IT is thus written (right Honourable, righte Worshipfull, and wel­beloued in our Saui­our Christ) by the Prophet Zacharie, in the fift chapter of his prophesie:

When I first vnderstoode that I was called vnto this place, being not igno­rant that this great congregation consi­steth of diuers degrees, conditions, and estates of men, I then began to thinke with my selfe what matter I might best intreat of in your hearing at this time, and accordinglye my desire was so to frame & direct my speech, that I might bring somewhat fit and profitable for al here present this day. This I take it, is that [...] that right diuiding of the word, which S. Paule commendeth to Timothie 1, 2, 15, for as the Priest in the Law was able to discerne what parte of the sacrafise belonged vnto euery one, what part the Lord was to haue, what the people, and what to bee reserued for the Priest: so the Minister of the gospell as a faythfull dispenser and stewarde in the Lords house, ought to know, how to giue vnto euery one his portion and [Page] meat in due season. The wise man sayth that the pretious stone turned euery way shineth, Prou. 17, 8. Much more the word of God, vpon what side soeuer it is turned, that is applied vnto all sortes and callings of men, from thense dooth issue and shine foorth a direction and light for euery mans duetie. In this sence by S. Iames 1, 23. it is compared to a looking glasse, wherein al men both high and low, noble and vnnoble, are to behold their faces. I haue therefore for the same purpose, made choyse as you see, of this present Text. Wherein the Prophet crieth out against two especiall sinnes of Israell, Theft & false Swearing: vnder these two comprehending many besides. By stealing, all wrongs and iniu­ries committed against our bretheren, and so the offenses and breaches of the second Table: by false swearing, al false worship of God and abusing of his holy name, here meeting also with many sins against the first table. And thus I doubt not, but in the opening of these words it shall appeare that there are fewe here present this day, that shall not finde the holy speech and admonition of the Pro­phet [Page] in some part to appertain and be­long vnto them.

But before wee doe enter into the matter, we must note somewhat concer­ning the wordes and phrase of speeche here vsed by the Prophet: the whole is very well translated, as we read in our English translation, sauing that in the third verse, I doe find that there are di­uers readings of those words, They shal be cut off on this side and on that: Hie­rome readeth, iudicabitur, he shall be iud­ged or cōdemned, the Septuagint trans­late thus, [...] Hee shall bee pu­nished: Arias Montanus, Succisuserit, as we translate, Shall be cut off: Tremelius somwhat diuers from the rest, doth in­terpret thus, Quia se innocentem agit, They shall be cut off, because they doe iustifie or make themselues innocent. And this diuersitie riseth of the diuers acceptions and takings of the Hebrue word Nachah which is here vsed, which signifieth to absolue, to euacuat, or bring to nothing: likewise the other wordes (on this side and on that) are diuerflye taken: Hie­rome sayth, secundum scriptum voluminis, On this side and that side of the booke, [Page] and so readeth Arias Montanus the sep­tuagint, vnderstande it of the time, [...], Ex hoc, from this time: Tremellius sicut illa, that is, saith hee, euen as the whole earth shall bee destroied, so shall they. The best and safest reading of all these, in my iudgement is, as in our own translation, they shall be cut off on this side and on that side, that is on euerye hand, according to the writing of the booke.

Let not nowe any captious papist or any other cauilling spirited man, take heerevpon occasion, to make excepti­on against our translations, as disagree­yng, and being contrary one to the o­ther: for howesoeuer in wordes and in termes they seeme to bee diuers, yet in matter and in sense, the difference and ods is not great.

We see that the Euangelistes, in wri­ting the story of the Gospell, do vse the same liberty, in other circumstance of words to exercise the same thinges: As Mat. 3, 11. reporteth Iohn the Baptists wordes to bee these, I am not worthye [...] to beare his shoes after him, speaking of Christ: Mar. saith, 1, 7 [Page] I am not worthie [...], stooping downe to vnlose the latchet of his shoo: here we see there are diuers words, but one cheefe sence. Augustine sayth vpon this place, Non est mendacium, cum dicens quisque aliquid aliud, quod etiā ille nondixit, de quo aliquid narrat, si voluntatem tamen eius hanc explicat, quam etiam ille, qui eius verba commemorat. It is no vntruth▪ sayth he, if a man vse other words than he did of whom he writeth, if he keep the same purpose which he doth that reporteth the very words. As, be it that Mathew spake the very words of Iohn, Marke v­seth other, yet both he that sayth I am not woorthie to beare his shooes, and the other which hath, I am not worthy to loose his shooes, both doe expresse the selfe same meaning, shewing here­by the great humilitie of Iohn, howe much he abaseth himselfe in compari­son of Christ. Thus much concerning the translation of the wordes. Now to the matter.

The partes of this scripture are these two: the Vision it selfe contayned in the two first verses: the interpretatiō of [Page] the vision in the two latter.

In the vision wee must speake of the booke, which is described by twoe ad­iuncts, one of the qualitye, it is a swifte or flieng booke, the other of the quan­tity, it is 20. cubites long, and 10. cu­bits broad. This booke is the decree of the iudgments of God, which are both speedy and swift, and general likewise & large, comprehending all the wicked of what state soeuer they be. In the inter­pretation, firste the sinnes or matter of Gods iudgement is set downe: namelye those twoe, stealing, and false swearing, conteining manye other sins, as diuers waters issuing from one streame, & ma­ny branches springing from one roote. Secondly the iudgement of god against their persons, they shall be cut off, in the 3. verse, and againste their substance, it shall be consumed sticke and stone: with the manner also of the Lords iudgment, it shal enter in, no secret corner into the which it shall not pierce: it shal also tarry there, they shall not be rid of the plague, when it hath once taken holde of them. This order I will obserue (God willing) in the handling of these wordes.

[Page] But first of all, somewhat would bee touched concerning visions, and appa­rition of aungels, for all this was shew­ed to the Prophet by an Angell in a vi­sion. First therefore, that angels were seene in times past of the Patriarchs and Prophetes, euen with the eies of theyr flesh, no man can doubt, that is yea but a little exercised in the reading of the holy scriptures. But whither they ap­peared with very materiall and fleshelye bodyes at some time (for alwaies it is certain they did not) it is a greater que­stion: and yet we may soone bee resol­ued of this point: remembring howe that the angels did eate and drink with Abraham. Gen. 18. their feete were wa­shed in Lots house. Gen, 19. Iacob wrast­led with an angell. Gen. 32.

All this could in no wise bee, if they had not had materiall, sensible, & pal­pable bodies. And of this iudgement is that great and learned father Augu­stine. Quanquam non nati ex faeminis. saith hee: though they were not borne of women: Deus tamen illis corpoream creaturam subdidit, yet God gaue them power to assume the corporall creature [Page] of bodies for a time.

For this we shall read to haue beene the difference betweene the appearing of good and badde angelles: that they were indued with power from God to appeare sometimes in humaine bodies: but the other that wee reade of, neuer were seene of men but in shewe onelye, and outward appearance; as Augustine thinketh that it was Phantasma Samuelis a shew onelye or phantasie of Samuell, which was seene of Saule, and not Sa­muell himselfe. 1. Kinges. 28. For the Apostles were afraide when they sawe Christ walking vpon the waters, thin­king that they had seene a spirite, the word is [...], Mark. 6, 49. And Luke. 24, 37. they were likewise afraid, as if they had seene a spirit: the worde there vsed is [...], all one with the other: and our Sauiour in that place doth comfort them, vsing this as an argument, a spirite saith he, hath not flesh and bone, as you see me to haue: that is an euill spirit, such as you imagine me to be, & of the which you are afraid (for the A­postles would not haue feared the pre­sence of good angels, thogh they might be [Page] our sauiour) vseth not to appeare with flesh and bone, as I haue: for if Christe had meant al angels in so speaking, then would it followe that they neuer appea­red in humane bodies, which the scrip­ture setteth downe to haue beene other­wise. And concerning the very moment and instant of their appearing, it is no matter, whether the flesh be appropriate to their nature, as it was onely in christ, or assumed onelye for the present, as in the Angels.

Now for visions, we read in the scrip­ture that they were of three sorts, accor­ding to the three faculties of the soule: for there is the outwarde and externall sense, the inward & internall, called the phantasie, and the intellectuall and vn­derstanding part, which properly we cal the minde: so according to this distinc­tion, some visions were shewed to the outward sense, as when the yoong man with the prophet, hauing his eies opened saw all about vpon the mountains fierie chariots and horsse. 2 kin. 6. some are seen with the inward and interial sense, as the visions of the seuen fat and leane kine and the eares of corne, which appeared [Page] to Pharao in his dreame: some are alto­gither spirituall in the mind, & they are of two sorts, either by the abstracting & rauishing of the minde, as in an exstacie or trance: such was that of Peter. Act. 10 and Paules. 2. Cor. 12. or by the secret in­stinct & inspiration of the spirit, as 2. kin. 20, 1. The word of God came to Isai the prophet, being gone out from Hezekia, before he was come to the middle court There was no sound or voice herd from heauen, but the word of God was secret­ly infused into him. This vision, which the prophet saw in this place, seemeth to haue been altogither spiritual, as Stephēs was. Act. 7, 55. Who being in the coun­sell house. Act. 6, 15. saw the heauens o­pen, and Iesus sitting at the right hande of God, which sight he beheld not with his bodily eies, being in the house, and therefore it must be vnderstoode of his spirituall sight. Before wee leaue this place, let vs make some vse of this which hath bin said. We learne, that howsoe­uer the prophets in times past were in­structed by visions, yet nowe we are not to looke for such extraordinary reuella­tions, hauing a moste perfect rule of [Page] the word, vnto the which we ought to flie and appeale in all doubts and con­trouersies whatsoeuer. Wherefore away with all other Anabaptisticall dreames and reuelations, and all popish traditi­ons, which both doe derogate and de­tract much from the integritie and per­fection of the scriptures. It is the Priui­lege that Iesus Christ our heauenly Do­ctor hath, beyond al other prophets and teachers, that vnto them God spake di­uersly, and at sundry times, not one of them being able to deliuer a perfect and absolute fourme of doctrine, but nowe in these last times he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne, not manye times, but once for all, not diuersly, but after one and the selfe same manner, by him deli­uering an absolute and intier patterne and fourme of doctrine, which shoulde remaine without any addition, alterati­on or change to the end of the worlde. Indeed the word spoken by Moses was so perfect, that if a man regarded it not, neither would he heare a man speaking ab inferis, from the deade, Luke, 16. 31. But the Gospell is lefte vnto vs in such [Page] perfection, that an angell from heauen, a superis, speaking against it, is not to bee heard. Now we see as in a glasse with o­pen face, 2. Corint. 3. 18. Hee therefore that would leaue the worde and cleaue to vncertaine reuelations, is as one that not contented to see his face in a steele glasse, would behold it in the inconstant waters, whereof the wise man speaketh, Prou. 27, 19. Or as one that forsaketh the fountaine of liuing waters, and dig­geth the broken pits of humane inuen­tion, which can hold no water, Ierem. 2, 13. Moses receiued of God this especiall grace and fauour, that whereas the Lord spake to other prophets by vision and dreame, he would be knowne to Moses face to face, mouth to mouth, Numb, 12 7, 8. He then that refuseth the word and runneth to vnknowne traditions, and vncertaine and deceiueable doctrines, might as well say, I will not haue God to speake to me mouth to mouth, for so doth he in his word, but I desire to bee taught by visions and dreames. Let vs heare, what our sauiour sayth, scrutamini scripturas, search the scriptures Ioh. 5, 39 [Page] And S. Paule saith, they are able to make the man of God perfect to euerye good worke. 2. Timo. 3, 17. If then the worde of God doo bring perfection with it, what neede we any other helpes or fur­therances, perfection being by the word already attained.

It followeth nowe, that we speake of the booke, and the description thereof, which commeth to be considered in the first part. We do read of three sundrye bookes besides the written word, which the Lord in the scriptures, is saide for to haue. The first is, the booke of his secrets as that which was shewed to Ezechiel. 2, 10. and that which Iohn saw, Reuel. 5, 1 None was found worthy to open it, but the lambe.

The seconde is the Lordes register booke, or his booke of recorde and remembrances, wherin al things doone in the worlde either good or euill, are as it were registred, Malachy. 3, 16. A copy or counterpane of this booke, eue­rie man hath in his conscience, which is called the booke of our conscience, Reuelations. 20, 12. The thirde is called the booke of life, which is nothing else, [Page] but the lords stedfast decree concerning those that shall be saued, Reuel. 20, 12. and another booke was opened, &c. This booke which the prophet heere saw, is as the firste, the decree of Gods iudgements, which he had determined to bring vpon the wicked.

This booke first is a swifte booke, which betokeneth the swiftnesse & spee dinesse of the iudgementes of God. For howsoeuer vnto the wicked, if the Lord spare them but a little to prouoke them to repentance, his iudgmentes seame to be slow, yet shall they come in the end, and suddainly, when they are vnlooked for. The Lord is not slack, as some men count slacknes, saith S. Peter, for a thousand yeeres with the Lord are but as one day, and one day as a thou­sand yeeres. 2. Pet. 3, 8. What and if the wicked escape vnpunished, euen vntill his old age, yet when Gods iudgmentes ouertake him at the length, then hec is constrained to cry out and confes, that the iudgments of God are swift indeed and too soone brought vpon him. The Lord spared the old world a thousande six hundred yeeres and more, yet when [Page] the floud came, no doubt the wicked, which perished in the waters, thought their destruction to bee too sudden. So was the finall ouerthrow of Amaleck de­ferred 400. yeares from Moses time, vn­till Saule, yet who wil not say, that they soone were brought to vtter ruine.

Therefore is the destruction of the wicked likened to the putting out of a candle, which with one little blaste or puffe of wind is soone extinguished and put out. Iob. 18, 5. like the house of a spi­der, which is soone dissolued. Iob. 8, 14. They are set as in slippery places, soone ouerturned and cast downe. Psal. 73, 18. Yea they are as a dream, then the which nothing is more vaine. Psal. 73, 20. But some man will say, as Augustine speketh in their person. Ego iam senui, multos castos inuenes ante me sepeliui, multorum castorum funera ad sepulchrum deduxi. I am now a­ged, may the olde adulterer saye, I haue buried many chast yong men, and follo­wed them to the graue: O saith he, wri­ting vppon those wordes of the Psalme, Perdet Deus eorum memoriam de terra, god shall cast out their memorye from the earth. Est alia terra saith he in qua non erit [Page] inpudicus, est alia terra in regno caelorum. There is another coūtry, into the which no vncleane person shall enter, another land in the kingdom of heauen. Where­fore boast not, O thou secure sinner, whosoeuer thou art, that thou hast con­tinued many yeares, and neuer tasted of the cuppe of Gods wrath. What if thou passest all thy time in pleasure? yet know that Gods iudgements may meete with thee in another worlde. Remember the example of the rich glutton in the Gos­pell, who liued on earth in all outwarde happines, when his life was ended, with all his vaine ioy, and his sorrows began, thinke you not, that euen then, the time past semed as nothing, no notas one day or one houre to him, or that he thought not in himselfe that the iudgementes of God were swift, yea swifter then any Ea­gle. Therefore let no sinner flatter him selfe in his vngodlinesse, or thinke be­cause the iudgementes of God are de­ferred, that eyther he regardeth not as the wicked and sinfull doe imagine, or else that the vngodly shall escape vnpu­nished.

It is also a large booke, 10. cubites in [Page] bredth, and in length 20. cubits: wher­by is signified, that none, of what place & calling soeuer, that are or can be ex­empted from Gods iudgements. Nei­ther the rich shall escape bicause of his riches, nor the wise man by his wisdom: yea rather than any of the vngodly shal be left out of this booke, it is written both within and without, Isach. 2, 10. Tropheh saith the prophet is prepared euen for the king. Isai. 30, 33. saye vnto the king and the queene, humble your selues in sackcloth. Ier. 13, 18. Where­fore fitlye are the iudgements of God compared to a rasour, that shall shaue not only the heare of the feet, but of the head and the beard also. Isai. 7, 20. they are as a raging floud, that commeth vp not to the loines only and the middle, but euen to the chin and the neck Isai. 8, 8. And although other fishers doo spred their net for the smaller fish, they cannot take the Leuiathan of the sea, the Whale or the whirlepoole with an hooke, or pierce his iawes with an an­gle, as the Lord saith to Iob. 40, 21. Yet the Lorde will come against the great Dragon and Crocodile of the riuers, he [Page] will take him with an hooke, and cause the fish to cleaue to his scales. Isai. 29, 4. By this then we do learne, that there are no such mighty potentates or powers vpon the earth, whome the Lord is not able to ouerthrow and to tread as mire of the streat vnder his feet, if they rebel against him. And therefore the church and people of God, neede neither to feare Pope nor Spaniard, no if all the kinges of the earth, were leagued togi­ther against them, though they stande vppe as a huge mountaine againste our Zorobabell, yet shall they be made a plain as the prophet saith. Zach. 4, 7.

Againe, seeing the iudgementes of God are reuealed againste all vnrighte­ousnesse, in whomsoeuer it is founde: Let not riche menne, honourable and noble personages thinke muche to haue their faultes touched by the word of God, nor storme in their heartes, or whet their toongs against the ministers of Gods word, which are but the lords mouth to his people: Why? Wee doo but vnfold the booke, the writing is the Lordes, Nunquid ego scripsi (saith Au­gustine) Nunquid primum ex ore meum [Page] exiit: that is, did we write it, or came it first out of our mouthes. Wee doo but holde out the looking glasse, it is the glas that descrieth the blemishes of your face.

We are the Lords trumpetters: if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound, who would prepare himselfe to the battayle▪ 1. Cor. 14, 8. if the trumpet should geue a false alarum, and sounde the retraite when the enimyes are at hand, should he not betray the campe: so if the ministers of God shoulde flatter the people in their sinnes, and crie peace, peace vnto them, when the sword of God is drawn out against them, were it not the ready way to destroy them.

VVe are your physitians, Eligo aspera sed salubria medicamenta, saith Augustine, I sometime make choice of sharpe, yet holdsome medicines. And againe, yee right Honourable and worshipfull maie finde flatterers inough abroad. VVhere should you looke for sounde and faith­full counsaile, if not in this place and at our hands. VVherefore, let not men be offended at vs when we rebuke them for their sinnes, we are in stead of Physitians [Page] and faithfull Counsellers vnto them. VVe haue also a charge from GOD to speake. O, saith one, Consideret pericu­lum meum, he that is displeased with me, let him consider my danger: For, saith not God to Ieremye, that he would de­stroy him before their face, if he held his peace, Iere. 1, 17. Augustine saith verye well: Quid tu succenses mortalis? sub iussio­ne Christi mare audit, & tu surdens es? O worme of earth, why dost thou storme? The sea obeied the voice of Christ, and doost thou stop thine eares. Mare audit, ventus cessat, & tu sufflas? The sea waxed calme, the wind was still, and thou be­ginnest to bluster and swell.

Chrisostome prettilie quippeth and checketh such proude men, that coulde not abide to be reproued, Quid tibi tan­tum arrogas homo? quia sublimi curra vehe­ris? O foolish man, whye dooest thou thinke so well of thy selfe, because thou ridest and art carried in a Coach. Quale est istud? nam ligna & lapides sic gestantur. A goodly matter, wee see stones and logges euen so to be drawne along, and carted in the streates.

[Page] But if so be that men are so dainty ea­red, that they will not heare a sharpe word, let them follow Augustines counsell: Emendate vitam, ego emendabo uerba. Mend you your waies▪ I will mende my words, Cessate peruerse ag [...]re ego quiescam mala improporare: leaue ye off to do euil, I will cease to threaten and speake euill against you: And to be short, Qui male audire nolit, ne male faciat, hee that will not heare euill, let him not do euill.

Thus much concerning the vision it selfe, now we come to the meaning and interpretation thereof. And first of the sins, which the prophet heere denoun­ceth againste, then of the iudgement. The sinnes are two, theft, and false swea­ring.

By theft is not only vnderstood that kind, which the law calleth and adiud­geth to be thefte, when by violence or priuie pilfering, one spoileth another of that he hath, but likewise when anye wrong is offered and doon to our ney­bour, by craft or subtlety, by oppression or vsurie, by wrong iudgment or extor­tion, or howsoeuer else, the spirit of god doth not spare euen to call it theft, & to [Page] account of such as of those that doe rob and steale from their brethren.

First, concerning open and plain theft, much I will not say, not because I think there are few that offend this way (for I am afrayd this sinne doth too too much abound both in citie and countrie) but thus I take it, that seeing there is straight prouision made by the Lawes of this land for the sinne of theft, which accor­dingly are executed, if these poore mi­serable wretches will not be warned to take heede by those dayly examples of theeues and robbers which are brought foorth before their eies to execution, I must not looke that they shoulde bee much mooued by my speech, yet I will not altogether hold my peace, if per­haps it maye please God euen nowe to touch their harts.

That theft and priuie pilfering is too commonly practised, who seeth it not? No rare thing now a-daies for seruants to purloine from their maisters, chil­dren from their parents, one neighbour frō another. I find that there are 2 espe­cial causes of this mischiefe: two things that make so many theeues: Idlenesse, [Page] and necessitie and want. The idle per­son that hath not beene brought vp vn­to laboure, hee sayth, as it is Prouerb. 9, ver. 17. Hidden waters are pleasaunt, and stollen breade is sweete. It is a goodlye matter hee thinketh to liue of other mens sweat, when without anye great labour or trauayle, he can tell how to satisfie himselfe and mayntaine his familie.

But whosoeuer thus boasteth in him­selfe, let him consider the end, and heare the counsayle of the wise man in the same place, in the next verse, hee re­membreth not that hee is in the way to Hell and Destruction: for firste the shame of the worlde followeth, They are ashamed (sayeth the Prophet) as when a Theefe is taken, Ierem. 2, 26. But if they care not for the shame of men, let that fearefull sayeng of saint Paule mooue them; That theeues and couetous persons shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen, 1, Cor. 6, 9.

See then, they doe not onelye ha­zarde their bodilye life - but they doe also incurre the eternall daunger of [Page] their soule. What foolishe, naye what madde men then are these, that for a morssell of bread, for a matter of small value, will thus desperatelye cast away their bodies and liues, yea their soules too, without the great mercye of God. But (sir) wil some say, What should I do? shall I suffer my selfe and my familie to starue, and so perishe? Here nowe is the other cause, that driueth men to steale, their extreame wante and pe­nurye. So sayeth the Wise man, A man despiseth not a Theefe that stea­leth to satisfie his soule, for hee is hun­grie, Prou. 6. 30. In which wordes hee excuseth not the lewdnesse of those that satisfie their hunger by stealth: but secretlye hee reprooueth the hardnesse and vnmercifulnesse of riche couetous men, by whose meanes the number of theeues is increased, for if they woulde stretche foorth their hande to helpe and releeue those that are in neede, I am verelie persuaded wee should haue fewer Beggers, and not so manye Theeues. And truelye it were greatlye to be wished, that as the law is sharpe [Page] against theeues, so it might take hold of theefemakers: that is, that some order were diuised, to restraine the greedines and couetousnesse of some, wherby ma­ny are constrayned to vse vnlawfull meanes. But now to thy demaund who sayst, It is better to steale than to starue: What, is there no meane between? must thou needs doe the one or the other? S. Paule sheweth a safer and better waye to prouide for thy selfe: Let him that stole, steale no more, but let him rather labour and worke with his handes the thing that is good, that he may haue to giue to him that needeth. Ephes. 4, 28. Lo here is a waye shewed thee whereby thou mayst not onely in some compe­tent manner maintayne thine owne e­state, but euen be helpfull vnto others. Labour diligently in thy vocation, fol­low thy calling painfully, bee the worlde neuer so hard, rich men neuer so coue­tous, yet God shall so blesse thy trauell, that thou both shalt haue sufficient and not be without a pennie in thy purse, to giue to the needie.

To close vp this point. Wee read that in king Alureds daies, a Saxon king [Page] sometime in this land, that this nation was so cleared and void of theft, that of purpose there were golden bruches nai­led vp in the crosse waies vppon postes, and there was none to take them away. At that time a man might haue gone loaden with treasure from one side of the land to the other, and no man wold haue asked him anye question. If then in former ages there were such simpli­citie, and true dealing in all sortes of men, whē as yet religion was as it were but in the infancie, a shame it shal be for vs in these daies of knowledge, to come so farre behind them in the practize of an honest life.

In the next place now, we haue to deale with craftye and deceitfull men, whoe by their subtle and scandulent sleights in bargaining, do much abuse their simple brethren that come vnto them. This is a trade well knowne to many merchantes in this Cittie, whoe what with bad and naughty wares what with excessiue and vnreasonable prises, doo euen no better, then steale from their brethren.

Such men the prophet compareth [Page] to Fowlers, Hosh. 5, 1. for he that flatte­reth with his lippes, spreadeth a net for his neighbour, Prou. 29, 5. When a sim­ple man walketh in the streets and hea­reth how merchants call in their chap­men, and offer them good peniworths, now may hee thinke with himselfe is a net layd for me, let me take heed as well as I canne. Euen as a Cage is full of Birdes, so their house is full of deceit. Ieremie 5, 27. So is a plaine man in the handes of deceitfull and craftye coso­ners, as a Byrde which is a prisoner in a cage. Let there not bee a roote of bitternesse or Wormewoode amongst you, sayth Moses, Deutr. 29. 18. These flattering deceitfull men are very well compared vnto Wormewoode: for as Wormewood a far off hath colour and sauour good enough, but come once to rub it in your hande and taste of it, and then the bitternesse bewraieth it selfe: euen so these men at the firste dooth shew a friendly countenance, and make faire promises, and giue goodly words, but begin to graple & chafe with them you shall find their dooings as bitter as gall▪ But wil some say as Austin putteth [Page] the question, si innocentiam retinuero, pau­per ero, If I vse playne dealing I shall bee but a beggar: O sayth hee, Paruaene di­uinae innocentia? What, is it so small a thing to bee innocent? to bee without guile is great riches. Further he saith: Vt augeres aurum, fides diminuta est, attēdis lu­chra, damna non cogitas, to increase thy coyne, thy fayth and honestie is decrea­sed, thou thinkest on thy gayne, but re­membrest not thy life: Abundat nescio quid amplius in arca tua, sed non vides, quid imminutum sit in corde: Thou hast a little more I know not what in thy chest, but thou seest not how much thou hast lesse in thy hart, for thou hadst some Fayth and shewe of honestie before, but nowe it is gone. And true it is, that for a little monie they haue let goe that which for no monye canne be had agayne. They haue filled their chest with gayne, but their hart is emptie, and euen as their coyne rusteth, so is there a worme and canker in their conscience, which when it shall begin to gnaw and pricke them, then will they wish that neuer had they vsed deceite, and that with the losse of [Page] thousands they might redeem the peace of conscience, which before they let go for lesse.

Next vnto these men which do vse fraudulent and deceitfull craftes, they are to be reckoned and adioined, which by any kind of oppression and hard dea ling, doo wring and grieue the people. Such as are all vsurers, which by harde loanes of money and cruell conditions doo bring their poore neighbours to a morsell of bread: As also those, which by extreame couenants and bargaines, do seize vpon house and land, yea & bo dies to, of those which fall into theyr hands, and are in daunger vnto them. Thinke yee not that they woulde haue their liues to if they might bee suffred: for so the prophet saith, They do gape ouer the head or the life of the poore, Amos. 2, 7.

And such are the waies (saith the wise man) of euery one that is greedye of gaine, he would take away the life of the owners thereof. Prou. 1, 19. This I saye not, to excuse the bad and lewde dea­lings of such, as hauing vnthriftilye wa­sted other mens goods, or craftily ga­thered [Page] them into their hands, doo seeke howe by all meanes, they may defeate their creditors of their owne: but to this end I speake it, that there may be some difference made of men, all being not of the like lewd disposition, and that there might be some moderation and lenitie vsed, that in our common affaires Chri­stians maye bee knowne and discerned from Papists, Turks, or Infidels.

You know that the sinne of oppressi­on, is one of those three great sins, that doe cry vnto God for vengeance. The first is murther, and shedding of inno­cent bloud: so it is written, that Abels bloud cried out of the earth. Gen. 4, 10. The second is the sinne of adultery and vncleannesse, as the cry of Sodom went vp to heauen. Gen. 18, 20. The third, is this greeuous sinne of oppression, so the Is­raelites cry being oppressed vnder Pha­rao, came vp into the presence of God, Exod. 2, 23.

The Prophet Esaye dooth no better li­ken such, then to the milstones, which do grinde and weare the corne: so cru­ell oppressors doo grinde the face of the poore. Isai. 3, 15. Nay they are like [Page] to cruell wolues, that doe eat the fleshe, flea of the skin, breake the bones, & chop them as small as fleshe to the caldron. Micah. 3, 3. Chrisostome thus speaketh of such, wondring & crieng out against them. Quid (saith he) irrationabil. us in­uenire potest, quā vt sine agro, pluuia aratro seminare contendas. What an vnreasona­ble thing is it saith he, speaking against vsurers, that they should sow their seed, hauing neither field to sow in, nor raine, nor plough.

And indeed so it is: for the vsurer sit­ting at home in his surd gowne, hauing neither plough nor horsse at worke, yet seeth his haruest more plentifully come in, and brought home vnto him, then the poore husbandman that toileth in the earth, is worne with labour, and wet with the dew of heauen. Augustine thus saith of the couetous men: Ipsaebelluae modum habent, rapiunt quando esuriunt, cum satiantur praeda pariunt: The verye brute beastes keepe a meane, for they rauen onely, when they are hungry, they giue ouer the chase when they are full: one­ly couetousnes is neuer satisfied.

But goe to now thou couetous man, [Page] Hearken you Vsurers, I see your malady I feele your humour. It is a hard matter altogither to reclaime you from oulde practises, and to winne you wholelie to lay downe your trade.

Well, you shall playe the vsurers still, and put foorth your money to aduan­tage, but I praye you listen howe: Si vis faenaerare faenera deo, saith Chrisostome, vsuram tuam non aurum, sed caelum esse vo­lo. If thou wilt needes put foorth thy money to vsurie, let God take it to lone, I would haue thee playe the vsurer for somewhat, not to purchase golde, but Heauen by thy vsurie.

I am sure, if I should come vnto a great monied man and say vnto him: Sir you are my friend, I know you haue money, and you make not the best of it, you let it out for ten (or say twenty) in the hun­dred, but I can tel you who wil giue you an hundred, nay a thousande increase: woulde he not think you, giue eare vnto me. Why then do you not regarde that which is said vnto you now, Lende vnto God you shal not receiue gold for siluer, and interest of hundreds, for your prin­cipall, but heauen for earth, euerlasting [Page] life for your temporal goods, for so the scripture saith: Pro. 19, 17. He that hath mercy on the poore, lendeth vnto God, and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen, not rendering a reward as a debt or due by desart, but crowning his faithfull deedes in mercye and according to his bountiful promise

Now therefore you rich men, seeyng you know how to make the best returne of your money, slacke not the time, di­stribute to the poore, sow your seede a­gainst the time of haruest. It was wont in times past, to be the honour and re­nowme of the Cittye of London, to bee giuen to haue compassion vppon the poor: & specially haue care of 2. sorts of poore: the stranger that soiourneth a­mongest vs, and the poore scholler that spendeth himselfe in study.

How your compassion is to strangers, I cannot say, my selfe a straunger in this place I hope the best: but vnto the schol lers of the Vniuersities (to whome you haue opened your handes wide in for­mer times) your beneuolence and libe­rality is much decreased, & your good will and charity towarde them greatlie [Page] abated. Remember I praye you your antient loue vnto learning, that the ho­nour and worship of this cittie maye in you be reuiued: And consider I beseech you, that though your gifts in all other should perish, yet in such it is not loste: for haue not you the fruits of theyr la­bours? Are they not all at your com­mandement, to come vppe from both the Vniuersities, and wheresoeuer else in the whole lande, to furnish this place (which is, I dare say) as sufficientlye in this respect prouided for, as any assem­bly or congregation in Christendome: And yet verelye to speake truth (beare with my boldnesse I pray you) they that come from far to this place, with great labour and to their cost, yet are little re­garded or thought vppon. You giue them the hearing, but how: Euen as E­zechiell complaineth, That the people would come to heare, but as they were wont to heare a Minstrell, or Musitian, or one that could sing well; so long as the song was in singing, they would li­sten with the eare; but when the song is doone, the Minstrell may goe shake his eares, they care not from whence he [Page] cōmeth, nor whether he goeth. Eze. 33, 23. I pray you in how much better ac­count are the Ministers of God in these daies: the comparison in deed is home­lie, but iudge you if I speak not the truth your wine vessels, and figge frailes are in good reckoning and kept safely vnder locke and key, so long as there is Wine or figs or any other pretious thinge in them. But when the treasure is drawne out, the empty caske is turned forth, and put to viler vses.

So with many the Lordes messengers are little regarded, while they are in de­liuering their message, but when the message is out of their mouth, they are but meanely accounted of. But I follow this point to farre, I vpbraide not good Christians, to whome both the message of peace and the bringers of it are wel­come: But I exhort all, that as they loue the worde of God, so they woulde haue in estimatiō those vnto whom the worde of reconciliation is committed.

And to the rich I doo now turne my speech, that they would especiallye con­sider of such, as are the seed and hope of learning and religion, I meane poore & [Page] paineful students in the Vniuersities. For if the swine be not denied the husks, nor the dogge the crums that fall from the table, how much lesse ought the mouth of the Oxe to bee musled that treadeth out the corne. Luke. 15, 16. Mark, 7, 28.

If all poore ought to be releeued, the maimed, the lame and impotent, and o­ther needy folks, to whom what is giuen is to releeue them, and help their present need. Much more ought you to stretch forth your hands vnto those, that do la­bor in the study of religion & learning, heereafter to profit the Church of God. Shal it not in time to come be a ioy and reioysing of the hart, and as marrowe of the bones to you (that feare God) when you shal see the Lordes worke to prosper and thriue through their hands?

The fourth general sin which we note out of the prophetes wordes, is wrong iudgement & extortion: which sins do reign in publike persons, & such as bear office. Heer we are to deale with 3. sorts of men. First the iudge, then the lawyer, thirdly with officers, scribes, clerks, nota­ries, &c. For by all these in their seuerall places & callings the people of god may [Page] be much greeued, wronged, & iniured.

The Iudge and Magistrate is a chiefe Minister of God, apointed for the praise of weldoers, and punishment of the wic­ked, as S. Paule saith, Rom. 13. They are in the Lords place in earth, to minister iustice and equity vnto all: wherfore the scripture calleth them Gods, Psal. 82, 1. They are the pillers that holde vppe the earth, and keepe it as it were from stag­gering, which otherwise is in danger to bee dissolued, Psal. 75, 3. That is, the burthen of the common wealth resteth and staieth vppon their shoulders. They are therefore as nailes fastened in a sure place, vpon the which the whole waight of the land hangeth and dependeth, Isai 22, 23. They are as the strong men of the house, as the wise man saith the legs are to the bodie. Eccl. 12, 3. Wherefore if the pillers be weakned, if the naile bee broken, or the strong men bow them­selues, the earth, burthen, house and all falleth that leaneth vpon them. So if iud­ges be deceitfull and corrupt, the whole common wealth is in ieopardy.

The iudge therefore ought not to be a louer of giftes, for a gift blindeth the [Page] eies of the wise: and of all other, iudges ought to hate couetousnes, as Hobab, Moyses Father in law, gaue him counsell to make choise of such to iudge the peo­ple, Deut. 18, 21. For the wise man saith of a prince that harkeneth to lies, all his seruants are wicked, Pro. 29, 12.

That is, if the maister be corrupt and will fauour the vnrighteous cause, all his seruants will be corrupt to, and look for bribes. Augustine saith, Attendis viscūtuum, propter quod liberas non habes pennas; Thou art caught with birdelime, thy wings are pinioned, thou canst not flie. He likeneth the receiuing of a gifte vnto birdlime. Another waye also the iudge may offer wrong: namelye in deferring and delaieng to giue iudgement in the righteous cause. Wherefore the wise man saith: if thou canst doo thy neigh­bour good to day, say not to him come to morrowe. Prou. 3, 28.

Iob also protesteth of himselfe, that he caused not the eies of the widdowes to faile, 31, 16. He was a right patterne of a good iudge. And in another place he saith, my talke dropped vppon them, and they waited for me, as for the raine. [Page] 29, 23, the sentēce of the iudge to the op­pressed is as the comfortable rain to the thirstie ground. The earth waiteth for the raine, but if it come out of time, and not in due season, it helpeth not, so is the sentence of the iudge, deferred and put off dayes and yeares, euen like raine that commeth out of season. Hobab Moses▪father in lawe, thoughte it too much that the people shoulde waite for iudgement from morning to euen, Ex­od. 18, 14. What woulde hee saye if hee were now aliue, to see the people waite from moneth to moneth, from Tearme to Tearme, from yeare to yeare, and yet manye times fynde no ende of their sutes.

The Iudge againe ought not to haue respect of persons in iudgemēt, he ought to heare the smal as wel as the great, and not to feare the face of man, Deut. 1, 17. for such a man will transgres for a peece of bread, Prou. 28, 21. That is a fearefull iudge that stādeth in feare of the migh­tye, and will be swayed by authoritye, is made suche a slaue to his affections, that the least thing in the worlde will corrupte him. But as the Iudge oughte [Page] to behaue himselfe vprightly in all cau­ses, & to deale equally and indifferently with small and greate, so most of all, Iustice oughte to bee executed in causes of blood, they ought neither for fauour nor feare, nor for any reward to suffer a murtherer to escape vnpunished. When such an one is accused before them and is conuinced by plaine euidence, they ought to say as the Elders of Israel were woont, when a man was found slaine in the way: Our handes haue not shed his blood, neyther haue our eyes seene it, Deutrinom. 21, 7. For if the Iudge shal suffer the murtherer to escape, though hee hath not put his hands to the mur­ther, yet his eyes haue seene it, and win­ked at it, for the matter is made so plaine by euidence before him, as if he hadde seene it, and yet hee holdeth his peace.

There is a notable place for this pur­pose, 1. King. 20, 37. The prophet there being sent to reprooue the king for let­ting go the Lords enemie, the king of the Aramites, sayth vnto one, Smite me, and because he woulde not smite him, he was slayne by a Lion, for heere the [Page] prophet taketh vpon himselfe the per­son of a malefactor or murtherer. Hee that will not smite such an one, shall bee smitten and slaine himselfe. Againe, the Prophet disguiseth himselfe and stoode in the kings way, and made as though he had beene a souldior, that had lost a man, taken in battaile and giuen him to keepe, and so the man did escape, the kings sentence was, That his life should go for his: So, sayth the Prophet to the King, that because hee had let go a man whome the Lord appointed to die, his life should go for his. Thus then the case standeth, so long as we are in this life we are in a continual warfare, there is a cō ­tinuall fighte betweene the children of righteousnesse and the wicked. The Iud­ges are the captains and cheefe leaders: when a murtherer is broughte before you, he is as taken in the middest of bat taile, a man whome the Lorde hath ap­pointed to die, take heede, let him not go, the sentence is giuen, Your life shall go for his, whosoeuer letteth him es­cape, that is, God will require it at your hands.

When Elisia was sicke, the king of [Page] Israell came to visite him, to whome the Prophet sayd, smite the ground, and he smot it thrise, then the prophet was an­grie and sayd, thou shouldest haue smit­ten fiue or six times, so shouldest thou haue smitten Aram til thou hadst who­ly consumed it, 2. King. 13. 19. Thus must the enemies of God be smitten. It is not ynough for to smite a murtherer once twise or thrise, in imprisoning him or otherwise layeng anye corporall pu­nishment vpon him. But he must bee smitten till he be consumed, that is, hee ought to die the death, blood cannot be purged but by blood.

Concerning Lawyers & men of coū ­sell, to them I saye that they take heede they become not patrons and maintai­ners of the vniust and vnrighteous cause The wise man speaketh to wise men, and giueth counsaile to counsellors, Buy the truth but sell it not, Prou. 23, 23. that is, spare no cost to purchase the truth, for it is more woorth than pearle or preti­ous stone: but sell it not, bee not hired for any mony to forgo the truth, and to sell thy counsell and helpe, to counte­naunce out a false matter againste the [Page] truth, for now thou sellest, thou betrai­est the truth. Dooth not the prophets woe reach vnto such. Wo vnto you that speake good of euil, & euil of good, that put bitter for sweet, & sweet for bitter, doth not the hireling at the law euen so for with his sugred eloquence and fined toung, he giueth a sweet tast to the bit­ter & sower, that is, vntighteous cause, yea to them the prophet speaketh, saieng wo vnto them that draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie, Esa. 5, 18. for their fair pretenses, their cunning gloses, their goodly circumstance of speeche, and all to vpholde and bolster out the vniust cause, what are they else but cordes and ropes wherby they violently pul iniqui­tie vpon themselues. I wishe such men that set their wisdome, eloquence, con­science and all to sale, betimes to looke vnto themselues, and not by vnlawfull meanes, as by defending of badde cau­ses to hunt after gayne, for in the end if euer they haue grace to repent, it wil be a worme in their conscience, Then shall they say vnto their Clients, Recipe quod ti­bi cum male adessem, mihi dedisti, & redde [...]duersatio quod me agente male abstulisti, [Page] (August.) Hold heere, take that agayne which thou gauest mee, when I pleaded for thee in a false matter, and goe thy waye, seeke out thy aduersarye, restore vnto him that which by my means and false pleading thou wrongfully tookest away from him.

To officer [...] now, whether in temporal or spirituall courts. I say not, but that holy man Iohn Baptist sayeth vnto such, Bee coment with your stipende or wa­ges, Luke 3, 13. Vse not extortion, op­presse not the poore people of God, in­force thē not to pay more than of righte belongeth vnto you. And you Maisters that keepe Scribes and clerks vnder you giue them for their labour, suffer them not to liue by the spoyle of others, to scrape and get together what they can, doe you not heare the clamor & noyse of the people, how they cōplain of great extortiō amōg officers: iudge you your selues how true & iust it is, Si quis (sayth Augustine) qui stipendia publice decreta con­sequitur, adhuc amplius quaerit, tanquā ca­lūniator & concussor Ihoannis sententia cō ­demnatur, He that is not contēt with the stipend by publike order alotted to him [Page] but seeketh for more, is condemned by the sentence of Iohn, as an oppressor & extortioner. Such men are fitly compa­red to the fish of the sea, their propertie is this, that if one be but a little bigger than his fellow, hee will knabble vppon him and consume him by peecemeale: then commeth a greater fishe than hee and deuoureth him to, so it commeth to passe, Dumpraedo vis esse minoris, praedaes maioris. It is the iust iudgement of God vpon extortioners, that while they prey vpon their inferiors as the smaller fishe, they themselues are but made a fatter prey to others, that are greater & migh­tier than they.

Nowe hauing touched those sinnes which are worthye of reproofe in the Ciuile state, I come to the ecclcsiasticall, least I should be thought either to deem Ecclesiasticall persons to be faultlesse, or else partiall, in passing ouer their faults with silence. There is therefore a kind of spirituall stealing and theft, which is e­uen next vnto the Church, for if there were not, the Prophet would not haue sayd of some, That they did steale away the word from the people, Ierem. 23, 30. [Page] First therefore we are to warne and ad­monish all negligent & carelesse pastors to attend vpon their charge, and to feed the flock of Christ committed to them, for why shoulde they reape temporall things, vnles they sow spirituall, why do they eate the fat, and cloath themselues with the wool. & yet feed not the flock, Ezec. 34, 3. I speake vnto al, whether the vnskilfull Pastor that can not, the idle that doth not, the carelesse that will not feed and instruct the people. One sayth very well of such, Qui non frangit panē, non dispensator est, sed dissipator, non speculator, sed spiculator, Hee that breaketh not the bread of life to the people, is not a dis­perser, but a destroier, not a watchman, but a waster of his flocke. Doth not the Prophet worthily call such idol-sheep­heards, that as the idol hath eies, mouth ears, feet, yet neither seeth, speaketh, hea reth or walketh, so they do occupie the room of shepheards yet feed not, of tea­chers, and yet teach not, and they are all physitions of no value, as Iob saith 14, 4 who are not able or willing to heale the diseases of the people, and to comforte them in the day of their needs. It was [Page] decreed in a counsel of Lateran, an. 1179 euen vnder the popes nose, in the as­sembly of 300 Bishops, that it shoulde not be lawfull for any Priest, as they then called them, to haue more than one benefice. Pope Innocent the 6 chased away from his court and from the Citie of Rome all Prelats and other Ecclesiasti­call persons that had charges abroade, and sent them home to their bishoprikes and benefices. I saye therefore no more but this, let our righteousnesse exceede the righteousnes of the scribes and pha­risies, as our sauiour sayth, If in time of ignorance & superstitiō such good care was taken, and prouision made for the church of God, let these lightsome daies of knowledge bring forth greater, or at the least the like fruits. And the rather pastors and shepheards are now to bee moued and stirred vp to looke carefully to their flocks, and to speed them home to their charges because there are many woolues gone abroad, many Iesuits and seminary Priests, as locusts frō the bot­tomles pit, are spued forth from Rhemes in heaps into this lande: now it is high time we shold giue eare to the wise man [Page] Nunc cognosce faciem pecoris▪ Prou. 27, 2 [...] Now bee diligent to knowe the counte­nance and state of the flock, and be rea­dy at hand to driue away the wolfe. The danger is great that is threatned against idle shepheards r [...]poscam sanguin [...]m eorum a manib. tuis, I will require their blood at thy hand, Ezechiel 33. And on the con­trary side, vnspeakeable is the ioye, that shal redound in the end to faithful shep­heards, when they shall stand forth with boldnesse in the daye of the Lorde, and say, Ecce ego dominum, & na [...]i, quos mihi de­disti, Isaie, 8, 18. Behold O Lord, here am I, and the children whome thou hast gi­uen me.

But are Ministers, thinke you, all in faulte for Church matters that are a­misse? Noe I trow not, there are others which are no great friends to the church I pray you what right haue laye men to the Leuits maintaynaunce, to liue of the Tythes which are alotted for Ministers. I speake not of humane lawe, by the which they holde thēm, which is con­strayned to suffer many thinges for the greate hardnesse of mens hartes, and so was the lawe of Moses, as wee maye [Page] read Math. 19, 8. But where find they in the law of god that they ought to deale with spirituall liuings, nay we finde the contrary, for between the ministers and people there is a mutuall exchaunge, a matter of giuing & receiuing, Phi. 4. 15. They giue spirituall thinges and receiue temporal: none therefore hath right to chalenge their tēporall thinges, but they which distribute amongst them spiritu­all, Augustine saith that tithes and other spiritual maintainaunce is due vnto the church, Quasi debitum fisco reddendum, As subsidies & taxes of the subiects are due to the exchequer, Si non haberet rempubli­cam Christus non haberet fiscū suum, Christ hath his commonwealth, & Christ hath his exchequer, which are the reuenues of the church, it is no more lawfull for any man to withhold the due from the Church treasury, than for the subiect to keepe backe any thing from the princes exchequer. In king Henry the third his daies there was sute made by the Bi­shops of this land to haue impropriate benefices that were annexed to Abbies [...]nd priories, and other houses of popish [...]igion to bee restored to the Church, [Page] they made a great peece of money and sent vp to Rome about it, but as neuer a­ny good thing lightly proceeded from that Antichristian sea, so they were fru­strate of their purpose & preuayled not. Which godly motion of theirs if it had then gone forward and taken place, it had bene happie with the Church of England at this day.

But shall I tell you of a worse sorte of Church theeues and churchrobbers thā any I haue yet spoken of, they are these greedie & deuouring cormorants, cor­rupt and couetous patrons, who make sale of Church liuinges, and by cunning sleights and deuises spoyle and rob, and make hauocke of the Church, these fret­ting Cankers and Caterpillers of spiri­tuall liuinges (if they might haue their will) woulde bring it aboute, as they haue alreadie in some places, that Mi­nisters should serue as the poore Leuite did in Micah his house, for meate and drinke and a sute of apparell, and a fewe sickles of Siluer beside, Iudges, 17, 10. And they would gladlye see vs in that case that Elie his house was, to bow our selues for a peece of Siluer, and for a [Page] morsell of bread, 1. Samuel. 2, 36. Who if they will needs liue of the aultar, they might be content to bee at our allow­ance, as Dauid receyued sheaw breade at Achimeleks hande. But it is too too much that they should be their own car uers, and be first serued: Like as in Ely his time the Priests boy would come & thrust in his three tined fleshhooke into the cauldron, and whatsoeuer came vp was their owne, 2. Sam. 2, 13. So now do these fellowes deale with the ministers of the gospell, with their threetined flesh hooke they will take three parts of the liuing to themselues, and what remay­neth the poore ministers shal haue. And thus by their corrupte dealinges they cause others to make shipwrack of their conscience, and they themselues are in the high way to destructiō, who are the cause that many people for want of suf­ficient teachers, perish in their ignorāce.

Thus haue we deliuered vnto you the Prophets meaning, concerning suche sinnes and transgressions as are commit­ted against our bretheren, which are cō ­prehended vnder the generall sinne of stealing. Now it followeth, that likewise [Page] we should declare what the Prophet vn­derstandeth by false swearing, whereby such sinnes are deciphered as offende a­gainst the Maiestie of God, and wherby his name is dishonored. First of all, false swearing is condemned, which is of two sorts, either that which is committed in cōmon or ordinary talke, or that which falleth out in publike iudgement, which we call periury: the former of these two is a sinne vsed now adaies very commō ­ly, yea men are growne vnto such a cu­stome in swearing, that manye times oathes breake from them, & they know not whether they haue sworne or not: and they haue such a delight in it, that they take it to bee an ornamente and beautylieng of their speeche to powder it with oathes, yea daylye newe oathes are inuented, and so foolishe and ridi­culous, that for shame I cannot name them. And thus the name of God is prophaned, and he is robbed of his ho­nour, for whereas it is a peculiar parte of Gods worship to sweare by his holy name, they, in swearing by creatures, by Saints, nay by Idols, as by the Masse, by the Roode, and such lyke, they [Page] doe giue the honor due vnto God vnto others, and so commit idolatrie, they al­so wilfully transgresse the commaunde­ment of our Sauiour Christ, who sayth, Sweare not at all, but let your commu­nication bee yea, yea, nay, nay, Math. 5, 37, not hereby abridging Christians of the lawfull vse of an oth before the ma­gistrate, and in other waightie causes, but giuing the rules for the brideling of our toong in common talke.

The Wise man sayth, that in the mul­titude of wordes there can not wante iniquitie, Prouerb. 10, 19. Howe greate then is the sinne which is committed in the multitude of othes. It is a sport to a foole to doe euill, verse 23. This is e­uen the highest steppe of iniquitie, for a man to reioice in euill dooing. And I am afrayde these blasphemers are come to it, that thinke them the iolyest fel­lowes in their company, that can swear out most lustily. The Leopards skinne is not fuller of spottes, Ieremie 13, 23, than their toung is full of lyes, their mouth full of othes, The thorns do not cracke faster vnder the potte, than they break forth into oaths & blasphemies, [Page] Eccle. 7, 8. They are alwaies foming out their owne shame. Iude. 13. For from the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: their vnseemely and vnchristi­an talke it is but Tanquam spuma cordis, the froath and fome of a prophane hart. And verely this vngodly custome of swe ring, is so much the more intollerable, as it is far easier then many other sinnes to be left. Non opus est pecunia vel sudore, saieth Chrisostome, it asketh no great cost, labour, or sweat, to be weaned frō this sinne. Watch ouer thy selfe saith he, and desire thy friendes to obserue them: Hac meditatione te exerceas vel qua­draginta dies, Be thou but thus occupied forty daies, thy sin will leaue thee.

Augustine saith, Nunquid non ego fra­tres consueueram quotidie iurare: ye al know brethren, that it was my daily practise to sweare: But after I vnderstoode howe greeuous a sinne it was, I called vppon God, and laboured against it, Nunc nihil mihi facilius, quam non iurare, nowe no­thing is more easie vnto me then not to sweare. Wherefore seeing with so small labour, and in so short time, with faithful praier and godly indeuour, this sinne [Page] may be ouercome, they are sure moste carelesse and re [...]chlesse men, that choose rather stil to cōtinue in their wickednes.

The other kind of false swering is by periurie, when men are not afraide to take a false oth, and to call God to be a witnesse to an vntruth. A horible sinne, nay many sinnes in one sin. For a per­iured person is an infidel in his hart, and saith to himselfe that there is no God: for certainly if he were so perswaded of the deuine power, whoe knoweth the hart, and is able to be auenged of sin­ners, he would neuer bee so hardye and desperate, as in an vntruth to appeale to God. He is also a murtherer, for by his oath his brother receiueth hurt, as if he had wounded him bodilye. And there­fore by Moses law, the false witnesse dyd indure the same punishment, which by his false oath was cast vpon his brother. An eie for an eie, a tooth for a tooth, life for life, Deu. 19, 21. If his neighbor were adiudged to lose an eie, a tooth, or lyfe, by his lieng euidence, he was to sustain the same losse and damage himselfe, as if with his owne hand he had pulled out his neighbours eie or tooth, or taken a­way [Page] his life. There is a generation whos toonges are as swordes, their iawes as kniues. Pro. 30, 14. This is the generati­on of wicked periured persons, the poi­son of Aspes is vnder their lips. Rom. 3, 13 Their blasphemous toonge stingeth to death, as the venemous sting of serpēts. Miserable men, which do willinglye fall into the snares of the Diuell, out of the which fewe of them can vnfolde them. Nay their conscience is defiled & pollu­ted. Men more senseles and prophane then the diuell himselfe, for they trem­ble & stand in awe. Iam. 2, 19. But these men haue no feare of God, but are clean void of vnderstanding Their word shal fret as a canker. 2. Tim. 3, 17, theyr false oath shal be a bane to their soule, & like the bitter water which the adulterous woman vsed to drinke that caused her belly to swel, and her thigh to rot. Num. 6. Euen so this iniquity which hee hath drunke as water, shall bee as a gnawing worm vpon his conscience, and as a fire in his bones. Wherfore repent this euil ye abhominable periurers, and beware of this sinne, least you fall into it, all you that loue your owne soules.

[Page] Besides these false swearers, which pro perly offend in swearing vainly & falsely, There are other also which in a more large and generall sense doo faile in the worship of God, and so may be reckned in the same number of false swearers: & they are likewise of twoe sortes: eyther suche as are corrupt in the iudgement of religion, or else they which profes the Gospell, but denye the power thereof, who honour God with their lippes and outward profession, and dishonour him in their life.

In the first place we must deale against heretikes and schismatikes, that do tro­ble our Church. In the next againste hy­pocrites, which cause the Gospell to bee euill spoken of by their euill life, and all these are truely said to sweare falselye by the name of God.

First they which faile in iudgment of religion, and so we the seede of corrupt doctrine, are the chiefe troublers and disquieters of our Church, the Papistes and Romishe Catholikes. There is also another sect, that haue made a great rent in our Church, and they are com­monly called Brownists. Both of these [Page] doo agree in disturbing our peace, and in many opinions they come very neere togither, and are almoste coosine ger­mans. They both are recusants, and re­fuse to come to our Churches and con­gregations, and to heare diuine seruice. They both affirme, that we haue no sa­craments, no true Ministers, and conse­quently no Church, though vpon diuers grounds: They do not stand vpon the same premises, yet they bring foorth the same conclusion. What shall we thinke of these men? Trulye their case is more daungerous then they are aware of. For one saith truely, Non potest deum habere pa­trem, qui ecclesiam non habet matrem, Hee cannot haue God his father who deny­eth the Church to be his mother.

But I doo make a difference betweene these two sorts. For the one, that is the Papist, swarueth on the left hand, the o­ther on the right: their transgression is in fowle idolatrie and superstition, these offend through a preposterous and rash disordered zeale. They are deuided frō vs in the very substance of religion, and materiall points of faith. These menne doo vary from vs, cheefly in matters of [Page] circumstance, and the external rites and orders of the Church. They, some of them haue brought foorth sower & vn­godly fruit of a bitter roote: they haue fallen into open rebellion, committed treason in the highest degree, and con­spired the death of our Soueraign (whos life God of his mercy long preserue) the other as yet haue not proceeded so far, and I trust they will not and I pray god, they do not. To conclude, they are ma­nifest and conuict Heretiks, these as yet we will vouchsafe the name of schisma­tikes. But let them take heede betime, for if they continue obstinate, their schi­sme will be changed into heresie, as Au­gustine said of the Donatists, Schismati­cus es sacrilega discessione, heraeticus sacrile­go dogmate. Thou art a schismatike, be­cause of thy sacrilegious departure frō the Church, thou art an heretike, for thy sacrilegious opinions, which thou hol­dest. First as touching our heretikes and Popish Catholikes, they are the briers and thornes, which the prophet Micah speaketh of. 7, 4. The best of them is a brier, and as a thorn in a hedge. For they are as pricks in our eies, and goades in [Page] our sides. VVe nourish them amongest vs, euen as fire in our bosom, as the wise man saith. Pro. 6, 27. And fitly may they be resembled to cockatrice egges, if a man eate of their egs (saith the prophet) he dieth, and that which is trode vppon breaketh out into a serpent. Isai. 59, 5. So if a man be infected with their here­sie and tast of their delicates. and drinke of the whore of Babilons poisoned cup, it is death vnto him, hee destroieth his owne soule. Againe if their dooings bee sifted, their practises sounded, in manye of them you shal find, conspiracies, dis­loyalty, and rebellion: as do but treade on the cockatrise eg, out flieth a serpent.

These are the gretest enimies that the Church of God either now hath or euer had. Sometime the church was persecu­ted by cruel tyrants, sometime vexed & molested of Heretikes: Tunc leo fuit, as Austin saith, cum aperte saeuiebat, modo dra­co est, cum occul e insideatur. Then the Dy­uel raged as a Lion, when hee raised per­secutiō against the church, another time he plaieth the wilye serpent, and priuilie lieth in waite. But these enimies of the church, haue both waies vexed the peo­ple [Page] of God, both by laieng wast the sanctu­arye of GOD, by their barbarous and cruell persecutions, as also in defiling it with filthy idolatry and heresie.

So that both waies now they proue the Church as cruell persecutors. Ex­ercent patientiam ecclesiae, They doo exer­cise where they may, the patience of the Churche, and as egregious Heretikes, Exercent sapientiam ecclesiae, They doo try the wisdome of the Church.

Now to leaue these men, whose con­uersion most of all we desire, if that can not bee had, our next wishe is, that they were from amongst vs: that as their hart is at Rome, so they also were with theyr Pope holy father there. But if this nei­ther cannot bee obtained: our laste sute and request is this, That seeing we can­not be rid of them, they might be serued as the Gebeonites were in Israell. Iosua. 9, 27. They were made hewers of wood, and drawers of water. So it were not safe that these our home bred enemyes should beare any office in Israell, to bee gouernours of the Lordes people, but let them liue as priuate men, and serue in baser places as the Gibeonites. [Page] which thing (I trust) our wise and godly magistrates will haue an especiall care and regard vnto.

Now to come vnto the schismaticks of our church. We may say to them, nay the Church of Englande thus speaketh vnto them, as the wise woman to hir sonne, Prou. 31, 1, What my sonne, what the sonne of my wombe, and what O sonne of my desires. O let them not rise vp against their mother that bare them and gaue them sucke. Hath not the Church of Englande bread them and brought them vp? that knowledge vn­derstanding and fayth that they haue, had they it not by our ministerie, haue not the spirituall fathers and pastors of our Church begotten them vnto God, if they be the Lords? What an vnnatu­rall part then is it in them to curse their owne mother, and to speake euill of hir that bare thē. What though the church of England be blacke, she hath hir infir­mities, will they therefore make hir a keeper of vines, Cantic. 1, 5, that is, clean thrust hir out of dores, and say shee is no Churche, nor giue hir any place in the house of God. But this is most vnkinde [Page] dealing, that the sonnes of her mother, children of the same faith, should offer this hard mesure vnto hir: we would not haue them to iustifie thinges that are a­mis in the Church, as Adam with leaues hid his nakednesse, neither ought they with curssed Cham to lay open the infir­mities of of their parēts. They would be builders of Gods house, and so are we, let vs build together, not with strife and confusion of toungs, as the tower of Bae­bel was built, but in peace & loue, as Sa­lomons temple was raised vp, the noise of a hammer was not hearde in the house, their stones and timber were squared in the mountaines, as the wise man giueth aduise, Prepare thy works abroad in the fields, and then build thy house, Pro. 24 27. So our hammering & hewing worke ought to be without: our hammers and axes should be turned to beat down po­perie, and hew off al grosse superstition: we ought not one to hew at another: se­ing we professe the same fayth, and pre­tend the building of the Lordes house, we should build togither in vnitie, con­cord & peace: otherwise vnder colour & pretense of building, we pull down and [Page] destroy the house of God: heare what an auntient Father saith, Venit persecutor, & non fregit crura Christi, venit Donatus, & dirupit ecclesiam Christi, integrum corpus Christi manet inter manus persecutorū, &c. The tormentor came and brake not the legs of Iesus, Donatus the scismaticke came & brake the peace of the Church, the body of Christ remained sound and whole in the hands of persecutors, and the body of the churche is rent asunder among christians. Let our English Do­natists take heed therefore betime, they haue a great account to make vnto god, in making such breaches in the church. Thus hauing spent some time in dealing against our heretiks and scismatikes, we must also in few words admonish the hi­pocrits & dissembling professors of the gospell, who outwardly beare the name of Christians, but their liues are nothing reformed, garnished with a goodly shew of christianity without, as sepulkers are outwardly bsautiful, but inwardly their life is full of corruption & filthinesse, of oppression, couetousnesse, adulteries, prophaning of the Sabaoth, cōtempt of gods word, intollerable pride, with such [Page] like abhominations. What is nowe be­come of the life and true profession of Christians, Christ sayth, Let your lighte shine before men, & a cādle must be put on a candlesticke, not whelmed vnder a bushell, Matt, 5. A good profession is as the candle, but an euill life is as a bushel that ouerwhelmeth it that it cānot shine forth. The Israelits were commanded to make their garmets with fringes on the skirts in remembrance of the comman­demēts, Nu. 15▪ 39. I see euery man hath shaped him an Israelitish garment, they would be called Christians, but where are your fringes, where is your obediēce to the commandements of God. Chri­stians in these daies may be compared to vessels full of wine, but they want a vent Iob. 32, 19. So men are now full of know­ledge and learning, but the vent of a good life is wanting, the vessels are in danger of bursting, if they haue no vēt: so knowledge puffeth vp, if it be not vē ­ted by lowe. There is now a famine of good workes, like as in Ieremie his time, when the Nobles sent their seruauntes with their pitchers to the fountains and welles for water, they returned without [Page] and were ashamed, Iere. 14, 3. So nowe a­daies many that should be fountaines & welspringes of good life & examples to others are dried vp: if a man seek for the water of life at their hands, hee shall re­turne with an emptie pitcher, hee shall finde no such thing there. Christ nowe thirsteth againe, as once he did vpon the Crosse, for the good fruits and holy life of Christians. But we are all become as the summer gatherings, My soule desi­red the first ripe fruits, saith the Prophet in the name of God, and there was not a cluster to eat, Micah, 7, 1. He sayth the Lord hungreth and thirsteth, and lōgeth after the obedience and holy life of his seruants, but what is it, euen as summer fruit, soone ripe, soone rotten. But yet I praye you let vs remember the ende of fruitles trees, They that bring not forth good fruit, shal be hewen downe & cast into the fire, Mat. 3. Wherfore as S. Paul sayth, let vs al couet the best gifts, know­ledge is good, but loue is better: to be­leeue aright dooth helpe, but to liue wel is more acceptable: to offer the calues of our lippes is a free gift, but a contrite hart is the best sacrifise, Psal. 51, 17. and [Page] to giue our bodies a liuing and accepta­ble sacrifice, holy and acceptable vnto God, is the reasonable seruing and true worship of God, Rom. 12, 1.

There remaineth now, hauing spoken of the sinnes which the Prophet cryeth out against, that we should also declare the iudgment denounced against them: which is double, both vpon the sinners and transgressors themselues, and vpon their substance: first, for their persons, it is sayde, They shall be cut off (all that steale, and sweare falsly) on this side and on that, vpon euery hande. All Theeues shall be cut off as Achan was, Ioshua 7, 1. All couetous persons, as the rich man, Luke 12, 20. This night shall thy soule be taken from thee. All corrupt Iudges shal be cut off as Shebuah, Isai, 22, 18. Idle sheapheards shall be cut off, three taken away in one moneth, Zachar. 11, 8. All blasphemers shall be punished as the E­giptian was stoned to death, Leui. 24, 10 All false witnesses shal bee recompensed according to their deserts, as they that accused Daniel, 6, 24. Heretiks and Ido­laters shall be slaine, their owne parents shall thrust them through, Zachar. 13, 3. [Page] Schismatiks shall not escape vnpunished, as Coran, Dathan, & Abiram, as they made a schisme and rent in Israell, so the earth was rent and diuided to swallowe them vp, Num. 16▪ All hypocrits and false har­ted and dissembling Christians maye be warned also by the feareful examples of Ananias & Saphyra, Act. 5. who for their hypocrisie were slayne by the mouth of Peter.

But what if the iudgemente of God doth not presently fal vpon sinners, be­ing for a while differred, yet haue they no cause to reioise & triumph, as though the storme were ouerpast, and that their sinnes are forgotten, for the longer the Lord stayeth before he punisheth, the more greeuous is the punishment when it commeth, for the Lord is said to make some staye but vntill hee haue whet his swoord, Psal, 7, 12. and put on his ar­mor, his helmet and habergion, and cloke of reuenge, Isai. 59, 17. That like as a man prepared to battaile, dooth as­sayle his enemies more stronglye: euen so the wrath of God the longer it is in kindling, the more fiersely it burneth when it breaketh foorth.

[Page] The iudgement of God (as the texte saith) shall enter into the house, it shall search euery corner, the wicked cannot be hid from his sight: It shall creepe in at the windowes, Ioel. 2, 9. Like as the frogs could not bee kepte, no not out of Pharao his bed chamber, nor from the couch where he lay. Exod. 8, 3. So there is no place so secret, but the iudgement of God shall enter into it. The Lorde shal search out the wicked with a candle, Zephan. 1, 12. That is shall most narrow­lye seeke them out, so that they cannot possibly escape his hands.

And when the iudgement of God is entred, it shall remaine in their house, like as the leprosie, if it had once taken hold of an house, it would neuer goe a­way: Neither scraping of the walles, nor pulling out of the stones woulde serue, till house and all were beaten downe & destroied. Leuit. 14, 45. So looke where the iudgement of God lighteth vpon a­ny house or stocke, the Lord will conti­nually afflict that house, the father, the children, the childrens children, till hee haue consumed them, if they continue in the disobedience and vngodlinesse of [Page] their forefathers. The cursse of God shal enter into their bowels like water and oile into their bones: It shal be as a gar­ment vnto them, and as a girdle to their loynes. Psal. 109, 19. That is, it shall ne­uer depart from their house. Their pu­nishment shall be as blew woundes, and stripes that go downe into the bowels. The Lord shall strike home, the markes and spots of his stripes, shall for euer be seene in their stocke, as blewe woundes are in the fleshe. And this shall bee the iudgement of their persons.

They also shall be punished and afflic­ted in their substance, whatsoeuer they haue scraped togither, by frawde, vio­lence, oppression, and extortion, shal not prosper in their hands: the iudgement of God as a consuming fire, shall con­sume all the house, the timber, & stones thereof, as the Prophet saith: That like as in a raging fire, there is neither sticke nor stone left, so shall the substance of vngodly men come to nothing: So the wise man saith, that the deceitfull man shall not rost that which he got in hun­ting. Pro. 12, 27. He shall not enioy that long, which is craftily purchased. Theyr [Page] money shall be put as into a bottomlesse bagge. Hagge. 1, 6. Though they shoulde build them a neast as in a rocke. Isai. 22, 16. yet shall they be as a tottering wall. Psal-62, 2. Though they build them hou­ses, and call them by their names, Psa. 49 11. yet shall they come to ruine and de­solation: Nettles and thistles shall grow in their pallaces: Owles, serpentes, and dragons shall dwell in their pleasant pla­ces. Isai. 13, 20. Loe this shall be the por­tion of the wicked. But as for the righ­teous, hee shall growe as the Lille, and fasten his rootes as the trees of Libanon Hosy. 14, 6. and he shall be as the sunne when he ariseth in his strength and bew­tie, Iudges. 5, 31.

But now if men would be warie and wise, they may learne howe to preuent and auoid the wrath and displeasure of God, and sheilde both themselues and their substance from the daye of ven­geance. First let them make them frends of the vnrighteous Mammon, let them distribute vnto the necessitye of theyr brethren. If they will haue their houses to continue, they must laie the founda­tion in the seruice and feare of God: as [Page] it is said that the midwiues in Israel fea­red God, and therefore the Lorde built them houses, gaue them a name in Is­raell. Exod. 1, 21. The feare of God, and true religion, is that rocke that we must builde vpon. Matthew. 7, 24. Terrena aedi­ficatia a terra incipit, caelestis instructio a su­perno crescit exordio: A spirituall building (saith Augustine) must be built clean cō ­trary to an earthly. For in earthly buil­dings, the foundation is laid below, but the foundation of our heauenlie house must be laide in heauen. Let riche men followe Solomons order: First build God an house, and then builde for them­selues.

Let them not builde as couetous and ouer greedy minded men, in desolate & solitary places, and out of the way. Iob. 3, 14. But as Iobs house stood in the way, and was as an Inne for the poore tra­uelling and waifaring manne. Iob. 3, 14. Thus an house erected and builded in righteousnesse, and founded in the feare of God, shall stande and endure manie ages.

Let vs heare also a remedie for our selues, howe the Lordes wrath may bee [Page] appeased towardes vs. Truelye repen­tance is the onelye remedye for sinners, wee muste meete the Lorde our GOD in the way, Amos. 4, 12. As Abigail did. 1. Sam. 25. she met Dauid in the waye, if she had waited Dauid at home, they had beene all put to the sword. So the Pro­phet moueth vs to go foorth and meete the Lorde by repentance, before the sword be vpon vs.

Let vs doo as Iacob did, who sent a pre­sent and gift before to his brother: for as the wise man saith, a mans gift inlar­geth his steppes, and leadeth him before great men. Pro. 18, 16. So let vs present the Lord, with contrite hartes, humble and sorrowfull spirits, bring forth wor­thy frutes of repentance, which are the most acceptable gifts vnto God. As A­ron tooke a censor and censed before the Lorde, and so staied the plague. Num. 16, 48. So let vs sense vppe vnto God the sighes and groninges of our harts.

The Gibeonites punishment was to draw water for the temple, God requi­reth no other punishment of vs, but to draw water before him, that is to weepe [Page] aboundantly for our sinnes, as the Isra­elites in Samuels time are said to drawe water before God. 1. Sam. 7, 6.

Lastly, either we must iudge our selues or else the Lord will iudge vs. 1. Cor. 11, 31. Augustine saith, Peccatum puniendum est aut a te, aut a deo, si punitur a te, tunc pu­nietur sine te, sivero a te non punitur, tecum punietur: Sinne must needs be punished either of thy selfe, or of God: If by thy selfe, then shall it bee punished without thee: if of God, then thou and thy sin shall be punished togither. Wherfore let vs returne vnto God by true repentance let vs iudge and condemne our selues that we be not iudged of God.

Let euery man leaue his wicked waies, and depart from iniquitye: the theefe from stealing, the crafty man from de­ceiuing, the couetous man from oppres­sion, the iudge from corruption in iudg ment, the Lawyer from dealing vnfaith­fully, the officer from extortion: the i­dle pastor, from his carelesse and sinfull life: corrupt patrones from Churchrob bing: blasphemers from swearing: per­iured persons from forswearing: papists from Idolatry and superstition: Schis­matikes [Page] from contention: Hyppocrites fró dissimulation. Thus if euery man shal turne from his wicked waies, and do the thing that is lawfull and right: the Lord will returne vnto vs, he will fauourablye looke vpon vs and blesse vs, he will bee our God, and we shall be his people: his blessing shall bee vppon vs and our chil­dren for euer: we shal haue our desire o­uer our enimies, and shall see Ierusalem in prosperity all our life long: and at the length, when we haue walked thorough the desart, the barren and vnfruitful wil­dernes of this world, the lord shal bring vs vnder the leading of our Captaine Ie­sus Christ into the promised lande, the Celestiall Canaan, and heauenlye Ierusa­lem: vnto the which blessed estate the Lord graūt we may at length attain tho rough Iesus Christ, whoe hath bought it for vs, not with gold or siluer, but with his own pretious bloud: to whom with God the Father, and God the holy ghost, three persons and one euerliuing, immortall, and only wise God, bee all praise, honor, and glory, thorough the Church for euer.