Text. THe ancient Jews (ſaith the Talmud) teſtifie, that there were three Crowns that made Iſrael renowned, the Crowne of the Law, the Crown of the King, and the Crown of the Prieſt; and of theſe three Crowns, ſay they, that of the Law was moſt glorious: To ſay nothing of other Crowns, which are Noli metangerees; it is no ſmall comfort to us to ſee the Law weare its Crown again; there is an unavoidable interruption and ſilence of Law, (inter ſtrepitum armorum) when the beat of the Drum drowns the voice of the Cryer; where the Sword is rampant, Laws are dormant, and errours and licentiouſneſſe are paſſant; yet it is our comfort, that now again we ſee judgement runne down our ſtreets like water, and righteouſneſſe as a mighty ſtream.

The Magiſtracy and the Miniſterie are like Rachel and Leah, which two do build the houſe of the Lord, and their adminiſtrations ſhould not interfeer, but mutually accord and lend ſtrength each to other; Verbum informans, & virga reformans, The informing Word, and the reforming Sword ſuiteWeemes Synagog. pag. 170. Amos 5. very well together. Jewiſh antiquitie tells us, that though the inferiour Courts of Juſtice ſat in the Gates of their Cities, yet the great Sannedrim ſat in Atri 〈…〉 Templi, near the Porch of the Temple, in a place called Gazith, The Pavement. We are not ſo preſumptuous as to thruſt our Oar into your Boat, or put the leaſt of our fingers into your affairs of ſtate, out of the ſphear of our Callings; yet the Lamps of the Temple may give light to the Houſe of Judgement: and though I do not doubt, but that, though neither I nor any other had ſpoken at this time, yet your affairs would bee both regurall and honourable, yet your ſpeed will not be worſif your Chariot▪ Wheels be axelled or Oyled, for a whet, is no let.

Apology. Expect not that I ſhould lay the Cockatrice Egges of Sychophatrie in in your ears, it is the miſery of greatneſſe, that they ſee their faces ofteneſt in ſlattering-glaſſes; flatterie is but the Ape of friendſhip, and hath everie thing of a friend, but a diſcreet reproof.

If this Text be ſharper Steeled then ſome would, and ſpeak out more then ſome would hear, or have heard, (for I would not muzzle its mouth) I hope you are wiſer then to thinke every word of advice a ſtain to your Authoritie: I know none ſo great but God may have leave to ſpeake toEzra 5. 1. him; I come not to weaken your hands▪ but to ſtrengthen them to righteouſneſſe. It is not my intention to caſt the leaſt ſpott upon any mans face, I know who hath ſaid, Thou ſhalt Exod. 22. 27. not ſpeak evill of the Ruler of thy people; my heart and tongue doth honour your perſons and places; I had rather goe backward and cover a bewayled nakedneſſe. I know, as Micha ſaith▪ myMich. 2. 7, words ſhall bee good to them that walk uprightly, it will be the comfort of the faithfull, when his wayes ſhall be laid to this Rule, and his righteouſneſſe to this Plummet, and ſhall finde his ſoule anſwer to this Text as face to face in a glaſſe, with a ſpiritual Eccho, Lo I come to do thy, will, O▪ Lord.

I would not bee ſo unfaithfull to God, as to be frighted unto a mealymouth'd baſeneſſe, I have not been a Courtier to complement with men in the things of God; ſeria ſeriò, in weighty things we muſt deal in earneſt; neither would I be ſo injurious to man, as to caſt any diſ-reſpect on them who are beyond my ſuſpition, much more my accuſation: but if in ſuch a numerous multitude, my tongue ſhall finde out any that doth but cut off the lap of juſtice, I will ſay with Bernard, [Correctio eſt attractio, non detractio] A ſeaſonable advice is the part of a friend, not of an aceuſer.

Depend∣ance. This Scripture is the Star, whoſe altitude I mean at this time to take, whoſe motion I hope you Wiſemen, as thoſe of the Eaſt, will follow, and whoſe influence I deſire may run with a continued thred thorow all your adminiſtrations, & I pray God it may ariſe in your hearts with healing under its Wings.

The dependance of the Text is thus, For the many ſins of Iſrael and Judah, eſpecially theſe two divorcing fins of Idolatrie and Oppreſſion, in which they had forfeited the truſt of their Eſpouſals, the jealous God had caſt them out of his preſence, as out of a Sling, ſpread them abroad to theZach. 2. 6. four winds of heaven, had given them up to 70 years captivitie in Babylon. The Chaldeans had been as Horns to ſcatter Iſrael and Judah, but after the fulfilling of the dayes wherein they had ſuffered adverſitie, God (that will not chide for ever, nor keep his indignationPſa. 103. 6. for evermore) ſtirred up the Perſian Monarchs to be Carpenters toZach. 1. 21. break theſe Horns; and hee that ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomſoever he pleaſeth, gave to the Medes and Perſians the Conqueſt of Babylon; and that God that ruleth the Spirit of Princes as the Rivers of waters, inclined the hearts of the Perſian Monarchs to give Iſrael leave to return to their God and their Countrey; ſo that the daughter of Zion was to be delivered out of Babylon as out of a pit in which no water is: And becauſe the people that had now feathered their neſts, were ſlow enough to return, God ſends Haggai and Zacharie to ſummon them to return, to edifie the Temple, and re-eſtabliſh his pure worſhip, and that by a Proclamation to excite their dulneſſe, Zachar. 2. 6. Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the North, ſaith the Lord, deliver thy ſelf, O Zion, that dwelleſt with the daughter of Babylon. Like that of Micha 2. 10. Ariſe and depart, for this is not your reſt, it is polluted. This Haggai doth in plain words, Zacharie in myſticall Viſions, Sic ludit nobiſcum Spiritus Sanctus. And now being returned, he ſhews them here, one means of their re-eſtabliſhing, that they might be moved no more, he preſcribes to them this analeptick in their neutralitate convaleſcentiae, as a principall meanes to repair their breaches, and reſtore them a path to dwell in, to glew again their broken ſtaffs of bands & beautie, Theſe are the things ye ſhall do, &c. So that the Text may be called The Balme of Giliad for Iſraels recovery.

Thus I have brought you to the Text, the God of power and profit bring it unto you.

Analyſis. There are two parts of Chirurgerie, Syntheſis and D • a • reſis, the compoſer of things diſunited, and the diviſion of things conjoyned: The Kingdom hath long enough ſmarted under diviſions, I could wiſh there were no more; the Text and the times require rather compoſure, I will not therefore crumble my Text into fyllabicall Atomes, leaſt I ſhould verborum minut is rerum pondera frangere, leaſt it ſhould befall my Text as it doth ſome Aromaticall druggs of thin and aëreall ſubſtance, by over fine pouthering, and over exact ſearching▪ loſe of their ſpirits.

Well is the Commonwealth compared to a muſicall Inſtrument, and the Text ſutes not ill with our preſent condition, and this preſent occaſion; for here is the tuning of three principall ſtrings in your preſent imployment, the Tongue, the Hand, the Heart; the Tongue, Speak the truth, &c. the Hand, Execute the judgment of truth and peace in the gate; the Heart, And let none of you imagine evill in your Heart, &c. and all this armed with Gods antipathy, For all theſe things do I hate, ſaith the Lord. So that this Text like a well made Picture, doth eye all on the Theater of this intended adminiſtration, and like John Baptiſt, ſtands at the River of Jord • n, to anſwer every one according to his ſtation.

If the Tertullian Oratours and fiduciall Witneſſes ſhall come and ſay, What ſhall we do? the anſwer is ready, Speak the truth, &c. declare the truth, witneſſe the truth, plead the truth. If the Honourable Judges, and the inferiour Jurers ſhall ſay, And what ſhall wee doe? the ſame Oracle gives the anſwer, Execute the judgement of truth and peace. If the wrangling contentioners (under whoſe multitude the Bar & judgements ſeat doth groan, that they might even break the Axletree of Juſtice, were it not made of good, wood, and whoſe Supernumeraries ſtand need of disbanding, as well as the Army) would hear their portion, it is at hand, I would it were alſo at the heart, Imagine no evill in your heart, &c.

And leaſt the errours in any of theſe ſhould ſeem of no weight, it is enforced with an argument cloathed in fire, All theſe are things which I hate, faith the Lord.

Explica∣tion. But to draw the Curtain from before this picture, that you may view it, and it may view you.

Theſe things ſhall ye do, not ſay, like ſome Mills, that clacke much, and grinde little: never was there a more ſeaſonable word. The Laws ſpeake as much, as well as ever, but I know not how it comes to paſſe, the hand of execution is withered. Andracles ſaid of the Athenian laws, that there needed one to mend all; mending is above my cognizance; but this I am ſure of, we ſtand need of another Law to put all the reſt in execution: the ſword of the Magiſtrate ſhould not be like that of Goliahs, wrapped in a cloth and laid up behinde the Ephod; nor Magiſtrates themſelves like George on horſback, (the embleme onely of a Magiſtrate, as Chriſtopher of a Miniſter) his hand armed, but never ſtriking a ſtroke, God expects doing; up, and be doing, and the Lord be with you.

Theſe things, not ſome, but all; for, as Chriſoſtome well obſerved, neither in muſick nor juſtice the ſtriking of one ſtring maketh harmony: God expects ye ſhould execute all the decrees of righteouſneſſe.

Speak the truth, not lies; a lie is a Monſter begot by the Devill on a wicked heart, and if the ſpeaker of lies, much more the ſwearer of lies, as the very ſuccubus of the Devill. It was the old Proverb, Chriſtianus eſt, non mentietur, He is a Chriſtian, and therefore will not lie: I would it were true in theſe dayes.

Every one to his neighbour: let me not ſtraighten this word from its univerſalitie, every Informer, every Witneſſe, every Pleader ſpeake the truth, let your Bills and declarations ſpeake the truth; if there were an index expurgatorius to paſſe on them, they would not ſwell to ſuch voluminous and lying aggravations Witneſſes, ſpeake you the truth. The Cretians were proverbially noted for great lyars, and no wonder. for amongſt other lies, they ſaid, That the great god Jupiter was dead. I wiſh we had no Cretians amongſtus, that eſteem ſwearing but a blowing on a book, Linguas habent jurutas, mentes injuratas; that ſwear lies as deſperately as if God were dead, and conſcience hanged? What a ſhame it is, that men will call God to witneſſe that, which they would bee afraid to call their neighbour for?

Lawyers, plead the truth, I am no enemy to your honourable rewards, anſwerable to your birth, breeding, place and pains; but let not the ordinary accuſation be true, That you care not what your Cauſe be, ſo your Fee be good. S. Iſodor was wont to ſay, That he who [ſua ſuaviloquentia adornat mendacium, in aureo vaſculovenenum miſcet] by guilded cloquence adorneth a rotten lie, he doth but mixe poyſon in a golden Cup: or as Diogines ſaid of a beautifull man that ſpake filthily, Draws a Leaden Dagger out of a Silken Sheath. I honour that man whoſe tongue is looſed, not by the largeneſſe of the Fee, but by the juſtneſſe of the Cauſe; and to whom, not the ſmalneſſe of a ſtarved Fee, but the conſcience of the badneſſe of his Cauſe maketh his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth. Both God and my Text abhors to ſee the worſt cauſes often clothed with moſt boldnes and verboſity, becauſe it comes in a veſture of Gold. Imitate therefore that brave Lawyer Papinian, in ripening good Cauſes, and rejecting bad. Prov. 12. 19. The lip of truth ſhall be eſtablished, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Execute the judgement, not decree them onely. We have many good Decrees of juſtice formed in the Womb, but they are not executed (except it be in the worſt ſenſe) like Ephraim, they ſtay too long in the place of the breaking forth of children. Our Zarah of Peace and Truth hath beene long agoe ready to be delivered, and had the red thred of our joyfull hopes upon it; but I know not how they are ſhrunk back again into the womb, and I pray God that a Pharez, a breach in our truth and our Peace be not the firſt-borne of our long travellings in Birth; but I hope better things: you are the Midwife of the Parliaments conceptions, what they have wiſely decreed, doe you magnanimouſly execute.

Of Truth and Peace, the two Twinns of God; let them be ſeparated from under Heaven that would divide between theſe two Siſters, either to take Truth from Peace, or Peace from Truth; whom God hath conjoyned let no man ſeparate: theſe are the two Nails on which the Veſſels of the Temple hang, the two Poles of the Republique, the two ſhoulders of Atlas that bear up our little World, the two Pillers of the Temple Jachin and B • az, the two Supporters of the Throne of Government, the two white Kine that carry the Ark of God to its reſting place; theſe two ſtrengthen the ſtakes and lengthens the Coards of God Tabernacle, like the two ſolding doors of the Temple, I wiſh they may be ever [ſe invicem tenentia] even folded together: I wiſh a firme marriage betweene theſe two as long as Sun and Moon endureth, and let him be Anathema that forbidds the Banes; as they are both in my Text, ſo I wiſh they were both written in every mans heart, Zacharie 8. 19. Therefore love the Truth and Peace.

But obſerve the order, Truth and Peace, Truth before Peace; both Siſters, like Leah and Rachel, but the yonger muſt ſerve the elder: many would marry the beautifull Rachel of Peace, but cares not for blear-eyed Truth; a peaceable civill Government is the Roofe and Raſters of the Houſe, but Religion and Truth are the Pillars and Poſts. Truth hath here the front, I wiſh it had had ſo in all our Deſignes, I wiſh that the building of the Hooſe of the Lord had at leaſt gone on [pari paſſu] with the building of the Houſe of the Kingdom, or our own Houſes; but it is according to the Proverb, Primum in intentione ultimum executione; if there had been a readier paſſage to the eſtabliſhment of Truth, our Peace would not have ſtood on ſuch uncertainties.

But perchance the Word hath tranſported me beyond the limits of its ſence, there is a double judgement of Truth, [jus coeli, jus fori] A ſpirituall, a politicall Truth; the firſt ſtands in the ſymmetrie of our Religion with the golden Standard and Beame of the Sanctuary, the Word of God; the other in a conformitie of the wayes of juſtice with the ſence of the Lawes of a Kingdom: I do not think the Prophet excluded the former, for they were to build the Temple as well as the walls of Hieruſalem, yet in this place, by the thred of it, I thinke politicall truth is principally meant; this alſo muſt be executed, for oppreſſion and injuſtice are the Horſleeches Daughter, that both ſuck blood, and brings blood.

And let none of you imagine evill in your heart: here is the heart as well as the tongue tyed to the good behaviour. Prov. 4. 23. Keepe the Heart with all diligence, for thereout are the iſſues of life; this is the very focus where the calenture of contention is bred, the Fornace where all the flames of wranglings are kindled; if Hell-fire were quenced in the Heart, there would not be ſo many ſparks of it at the Barre. What a pitie it is, to ſee ſo much ſpent as would make a livelihood for a widow, or a portion for the Fatherleſſe, upon ſome two—penny treſpaſſe, for the wantonneſſe of a mans Horſe, or the weakneſſe of his Halter.

Love no falſe oath: a falſe oath is that which wants any of the ingredients mentioned Jerem. 4. 2. Truth, Judgement and Righteouſneſſe; truly, for the matter, conſiderately for the manner, juſtly and righteouſly for the end and performance: Love it not, hate the falſe Oath as well as the falſe perſon; if this were ſo there would not be ſuch buying, ſuch selling, ſuch borrowing, and ſuch lending of oaths.

For all theſe do I hate, &c. God is the God of truth and juſtice, and hates all that is contrary to himſelf; it will not onely bring the hatred of good men, but the hatred of God; and if the Heavens fall on a Worm it muſt needs bee cruſhed.

I have now ſhaken the Tree, let us gather the fruit, and let me draw all the light of this Text into one point, as boyes with a Burning-glaſſe, that all its Beames concentrated unto the • onus and angle of one obſervation, it may ſet your hearts on fire in execution of what is here commanded. The Point is thus: The right adminiſtration of Truth and Peace, is a maine help to the right flouriſhing, and the due recovering of a languiſhing Church and Commonwealth. It would require the hand of a maſter of aſſemblies to ſharpen this Goad, and to faſten this Nail, but according to my meaſure let me firſt explane it a little.

The right adminiſtration, &c. that is, when every one according to their office lifts up pure hands to God and the Law.

Of Truth, firſt, ſpirituall, not an intollerable toleration of all errour. Proverb. 24. 3. Through wiſdom a houſe is built, and through underſtanding it is eſtabliſhed; and the Lord tells Hezekiah, Eſa. 33. 16. That wiſdom and knowledge ſhall be the ſtabilitie of his times, his ſtrength and ſalvation, and the fear of the Lord his treaſure. Machevell could ſay, The way to conquer a Kingdom, is to lay the reins on every ones neck; if wee prove falſehearted to Gods truth, the Lord may prove ſlow-handed to our Peace.

Secondly, politicall; Solon being asked when a Commonwealth moſt flouriſhed, anſwered, when the people obey the Magiſtrates, and the Magiſtrates obey the Law; and one wiſer than he, ſaid, Proverb. 14. 34. Righteouſneſſe exalteth a Nation, but ſin is a reproach to any people. Then is a Commonwealth in its ſolſtice, when righteouſneſſe and peace kiſſe each other, and it ſerves alſo for its recovery; Phinehas executed judgement, and the Plague ſtayed, Pſal, 106. 30.

And peace. There is a deſerved honour due to them that have beene faithfull in adminiſtration of war, but as peace is the end, ſo it ſhould be the aime of war: peace is a mother bleſſing that hath all other in its wombe, and bleſſings are on the head of peace makers, for they ſhall be called the Children of God: they are but 〈◊〉 of blood, that like fleſh-flies would keep the ſoar perpetually green, that they might feed themſelves on our diſtempers. After the long uſe of the weapon-ſalve, God grant us the healing Balſom of a firm and well-grounded peace, that there may be no more leading into captivitie, no more complaining in our ſtreets, Pſal. 144. 14.

A principall means of the right flouriſhing and due recovering. This will prove both a Prophylactick and an Analeptick, both to preſerve us in neutralitate deridentiae, and to recover us in our neutralitate convaleſcentiae, as Phyſicians ſpeak: This will give us a Lamp in Hieruſalem, and faſten us a nail in a ſure place. 1 King. 15. 4. & 22. 23.

Of the Church and Commonwealth; I put them both together, the Commonwealth is the Inne of the Church: theſe two are like Hyppocrates his Twinns, they both live and die, languiſh and recover together. On the contrary, the male-adminiſtration of theſe two is both Legis, Regis, or Gregis excididum, the leveller of all our glory and greatneſſe, what unhedged, untowred, unpreſſed, unclouded the Vineyard of the Lord, Eſa. 5? it was theſe ſour grapes that ſet Gods teeth on edge, For the vincyard of the Lord of Hoſt is the houſe of Iſrael, and the men of Judah are his pleaſant plant; he looked for judgement, but behold oppreſſion, for righteouſneſſe, but behold a crie: therefore ſaid Auguſtine, Civitatis everſio non eſt murorum, ſed morum caſus; It is not the weakneſſe of our wals, but the wilfulneſſe in ſinning, eſpecially againſt truth and peace that will be our overthrow: for as the voyce is ſtoried to ſpeak to Phocas the Emperour, Were our walls towred to heaven, the ſinne that is within will deſtroy all.

In the mouth of two witneſſes only let this truth ſtand, and let the wiſeſt Stateſman that ever was, who had more Kings-craft then ever any before or ſince, bee the foreman to bring in the verdit; Salomon, Prov. 29. 4. The King by judgement eſtabliſheth a land, but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it, Eſtabliſheth it: as the Vine ſaid to the Marble Pyramid about which it grew, ſo may the Commonwealth to juſtice, [Teſtante virebo] If thou ſtand I ſhall floriſh; and hee doth not ſay, The unjuſt overthroweth it, but he that receiveth gifts, a man of oblations, as in the Originall, becauſe moſt of the Wheels of unjuſtice move on this Axeltree.

And for the recovery, ſee Amos 5. 15. Hate the evill, love the good, eſtabliſh judgement in the gate, it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joſeph.

As every Word of God, ſo this is profitable to inform, rebuke, inſtrnct. Firſt, it informs us who are the ruiners of a Commonwealth, that bore the Ship they ſail in, that demoliſh the houſe they dwell in, that lop the tree they ſtand under, that undermine the wall they lean on, that breake the ſtaff that ſupports them, to ſay nothing at this time of other ſinners, they are the unfaithfull of the Land. Prover. 25. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and the Throne ſhall bee eſtabliſhed in righteonſneſſe.

Secondly, it informes us who are the Stakes in our Hedge, the pillars of our houſe, the Pilots of our ſhip, the faithfull in the Land, faithfull to God, to the Law, to their Truſt, faithfull Magiſtrates as well as faithfull Miniſters are the Horſmen and the Chariots of Iſrael.

Secondly, this point ſharpeneth its eyes, and ſpits fire in the faces of two ſorts of people.

Firſt, the wrongers of Truth, and ſecondly the wrongers of Peace.

And firſt, the wrongers of ſpirituall truth: For Zions ſake I will not hold my peace, and for Hieruſalems ſake I will not be ſilent; this is a lamentation, and ſhall be a lamentation with me, that the heritage of the Lord is become aſpeckled Bird, no Leopard ſo full of ſpots as wee of damnable Hereſies. How is the faithfull Citie become a Harlot in ſtrange attire? how is our wine mixed with water, our ſilver mixed with droſſe, our Gold become Copper, and Tin •• , and Lead? Who ſhall give me water to my eyes, to bewail that England is become the wagging of the head, and the pointing with the finger, the grief of the godly and orthodox, the ſcorne and reproach of the Popiſh and prophane, and the ſhame of our neighbour Churches: O that it might not be told in Gath, nor publiſhed in the ſtreet of Askalon, leaſt the daughter of the uncircumciſed rejoyce. There be that take away our Scripture, our Baptiſm, our Law, our Goſpel, our Miniſters, our Chriſt, and yet aske us what we ayle? Wee have eſcaped the Bear, and overcome the Lyon, and ſhall we be conſumed with the Moath? To theſe I ſay no more but this, It cannot bee but that offences will come, but we to them by whom they come. Matth. 18. 7.

Secondly, the wrongers of poltick truth and juſtice, Jus fori, and theſe are of three ſorts, I wiſh I could ſay, Triaſunt omnia.

Firſt, the ſellers of Juſtice for fear, or flatterie, or friendſhip, or gifts, for there are more ſorts of Bribery then one; there is fear-bribery, friendſhipbribery, honour-bribery, ſin-bribery, and gift-bribery; if I thought there were any ſuch here, I would tell them that whatever the price is, the pennyworth will be dear, when their ſoule ſhall feel the ſting, and lie under the ſcalding drops of vengeance, which is in my Text, All thoſe do I hate, &c. ſed Cynthius aurem vellit. But ſomebody puls me by the ſleeve, and ſaith, enough of that.

Secondly, wreſters of Juſtice, who make the Law a Noſe of Wax, to bee ſet to the right or wrong ſide, according to their partiall affections, that purpoſely ſhuffle plainneſſe into difficulties, and raiſe ſuch duſt that the Pearl of Truth may not come to the right owner; that are wittie to finde one tricke or other to tripp up juſtice, that righteouſneſſe cannot ſtand, and equitie cannot enter, Eſa. 59. 14.

Thirdly, the delayers of Truth, who ſet men forward and backward, as their men on Cheſſe-boord. O! how many remoraes hath the ſhip of Juſtice? It may be called the delay, rather than the ſpeed; a motion this Terme, an Order next, and then a a Writ of Errour unravels all again. Jethro, Exod. 18. 14. was not well pleaſed to ſee Cauſes hang from morning to evening, but what would he have ſaid if he had ſeen ours depend from Tearm to Tearm, Terminos ſine termino, from year to year, yea Saboaths of years, that ſometime Juſtice doth but bring forth as the Elephant, once in ten years. I know the Intricacie of ſome Cauſes, requires more deliberation, the deeper the well, the longer of drawing: But what ſhame and pitie it is to ſee the plaineſt cauſes uſed as deceitfull Chirurgions deale with ſoar legs, held long in hand, not for the difficultie of the Cure, but the advance of its gain▪ ſo that the ſhorteſt plea is a plea of endurance, and a 〈◊〉 at law out-laſts the beſt Buffe: to ſee the oppreſſed runne from Tearm to Tearm untill the webb of his Cauſe be growne ſo long that hee hath no weft left to make it up; like the ſheep that runns to the thicket, but comes off with ſcarce any wooll on her back; and though their Suits begin not, yet they are 〈…〉 e to end in forma pauperis. What is the turning of Juſtice into Wormwood, Amos 5. 6. and the turning of righteouſneſſe into Gall and Hemlock, Amos 6. 12. if this be not it? Quando major eſt expenſarum ſumptus quam ſententiae fructus; when a man may buy beggery cheaper at home than he can buy juſtice at Weſtminſter, as if the Law had been made to undo men rather than relieve them, that before a mans ſentence come, either his dayes are done, or his eſtate undone. It would move a heart like a nether Milſtone to ſee and hear the ſighs and groans of ſome diſtreſſed families, that hath to deale with oppreſſing greatneſſe at the end of fruitleſſe and ſumleſſe Tearmes, that how many Tearms ſoever they paſſe, they never have a Hilarie Tearm. Themiſtocles was ſo wearied with the Law that he proteſted that if there were two wayes ſhewed him, one to the Barr, another to Hell, he would chuſe that to Hell rather; I ſuppoſe in this he overſpake himſelf. but this I am ſure of, there are many ſo diſcouraged, from ſeeking the face of the Ruler, that they had rather ſit down under three injuries, than require ſatisfaction for one, the remedy being worſe than the diſeaſe. To theſe I ſay no more but this, Hee that in this kinde hideth his face from the crie of the poore, hee alſo ſhall crie and not be heard, Prov. 21. 13.

II. Wrongers of peace. Secondly, this Point ſpeaks to the wrongers of peace, and they are of two ſorts.

I. Peacehaters. 1. Peace-haters, like Toads full of poyſon, that are ready to burſt with envy, becauſe God hath given us reſt round about, in whoſe hearts the fire of malignitie boile has much as ever, and whoſe hearts murder the Parliament every day, though their hands be bound. How many be there that deſire, wiſh for, long for, (if not luſt for) a new breach, watching for our halting, hoping ſtill upon their rotten grounds, to ſee the day that Joſephs Coat ſhall be again tumbled in blood, and the Kingdom ſet on a new flame, that they may ſcramble in the ſmoak, either for their advantage, or their malicious revenge? To theſe I ſay, if the lovers of Zions peace ſhall proſper, the haters of it ſhall be confounded; when God ſhall make Hieruſalem Zach. 12. 3. a burdenſome ſtone, all that lift at it ſhall be broken in pieces, Zach. 12. 3.

2. The underminers of our peace,2. Peace underminers. • . The Schiſmatick. and theſe are alſo of two ſorts:

Firſt, the Shiſmatick, rending the Seamleſſe Coat of Chriſt, that will hazard the tearing of all up by the roots again, rather than their Plants, though never of Gods planting, ſhall want ſetting and watering. Did I ſee in them that are contrary-minded a modeſt humilitie, reſerving their mindes to themſelves, and impartially ſtudying for ſatisfaction, I ſhould eſteem more moderately of them, and hope that after they had wearied themſelves in ſeeking the door, and run themſelves into a loſſe, they might be again led to the fold, where Chriſt feedeth at noon-day: but when I ſee many to be ſuch agitators in ſeducing (for ſet Hereſie as well as beggery on horsback and it will ride) I can quarter them no where but amongſt the enemies of peace, and hinderers of the flouriſhing of this Kingdom: State-buſines is not meat for Mowers, but, if I have any foreſight in me, if arbitrary Prerogative was a rod, arbitrary Religion and libertie will be a ſcorpion; if the one ſlew its thouſands, the other will ſlay its ten thouſands, if not in body, yet in ſoul; for the Apoſtle calls2 Pet. 2. 1. Hereſies damnable; and ſurely ſome of theſe errours (that look as contrary one to another, as Samſons Foxes, but that they agree in their Tails to carry the firebrand) muſt be Hereſies, except we wil agree with that monſter of Heticks Carpo • rates, that held that there was nothing true or falſe, good or evill in themſelves, but according onely to the opinion of man; ſo that whatſoever a man fancied, that was lawfull, how falſe or bad ſo even. They that make our Sunn as ſackcloth, cannot but endanger, at leaſt, to make our Moone to bee turned into blood.

The ſecond underminers of our peace, are the prophane; Is it peace o • ſhall it be peace, cries every prophane Varlet, that is every day waging war with heaven, as Jehu ſaid to Joram, What peace can there be as2 Kin. 9. 22 long as Whoredoms, and witchcrafs are ſo many; as long as there is ſo much gluttony and drunkenneſſe▪ chambering and wantonneſſe, ſtrife and envying, and, which grieves me moſt, even amongſt them that have covenanted otherwiſe ſolemnly to God? When I looked upon a great many of this nation entring into a ſolemn League, Oath and Covenant of Salt, for puritie of Doctrine and puritie of life, to me it was like Noahs Rain-bow, a ſigne from God that hee would no more deſtroy us, as the Paſchall blood on our door poſts, a Seal that God would not let the deſtroyer enter; but when I ſee the Covenant, even in this point, made but an old Almanack, but that I know God doth many things for his own Names ſake, I ſhould prognoſticate that God would revenge the quarrell of his Covenant, with more fury powred out than ever. Had I Stentors voice, or could my tongue reach to every ſuch in the Kingdom, I would tell them they are the troublers, the murderers of England, that are thruſting her head againe under water, that ſhe might be no more a Nation.

Vſe of in∣ſtruction. But yet to come nearer home, there are here the Magiſtrates of the Kingdom, of the Countrey, and of the Citie, and it is probable I may never have ſuch an auditory again, therefore let me ask you, Would you ſee the recovery, glory and well-fa • re o • this Commonwealth? would you ſee this Nation, (which, if your Sunn will goe but a few degrees backward, you ſaw a Golgotha, an Aceldama, a field of Blood and Skuls) rejoyce againe andIſa. 35. 1. bloſſome as a Roſe; our withered Olive to grow green, and fear no more the year of drought? would you ſee this ſhattered Kingdome made the praiſe of the whole earth, this littleIſa. 67. 7. and 2. 2. Hill advanced above all hills, that the people might flow unto it; that every one might take hold of the skirt of anZach. 8. 23 Engliſhman, and ſay, Wee will bee called by thy name, for the Lord is with you? Would ye ſee our breaches repaired, and our borded enlarged, and Zion to ſhine forth in perfectDeut. 11. 20. Iob 29. 3. Iob 29. 6. beautie? Would ye have the Candle of the Lord to ſhine on our head, our ſteps waſhed with Butter, and the Rocks to powre out rivers of Oyle? Would ye lie down in green paſtures,Pſa. 23. 3. and none to make you afraid? would ye have her that hathlyen amongſtPſa. 98. 13. the Pots, have the wings of a Dove that is covered with ſilver, and her feathers as gold? Would ye have bleſſings on the head of Joſeph, and to reſt on the top of the head of him that wasDeut. 33. 16. ſeparated from his brethren? Would yee have the Iſland compaſſed aboutPſ. 32. 10. with mercies, as it is with water? Would ye bee built and not pulledIer. 24. 6. down, planted and not plucked up? would ye be as a defenced Citie, anEze 28. 13 iron Pillar, a braſen wall, the garden of God, where every precious ſtone may be your covering? O thou afflicted,Eze. 54. 11 toſſed with tempeſts and not comforted? Wouldſt thou have thy ſtones laid with faire colours, thy foundation with Saphire, thy windows made of Agate, thy gates of Carbuncle, and all thy border precious ſtones? hee that would not have theſe things, let him be as Admah and Zeboim, as the dung of Endar; let his name be written in the duſt, or in the Gadarens Swine-Coat. If ye would then take home this councell of the Prophet, let me unbutten your Velvet Coats, and unlooſe your Scarlet robes, that I may anoint this Balſome on the region of your hearts, Execute the judgment, &c.

I look upon you as upon edged Pictures, one way I ſee you as gods, and on the other ſide I ſee you as men, but a little higher duſt: let me awhile lay aſide your greatneſſe, and deals with your goodneſſe, if there be any love to God, any bowels of compaſſion to our diſtreſſed mother, any reſpect to a languiſhing Commonwealth, thinke on theſe things: God hath after a ſort put the welfare of England in your hands, you are eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, tongues to the dumb, ſupporters to the weak, ſhelters to the oppreſſed; you are as Conſtantine ſaid of himſelf, Biſhops without the Church, as Miniſters are within, imploy your greatneſſe for God, for the Common-wealth; advance Truth and Peace, Truth will make you free, and Peace will make you great.

Firſt, advance ſpirituall truth, youI. 1 Tim. 2. 2 are to ſee that we lead a godly life, as well as a quiet, honour the Goſpell with your greatneſſe, elſe how will you be provided to anſwer God when hee ſhall call for an account of your Stewardſhip, and ſhall ſay, For all the bleſſings I have heaped upon you, and for all the powers that I have put in your hand, what hath my glory, the purity of my Worſhip, what hath my Law, my Goſpell, my Day, my Miniſters beene the better for you? Of all the power that yee have exerciſed, how much for me? Buy the truth and Pro. 23. 23 ſell it not, the Merchandize of it is better than ſalver, and the gaine thereof better than gold.

And for this purpoſe let me in Gods ſtead beſeech you to imploy your parts and power,

Firſt, to purge out the old Leaven; ſhall it be ſaid of this Reformation, as it was of that, when we firſt came out of Babylon, that we ſwept the houſe, but the houſe ſweepings were but caſt 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 behinde the doore, that a Hen might ſcatter them abroad againe? Is this the Reformation of England, that we ſhould be as a Beggars Cloak, for one piece of new, three patches of old? for one Miniſter that walketh according to the Directory of Gods Word, and the States, three that keep in ſtill the Onyons and the Garlick of traditionary Ceremonies? Is this the fruit of our Oath to God, to bring all to one uniformity?

Secondly, to keep out the new Leaven, to ſtop the ſpreading of the Gangrene; can you be nurſing fathers and mothers to truth and errour at once? Hath a Magiſtrate power to keep our daughters from being raviſhed, and not ſouls from being ſeduced? to keep our heads from being broken, and not our ſouls from being wounded? to puniſh them that ſhal put Ratsbane in our meat, and not them that corrupt the bread of our life? To confine a man that goeth about with a running Plague-ſoar, and not to ſtop their mouthes that by ſeducing poyſon ſouls? Are they under the Magiſtrates cognizance that ſhall ſay, There is no King, no Parliament, no Houſe of Lords; and not thoſe that ſay, There is no Law, no Chriſt, no Miniſters, no truth of God nor Church of God in the earth? Is this the Reformation we have covenanted for, fought for, prayed and faſted for, an intollerable toleration? Were Hereſies and their growth worthy to be faſted and prayed againſt, and are they now fit to be connived at? Have we caſt out the &c.—Oath, and bring in an &c—toleration, a new fyled Key for the bottomleſſe Pit? God forbid that our Reformation ſhould prove to be but a League with the Devill.

Secondly, advance politicall truth in the due exerciſe of juſtice and judgement. Prov. 31. 9. Judge righteouſly, plead the cauſe of the poor and needy. Iſa. 28. 17. Lay judgement to the rule, and righteouſneſſe to the plummet. Levit. 19. 15. Do no unrighteouſneſſe in judgement, reſpect not the perſon of the poor, nor honour the perſon of the mighty, but in righteouſneſſe judge your neighbours, elſe thoughye Pſa. 82. 6. be gods, remember ye ſhall die like men; let not the hight of your places raiſe you out of the fight of God and your end.

Secondly, advance Peace, pray for it, live for it, judge for it, that the ſword may bee beaten into Ploughſhares. And for this purpoſe let mee commend three things to you as furtherances to this, and though in this I ſhall be perchance conſtrued as one that heaps Coals on the fire of ſtrife, I have no ſuch aim, God is witneſſe.

1. Wave masterfull ſtanding upon your particular ayms and ends; I ſhall account him a man of peace, that will ſay as Jonas, Caſt me over-boord rather then I ſhould breed or continue a ſtorme; and who will, as the Romane Worthy, caſt himſelf into the Hiatus rather then it ſhall be uncloſed.

2. Lend your aid and help to the ſetting up of the Government of Chriſt, bring Chriſt to his Throne according to the decrees of State; his Scepter is a Scepter of righteouſneſſe, and a Scepter of peace: How long ſhall we be as a ſister without breaſts? do not uſe Chriſt as the Jews, who in ſtead of a ſcepter put in his hand a reed

3. Preſerve and obſerve the bond of our peace, the Covenant, it was our beautie and our bands, we never did thrive before, ever after: dear brethren, let us not forſwear our ſelves for ill-will. If ſome of thoſe Worthies that loſt their lives in the high places of the field, were riſen again from the dead, in what amazement would they ſtand, and ſay, How is the S 〈…〉 ene changed? Where am I, in the Tents of the Amalekites, or in the Camp of Iſrael? is that which was the Characteriſm of friends now turned to the badge of Malignitie? No power on earth can grant us a diſpenſation from that oath; the earth will not cover that blood that hath been ſhed in it, and for it: and, to ſay no more, God will not hold him guiltleſſe that thus taketh his Name in vaine.

Worms of Iuſtice. I have almoſt done, if I might but take the leave to tell you of the Worms of juſtice: I have brought you a Balm for our Cure, let me but now drive away the flies that corrupt this Box of oyntment, they are theſe, take heed of them, for where they are, there is death in the Pot.

That you may righteouſly execute the judgement of Peace and Truth, take heed of theſe hinderances following.

Firſt, Procipitancy, Prov. 4. 26. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your wayes be eſtabliſhed. A Cauſe is ſometimes like the Cloud of the Iſraelites, if you look on the one ſide it may ſeem white enough, but black on the other▪ Proverb. 18. 7. He that is firſt in his own Cauſe ſeemeth juſt, but his neighbour cometh and ſearcheth him. The Omniscient God himſelf ſaid, Gen. 18. 21. I will go down now and ſee whether they have done altogether according to the crie of it which is come up unto me, and if not, I will know it: not that he needs information, but to teach all titular gods to take heed of raſh judgement: Therefore Judges muſt doe as Alexander the Great, of whom it is ſaid, That in judgement if one party onely were preſent, hee would liſten with the one ear, ſtopping the other, as reſerving it impartially for the other partie. As there is injury in delay, ſo there is injuſtice in overmuch haſte; and therefore ſaid Seneca of ſuch, Licet aequum ſtatueret, non tamen aequus eſt: A raſh ſentence may ſometimes ſtumble upon juſtice, it decrees it not. Magiſtrates muſt ſometimes be Cunctators, as well as Dictators.

Secondly, the fear of man; a Magiſtrate ſhould be, ſaith Iſ • odore, Et pudore, & blanditiis, & metis major, have his minde as high as his Seat, beyond either flattery or fear: He knew what he ſaid, that ſaid, The fear of a man is a ſnare. Pilate ſtumbled at this ſtone, inPro. 29. 25 condemning of our innocent Saviour as ſoon as he heard the ſound of, Thou art not Caeſars friend; down fell Pilates courage, as thunder-ſtrucken, and loſt three friends at once, God, Caeſar, and his Conſcience. The embleme of the Law-giving Tribe was a Lyon, and Salomons Throne was ſupported by Lyons, a couragious fearleſſe creature, that is neither taken with the gazing, nor feared at the barking of any the beaſts of the Foreſt, to inſtruct Magiſtrates in valour for God. The Athenian judges ſat in Mars-ſtreet, to tell Magiſtrates, that they ſhould have hearts of valour under robes of peace, (for there is fortitudo togata, as well as fortitudo bellica) inermes togas, armatos animos, Purple Coats, but hearts of ſteel. The pillars of the houſe had need to be of the heart of Oake, the ſphear of Juſtice muſt know no motion of trepidation, nor its compaſſe know variation; like Papinian, that would not defind Imperiall & Arbitrary exorbitancy, though he ſhould die for it.

Flexibleneſſe and immoderate facilitie, to be as a Reed ſhaken with the winde, Winde Mills to popular breath; Tam malum eſt, ſaid one, Judicem caepi ſuadela, quam munere; It is as diſhonourable to be complemented out of juſtice, as to be bribed out of it: Let it be with you, as it was ſaid of Cato Fabricius, that the Sunne might ſooner bee ſtayed in its courſe from Eaſt to Weſt, than he in the courſe of juſtice.

Fourthly, Covetouſneſſe, this was the fault of the Judges of Iſrael, Hoſea 4. 18. the Rulers with ſhame crie, Give ye. It hath been a complaint ancienter then any of us, [Iuſtitia non datur niſi vendatur] that juſtice hath been made a hackney for money, and that a golden ſpurr would make it ride either to the right or wrong, according to what ſide it was moſt plyed on. Pope Pius the ſecond, (a bitter enemy to contention ſaith Platina) was wont to ſay, Litigatores ſunt aves, leges rete, forum arca, a 〈…〉 upes patroni; which if you would have engliſhed, was thus much, That the Courts of juſtice were but Trapps to catch fools in. Well, let it remaine with them, let it be the brand of Antichriſtian times, places and perſens, but let it not be named (much leſſe practiſed) amongſt reformed Chriſtians. Let it be the voice of a Iudas to ſay, What will you give to betray the innocent; Let it not be ſaid that a well-monyed man, though his Cauſe be never ſo bad, is too heavy to be caſt; he is a Magiſtrate of gold that underſtandeth neither the language of the Bottle, nor the Basket, and whoſe eyes (in point of juſtice) looke neither to the right hand of frendſhip, nor to the left hand of revenge, nor before him to the applauſ of men▪ nor behind to a ſubſequent (though not an anticedent) gift, but inward to his conſcience, and upward to his God, facile deviat a juſt in▪ ſaid Chriſoligus, qui in cauſis non deum ſ 〈…〉 hominum ogitat: I never read of any but one that had his eyes opend with Clay, many have had their eyes put out with it. A gift blinde •• the wiſe. Exod. 23. 8.

Fiftly, partialitie, Prov. 18. It is not good to accept the perſon of the wicked, nor to overthrow the righteous in judgement. Well is juſtice painted blinde, to know neither friend nor foe, rich nor poor, high nor low, kindred nor alien: Solnon eſt alius pauperi, alius diviti, ſed omnibus communis: Juſtice is like the Sunne, which lendeth her beames to all alike, without reſpect of perſons. Nihil eſt quod magis reddit vacillantem Iuſtitiae la • • em, quam judicare ſecundum hominum non rerum pondera] There is nothing that declines the ballance of juſtice from the aequilibrium of righteouſneſſe more, then when men are weighed, and not their cauſes; This will make the friend, the kinſman, the rich heavie; and the poor, the ſtranger, the enemy light, when yet his Cauſe is ponderous, Amans de amante judicans [ſaith one] non judicat; and, ſi male Iud • cet amor [ſaid another] multo pejus odium; neither love nor hatred are good arbitors in the cauſe of juſtice; therefore as righteouſneſſe it ſelf ſaid, Iohn 7. 34. Iudge not according to outward appearance, but judge righteous judgement.

Sixtly, immoderate lenity or ſeveritie, Miſcend▪ eſt lenitas cum ſeveritate, (ſaid Gregorie) ſi • amor ſed non emoliens, ſit rigor ſed non exaſperans; Lenitas ſi ſola ſit, nimis oltuſa eſt, ſeveritas ſi ſola nimis acuta eſt, ſaid another, Veſpaſian was wont to ſay, That it was the cauſe of Nero his ruine, that though he could tune the Harpe well, yet in government he did either wind up the ſtrings too high, or let them down to low; both are too blame. I confeſſe, that ſuch is the impudency of ſinne, outfacing in theſe dayes both the Sword and Word, that it requires a three ſtringed whip of ſeveritie; and ſinne hath ſo much indulgence that wee may juſtly crie to Magiſtrates, as the Smith in his owne language to the Lantgrave of Haſſen and other Magiſtrates going thorow the ſtreets, dureſcite, dureſcite, Be hardened, be hardened; of all ſwords the ſword of the Magiſtrate would not be of too ſoft and baſe a temper, that the devill himſelf may ſit quietly under his noſe; yet let mercy and juſtice kiſſe each other, ſtrike deepeſt in thoſe faults where the honour of God is moſt wounded, and when you cut off a worker of iniquity from the Citie of the Lord▪ do it as ye would cut off one of your owne joynts; in juſtice to the ſin, but with ſympathizing mercy to the perſon.

Seventhly, ſelfe-guiltineſſe, and irreligion: Men in great places are the Looking-Glaſſes of the Countrey, by which they dreſſe themſelves, and the vices of the Rulers are the rules of vices; ſins leſſen themſelves by the examples of greatneſſe: Rulers quicquid faciunt precipere videntur, the very example of great men hath ſomething of command in them; Quo grandius nomen, eo grandius ſcandalum, by how much you ſtand on higher ground, by ſo much are your fals more ſhamefull to your ſelves and hurtfull to others. How doth God pull down the flag of vicious greatneſſe, Iſa. 1. 10. calling them Rulers of Sodom, and Princes of Gomorrah. They will never be zealous reformers of others that are not reformed themſelves. And this is the reaſon why juſtice dwels in ſuch a frigid zone, many are afraid to meddle with other mens ſins leaſt they ſhould hear of their own. Let it not be ſaid of you as one wittily of a Lawyers ſtudie, Video hic multum juris, ſed parum carnis, That you have much law, little conſcience: let me therefore take the modeſt boldneſſe to intreat you, as ye are preſervers of the Laws of God and man, by your power, be obſervers of them by a perſonall practice; ſtudie Gods Statute-Book, as well as that of the King and Parliament; be Clients to God before you admit Clients to you; let your thoughts bee in heaven before they be in the Hall; conſider you are called gods, but what a repugnans in adjecto is it, to ſay, a vicious, an unjuſt god: ye are called gods, live as Saints to be a reall Saint is more honourable, then to bee a titulary god: Let it therefore be with you as it was with Nebuchadnezzars Image; though Bailiffs, and Serjeants, and Clearks, and ſuch inferiour pettitoes of juſtice ſhould be faulty, partly Iron, partly Clay, yet let the head be of Gold. Salomons Throne was of Ivory, let your Seats, your ſentence, your hearts, your lives be of pure integritie.

The eighth is, a private ſpirit, when a mans private weale is more in his own eyes then the Commonweale; this, like the Wenn in the body, and the Ivie to the Oake, withdraweth that ſap of care, diligence, valour, and faithfulneſſe which ſhould bee ſpent for the publike: Therefore ſince by your places ye are not your own, yee poſſeſſe not your own Seats, ſo be yee of publike ſpirits, draw all your lines, eſpecially of juſtice and judgement, not to the center of your private ends, but to the circumference of the publique good: He is of too low a ſpirit, that hath all his care and thoughts ſpent in the ſaving the Cockboat▪ not caring whether the ſhip of the publike wellfare ſink or ſwimme; therefore as the leſſer rivers loſe their names in the great Ocean, ſo let all particulars be ſwallowed up in the publique good.

The ninth and laſt Caterpillar of of juſtice, is, remiſneſſe, coldneſſe, and lukewarmneſſe in its execution: God expects we ſhould be valiant for the truth, Romans 12. 8. Let him that ruleth (ſaith the Apoſtle) do it with diligence: bold ſinners and cold Magiſtrates ſuit not well. I ſhall think the ſervice of this day worth al the ſervice of my whole life, if I could but ſtirre you up from driving heavily for God, ſo that the wheels of juſtice and judgment might be as the chariot of Aminadab. Let it be a Phariſees part to Tythe Mint and Cummin, and neglect the greater things of the law; to take order for clean ſtreets, mended canſwayes, and ſcoured ditches, and do nothing for the eleanſing of mens wayes in godlineſſe and honeſtie: Let it be Gallio's part to be carefull for aAct. 18. 14. three halfpenny treſpaſſe, and count religion onely a queſtion of words and names. When Philip of Macedon told a poor woman that he was not at leaſure to hear her juſt complaint, ſhe makes a bold anſwer, If you be not at leaſure to hear, O King, be not at leaſure to reign. I will not ſpeak ſo roughly, but thus, As you doe poſſeſſe the honour of your places, which we envy not, ſo alſo take up the burthens of them; every dignitie requires dutie: you ſtand on higher ground then others, you may ſee more, do more, and God requires more: Laws without execution, ſaith the Dutch Proverbe, are like Bells without a Clapper; look but upon your Robes and learn, you wear Scarlet, as the embleme of your zeal, O let your hearts bee cloathed with Scarlet zeal for God.

1. Fright the idle and vagrant, (who are Gods curſe, and the Kingdomes ſhame) unto a Calling.

2. Scatter the drunkards from the Alebench, thoſe chriſtened Atheiſts, that live vitam ranarum, non hominum, that Crown the day with riots, and to morrow with promiſed ſurfetts, come let us fill our ſelves with ſtrong drink, to morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more abundant: quorum vivere eſt bibere. Diſcourage that baſe ſinne, heretofore the ſhame of Beggars, now the glory of gallantry; heretofore a worke of darkneſſe, [1 Theſ. 5. 7. They that are drunke are drunke in the night] now a noon-day devill; reſtrain that beaſtly ſin: but I ſpeak under it, why call I it beaſtly? beaſts will not bee beaten into exceſſe, I may rather ſay as Bernard, Ebrietas manifeſtiſſimus damon, for it caſts ſome into the fire, and ſome into the water. Auguſtine thought in his time that drunkenneſs was grown to that hight that nothing could cure it but a generall Counſell; but O unto what hight is this inundation of drunkenneſſe grown to now, that it overtops all the mountains of power raiſed againſt it! growne to ſuch a Gyantlike greatneſſe, that though wee have law upon law, precept upon precept, Parliament upon Parliament, yet it ſtill reels and ſtaggers in our ſtreets, the Iſland ſwimms in drunkenneſſe, as it doth in water; its a wonder that a land ſo full of drink doth not ſpue us out: O that you would put down the ſupernumerary neſts of theſe Vipers.

3. Conjure the roaring ſwearer into ſilence; it looſed the tongue of Craeſus his ſon, before dumb, to ſee his fathers life in danger; can our fathers blood bee in our veines, and hear Gods name torn worſe than one would do their old ſhoos, and yet neither have our hearts looſed to grieve, nor our tongues to reprove, nor our hands to puniſh or reſtrain! One cries blood, another cries wounds, another cries heart, thus they crucifie againe the Lord of glory; in ſome companies you ſhall have vollies of oathes, oaths by whole-ſale, by the dozen, by the groſe, men ſwearing before they can pray; children ſwearing by Gods name before they can tell their owne. Its a wonder the Sun ſhrinks not up into heaven, and covers it ſelf with darkneſſe as at the paſſion of Chriſt, to ſee ſuch monſters.

4. Vindicate the Lords dayes, & faſtdayes from contempt; Is there never a zealous Nehemiah to ſhut the gates of Hieruſalem, that there ſhould not bee ſuch walking, ſuch riding, ſuch carrying of packs, ſuch driving of Cattle? ſhall the Lords day be no way known but by ſhut-ſhops, and finer clothes? if there be laws againſt theſe things and others, (for I cannot inſtance in all) why not executiō in theſe as wel as in others? if not, but that every one may doe as he liſt, then write A Lord have mercy upon our Englands Head.

Concluſion Honourable and Worſhipfull of all ſorts, upon whoſe ſhoulders, the government either of Kingdom, Countrey or Citie lyeth, conſider what is the good and acceptable will of God towards you from theſe words; if my zeale hath tranſported me into more boldneſſe then you think convenient, know, that as you judge, ſo we preach not for men but for the Lord. Let this Text therefore bee as a phylacterie on the garments of your honour, write it on the table of your hearts, let it bee ever in your eyes, in your ears, in your hearts, let it eat with you, and drinke with you, let it ſleepe with you, and wake with you, let it ſit with you, and judge with you; let conſcience which is the cud of the ſoul, preach this over again to you, when my voyce ſhall be buried in ſilence. I adjure you by the love of God by the honour of names, by the judgment of the laſt day, when you that now ſit in judgment ſhal alſo ſtand at the Bar; by your loyatie & love to the Commonwealth, think of what hath been ſaid, & accordingly execute the judgement of truth and • eace in your gates. Now the God of truth and peace grant you to be thus minded. Amen.