IT HATH bin an olde prouerbe of proofe (right honorable & dearly belo­ued &c.) Ve­ritas odium parit, That Flatterie bréedeth frendship, & Truthe brīngeth hatred: and therefore it hathe wanted no maner of practise, bycause it is of so good experience both in Courte and Countrey, and I woulde to God not in the Churche it selfe. Neuerthe­lesse, as the true minister of God ought to kéepe himselfe vnspotted and vndefi­led from all offences: so especially must he be frée from the great contagion of so foule a faulte, alwayes regestring [Page 4] and remembring y^t goldē sentence wor­thy an Apostle. If I were a māpleaser, I were not the seruaunt of God.Gal. 4. And y^t none can serue two maisters,Math. 6. our mai­ster himselfe hath taught vs playne y­nough in y^e Gospel, that God and Man or Mammon, that God and Ba [...]l or Be­lyall, can at no hand be serued togither, for God must be serued alone: so y^t Pe­ters saying is fyrme, and out of questiō true, that whē both cānot be serued to­gither, it is better to obey GOD than Man:Acts. 4. & the reason for conclusiō is very great: For it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God: a more perilous lapse by oddes to come into his fin­gers who can deale with body & soule, & cast both into Hel than into y^e danger of mā,Math. 10. be he Prince or Tirant whatso­euer, who cā but prison or persecute the body only, but must let the soule alone. Wherfore it is mete that we being ra­uished of al outward respectes, & setting before our eyes the feare of God only, [Page] shuld wholly employ our selues vnfay­nedly to please him, & to speake those things chiefly whiche shal be most ac­ceptable vnto him: for loke how the do­ctrine of the Prophets & Apostles doeth concerne you, & so y^e cōmandemēt of god to thē, reacheth vnto vs: & though they wer al dead & gone long agoe, yet God is aliue stil, & his word endureth for e­uer: & as there is no other doctrine for you, so is thereno new cōmandemēt for vs. Loke what authoritie they had thē, & y^e same haue we now, though not in the same sort,For it vv [...] extraordi­narye. nor afterthe same measure of giftes, yet al of the same grace and spi­rit, as you may read Ephes. 4. He gaue some Apostles, some Prophets, some E­uāgelistes, some Pastors. &c. Al the pro­phets hadde not like giftes, nor all the Apostles equalitie of graces:Peter is not chiefe Apostle, then in re­spect of his Apostle­ship. yet hee that had least was a Prophet or an A­postle, as wel as he that had moste, by­cause of the same spirite, or else shoulde ther be Magis & Minus in our ministers. [Page 4] Now bycause their giftes be diuerse, some more, some lesse, according to the proportiō and measure of Gods spirit, thereafter is oure portion: and yet all that are lawfullye called and orderly qualifyed, are the vndoubted Ministers of the Lorde: and (howsoeuer you wyll answere the contrarye) it is as truely sayd of a Pastor now, as it was euer of any Prophet or Apostle thē, He that re­ceiueth you receiueth me, & the contra­ry,Luke. 10. Verse. 16 He that refuseth you refuseth me. Wherefore, how base and simple so e­uer we séeme, we are the ambassadours & seruants of god.

Two principall notes doe arise by due consideration of this that I haue sayde. Firste, that againste flattering falsehode, we vse faithful flatnesse. Se­condly, that contrary to childishnesse & folly, we shewe wisedome and discre­tion: and these beeing ioyned toge­ther, are the moste necessariest of all [Page] the number of graces, whiche concerne a Steward, without the which he shall doe his maister but simple, small, and very slender seruice. Wherefore séeyng one Christe is the soule & substance of all Scriptures, the only marke of both Prophets and Apostles, and the onely matter of all their doctrine: as Paule curseth all aftercommers that shall Preach any other Gospell, yea though he be an Angell: so he pardoneth no predecessor that hath broched any other doctrine, though he were a Prophete. Let vs then with Trustinesse (the first note) ioine Wisedome, the secōd also, as two legges to goe withal, or handes to labour in the haruest of the Lorde. I am not héere to giue out anye rules, or to prescribe preceptes of wisedome, for I am not so skilfull to teach that way: I had more néede learne a great deale. Neither is it my purpose to reprehende anye of my bréethren, for I knowe no such cause, and if there were, yet as this [Page 8] place is vnméetest of any, so is my per­son vnfyttest of all: only this I saye at a venture, I would we were al as wise as I hope we are faithfull: and howsoe­euer we excuse our selues before God, we can not iustly be accused among men, no not y^e carping enimie himselfe, who commeth for the same nonce, can conuince vs the contrary, but that wée kéepe touch with the veritie written, & speake wisedome, not of mā nor Apol­los Oracles, nor inuentions and fables of mans brayne, but the infallible truth of the holye Ghost. Wisedome is to deuide & cut the word kindly, to breake this bread skilfully, to giue euery man his portiō as a good disposer, to the god­ly counsaile his part, to the weake com­forte his, to the wicked correction hys, to the obstinate condemnation his, for so the word is profitable, and the word is plentiful, euen for euery sore a salue. And howsoeuer I shall deale in diui­ding, I am sure I am well ynough for [Page 9] the choosing of my texte, for while I thought to fytte a plaister for the féete, I saw the head diseased, and finding the whole body in the same pickle, I knew not what to doe: full fayne I woulde haue deliuered anye péece of scripture rather thā this, but I could not so ridde my handes of it, till it hadde passed my mouth: turne whether I would, and e­uery place was lyke vnto it and plenti­fully expounding it, so that whylest I soughte a texte, I founde a Sermon, A Sermon of the Prophete Sopho­nye to Israell. I praye GOD make it a profitable Sermon to London. Amen.

Giue me leaue therfore to be plaine I praye you, for I professe no other thyng, and if I could otherwise, yet of purpose I would deceiue all such curi­ous commers, as neyther hunger nor thirst after righteousnesse, but with it­ching eares delighte themselues wyth strāge things which are forespokē of in [Page 10] the .2. Tim. 4. And it shall be a good note for me now, and for al my bréethren for euer héereafter that are planted in thys Citie, to be knowen by this marke of playne speaking: not that familia­ritie in you hathe bredde contempte in vs, for there is no suche cause but that your contempte of God shoulde bréede boldnes in vs which are his ministers: and there is such a commaundemente, and therfore as we sée more than other, so are we bound to say more, except you would haue vs sée all and say nothing. And though héere I shall say nothyng, but that that hath bin sayd, yet that is no shame to me. But I woulde fayne knowe of all that hath bin sayde, what hathe bin done, whiche is, or may bée a great shame for you.

Desperate were the dayes of Iere­mye, wherein superstition and sinne (as two scorpions) were growen so ranke, that high time it was for the very safe­gard of Gods remnant, that the sounde [Page 11] of vengeance, the exclamations of wee. and terrible threatnings of God, shuld be giuen out to terrifye and staye a [...] many as he had appointed to repente. And oure age being in no better case, but well worse, hath extreame néede of eiulation, and exclamation of the like woes and curses, to stoppe (and it maye be) the intollerable abuses of our time, to turne (and it be possible) our stubborne and stony hartes at length vnto the Lord.

It is lamentable (my brethren) that the husbandmans corne can fynde no good ground, but the enimies tares not sowne but shed and scattered, doe yet take roote, prosper and preuayle, to the vtter choking and smothering of the Lords haruest. But as where the word is not preached, there the people perish: So where it is plentifully deliuered, and the people wilfully negligēt, there is déepe damnation and vtter distruc­tion shortly to be loked for. Our Sa­uiour [Page 12] truly sayd, the Haruest is greate, and the labourers are fewe:Mat. 9. Verse. 37. let vs fol­low his coūsel therfore & pray the Lorde of the haruest, to sende in more payne­full and faithfull labourers, leaste the Bore of the woodde doe roote vppe the vyne, leaste the cockle doe ouergrowe the corne, leaste the Diuell make ha­uocke of altogither. And in this pray­er, let vs commende vnto him, his vni­uersall Church, and specially England and Irelande, and herein particularlye our most gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, and all hir moste honourable Counsellers, the whole ministerie, and euerye priuate member of his body, praying for the reste, that in his good time they may be plāted in, or else sup­planted out, that if they wil neuer bee good, that they may yet neuer do harme vnto Israel which is of God. Amen.

THis Texte maye well be deuided into foure partes as it lyeth, and séeing the words them­selues doe leade me to so good an order, I will contente my selfe, and not séeke to be wyser than the holy Ghost.

The firste and principall parte is a gréeuous accusation of the whole state of Ierusalem both for life and reli­gion.

Secondlye, an enumeration of [Page 14] the particular causes thereof.

Thirdly, a reprehension of the per­sons, but especially of Magistrates and Ministers. And fourthly, a denoun­cing of woes and plagues against thē.

For the firste, it is wonderfull to sée, that nothing will doe the wicked anye good. And agayne, there is nothing can doe the godly any harme. All the woes in the world will not make the wilfull once to beware, but to the faithfull ser­uaunte of God one worde is ynough. When the Lyon roreth, who quaketh not?Amos. 3. verse. 8. and when God threatneth, who is not afrayde? Wide open were all the Prophets mouthes, and euery one cry­ed woe, but words are but winde, and will not preuayle with the wicked, who are sworne to sinne, and solde ouer to worke wickednesse without measure, And Gods owne children sometymes are taken tardy too, and threatninges are in vayne euen to thē. But as where wordes will take no place, there [Page 15] blowes must be put in proof. So where one nor other can doe anye good at all, there remaynes nothing, but a horrible expectation of destruction. Neuerthe­lesse, the verye reprobate and cursed wretch should quake at Gods checke, who though he haue no holde nor hope of Eternall life for lacke of faith, yet to auoyde the verye bodily plagues and miseries of this mortall life, shoulde tremble and shake at his irefull and fearefull Iudgements.

Gods threatnings haue a tw [...]folde operation and effect: the one in the cho­sen, and it toucheth them verye néere, and turneth their hearts, and humbleth them in all their soule,Ionas. 3. verse. 5. as Niniuie may be a liuely example: the other in the wicked, and they are made more obsti­nate, froward, and hard at the hearte, and thereby more inexcusable, as the example of Pharao in Egipt doth testifie.Exodus. 9.10. Chap.

It is and hathe bin euer a mercifull manner of our God, to speake before he [Page 16] strike, and he is not by & by at a worde and a blowe neither, but giueth time and space for repentance:Ioel. 2. verse. 13. but and hys patience be wounded once, then hys wrath kindleth as the coale, and fla­meth as the fire, and no man is able to abide the rage therof. Flintie and per­uerse were this people, and this Pro­phet preuayled not amongst them: hée was one of the last that preached to them before their captiuitie into Ba­bylon. Yet I trust better of you, and pray better for you, and am perswaded that you will doe those things that wée warne you of, though we thus speake as Saint Paule saide of the Thessalo­niās. 2. Eph. 13. Cap. Let this driue you somewhat more néere your selfe,VVhatso­euer a man sovveth, that shall he reape. Galath. 6. verse. 7. As Adam and Cayne did. that God will not be mocked, and when hée accuseth, it is but lost labour to excuse, and as his word endureth for euer, and euerye iotte thereof is perfecte & to bée performed, so these woes being a parte of his word, can not returne in vayne, [...] [Page 17] thy Prophete, yet be perused and read Ieremies bookes as it seemeth, and foūd out the Prophecie of the peoples capti­uitie .70. years, which he calles w [...]s, that so long Iuda shoulde lye by it, and that for theyr transgression. And the Angell Gabriel reuealed to him af­terward, that the Lord in mercy would yet restore them seuen fold again, that is .70, times seuen, which amoūteth or multiplieth in accoumpt to 490. yeres, and then this Messias should come. Ie­remy here speaketh indefinitelye, and sayth, the time commeth, where the present tyme is put for the future (as I take it) not to expresse the shortnesse, but the assuraunce of the tyme, when Christe shoulde come.Eccle. 3. verse. 1. The Wyse man sayth, all thinges haue a time, and it is a high poynt of wisdome to knowe the tyme of all thinges, but to knowe this tyme of all tymes, is wisdome of all wisdomes. The Prophetes foreshewed it to the Iewes, but yet he was chieflie receyued of the Gentiles, for he came toIohn. 1. [Page 18] his owne, & his owne knew him not: I pray God for the second triumphant & kingly cōming it fall not out so, that to whō he is most preached, they be least prepared. How long was it I pray you y^t Israel longed to come out of Egipts bondage? and how lōg loked Iuda to be deliuered frō Babilons captiuity? But for y^e great fréedom indéed, from y^e per­petual & euerlasting thraldom: by this onely Messias, there were very few or none. Right so play we in these dayes: we are very carefull for the times and seasons, concerning our worldlie af­fayres. A prisoner duely wayteth his delyueraunce: a prentise styl thinkes on his fréedome, and both keepe iust ac­coumpt of euery day: yea the sicke man leteth not one houre escape, nor misseth not a minute, but styll longeth for his health: but for our great delyuerance & departure hence, it is not only the last but the verie least care: when friendes & Phisitions forsake vs, we trust yet in our selues, for no man is so olde, but [Page] he thinks he may be older: and no man is so sick, but he hopes he may recouer:Where the Philoso­pher endes the Phisiti­on begyns, and after the Phisiti­on, commes the Diuine when sen­ses and all are gone. and the last messenger shall styl be for the Mynister: the daunger sure is verie great, and euerie man is not sure to be at Christes right hande iuste when he dieth: and repētance is not in our own hands: thou trustest to thy ende, & thy end bringeth distrust, for the greatest assault is in thy weakest estate. As I would not haue any mā to distrust god, no not specially in the ende: so woulde I not haue any to tempte God, and trust onely to the ende: and yet I saye all is well that endes well. This ex­ample is plaine inough of Christes cō ­ming to the Iewes, prophecied & pro­phecied againe, and yet not vnderstood. So the naturall example of our morta­litie, and dayly dropping away, might moue reasonable men to take hede, & it warning woulde serue, to teache vs to watch & waight for his comming, or to be prepared & prouided for our going.

Sayth the Lord. Looke what the Lord [Page 20] hath sayde, and that is sure to come to passe in al pointes as he hath sayd it, for God is not as man is, mutable in re­penting his promises, albeit he is sayd to repēt that euer he made man. Gen. 6. It is but to expresse the hartie hatred he beareth against sinne, & against their sinnes of the olde worlde: or else why do we so confidentlye buylde, and con­stantly assure our selues of the inexpli­cable comfort of euerlasting saluation: but bicause of his woorde which is im­mutable? & hath he sayd it? nay, he hath sworne it,Heb. 6. verse. 18. Psal. 33 he that commaūded the hea­uens & they were made, and but spake the woorde and they stoode fast, stan­deth styll vpon his honour, and wyll perfourme what he promiseth, in num­ber waight and measure, as he hath gi­uen his woorde for some testimony, and examples. Why dyd not the fyre con­sume those thrée thrust into y^e burning Ouen,Daniel. 3 verse. 25 was it not hote enough? or did it not burne, when the verie flames did lycke vp those tormētors that put them [Page 21] in? and what is the reason but y^t it shall be so? and why did the Seas so spie the Lord? why ranne they backe and were afraide, & became as a wall to Israel, and ranne together againe to drowne Pharao & all his hoast? 114. Psa. but this that it shall be so:Psal. 14. Why did not the Ly­ons in theyr den, snatch Daniel rather before he came to the grounde,Daniel. 6 & teare him in peeces, than lye styll before him as Lambes, & no Lyons? but this, y^e wa­ter may not wette, though it be a great Sea: fyre may not heate, though it be a flaming fyre: many Lyons, many hun­gry Lions, may not touch a seely man, when the Lord hath sayde it shall be so, for heauen and earth shall perishe, and vanish as a scroule, but his woorde en­dureth for euermore.Math. 13

That I wyll raise vp the right braunch Dauid. This alludes to that raysing of séede to a mans brother, if he dye with­out issue, as it is in the lawe. Here we must note, howsoeuer God promised to Adam, the Womās séede shal breake [Page 22] the serpentes head. Gen. 3. Howsoeuer to Abrahā in blessing I wyl blesse thée, and in multiplying, I wyl multiply thy seede as the starres of heauen, or as the innumerable sandes of the shore: and howsoeuer to Dauid, thy seede shall en­dure for euer, & thy seate as y^e Sun, &c. That is, how so euer the couenauntes, or mercifull promises of God made to our Forefathers, did differ in circum­staunce, yet do they all agree in effect & substaunce. Againe, howe soeuer the Prophetes dreamed dreames, or sawe visions, whether they prophecied some plainer, some darker, some as it were farther off and mysticall, some more e­uident and neare, as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce: Yet all inspired from aboue, spake in effect one and the same thing. And there can not be founde any contrarietie in al y^e doctrine of the Pro­phets of God, thā is possible to be in the spirite wherewith they were inspired. The marke they all shotte at, is Iesus Christe,Luk. 16. verse. 16. the ende of the whole lawe and [Page 23] the Prophets which were vntyll Iohn: and this partycular Prophecie which I haue in hande, as I tolde you, con­cerneth the pacte or couenaunt with Dauid, but not in the Iewish sense. But looke howe it was promysed of God, so is it prophecied of Ieremie, and right so hath it bene perfourmed in Ie­su Christe: for the vnitie of Gods spi­rite is styll one, and indiuisible as the dietie. Why, some Iewe may obiect, is it not plaine? that Salomon, Ezechias, Obiecti­on. and Iosias, being lawfull Sonnes and succeders of Dauid, were raysed of God as righteous braunches? I aun­swere, that it is God in deede, by whose power all Princes do raigne,Solut. and through his authority they haue their seates: It is he which rayseth them vp, and raseth them out againe at his plea­sure, which turned out Nabuchodon [...] ­zer as a Beast in his iustice,1. Esdr. 9 and in his mercie made the sheephooke of his seruaunt Dauid, to be a Scepter ouer Israell. But all that propagation or [Page 24] Princely posterity raysed of God, was not without the meanes of man: and this is immediatly of God him selfe, a great difference. And if you wyll go further, and aske howe this braunche should be raysed then? I aunswer, that first you must circumcise your hartes & eares, least you thinke it an impossibi­lytie,Iohn. 3 verse. 4 as Nycodemus thought of a mās regeneration: so you hauing y^e vayle of fleshlinesse, and the foreskinne of filthi­nesse, shall vncleanlie and grosely ima­gin of this blessed generation or ray­sing:1 Cor. 1 v [...]rse. 14 for carnal man sauoreth not those thinges that are of God.

This done, I saye he was begotten of God, conceyued by the holy ghoste, incarnate in the sanctified wombe of y^e Uirgin Marie, euen in the fulnesse of time according to the Scriptures: and it is parte of the Articles of our Chri­stian beléefe: which none of all Da­uids posteritie coulde saye, [...]sal. 51 no not he himselfe, for he was conceyued & borne in sinne.

[Page 25]But here maye a more strong and mighty obiection be gathered than be­fore as it seemeth,Obiecti­on. and all by my owne saying: for is it lykely, or is it possible, that he shoulde be rightlie called, the ryghteous braunche of Dauid, which came not of the séede of any man, of all that stock, before so many Kinges good and bad, of which euery one yet natu­rally descended, and were his sonnes after y^e flesh? I aunswere,Solut. though I say he was not begotten of any man, yet I do not say, that he came not of y^t stocke therefore: for Ihesse, Dauids father, was the roote, & Dauid as the braunch: Marie the Uirgin was the flower of Dauides braunche, and Christ our Sa­uiour was the fruite of Maries blos­some. Therefore is he called the sonne of Dauid in the Genealogie by Math. 1. and often in the new Testamēt,Math. 1 com­ming in deede of that Trybe, kyndred, or stocke.

He is called therefore the righteous braunch for thrée respectes.

[Page 26] Thre cause [...] why Christ is called the rightuous braunch of Dau [...]d.First, bicause he came of the same kyndred by his mother.

Secondlie, bicause of those degene­rating bastardes, Roboham, Manasses, and the like wicked Princes, who not­withstanding, were of his lyne, yet followed not a foote of Dauids wayes, but defiled his seate, and prophaned the Sanctuarie, and turned his Scep­ter another waye. And as he is not a Iewe, which is a Iewe borne: nor he a true Israelite, which is so called: nor all are not Abrahams sonnes, that are after the flesh. Roma. 9. No more maye they be called ryght braunches of good Princes, which beare no lyke fruite, although that otherwise they be their owne sonnes.

Thyrdlie, he is called the rygh­teous braunche, in respecte of the good Kinges also, Salomon, Iosias, Ezechi­as, and those fewe more, which not onelye were of Dauids loynes, but also dyd treade in hys steppes, and [Page] walked in the waye of Dauid theyr Father, in obedience to the commaun­dement of the Lorde, in setting foorth the true seruice of the GOD of Is­raell, in fyring the supersticious I­dolles, cutting downe theyr groues and wooddes, to the ruine and spoyle of their Idoll aultares, which farre better deserued the tytle of Dauids righteous braunche, than anye of the wicked Kinges forespoken of: And yet they are not this braunche ney­ther, but onely, and trulie, and proper­lie, it is Iesus the Messias. You wyll thinke then that I do to much wrong to them which were lawfullie begot­ten Sonnes, and laudablie raygned Kinges, whiche came of his séede a­ryght, and raigned righteouslie in the seate to, and yet not the true braunch? I shall satisfie you, if you marke, and that in a worde: I do not denye them to be the right braunch according to the flesh, and so is Christ to, but I [Page 28] deny them to be the ryght and righte­ous braunche, for so is Christe alone: for such a sprygge or stemme, neuer sprouted out, neyther of Abraham, whose Isaack was so increased, nor out of Dauid, whose kinges so succe­ded, nor out of all generations againe, for the fountaine is too fowle, & our pe­tigrue must be fetcht frō Adam which is earth: and this seconde Adam is the Lord from heauē. 1. Cor. 15. And the rea­son is, that those excellent vertues, and Princely qualities of wisdome, iustice, & Religion, in any of those good kinges, the sonnes of Dauid, or in all, it was in them but as shadowes, and vnper­fect figures of him in whome dwelleth the fulnesse of all goodnesse, So that he onely and alone, is this ryghteous braunche.

Here we maye sée the infinite loue of God towardes his Church, neuer for­saking hir, but in hir first fall renuing of hir with promises: in hir forgetful­nesse, reuiuing of hir with prophecies, [Page 29] that shée myght styll hope, an [...] not be confounded for euer. And if the Patri­arkes and men of God, in elder tymes receyued such plentyfulnesse of ioy and gladnesse, in the onely promyse of the Messias, whereby their faith was full: What flowing, and ouerstreaming vnmeasurable cōfort should we reape, to whome those prophecies do myni­ster more, than to the Prophetes them selues. 1. Peter. 1. For kinges and Pro­phets haue desired to sée what we haue séene, and yet sawe it not, but in the promise only. Luke. 10. They lyued in the tyme of the promise of this branch: and y^e Apostles lyued as it were vnder the shadowe of his leaues: but we lyue as vnder the fruite it selfe. For the tyme of Grace, the longer, and the la­ter it is, the more mercifull it is to them that shall be saued. And howe graciouslie he hath dealte with vs of Englande besides, maye not passe vn­spoken of in planting a ryght braunch to raygne ouer vs, not a bastarde [Page 30] bramble, as Abimeleche was, the sonne of a bonde woman, as ye maye reade, Iudges. 9. The Uine, the Oliue, the Palme, the Figge tree, and the rest, chose a Bramble to be their king: Who beganne with murther, raigned in crueltie, and dyed in bloud. But ouer vs hee hath planted a peaceable Prince,Englands happinesse. the ryght braunche of hir royall Father, and moste worthye King, Henrie the eyght: kéeping all good steppes of hir prodecessors, going farther in Religion than many of thē, (if not than any of them). The Lorde leade hir farther, styrre vp hir coun­sell to comforte hir, strengthen hir kingdome to kéepe hir, lengthen hir lyfe longe to raygne ouer vs: And though I maye not saye as the Olyue trée to beare fruite, yet to florishe as the Palme, to be freshe as the Law­rell, to be stronge as the Oake, to spreade abroade as the Ceader, and to be an olde Tree of continuaunce, as the Cypre: and though she be fruitlesse [Page 31] one waye, yet fructifie hir O Lorde many wayes, with g [...]d and faythfull subiectes, that sh [...]e and wée, as well graffed braunches maye abyde styll in the stocke, and tarye in the Uine, and fructifie by the operation of Gods ho­lye spyrite vnto eternall lyfe in Iesus Christ. Amen.

VVhich King shall beare rule. Here he is proclaymed Kynge by the Pro­phete, heade of his Church, and Prince of his people. Trayterous are all other heades then, monstrous, and rebelli­ous of King or Caesar, or Turke, or Pope, or Deuyll, lyfting them selues aboue this King, which must beare all the rule. He is sayde to be our Pro­phete, our Prieste, and our King: a Prophete, being a fulfyller of all that they spake, and the ende of them: a Priest, to fynishe all the Sacrifices of the olde Lawe, by one suffycient and most blessed oblation of his owne body vpon the Crosse: a King, by rulyng and gouerning his Church, hauyng full [Page 32] aucthoritie alone ouer the same, being annointed not with the confections of balmes or spices of swéete odors, but with the holy Oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes.Psal. 45.

Obiection.But what rule bare he, some wyll say: could he come simplier than borne in a Manger, despised of the Doctors, had in derision of the multitude, spyt­ted on, and most spitefully dealt with­all? alas, what crowne ware he, but a crowne of thornes? or what King was he, being so poore, & so persecuted, that it was not possible it shoulde be he that is here prophecied. Thus they looking for a Princely appearing, in power, aucthoritie, and wealth, and to haue an earthly kingdome restored (as they dreamed) receyued not the King of Kings: and therfore though they aske for the daye of the Lorde, the daye of the Lorde, yet haue they nothing to doe with it when it commes, for it is dark­nesse and no lyght vnto them.Amos. 5. And yet as naked, poore, and simple, as Christe [...] [Page] bulles, are all beasts, which thinke that God and Idols, the Sacrifice and the Sacraments, Circumcision and Bap­tisme, the lawe and the Gospell, nay that fleshe and the spirite, and God and Man may be ioyned togither, are but commō pedlers and patchers of Christ coate, which had no seame in déede: this is to buylde but with vntempered mor­ter, and to bodge vp a house, which will neuer abide the triall. Wherefore my counsayle to you all is, that as many as finde themselues faulty, doe presently yéelde in their hartes to the Souerain­tie of Gods holy worde, betake them­selues wholy to reade it, to heare it, and to meditate there in, which is all suffici­ent to instruct vs, and able to saue our soules: that wée vomit out all supersti­tious poynts contrary therevnto: that this be the line and leauel of al our life, the touchstone of all truth, whereby Antichrist and his adherēts, that is, the Pope and his hyrelings are described [Page 34] and conuicted, and The Lambes of Christes flocke, nourished, comforted, and preserued for euer.

Couetous Atheists, but if of any side, of Pa­pists, for it is moste gainefull.And there are a thirde sorte who haue embraced this presente worlde, and therefore haue made shipwracke of Conscience, and these sayle frank­ly to Spayne, to Rome, and Hell had any vauntage, I thynke sure­ly they woulde venture a voyage. This was touched the laste Sunday, and I had bene well preuented in it, if sicknesse had not otherwise hindred mée: yet this I adde, the ignoraunt I­dolatrer is more excusable farre, for thou doest it with a Conscience of e­uill,For his ovvne cō ­science is against him Iames. 4. verse. 17. and to hym that knoweth howe to doe well and dothe it not, to him it is sinne with a witnesse. Iames. 4. Agayne he is but a simple Idolatrer, but thou a double and Diuelishe dis­sembler bothe before God and Man. But some will say vnto mée, and you were there you woulde tell mée ano­ther [Page] tale: I cannot tell what I would doe, but what I and thou shouldest doe that I canne tell:So playde Peter vvhē he sayde he vvould die before deny christ. Math. 26. verse. 35. I will not bragge before the battell, nor triumphe before the victorie: I thanke GOD I am not there, but that is no péece of ex­cuse for thée, and if thou were but a beholder of suche Sacrilege, yet (Salua Conscientia) with a saufe conscience thou muste not bée silent and so betray the truthe. But and thou become an ac­tor once,That is, svvallovv any iote of hir pestilēt doctrine. and doe participate wyth them, if thou drynke but one droppe of the Chalice of the whore, it is toppe full of deadly poyson: or if thou breake bread at the table of Deuils (for drinke thou canst haue none) what leporous case is thy whole soule in, the poyson whereof though many haue concea­led for a tyme, yet hath it boyled and broken out, at the length, to the destru­ction of theyr bodyes,Papistes proue tray­tors apace. and fearefull daunger of theyr soules.

Yet many thynke they may safely [Page 36] doe it and kéepe their conscience cléere, as they beare themselues in hande: but as well may they denie Christe on earth, and as safely too, whome he hath surely promised to denie in heauen.Math. 10. verse. 33.

1 First, though God be a spirite and must be worshipped in spirit and truth,Iohn. 4. verse. 24. yet the body belongs to God also, bothe bycause he made it, and chiefly now bi­cause he hath redéemed it. Wherefore doth the Scripture else commaund our handes to be lifted vp, & our knées to be bowed downe, but that it is vnlawfull to offer them to any seruice of Sathan? But if you wil néedes stande in it, then must you condemne Sidrach, Misaak, and Abednago: you must count all the Martirs fooles, and the prophet Dauid, who sayde,Psalm. 16. he woulde not once name their Gods in his lippes, nor mention them in his mouth.

2 Secondly, if I should graunt that God is to be worshipped with the hart onely, yet it must be with a single hart [Page] I trust: but that is a double harte that speakes one thing and dothe thinke an­other, whose minde is cleane contrary to his mouth. For all the mēbers of the body are but ministers & expressers of the minde, although the tongue be chief thereof: ful faine I sée they would serue God and Man, and they are answered by Christ himselfe, it cannot be.

3 Thirdly, if they will néedes gyue their soule to God, and their body to the Deuill, let them be sure that God will haue eyther bothe or none: for as he made bothe, so hath his Sonne bought both: so that as the soule and all hyr powers are due vnto God, so likewise the body and all his partes are déepe in dette and bound vnto the Lorde, to serue him in holynesse and rightuousnesse al the dayes of our life. But these good fe­lowes incline toward the errour of the Manichees, & make two beginnings, god & the deuill, but in truth they are rather Atheists, which serue no God at all, ex­cept [Page 38] their belly be theyr God, or else it is so by halues, with suche lame know­lege & rotten faith, with such a woūded cōscience & a wicked harte,Gods ser­uice requi­reth a vvhole and perfect mā. as it is dete­stable & abominable before the Lorde.

I will say nothing of Gentlemē tra­uelers, y^t hold in good sadnesse this diue­lish opinion, Cū fueris Romae Romano viuite more, whē thou art at Rome liue after y^e Romish maner: but they learne their lesson so perfit there, y^t a great number cānot forget it here: & therfore let them remēber another saying, Roma recipit bo­nos reddit malos, Rome receiueth good mē but returneth euil mē. Wel, that I may tell you what I thinke & no more, sure­ly a mā may be a very naughty person & yet a good seruant (I speake it not to maintayne vnhappinesse, God forbid) but he cā neuer be a right Romaine & a faythfull subiect. For the other matter wherwith Israel is here to be charged & England to be condēned, is, that she answered not in déede what she profes­sed [Page] in word, & for ourselues it is past cry (I fear) for we are both helples & hope­lesse in this point, & therfore they for al their fayre lookes & Pecocks taile, were yet abhominable & filthy Hypocrites, & cursed in the sight of God, euen as a strumpet neuer so richly deckt, & it be with purple veluet, stincketh the viler rather in the sight of honest matrones: for there is no vice more pestilent, than that that is like vertue: there is no such Iudas kisse, as with an Apostles face: there is no suche deceyuing Diuell, as like an Angel of light: & there is no such dissembling citie as Ierusalē for hypo­crisie. Wherfore I pray you was christ so gētle to Publicanes, ouer he was to Pharisées? & why is God so earnest w^t Israel, in y^e .1. of Esai. Why offer you so many sacrifices? I am ful of your burnt offerings, I haue no pleasure in the bloud of bullockes,And yet he cōmaunded them. I hate your newe Moones, I cannot away with your sab­boths & solemne méetings, I am wery [Page 40] at my hart with them, offer me no moe oblatiōs &c. but that the seruice of God apointed by those sacrifices was vtterly peruerted, & no truth in their dealings: There is nothing prouoketh god more, thā when with a cloke or colour of reli­giō his people shall wallow in sin or su­perstitiō.Psalm. 50. verse. 16. Read y^e. 50. Psal. Unto the vn­godly man, sayde God, why doest thou preach my lawes, & takest my couenant in thy mouth, wheras thou hatest to be reformed, & hast cast my wordes behind thée? So be you well assured, y^t it is not inough to haue a gospel in our mouths, but we must expresse the truth therof in our liues: it is not inough to haue a name of a Christian, but to be founde a Christiā in déede. Many haue a shew of godlinesse saith S. Paul,2. Timot. 3. but they haue denied y^e power thereof. If nature hel­ped not Abrahams owne children, but bycause they lacked Abrahās workes, they are called Deuils sonnes, Iohn 8. alas what shall a naked name with­out [Page] vertue, a bare tytle without ve­ritie, profite vs at all? Doth not Christe foretell of such in the day of iudgemēt? who haue done manye thinges in his name,Math. 7. verse. 22. and yet when all is done he kno­weth them not? Math. 7. Surely the blinde charitie of Papistes dothe laye sore to the lame and halting faythe of Christians: Our knowledge shall but helpe vs to Hell, if we do not that wée know: for the seruaunte that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not, must looke for many stripes: and to whome more is giuen, more is to be required. We haue receyued plentifully, but if we yéelde barrenly, Christe cursed a figtrée, surely he will not spare thée. The Author to the Heb. 6. sheweth,Hebr. 6. verse. 7. that the grounde that drinketh in the deaw, or receyueth the rayne falling oft vpon it, and yéeldeth fruite,Vnfrui [...]t­full earth vvithout vvater, so vnfruictfull man vvith­out the vvorde. is bles­sed, but the barraine and vnfruitefull is to be cursed and burned. The Are is at the roote of euerye trée, and iudge­ment [Page 42] is not farre, & by his fruit shall e­uery mā be knowen, & no fruite aswell as naughty fruite, is both for y^e flame.

It was abhominable before God for Israel to sweare, the Lord liueth, & yet to deceyue, Ier. 5. to fast, and yet to do no lesse violence:Esa. 58. verse. 4. to wash, and yet to be vn­cleane: to sacrifice, and yet to sinne: to kéepe Sabbothes, & yet to tumble in al sensualitie. For swearing, it was neuer so cōmon, & custome maketh it nothing in these dayes, in euery place, in euerye person: y^e magnificēt name of God, who is glorious, great, & fearefull, is tossed to & fro as a tennis ball, & that for very trifles. The Iewes yet whē they heard blasphemy, woulde rend theyr clothes. It woulde gréeue a Christian hart to heare at euery word an othe, at euerye lye an oth, bying & selling is not with­out lying and swearing,And there­fore not vvithout stealing. but if y^e mouth y^t lieth slayeth the soule Wisd. 1. what déepe damnatiō euen in the nethermost hel remaines for the periured person? [Page] There would be some exquisit punish­ment for such helhoundes, & séeing God wil not hold them giltlesse, lette al Ma­gistrates that feare God condemne thē to some paine, for they are past shame. And bycause I spake of Sabbothes, knowe you y^t euery day is a Christian Sabboth, yet one amōgst the rest was specially cōmanded to the Iewes,Ievves Sabboth Saterday, Christians Sonday. and commended vnto vs both to reste oure bodyes & our beasts: but the chiefe end was for Israel to go to y^e Sanctuarie, & for vs to come to the house of prayer. The ceremonie of y^e seuenth day is not muche amisse, and y^t the number of .7. signifieth perfectiō, you may oftē reade in scriptures, especially in the Reuela­tiō. Of churches, stars, spirits, trūpets, seales, Angels, and al appeared by sea­uen, as a most absolute & perfect nūber, multiplyed in it self, albeit this is som­what mistical, yet no harme followeth if we say God rested y^e. vij. day to shew vnto vs y^e perfectiō of his workes, & la­boured .vi. days, to giue vs an exāple of [Page 44] vocation. It may be not one of the least causes, that God ceassed the seauenth day to beholde the excellencye of his creatures, and though he séeth them al­wayes, from whose eyes nothing can be hidde, yet to take delight in their as­semblings, singing of hymnes, in their praying vnto hym, and praysing hys name, in their reading and hearing his word. And if he looke downe on oure Sabbothes, what shall he finde I pray you? euery daye euill, and the Sabboth worst.Ephes. 5. Redéeme the time for the dayes are euill. If the Apostle saide so then, what woulde he say if he liued nowe, when the Lord can not haue a péece of a daye, no, scarce of the Sabboth day, which he hathe so charged to be kepte, and straightly commaunded to be ob­serued? But it was to the Iewes you will say: it is true indéede, for those so­lemne and ceremoniall assemblies, sa­crifices, and feasts: but otherwise there hath bin euer in the primatiue Church [Page] and from the Apostles, some obserua­tion of one day among the rest, and for speciall consideration, albeit the whole life of Gods chosen is a perpetuall sab­both, and euery day sanctifyed, and eue­rye houre holy vnto them. Assuredly we come nothing néere the Iewes in this pointe, for on oure Sabbothes, all manner of games and playes, banket­tings, and surfettings, are very rife: If anye manne haue anye businesse in the world, Sonday is counted an idle daye: If he haue none, then it is bestowed in other pleasure. Trahit sua quenque vo­luptas, Euery man followeth his owne fansie. And the wealthyest Citizens haue houses for the nonce: they that haue none, make shift with Alehouses, Tauernes, and Innes, some rowyng on the water, some rouing in the field, some idle at home, some worse occupy­ed: thus what you gette euelly all the wéeke, is worst spente on the Sabboth day, according to the Prouerbe, Il got­ten, [Page 46] ill spent: blame not your seruantes if they follow your example, for youre prodigalitie makes them vnthriftie. But what accompt? how answer you? is this the Lordes daye or no? if it be, howe intollerable, nay howe accursed & moste condemnable are these outra­gious Bachanalia, Lupanaria, I can not tell what to call them, such as Heathē menne were euer ashamed of (I am sure,) and therfore practised better ma­ters, although prophane exercises: but ours sauors so of Venus Court and Bac­chus kitchin, that it may rightly be en­tituled an abhominable and filthy Ci­tie: and withoute doubte London shall iustifie hir elder sister Hierusalem, if in time she turne not to the Lorde. I saye nothing of diuers other abuses, whych do carrie away thousands, and drowne them in the pernicious vanities of the worlde. Looke but vppon the common playes in London, and sée the multitude that flocketh to them and followeth [Page] them: beholde the sumptuous Theatre housee, a continuall monument of Lō ­dons prodigalitie and folly. But I vn­derstande they are nowe forbidden by­cause of the plague, I like the pollicye well if it holde still, for a disease is but bodged or patched vp that is not cured in the cause, and the cause of plagues is sinne, if you looke to it well: and the cause of sinne are playes: therefore the cause of plagues are playes. Quic­quid est causa causae est causa causati. Shall I reckon vp the monstrous birds that brede in this nest?An olde reason. without doubt I am ashamed, & I should surely offende your chast cares: but the olde world is mat­ched, and Sodome ouercome, for more horrible enormities, and swelling sins are set out by those stages, then euery mā thinks for, or some would beléeue, if I shold paint thē out in their colours: without doubt you can scātly name me a sinne, that by that sincke is not set a gogge: theft and whoredome: pride and [Page 48] prodigality: villanie and blasphemie: these thrée couples of helhoundes ne­uer ceasse barking there, and bite manye, so as they are vncurable euer after, so that many a man hath the leu­der wife, and many a wife the shreuder husband by it: and it can not otherwise be, but that whiche robbeth flatlye the Lord of all his honor, and is directly a­gainst the whole first table of his law, shoulde make no bones of breache of the second also, which is toward our neighbour only. Wherefore if thou be a father, thou losest thy child: if thou be a maister, thou losest thy seruaunt: and thou be what thou canst be, thou losest thy selfe that hauntest those scholes of vice, dennes of Théeues, & Theatres of all leudnesse: and if it be not suppressed in time, it will make such a Tragedie, y^t all London may well mourne whyle it is London, for it is no playing time, (and euery man bethinke him wel) but time to pray rather: but faith is fain­ted, [Page 49] and when the sonne of man coms, shall he finde faith vppon the earthe? Blessed is the seruant whom when his maister commeth shall finde doing not playing, but working,Luke. 18. verse. 8. and doing not e­uill but good, for that is our dutie that are Gods seruauntes, but Sathans slaues do runne another race.

And cruell Citie. This is the o­ther parte of his accusation, wherein whether hée allude to that generall breach of this commaundement (Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe,) for as Charitie in this respecte perfor­meth the law, so Crueltie breaketh the same, and therefore is it sayde on thys word (Loue) dependeth the whole law and the Prophets, bycause all their la­bours haue no other ende than to raise vp our affections, al our desires and de­lightes to be in loue with God, and to moue oure compassion and tender bo­wels in charitie towarde our neygh­bour: or whether by this worde (cruell) [Page 50] he meanes a speciall vice, whiche is couetousnesse, euer vnmercifull: and it is néerer the sense, for that I reade in some translation, Vae direptrici ciuitati, Wo to hir that is a robbing Citie: It was boldly done of Zophony to call them all théeues: surely deceypte de­serues no better name: and therefore as Dauid counsayles you in the sixtie and two Psalme,Psalme. 62. verse. 10. O trust not to wrongs and robberies, gyue not your selues to vanities, if ryches encrease, sette not your heart vpon them.

Héere is the difference, that Théeues steale wythoute the compasse of mans lawe, and dye for it, and you doe it wythin youre compasse, and escape: they in the hygh wayes, you in youre Shoppes: they playnely ynough, but yet wyth force: you vse no force in­déede, but suttletie is youre shifte. Well, though the lawe bée on youre syde, and layeth no Item to youre charge, yet I am assured, the Gos­pell [Page] is cléere agaynste you: and there­fore remember the lawe of GOD and hys barre, where though the coun­trey quitte you héere,Let him that stole, steale no more. Ephes. 4. verse. 38. yet thy con­science shall condemne thée there, and GOD is greater than thy consci­ence.

Couetousnesse is the roote of all e­uill: that is no euill,1. Tim. 6. verse. 10. but hathe issued out thereof, Auri sacra fames, quid non mortalia Pectora cogis (sayeth the Po­ete) What dothe not the loue of money make a manne to doe? Ido­latrie, Adulterye, Murther, Thefte, Lying, Swearyng: yea Treason, bothe agaynste Chryste and Chry­styan Kyngdomes, are the naturall fruites of thys monstrous trée, and the bitterest Berrie that thys roote beares.

I hadde almoste forgotten (Usu­rye) a yonger Spryg, and later graffe indéede, than anye of those I shewed you before: but yet for mischiefe, it [Page 52] doth surpasse them all (excepting euer Idolatrie) I thinke in my conscience the Deuill is the only life thereof: and as a man hauing manye children, yet sometimes the last doth most resemble his father, so can not I sée the Diuels countenance, complexion, and conditi­on more liuely naturall in any one, thā in this bramble of Hell. How oft wyll you heare of this geare withoute a­mendmente? there is small or no hope left for aftercommers to do any good at all therein: and yet we must speake stil against it for all that. The Prophetes hadde not all successe, nor the Apostles preuayled euerye where, and Chryste hymselfe ceassed not to giue it oute, though he knewe the peruersenesse of the proude Pharises would not learne Wisedome, nor receyue Counsayle of the Lorde. As a nette full of birdes, so are youre hooses full of thinges gotten by deceypte,Ieremy. 5. sayeth Ieremie: will you neuer enter thys in youre accompte? [Page] when I haue gotten the whole worlde and lost my owne soule, what haue I gotten? or what shall I gyue to buy it agayne? no no, there is nothyng left, you muste lette that alone for euer .49. Psalme. It cost more to redéeme a soule, not gold, nor syluer, but the preci­ous bloude of Iesus Chryste,1. Peter. 1. verse. 18. as of a Lambe vndefyled. &c. It were a gol­den sentence therefore, and worthye to be prefixed ouer all youre reckonings and dealings, whiche the wise Kyng hathe,Prouerbs. 4. ver [...]. 2 [...]. Kéepe thy hearte wyth all dili­gence, for thereout springeth life. Shal I not saye that you are couetous and cruell? can you for conscience denie it? if slyght wares and lyghte waightes: if lying wordes and false othes wyll proue both, then maye I safely con­clude both. What trade can you name me that Sathan is not as frée of as the best? I list not to blowe vppe youre skirtes, or to shewe youre sh [...]me a­broade, but youre selues doe not hyde [Page 54] it, and it is displayed in a manner to all the worlde: youre entertayne­mente of Sathan is so good, you preferre hym, and plucke hym in wyth both handes, and many trulyer serue him, than the Lord, himselfe: and there­fore as Saincte Paule sayeth, Ro­maynes .6. you are hys seruauntes whome you obey.Rom 6. If you be out of o­bedience of God, you are straightway out of seruice, and by consequent out of wages: and wherefore else is the Di­uell called the Prince of thys worlde, but for hys multitude of Subiectes: the waye to Hell is wyde and broade, and manye doe trample and runne in it.

I can compare couetous menne to the Gyauntes in Noahs tyme, why­che were not onely cruell,Gen. 6. but fylthye wyth the daughters of men, whyche broughte in robberye and spoyle firste into the worlde: suche monsters were theyr fathers, and suche Camels are [Page] theyr Chyldren, and therefore it go­eth harde wyth them, and there is a sore tryall remayning for them: For it shall bée easyer for a Cammell to goe through the eye of a nedell,Math. 10. verse. 24. than for suche ryche menne to enter the Kyngdome of God: or to the foule carrion Rauen, whyche flewe out of Noahs Arke, and returned not a­gayne, béeyng deteyned or holden backe wyth the fylthye styncke of carrion dead bodyes that were drow­ned,Gen. 7. euerye garbage or baggage is good ynough for them, Duleu odor lucri ex re qualibet, The sauor of gayne is swéete out of the vylest thyng: Or to foolishe Esau, whyche for a messe of pottage dyd make awaye hys inheritaunce. They maye saye they are Abrahams Chyldren long y­noughe, but Abraham hadde two Sonnes, the one of a bondewo­manne, whyche was Ismaell: So [Page 56] Hagar is youre mother,Gen. 21. and you re­semble muche the enuious children of couetous Laban, an Idolater, who mighte well be youre father, for coue­tousnesse is Idolatrie: Achabs ex­ample dothe declare youre faulte, [...]. Kings. 21. verse. 19. and dothe it not threaten your punishment? I am wearie to enter the common beaten discourse of thys byting and dogged sinne, nay deuouring and diue­lishe sinne Usury. But for shorte and long, this you haue to trust vnto, that if Syon bée buylt wyth bloud, and Hie­rusalem with iniquitie,Miche. 3. verse. 10. Syon shall bée ploughed vp, and Hierusalem made an heape of stones. London builds apace, beware of bloud and iniquitie, for it is not Tyre, nor it is not Sydon: it is not Gomorrah, nor it is not Sodom: it is not Iherusalem: it is not Syon: it is not London: nor it is not En­glande, that shall so escape scotfrée, and swéepe stakes wythout all mea­sure, but GOD shall recken wyth [Page] you in his rage, & giue you a tast of his anger, as an earnest penny in this life, of euerlasting paines in y^e life to come, if ther be no ho. And if you bréede Coc­katrice egges, of whiche whosoeuer ea­teth he dieth, and he that treadeth on them, Serpentes come vppe: if you weaue the Spyders webbe, whiche makes no clothe:Esay. 59. verse. 5. if the déedes of wic­kednesse and the workes of robbery be in your hands, well you may looke for health but it is farre from you. Of the seuerall sortes of wicked braunches, all sprouting out of this poysoned bo­dy (vsury) couetousnesse beyng the roote of all, I leaue to speake at large: as of Masters detayning seruaunts wages, it is a crueltie and cōmes of couetous­nesse, a roring sinne whiche shall make the wringers houle for it, if they repent not in tyme:Collos. 4. verse. 1. remember you haue a Ma­ster in heauē, and let not the hyrelings wages tarry with thée al night, as ma­ny make them reape their labour for [Page 58] theyr paynes: such grubbers there bée, whiche grynde the faces of the poore, and lurche them as they list,Esay. 3. verse. 15. vsing them worsse than many a man woulde vse a beast: they coste more, and are as déere in Christes eyes as thou, and more precious too, and thou kéepe that way, for the ende thereof is destruction: this is a great faulte of Gentlemen in the Countrie, and of some in the Citie too, as harde harted and mercylesse as the beste: take héede least in the bitternesse of theyr griefe they curse thée, and their crie come vp vnto the Lorde.

I say nothing of exequutors, which may wel be called executors, for spoy­lyng of Orphanes, infantes, and wid­dowes, which are theyr owne caruers, and begger and beguile them to whom the right belongs. And here my thinkes I sée the secrete iudgements of God on goods ill gotten, as Dauid sayeth, thou scrapest and canst not tell for whome: thou rakest into thy clouches and [Page 59] knowest not who shall possesse thē, per­haps thy exequutor, & perhaps a straun­ger, sometimes thy enimy, and some­times thy owne sonne (and none soner) shal consume and scatter abroade, what thou with toyle and turmoile, with vex­ing of thy body and ventryng of thy soule, hast miserably scratched togither in all the dayes of thy life: it is flushe in a yéere, nay sometymes in an houre, if they fall kyndly too it, as many yong maysters doe: suche prodigall prancks haue made a cleane riddaunce of fayre possessions in a shorte tyme, and theyr punishment is righte for it, that seyng they are so forwarde too beginne where theyr parents lefte, they muste be fayne to make an ende where theyr fathers beganne: thus misery méetes with pro­digalitie, and prodigalitie endes in mi­sery as it is méete: and I would bothe olde and yong would marke this lessen well, & learne to do wel with Mammon whilest they haue it, for either the man, [Page 60] or Mammon, or bothe will away at length, and cannot tarrie still. It is an olde verse and forgotten of all, Da tua dum tua sunt, post mortē non tua sunt: Giue thine whyle they are thine, for after death they are none of thine.

I am led by occasion of these words to another kinde of crueltie, and it is very néedefull now to be hearde, in good time be it spoken therfore, I pray God: and this growes out of the bowels of couetousnesse too, and beareth hardnesse of harte, and as Christ foretolde so is it come to passe,Math. 24. verse. 12. y^e charitie is waxed cold. But as it is an argument of the whole worldes ouerthrowe when vniuersally winter shall come ouer charitie, so is it strōg as a conclusiō of the cōfusion of y^e citie that hath lost the heate of christiā loue and pittie: if thy enimy hunger, féede him: but we are so farre out of cha­ritie, that wée woulde féede on him ra­ther,Prouer. 25. verse. 20. though Salomon himself counsell vs, or a greater than Salomon, euē our [Page] Sauiour, commaunde vs the contrary: and herein he goeth, so farre that many are content to let him goe alone. When he bids vs loue our enimies once, that goeth harde,Math. 9. verse. 44. and it is agaynst Adams adamant harte: yet muste wée so be per­fect as our father is perfect. But wée are so far out of square, that we scarce loue our fréendes, euery man is so in loue with himselfe, and Christes newe commaundement is made no commaū ­dement, loue you one another.Iohn. 15. verse. 12. I cannot denie but that there is a generall pro­uision for the poore in this Cittie, and your Hospitals finde good reliefe, (God be thanked for it) for he doth it, but eue­ry priuate mans deuotion is very smal, & I shreudly suspect, that priuy almes come shorte, your shoppes haue so sha­ped you after this worlde. The Phari­sées were prodigall for prayse, I would Christians would learne to be liberall for very shame. It were well and some would not take away that y^e pore haue, [Page 62] such clinchers there are: but as he that giues vnto the poore lendeth to the Lorde, so he that taketh or stoppeth a­way from the poore taketh from the Lord: or else how should that be true, I was hungry you gaue me no meate,Math. 25. verse. 35. I was thirstie, you gaue me no drinke, &c. Shall our mayster commaunde vs to sell and gyue,Marc. 10. verse. 21. and shal we gayne and yet giue nothing? whose seruaunts are you, iudge your selues, that you be not iudged of the Lorde: surely his whom you obey. Rom. 6. Well, what say you, and the poore lye vnder euery wall, and crie vnder euery stall, and die in the streates in the tyme of the Gospell? vn­doubtedly there muste néedes be cruel­tie with extremitie, you will say, & ther­fore surely I say, that as this Citie is lamentable for the multitude of y^e poore and wretched mē, so is it more to be la­mented for the miserable riche mē: why did Iames else say, wéepe & howle for theIames. 5. miseries that shal fal vpon you you [Page] riche men: but that bicause you eate Gods people as bread, your selues shall be eatē as flesh, & you shalbe but a pray to y^e enimy & auēger, & come to a misera­ble ende for it.Obiect. But some will say vnto me, what néedes all this, I am sure we kéepe good houses, & spēd largely, & deale liberally, and therfore this is a slaūder (in a mater of truth say I for the grea­test number:Solut.) In déede there is a mise­rable sparing, & you will auoyde y^t well inough: & there is an vnmeasurable spē ­ding, & you ar wise inough for y^t too: but there is an vnmercyfull profusion, and what say you to that?Amos. 9. verse. 4. y^e Prophet Amos saith of thē in his time, they lye in beds of Yuory, not so costly a woodde at that time, as is to be found in the beddes of our age, cōparing time with time, and place w^t place, or howsoeuer they bette­red vs in y^t wood, we passe thē all for cu­rious work: y^e prophet names no doune beds nether, perhaps y^e fethers was thē the only vse, but now, nicenesse is more [Page 64] daintie thā so, & couetousnesse more cun­nyng for the turne: theyr drinkyng of wine in bolles, doth shewe that curious wrought goblets, and counterfaite Hy­pecrice was not then knowne of olde: they noynted themselues with swéete odors, but we perfume our selues with the déerest muske: they did eate the fat calues out of theyr stalles, & the yong­lings out of theyr flockes, but wée are farre beyond them, for Ueale and Mut­ton is to grosse for our diet, nay y^e Sea with all his fishe, the ayer with all his byrdes, and the earth with al hir beasts cannot satisfie our beastly appetites. A Cooke among prophane menne was a straunge arte, and banished out of some common weales, as a superfluous sci­ence to make menne eate more than néedes: but in England, it is a great oc­cupation, and in London a very riche company. I speake it not agaynst the necessary vse of them, but agaynst the néedelesse abuse of such as are cunning [Page] and curious, and very costly to no pur­pose: & he is counted y^e finest Cooke now adays that cā inuent new fashiōs, new deuises, & new disguises. None of al this could Amos charge Israel withal,Amos. 6. verse. 6. and with al this is Englande too truly to be charged. Well, lette vs sée what this wrought in them, surely this, that no man was sory for the affliction of Io­seph: and can there be any lesse effect in vs, the cause being greater? or is not the Diuell so wise nowe as he was then? Surely riche men to spende are franke and frée, but the poore fare neuer the better. So Diues spente largely,Luke. 16. verse. 19. for hée fared deliciously euery day, but Laza­rus coulde not gette a crumme for all that: hée spéedes well that gettes a cruste in these dayes. But you will say in déede, he was harde harted and mer­cylesse, and wée trust that there is none suche now: I pray GOD there be not: I marke this yet, whether to cause your Charitie, or to condemne your [Page] crueltie, GOD doth so appoynt it, that the story of Diues and Lazarus is the oftenest Grace at euery riche mans ta­ble, I hope for the beste. I will helpe you a little to my power, and put you in remēbraunce of this, least you should deceyue your selues,Math. 26. verse. 11. The poore shall you haue al­vvay vvith you, but not mee. bycause that Diues is dead, and yet hée is aliue, and so of Lazarus who is dead, and yet he is aliue also: for though Lazarus be in Heauen, yet Lazarus is on earth, and Diues is on earth, and Diues is in Hell. Goe to now you riche menne, take héede, and be­ware of cruelty, and pray for chari­tie: you are but stewardes, lay it out: you are no Lordes you may not lay it vp: Make you fréendes of the wic­ked Mammon, whyle you haue time, for your tyme is not for euer, and per­haps it is not long.

She heard not the voyce. I wil runne ouer the particular causes as briefly as I can, for I haue bene long, and I am afrayde of the tyme.

[Page]This firste faulte is the Originall cause of all erroure, bothe in Reli­gion and liuyng, and it hath bredde monstrous Heresies and mischieuous enormities at all tymes, (especially in the Churche) whyle wée haue lefte the voyce:Ierem. 2. verse. [...]. and when Hierusalem had com­mitted those two euils, to forsake God, the Well of lyfe, and to digge broken Cysterns, that woulde holde no wa­ter, it was no maruayle that God gaue them ouer to strong illusions, and to beleue lies, to knéele to euery péece of wood, and say these are our Gods. First they harde it not bicause y^e greater sort gaue no eare to the Prophets: & so Lon­don heareth it not, for though here be a great assembly, yet what are you to all the rest? This is a general plague, that the fewest flocke to the church in euery place. Secondly bicause they hard it not effectually: & so wée are guilty too. We preache not (my brethren) bicause you should heare vs only, & for no other end: [Page 68] For so wée wer as good hold our peace, or make a noyse with our féete as with our tongues, but that you should do, al­so,Luke. 11. verse. 28. for none are blessed but they that heare the worde, and kéepe it: Whiche fault is greater iudge you, not to come at all, or to come, and not to heare, or to heare and not to follow? as good neuer a whitte as neuer the better: the audi­ence of y^e dead bodies vnder your féete, is as great and greater, is as good and better, than you, excepte you minde to folow that you heare, for so Christ said, let the dead bury the dead,Math. 8. verse. 22. but followe you me. If the worde be the power of God, as it is, Hebrews. 4. Let it worke somewhat in you for shame. I can tell you thus much, you shal gyue accompt for that you haue hearde thys ninetene yeares long, GOD will call a repeti­tion, you can expresse no greater con­tempt agaynst God, than so lightly to accept of his worde.

For our liuing. Thy word (O Lord) [Page 69] is a Lanterne to my féete (saith Dauid) and a light vnto my steppes: whereby then shall a yong man or an olde man,Psalm. 119. or all menne safely direct themselues, but by the worde of God? whiche lay­eth downe rules for all estates, ages, persons & degrées. Here is the Fathers dutie & the sonnes, the maisters and the seruauntes, the Princes and the peo­ples, the Magistrates & the Mynisters, which while Ierusalem heard not, shee cared not which hande shée tooke, for the vngodly haue no feare of God before theyr eyes,Psalm. 10. bycause they know nothing of the worde as they ought to knowe. So playes the Pope, he wil not be tri­ed by the worde (but he shall whether he will or no in the day of iudgement,) lette him ryde on cocke horse, nay on mens backes, & treade on Emperours neckes, and kéepe a coyle like the Di­uell in euery kingdome of this worlde, hys exaltyng vp to heauen, shall but déeper plunge hym into Hell, for not [Page 70] hearyng the voyce. Obedience is better than sacrifice, and the holy Ghost al­wayes wiser than menne: God is true, and all men are liers: the golde that is purified seuentimes, is not so perfect as his worde: wherefore all adders too, or takers fro,Reu. 22. are accursed. Heare O hea­uen and harken O earth, sayde Esay, Esai. 1. in his tyme,Esay. 1. verse. 2. and what may wée say in our tyme, it would grieue your harte to tell a tale to a poste, and it woulde encourage vs well to speake to willyng menne. I will hyde nothing from Abraham,Gen. 18. verse. 19. sayde God, for hée will shewe it hys chyldren, and teache it his posteritie. Would GOD that as you are not alwayes chyldren but som­times fathers, so you were not alwaies learners but sometimes teachers. I woulde you were all preachers. Nu­meri. 1 [...]. verse. 29.

She receyued not correction. This is a secōd cause that the prophets warnyngs were but winde, but this [Page 71] worde shal burne as fire, and make the people smoke for it. As doctrine is cold without reprehēsiō, so are threatnings in vaine without correction. This made Ionas so angry with himselfe, that he wished death again,Ionas. 4 bicause he thought it a discredite that God had not so dealt with Nyniuie as hée had pronounced. But the anger of manne dothe not ac­complishe the iudgements of God: and he is mercyfull to spare, & rightuous to reward, when & whom he wil. I would to God, the case were so with this Cit­tie nowe, as it was with Niniuie then. The incurable malice of Israell, euen of Gods owne people is here display­ed and expressed, that neyther wordes nor blowes, neyther speakyng nor stri­king, neither gētle promises nor sharp reprehēsions, neither faire meanes nor foule coulde do thē any good at all: for if prophecying wold haue serued y^e turne, why? early and late, she lacked none: or if punishment could haue wrought the [Page 72] feate, for dearth, sworde, captiuitie, plague, &c. shée wanted not: warning by wordes dothe worke with many of Gods chyldren, but correction winnes them all:Bycause they are re­probate. and nothyng will doe with the wicked till condemnation come. Hée is sayde to receyue correction that is bettered by it, as Ezechias the King, Dauid the Prophete, Io­seph the Patriarch, Iob the holy man. It was good for all these that GOD had humbled them: but where there is no fruyte, there all is loste, and that correction is not receyued. As a po­tion taken for health, if it worke not, there muste bée a quicker, or else the disease remayneth still: euen so if one punishmente will not doe, a kynder muste bée putte in proofe, and as where the Physition ceasseth of the seconde attempt, hée seeth small signe of reco­uery, and that mans state is daunge­rous: euen so where GOD giues o­uer and lettes alone, there is no hope [Page] of remedie: and that mans case is de­sperate, for whome hee loueth,Reu. 3. verse. 19. he cha­stiseth, and scourgeth euery sonne that hée receyueth: and if you be not vnder chastisemente, that is, if you receyue not correction, whereof all his chyl­dren are pertakers, then are you ba­stardes and not sonnes, Heb. 12. but it was farre otherwise with this people,Heb. 12. verse. 6.7.8. they were as Horse & Mule, in whome there is no vnderstandyng, nay the Oxe dothe knowe hys owner, and the Asse his maisters cribbe, but Israell will not be made to knowe hir God,Esay. 1. verse. 3. it is a stiffenecked people, she wyll re­ceyue no correction, she hathe cast the yoke of obedience ouer hir shoulders: why shoulde yée be stricken anye more (sayeth Esay) séeyng that you are euer falling away?Verse. 5.

Lette vs nowe sée this in our se [...]ues, whether wée haue anye correction or no, and if we haue, whether we re­ceyue it as we ought to do. God hathe [Page 74] played the fathers parte, in sparing vs from Famine, from Battell, from the Sworde, and from Captiuitie and bondage, the common euentes of Warres: and hée hathe visited vs wyth a gentle plague, the disease that Dauid chose.1. Chron. 21. Verse 13. And what hathe it done? it hathe mended, as manye as it hathe ended, not one that hath not bin sicke is the better, where as the good chylde is in awe, and dothe as muche at the shakyng, as at the strykyng wyth the rodde: nay I maye saye to you, manye haue bin visited, and are reco­uered, but for theyr lyfe and conuersa­tion, they are the worse: and doe they receyue correction then? excepte hée shoulde rente asunder the verye Hea­uens, and breake the Cloudes, and come downe hymselfe to visit, I thinke wée are at a poynte for all other visi­tations. I remember what the wic­ked man sayeth in hys hearte,Psalme. 14. There [Page] is no GOD: but lette vs not egge hym too farre. God is prouoked eue­rye daye, but if a manne wyll not turne, hée hathe whette hys Sworde, hée hathe bente hys bowe and made it readye,Psalme. 7. hée hathe prepared for hym the instrumentes of deathe. It is not ynough to saye GOD SAVE THE QVEENE, & yet by our disobediēce, cause hym to take hyr awaye. Oure Sauioure wepte ouer Hierusalem, for that shée knewe not those thynges whyche belonged to hyr peace.Luke. 10. verse. 41. En­glande hathe peace, the Lorde long continue it, and open oure eyes, to sée the thynges that belong vnto it, as well in pietie and religion, as in policie and reason. Happye are they whome other mennes harmes can make to beware. If Fraunce, Flaunders, Spayne, and all the whole Worlde besydes, can not bée a fayre and sufficient warning to vs, [Page 76] lette vs take héede we be not made an example to all the world.God for­bidde.

Shee trusted not in the Lorde. This is the thirde cause, and it is the fountayne of all vnhappinesse, not to depēd of Gods prouidence. This made Israell hunt after Idols so, and putte hir trust in Horses and strength of mē, to bée so cruell in dealing with deceyt. And what shall I saye of oure engro­cers, forestallers, forfet takers, Usu­rers, oppressing Landlordes, of mur­muring rich men, that euer are afraid, and neuer haue ynough? that you trust in the Lorde? I will not disproue youre faith, but if you do those things which denye and defye the faithe, which fight agaynste faithe, if you iustifye them of little faythe, that cared but for to morrowe,Math. 6. and youre carke be for a hundred yeares, though your carca­ses can not tarrye so long.A long li­uing and a short life. You maye talke of Gods Prouidence as long as you wyll, and beléeue you he that [Page 77] list. Youre trust is not rightely in the Lorde: and if you mistrust hys proui­dence, by my counsayle you shall my­strust youre owne prouision, and good reason to, for hée will take whether hée wyll at hys pleasure. Thou feele,Though our Land­lord be on earth, yet our lyfe Lord is in Heauen. L [...]ke. 22. verse. 20. thys nyghte shall I take awaye thy soule, and whose shall these thynges bée then whyche then haste proui­ded?

Agayne, there are a sorte that goe downe into Egypte,Esa. 31. whome Esay cur­seth, whyche séeke wyse women, olde beldames, for yong women wyth childe, Witches and cunnyng menne, for thynges loft.

It was a greate faulte in this peo­ple, & Manasses y^e Idolater was sorely gyuen to it, to obserue dreames, sin­gyng of byrdes, and the lyke paltrie as manye doe nowe,Popery ioyneth vvith Sor­cery. the howlyng of Dogges, the gnawyng of Rottes, the spottes in the hande, the crying of Rauens, the flying of Owles, a sorte [Page] of fonde obseruations and dreames, olde wyues fables, whereby the Di­uell deludeth manye, and weakeneth theyr faythe. Saule woulde néedes consulte wyth a Witche thoughe hée hymselfe hadde putte them downe: yet when Samuell the Prophete was deade, so bewitched was Kyng Saule,1. Sam. 2 [...]. but shortlye after, if not the nexte daye, hee ranne on hys owne Sworde. There is a Plague in store for all forsakers of GOD, and séekers to the Diuell: hée dothe ab­horre it, and precisely forbydde it in the eyghtenth Chapter of Deute­ronomie.Deut. 18. verse. 10.

Nowe for them whyche flye the Plague, whether they trust in the Lorde or no, héere are manye would fayne knowe, and I wyll bée as wil­lyng to declare my opinion therein. I can not defyne it absolutely, or fy­nallye determine the case, but I leaue [Page] it to my betters, and it is conscience in déede that strykes the stroke of trust or mistrust, and therein eue­rye manne canne best tell hymselfe: for as thy lyfe dothe declare thée to manne, so thy faithe dothe shewe thée vnto GOD, and Tenera res conscien­tia est, quae nec tangi nec angi debet, Con­science is a tender thyng, and maye not bée touched nor troubled. I maye tearme it a signe of weakenesse, but not flatte infidelitie, for thou mayest both tarrie and flée an Infidell. And there is a desperate kynde of tarrying with preposterous wordes, whyche I vtterlye mislike: and that same harde opinion flatte agaynste all Phisicke, that the Plague is not infectious, I canne not allowe: they haue no reason to make it good that so saye: but they bryng particulare experience, whych is no proofe at all, as though God coulde not be god, and the Plague infectious. [Page 80] Let him that hath a gift to tarry, praise God for it, and let him not triumph o­uer him that hathe it not: and yet I woulde euerye man were as he. But mans nature is verye frayle, and hys fleshe soone afrayde, and euerye bodye hathe not the like measure of perfecti­on and strength. Agayne, some are more bounde to tarry than other some: as publike persons, the Magistrate, the Minister, the maister of householdes that haue any publike office, charge, or function, let them looke vnto it: and for the rest that flye away, if they doe prouide that their neyghbours doe not lacke that conueniente comforte and sufficiente succoure whyche their pre­sence myghte yéelde, I say it is the sa­fer. But to aunswere rash concluders, whiche are hastie to giue sentence, and do condemne their brethrens consci­ence, whiche say absolutely, it is lacke of faith, and altogither vnlawfull, it is to flye from God &c. As though God [Page 81] were the plague. I say, if you wil néeds proue your fayth for your tarying and playing y^e men, then must you find a pro­mise for your fayth, or els it is no faith. For eternal life we haue a promise, and therfore a faith: & wher in al the Scrip­tures haue you anye promise that God wil spare him or hir, that vpō their trust remaine & tarie by it? whereas as godly and as faithfull are takē away, as Infi­dels and wicked: nay, I think rather the worst are left behinde to amende, and it will be, or to féele a sorer plague. For as Augustine sayth, it is a temptation not to be tempted, so surely may it be a hor­rible plague not to be plagued, as I haue proued before. Away with that Heathen prouerb, which is too common among Christians: He that dieth this yere, is scused for the next. Nay, he that dieth this yéere, & not in the Lorde, is excused neuer, but dieth for euer. Let vs rather pray the Lorde to enable vs to doe our dutie in all spiritual strength, [Page 82] and to comfort one another in sicknesse and in health, and let vs beséech the lord to remoue this plague far frō vs, séeing we can not remoue our selues from the plague, the wings of the morning cānot do it,A prayer. for he is euery where. Haue mer­cy vpon vs therfore, O Lord, according to thy wonted mercy, like as when thou commaundedst thy Angel to cease from slaughter in the time of king Dauid: so if it be thy blessed will, take frō vs nowe this pestilence of mortalitie, and shewe thy louing countenaunce once agayne, and be not angry with vs for euer.

She drew not neare to hir God. This is the fourth and last cause. As a wilde Asse in the mountayne cōmes not neare his catcher, so Israel withdra­weth hir self frō god hir kéeper. Christes crying,Iere. 11. [...] Vers. 28. Come vnto me. &c. Mat. 11. dothe tell vs that he can not abide that we should wander & stray to any other. To come néere, is not thy bodily going to the church, or Pharisaical pressing to y^e high Aulter, but it is a spiritual approching, [Page 83] euen as God is a spirit. Iohn. 4. Which words S. Iames vseth too,Iames. 4 [...] vers. 8. & expresseth what it is to draw nea [...] vnto god: it is to clense our hands, & to purifie our har­tes. It cannot be but a great comfort to vs, that God is euery where: & religion doth nothing els but ioyne vs vnto him, as superstitiō doth separate vs frō him: and therfore it is called fornication. Al­so prayer is a speciall of this generall, wherby we talke with God, & come be­fore his presence, as Abraham talked with God for Sodome, & euery faithful child of God for himselfe. But they that séeke other shifts, & neuer aske of god, as king Asa sick of y^e gout, sought Phisitiōs and neuer sought y^e Lord, they are runa­gates frō god, & they shal dye as y^e king did, without help: for the Lord is soue­raigne, & ruleth al things by himself, and though he lend vs ordinary meanes, yet he leaues vs not to thē alone, but would haue vs séeke all things of him, who is the fountayne of al good things.

[Page 84] Hir Rulers are as roaring Lions. Least the Prophet should séeme to saye any thing that [...]e could not proue, and so slaunder the state of Ierusalem, ther­fore as he named the faults before, so he commes nowe to the persons also, and that the very chéefe. Note héere howe necessarie it is to come to particulars, and to poynt at, and paint out sinne, in whom soeuer it is. He that speakes ge­nerally, speakes to no man now a days, for euery body can post it off, or sport it out so pretily.Iohn. 4. V [...]se. 16 As the woman of Sama­ria by the well of Sichar, was verye pleasaunt with Christ, vntil he tooke hir vp for hir adulterie: So euery man had bin faultlesse héere, and the Prophet had not bin very playne, they woulde haue set as good a face on it as we doe. But as the good Phisition to heale the body doth minister many things agaynst the minde, so muche more shoulde we to heale the soule, deale playne agaynst the body, especially séeing that, Quo grauior [Page] est causa, eo intentior esset cura, The cause béeing greter, there shuld be better care.

I pray you sée how he calles the best (Beastes) héere, what are the rest then? iudge you: and not only vnder Manas­ses, but also vnder Iosias a good king, were naughtie Rulers to be found. And héere are names of purpose méete for them, whatsoeuer other titles they take to them selues. As a roring Lion and a hungry Beare,Prou. 28 vers. 15. so is a wicked Magi­strate ouer tho poore people, sayth y^e wise king. The prouerb of a slouthful slouen is written in the .22. of the Prouerbs,Prou. 22. Verse. 13. that euer when he should doe any good, there is a Lion in the stréete. But and it be true in déede that a Lion sittes in iudgement to deuoure whom he shoulde defende, then equitie shall haue a colde suite: and therfore among many other things it was wisely sayd of Salomon: There the common welth doth flourish where the good do beare rule: but where the wicked strike the stroke, there the [Page 86] godly hide their heades.

We haue a most mercyfull and gra­cious prince, Elizabeth, God in mercy long preserue and keepe hir. Amen. She is a Lambe and no Lion: and where she giues the Lion, it is to be wished that in this sense she had many Lions,God is our keeper. I meane men of courage and valour: But as she hath hands ynowe, so I pray God she haue many harts, and then we shall doe well ynough.

Héere is the picture of Ierusalem, a monstrous body,For both hir Magi­strates and Ministers vvere cor­rupt. a roring Lions head, a rauening Wolues throte, a Camels neck, a Cormerants hart, neuer an eye but starke blinde, not a right hande or foote, but talants like the Diuell: so that you might rightly borrowe the Poets verse, to say, Monstrum horrendum informe ingens, cui lumen ademptum. And all this is for the crueltie in the Princes, the co­uetousnesse in the Priestes, and corrup­tion in the people. Suche a foule body was it, that frō top to toe there was no [Page 87] whole part,Iere. 6. vers. 13. from the head to the héele no sound place: for from highest to lowest they were all set on couetousnesse.

And héere I could wishe one property yet of a Lion in all our Rulers. They saye the Lion quaketh at the crowing of a Cocke: So I pray God that the threatnings of the worde may worke with them, and quayle them: that the spirite of Elias doubled vpon Elizeus maye bee raysed in Iohn: and that suche men may be founde out as mée­test messangers for them, whiche goe not about the bushe, neither are blaun­chers, but as playne as a packe staffe, whiche put them in remembraunce what they are, that as the Lyon though he be the King of beastes, yet at length is made a pray to small birds, and then is that saying veryfied, Better is a liue Dogge than a dead Lion. So they although they be greate in authori­tie, yet at the last they are but a bayte for the small wormes.

[Page 88] And her Iudges are as Wolues in the euening. I wil not stand on the cu­rious distinctiō of these degrées, but only shew you some difference of the beasts to whom he resembles thē. A Liō pray­eth in the day, a Wolfe in the night: a Lyon catcheth stoute beastes, a Wolfe killeth Lambes: a Lion takes no lam­bes, as an Eagle takes no flies, A quila non capit Muscas. If a beast humble him­selfe to a Lion he is the lesse cruell, but do it to a Wolfe and hee is the more fierce. A Wolfe hath a more rauenous nature, for though he bee ful of spoyle, yet he takes pleasure in the bloud, for he thrustes his snoute into the bowels of a lambe, rooting and noufling for the hart: and therefore in scriptures, the e­nimies of the Church are often called Wolues, and for no vnlike qualitie are wicked Iudges here resembled to them.

Whatsoeuer is rightly done of the magistrate, may be sayde to be done of [Page 89] god himself: & I haue said you are gods. Take héede therfore what you do (sayd Iosaphat a good captaine,2. Cro 1 [...] when he or­dayned Iudges) for you execute not the iudgments of men but of God, and ther is no vnrighteousnesse with him. Sit not with his authoritie then to practise your owne crueltie, if you do? you haue lost your warrant, and it is of your self, & you are no magistrate, but a Wolfe: and the widow crie, and the fatherlesse wéepe for his ryght, the lambe is fallen into the Wolues iawes. But the bloud shal crie for vengeāce, and neuer cease, and reuenge shalbe redy, & neuer sleep, for hee that made him shall heare hym.Ecclesi. 4. Verse. 6. Now, as that Iudges case is cléere, that iudgeth thousands in truth and equity, so is his moste grieuous that condem­neth but one vniustlye. Remember the righteous God that hath no respect of persons but is a iust Iudge, remember that Potentes potenter punientur: the migh­tie shal be mightily punished, and mer­cy [...] [Page 90] is graunted to the lower sort, but the magistrate shall haue a sore triall.VVisd. 6. Verse. 9. Wyl you knowe who hath set you in youre seate? that same God, that raised iudges vnto Israel. 2. Iudg. Uerse. 16. Wil you know to what end? it is to do away euil from among his people and to iudge thē with iust iudgement.De [...]tr. 16. and. 19. Put to your hel­ping hand then in the name of God, and let two scales fal from al your eyes that haue to deale in iustice, the one is (coue­tousnesse) that you may sée right, the o­ther is (cruelty) that you shew no wrōg, and as much as you can, by clemencye, pittie, and mercy, auoyde the name of Wolues. But against the wicked be Li­ons and spare not, as Iethro counselled his son in law Moses,Exo. 18. Verse. 21. Mark these three notes you that are Magi­ [...]rates. to picke out men of courage, men that feared God and hated couetousnesse to gouern y^e people. You had néede of stomack and courage, and to be Liōs some times, for you shal méete wyth diuels else now & thē. Here is suche cutting and flashing, as if men [Page 91] were Oxen and not Christians. I thinke the sworde you cary should be able to commaund vppe euery sworde into his sheath, or if they cannot rule theyr handes, I am sure you haue authoritye for theyr legges. I reade in the 4. of Genesis,Gene. 4. Verse. 15. that hee that kil­led Caine a murtherer, should bee pu­nyshed seauen folde: I am sorie it is made so light a matter in our time. I speake not vnto you to make new lawes, I knowe you cannot, but to execute olde lawes, & to bee more exquisite on the tryall of him that hath cutte a throte, than of hym that hath cut a purse. Oh Lord, that a murtherer shoulde finde any one friende in a Christian common weale:For as the body is more vvorth than rai­ment, so the life is more pre­cious th [...] liuing. but of no­bles? of Iudges? of magistrates? it were to intollerable: a poore théefe packes to Tyborne, but a manne kyller, a murtherer, can shyfte hys legges oute of the shackle, and slippe his necke oute of the haulter. [Page 92] In Platoes common welth, he y^t killed one was thought worthy death twice: firste for natures duetye, secondlye, for the life he toke away: & shal a Ruf­fyan kil twice in a Christian estate be­fore he can be met with once? And here I haue a sute to your honours, I wyll not spare to speake, howsoeuer I speede, I shall discharge my conscience yet, and the burden shal be yours: it is to renewe my petition, whiche once I made to your predicessor, for poore con­demned prisoners: make no such poste hast I beséech you, that you dāger their soules with their bodies. They are cut off to saue their soule, but & you make no care of that, take héede that you haue not as short a warning, and a more so­dayne departing your selues. God hath giuen you faire warning, by many late and lamentable examples, euen of your own Cloke. I discommend not due exe­cution of Iustice, it is no piece of my meaning, but mercy is alwayes better [Page 93] than Sacrifice. Wherefore let it euer ioyne with your iustice, or else there is no difference betwéene damning & con­demning on your part: the olde Poetes had a blind saying, (Dimittamte orco) Ile sende thée to hel, when anye man was don to death: but Christiās haue a bet­ter phrase (I trow) & I truste they go to heauē. Wel, to draw toward a conclusi­on with you which are our honorable gouernour and Maior of this Citie, you must remember that you are chosen in the time of a plague, and therfore in the time of sinne: you are come to a sicke & a sore citie, you must therfore play both the Phisition and Surgeon, you muste awake out of Endimions sleepe, and thrust dilligently your sword of iustice in, to launce out all corruption and ba­gage which is gathered in the bowels, we stoppe not our nose so at the plague, as the Lord doth stoppe hys nose at our sinne: the stincke of London is come vp before hym, God hath a worke to doe [Page 94] by you, do not the Lordes worke negli­gently, for feare of a curse: Tully true­ly sayde (Magistratus virumindicat) au­toritie doth declare a man, whether he Loue superstition or religion, whether he loue Iustice or brybes, whether he be inclined to mercy or to crueltie, & whe­ther he be couetous or liberal: and if hee be a Liō, his pawes: or if he be a Wolf, his iawes wil soone bewray him: the cry of the Orphane & oppressed wil Hunte him and finde him out.

It cōmes to my minde, those three ships, sēt to Mar. Aurelius Emperor of Rome out of Spain (as I remēber) full fraught w^t vagabōds, loiterers, théeues, Iuglers, & Iesters, & in a letter he wrote that these were but the maisters of this misrule, and the captain Roges, but for the scholers themselues three hundered ships would not suffise. To thys end I tell you thys, bycause wee haue more than thrée shippes ful, by oddes. I [Page] wyl not saye, the Cittie is ful: but sure adulterers and Harlottes, théeues and Uacaboundes do swarme in most pla­ces of the same, and no marueyle, for Dicing houses, Daunsing schooles, bowling-aleyes, Alehouses, are almoste lawlesse in euery place: me thinkes the policye were as good to note on those places (LORD HAVE MERCIE VPON VS) as on infected houses, & more néede to, euen at this time, if there were due searche, you shoulde finde my words true. Seruice or Sermon, all is one to them. I leaue to tell the ribal­drie, contempte of God, and of good or­der, blasphemy and vilanous spéeches a­mongst them, that a mā would take thē to bee rather Diuels than Christians. You cannot haue all of me nowe, giue eare to other when they come, I be­séeche you, and in anye case despise not the leaste that the Lorde doeth sende: so shall you shewe in youre yeares [Page 96] account that you haue kepte your con­science vnwounded, vnburdened, as Samuels was before the Lorde: you may chaunce els to get such spottes and scarres in this yéere, as will not out a­gayne before the Iudgement daye, the which the Lorde God forbid. Amen.

And as for thée London, I must néeds say thou art déepe in debte, double and treble daunger doth enuiron thée round about, and compasse thée in on euery side, for thou dost ouerflowe with sinne. Euen as a Cundit [...] sprouteth out wa­ter,Iere. 6. Verse. 7. and as the Sea fometh with myre and grauell: So thou doste discouer thine owne shame. Prodigalitie & pride, deceite and fraud, and all the rest, it was first began in thée: Thou hast infected both Court and Countrey, and theyr bloude will be required at thy hands. Greate néede haue we therefore (my brethren) by our tymely repentaunce to turne vnto the Lorde, that as by our example we haue fetcht them in, so by [Page 97] our generall lamentation & mourning, we may bring them out again. Who cā tell whether the Lord will yet haue cō ­passion vpon vs, or no, and staye the thing that is concluded agaynst vs? It was one of the last offers that god made to Israell, when he sayd, Amende,Iere. 6. vers. [...]. Esai. 24. or I will withdraw my hart from thée. Now if in his rage he shall sweare that we shall not enter into his rest, and in his anger he shall withdrawe his counte­naunce, which hath béene our continu­aunce, then soone shall fearefulnesse, the pitte, and the snare, come vpon vs, and all them that dwell in the worlde. The Lord turne our harts rather vnto him: worke in vs timely repentance before it be too late: make vs more obedient to his holy worde, that we maye serue him more truely in holynesse and righteous­nesse all the dayes of our life, that this miserable and paynefull life béeing pas­sed ouer, & ended once, we may receiue an eternall and euerlasting lyfe, which [Page 98] is the onely purchase of Iesus Christ our onely redeemer and sauiour: to whom with the father and y^e holy ghost be al glorie, prayse, and power, for nowe and euermore.

Amen.