SEEING it hath pleased God for our sins to take from vs that renowmed, & most victorious Prince the King of Sweden, Iudges. 16 28. victorious euen in his death (as was Samson) the most coura­gious champion, heathen, or Christian, that euer God raised vp, or can be read of in any Historie, to haue acted so much in so short a time: his small beginnings, and great oppositions considered. An other Caesar, veni, vidi, vici, A Sauiour, and deliuerer of Gods Church, of whom the world was not worthie, for our sins (I say) taken from vs: for the which we ought to lament (lament answereth a wofull echo, and thereby our great losse: An other Judas Machabeus: how is the valiant man fallen that de­liuered Israel!) but not to lament for him,1 Mac. 9.21. who now triumpheth most gloriously in heauen, with all the Holy Angels and Saints (as he did on earth) ouer all his enemies. It were a shame, and dishonour to God, and his annointed that is with God, and a derision to the enemies of God (who now reioyce, and insult ouer his dead bones, whom liuing they durst not once looke in the face) to suffer these so glorious, and blessed beginnings (and blessed shall they be) to fall to the ground. Those great designes, both against the Antichristian, and Mahometan tyrannie: both which had he liued, in short time, by all lyklihood, had been throwne to the ground. For the further managing whereof, & finall accōplishment, (in these lest dayes to be accomplished, according to the Holy Prophe­cies) it is to be wished, and daily prayed for, by the whole Church of Christ, that all those christian Princes and States, who professe themsel­ues Defenders of the true Christian faith, would ioyne together in a firme, and inviolable league, and vnion: an Euangelicall vnion, in the [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 4]name of Iesus Christ and his Church, (all differences of opinion in mat­ter of Religion set apart, with those bitter names of Luther, and Cal­uin &c.) as Christians, Act. 11.26. for so were we first called in the primitiue Church at Antioch: an Euangelicall vnion (I say) in the name of Iesus Christ and his Church, to defend the same, and his holy Euangill, or Gospell, against all the professed enemies thereof, both Antichristian, and Mahometan. They that will not, will not, answeareth, the echo, ioyne together to pro­secute the will, and directions of that noble King, dead as well as liuing: yea rather now much more, who hath euen sacrificed his lyfe in their de­fence, and the cause of Religion: they that will not: will not answeareth the echo againe, ioyne together in this cause, and quarell, which is euen Gods cause, the Lord of hoasts, whereof he himself is Generall, and Com­mander, let them be Anathema Maranatha: let the whole Church of Christ explode thē with this bitter curse:1 Cor. 16.23. Iud. 5.23 Curse ye Meros, said the Angell of the Lord, curse ye bitter lie the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mightie. Whom the Lord also himself in the end wil curse, explode, and euen spue out of his mouth: for they that are not with vs are against vs, Mat. 12.30. & so to be accounted of, euen as enemies. Let them declare themselues, (as our Sauiour wisheth) hot, or cold, for Religion, or against Religion: for the common libertie of their conscience, and their country,Reu. 3.15 or against it: I would thou wert cold, or hot, (saieth our Sauiour) but because thou art lukewarme, and neither cold, nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. And it is to be wished, and prayed for lykewise by the whole Church of Christ (for that is all we can doe, to wish and pray, and that we all ought to doe) for we are all members of that his mysticall bodie, and euery one hath an interest in the weale or woe thereof, and may freely spend his voice. We are all Hypocra­tes twins, we must either, laugh together, or weepe together: wept we haue a long time. I say it is to be wished, and prayed for lyke­wise that his Maiestie of Great Britainne, who professeth himselfe Defender of the faith, catexochen aboue all other Kings and Princes, (and long may he liue to maintayne it) would now declare himself by summoning, or calling (quam timeo, how doe I feare to name it? I onely wish and pray for it) a Parliament: [O that the name of a Parliament should now be so hainous, and odious, as no man dare once name it, scarce thinke of it: that high court of Parliament so named, so reverenced in times past, that great counsell of state, & of the whole Land, assembled [Page 5]as one man to prouide for the good of the state, and of the whole Church of God, and oppugne the enemies thereof: which counsell had his Ma­jestie and royall father been pleased to haue embraced and not the coun­sell of those wicked Rohoboami, pravis consultoribus impulsi: impulsi answea­reth the echo againe to dissolue, and break it of from time to time, one parliament after an other: aliquam, quae nunc Buchanan in his Epist. ded. before his trag: Bapt: Nulla in compari­son of our former fa­mous and flouwrishing estate &c. nulla est, rempublicam habe­remus: both Church and state had still flourished, as in the dayes of Queene Elisabeth of famous memorie: since vtterly decayed, the glorie gone from Israel, and nothing prospered that we haue vndertaken: nor lyke to doe, till it please God to put into his Majesties heart to call it againe, to bewished I say and prayed for continually.] By calling a Parliament (I say) and cutting of the Popish, and Spanish faction: I may not name them neither, I dare not: I need not: their characters are written in such great and capitall letters, as a man may read them running: as it is in the Prophet. That great Gordian knot, or threefold cord not easie to be broken, nor possible to be loosed, but cutt in peeces by him that beareth the sword, and (I hope) not in vaine, our Great Alexander. The Popish,Rom. 13.4. and Spanish faction (I say) with their adherents, flatterers, and time seruers, their vas­sals, and creatures, of all others most base and vnworthy: creatures of creatures, vassals of vassals, worthy also to be cutt off, as King Dauid denounceth:Psa. 12.3 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips &c. nostrì fundi cal­lamitas; the callamitie of this our once so famous, and flourishing a Kingdome, and of the whole Church of God, and the reformed Religion: which they haue endeavoured to ruine, if it were possible, by diverting his Majestie, and Royall father King Iames, Vt eos quos tutari debe­ant desertos esse patian­tur. from giuing that counte­nance & assistance therevnto, which in all honour, in respect of that royall tytle and in their owne royall disposition otherwise they both ought and would haue don. Bound therevnto by a more particular obligation to their owne flesh, and blood, now lying a bleeding, both the one, and the other. Both the cause of Religion, her chieffe champion slaine, and that distressed, and comfortles Ladie the Queene of Bohemia, and her royall issue, like to suffer as she hath don hitherto beyōd all patiēce: which yet in the end will ouercome all. Whereof (I say) the Popish, and Spa­nish faction, which we nourish euen in our owne bosomes, are the cause, and in the end, lyke vipers, will eate out euen their owne mothers bo­wels, and vtterly ruine this our famous Kingdome, Church and state, if they be not cut off. Now is the axe laied, to the roote of the trees. Mat. 3.10 Trees in the [Page 6]plurall number: euen the high and mightie Cedars of Lebanon, Kings & Caisars, for with God there is no respect of persons. No respect of persons answereth the echo.2 King. 20 1. Set thyne house in order for thou shalt dye and not liue, saith the Lord by his Prophet to Hezekiah King of Iuda, and in him to our Hezekiah, a lyke gentlie warned of late, and to all other Kings, and Princes. God graunt they may all repent, mourne, and lament, as he did: that so, many yeeres may be added to their liues here in this world, and after, eternitie of glorie in the world to come. Gently war­ned (I say) by a lyke visitation, immediatly after the newes came of the death of the two Kings, verie remarkable. A lyke visitation (I saie) pestilenciall,The small pocks, pesti­lentiall, and inclyning to the pla­gue, & com­monly a forerunner. and mortall too to many, cosen german to that great visi­tation so called the plague: which was (as some hold) the deadly dis­ease of Hezekiah, sick vnto death, as it is in that place. A faire war­ning, if so taken, and not slighted as an ordinary, and casuall visitation, (as I feare we doe) but the circumstances make it not casuall, but extraor­dinary, and (as I said before) verie remarkable. No occasion at all of in­fection precedent, but immediatlie from the hand of God, and the verie finger of God therein. A gentle visitation indeed, God giue vs grace to make vse of it, before the destroying Angell come with his sword drawne, and cut downe all before him. Now is the axe laid to the roote of the trees. Kings and Princes, they now see they are mortall, and shall die like men. Euen be sick, wounded, slaine and die lyke other men:The words vsed at the buriall of the dead, in the booke of common prayer. and that they are but earth, dust, and ashes: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust &c. And therfore the Prophet cryeth vnto them: earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord. Now therefore let vs leaue off our revelling, and daunsing, our maskes, and playes, vnseasonable (espe­cially on the Lords day) when the Lord calleth to prayer and fasting, weeping and mourning. When (I saie) the Arke of God is in campe against the Philistims. For feare we doe not act the last part of the tragaedie alreadie begun,1. Pet. 4.17. already begun answereth the echo: iudgement already begun at the house of God &c. for our God is euen a consuming fire. It is already kindled, & the flame or it be long will surely break forth, if in the meane time we doe not quench it with the teares of repentance. We haue had diuers faire-warnings, and fore-warnings first and last, which haue wrought verie litle impression in our senseles, stony, and hard hearts. Two great pla­gues: one vpon the first comming of King James to the crowne: The other of King Charles: manie thousands consumed as in the dayes of [Page 7] King Dauid. God open our eyes, as he did his,1. Chron. 21.16 2 Sam. 24.17. that we may see his destroying Angell standing betweene the earth and the heauen with his drawne sword in his hand &c. and acknowledge our sins, as he did: It is I that haue sinned, don euill indeed, don wickedlie &c. Two great falles: the one of King Iames into the riuer at Theobalds horse & all, where after he died: The other of King Charles then Prince in Enfielde chase not far off, taken vp senseles, and carried into a house hard by, but came to himself againe God be praised. The same God preserue him still long to suruiue to his glory. Two great fires: the one at New merket halfe the towne almost consumed where the Kings hunting house is: the other at Whitethall, the banqueting house burnt and consumed. Besides many other great fires elswhere. And euen in London it self the Kings Chamber. [Yea London bridge, one of the wonders of the world, a great part of the houses built vpon it, verie latelie also burnt, and consumed.] But all these faire-war­nings, and fire-warnings, fore-warnings, and fore-runners of further iudgements, forgotten, or slighted, as ordinary and casuall, as the Iewes did all those prodigious signes before the destruction of Jerusalem, yea the Powder-plot, or Papists cōspiracy, as yet remayning in red characters in our almanaks, among our other holy daies celebrated yeerly: but what effect hath it wrought? The Papists, and Popish faction, euer since increassed, growne stronger, and stronger: euill men still worse and worse, 2. Tim. 3.13. as the Apostle prophecieth of these last dayes, these last times: and in the end (as I said before) will vtterly ruine both our Church and state, if they be not cut of. I say if these faire-warnings one after an other, and gentle visitations in great mercie sent beforehand from God to moue vs to re­pentance, worke no effect, nor make vs sensible of his iudgements al­ready fallen vpon others, which our sins haue lykewise deserued, if not more: we may feare or it be long, to be made examples to others, as others now are to vs. And see with feare, and trembling, Dan. 55. the finger of that hand writing vpon the wall: Mene, Mene, Tekel Vpharsin &c. The sen­tence is already gon forth, long since denounced to Hezekiah: Thou shalt die, & not liue, and in him to all other Kings and Princes: I haue said ye are Gods, but ye shall die lyke men and fall lyke one of the Princes. Psal. 82.6 We see it executed before our eyes vpon others, vpon other Princes, and shall we thinke to escape scotfree? Two lamentable examples,The 5 of Nouember God onely threatned & forewarned by the pow­der plot: But the 6 paid vs home, & dou­ble by the death of these two Princes: Prince Hen­ry, and the King of Sweden, A great iud­gement vpō his Church and very re­markable, (too lamentable indeed:) two good Princes taken away, and that on the sodaine one af­ter an other. The King of Sweden, the very same day of the moneth the [Page 8]6 of Nouember old stile that Prince Henry died, that hopefull Prince. And the King of Bohemia immediatly after: and will God spare others? If he doe, and they doe not, not, answereth the echo, bring for fruits meet for repentance, as Iohn Baptist admonisheth (which God graunt we all may doe) to be preserued from one iudgement, is but to be reserued to an other, a far greater, whereof then we shall be sensible and com­playne, but too late, and in vaine: as that froward, and stubburne heart complaineth:Pr. 5.12 how haue I hated instruction, and my heart despised reprooffe &c? Our wilfull, froward, and stubburne hearts, they can brooke no instruction, or reprooffe. ThereforePs. 18.26 Mat. 14.4. with the wilfull, froward, and stubburne, will the Lord shew himself wllfull, froward, and stubburne &c. as it is in the Psalme. But indeed they that should instruct, admonish, and reprooue Kings and Princes & all persons without respects of persons (as Iohn the Baptist did King Herod, it is not lawfull for thee &c.) our great Bishops and clergie men, yea and States men too (with reuerence be it spoken to the better sorte, which is alwayes the least, alwayes excepted) they are flatterers, and timeseruers (namque hoc tempore obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit) all seeke their owne, and none the things of Ie­sus Christ: Amos 6.6 as the Apostle complaineth. They are not grieued for the af­flictions of Ioseph &c: As the Prophet also complaineth. For the afflicti­ons of Gods Church, and Saints, both vnder the Antichristian, and Mahometan tyranny, daily slaine and martyred, and no man considereth in his heart, Whose blood will one daye be required. Let them looke to it whom it concerneth, Kings, Princes, or others: for to whom much is giuen, Isa. 30.33 of him much shall be required. Tophet is prepared of old, euen for Kings, if they repent not. They repent not, answereth the echo, that obey not Gods holy trueth, and Gospell; who either, offend, or doe not defend the same, to the vtmost of their power against the enemies thereof.Cicero lib. 1, Offic. Qui non populsat injuriam, qui non defendit nec obsistit si potest in­juriae &c. he that doth not protect and defend the innocent, and oppres­sed, from iuiurie and violence offered, tam est in vitio (saith a heathen man) as if he should forsake his parents, or frends, or countrie. And it was one of their great commandements, pugna pro Patria: and is lyke­wise to euery true Christian: pugna pro Ecclesia; he thou faithfull vnto death &c.Rev. 2.10 Much more to Christian Princes whom God hath made his Lieutenants, and chieffe-iustices here on earth, and giuen that honour to be nursing-fathers to his Church, to protect and defend it, against al [...] [Page]iniuries and violence whatsoeuer, and against all enemies whatsoeuer. To protect (I say) and defend the widowes, and fatherles. Now espe­cially those two comfortles Rachels the Queens of Bohemia and Sweden, and their fatherles children: those towardly yong Princes, and all others oppressed by that tyrannous, and ambitious house of Austria, & help them to their right. As King Dauid admonisheth:Psal. 82.3 defend the poore and father­les, doe iustice to the afflicted and needie: deliuer the poore and needie: rid them out of the hand of the wicked &c. Be wise now therfore O ye Kings: Psal. 2.10 be in­structed ye iudges of the earth. Serue the Lord with feare, and reioyce with trembling. Kisse the sonne lest he be angrie, and ye perish &c. Repent (as Iohn the Baptist lykewise admonisheth) for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand. Mat. 3.2. Now is the axe laid to the roote of the trees. And let vs all repent, euen from the highest to the Lowest, as did the Niniuites at the preaching, of Ionas: Ionah. 3.4 yet fortie daies and Nineue shall be ouerthrowne. And mourne, not onely outwardly, but inwardly for our sins, which indeed are the chieffe cause of all these disasters, which haue fallen vpon our neighbour churches & countries, yea Princes, and great personages, and may lykewise fall vpon vs, how soone we knowe not.Luk. 13.4 For were they onelie sinners aboue all others vpon whom the tower in Silo fell, and slue them? I tell you nay (saith our Saui­our) but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. And yet not to be lamen­ted, but our sins & great losse thereby as before. 1 Pet. 4.7. And was that euer renow­med, and neuer sufficiently lamented King of Sweden, that died in bat­taile (as did Josiah:) The King of Bohemia, that died immediatly after: And that hopefull yong Prince his son that was drowned before; sinners aboue other Kings, and Princes their neighbours? I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish. Two Kings at once so sodainle to be taken away one after another, (the circumstance of time also before mentioned considered) wee must needs acknowledge the very finger of God, and iudgement of God therein to be admired, and feared of all others. For when iudgement begineth at the house of God (as now it doth, the house of Sued for Sued is Deus, Gods house,) what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God? They obey not the Gospell of God, answeareth the eeho againe, who either, offend, or doe not defend the Gospell of God, to the vtmost of their power: qui non propulsant iniuriam &c. Or was the German nation, or other our Neighbour nations, vpon whom Gods heauy iudgements, of war, and other miseries are fallen, greater sinners than we? I tell you nay, but except we repent we shall all likewise perish. Isa. 60.12 1. Sam. 12 25. Regnum quod non servierit Deo peribit: that Kingdome which will not serue the Lord [Page]shall perish: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Repent therfore for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand, at hand answereth the echo againe. And so I conclude, praying God to forgiue our sins, which haue caused these iudgements, and vpon our repentance to raise vp Sauiours, and deliue­rers of his Church (as I hope he will) more and more to his glory, and the finall confusion of his enemies both open, and secret, Gog and Magog, now in these last dayes,Reu. 20.8 before the end of the world very neare ap­proaching, to be vtterly destroyed, vtterly destroyed answereth the echo againe Amen, Amen.