Greeke Orator said well [...] wha is out of season is out of reason: if an Ah, of a [Page]sigh or a groane, bends and rends the hart with such a tangit & angit, what thinke you of this Oh? this Alas, this Vae, the note for the most part (saith Chrisostom) of damnation eternall; it is at least a vehe­ment sorrow that turnes lumina in flumina, in fontem frontem, eyes into teares, and face into a fountaine:Ier. 9.1. yea that turnes all faces in auruginem palenesse,Ier. 30.6. as in the verse be­fore, Yea into blacknes blacker then blacknes, Lamentations, 4.8. and Pagnine and Vata­blus so translate it. Sad and mournefull lookes declare a heauie heart, such is the face of my text, where in the forehead this Alas is fixed as the signe of sorrow.

So would the Creator that his creature should make his progresse like the noble Patriarchs; I am no better then my fathers,1. Reg. 19.4. saith good, yet sorrowfull Eliah: Oh that we were so good! but looke vpon their sorrowes,Gen. 4. and you shall see Adams heart melting for the parricides curse, and mour­ning for Abel, whose name signifies mour­ning; me thinkes I see Noah grieuing to pronounce a curse vpon his owne sonne [Page]and to see Chams Chanaan accursed from the father to the sonne in their posterities.Gen. 9.25. Looke vpon Abraham and Isaac Gods friends, wandring vp and downe like pil­grimes, and setled no where saue in God onely: and Iacob that is, fons omnium disci­plinarum, as Saint Ambrose calles him, what sorrowes did he suffer, which made him confesse his daies few and euill? Looke vp­pon the Israelites pursued with Pharaohs host,Genes. 47.9. Exod. 14.28 to passe the sea of blood, by the desart and fierie Serpents to winne the promised land. Goe a little further, and see the Pro­phets, and Christ and his Apostles, and see how Saint Ierome speaks of them together, An putatis fratres, quod Prophetae iocando prae­dicent, ridendo loquantur apostoli, aut Christus infantiliter comminetur; sed ioci non sunt vbi tormenta intercedunt: Esaias serra secatur, Da­niel leonibus deuorandus exponitur; Petrus in cruce, Dei exemplo suspenditur. Si iocando sunt passi, credo & iocando suut loquuti. But wee may feare the worlds faith, to be rather a sporting faith then theirs was: they went the way to the Kingdome, as beautifull [Page] Naomi did by Marah, that is bitternesse. The beginning of the Prince of saluation was with a Vae, Alas, heauie and sad en­trance; borne poore, and yet persecuted; driuen to flie, and into Aegypt; yet saith Chrysostome, persecutor primogeniti fit custos vnigeniti, let his life goe, for it went for vs: what did he? Tertullian telles vs the order, that Christus fauos post fella gustauit, after the gall of the Crosse, hee was to tast honny combes of glory, and was not saluted of the heauenly company, ante quam rex Iudeo­rum proscriptus in cruce; and there beginnes his Trophee.Zach. 13. Psal. 24.7.9. What meanes these wounds in thy hands, saith the Prophet? And the answere is, sic percussus sum ab amicis: and Dauid like an Herald went before, proclay­ming, Lift vp your heads ye gates, and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doores, and let the King of Glorie come in. The Cherubims & Seraphims, the heauenly hoast, & how­soeuer else called, to see and heare such a call were amazed, and aske, Quis est iste rex gloriae? Who is this king of glorie? at last they knew him, it is the Lord of Hoasts, [Page]&c. He that first passed from Edom with his garments so red as in blood; that went by Acheldama,Esay 63.1. Mat. 26. and by the crosse: so saith Saint Bernard, Et tu perge; non est n [...]iter ad cellaria regis nisi per torcular crucis: therfore if you wil Christum se qui & consequi, follow Christ and come to Christ, shrug not, nor shrinke not, nor shift not the Crosse, nor thinke to make it last: this Alas wil stand no where so well as in the beginning, as­sure your selues this Alas will salute you first: and that for three reasons,

First, to weane vs from the world, as Nurses doe their children, annointing their breasts with some bitter thing: so dooth almightie God, to make vs loath and for­beare the worlds sweetnesse, seasons thy life with sorrowes more bitter then gall, and yet all must be borne, so the end may be sweete: is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease? peace is most wel­come after wa [...]re, and hauen after stormy seas: aftera sad life glad death, and after combat conquest, aut citò mors venit aut vic­toria laeta, said the Poet.

Secondly, that euery mans mind might by dayly exercises in bearing aduersities be made more manly. Saint Ambrose saith Animus stabiliendus est constantia, vt nullis frangatur molestiis, &c. a good man will not bee daunted with any stormes, al­though like Samson he encounter Giants, or like Dauid wrestles and fights with Li­ons and Beares, because he knowes how God first makes fit, and after brings him to the fight.

Thirdly that we might consider Gods iudgements and their causes, what they are, and on whom they fasten, learning thereby to waite for the Lord in vijs iudici­orum, as Esay saith, who will then turne your Vae into an Aue, Es. 26.8. your meate of sor­rowes, as Job calls it,Iob 6.7. into the feast of com­forts, your lamentings into reioicings,Apoc. 21.4. wa­shing the face of sorrowes, and wyping a­way all teares from your eyes? Therefore the Prophet here to inferre the greatnesse of the griefe, in the very entrance placed the name and note of sorrowe, shewing hearty and in-bred sorrow; not in labris, [Page]but in fibris: a Vae, that is, Alas, not sound­ed but with a deepe and a heauie grone, a strong and sharpe exclamation, confirmed with a reason; that you should not thinke he did as wantons doe, crie and haue no cause, but hee cries out, and brings good reason for it: Alas, For this day is great, &c.

There haue many great daies beene in former times,Gen. 1. and amongst them all that dies vnus, which was dies primus, the first day, when God called the light day, and that was dies dierum; the day before which there was no day, which verily was dies magnus. Yet that same addition giuen to the seuenth day, that it should be sanctified dies sanctus, Gen. 2.4. a holy day, the rest of good and holy soules, the blessed and sanctified day; that day is dies magnus. And of these Moses speakes with admiration, in die, qua Deus creauit caelum! and againe, in die, qua creauit Deus hominem! in that day too wherein God created man.Gen. 5.1. What would Moyses haue said of the day of the worlds redemp­tion, if he had liued to it? certainely a grea­ter, and a farre better day, nam plus mihi con­tulit [Page]Deus redimendo, quam creando, saith Saint Ambrose; quia creando me mihi dedit; redimen­do, seipsum pro me, & me mihi reddidit: si totum de beo pro me facto, quid iam reddam pro me re­fecto? Both the daies were glorious daies, the creation and redemption: but yet here the Prophet Ieremy speakes of another day, that is, of the distresse and affliction of this people in the name of Iacob, and so it was dies magnus. Two words implying two things:

First, Breuity, for that it is but a day, vsed to expresse small continuance.

Secondly, Grauity, and weight of sor­row in that word magnus, which implyeth sharpenes and the extent of affliction.

Short it is, but for a day, and dies vnus: so when Moses summes vp Methushelah his life, he then numbers (as in Iob, vita vnius diei) his life by a day, and sets one day for his life; but when he gathers particulars to make the totall, then he saith, All the daies of Methushelah, &c.Gen. 5. And Iacob to Pharoah makes mention in one verse once of yeares, and thrice of da [...]es: if this life be [Page]short by yeares,Gen. 47. it is shorter by daies; though Abraham, as the Text saith, liued full of daies, yet he and others gaue place to nature,Mat. 6.34. and were not more full dierum then dolorum. The truth hath spoken it, sufficit diei malitia: i. the sorrow or vexation of it: Moses couples labour and dolour to­gether,Psal. 90.10. & such a day was Iacobs day. Why, had not Esau a day too? Yes, the day of my fathers mourning will be shortly: what then?Genes. 27.41 Why, then haue at my brother Ia­cob. I will kill, saith one Text, I will slay my brother Iacob; kill and slay are termes for Esau. Rebecca heares of it, and cryes, shall I loose both in one day? that is, the younger oppressed, and the el­der accursed; and Ieremie bringes in Rachell crying for her Children:Ier. 13.15. Re­becca cryed because shee feared, Rachell wept because they were not. And the Church our mother Rachel-like sigheth and lamenteth in her Children non carnis necessitudinm, sed fidei destructionem. Many amongst vs are luke warme, and hasten to death as men stung with Aspes, not fee­ling [Page]their dying and are [...] with­out any remorse; and others are striuing in their mothers wombe vnkindly like Benoni, Children of sorrow, that bring her death for breeding them. If yee will yet so vnnaturally striue, doe that which chil­dren doe, who when they haue bitte and scratcht a while, turne clamores in amores, and are friends againe. The great measu­rer of times, made Iacobs afliction but a day; and will you nourish lites immortales immortall hatred? Lactantius saith, morta­lium vtique mortalia sunt opera; if you must die, let your contention first bee killed. See the longest and shortest daies of the yeare, the winter and summer, and you shall find the stormy winter dayes the shortest, because they are the sharpest.Apoc. 2.10. Es. 54.7. All the Churches sorrowes are reckoned but ten daies, and in Esay for a moment in mine anger I haue smitten thee; Anger saith God, is not in me, if any appeare, you see it is but momentanie.

Dayes of sorrow haue many names in Scripture;Eze. 1.18. Ezechiel calls them dies pluuiae [Page]raynie daies.Iob 14.6. Iob calles them the daies of an hierling:Matth. 24. Christ calles them dies tribula­tionum; and Salomon calles them daies of extremitie,Prou. 24. or daies of anguish: and in the booke of the Preacher,Eccles. 12.1.7.16. dies malos, euil daies and daies of vanity: and the prophets they speake roughly; Esay calles them dies inter­fectionum, Es. 30.25. Esay 34.8. daies of slaughter, dayes of re­uenge and vengeance, daies wherein God exerciseth his iudgements: and Amos cal­leth them daies of a Tempest or Whirle­wind: and Obadiah calles them daies of desolation,Obad. 1. daies of ruine and destruction; and all meete together to make them daies of lamentation: and yet but a day, that is, a short time, and passing quickly, and for the affliction of the daies, in the end of the world they shall be shortned, ob nimiam af­flictionem, saith our Sauiour. And the last iudgement is called a day, either for the cleerenes, in that all euils now hidden shall then be manifested: or because the Lord, as Saint Paul saith,Rom. 9.28. will make a short sum and abbreuiate quickly: and here this Prophet gathers vp into a summe, all Ia­cobs [Page]trouble into a day, one day, but it is di­es magnus, A great day.

Great! why so?Jer. 30. for we haue heard a horrible noise, the voice of trembling, and not of peace, of mourning and lamenting, Alas, for this day is great. In comparison, Great, in this verse dies iste, but in the eight verse n die illo conteram iugum & vincula, all will fit for vs anon: for this distresse of Ia­cob was great, when a Traytor offered to binde Iacob; but Israel heere did beare the yoake, and now was to be bound in yron bands; so Zedekiah was chained,2. Reg. 25 7. and this great shame and misery the prophet afore­hand describes, that men mourned, yea cri­ed out like women in trauell, who keepe in their cryes as long as they can; at last do what they can, they will breake forth: and as in Cities set on fire by the enemie, some men runne vp and downe, others are amazed and stand still, some looke pale, others whisper, some shrike and crie out; so stood this people then afflicted, and afflicted in the day of Iacobs trouble; euery where Alas; and the sorrowe was [Page]great, for this was a Great day: and now followeth the admiration; it was Great, for there was none like it.

No? there was none like it! certainely there was,Exod. 2. if Ieremie speake of captiuity: for what was harder then that of the Ae­gyptian bondage, infants taken from their mothers breasts, and drowned in Riuers? all degrees of either sex, oppressed with seruile workes and scourgings, things hard and heauie to be borne: yet in Aegypt they were bred, and grew miserable by degrees; But for Maiestie and State, suddenly to fal into distresse, shewes this (the higher vp the sooner downe) and honors and plea­sures to be very baits of euill; but vnder a proud enemie to beare reproach! and to seeme reserued for an euill day; thus dies magnus is become dies malus, in which saith God to Babel, Amos 6.3. these two things shall happen to thee;Esay 47.9. losse of thy children, and widowhood, and both these will make a great lamenting, as when Iosiah was slain, then it was called Hadadimmon, Zach. 11.12. in the val­ley of Megiddon: then grewe vpon Israell [Page]the euill day, when their good Iosias was slain, who taking part with a wicked king, lost his life and honour too; then was Is­raels glory shaken in that day, which Ie­remy bewailes in his Lamentations, there was no sorrow like that sorrow, nor any day like this, non fuit similis ei.

Yea, but the prophet doth not say, Non erit, there shall not be any day like this, but there hath not beene; for there shall bee a day, in which they shall-crie and houle; For as of the first day, it was said, there hath beene none like it; such is the last day, none shall be like it,Ames 8.9. as Amos the prophet saith, when the sunne shall goe downe at noone, and it did so in our Saui­ours passion; and that day of sorrow, of which the Fathers said, Non erat dolor sicut; is turned into a day of Redemption, of which it is truely said, non erat similis illi; for of this day Dionysius the Areopagite said, Aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissoluitur: But yet the last day,Thren. 1.12. that day which is dies Domini, the day of our Lords comming, the day of iudgement, that is [Page]without all comparison, for Daniel saith, non fuit similis ei, Dan. 12.1. Zoph. 1.14.15. nec erit: and Zophanias the prophet setts it downe for a strange day, no Ephemerides can haue the like: Yea our blessed Saniour in the Gospell,Matth. 24 21. sets this stampe vpon it, Qulis non fuit, ne (que) fiet, First referred to the Iewes euersion and disper­sion, and then to that wosull subuersion of wicked men in the day of Christs com­ming; which day he forewarnes to come like a thiefe: first speedily and suddenly, and afterwards, as Saint Paul saith, terri­blie with flaming fire,2. Thes. 1.7. rendering venge­ance. This day is such a day, that it may truely be said, non fuit similis ei, nec erit, ne­uer was seene such a day, nor besides that euer shall be.

And now before I come to the Expla­nation, what Ieremies day is, marke what vse ariseth out of these three; the exclama­tion, Alas; the Confirmation, for this day is great: and the speech of wonder, none hath beene like it.

First in the text is placed Alas, a Vae, the marke of sorrow in the beginning, but yet [Page]the end is sweet, for there is a liber abitur, or else the soule would faint, and to the soule it shewes, that God hath placed in vestibu­lo poenitentiā, as Tertullian saies, yea bitter re­pentance, as Anselme calls it, sit a mara poeni­tentia indiniduus con es etatis meae, and hee that performes it shall find it, though yet bitter repentance follow sinne, after re­pentance comes saluation, sorrow first, and ioy will follow.

Secondly, many euils and many aduer­sities must be borne, therefore wee must haue patience, this repelles the darts of paine, and is a perpetuall document in matters of perplexitie, and only patience triumpheth ouer misery.

Thirdly, God sendeth sorrowes for a checke, for in an easie life it is easie to doe amisse; therefore sorrowes are like strong Porters to shut the gates, where sinnes would enter. Sorrow is a medicine and the smart of sinne, and byting, cures whom it corrects, it preuents new dangers with derestation of the old disease. Auoid therefore thy liues bitter sweets, for all thy [Page]worldly pleasures are but fortunes flatte­ries, and easie premises to bring thy soule to hard conclusions.

Fourthly, where Christ and all his Saints haue had their Alas and day of sor­row, and made their waie to highest ho­nours through thorny passages; why then, nudus nudum sequere, nay rather armed with his life and death follow hard after the price, willing to change this earth for hea­uen, this life is the very frosty hardnes of al thy happinesse and felicitie, and death will one day thaw and dissolue and melt thy vanitie.

Fiftly, these sorrowes are but short, as Saint Paul saith momentany, and leues & breues saith Athanasius & ideo leues quia bre­ues; short it is indeede that is ended in a day; and it is much comfort, when heaui­nesse is but for a night and ioy commeth in the morning.

Sixtly, although misery hath her in­crease, and the end of one aduersitie be the beginning of another, yet none can bee greater then a state and kingdome, then [Page]maiestie it selfe to be cast into misery, as Ja­cob was in his day: which may shew Po­tentates thus much, that Kings and king­domes and famous Cities haue their dy­ing dayes; and the more happie in libertie is the more wretched in danger; mariner's call fortune a tempest, and a great fortune is a great tempest, and there we haue neede of strength and councell too; if therefore thou hast wasted the day in foule wea­ther, prouide that at night thou maist be in the hauen.

Seuenthly, the day is great, and none like it, for though there shall be none like that day of iudgement, yet some will date to desire not diem magnum, but diem malum, as in Amos, and the very daie of Christ with such a face, as if they would out-face the Iudge: Thus doth sinne put on a har­lots fore-head, and in her euils is become impudent, that if there were not a daie wherein Iacob should be honoured, and e­uery proude Tyrant ouerturned; if death were not moderator to pull them hence, obtorto collo, as the proucrbe is, there are [Page]some that would liue alone, [...], sine rege, sine lege, yea, and sine grege too, that is, without all humane societie. Well, these may haue their day, diem suum; viz. a day of their owne making, but when the daie shall come, that sheepe and Goates shall be diuided, that day shall reforme all and turn good mens fasting into feasting, and right all wrongs; but for the while t'is heauie to beare, it is a daie, a daie and none like it; tell plainelie then, what daie is it?

It is the time of Iacobs trouble:

Time of Iacobs trouble! what's this? Indeede this is the day, this fift of August, wherein our Iacob was troubled, and I did but hold you in suspense a while, it was our owne cause, and came very neere vs, while I spake of Israell and that state, ac­cording to the verse, iam tua res agitur, &c.

But now I will draw away the veyle, and speake plainely: Great was the Alas, the signes, and cause of sorrow, a heauie day, and none like it: A king that is alti san­guinis decus, as Saint Ierome said of Marcella, [Page]a King that holds it nobility, clarum esse virtutibus, as the same father saith, qui benig nitate potius quam seueritate exigit reuerenti­am, a king, the glory of these times, the most noble of all his progenitors; Henricus ro­sas, regna Iacobus: such a king to wrestle for life in the gripes of a Traytor; this time was the time of Iacobs trouble, and in so great a matter, that we may running reade, as Abacuc said, or hearing discerne, as Esay speakes: and to proceede orderly; in these words I find three things principally to treate of, and they are:

First the person distressed.

Secondly, the name of it, Tribulation.

Thirdly, the continuance, it lasteth but for a time.

The person, whose distresse Ieremy de­scribes; and the text saith, it was Iacobs: but how can this be Iacobs trouble? Iacobs head now did not ake, for true it is, Iacob was dead before this time about one thou­sand fiue hundred yeare; how may it then be Iacobs trouble? The Scripture shewes that Iacob is populus dei, and Saint Ierome [Page]saith, duodecim tribus intellige; by these vn­derstand the posterity too, for all is but Ia­cob, because all this people descended from him.

First therefore it is set for the honour of his name, memoria iusti in aeternum, Psal. 112. for Iacob was a sincere hearted man, plaine, and of true dealing, a man very deere to God, as appeared by his story; and God brings their fathers name to remembrance for his great honour.

Secondly, Iacobs life was an afflicted life, and therfore fitter to haue this word tribu­lation ioyned to it; and this prophet is, saith Ierome, in verbis simplex & facilis, in maiestate sensuum prosundissimus, and fits his wordes to the person, Iacobs trouble.

Thirdly, Jacob had a speciall trouble, which neuer any had in such a kind; and there must be something in him to answer to his name, Iacob a wrestler, a supplanter, like one that in wrestling trippes vp ano­thers heeles, a striuer and a great preuailer, a man that wrestled with God, and held an Angell so fast, that he would not let [Page]him goe without a blessing; and in his mothers wombe hee was forced to wre­stle for his life with rough Esau: and in v­tero there he was too weake, his brother preuailed, and got before him, and was borne first, but yet Iacob held him by the heele, and thereupon had his name, for Iacob is calcaneum as Pagnine notes; but ab vtero, then Iacob was the stronger, and the elder serued the younger, non obediendo sed persequendo, saith Saint Aug. hee serued him many a cruell touch, as the prouerbe is.

And yet did Iacob wrestle; with excel­lent wrastlings haue I wrastled with my sister, saith Rachell, when shee obtained a sonne, and called him Nephthali, and, saith she, I haue preuailed. And so might Iacob say, with excellent wrastlings haue I wra­stled, with my brother Esau, and I haue preuailed: indeed excellent wrastlings and for excellent things, for a birth-right, and a blessing too, and hee may say, I haue pre­uailed, for he gat them both, and supplan­ted his brother Esau. And may not our renowned Iacobus, our soueraigne King, [Page]our Patriarch, from whose face shines no­thing but grace and mercy; may not he say with excellent wrestlings, and vehement wrestlings haue I wrestled, with a Traytor hand to hand, foote to foote, with gripe for gripe, and I haue preuailed? Alas, for this day is great, none like it, for it was the time of our Iacobs trouble. And now I come to that which in order is next, the time requires it, and I know you expect it: the trouble wherein our soueraigne was in that vnna­turall Conspiracy of Gowries against his Maiesties life and honour, against the suc­cesfull happinesse of these kingdomes, v­nited in his Maiesties most royall person, against the now enioyed ioyes of euerie true-hearted subiect, a treason odious to God and men, infamous to the persons, and the deliuerance therefrom, the greatest glory to God that any poore sinners may ascribe. In which matter these things can­not be omitted, but necessarily be obser­ued.

First, the Authors and Actors of it.

Secondly, the action it selfe, namely to kill the king.

Thirdly, the manner of doing it.

Fourthly, the contention or wrestling, with the time it endured.

Lastly, miraculum salutis, the wonder of deliuerance. All which shew it was a sad and heauie time. Alas this is a great day, none was like it, it was the very time of Ia­cobs trouble: and so can Iacob tell best, how he was affected when hee was worst af­flicted.

And now first of the Authours and ac­tors of this saddest (thankes be to God for it) not Tragedy, that ends with killing of kings: but through Gods mercie a tragi­comedia, for though the beginning be sad, yet it had a ioyfull end.

I would spare the name for the hay­nousnesse of the fault,Psalm. 16.4. with king Dauids ne memorentur nomina eorum inter labia mea and had rather hide then blaze a shame­full Fact. And yet in the names, this comfort the innocent of that name may haue, that as of others vertues a man may conceiue much ioy, but winne no glorie to himselfe; so of anothers fault [Page]they may conceiue a griefe, but take no shame; for where the fault is, there the pu­nishment and shame must light.

But truth enforceth to expresse the name of Gowries, and I should prooue a false and faithles seruant, to tender more the Offen­ders names, then they would tender my Masters life. Gowry, and an Earle, Comes principis, marke how iustly King Dauids and king Iames his cause agreeth; he saith, If it had beene thou mine enemie, that hadst done me this dishonour, I could wel haue borne it; and this saying is referred vnto Iudas that betraied Christ, from whom all Traytors are called Iudasses: from an enemie? I could then haue borne it: But it was thou my Comes, my companion and a familiar friend,Psalm. 55.12. which did eate at my Table; yea to whom our King had giuen againe his forfeited estate, and made him and them a Table: that is, enriched, nou­rished, benefited, honoured them; and a companion, a friend, a Comes to doe thus? It is much, yet it is no new thing. There­fore our Sauiour would rather be betray­ed [Page]of a Disciple, then any other, as S. Am­brose saith, voluit deseri, voluit prodi, voluit ab apostolo tradi, vt tu a socio tuo proditus mode ra­te feras tuum errasse iudicium, tuum periisse be­neficium: Indeede gifts may bee giuen for necessitie, but loue is to be bestowed with iudgement. No great hurt is it, yet griefe it is, to conferre vpon vnthankful persons; but benefits turned into weapons, to re­bell against the giuer is griefe and danger too, as Ignatius Epistola ad Romanos said he was bound by beasts, qui ex beneficiis peiores fiunt, that is, the better you vse them, the worse they are. But let his greatnesse goe, and see his confidence: For this Earle ha­uing beene addicted to charmes and Ne­cromancie, and being slaine, had in his pocket a patchment of magicall characters found, which he euer carried with him, as his preseruatiue from danger: belike thin­king himselfe safer vnder the diuels witch­craft, then to be guarded with the grace of God. And this was apparant for one ef­fect of his charmes, that though he were thrust through at the verie heart, yet he ne­uer [Page]bled, but when the Characters were ta­ken away, his blood gusht out abundant­ly; a wretched man, a miserable confi­dence. Yea but to make his Table the snare, and his owne house the slaughter-place, is barbarous and ignoble; and for any man to turne hospitality into hostili­tie, is monstrous; so Lycaon would haue killed Iupiter, and for false turning, was turned into a Wolfe: for by the lawes of humanity all hate should there haue ceas­ed; yea that house should rather haue bin a harbor against violence, and a sanctuary especially for a sacred person, then to make it the prison of so free a king, and the shambles for Soueraignty: How true is that saying?Jerom. de vita Nalchi. ouis, quae de ouilibus egreditur, lu­pi statim morsib. patet, the innocent minde that thinkes no harme, is soonest brought to danger. See if it would not trouble Iacob to be thus dealt with by a Companion, a Comes principis, by a person honoured with his Maiesties presence, and that any nature should against the lawes of nature there intend his hurt, whom he ought to helpe, [Page] Alas, it was a great day to fall into such hands, none was like it, it was the time of IACOBS trouble.

But the desperate Actor was the Earles brother, frater quasi fere alter, almost ano­ther, saith Isidorus; nay this Alexander was a brother, that is as badde and somewhat worse; yea they were brothers indeede,Genes 49. but fratres in malo, as the Patriarch Iacob said of Simeon and Leuie, cursed be their wrath, for it was fierce, and their rage, for it was cruell: goe on good Patriarch still, and say, into their secret let not my soule come, nor Iacobs life into their closets. Hi­larion the Eremite said of the Diuell,Ierom. in vita eius. in ca­melo atque in vulpecula vnus & idem es diabo­lus. Whether in an Earle, or whether in a Brother, thou art but one Traytor, yet see how this Foxe carries his taile, I meane the end of his Treason.

First, hee speakes so faire with lowly wordes, and lookes, with cour­tesie neuer lower ducking; I should say, with duetie downe to the ground: A verie Marke of TREASON; so saith [Page]the Italian prouerbe, He that vseth mee better then he was wont, will me betray: but let the Hebrew prophet speake in his discouerie of a Traytor: He lieth in waite secretly,Psal. 10.7.8. as a Lion in his Denne; this set teth out the elder Brother, for he kept home, and would not be seene in it; he fal­leth downe and humbleth himselfe, to make the simple fall by his might; and this was the Alexander of this treason, by guiles and wiles to entrappe a harmelesse brest, and draw it into danger.

Secondly, in him I obserue the proude and scornful heart of a Traytor, that when he had closed and locked in his Soueraign in a straight roome, so vnmindfull was he of Maiestie, he changed his former faire wordes into foule deeds, clapt on his hatte, swearing and staring in the face of his king; menacing and threatning him, now with hands, and words and bands, whom not long since he solicited with all duety and mediation, to haue beene one of his Maiesties Chamber. It may be a warning to Princes, whom they entertaine, and [Page]how they admit of any vnhallowed hands to come neere where Maiestie dwels. Thus was our most noble Patriarch shut vp, and brought into trouble for the time; the Text saies, it was the time of Iacobs trouble.

And well might this be called so, for the action was to kill the king; this was the end, like the diuels quaerens quem deuoret, for destroying is his end. A subiect to kill his king! Si omnia membra corporis in linguas verterentur, to vse Saint Ieromes words,1. Ioh. 3 15. how should I speake out this euill? Saint Iohn saith, he that hateth his brother, is a Man-slayer, and no Man-slayer hath part in the kingdome of God: where then shall hee be thrown, but like a dogge vpon a dung­hill, that killes his king; without shall be dogs as in the Reuelation, & inchanters,Apoc. 22.15. & murtherers, & who so loueth or speaketh lies; & this was compassed all by lying. In Matth. our Sauior saith,Matth. 5. He that calleth his brother (foole) in wrath saith Chrysost. shal be in danger of hell fire. To kill a man wil­fully & desperatly, is homicide,2. Reg. 9.31. to kil a bro­ther parricide: had Zimri peace which slew [Page]Master? shall he haue peace that murthers the Lords annointed? Our law doth well to make it treason for a seruant to kill his Master, a wife the husband, a Clerke his Prelate or Superiour, or any other such as haueciuil rule and soueraignty ouer them; and shall this king-killing trade set vp, and now warranted by that Romish blood­sucker, become no sinne but merite? I re­remember a wittie tale of a foole, walking farre from home (as many fooles doe) a shrewd fellow of the house met him, and would haue set him home, and scar'd him much, and iestingly threatned to kill him: the foole in earnest told his Master; O Master, such a one wil kill me: kill thee saith his Master! if he kill thee I'le hange him next day after. Nay rather (saith the foole) hang him a day before, and then I shall be safe. I wish, I heartily pray, that al such as beare that mind, to drinke inno­cent blood, sacred blood, the blood of Princes, and of States (if they conuert not) that they might all be hang'd a day before they spill it. And that yet at last his Maiesty [Page]so well experienced of the malice of that blood-thirsty generation, would as hee hath well begunne, either vtterly banish these Romish Priests and Iesuites; and if they will not away, but still abuse his mercy, as they be taken to hang thē vp. We may preach here and else where, till our hearts ake; but if they may masse it, and reconcile in secret as they doe, late repen­tance I feare, will ouertake the kingdome, and the States great suffrance may perhaps at last, against their willes, prooue good subiects annoyance: Therefore you Ma­gistrates, I exhort you in the Lord, as you tender the life of the king, the peace of the state, and the common good, fetch these snakes out of their holes.

But me thinkes I heare some say, wee apprehend, we commit them, we do what we can, and what comes of it? ther's no­thing done; it is a sore speech this, yet ful­fill you the law, goe on in the right way; if they scape still, yet take those Foxes stil, for feare of an euill day: for this I knowe by much experience, if there be any for­tune [Page]in the world, it is the fortune of the worst men euer to scape punishment; but this kind of Romish spider first weaues his web in corners, but after will hang vp (if first they hang not him) his worke in Kings houses, if they take not heed. Miseri sunt principes, si intelligant sua mala (said learned Erasmus) miseriores verò si non intelligant. To warne them of dangers is our office, if we forbeare it, who shall doe it? and in these distastfull times, when at many mens hands the truth may hardly bee indured, and wretches presume though not to strike and kill, yet with their tongues to throw stones at Maiestie. Lycophron called Iuno [...] that is invulnerable,Ambros. de. Valentiniano. not that maiesty cannot, but that it ought not to be woun­ded. To take away an Emperours life is Soleme mundo tollere to put out the Sunne; and to kill our King is Lucernam Britanniae extinguere, to quench the life and light of Britanny.

Consider next the manner of this Acti­on. First by deuise, by fraud and lyes to draw his credulous soule to daunger [Page] credulas animas maliioqua lingua dissociat a false and lying tongue,Ierom. ad Celantian. disseuers and be­guiles the Credulous. Well; hee leades the King and misleads him, lockes euery dore and Aenigmatically sayes, I warrant you hee is safe and fast enough: well; nay it is very ill, for he shuttes vp an armed man there, then with oathes and bloudy threats telles him he must now die, chargeth his innocent maiestie, with the death of his father, who was iudged by their Law long before, and that in his maiesties mi­nority. Yet is there no remedy, for al that, it is he must die; then pulles he out that o­thers dagger, and sets it to his sacred brest, beginnes to triumph ouer his Lord, offers to bind his King in bands; Alas, this day was great, none was like it, this was the time of Iacobs Trouble.

Now if euer Iacob was a wrastler, hee must now wrastle for his life, and so hee did, and by force helde him, who by fraud deceiued him, and in that strife was heard to call, and (like that most no­ble Patriarch that helde Esau by [Page]the heele) he supplanted this rough-han­ded and tough-hearted Traytor.

The Hebrew word [...] signifieth an­guish: that is, when the soule is in a strait, it is here expressed tribulation: and this tribulus or tribulum, the first is a thorne, the other a flaile, that breakes out the corne, both painefull to endure; of the first the prophet Dauid saith, conuersus sum in aerum­na, dum configitur spina, where a thorne is fa­stened in the flesh, it is an inward and a rankling sorrow: so may our king haue said, conuersus sum, and vnlesse it had beene Deus in adiutorium, he might haue said E­uersus sum. S. Bernard saith Spina malus ma­gistratus, malus Minister, Apostata discipulus, falsus frater, spina vicinus malus, such badde neighbours had hee, but blessed bee the God of Iacob, that suffered not this thorne, vt infigatur, that it should pierce him; let the fire of the Lord fal among such thorns and consume them all.

Tribulum is a flaile; and here was Iacob like good corne on the floore, in area contu­sus & ab omni humana confidentia ventilatus, [Page]threshed in the floore, and winnowed from all worldly hopes or confidence; gra­num tritici in area; nay rather agnus in crucis ara: a Lambe for sacrifice, sauing in the hands of a Butcher, not a Sacrificer. O Ia­cobs God, and Israels guide; the fierie pillar and the daies cloud, if God had not helped now (may Israell now say) if God had not beene [...] the Master of the Com­bat, and a mightie defence in that great and euill day, Iacob might say, I should haue perished in my trouble; a great trou­ble for the time, and it was but a time, as my text inferreth.

The time. Salomon saith to euery worke vnder heauen there is an appointed time, but amongst all those workes he reckons not this time; there should be no time to assault Maiestie, neuer such a time: Well, then was a time of this trouble, and it had his time, and here it is called a Day; yet it was a day almost to night here, ere it could bee quieted: But marke this one thing how God restraines wicked men in their worst euils, constraines fury to yeeld; [Page]and keepes the Diuell in chaines, whose malice and mischiefe may endure but for a little time; yet the shorter the time is, the sharper is his furie, as Saint Gregory no­teth, Quanto minus de tempore angustatur, tan­to magis ad crudelitatem extenditur, and cer­tainely as the diuell hath a name, Extermi­nans, that is a destroyer: so are they to bee called that partake of the Diuels nature: the Sybill said of Christ, that when hee should come [...], he shall dissolue the wicked Oracles, and breake the violent bands: and this verie worke of Christ appeared herein, to dant the heart, and daube vp the mouth of cur­sed oaths, & parted those hands of bands, rescued his Maiesties life from that sad and heauie houre, which we had found if hee had felt it; so that now it is certainely a great day; great then in the greatnesse of the euils (the time of Iacobs trouble) and now greater in the ioy of his Maiesties most happy deliuerance; great trouble, Sed tamen liberabitur, but yet he shal be deliuered from it. And so I come to that which I cal­led Miraculum salutis.

In which I obserue these three things:

First, the Authour of this deliuerance; God onely, and how he shewed himselfe in it:

Secondly, Iacobs vertue, consisting in these two:

• 1. The innocency of his heart, which euer carries comfort and defence.
• 2. Greatnesse of minde, valour and magnanimity.

Thirdly, the instruments of Gods mer­cie, by whom though God doe many things miraculously, yet such is his good­nesse, and so euident for our sakes, that he saues by meanes, and not by miracles.

First, God was the Authour of this de­liuerance; and in it the head of all mercie is, Ero tecum; and the promise, cum ipso sum in tribulatione, I am with him in trouble: this being of God with faithfull men, is the life of al their deliuerance, their summ of comfort, fons benedictionū, so S. Ambrose calles it. It was said of Ioseph the Lord was with him, and made all things to prosper in his handes, foure times in one [Page]chapter, erat Dominus cum Ioseph, and being shut vp in the prison, the Lord was with him: he is euery where, per essentiam, saith Saint Aug. but with his seruants he is spe­cially, with them per habitationis gratiam. In Exodus the Lord comforts Moses: Exod. 3.12. certain­ly I will be with thee, and to Iosuah. the Lord speaketh; feare not Iosua, be strong and of good courage,Jos. 1. there shall not a man be able to withstand thee all the daies of thy life; as I was with Moses, so will I bee with thee. And when Iuda should go vp to warre,Iud. 1. Dominus erat cum Iuda; if a man can get the Lord his God with him, he is safe enough, though he be enclosed with walls and lockes, and barres, because God is extra omnia, August. sed non exclusus: intra omnia, sed non inclusus, without, yet not excluded, within, and not shut vp; and so it appear­ed by his mercy in this day. Salomon there­fore prayeth,1. Reg. 8.57. that God would he with him as he was with their fathers; that he leaue them not, nor forsake them. And it is an excellent praier for the young Prince, if e­uer he should be in any strait, as his father [Page]was (which God forbid) he might pray that God would be with him, as he was with his father in the day of his trouble, & in the very houre of tentation to deliuer him:

But how was God with their fathers? in­visibiliter, ineffabiliter, admirabiliter, How thus? for he works & is not seene: he stirred vp the spirit of Iacob, and strengthned him, as Dauid said,Psalm. 8. mine armes shall breake a Bowe of steele: inuisibly he wrought in that others heart, that was placed there to kill him, that at the sight of the king his heart failed, his tongue faultred, his hands shooke, all his body tremble, and had neither hart or any power to hurt, to helpe perhaps, but not able to hurt: Is not this to stop the Lions mouthes? he wrought inuisibly in the heart of that desperate A­lexander Ruthwen, the Earles brother, that was at first as fierce as a Tyger or a Beare, that the wordes of his Maiestie made him relent, and consider and respite till hee might talke with the Earle his bro­ther; but after that, came againe, bloo­dily resolued to bee imbrewde; yet then [Page]God was with him, as with the Patriarch Iacob in Aegypt, that yron sorrow; and as he was with Jonas in the Whales belly, and kept him from consuming. But if you aske me, how was he with him? I can but say ineffabiliter, I cannot tel how to vtter it: Nay more, he was with him admirabiliter; How's that? a present helpe in trouble, at euery stabbe, at euery gripe, at euery assault a rocke of stone, a refuge, a defence, and therefore blessed be the God of Iacob for e­uer, and blessed be he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe, and whose hope is in the Lord his God, which onely doth great things, and hee is wonderfull among the kings of the earth, and so he was with our king in this day.

Secondly, I noted the kings vertue in this conflict; the first is innocency, which euery where carries with it comfort and defence. It was a noble speach of Alphon­sus king of Arragon, being aduised to take some care of his person, where, and how he walked priuately, answered, Satis munitus est, qui bonam habet conscientiam; yea this is a [Page]good armour for the soule, yet sometime the body wants it; a good conscience is a continuall feast indeed, and nothing can keepe in true peace your conscience, but your innocence.

Another vertue was the magnanimity of Iacob, which is certainely a vertue roy­all, and suffers not the mind to be daunted with any aduersities; no feares, no rumors nor euill tidings, shall make him quake,Psalm, 112. who standeth in the Lord; and this is such a vertue as hath beene annexed to the Crowne, that kings should be magnani­mous; Salomon fetcheth an argument of mercy from Gods omnipotency, misereris omnium qui omnia potes, thou hast mercy on all, because thou art Almighty, and noble Kings are called [...], not so much for bountie as for mercie Saint Ambrose saith procul abest a magnanimis cupiditas vltionis, va­liant natures neuer reuenge: it is for wolues and Beares, for cowards to be cru­ell, & quaecunque minor nobilitate fera est, saith the Poet. As God therefore prepa­red Dauid with Lions and Beares, and then [Page]brought him forth against the Philistim; and armed Iob, giuing him as one saith [...] a Patriarchicall soule,Origin. con­stant and valiant to endure al sorrow that might come; so did the almighty blesse our holy King, with a speech, Spirit, wise­dome, strength and courage, to resist his e­nemie, and Iacob like, to wrastle for the blessing which now his eyes doe see and wee enioy.

The third thing is the meanes which God vsed for his Maiesties Deliuerance, for though God doth many things mi­raculously, yet makes he not a man, to fly out of a casement like a bird, but ordereth by high prouidence, things below, and men and meanes, in the very extremity he directeth, where the danger is. That close by the windows, his ownse uants should passe where his Maiestie was striuing; they heard his call, went vp and found their Lord in the graspe of a Traytor, but the Traytor ouer-grasped that hee could not hurt. By a noble seruant of his were first the very wreathes of this Serpent vntwi­ned; [Page]this Alexander of mischiefe turned out to his cursed but deserued end; that as he shewed no mercy; so perishing hee called for none from God, in whose hand onely mercy was. Euripides saith [...] al men may know the calamities of Kings and Prin­ces. For yet all Iacobs Trouble was not ouer past. But now the olde serpent, with seuen other spirits as ill as him­selfe, came vp to the place armed, assaul­ting his Maiesties. fower defendants where with much strife and doubtfull victory, at last it pleased God, to send the Earle his hire, and the rest vanquished to bee throwne downe head-long. W [...]ll saide Ignatius ad Magnesianos Nemo mul­tus nemansit: qui se contra potiores extu­lit, his Maiestie now, had a little brea­thing giuen him, and like a religious and holy King vpon his knees in the flore, where his enemie lay dead before him, gaue harty thankes to God for so great a mercy. And this; and thus, was the time of Iacobs Trouble. [Page]Trouble? yea, But he shall be deliuered from it, saith God, and here he performed it; and hitherto as the day requireth, I haue shew­ed the trouble which concerned Iacob.

The consolation of Iacob is in these words, Sed tamen liberabitur, Vnspeakeable is the ioy of deliuerance,Exod. 15.1. it so opens the heart, and makes them sing that finde it. And so did the Israelites sing, Moses and the men, and Miriam and the women with Timbrels, quia fecit Dominus magnificè, the Lord hath triumphed gloriously, he saued them, and destroyed their enemies, fecit magnificè, Jud 5. he did valiantly: and Deborah made a song, when God deliuered Israell from the hand of Sisera Captaine of the Host of Iabin, king of Canaan; and it is for a glorious victory, a most noble song: thus the Psalmes of Dauid were most of them composed, and are thankesgiuings vnto God: How did the three children sing in the flaming Furnace? and Ionas pray and praise God deliuered from the whale?Ion. 2. what hart can expresse the ioy of the Iewes deliuered from Haman? not one but all [Page]to be destroyed, and how mercifully God did turne the destruction vpon the destroi­ers, as he did in this day: by these you may see, what ioy comes with this Libera­bitur.

It is like Gods Angell that comforted Saint Paul, and bad him not to feare, but be bolde, the Lord shall stand by thee: or like the Angels touch, that made all S. Pe­ters chaines fall off at once: And I say that any that hath knowne the worlds malice, the depth of Satan, the rage of his Hel­hounds, may say with the holy prophet Dauid, I was in wosull miserie, and he de­liuered me: what is hee in his life, to whom deliuerance, at one time or other, hath not beene sweete?

But this word [...] is a future time, a promise, He shall be deliuered, verbum dulce super mel & fauum, saith Saint Bernard, yea but when? quando duplicantur late­res tunc venit Moses, not now, nor yet, but in the time of his trouble: So in the Psalme, Jnuoca me in die tribu­lationis & ego liberabo te, in the time [Page]of thy trouble, in thy greatest anguish and extremity, for then God shewes himselfe like Christ, who slept til his Disciples were almost drowned, and then rebukes, &c. and suspends his mercy to take thee out like Peter, when he was sinking, he cryed then, and Christ then presently rescued him. When there is but a steppe betweene thee and death, then God deliuereth, then is his time.

And this doth comfort much to think that we haue God a looker on, and behol­der; yea a Master and a Moderator in the matter, that things are gouerned, not by Fate and Constellations, but by heauenly Prouidence, which slumbers not.

Yet Iacob must haue patience, to tarrie Gods leisure; there is no appointing his wisedome the time,Iudith. 8.16. as Iudith notably said to the Elders of Bethulia, who were con­tent to tarry fiue daies; saith shee, What? will ye binde his Councel,Abac. 2. or set the Lord a time? nay rather as Abacuc aduiseth; if the vision come not, tarrie thou, if it speake not, yet waite; for it shall speake in [Page]his appointed time, and the Lorde will humble flesh and blood, and deferre his comforts to make them sweeter, Si differt Deus sua dona, commendat non negat, saith Angush. and S. Bernard saith, delicata est diui­na consobatio, & non datur admittentibus alie­nam, it is a sweete mercy to be deliuered, and he that will haue it, must only looke to God, and in this patience and hopefull expecting must euery good man possesse his soule.

Secondly, Iacob must then hope most, where his reason is least and this is a faith­full mans part; for what reason had Abra­ham to hope for Isaac at those yeares? If as Saint Paul saith,Rom. 4. he had not beleeued and hoped, without fixing his heart vpon rea­son: or Dauid euer to haue worne the Crowne, if he had bent to reason: And what reason had Iacob in this day to hope, but that faith like Deborabs soule, march­eth valiantly and endureth like Moses, Hebr. 11. as seeing him which is inuisible.

The third thing which I noted in this (liberabitur) is, That Iacob must not bee [Page]weake-handed nor faint-hearted, to droup and cast away his confidence, but valiant and couragious, and so expect the pro­mise: for this cause did the Angell say to Gedeon, goe in this thy might thou valiant man. Kings and Princes be called Saui­ours, but yet such as neede saluation, and they that saue others, the Lord will saue them: But if there be any king, or noble, or Iudge, or Prelate, or potentate, that abu­seth his power, and will not saue such as are oppressed, the Lord will leaue such in their enemies hands; and as they haue no care to comfort others: so GOD in their times of trouble shall leaue them com­fortlesse, and this shall be their iust porti­on. These kind of men are endued with a more noble spirit, not for their owne sakes so much as for others: Dauid had a heart like a lion, Sampson rends a lion in peeces, and after saues his people; and that people of Israell, not onely in their Rulers had a blessing of mightie and va­liant men, but in inferiours also, to shew that from GOD commeth also the out­ward [Page]Ornaments of Nobilitie, and they are certainely most Noble, that are most Faithfull, and they most va­liant that are most vertuous.

The first Iacob that euer was, faieth,Gen. 31.40. I endured, &c. and then reckons his sor­rowes; and the last, and all must endure till they receiue the promise:Job 36.5. for Iob that suffered heauie things was tolde by Elihu, that the mightie God casteth away none that is mightie and valiant of cou­rage.

The second thing is to shew, what is implyed in this worde IACOB; and this will make vp the application, and sheweth:

First, That Iacob the Patriarches life was a verie troublesome life, full of difficultie, daunger, distresse; hearts griefe amongst his children, and yet GOD made a sweete and blessed ende with him, and deliuered him from all, sent him downe into Ae­gypt, yea went with him,Gen. 46.4. Descen­dam tecum in Aegyptum, there hee sawe [Page] Ioseph his fruit full bough, there he blessed his sonnes, there he died and gaue com­maundement of his bones, that is, pro­phecying their liberahitur, israell shall be deliuered.

But here Iacob standes for a whole peo­ple, to whom Jeremy for their sinne threat­neth Captiuity and makes a description of a said and ruth full day, wherein they shall looke with gaslly and amazed looks one vpon another, pale faced and heauie hearted, when this day shall come, a great day, a day of sorrow, the day of wretched­nesse and miserie, neuer day like it; a peo­ple setled in a glorious state, thought neuer to be remoued, but they shall haue their day, and so had Ierusalem in Christs time her day. O sicognouisses, &c. and that day was her day, and time of trouble.

Let vs looke vpon our selues; wee stand now, wee may fall, wee are at peace, but there can be no security, yron and clay legs will not, nor can not beare vp the biazen thighes, the golden lead, and siluer body; the bribery and prowling, the [Page]oppression and cries of the oppressed, the parking in of beasts, and depopulating Townes, to shut out Christians, the neg­lect of iustice, the death of godly zeale, the contempt of lawes, and all good order, wil bring a day of trouble vpon Iacob, that is vpon this kingdome, which God yet with­holdes in great mercie, to make Iacob and euerie Iacob to bethinke themselues, and not to melt away in worldly pleasures: for this is true, they that bath themselues in pleasure and in worldly ioy, it makes the manliest heart to melt away; and I haue heard it, and read it often, and in my life haue seene it, that there are many haue beene worthy men, that haue put on ver­tue with their Armour, and vices with their gowne, that is in exercise and sorrow and acuersity, in distresse, in action and armes haue beene very vigilant and vali­ant; but comming to peace and ease and lulled in pleasures lap, haue falne a sleepe if not swounded, yea they haue grieuous­ly falne, if not falne quite away.

Iacob yet is more particular, and heere [Page]may stand for any faithfull soule, which shall haue her time of trouble, that is of aduersitie and tentation: therefore hee must looke first he bee a Iacob, that is an innocent and harmelesse man, and then to looke for his oppression and trouble;Syrac. 2.1. for as Syracides said, My sonne hast thou entred into the feate of the Lord, prepare thy soule to tentation? and the instance is notable in the person of Christ, that though hee were persecuted by Herod while he was an infant, yet was he not tempted till after Baptisme: to shew that so soone as wee giue our names to God and take vp our holy life, then comes the sorrowe and persecution for righteous­nesse; and if he haue care to serue God and seuer himselfe from the prophane fashion of this world, hee is derided and scorned, as Noah was when the Arke was a making; traduced by odious and disgracefull names, and loaden with infinite iniuries, as if he were a marke for all the Diuels ar­rowes. Yet Iacob must haue patience, and in all this, addresse himselfe to God, not [Page]shrinking in these aduersities and wrest­lings, no more then that holy Patriarch did,Gen. 32.31. who ouercame and preuailed with the Angel, though he went away halting; we shall haue from the world a touch of sorrow to carry to our graues, but there it should be buried, and that which shal fol­low is comfort euerlasting.

And now as this day and time admo­nisheth in this Iacobs trouble, I find a more excellent person, to which it is applied, that is to our verie Nathanaell i. the gift of God, his sacred Maiestie, who may take vp Israels complaint in a song of degrees, for the degrees of his sorrowe, that often­times from his youth vp, he was afflicted may Israel now say,Psalm. 129.1. & the plowers plowed on his back, & made long furrows, that in a great & noble kingdome, from a yere old to this day, is by God vpholdē, & was pre­serued from dangers, thogh not freed from troubles; for cares infinite are wrapped vp in the crownes of princes, & they are more noble then happy, & many troubles attēd vpon their persons, because as in Esay the [Page]key of gouernement hangs vpon their shoulder: and like the Master-pilot guids the shippe of the Common-wealth, sit­ting at the sterne in euery storme; so that the troubles of a carefull Prince are more then the labours of any common subiect; and the dangers of the head, more then of all the bodie. Let vs then that are but legges and hands or other parts, labour to support this Iacob, not trouble Iacob, but as much as we may free him from troubles; I meane from griefe and sorrowes; for it cannot be but the head wil ake if the body be distempered: and the good and care­full head will watch, and heare, and see, and search, and find out, and remedie all that may offend, and hurt the bodie, or els the head is not a head of care, but a drow­zie and a sleepie part; which if it doe but slumber, troubles are then sent both to a­wake the Pilot & the Marriners; for in the head you see the members are vnited, Ia­cob for Israell, that is the whole people; Iacob for euery faithfull man, Iacob for the Prince of Iacob; in euery of these is seene [Page]a day of trouble. Sed tamen, But yet; that is, I the God of Iacob in despite of them al, I will deliuer him. And this shewes Gods owne opposing himselfe against all the troubles and troublers of Iacob. Wher­in I wil instance in two most famous par­ticulars, and set before your eyes the mer­cies of God to this kingdome, in the daies of our late most noble Queene Elizabeth, worthy of al our memories, vnder whom you haue beene bred, nursed and brought vp: and the happie and most ioyfull suc­cession of our so Noble a king, vnder whom we are still so godly, so louingly and so peaceably gouerned: That this day we may remember with all possible thankes to God, both their miraculous preseruations with a Sed tamen, that is, in despite of all their enemies.

Elizabeth the glorie of her Sex while she liued, and the honour of it beeing dead; a name signifying the oath of God, as if God had sworne to be mercifull to England in the daies of Elizabeth. Many and great were her troubles, and yet deli­uered [Page]out of all. Let goe the famous acts shee did; her succour of afflicted stran­gers, reliefe of distressed states, power to settle with peace, and to suppresse by force, honour at home and fame abroad; I say, let these passe. But her deliuerance from Conspitacies and bloody Treasons, so many and so wonderfull, are to vs cer­taine Demonstrations of Gods mercie; that the gospell of Christ which wee pro­fesse, was at the first miraculously planted and established, and euer since hath beene most miraculously preserued and conti­nued. Notwithstanding all Romish op­positions, which so frequent and desperate plainely shew, that our Church hath by them beene persecuted, the Gospell inten­ded to be suppressed, the glorie of our State purposed to be supplanted, the life and honour of so noble a Queene so cru­elly pursued: and yet I say, notwithstan­ding all that euer they could doe, in de­spight of all Traytors (not worthy to bee named) she was with her peoples peace, her State and honour, to the end of her life [Page]miraculously preserued, and the Gospell liues; and being dead, shee liues in their hearts that loue the gospell.

But now to see GODS goodnesse still, in preparing to this kingdome a king of whom I would say much, but that as Saint Ierome said, vereor ne damnum illius laudibus me a faceret verecundia, and prepa­ring such a king for such a kingdome, A king of Iustice, a king of peace, whose re­ceiuing was with such ioy and generall ap­plause, as I thinke, neuer happened in any nation: whose care of the afflicted and oppressed Israell, which by many testimo­nies hath so clearely appeared, shall pleade with God, and he shal remember it in the euill day, and when his soule is troubled, the Lord shall stand by him, and saue him aliue; and the backes and sides of the poore relieued shall blesse him, the pray­ers, cryes, and teares of his people shall praye for him, and they shall say; Deliuer Iacob Lorde out of all his troubles.

And hath not GOD deliuered him [Page]in this fift day of August, as you haue heard before, and since his Maiesties com­ming to this kingdome from other foule and trayterous attempts.

But aboue all, from that same Salt-Peter Treason, or Peters salt Treason of Rome. I know Saint Peter the Apostle neuer sea­soned his meate nor manners with this kind of salt: I say a Treason without all reason, a treason sine nomine without a name, as Saint Ierome notes of the face of the fourth Monarch, the first a Lion, the second a Beare, the third a Leopard, the fourth terribilis valde, but sine nomine, quia crudelitas eius erat sine modo; such was this, a Treason which neuer any age may for­get: and I thinke so horrible as scarce po­sterity can beleeue, that euer any vipers bred in any Countrey, would so bloudi­ly betray their soueraigne Lord, him and his, All the Orders and States of a king­dome, and kingdome and all: such a trea­son, so conceiued, conspired, contri­ued, and so concealed to a point of time, and then so mercifully discouered, tell me [Page]what God is there to the God of Iacob, and who so great, yea adde this, and who so good a God as Englands God? let Rome if she please, boast of her miracles, and her rash, and Garnets strawe, all not worth a straw, we will reioyce in the name of our God, and make our boast of him, that hath deliuered vs from so great a death and will deliuer; hath planted the gospell, and no power can supplant it; hath peseru'd our state, and stil preserues it; hath confir­med his mercie to vs, by his word conti­nued it, in the hopefull succession of Prin­ces hath saued our king out of the hands of all his enemies, and will saue him from the euill day, from the sorrowfull Alas, from the great dayes of trouble, from o­pen and priuy enemies, from al that beare euill will at Jacob: and the Lord is faith­full, and hath promised (Sed tamen) that is, let them doe what they can, in despite of them all, he is yet, and yet he shall be de­liuered. Which since our eyes haue seene, and our eares haue now heard the mer­cies of the Lord vnto our king, and vs in [Page]this his day of mercie: Let vs euer pray that God would continue them still; and let our hearts ioyfully giue thankes, and for these blessings euer ascribe to God our heauenly father, to Iesus Christ his sonne, our blessed Lord and only Sauiour, and to the holy spirit our true and eternall Comforter, three persons and one God, All glorie, honour, praise and pow­er, this day and for euer­more. Amen.